Lights

7: Obsession

Sitting alone behind the large desk and waiting inside the hotel based office being hired for his personal use, Alex looked up when Clifton entered, passing a folded page from his notebook along with a large padded brown envelope, the older male said he was done.

"Clifton."The one use to getting what he wanted greeted his most loyal employee with a questioning expression."I trust everything went well?"He asked.

"Everything went fine."His elder knew Alex was a good man at heart, a fair employer.Mr.Clough felt privileged to have a job he enjoyed.Having worked with and for the band for as long as they'd been together. Clifton was no stranger to stepping outside his contract of employment, but never had what was asked of him, felt so wrong.'Cover stories?'Alex never normally allowed his vast fortune and fame to rule his head and never had he used who he was to interfere in the lives of others.'There to mislead the hounding press, or distract persistent fans.'Clifton's role was much more one of redirection, not detection, never had he been asked to follow and spy on a member of the public and having done what he had, the man with high principles swore he would never do anything like it; ever again.

"You can take the rest of the day off.We've an early start tomorrow."Alex thanked his elder.

"We're leaving?"Clifton questioned.

"In the morning."Alex nodded.

"Right you are."The relief in the chauffeurs voice was clear and his smile bright."I'll start the preparations."

"Wait."Clifton was asked to return and join him as Alex read the piece of paper before placing it inside his wallet."Join me."Sitting on the other side of the desk upon which he emptied the glossy contents of the envelope, Clifton watched the photographs he'd taken as each fell from what was upturned.

"She's happy."He referred to what was evident in the full colour prints lay out before them."Happy."He repeated. Wanting to make sure the one looking for something which wasn't there, was seeing what was in front of him.'Sat inside hire car after hire car, Clifton secretly observed Jinni with her children, with her husband & with her friends.At home, at work, at the shops & in the park.'He wasn't proud of what he'd done."You need to leave her alone."Knowing Alex better than most, like a father advising his son, Clifton told him it was time to walk away.

Clifton knew what time Jinni went to bed and what time she got up.He knew the route she walked to school and the way she went to work, but most of all, he knew; Mrs. Jinni Dunkirk was happy.

"Her husband?"Alex questioned the identity of the male standing with her and her children in most of the photographs.

"John, he seems like a good man."His employee clarified, adding the fact Mr.John Dunkirk was a loyal and devoted family man.A hard worker whose eyes shone with pride whenever his family was near.

"You take a good photograph."Alex praised Clifton's talent with a camera.

"Happy people make good pictures."Continuing in his plight to have Alex see what was staring him in the face, Clifton said he should leave well alone."Her family love her and she loves them."Clifton insisted Alex let his obsession go.

"How would she find me?"The younger male searched for hope in the mist of defeat when recalling what was said about something loved returning if allowed to go? With modern day equipment the photographs had been easy to obtain.Without anyones' knowledge Clifton had gotten the fifty plus pictures, but not even the most up to date equipment could imitate a smile.A camera couldn't radiate warmth, love and happiness, only those in the photographs were able to do that and Jinni did.She smiled and she laughed.In each and every frame Jinni shone bright, displaying for all the world to see the love she had for her family and the deep affection she shared with her husband.An ordinary woman, a mother and wife, a woman, happy with what she had and a lady thankful for those she had in her life. Jinni quite clearly didn't mind, or worry about the things she'd learned to live without.Her house was small, Clifton pointed out the building she shared with her family being a townhouse.Scattering the photographs like playing cards over the top of his desk.Alex glanced at each in turn.Like a gangster, awaiting his bosses approval and payment for a job well done, Clifton waited in hope he would be told it was over.Clifton wanted to hear Alex say he was satisfied.Surely he couldn't fail to agree the woman he was looking at, was happy where she was.