The Pope Of Comber

Chapter 16

Present day: Late summer: Manor House Baxter's office 12:15 Hours.

'This is the first time such a thing has happened in all the years we have been involved in this Movie Business.' Bill Hardy said as he sat facing Baxter in Baxter's office.

'Yes...very strange indeed' Jane Downs quickly interjected sitting next to Bill also facing Baxter.

Baxter sat behind his huge desk his eyes moving from Bill to Jane like he was watching them playing out an imaginary tennis match together.

Baxter's voice sounded dry and without his usual confident tone as he said. 'I can't understand it myself...?' Baxter's tone and face took on a look and sound of a befuddled man.

'Look Will...' Bill said as he raised his left hand to seeming halt any more words falling from Baxter's mouth.

'Jane and I have been doing this sort of thing for a good number of years now. There could be countless reasons why the cheques haven't as yet been cashed. Sometimes for tax reasons the most common and other times the old lost in the post reason. But it has been four months now since the cheques were issued and given out to you for forwarding to your London Office and as yet...'

Baxter put his hand up in the air in front of Bill like he was a policeman instructing a driver to suddenly stop his vehicle.

Bill didn't look one bit amused as he stared at Baxter's palm.

As if by design or just sheer luck Bella knocked on the open office door, all eyes now centred on her as she stood within the doorframe.

'The London Office is on the phone Mr Baxter...should I patch it straight through to your desk phone?' She said looking a little awkward as she stood her left hand ever so slightly resting on the side of the door frame.

'Yes Bella...that would be so kind of you, Thank you.' Baxter smiled looking somewhat thankful she had interrupted.

'Saved by the Bella' Bill said slightly covering his mouth as he spoke.

Jane didn't look amused and managed to give Bill a swift kick to his ankle. Bill let out a little yelp as the tip of her pointy shoe connected.

Jane gave him the 'you should know better' look that he was so used to receiving from her over so many years they had worked together.

Bill retorted with his 'little boy lost' look, which he knew never worked on Jane, but he was fresh out of ideas.

Baxter didn't seem to notice the shenanigans playing out in front of him between Jane and Bill. He quickly almost effortlessly lifted the receiver of the phone on the very first ring.

Bill and Jane were well used to the office etiquette of looking uninterested as Baxter began his conversation on the phone.

It was all always difficult and somewhat frustrating trying to follow a one person's phone conversation at the best of times.

Bill couldn't quite put his finger on why? But he felt Baxter was somehow playing out a prearranged and very convincing mixture of power words and phases as he spoke.

Most of the one sided conversation from Baxter consisted of him playing out the, I didn't know that, phase as well as countless others.

At times Baxter would inadvertently get eye contact with Bill as he spoke.

Baxter would quickly pull his the guy on the other end of the phone is a dick face, which Bill thought just didn't somehow quite suit Baxter's character.