UNDERCOVER {Competed} 😌

chapter 13

Mercy
In the afternoon,I hobbled to the room,aching badly yet smiling with success. Manuel instructed me to prepare to empty stalls saying that a matched pair would be coming soon.

The pair arrived just before I had my lunch break. As soon as I led the pair in the stalls,I knew where the wedding will be. In the ranch on a horse ride. And as I hafted their sandals I planted micro recorders on their linings.

Isn't it crazy?

Now despite my throbbing bruise and the tug of the inviting bed,I cheerfully sat in one of the armchairs and reached for one of the micro recorders switched it on and began talking about my observations.

The task took time,leaving me less than an hour to go for lunch. I carefully labelled the cassette, then picked the recorder and returned it to my pack.

The pack resisted my first attempt then I saw it required both hands,so I stood up and set it on the table next to the coffee pot.

I blinked in disbelief.
Where did this second recorder come from?

Obviously it wasn't mine. But why would Joshua need it?
Puzzled,I picked up the machine and turned it on. It was labeled shakers the name of a magazine that was rival to ours.

Oh,God,! The exclamations ricocheted off the walls of my mind. Joshua was a reporter?
No, no no it can't be. My imagination was running wild again.

Then I spied a small plastic box lying near the table. With sensations in my stomach I leaned and picked up as if it was a very poisonous snake. The cassette's were labeled exactly the same way I was tought to label mine.
I took it our placed it on my player and pushed the play button.
"Caro is so beautiful " a female voice I recognized as mine crooned.
My voice! I blinked angrily,fighting back the tears.
Damn! Oh damn it! Joshua Dickson was a reporter.
And he was after my story

Joshua.
Why wasn't Pepper showing up for lunch? I wondered as I cut biscuit dough into round shapes and arranged them on a baking sheet. I had made several trips and I haven't seen her.

When I asked around nobody had seen her. Had something happened to her bruise? She and I need to get our love stories straight. I have been teased several times about our differing version of courtship. But what really bothered me is If she discovered the recorder on the table.

Even if she did I'd say I used it to record voice letters for my family. I just hoped she'd buy it.

That decided, I returned to more important situation which was to get their different stories straight. I better write a note to Pepper to ask her to meet me during dinner. I'm sure shed have fin inventing a story. And she'd laugh, I'm sure she would, and I loved the sound of her laugh.

Denying the anticipation I felt,I carried the sheet to the oven. As I slipped it inside,I glanced at a tray of shiny chocolates. Pepper loved chocolates and often complained how she'd miss. I picked one and hid it. I'd give it to her.

I then grabbed a pencil and a piece of notepaper.
And wrote:
Mercy,come to the kitchen for dinner. I have a surprise.
Love,Joshua.
I smiled at the last statement. I could still imagine her face when I'd give her the chocolate.

Mercy
I don't know for how long I stared at nothing,and most of the lunch hour was gone. I wasn't really hungry,but knowing that I had to eat something, I reached out to the basket took a banana and peeled it.

The discovery explained many things. Like why Joshua tagged along to Davids house and why since the first day he had never complained about keeping his things in the storage room.

What should I do next? Telling him was out of the question. Maybe he'd confide in me and then that would gibe a boost to my investigation. But pretending to be his friend was hard to stomach.
I have never sneaked behind someone's back and used them. Could I do that? Was the story so important?
Yet what would I be if I lost the story to Joshua? Exactly what I have ever been. Mercy Roberts. The shortie little Mercy. This too was hard to stomach

Taking a bite to a banana that I didn't really want, I decided my first order of business was to learn where he kept the tapes.

I search under the bed first then the dresser. Giving the banana another bite,I opened his top drawer. After a few parts my hand struck to something hard.

Careful not to disturb the piles,I lifted the case and opened it,exposing the tapes.
I immediately guessed that Joshua had dropped it while in a hurry.
I returned to the table and got his tape. I'd leave the recorder where I found it,its highly unlikely that Joshua won't remember leaving it there.

This was like having another source. While Joshua worked I'd listen to his tapes. As long as he didn't know I knew who he was he'd have no reason to suspect me. Actually this turn of events was quite lucky.

I had no time for lunch now, so I'll have to wait for dinner. Yes very lucky,I kept repeating to myself as I locked the door behind me. As I passed the trash bin I dropped the banana inside. For some reason, my stomach rolled so badly.

Later
Mercy.
I clutched Joshua's note inside a hand shoved pocket of my wool jacket.
How was I supposed to act?
Love,Joshua he had signed.
During the rest of the afternoon raking off the horse droppings,I had plenty of time thinking about Joshua's deception. He was a cad. But what was I? I was deceiving him too. And would continue doing so.

So how am I supposed to act?

I crossed the small field and waved at some workers before walking to the great room kitchen.
People rushed out with food trays while others brought in dirty dishes and containers. The head would bark our orders one in a while. I found Joshua in a corner. He looked up as I approached,and his face burst into a smile.

"I'll be out in a minute." Joshua swiftly said loading the trays past me.
I stood awkwardly and one of the cooks gave me a suspicious glance. "Only helps are supposed to be in the kitchen." He hissed.

I nodded and walked out. I watched as a woman hanged a key on a hook near a grill after stepping out of the elevator.

I was unaware that the elevator existed. I had tried the stairs once but I had been caught and warned about the area being off limit

I tucked the information. Getting through the kitchen undetected wouldn't be an easy job,and I wouldn't feel any better that I would have used Joshua's position to my own gain. I headed out and the ran into Joshua.

"Ill break for dinner soon." He said. I shivered and shook my head. " okay." I managed to say.
"Wait a minute," he said and pulled out something from his pocket.
"Here." He shoved a chocolate bar into my hand.
I wanted to cry. What has gotten into Joshua? I stared dumbly at his gift.

"I thought it was your favorite why are you frowning?"
"It is." I bit my lip and forced myself to look up. "Thanks."
A long silence hung in the air. He broke it.
"I've been hearing stuff about our different stories," why don't we sit down and work something reasonable?"
"Okay. After dinner we will."
"Sure."
"Joshua...." I reached out for his hand but he was already turning to leave.
"Its okay Mercy, go home. We'll talk."
I felt a lump on my throat.
This was probably the last gift Joshua will ever give me

And so that night they had their story straight.

Unedited
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