Feelings

Avenged

Luke closed the door quietly and stood for a moment with his back against it gathering himself.  He was incredibly nervous, this was as far out of his comfort zone as he could ever have imagined.  But Sophie was worth it.  When Tom had called him that morning and asked him to come to her house, he'd been surprised.  Not as surprised, however, as the revelation that was made to him once he got there.  

He could see her face now, pale and weepy.  Tom had told him, while sitting holding her hand tightly.  She'd nodded when Luke had asked - purely automatically, not because he disbelieved her in any way - if that was true.  You know, in that way that your mind refuses to accept horrifying events.

"What can we do?  I know you're going to the police, but what can we actually DO?" he'd asked Tom later as they left Sophie to have a sleep and them to have a chat out of her earshot.  What she didn't know couldn't hurt - or frighten - her.

"Well, I think we pay Arthur Gardiner a little courtesy call...." Tom had put an arm around his shoulder as he started to explain.

Now a few hours later, he stood poised, as Tom and Art went and sat in the chairs to the left of the desk.  Arthur Gardiner's office was large, flashy and everything you would expect from someone like him.  It had a large glass and steel desk, with a large leather chair behind it.  It had framed pictures of Art with the great and the good of not just the West End, but Hollywood and even royalty, ranged around the walls.

It had a sumptuous carpet and drapes, and a wall unit whose shelves were filled with awards and citations for his illustrious career.  A sitting area to one side, where he now sat with Tom, complete with leather couches and a low coffee table laden with drinks completed his little empire.

Luke came and sat down, his phone in his pocket, ready.

"I'm honoured Mr Hiddleston." Art had smarmed as they walked into his office. "I wasn't expecting you.  I hadn't envisaged there would be a day when you decided to tread the boards of the West End. What can I do for you?"  he indicated the couches.  "Please make yourself comfortable."

Tom smiled thinly, this was the acting job of his life. What he really wanted to do was grab the man and smash him in the face.  What he was about to do would be less satisfying but far more effective.

"As you may be aware, Mr Windsor here arranged an interview with you for my close friend Miss Goodman.  I have become aware that the position is vacant again.  Care to elaborate?" he smiled, as if this was something he'd actually expected.

"Ah, news travels fast eh?  Well, shall we say we had some" he paused and smiled lecherously "some creative differences.  Our ideas of where things should progress to differed somewhat in direction." he lifted a bottle from the tray on the table "drink gentlemen?"

Tom shook his head, "A little early for me I'm afraid." the look on his face made Art swallow slightly.  This man was no pushover it seemed.  Tom glanced at Luke who nodded very slightly and gripped his phone in his pocket just a little tighter.

"So, anything I can do to help resolve the situation?  I spoke with Miss Goodman last night and she was extremely vague in her reasons for leaving so suddenly.  Is there something I should know about - was there something happened?  At the dinner?  I believe from Mr Windsor it was a great success?"  he leaned back, smiling openly and undoing the button on his jacket.  Play it cool Tom, he told himself, reel him in.

"Oh it was, we raised a substantial sum. Thanks in no small part to Sophie and her excellent organisational skills.  It's just a pity really. If I'd known..."

"Known what?" Tom uncrossed his legs and sat forward, playing the 'tell me anything this is a confidential chat' card. "Is..." he looked at Luke who played along, shrugging in surprise "Is there something we should know about her?  About her.. conduct?"