Seasons of Heaven (14 page)

One of many groups contract she works for now is a private corporation founded by a group of billionaires doing research in different fields, they are tied up with the U.N. Because of this she is usually responsible for being the contact between them and the press who are often anxious to get any information about what the group is involved in. They have a hand in things such as industrial food, pharmaceutical companies and a lot of science research involving space exploration and NASA. Some of the men she worked for had worked together to create the ethical system that we now know through highly publicized materials like The Kingsley sexual rapport, a top secret mission on the climate changing technology. The decisions that these men make on a daily basis are often highly controversial with activists and less mainstream media. Elise worried often about the explosion of the internet changing the direction of the work they do. She shook off her worries for the moment and focused back on what was going on in front of her.

There was an endless expression of ideas being shared at the table about the end of the intervention in Iraq. Too many ideas in fact. The general public had just about enough of this “crisis” and they wanted the troops called home. The government however was not satisfied that pulling the troops was the right thing to do. They worried that the rebellious troops still needed to be controlled and that the only way to do that was to maintain a military presence in the country. The active discussion hadn’t amounted to an agreement amongst the professionals and as some of them bemoaned this outcome, Elise impatiently waited for the meeting to come to an end. It was Friday night and all she could think about was getting out of this darned office and to the romantic dinner that she and her husband had planned together at their favorite restaurant. Neither of them had found a moment for themselves, much less each other in four months thanks to their busy jobs. The lack of intimate time coupled with the stressors of their jobs was taking a toll on their marriage. Elise couldn’t even recall the last time they’d been intimate. The daily routine of their lives had become like a flavorless dish and she was ready to change that.

Elise had struggled with the decision for a while, but in the end she’d known it was not only what she had to do, but what she wanted to do in order to save their family. This job had never been about passion for her. She’d taken it for the money and the travel and the respect. Elise had gotten her fill of that and now she was ready to make a change. She wanted to be a mother to her son at last. She’d already typed her resignation letter and she was ready to mail it and start a new chapter in her life. She was missing her son grow up and although Shirley did a good job with both Yann and the house, it wasn’t the same thing as Elise doing it herself. She was Yann’s mother and she wanted a chance to stay at home with him and do it right. She wanted to be the one to help him with his homework and take him for a stroll in the park….And maybe, she and Tim could start thinking about having another child, maybe a little sister for Yann. Elise had actually been thinking about it so much that she’d already been picking out names. She was ready to talk to Tim about it. It was time to move their lives forward, in a new direction.

“Okay, we’ll wrap up the discussion next week,” the meeting chairman announced, “Linda will record the minutes and get them back to us on Monday. Enjoy your weekend everyone!”

With a relieved sigh, Elise closed her briefcase, and on the way to the elevator she pulled at the tight bun she’d wrapped her hair in this morning. As she pulled out the wrap her long brown hair spilled out and cascaded across her shoulders.

As she walked through the hallway she glimpsed something strange. There was a crowd of people in front of her and standing in the midst of them was someone, or something that shouldn’t be there. It’s was an inky dark silhouette from where she stood, but she had the feeling she’d seen it…or him before. Something about him…or it frightened her and she began to walk quicker, passing the elevator in her rush. It wasn’t the first time today that she’d felt like she was being followed. She turned down first one corridor and then the next with a feeling of panic rising up in her chest. When she got closer to the second bank of elevators she looked over her shoulder. Standing about ten feet away a man in a black hood was watching her. She jumped into the elevator with her heart racing and pressed the “door close” button. Once the door was closed she pressed the button for the first floor and she was able to breathe a little easier.

When Elise hit the exit door and the fresh air outside she gulped a deep lungful of it. She was still shaking and she wasn’t even sure what it was about the man that had frightened her so badly. She wasn’t even sure he’d been following her…. She saw Tim’s car sitting in the lot and replacing the anxiety with a smile of anticipation for their night together she walked over and opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat.

“Hi Honey. How was your...?” Tim could see from the look on Elise’s face that it hadn’t been a good one. He said, “Ok I get it,” he said with a sympathetic look. “Hard day?”

“Yeah,” she said, “It sure was...” Tim could tell that she was worried. It seemed like more than just the usual stress from work. He was about to ask about it when she said, “I had this creepy feeling all day that I was being followed. My day is stressing enough as it is, with the everlasting discussions at work about this darned conflict.”

With a worried look Tim put the car in drive and headed out of the parking lot. Once they were on the road he said, “What do you mean by “followed”?”

“I don’t know. I had the impression that a man was following me. I didn’t even get a good look at him, yet I’m sure I’ve seen him before. The security of our offices is one of the tightest in the country. I can’t imagine just anyone could have slipped in. I’ll check with security on Monday.”

“Ok, let me know if you have a problem, you know that…”

“I can take care of myself, “Mister Inspector,” She told him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

Tim grinned and said, “Okay, fine. I’m so glad that we’re getting to spend some time together, finally. Are you looking forward to our dinner tonight?”

“Of course, Hun! And I have something important to tell you. Well, actually it might even be two important things.”

Tim glanced over at Elise’s animated face, wondering what it was that she had to tell him. He decided to be patient; they finally had all night to talk. He drove them down to 48
th
street to a French Gourmet restaurant they both loved. The restaurant was done up European style with brick walls and a little wrought iron gates around the windows. There was a potted shrub on each side of the door and an old-fashioned black chalkboard out front announcing the specials.

The neighborhood around the restaurant was a noisy one with loud music drifting out from the apartment building down the street and heavy traffic going by, but once inside they felt as if they’d been transported to a quiet bistro in Paris. Soft lighting gave the place a warm atmosphere and it smelled of fresh bread and rich pastry. The sounds of Edith Piaf singing a love song floated out of the speakers and gave the impression that a French Cabaret was taking place in the background.

Tim and Elise stepped up to the podium at the front door and were greeted warmly by the maître.

“Good evening Madam, good evening Sir. Do you have a reservation?”

“Good evening, Yes we do, a table for 2, booked under Northman,” Tim told him.

“Very well, one moment please.”

They didn’t have to wait long before they were taken to a little table in the corner with a glowing red candle in the center and a giant 1930’s style painting framed in a heavy ancient frame hanging next to them. The waiter took their orders and Tim asked for a rare bottle of Bordeaux. They listened to the soft music, “Mon bistrot préféré” of Renaud playing in the background while they waited for their meals both of them caught up in their own thoughts. When their pasta was served and they’d both begun to eat, Elise said,

“Ok, let me finish what I had started in the car, and thank you for not interrupting me until I finish because this is big news and if you interrupt me I’ll just get nervous. I have handed in my resignation letter. I’m done. I want to focus on our boy now.” Elise laughed nervously and Tim, looking shocked in the middle of taking a bite of his pasta said,

“Are you sure?”

Elise nodded, still smiling and Tim went on to say,

“Wow, I don’t know what to say. I’m so happy about that! Yann will be so happy. It will be great for his education... And I could tell that this job was ruining you…” he paused there. He knew that hers wasn’t the only job ruining them. He took a deep breath and said, “Mine as well… I swear to you that this last case… It has been a living hell; we have been after that murderer for so long…”

Elise rolled her eyes and said, “See, there you go talking about yourself again...let me finish my story, I was only halfway through it.”

“Ok, ok! I’m sorry, I’ll be quiet!”

“I’m three months pregnant…” she blurted it out quickly. This was the part she was really nervous about. She ran her hand through her hair as she waited for his response.

Tim didn’t look happy, but he tried to sound happy as he said, “Oh, ok, great! Have you known for long?”

“No... You don’t look happy,” she said.

“Please don’t make assumptions,” he told her. “I'm happy, but the world we live in… it’s not easy, and it’s hard for me to put a positive spin on reality with everything I’m confronted with at work. And if I could quit, I would do it.”

“Do it then, it’s not going to change the face of the world… stay with us, instead of chasing ghosts.”

On the radio behind the counter a man was talking about the events that were happening around the world. If anyone had been paying attention, they would have found it all to be depressing news.

“The premier general of the United States Army has been quoted today as giving the following statistics with regards to losses of U.S. lives and military equipment throughout the course of the war in Iraq. He said that 535,000 soldiers have died, eighty ships have been put out of service, six aircraft carriers blown up, two hospital ships destroyed, two submarines lost, 1,350 aircrafts, 1500 helicopters, 1000 tanks, 2000 armored vehicles and 1800 pieces of heavy artillery lost. The financial impact of all of that to the country has been staggering, the loss of human lives devastating. In other news, a massive flood in Venezuela that caused mudslides and the loss of three hundred lives is said to have been a natural catastrophe mainly triggered by global warming now by some experts….” 

“I wish I could make you understand, Elise…Shit!” Tim said in the middle of talking to his wife.

“What?” Elise said. She was shocked at how he’d yelled out the profanity in the middle of the restaurant. It wasn't like Tim at all. She started to turn and see what he was looking at when he said,

“No! Don’t turn around, honey. Damn it! I can’t believe that son of a bitch is here!”

“What?” Elise said again, confused. She’d heard Tim say don’t turn around, but she turned around anyways. She had to see what had gotten him so agitated. Tim was on his feet, headed towards the front window. He shouted over his shoulder to Elise,

“Don’t move. I’ll be right back!” He made his way between the tables, pushing a waiter out of his way and pulling his gun before he reached the door. Once he pushed through the door, the man he’d seen there at the window had vanished. He looked up and down both sides of the street.
How does the son of a bitch move so fast?

“Damn! Damn! Damn!” he said aloud to the alarm of many of the people walking by on the sidewalk. He tucked his gun back in its shoulder holster and went back inside the restaurant. He looked at the server standing near the door and said, “Do you have a phone I can use?”

“Yes sir,” the server handed him the cordless phone from behind the counter. Tim dialed Eddie’s number.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“CRYPTIC WARNINGS”

NORTHMAN’S RESIDENCE

Tuesday, September 7
T
H

             
Yann and Ani had been playing and talking and telling stories in their room for hours when they heard the sound of Shirley’s voice calling up to them. Yann got up and opened the bedroom door and that was when they both smelled the delicious aroma of dinner wafting up the stairs.

              “Dinner time!” Shirley said again, “Come on boys!”

              “We’re coming!” Yann called down. “Let’s go, Ani! Time to eat!”

              The young boy and his canine best friend bounded down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen. Shirley had the table set under the bright lights and the plates were filled with a juicy steak, savory red potatoes and fresh green beans.

              “What do you think?” Shirley asked Yann.

              “It looks and smells delicious,” he said, “Doesn’t it Ani?”

              Ani barked out his answer and Shirley smiled and said,

              “Yours is over there little man,” pointing at his food bowl. Ani walked over to his food bowl while Yann sat down at the table with Shirley. He ate one piece of his dry food at a time as he listened to the clinks and clanks of the silverware while Shirley and Yann ate a silent meal. Shirley was exhausted. She had spent the entire afternoon working on a report.