"I'm really glad you're here to help with this stuff, Jeremy" she replied. "It's one thing to work out what are the latest trends and order stock it's quite another to do the accounts for it all. I would have to hire an accountant if you were not around. Another benefit of having you as my boyfriend."
"Wait, I haven't sent you a bill for my services yet" he said with a wry smile.
"Silly...anyway, I need to finish my make up and then I'll be ready for work" she said, getting up from the desk and giving his shoulder a stroke as she walked past him.
As she inspected herself in the mirror she was wondering if she had selected the right outfit to wear today? Was this what a woman of business would wear? Well, if that business was owning a mod fashion boutique it might be. It was her boldest outfit, for sure, and she thought about the contrast between how she looked and the staid, traditional attire of Jeremy and his work. Yes, Jeremy and his work...there were still nagging doubts...
"You look perfect" came his voice from the bedroom door. She turned around to see him smiling warmly at her. "I too have to get changed for work. I can't wear this sports jacket and no tie to the office."
"Do you have a busy schedule today?" she asked.
"Actually, I do...I have a meeting with my contact who is closer to what's going on with the Landgraabs. We're going to pool information again"
"Oh Jeremy, each time you have one of these meetings I worry that you're going to get caught" she said with a sigh.
Jeremy sat down on the bed and Barbara went and sat down next to each other. He then took her hand and gave it a soft stroke of reassurance.
"Last month we got through a really intense security check without being detected. Darrin and I are just going to have lunch in the park, like two regular office workers on their lunch hour. It'll be fine"
"Can you trust this Darrin? What do you know about him?" she asked.
"Enough, darling. He takes more risks than me but he knows a lot of the ins and outs of the company so we're always staying ahead. Now I don't want to make you late for the shop's opening...you worry about the sales, I'll worry about the rest."
She worried about both on her way to work as the goal was to make enough money to move to a bigger house and then....well, the sound of wedding bells would be next. A traditionalist like Jeremy would feel the urge to propose to Barbara but his sense of fiscal responsibility meant he wasn't going to unless their personal finances were right to move house, get married and then start a family.
Barbara's new assistant, Toni, had arrived at the boutique wearing a very brightly coloured striped dress.
"What do you think?" Toni declared.
Barbara looked Toni up and down whilst the assistant described the outfit. "I ordered it direct from Biba in London. This is what all the shop girls are wearing there."
"OK, it's bright, it's breezy and I like it!" said Barbara.
"The accessories are my own choice, but at Biba the girls wear all kinds with the dress. So everything's OK?"
"It's fine, just fine, the whole thing. OK, I'll open up the shop and we'll see if the customers dig it" said Barbara, her concerns about Jeremy disappearing for the moment.
As for the new staff uniform, that went down very well with the customers. The girls, particularly the teens, all wanted one and the guys appreciated how it looked on Toni.
Meanwhile at the offices of the Landgraab Corporation things were duller looking but there was intrigue afoot. At the beginning of lunch hour Jeremy met Darrin Lew and the two exchanged brief, but polite greetings. Whilst seemingly calm and giving off the appearance of two work colleagues who were more acquaintances that cohorts, the two men gave small nods to one another and made their way downstairs to the building's main entrance.
"We'd best get out of the building quickly" said Darrin. "The insufferably omnipresent Miss Ethington is around and about."
"Gotcha" replied Jeremy, and without another word the two men quickly made their way out of the building and away from the watchful eye of their personal assistant, but in reality a company spy: Alice Ethington. Darrin, in particular, was very keen to get out and away from all those prying eyes and ears.
"Phew, Darrin...slow down a bit! What's the rush?" gasped Jeremy when they got near some park benches.
"We don't have much time to exchange information. Did you bring your lunch? If we're seen eating it then it looks less suspicious" replied Darrin, producing a paper bag with a sandwich in it from his jacket pocket.
"Yeah, it's here" said Jeremy, taking out his own sandwich. "OK, let's talk"
"Have you heard the rumours?" said Darrin, looking left and right to see if anyone was nearby.
"No. What's going on?" replied Jeremy.
"There's trouble in Landgraab paradise: Apparently young Malcolm was found at home spaced out, on a trip, you know?"
"I'm sorry I don't know. A trip? Has he been somewhere?" Jeremy asked, confused by Darrin's jargon.
"Yeah, an LSD trip or some kind of chemical."
"You mean some kind of drug?"
"Man, you really are behind the times, Jeremy. LSD, it's what all the kids and freaks are trying. It's powerful stuff and messes with your mind...as they all say 'turn on, tune in and drop out'. Well, Malcolm dropped out big time and Mommy and Daddy found him at Affluista Mansion gibbering on the floor."
"Man, you really are behind the times, Jeremy. LSD, it's what all the kids and freaks are trying. It's powerful stuff and messes with your mind...as they all say 'turn on, tune in and drop out'. Well, Malcolm dropped out big time and Mommy and Daddy found him at Affluista Mansion gibbering on the floor."
"Wow! So what's that got to do with what we're doing?" asked Jeremy.
"It's more bits of information we can use against them, Jeremy! Malcolm hasn't kicked his drug habit by the looks of things and as he's the heir apparent Nancy's very keen to get him clean and focussed on business; especially the dirty side of it."
"Yes, but can you prove any of this?" asked Jeremy, still concerned.
"Yes, but can you prove any of this?" asked Jeremy, still concerned.
"Everything I've heard so far is from the rumour mill. I have a contact at the local hospital who told me about Malcolm's admission, another contact who overheard a phone conversation Nancy had with her personal doctor and a certain memo in her handwriting that said 'NO POLICE' was carelessly thrown in a trashcan which I just happened to have gone through."
"That's not going to be enough if we do call the police in" said Jeremy with a sigh.
"No, but there might be a witness. The Landgraab's cleaning lady; she was in the house at the time he dropped the acid...that's the LSD. Find her and we can get the dirt and maybe a bit more about what goes on in the ol' mansion, if you get my drift."
"I do. But who is this cleaning lady?"
"Unfortunately I don't have a name" replied Darrin, with a frown on his face. Jeremy could see that he was all pumped up with this new bit of information but annoyed he didn't have all the answers. Even if he had this cleaning lady's contact details Jeremy couldn't work out what good it would do. Malcolm taking drugs is scandalous but hardly the meaty bit of information that would bring their crooked empire down.
Darrin turned to Jeremy once more. "This is where you come in, buddy boy. Not much about this cleaning woman is known; she started working there only in the last few weeks. Someone said she's from the Deep South but the only other thing I've heard is that she's known by Edna Sneedley, the political activist. I hear you know Mrs Sneedley as well."
"Yes, but only casually and not very well." Answered Jeremy.
"You must use that contact, Jeremy. Have a word with Mrs Sneedley and see if you can get some more information about the cleaning lady." Darrin jabbed his finger towards Jeremy.
Jeremy let out a sigh; of all the tasks he had undertaken in this investigation asking Edna for the phone number of her cleaning lady wasn't the most difficult challenge but still, he didn't think it was worth bothering about, not when he had information to pass on to Darrin.
"By the way, that data on the mine under the mansion is inside that sandwich bag I am leaving on this bench." Jeremy said, softly. Darrin nodded and then in a louder voice Jeremy said "well, I must get back to my desk, see you later." as he stood up.
"By the way, Darrin...I have one question for you: Why are you doing all this to get back at the Landgraabs?"
Darrin looked at Jeremy with a severe look on his face but then suddenly turned away and looked off into the distance towards the skyscrapers of San Myshuno. "I have deep, personal reasons. That's all you need to know." he said.
Jeremy didn't respond but instead went back inside the building.
At the end of his shift he headed over to Magnolia Promenade to meet Barbara and catch up with her. She had just closed the shop for the day so they sat by the little playground and shared their respective days with one another.
"I'm telling you, we had one of the busiest days ever! Toni is a godsend...I get serve customers, restock outfits and clean the place so much quicker with her help. Here's the receipts for today..." she said, passing a cardboard folder with them over to Jeremy.
"Wow, you're not joking about business...that's great. Another step forwards for Project: New Home." he replied.
"And you, my dear? Did you trigger any alarms whilst skulking around your work?" she asked.
"Barbara....how do you feel about getting a cleaning lady?" he replied, enigmatically.
