CHAPTER 209: What The Maid Saw

 

There was something about the way George looked this morning that was bothering Edna.  She looked at him suspiciously as he was eating his breakfast...He was wearing the blazer and sweater she had bought him recently; inspired by the same one Geoffrey Landgraab often wore, but that wasn't it.  Finally, the penny dropped.

"George...you're not wearing your glasses" she remarked.

"Well...I...didn't want to wear them today.  I've got my contact lenses in." he replied.

"But you don't normally like wearing those" said Edna.

"No...but we're cooking a lot of spicy food in the hotel kitchen today and there are times when contacts are better to wear than glasses whilst cooking certain food" was his reply, which was a bluff.  He had put his contact lenses in for other reasons which he would never explain to his wife.

"Oh well, I'll defer to your professional judgement.  You look very smart without your glasses, especially in that blazer and sweater I bought you." she said with a hint of pride in her voice.  "Anyway, I must go and get changed for work.  This is the big one today, George; today I submit my candidacy papers for the City Council!"

"There'll have to be an election first, Edna" he replied, sounding a note of caution.

"Pshht!  A mere formality!  I mustn't be late...I want to hand in my candidacy papers as the official League of Decency representative!"  she said, standing up and pointing to the ceiling.  

As she went to the bedroom to get changed, George put the dishes in the dishwasher.  He checked his watch:  He was due at work in just over an hour...not his regular job at the hotel but his secret, second job.

She had booked a taxi to take her to City Hall and as soon as it had arrived and she headed off George quickly ran to the basement bunker to get his special suitcase.

...and then back upstairs to begin his transformation into Beulah.

He had the use of the car today so he drove to Affluista Mansion being careful to park the car on a nearby road down the hill so to protect his true identity from his employers:  The Landgraabs.  As he walked towards the mansion he cleared his throat and practiced his Southern Belle voice.

"Ah dew declay-ah.  Oh mah, Mistuh Geoffreh!  Another mint julep, Mistress Nanceh?"

He was met at the door by young Malcolm Landgraab who seemed indifferent to Beulah's presence, which was a contrast from his father's flirtatious fawning and his mother's amiable patronising.

"Oh it's you, Beulah.  I'd forgotten today was the day you come to do the cleaning.  Come on in, I trust you know where all the equipment is?" he said in a bored tone of voice.

"Why thank you, Masteh Malcolm.  Yes siree ah know where everything's kept..." Beulah replied.

"Oh good God, I hope not..." he said, enigmatically.

Malcolm went to the downstairs living room and flopped on the sofa to watch TV.  He was using a new fangled remote control to switch from channel to channel, never settling on any show for too long.  Beulah got on with the job in hand, starting to clean the rooms from the upstairs to the down.  Eventually she got to the lounge where she saw Malcolm, still seated on the couch and watching television.

"Ahm done in all the bathrooms, Masteh Malcolm.  Ahve also vacuumed your bedroom and the upstairs office so if y'all got work and stuff to do you can go right ahead." she said.

"That's fine, thank you.  I will be going upstairs in a moment." he replied.

As Beulah went to leave the lounge, Malcolm turned to her and called out her name.

"Come here, I want a brief word with you" he said.

"Ah trust everything's satisfactory, Masteh Malcolm?" she replied.

"Everything is satisfactory, I just want to bring up something that is going to happen.  You can sit here..." he said, patting the space next to him on the couch.

"I will be receiving a visitor any time around now..." he continued.  "A young lady..." he said with a wry smile.  "When she arrives show her straight in and tell her I am in the upstairs study; she knows the way.  Now this is the important point, Beulah:  Under no circumstances are we to be disturbed, except that if my parents arrive home and she is still here you are to alert me, do you understand?"

Beulah nodded.  She had heard that Malcolm was quite the ladies' man around high school.

"That's a good girl...and if all goes well there will be a little bonus from me to you when you leave" he said.  "Now I'm going to my room, please show the young lady up when she arrives"

"What name does she go by?  So I can tell if it's her who comes a' callin'" asked Beulah.

"There's no need for names...it will be her, just show her in"

Again, Beulah nodded to signify she understood.  

Beulah then cleaned the kitchen and the two other bathrooms located on the ground and 2nd floors before she heard the doorbell chime.  She suspected this was Malcolm's mystery girlfriend so she answered the door like a proper household maid.

"Y'all be the young lady Masteh Malcolm is expecting" said Beulah.  The young lady merely nodded and walked past her.  

Beulah followed as the woman walked upstairs to the top floor and along to where Malcolm was.  This young waif's age couldn't be determined:  She looked as though she might be a high schooler but at the same time there was a maturity in her walk and poise and even though her dress was so short it almost gave Beulah/George one of their funny turns it was clearly expensive and beyond the resources of a mere teenage girl...unless she came from money like Malcolm.

"Masteh Malcolm, you're lady caller is here" said Beulah.

"Thank you, Beulah, that'll be all for now" he replied.  Beulah started to go downstairs.

"Leanne, good to see you...please, come on in to my study" said Malcolm to his visitor, who followed him in to the room.

They sat down on a couch side by side and Malcolm looked at the girl from head to toe.

"I can't get over how completely different you look these days." he said.

"The transformation was extensive" she replied, flatly.

"So I can see...you even look younger.  What my mother wouldn't give to have access to the technology you use"

"She would not like it.  It is not a very comfortable process" replied Leanne.  "So this is where you run your little empire, Malcolm Landgraab?"

"An ever growing empire, Leanne" he interjected.

"Of course..." she replied.  "Anyway, to business.  I did what you requested and Mr Green is no more."

"Did you erase every trace of him as you promised?" asked Malcolm.

"That proved more difficult.  He resisted absorption too much...I had to dispose of him using other means but, rest assured, his cause of death will keep your law enforcement baffled."

"You mean there's a body!" said Malcolm, loudly in panic.  "If there's a body then the cops will examine it and they might trace Green's death to you...and eventually me...and that can't happen!"

"Relax...there is no way to connect you, him and me unless you have been careless at your end.  As I said, there is a body but the causes of death and motive will keep the police too busy to come looking for you.  They will suspect Alan Cuffe's assistant; I have planted clues to ensure they go after her and not us.  Besides, they are sure to assign detective John Action to the case and he has had his memory wiped of my existence."

Meanwhile Beulah had heard Malcolm's shouting and went upstairs to see if he was alright.

As she approached the upstairs study she could start to hear the conversation between Malcolm and his visitor.

"You assured me there would be no trace, no body...he would just disappear!" exclaimed Malcolm.

"You need to calm down and be less emotional, Malcolm Landgraab." the girl replied.

"You should have been more careful!" he fired back at her.

Beulah was now starting to become concerned at what she was hearing but what happened next truly shocked her.

"I am now starting to think you are the unreliable one here, Malcolm Landgraab" said the girl.  "I must know if you are to be trusted anymore"

"Wait...no!  Not that!" the boy exclaimed, the look on his face was one of terror.  The girl put her fingers to her temples and Beulah watched green waves of light shoot out from her head and into Malcolm's.  The boy's body quivered and convulsed as he let out an unnatural sounding gurgle.

Beulah had seen enough and ran down the stairs, terrified.  She remembered to grab her purse on her way out as she sprinted to her car.

"Oh my God, she's a mentalist!" she gasped.

Beulah got to her car, quickly started the engine and sped off back home.  She was almost hyperventilating all the way.

Parking up the car she got out, got her front door keys and went to go inside when she saw her path was blocked by a young, smartly dressed black man.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?" said the man.

"WAAAA!  What do you want?" exclaimed Beulah, trying to maintain the feminine accent.

"Sorry to disturb you like this but are you part of a cleaning agency or do you work freelance?"

"What?" said Beulah, incredulously, before realising that she wearing a maid's uniform.  "Oh...no, no agency, I work alone." she added.

"The thing is, I need a cleaner for my home and I've seen you around and about here and thought I'd ask if you're looking for more work" continued the man.

"I'm, ah mean ahm not lookin' to take on any new clients, sah" replied Beulah.  The man's eyes narrowed suspiciously as soon as Beulah spoke in that broad, Southern accent.

"Is it because...I'm a negro?" he said, looking at Beulah with suspicion.

"Oh no, sah, not at all!  Ah mean, I know what y'all must be thinkin' with me being from the great state of Georgia but ahm not racially prejudiced an' all that!"  Beulah was frantically backpeddling now and still coming to terms with what she'd witnessed back at Affluista mansion and now being cornered by a passer by who was thinking she was a racist....and not forgetting that Beulah was a fabrication created by a man who was born in California and now lived in Sim State.

Beulah composed herself before continuing.  "Look...ahm very busy n' all with my current list of clients but ah don't want you to get the wrong ide-ah about me.  If the gentleman has a business card ah could have ah could see if I have space in mah diary for another client....oh you do?  Ah see sir works for that fine company; Dewey, Cheathem & Howe.  Well, that right there tells me y'all a fine gentleman."

"Are you....alright, ma'am?" asked the man as he saw Beulah acting all flustered.

"Oh it's just....women's things, that's all." she replied, fanning her face.

"Well, you have my card...call me when you can and I hope to engage your services.  Good day, ma'am"

"Y'all have a fine day, sir!" Beulah said, suddenly smiling and cheery.  The man walked on, turning briefly to see if Beulah was indeed alright.

Once inside Sneedley Burrow, Beulah headed straight downstairs to the bunker and poured herself a stiff drink.  She was hot and flustered and the wig was becoming uncomfortable so she took it off and started to become George again.

Once fortified with some drink, George began taking off his female attire, stowing it and putting on his regular male clothes.  Then he went back upstairs to ponder what he should do now?  Did he want to work for the Landgraabs anymore?  Edna was keen for 'Beulah' to work for them so that George could feed her information about their activities so if he did quit he'd have to come up with some cover story why Beulah couldn't be around anymore.  Another thing, did he even want to be Beulah anymore?  She had only come into being because he dragged up one day and got spotted by Geoffrey Landgraab, who has a crush on her!  George's little past-time was now in danger of getting out of hand.

"You assured me there would be no trace, no body...he would just disappear!" 

The words of Malcolm Landgraab heavily implied that someone had been murdered.  That sent another shiver down George's spine...what to do, what to do?  He was still pondering that when he realised he had to go to his regular job now...and forgetting that he hadn't taken his make up off...

As for Edna, things couldn't have gone better.  She had lodged her paperwork to stand for election for the City Council and then decided to treat herself to a new hair-do, make up, manicure and outfit...and she felt great.

Whatever her mood she found a drink or two enhanced it and so, knowing that George would be at work and desiring to show off her new look and start canvassing for votes she headed to her favourite social venue:  The Solar Flare Lounge.

"Hello, Mrs Sneedley, may I say you're looking radiant today?" said the barmaid.

"Why thank you; it's a brand new outfit...from Seares, no less.  My usual, please" 

The barmaid nodded in approval and poured Edna a large glass of red wine whilst Edna settled herself at the bar.  One of the things she liked about The Solar Flare was it attracted a more mature clientele and not a bunch of frightfully dressed teeny-boppers like other establishments.  Soon she got talking to an older man who was bemoaning how he never sees his kids these days as they're far too busy with their work and themselves...

"I know...it's so terrible with young people these days, and it's just getting worse.  That's why, when I'm elected to the City Council, I'm going to bring more community service programmes and make the youth of today sign up to work in them."

In the background there was another regular; the teenage musical prodigy, Eliza Dudley.  The old man looked at her exquisite playing with joy on his face.

"She's very, very good...now that's the kind of community service we need around here" he said.

Edna was more circumspect.  "That gown, though...reveals far too much shoulder and the sequins are overdone..." she muttered.

She could only stop for two drinks as she wanted to go and see the Landgraabs about the possibility of campaign funding.

"Edna, I hear congratulations are in order" said Geoffrey when he opened the door to her.

"Thank you, Geoffrey, but today was merely the beginning.  I am an official candidate for office, that is all at the moment" she replied.

"Come inside and tell me more about it...would you like a drink?" he asked.

"Well...normally at this time of day I would say no, but on this occasion I will make an exception" she replied, somewhat dishonestly.

Drinks were served and the two of them retired to one of the many studies in Affluista Mansion to discuss matters.

"Edna...you strike me as a person with vision and purpose and I like that, I like it a lot" said Geoffrey.  "I...and my company...are prepared to support your candidacy for the local council and, perhaps, even higher office in due course"

"Oh Geoffrey, thank you for thinking me capable of such an honour!" said Edna, outwardly feigning modesty but deep inside she felt validated.  "You know I, and my league, want what's best for our fair city...a city your family has been at the centre of since its founding."

"Indeed, the Landgraabs and Sim City are intertwined and I don't wish to see it being undermined and subverted by the very people you and I despise....if you know what I mean?"

"I do, Geoffrey, I certainly do." she replied.

"So we will back your campaign; with money for advertising, TV and radio slots, posters and feet on the ground to convey your message.  Only....please leave our names out of your business; for form's sake we have to appear neutral." said Geoffrey.

"Of course, I will be the soul of discretion" said Edna, smiling obsequiously at him.

"Very good.  Just between you and me I think City Hall needs shaking up...Victor Feng has let things slip in this city and I will no longer be supporting him or his party." Geoffrey stood up "Alas, I have very pressing business to attend to, Edna, so goodbye for now and all the best."

Edna took the cue and stood up as well.  "Thank you, Geoffrey.  Give my regards to Nancy"

"I shall...and the same for George and that wonderful cleaning lady you found; Beulah.  She is such a treasure!"

"Hmm, do you know, Geoffrey...I still haven't met her" said Edna.

She went outside to wait for her taxi to take her back home but was shocked and horrified by the appearance of a young, teenage girl who was dressed scandalously.  Edna couldn't restrain herself and felt it was her duty to berate the urchin.

"What on earth are you wearing?" she yelled from across the street as she advanced on the girl.  The outfit in question consisted of a pair of extremely short denim shorts that showed signs of being torn and shredded and a billowy, Asian inspired top that exposed the girl's midriff.  The look was completed by a pair of fake-jewel sandals.

"That outfit should be declared illegal!" exclaimed Edna.

"Hey, don't get heavy with me!" replied the girl, with gusto.

"Heavy?  What are you talking about?" sneered Edna.

"Listen, lady, quit twisting my melon!  You know, man, this is what all the groovy people are wearing up in Haight Ashbury"

"Hate what?" asked Edna, not understanding a single thing this girl was saying.

"Haight Ashbury, it's like, you know, in San Francisco"

"Ugh, a Californian!" said Edna, shaking her head.  

"You know, lady, it's a free and beautiful place and it's happening, baby, it's really happening"

The girl could have been speaking in a foreign language to Edna, who shook her head disapprovingly and was only too happy to leave in the taxi when it arrived.

Back home Edna brushed aside the confrontation with the silly girl and took a moment to inspect herself in the mirror.  She was sure George would like this outfit on her, it was a shame he was still at work.  Still, the biggest and most exciting prospect was that now she was going to take on the big political parties and, with Landgraab support, she was going to enter the public stage...big time!