Before 24 Billion and Counting

Chapter 23 Part 2 The initiation of change

I took some money from an ATM with my rarely used debit card, noting thankfully that I still had a decent balance, and at a paper shop won some change which I used to phone Kelly at the office. Her familiar voice was a comfort, even if the stink of nicotine from the handset was not. 

"Charles Berisford's Office." 

"Kelly it's me." 

"Charles, thank God. Nobody knows where you are, you've been out of reach. What the hell are you doing - er - boss." 

A touch of humour in my life at her anger tempered by respect, made me chuckle.  

The pips went and I pushed more coin into the phone. 

The PA system rang out with some arrival announcement, which I let fall silent before I answered. 

"I'm at Auckland Arrivals. I need my spare keys. I'll get a taxi to the office." 

"Er, no Charles, best I collect you. There's lots we need to discuss." 

"I need a lift home unless I take a taxi." 

"Great, there really is a lot to discuss." 

"Ok, but your family?" 

"They're old enough now to cope." 

"OK I'd be very grateful if you came, but you may not recognise me - er - look for a scruffy hiker carrying a pink Financial Times and no baggage. There can't be too many of those." 

"Right boss. Will do. See you." 

I bought the newspaper and sat where I could see a time display on an arrivals screen and the cars in the short term waiting lane. I didn't read the paper but tried to plan what I should do in the long term to make Ellen's death and the sacrifices of my friends at the observatory worthwhile, whatever had happened to them. 

Somehow I had to separate myself from the company I owned. The glimmerings of a plan teased the back of my mind but I couldn't bring them forward to crystallize them. 

I could do something like that perhaps, if Kelly could somehow cope. Much would depend on what had happened while I had been away.  

I recognised the number plate of one of the five Toyota pool cars we had recently purchased, and walked towards it, holding the pink newspaper aloft. Kelly swung out of the car, a confident, mature woman wearing a tan suit, with her mid length fair hair neat. I saw her as if for the first time. I realised how formidable she might be. She saw me, looked startled, and walked swiftly towards me. We met in the noisy bustle by the lay by, as a super jumbo roared over on take off power. 

She gripped my upper arms, as the roar became a rumble,"Good God Charles what's happened. You look ten years older. Are you alright?" 

"Yes I'm Ok, Kelly. it's grand to see you." I thought 'grand' was a monster understatement, it was all I could do to restrain the instinct to hug her and bury my head in her warmth. 

"Come let's get you home." 

She wound us out of the one way system on to the motorway, her wedding ring clicking on the rim of the steering wheel. 

"Right Charles tell me all about it." 

"It'll keep. What's happened to my company?" 

"There had to be changes. But everything's stable and intact. But that's for later. Where's Ellen? I was sure you'd come home with her - at least for a holiday."  

"I - I lost her." 

"Impossible. You love each other. The signs were all there." 

"She was killed."