Anything For Grace

Chapter 5

Elijah's POV...

An oncoming migraine pumped through my temples as I looked through my notes, reading the same ongoing, non-original commercialized bullshit from the interviews. It was like a default; a small range of difference between all forty interviews. They all showed their resumes, providing their experiences and qualifications. Although, it made it easy to pick one, I didn't want to pick the same boring assistant. I didn't want someone who played by the book; it was unrewarding and insignificant, at least to me.

It would be intelligent of me to pick the most qualified person, because in business I needed to get my shit done. However, one particular interviewee stood out to me. Penelope Bryan.

It is recommended often that they come to an interview with a resume, but it was peculiar how she came in empty-handed. She could've been an open-book, but I didn't give her a chance to speak. At the time, she wasn't important to me. However, now changing my mind for something fresh and new, she's the only one that took me off guard.

What could she have to offer to my company? What could she have to offer to me?

I push the mass of notes away from my eyesight and open my laptop, logging into my personal database to search for a person of interest. In this database, I could find anyone I choose to. I could find their current living location, their previous job holdings, their bank account information, and even familial status. With the other interviewees providing their whole lives through their resume, I didn't need to use it. However, Penelope was a mystery.

I typed in her name, searching for more information. I wanted to know everything about her; her full name, where she grew up, her social media accounts that would be a gateway into her personal life. Anything that could rule her out. On the business side of things, the fact she came into the interview without any documents to leave behind, she wouldn't be considered. In this moment, I was stepping out on faith.

Absolutely no information was found. Although her familial status was empty, showing she had no parents or any connections to other people, it didn't mean she was without. I found her living quarters, a shabby little apartment complex about twenty minutes from the building. There were no bank accounts in her name, suspicious. How was she able to be financially secure without any traces?

I tapped my finger onto my laptop, leaning forward with discourse. It was a mental war in my mind, wondering how was she running under the radar? It was impressive.

I couldn't even find information about her high school. It was like she didn't exist. Hmm. I go to check her online application, wondering if there were more information, but it was the standard home of address, an email address, and a phone number to reach her. Even that information was connected to Harper Jenkins, an emergency contact. Did she not exist?

Alexa calls my phone and I pick up, giving my mind a second to rest from the research. "What?"

"Well hello to you too." Alexa greets with an attitude. "So I questioned some troops in Santiago's quarter and they had no clue about defiance. They didn't have any clue about his rebellion. Something's not adding up."

My eyes were locked on the page, thinking the same thing. "Alexa, they're not going to be honest about their personal motives. Look, I'm busy at the moment. I will call you back."

"Elijah!" She calls back before I hung up. I was getting frustrated at not being able to decipher Penelope's profile.

Who was she and why was she not easily found?

.........................................

Penelope's POV...

"Another round." I called to the bartender, sliding my drink down the countertop. He catches it and begins creating another.