My Little Pixie

Chapter Thirty-One - Tickle Trauma

Two days later, I was sitting at my desk, reviewing the latest sales figures. They were still dropping - though not quite as precipitously as before. Presumably, the amount of information leaking from my office had been significantly curtailed.

So either it was one of the other staff or, and I felt that this was increasingly likely, James was keeping his head down."

I was disturbed by a nervous knock at the door.

"Enter!" I called. I was not surprised when Emily's head poked around the corner and she apologised for disturbing me.

"Come and sit down," I told her, strolling over and joining her on the comfy chairs, deliberately taking a place across the coffee table from her.

"How is it going?" I asked.

"Fine!" she replied automatically.

I did not deem that worthy of a response so I just sat there and frowned at her until she got the message.

"OK, well not fine really," she conceded. "My emotions are still all over the place but sometimes, now, I can manage to survive for a whole hour without bursting into tears."

She gave me a slight smile.

"And thank you for bullying me into talking to the Trauma lady. It really is helping - even if all she does is keep telling me that all the mixed up emotional stuff and the stupid 'feeling guilty' thoughts and everything are completely normal."

"You almost make it sound like a surprise that I know what's best for you," I teased.

She grinned back at that one.

We chatted for a bit before I persuaded her to come to the point. "Daddy would like to talk to you," she explained. "Please may I give him your phone number."

"You may. But you should ask him to be careful about what he says on the phone. It is my working assumption that my calls are being monitored by my enemies."

In fact, it was my working assumption that my calls were being monitored by the police

But, in this context, the police were my enemies!

I stood up, gave her a kiss on the cheek and sent her on her way.

So, ten minutes later, Craig Housegrove phoned.

"I wanted to thank you for what you've done and what you are doing for my daughter," he said carefully.

"I consider her a friend and I will always help my friends when they are in trouble."

"I'd like to buy you lunch so that I can thank you properly for..."

"If you will excuse the interruption," I had to break in hurriedly. "There are, potentially, elements of this conversation that I would not feel comfortable pursuing on the telephone."

"Oh yeah! I hadn't really thought about that."

"Then would you care to join me at 'The Redoubtable' down on the coast. It has specific facilities to guarantee our privacy as we conduct our discussions."

"That sounds pretty convenient."

We arranged a date and time then I added, "I'll have a car sent around."

"You don't have to."

"In fact I do. I have my reasons and will explain them at the meeting."

"Right you are."

In fact, I was quite happy to have the excuse to escape the house. Elizabeth and Naomi both had exams approaching and the atmosphere was becoming distinctly fraught.