Page 18 of The Lies That Shatter
He was my best friend, but that was a long time ago. We’re different people now…at least, I know I am. So much has happened, and though I said I didn’t want the details, now I know, I can’t get all the assignments he’s done out of my head. I can’t stop thinking about all the ways he’s whored himself out for his Family. He’s always been the only guy in the world for me, but I still don’t really know how he really feels.
It’s too fucking late for regrets now, I tell myself. I’m here, and I’m so far in the fucking deep end there’s no getting free. I have to see this through, because if I don’t, I risk putting Finn and his family in danger, which is something I would never want to do. I also believe in the Doughty family’s vision, and want to bring an end to the human trafficking and sexual slavery business that seems to be spreading throughout our country.
Turning to Aleandro, I respond to his question, never taking my eyes off the paperwork I’m pretending to do. “I already told you, I’m not much of a party girl. Besides, I don’t know many people here in London. I’m not going clubbing by myself. And this work needs completing at some point.” I lift my head to meet his gaze, before adding, “Plus, you’ll be glad I stayed when Mel comes home. If I’m here, she’s less likely to rip you a new asshole for being late again. I thought her head was going to explode when she thought she would be late for her date because she had to wait for you.”
I chuckle to myself as I remember the look of horror on Mel’s face when she came to say goodbye to her dad, only to find that Aleandro was late for work again. He knows I’m going to have to schedule another disciplinary meeting to discuss his tardiness during the week, but he’s a good nurse who works more hours than most, which is why he gets away with so much.
Normally, Mel hates to leave her father alone, preferring to have a nurse with him at all times, and I like to do a proper handover in person, so when I offered to stay with him until Aleandro arrived, she was ecstatic. My stomach twisted in revulsion at the idea that I was actually helping her go on a date with the guy I like.
“Did that vein in her neck, that she tries to cover with a shitload of make-up, look like it was going to explode?” Aleandro asks, chuckling to himself as he fusses, tidying things away around the room.
We’ve been joking about the giant varicose vein Mel has going up the side of her neck for a while. For someone so prim and proper, without even a stitch out of place, the vein just doesn’t fit with her appearance, which is no doubt why she coats it with layers of foundation. But when she gets stressed, the vein enlarges and you can almost see it pulsing—letting the entire world know how agitated she is.
Nodding, I smile to myself at the memory. “Biggest I’ve seen it in a while. She really didn’t want to miss her date,” I reply, trying—and failing—not to sound like a bitter, twisted bitch.
“I’m not fucking surprised. Have you seen that handsome chunk of man meat she’s dating? I mean, he’s without a doubt one of the hottest people I’ve ever met. I would spread him on toast and eat him for breakfast. Or better yet, he can eat me,” Aleandro purrs with a wink, as he pretends to fan himself with a magazine from the table.
I can’t help but chuckle, because he’s not fucking wrong. Finn is gorgeous. “I don’t get it. It’s not like she’s hiding their relationship, and yet she’s clearly still married.”
“Typical rich folks. They can have their cake and eat it too. I’ve heard her husband knows about her affairs, and he doesn’t give a shit,” Aleandro coos, his eyes brightening as he gets to gossip.
Even though we’re not supposed to leave Melanie’s wing of the house, Aleandro loves to wander around and talk to the other members of staff. I think there’s a member of Mr Whitlock’s security that he’s got his eye on, and whenever he wanders around the house, talking to the staff, they gossip like schoolgirls in the playground. I actually found out a lot of my information from him.
Now I think about it, this is the ideal time for me to go for a look around the house. Mel’s on her date, and as far as we’re aware, Mr Whitlock is away for a couple of days and won’t return home until tomorrow morning. So I should use this time to see what I can find.
If I’m being honest, I’ve not looked around the house yet out of fear. I have no idea what the fuck I would say or do if I’m caught somewhere I shouldn’t be. But, if the coast is clear, like I think it is, then I should have nothing to worry about.
And as I keep reminding myself…the sooner I get the information we need, the sooner this job will be over, and I can finally shoot my shot with Finn—which is a whole other fear I will worry about when the time comes.
“Actually, while I think about it, I’m gonna run to the main kitchen and make sure they have all the food stuff we need in stock. They ran out of the meal substitutes last week, and I didn’t want that to happen again, so I put in a bigger order and told them to put the excess in the main fridge. I better check it’s all there,” I reply, giving Aleandro a perfectly good reason for why I need to leave our wing.
It’s actually not a lie. Mr Ingold has been eating less and less, but I’ve not reached the stage yet where I want to put a tube in to feed him. That’s a slippery slope I don’t want him to go down just yet.
The in-house chef keeps making him blended and mashed food on request, but he’s still not showing a lot of interest. Irequested that Mel buy some meal replacement shakes that are high in vitamins and minerals, and are made specifically for people in Mr Ingold’s situation. He actually likes drinking them too.
But Mel’s a stubborn bitch, and she only wants her father to have the best. She’s insisting the chef’s find a way to make their own meal replacement shakes that are just as good for him, only these are made fresh with expensive ingredients.
I keep telling her that the food and the spices are too rich for his taste-buds, which is why he won’t touch them, but she won’t listen to me about this. I make sure I keep some of the generic brands in stock in the mini fridge we have here, just in case. But when a larger order comes in, I need to use the main fridge for overflow, so this is the perfect excuse to move around the house.
Standing up, I place my paperwork neatly on the table beside me, and give Aleandro some instructions before I make my way out into the corridor that leads to the main entrance of the house.
Even this is an unknown path for us, as we normally have to come in via the staff entrance at the side. I’ve only used the main door a couple of times, but it’s enough for me to know the route. Yet, as soon as I get into the large entrance hallway, my bearings go out of the window.
As I look around, I try to ignore how outlandish everything is. It all screams money. Hardwood floors, cream walls adorned with artwork, gold accents throughout, with grand crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. Every room is just a slightly different version of the one before. They all look clean, sleek, and far too posh.
I peer down at my tatty-looking Sketchers, and I cringe at how wrong it looks for something so cheap to make contact with flooring that looks more expensive than my entire flat. I’mscared to even look at some of the artwork in case I sully it with my poorness.
Focus, Mac. Remember why you’re doing this.I mentally remind myself that I’m here for a reason.
I check as many doors as I can, making a mental note of the layout in my head. I had already seen a blueprint of what the house looked like. Mr Doughty made me memorise it before I came to work here. He said it’s important to know where all the entry and exit points are, and I have to admit, I’m glad he did.
My job is to look around the rooms, trying to locate any security risks—such as cameras, infra-red, or extra guards they don’t know about. Finn’s brother, Kellan, can hack the cameras, but he doesn’t want to do that unless he really has to, as they don’t know who Mr Whitlock has working for him.
He may have a good hacker who can tell that their system is being hacked, and then our element of surprise is gone. Kellan also said the system is very complex to hack, and may not be an easy job. Whereas, an employee wandering around the house, acting as though I’m looking for something but have gotten lost, doesn’t seem too odd on the security tapes. Even if I get stopped, as long as I’ve gathered a bit of information, I can always try again another day.
I’m surprised I manage to get all the way across to Mr Whitlock’s wing without being stopped by security. I’m sure they’ve seen me moving about—they’re doing a shit job if they haven’t. I didn’t expect to be able to get this far on my first attempt, but I’m not going to waste it.
Bringing up the blueprint in my mind, I work my way down the main corridor, taking in a few of the doors that I know should be just spare rooms. Some are storage spaces, others have been turned into smaller meeting rooms. One even looks a little like an interrogation room, and I quickly get out of there.
