Hiding Within The Betrayal

Chapter Nine: Some Sort of Celebrity

Holding my breath, I traced the ostentatious doorway with my eyes. Though I had driven past the Lawson's firm before, never had I got this close. I had only seen it from the outside and even then it was brief. Standing there in that moment I was able to think about how elaborate it was. . Disturbingly grander than the block of offices where my company was based. It was fairly intimidating but I'm sure that was their intention.

Tess had rang them up ahead of time on my behalf. She returned to me with the news that they were pleased by my interest of the case but was confused at the system they had. Informing me that it was no longer ran by one man, that it was now in shared partnership with a separate receptionist. Much more lavish than our system that's for certain. I was however, more baffled when she told me who I was asked to speak to when I arrived as it wasn't the Lieutenant that I knew for being the head of the company but instead, his business partner who I had met long before being successful in this line of work.

Even then, it could go either way.

Before I left the office, I given the files I had asked for. They were given to me in a black briefcase. I checked it over before accepting that it was everything. Even then, knowing that I had everything I could possibly bring to the Lawson's, I worried about the events that would follow the moment I walked through the door. My suspicion was that they would question my ability to complete the investigation. By coming here it was like I was surrendering, I had no intention of giving up the case and Tess made that perfectly clear on the phone but it could be argued otherwise if words got taken out of context. At least the press weren't around to spin a web of accusations and false rumors...

Though it wasn't an ideal situation, I knew that closing a case with outsider help (even if it was another company) was better than letting pride take over and struggling to complete it ourselves. At best it would just waste time, at worst it could lead to an unsolved case.

When they handed over the case to us, we didn't hesitate to get stuck in. My team became invested in it. It wasn't the way things worked, not commonly, if I knew that the Lawson's had reopened their investigation then I would have let them close it and had my team work on another case but we were in too deep to do that now. 

  Within the first year of leaving university, one of my first jobs had me working as a research assistant for a man who worked for a company that specialized in missing people cases. Our current situation with the Lawson's reflected the one at that time: two opposing teams having separate leads on a case. The two working on the case case was purely an accident. I've never been one to hide in the background. So I voiced my opinion on how we should have approached it. They scrutinized me. Warned me that I was simply an assistant, that my opinion didn't matter and I should keep quiet if I wanted to keep the job. I didn't take well to it off course - persistent to make my point, they eventually let me talk. I proposed that the teams combine their sources to find holes in the works and fill one another in on things that one knew and the other didn't.

I was ridiculed. Made to feel like I was a moron for even considering it. Three weeks went by before the child was found. By the other team, not the one I was working for. Washed up dead in the bottom of a river on the outskirts of the town we worked in...

To this day I resent the entire organization for their ignorance.

It's why I was so quick to agree with Andrew. I knew that time was a virtue.

Now that I could make the call, I understood how the boss of my first company felt. Not to say I forgive him, just that I understand the challenge he was put under. At least I could admit we needed help. That without the evidence the Lawson's had, we would take days to find Jessy. Days that we couldn't afford to waste.

Letting out a calming breath, I smiled to myself. Keeping my head high.

By strutting in with confidence and owning the world, no one would be the wiser. That's how I always liked to work. Having to leave the office in such a manner wasn't about to change anything. With a stride in my step, I entered through the wooden doors. I had no clue where I was going but Tess mentioned that the call was picked up by a woman before being passed on to the guy in the head office. So somewhere there had to be a kind of reception. 

The building was rather geriatric, with high ceilings and deep chestnut brick walls. A grand hall at one point in time. Ahead was a desk, there were modern tables and other seating spaces dotted around but the desk was fitting with the architecture. As I allowed myself to glance around the room, I could see heads turn toward me. I wore healed black ankle boots which echoed across the surface of the shiny floor, given the vast area it caused a reverberation much louder than what it was in our office, I hadn't thought much of it until that point.

I kept my team to a minimum. These however had an entire building just for their team. Two floors of whatever staff I didn't care to learn the details of, the last floor for the two business partners and then the ground floor - a lobby of sorts. This of course wasn't used for confidential work if I could simply just waltz right in, it came across as more of a social space.

From the corner of my eye, I could see more distinct from the rest, four men clumped around a glass table. Seemingly taking a late lunch break having taken all morning to get no where with their investigations. The one closest to the door wouldn't take his eyes away from me.

So much as doing a double take. Must have known who I was.

He spun around to his colleagues instantly. His eyes wide in shock at the revelation of me being there.  "Hey lads, don't freak out but-"

The joker of the pack sat opposite to the first on looker rolled his eyes. Slapping his fist against the table, "Don't tell us that you couldn't work today because of an eye problem. You just can't see yourself working today. " He and the guy next to him let out an immature laughter as if the joke was funny, the last guy smiled politely but clearly had the same reaction as I did.

He shook his head. "No, it's-"

I think by then it was obvious that I had overheard him. He lent back in his seat and waited for me to pass them. By then, the receptionist behind the desk had clocked me anyway. So with a broad smile I made my way over. Since the receptionist was on the phone, I received a welcoming smile telling me they would be a minute.

I rested my hands against the desk and tuned into the discussion of the men.

By that point, I had missed some of the conversation.

All four had become aware of my presence.

Three of them knew exactly who I was. Actually seeing me like some sort of celebrity. This being the onlooker, the joker and the one who laughed at the unfunny joke. The other seemed unphased by my existence. I was offended. Who was he and why was he the only one who didn't gaze at me in awe? Must have been the age. The others were much older than he, clearly didn't know about my history, too young to know.

"What do you think she's doing here?" the joker's friend questioned the others.

With hesitation, the onlooker rubbed his dumpy chin, "Must be something important. The only time she makes an appearance is on the news when she's found another missing child."

"Don't think it's something to do with one of our cases do you?" The joker asked rather plainly.

"What else would she be here for?" Onlooker spat rather passionately.

The final man replied to them, I wasn't able to hear what his response was though. Unlike the others, he was aware that they were in a room that echoed. Sound travels especially in a place like that. He was wise about ensuring he wasn't overhead if nothing else. Annoying for me. 

My attention was snatched when the phone landed back on the hook.

A rather stunned receptionist met my eye, "Sorry, for the wait."

I informed her that it was quite alright and let her continue.

A swift clear of the throat, "Detective Degarmo. What can we do for you today?"

There was a sense of disbelief in the voice but ecstatic neither the less.

"I'm here to see Detective Bakshi. He's expecting me"