CHAPTER 243: She's Behind You

With Barbara still off work ill, it was left to Jeremy to open the shop this day.  He had never run the store without her before and he resolved he would attend to the business and let their shop assistant, Toni, deal with the customers' queries.  

He was also brooding on Suzy and Neil's request to try and find out more about the Landgraabs and the mysterious 'visitors'.  He was persona non grata around their offices and wouldn't dare take one step into the Landgraab Building, lest he fell foul of their security.  Besides, they weren't above murder to further their aims...

Toni arrived just before opening time and Jeremy kept her informed about Barbara's condition and what he wanted her to deal with today.

"So you deal with the customers and fashion enquiries and I'll run the store and keep things spick n' span." he said to her.

"Is Barbara alright?  I hope it's nothing serious" said Toni, looking concerned.

"The doc says it's a 24 hour thing.  She's resting today and will be back tomorrow, hopefully."

"Wish her all the best from me, poor thing." 

Trade was brisk but a little on the light side that morning.  When it got around to lunchtime Jeremy pondered his predicament about the Landgraab Corporation...he did have one contact there that he could tap for information but whether they would help him was another matter.  He thought about the implications before he decided to make the phone call.

He picked up the receiver and dialled the number...waiting a few seconds before the operator answered.

"Landgraab Corporation, which department or specific individual do you wish to speak to?" said the pleasant sounding receptionist at the other end.

"Darrin Lew, Property Acquisitions, please"  Jeremy replied.

"Who shall I say is calling?"

"Just say it's Mr Jezza.  He'll know who that is."

Meanwhile at the Landgraab Corporation building, Darrin Lew was off to his office after attending a departmental meeting.  He was glad it was over because he was in danger of being overwhelmed by tedium.

At that moment he was intercepted by the new guy who shared an office with him.  Darrin thought that he wanted help operating the photocopier or wondering where the mail room was.  He was a nice enough guy, Darrin thought, but very green when it came to working in such a large company as Landgraabs.

"Darrin...phone call for you on your extension." 

"Who is it?" asked Darrin.

"Someone called Mr Jezza...said he knows you."

"Mr Jezza?  Hmmm, I can't place the name.  OK, I'm coming." said a puzzled Darrin.

Darrin headed back to his office and picked up the phone receiver on his desk.  "Darrin Lew speaking"

"Darrin...it's Jeremy, Jeremy Saint" came the voice from the other end.

"You!  I should slam the phone down right now!" Darrin replied, very annoyed but not raising his voice so his colleague couldn't hear him.

"Please...hear me out!  Can we talk about something important?"  said Jeremy, panicked.

"How important?" answered Darrin.

"It's continuing our work with the corporation...that level of importance"

Darrin shook his head, rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh.  "OK...let's meet.  But not around here.  There's a cafe in Windenburg we can meet, discretely..."

Jeremy noted down the address and said goodbye, the meeting was set for 2pm.

Darrin put down the phone receiver and said and did nothing for a few seconds as he wondered what it was the Jeremy wanted to talk about.

"Is everything OK, Darrin?" asked his young colleague.

"Yeah...fine..."

"Who was that, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Old business...before your time here..." was Darrin's vague reply.

Up one level and on the other side of the building, a meeting was taking place that affected Darrin Lew...although he was completely unaware it was taking place and that he was the subject of the discussion.

"I think I have discovered who Jeremy Saint's co-conspirator is within the company, Mrs Landgraab." said Alice Ethington; the eyes and ears of the Landgraab Corporation.  A seemingly efficient, courteous and pretty young secretary but who had the ability to be aware of everything that went on in the company and who answered only to Nancy Landgraab and her father, Malcolm Landgraab III or "Big Mal" as he was known.

Nancy's interest was piqued.  "I thought it was Fanshawe" she said.

"That's what most of us thought, Mrs Landgraab.  His rapid departure from this firm and back to Dewey, Cheathem & Howe after our internal investigation was seen as a sign of guilt but we never had any concrete evidence it was him.  However, our wiretap detected an incoming phone call from Pack's Clothing Boutique in Magnolia Promenade."

"A business owned by Jeremy Saint..." said Mrs Landgraab.

"Indeed, Mrs Landgraab.  The wiretap shows it was a man calling and he identified himself as 'Jeremy'"

"So who was he calling?" asked Nancy.

"Darrin Lew...he is deputy head of Property Management."

"Darrin Lew....well, well..." said Nancy, sounding surprised.  "I never suspected it was him."

"With all due respect, Mrs Landgraab, I did.  The two would often sit together at lunch times and I observed them having brief meetings now and again.  Although I was never able to ascertain what their conversations were about to gather any evidence of collusion between the two of them.  These meetings took place before we increased the security of the company, I might add."

"Yes, yes" said Nancy with a nonchalant wave of the hand.  "So what did Saint want with Lew?"

"Saint wants to meet up with Lew at the South Square Coffee House in Windenburg at 2pm"

"Well then, you'd better get there and see if you can find out more."

"Yes, ma'am." was Alice's polite and curt reply.

After his phone conversation with Darrin, Jeremy had a word with Toni.

"I'll be going for a little while.  If I'm not back by 5pm can you lock up the store?"

"Sure thing, Jeremy." she replied without asking why he was leaving early.

Jeremy got in his car and drove down to Windenburg for his meeting with Darrin.  After parking up and heading to the address he was given, he was met by a stern looking Darrin Lew.

"You've got a nerve!" said Darrin, angrily.

"Darrin, I can explain..." replied Jeremy.

"You jumped the gun!  I said we needed to play the long game, get more evidence and then go to the Feds but you had to go running to them as soon as one document came your way."

"Look, can we sit down and discuss things calmly before people notice us rowing?" said a nervous Jeremy as he looked around the square.

Darrin nodded and they went to sit down at a table outside of the coffee shop. 

 "I know that to you it looks like I acted prematurely and without thought but that incriminating dossier that came my way would implicate Geoffrey and his lackeys only for a short period of time.  If I held on to it they would have transferred that stolen money to their offshore account and the Treasury wouldn't have been able to find anything." said Jeremy, by way of explanation.  "Besides, they were going to arrest and charge Geoffrey later that day..."

"They would have just got him; I was planning on bringing the whole family and company down!" said Darrin, still seething.  "And wasn't it just convenient that he died that day as well...his crimes going to the grave with him.  Now I'm back to square one and you're no longer at the company to help me!"

"Aren't there others who would help?  Like Fanshawe?" asked Jeremy.

"Fanshawe jumped ship before he was pushed.  He's back at DC&H." said Darrin.

"I didn't know..."

"Well, now you do.  So what's the purpose of this meeting, Jeremy?"

"My colleagues who have been working from the outside to expose Landgraab have come across new information that is of potential interest.  It also involves Victor and Lilly Feng."

"Feng?  What is this information?" asked Darrin, now intrigued.

"Both the Landgraab family and the Fengs are working in collaboration with an organisation known only as 'The Visitors'.  Have you come across them before?"

"Can't say I have.  I know Landgraab and the Fengs collaborated on a few projects years ago but they seem to have gone cool on each other of late.  Do you have any more information on these visitors?"

"Not much...well, not much that I can tell you.  They seem to supply hi-tech equipment to the Landgraabs and have aided Victor's political career over the years.  I've heard rumours they may be a Soviet front...I was wondering if you could have a look around in the company files to see if there's any mention of them."

"Is this a reference to the source of Gregory Landgraab's great fortune?  Those files, along with every file that has anything to do with Oasis Springs is the highest level of security.  My clearance doesn't go that far."

"But you know how to sidestep clearance to get to them though?"

Darrin sighed.  "Yes I do...and you know I do.  But it's a risk..."

"But you said your operation to bring the company down has stalled.  I can tell you what to look for but I can't get the files in person.  You can but you don't know what you're looking for."

"The Visitors?" asked Darrin.  

"Yes, and more.  Try searching for them plus dirigibles and the tunnel that runs under Affluista Mansion.  Then try looking for material pertaining to the tree in Foundry Cove.  Finally 1947 seems to be an interesting year.  That's when the Visitors first made contact with Victor Feng and there may be references to that in the files."

Darrin made notes in a small pocket book and put it back in his suit jacket.  "I'll see what I can do.  The heat at the Landgraab Building has died down a little but I still need to look over my shoulder now and again..." he said.

What neither man knew was that they were being watched.  Alice Ethington had discretely followed them to the coffee shop and had taken cover in a cloister next to it where she could observe Darrin and Jeremy without being spotted.

"So will you help?" Jeremy asked Darrin.

"I'll get back to you.  I'm not promising anything; the information you want might be well above my security level, but if I find anything, I'll let you know." Darrin replied.

"Well, I'd better be getting back to the shop.  All the best, Darrin" said Jeremy.

Darrin still looked put out but with some reluctance said "you too, Jeremy"

Alice had overheard only a few words but they were enough to convince her something nefarious was going on.  She decided not to follow Jeremy Saint but to see what Darrin Lew did next.

Darrin stood up and walked away in a direction that was towards the Landgraab Building so Alice decided to follow him from a distance.  As she broke cover she found Jeremy walking towards her but he hadn't realised who she was.  Quickly, she turned her face towards the coffee shop and looked in the window in an effort to not be spotted.  He passed by, oblivious to her.

Back at the Landgraab Corporation Alice gave her report to Nancy.

"Unfortunately from my vantage point I could only make out a few things they were saying, Mrs Landgraab, but I thought it prudent to remain undetected."

"That's acceptable...but what did you hear?" Nancy replied.

"There was some talk about Geoffrey and the Treasury Department then they mentioned Victor and Lilly Feng..."

"Did they now?" said Nancy, intrigued.

"And then they mentioned something about visitors and that Saint wanted Lew to look into them.  I don't get the reference as to who they were talking about."

"Don't worry about that, Alice.  I get the reference." Nancy replied, cool and calmly.

"It looks like Saint wants Lew to pass on company information to him but Lew seemed very reluctant to do so."

Nancy sighed.  "I warned Geoffrey not to trust Jeremy Saint..." she said.  Then she slapped the palms of her hands on her desk and stood up.  "You did well, Alice:  You shall be rewarded for your diligence."

Alice smiled.  "Thank you, Mrs Landgraab.  If I can be of any other service..." she said as she took the cue to stand as well.

"You've done enough for now.  Please return to your regular duties.  I will deal with this situation from now on."

"Of course, Mrs Landgraab."

"I'm so glad we can count on diligent young people like yourself" said Nancy, with her best and most insincere smile she used to wrap people around her finger.

CHAPTER 225: The Amber Folder

 

In the days following Geoffrey Landgraab's death the mood at the company headquarters was not only solemn but filled with tension and anxiety as well.  It was a company where the right hand didn't know what the left hand often did, where rumours of various shady dealings percolated under the surface and that it was prudent to know who your friends were, and who was going to plunge a knife in your back.

Alice Ethington, a pert and efficient blonde girl whose instincts and insights belied her 22 years of age, was not immune to the tension of the office and she too felt that the axe could swing at her at any moment.  Her official role in the company was that of Personal Assistant to various heads of department but in reality she had always been the unofficial eyes and ears of Geoffrey and Nancy Landgraab.

Because of her youthful prettiness people tended to assume she was a sweet ingenue; yes, good at office tasks but few suspected that she was watching, listening and learning about the men who casually flirted with her and the women who would include her in their gossip circles.  Alice had always been this good at watching and listening all her life and she knew when to shut up around those who were more outgoing and influential.

For now she kept her head down and finished off a report she had started compiling last month when she was assigned to some internal security work.  Mrs Landgraab suspected someone in the company was passing secrets to rivals or the press; Alice wasn't told exactly which, but she was told to keep an eye out for anyone acting suspiciously and to go through the files of suspects to see if there was anything amiss.  

It seemed a little futile now; it turned out the informant was Jeremy Saint and he had left the company after turning evidence over to the police, but her report still had to be completed and handed in to Mrs Landgraab.  Alice, ever dutiful and efficient, complied without comment.

Her concentration was interrupted by the arrival of a colleague in her workspace.

"Hi Alice....I say, you look really nice today; that shade of blue suits you." said a young, fairly good looking man who looked nerdy with his heavy horned rimmed glasses and beige cardigan worn over a button down shirt.

"Thank you, Karl." Alice replied, noticing his awkward way of trying to flirt with her.  "Is there anything I can help you with?" she said with a pleasant smile; this seemed to make Karl feel self-conscious.

"It's not me...erm, I mean I'm here on an errand...from the boss." he stammered.

"The boss?  Mrs Landgraab?" asked Alice.

"No...the new boss:  Mister Landgraab:  Malcolm III"

"Oh him...Karl, the office shorthand for Mr Malcolm Landgraab III is 'Big Mal'.  He doesn't mind it."  Alice said as she took the sheaf of paper from her typewriter and put it in a folder on her desk.  Then she stood up.

"Did Big Mal say what he wanted to see me about?" she said as she walked over to Karl.  The young man caught a whiff of her perfume and almost lost his bearings from being intoxicated by her essence.

"Erm...nothing specific, but he asked for you, by name and said it was a matter of some importance."

"A matter of some importance?  It sounds vague enough to be either something trivial...or of dire consequence.  Which would you place a bet on, Karl?" she said with an impish grin.

"I...don't bet, Alice" he meekly replied.

"No...I don't suppose you do" she said looking him up and down before heading off to find Big Mal.

It didn't take her long because he was standing in the corridor right outside of her office.  Moreover, he knew immediately who she was.

"Miss Ethington..." he said, more as a definitive statement than a question.

"Yes, sir?" she replied.

"I hear that you're a young lady who can be trusted...implicitly."  

"Well, sir, that's kind of people to think so..."

"Cut the false modesty" he said, curtly, taking a note of the short hemline of her dress.  She can't be too modest wearing an outfit like that, he thought.

"I need to talk to you about a new assignment; one that requires discretion.  Now let's adjourn to the boardroom and I'll explain what I mean..." said Big Mal, jerking his head towards a door that led to the hallowed ground that was the Landgraab Corporation boardroom.

"Take a seat, Miss Ethington" said Mal as he shut the door to the room shut.  She demurely sat down at the table and Mal sat a couple of seats away from her.

"Miss Ethington, on top of your regular company duties you were recently appointed by my daughter to oversea a departmental security check."

"Yes sir"

"The department you were responsible contained the whistleblower, Jeremy Saint" Mal added, solemnly.  

Alice's head dropped.  "I'm sorry, Sir, I should have been more thorough."

"Perhaps.  I wouldn't be so hard on yourself.  What made you give Saint clearance?"

"He was deemed least likely to be a security risk as he had been sent downstairs for 'treatment' in the machine.  I felt that his two colleagues; Fanshawe and Lew were higher risk propositions."

"A reasonable assumption.  For people of your generation trust in machinery is more commonplace than for people of mine.  I never liked the machine downstairs.  I will have it dismantled and we will return to more traditional methods of influence."

"Yes sir"

"But don't concern yourself with that right now.  I have another mission for you."

Alice said nothing.

"What do you know of Edna Sneedley and the League of Decency?" Mal asked.

"It's a moral majority, anti-permissive society organisation, sir.  It's headed by George and Edna Sneedley, a couple of who live in Oasis Springs.  He's the head chef at the Radishon Hotel and she is a housewife who has recently declared an intention to run in this fall's local city council elections.  The League have 5 members and their most high profile exploit was an anti-Communist protest on the Britechester University campus.  The Landgraab Corporation donate to their campaign funds.  Not much, less than the secretarial pool petty cash fund."

"What's our interest in supporting them?" Mal asked.

"It was seen by the late Mr Landgraab that they could be useful in attempts to break the city council stranglehold of Victor and Lily Feng"

Mal didn't instantly reply but instead let out a hum whilst nodding his head.  "Could Edna Sneedley compromise this company?" he asked.

"I'm not sure.  Her politics are definitely ultra-conservative but we fund them via a system of donations that keeps the Landgraab Corporation hidden from the accounts."

"Very good.  You know so much without having to refer to notes, Miss Ethington.  I like that, I like that a lot.  Miss Ethington...Alice...I'm instigating a new directive for you.  Back when I ran the company full time I had everyone associated with it categorised in one of three folders:  Green, Amber and Red.  Green is for those who I do not see as a threat.  Amber is for those who are under suspicion but no immediate action will be taken.  Red is for those who prove to be a threat to the company and my family and who will be targeted with retribution in some form.  Do you understand me, Alice?"

Alice gulped nervously.  "I do, sir"

"For example, you are in the green folder"

"Thank you sir" she said with relief. 

"And Mr Saint will go in the red folder.  I wish for Edna Sneedley to go in the Amber folder."

"What about her husband, George?"

"No need to give him a designation.  He seems to be a harmless and ineffectual sidekick for his wife.  He knows little of our activities.  But I want to see how things with Mrs Sneedley develop."

"I understand, sir"

"I'm glad you do" he replied, suddenly standing up.  "I won't keep you any longer, Alice" she took the cue and stood up to leave as well.  Back in the corridor she paused to speak with him one more time.

"I will get on to this, sir, and thank you for placing trust in me" she said.

"You're welcome.  Don't let the company down, don't let me down" he replied.

"I won't, sir" she said, before she headed back to her office.

I know you won't.  You know the consequences if you do. Thought Mal.

CHAPTER 191: Security Check, A-OK

The Secretarial Pool at the Landgraab Corporation offices is, arguably, the most important part of the company.  Diktats and orders came on down from the high ups and the boardroom to the pool to be transformed from often vague or bombastic ideas into slick, corporate policy courtesy of the well trained ladies of the secretarial class.

The older, more experienced ladies had graduated from the Pool to becoming personal assistants to the bigwigs of the company.  Only the top P.A.s would be assigned to a family member of the Landgraabs.  Nancy always ensured that women past their prime or who weren't particularly gifted in the looks department would be assigned to Geoffrey, although Nancy thought his tastes in women were often strange...given how besotted with their new cleaning lady, Beulah, who had to be pushing 40 and not just past 30 as Beulah had said.  For her own assistants, she had one young man who looked good in his tailored suits, a dumpy but fierce looking woman of 50 who actually got stuff done and a young 20 something girl who was there mainly for Nancy to get fashion inspiration from.

The secretaries of the Pool were all very good at their jobs and were there for mainly three reasons:  One, those who wanted to catch the eye of a senior executive who would promote them to P.A. or even a minor management role.  Two, those who wanted to date and then marry a corporate executive and three, those who saw a job as a secretary at Landgraab's as a temporary job before moving on to other things or to settle down.  But one thing they had in common was a brisk efficiency and devotion to the company...it did provide excellent perks, after all.

The Pool's reputation in the corporation was a mixture of awe as some of the men in the company saw them as goddesses:  As if they were Vestal Virgins or temple guardians of the Greek goddess, Athena.  From the lecherous senior executives long well versed in the arts of the company affair through to the mail room clerks, fresh from high school or college, for whom every task to take the mail to the Pool was seen as being "chosen from on high" to gaze upon these lovely young women in their stylish clothes for just a few seconds.  Of course, the ladies of the Pool wouldn't waste time on these young wannabe suitors:  They should come back when they can wear a suit and tie and have lost their spots.

At her desk, right at the top of the Landgraab Tower, Nancy Landgraab drafted a memo in a barely legible scribble that was then passed on to Phyllis, her old, experienced P.A. who had a permanent scowl on her face.  She interpreted that memo and wrote it out, neatly, before taking it through to Geoffrey Landgraab's office, where his P.A. took charge of it, made a clarification and then handed it to the man himself.  Geoffrey read the memo, nodded in agreement and then countersigned it to give it his full approval before adding "ATTN: ALL DEPARTMENTS" at the bottom of the page.

The memo now went downstairs to the Secretarial Pool for it to be typed up, photocopied and distributed throughout the building.  The Pool didn't waste any time and within 20 minutes the request became a reality.  200 typed directives ready to go with another 200 in the pipeline.  Secretaries and mail room clerks were pressed in to service to get them to everyone and it was a rare moment where both groups rubbed shoulders with each other.  The clerks tried to attract the attentions of The Pool but with no luck on this occasion.

The memo finally arrived on Jeremy Saint's desk merely minutes after it had been photocopied.  On immediately looking at it he noticed the word URGENT in big, red capital letters stamped across the top of the page.  Jeremy's stomach tightened a notch after reading that one word.

That tightening continued as he read the whole memo; it was a notification of an impending high level security check throughout the whole company.  In light of recent news of industrial spying in other companies, Landgraab Corp. will initiate an unprecedented security sweep and investigation of the entire business in order to "check its confidential integrity".  

Jeremy felt uneasy:  He had been trying to find incriminating evidence against the Landgraabs and had accessed material that was classified confidential and he shouldn't have read.  The security sweep might discover what he had been up to and incriminate him.

It was hard to concentrate on his work after having read that and he sat in a departmental meeting with a glazed look on his face and barely concentrating on what was being said.  He contributed nothing except a couple of nods and left the meeting room feeling ever more anxious.  His silence at the meeting was picked up on by a colleague; Fanshawe.  Fanshawe had known Jeremy since their days together at Dewey, Cheathem & Howe but, like a lot of other people...Jeremy included...he had been headhunted by Landgraab for a better paid position.

"Not quite with it today, eh, Jeremy?  Barbara hasn't been keeping you up late has she?  Haw-haw-haw"

"I'm just a bit under the weather today, Fanshawe.  Hey, what do you make of that memo?  You know, the one about the security check?"

"Oh just the usual company shenanigans...someone's been a bit light fingered around the petty cash box if you ask me.  You've been here longer than I have, don't you have the lowdown?"

"The memo came as a complete surprise to me" replied Jeremy.  He gulped nervously and quietly followed Fanshawe back upstairs to their respective offices.

At the top of the flight of stairs on Jeremy's office level stood a pretty blonde woman, barely out of her teens, who stood out from the muted colours of the suits and the office decor in her bright sky blue and yellow outfit.  She had her gaze fixed on Jeremy as he ascended the staircase and as he got to the top, she interposed herself between him and Fanshawe.

"Mr Saint" she said in a voice that was succinct and to the point.  Jeremy had never met this woman before but she said his name in a manner that indicated she knew exactly who he was.

"That's me" Jeremy replied.

"I'm Alice...your new office assistant" she replied.

"Oh..." said a startled Jeremy.  "I didn't get a memo about an office assistant"

"It's all part of the security check.  I have been assigned to help facilitate matters, take the administrative burden from you and to ensure you and your department pass the investigation with a clean bill of health." she said in a very matter of fact way but with a light lilt to her voice that bordered on being like an air hostess who was delivering serious news.  Her eyes, a bright blue and made up in the latest mod style with heavy black eyeliner, never blinked and her lipstick was practically the same shade as her skin.  Jeremy was momentarily fixated by her looks but the tone in her voice made his stomach tighten again.

"You're in luck, Saint old boy...haw-haw-haw" said Fanshawe.  "Alice, once you're done with old Saint here, you can check my security anytime, haw-haw-haw" 

"I'm certain someone has been assigned to your office, Mr Fanshawe" said Alice, unemotionally.

"I'll bet...I'll bet...eh, Jeremy, old sport?"

"This is business, Fanshawe, I'm taking this seriously even if you're not" said Jeremy.

And for Jeremy this was serious business.  Fanshawe rarely took work seriously, always with a joke or...more often...a comment about pretty women, he always seemed to cruise through corporate culture but then he was college boy from a prestigious university and a fraternity man as well so opportunities always came a lot easier for him than for Jeremy:  A small town boy with a degree from a modest college.  Plus, Jeremy knew he was at Landgraab's under false pretences and was, by strict definition, a security risk...only they didn't know it.

Another secretary, a slightly older and more experienced one than Alice, approached the small group and addressed Fanshawe directly.

"Mr Fanshawe, your 10 o'clock sales group meeting is convening in conference room 1 in 10 minutes."

"Oh, thank you Carole" replied Fanshawe with a sigh.  "No rest for the wicked, eh?  I'll be along now, Carole.  Well, Saint, good luck with Alice here and to you, fair lady, I hope we meet again soon." he said, fawning over Alice.  Jeremy hadn't asked how things were going with his supposed girlfriend, Bianca, as he didn't want anything to do with that particular woman given his bad history with her.  It was hard to tell if Fanshawe was single again or just flirting with every woman in the building.

Alice had already shot off in the direction of his office and Jeremy trudged back as well, noticing that everyone in the company seemed on edge...as if the security check was bothering them as well.  Furtive, sideways glances, nervous smiles and an unspoken tension seemed to infest the very air of the building.

As lunchtime rolled around the staff of the Landgraab Corporation breathed a sigh of relief that they could get out of the building for just one hour to get away from the tension and suspicion.  They would disperse to the various eateries in the area with the Twin Oracle Cafe a very popular destination.  One person had a table for 2 booked at 12:15pm and he was very keen to get out and make that booking.  His name was Darrin Lew and he worked in the computer department.  Like Jeremy, he too had a lot on his mind about security and industrial spying and a lot to lose if caught.  He didn't like the idea of some low level clerk, secretary or jobsworth going through his work and finding something they considered off.

As he headed out of the building for his lunch appointment he was stopped by the co-chairwoman herself:  Nancy Landgraab.

"Mr Lew.  Do you have a minute to spare?" she asked.  

Darrin knew that was a rhetorical question; of course he had to spare as much time as the boss demanded.  "Yes, Mrs Landgraab.  What's the matter?"

"Oh nothing, nothing...I just wanted to congratulate you on all the good work you've been doing recently.  Your department is really shining right now." she replied.

"Oh...thank you, Ma'am.  I really appreciate that."  he said, with a slight smile on his face.

"And don't you worry about the security check.  It's just standard company policy to have an internal audit of our security ever so often.  Don't let it get in the way of your work."

"My department is very busy at the moment and I did have some concerns that extra people around the office asking for particular files might prove a distraction."

"They won't, I assure you.  Just keep on doing a good job...that's all" she said with one of her icy smiles that made the person she was talking to not know whether she was happy or displeased with them.

Darrin watched her leave the building and head towards Chez Llama whilst he headed straight to the Twin Oracle Point Cafe.  Jeremy was about two minutes ahead of him and scoped out a table to sit at...outdoors and away from other patrons so he and his lunch partner could talk undisturbed and out of earshot.

Almost as soon as he sat down his lunch partner had arrived.

"Jeremy, on time I see" 

"Just got here, Darrin.  Sit down, let's talk"

They ordered some food and drinks and then settled down to talk.  Jeremy looked around the area to see if they were being observed and, cautiously satisfied they weren't, he said...almost in a whisper  "Darrin, this security check...has someone come down to your office to snoop around because that's what's happened to me!  I've accessed the company computer more than once and I'm..."

"Relax, Jeremy.  I've sorted it" replied Darrin, calmly.

"You've what?"

"I've sorted it:  I've destroyed all traces of you accessing the company computer.  Those tapes have magically 'disappeared'."  He said, taking a sip of coffee.

"And they won't be found?" asked Jeremy.  Darrin shook his head.

"What about your trail?  Have you also...."

"Oh I destroyed the records of my own activity before I destroyed yours.  So they can't trace any activity back to us."

"That's a relief" said Jeremy, sitting back in his seat.  "So...what do we do whilst they go through our stuff?"

"We take it easy, buddy boy" said Darrin, still without a trace of worry on his face.  "It's important you don't lose your cool right now.  Tough it out, be nice and co-operative to Alice, and she'll trot back off to our masters giving you a clean bill of health."

"I'm not used to all this cloak and dagger stuff..." said Jeremy.

"Neither am I but I'm telling you to stay cool:  If they get you, they can get me and I'm not going to let that happen.  Just smile, say 'yes' and 'thank you' and she'll be gone in a couple of days.  Believe me." said Darrin, his face changing from relaxed to utter seriousness.  "Don't let us down by being nervous, Jeremy.  We've got a lot to play for."

"OK...you're right.  We'll have to stop using the computer for now but I need more evidence of the brainwashing going on and about the plans to buy up Foundry Cove." said Jeremy.

"That will come" Darrin replied.  "Now I've heard of some kind of resident's group protesting against the proposed buy; are you aware of them?"

Jeremy nodded.  "I know them, but I want to keep them out of our business.  The risk is all on me." he said.

"I understand" said Darrin, finishing up his coffee.  "But they could help us if we pass on anything we find to them.  Obviously this security check is going to delay us, but keep your contacts on the outside informed and ready to act when things ease off."

"Do you think it's wise to involve other people?  I thought this investigation was going to be just us?" said Jeremy.

"This is war against the Landgraabs, Saint.  Either you're in or out.  Which is it, Jeremy?  Which?"