Chapter 29

‘Are you sure you’re still happy to do this Toby’ Selia said as they paused near the entrance office. Dressed in a suit with a file under his arm she hoped that it would be enough to get past the night security but a little smile from her was usually enough.

‘Of course. Come on lets do it.’ Toby smiled at Selia reassuringly. She was right in a way. He would never have contemplated helping her before but when Saffron had explained a little more about her past and the pressure she had lived under virtually since inception he had started to feel sorry for her.

Selia hesitated for a second and then they walked confidently into the lobby.

‘Late night shift eh’ Selia said leaning forward on the reception desk and beaming at the security guard who sat up from his newspaper. Toby couldn’t help noticing how low cut her shirt was, unbuttoned to the third button especially for the occasion. It seemed to be having the desired effect. Fortunately the security guard wasn’t one Toby remembered from his days in the office. ‘This is my boyfriend’ Selia said rapping an arm inside Toby’s. ‘I’ve left my house keys on my desk so I’m just going to pop up. You don’t mind if I show him my fancy office do you?’

Safely past Toby was impressed. For a girl whose life was hanging by such tender threads she was very natural at playing to her assets. ‘Well done.’ Toby said as the elevator door closed in front of them.

As the elevator doors opened Selia breathed deeply and swiping her card through the glass door which separated the sixth floor lobby from the offices directed Toby into the coffee room as they had planned. ‘I’ll be right back.’

Toby rested his back against the window which looked down on the dark street below and rested his eyes on the pot of crystallised instant coffee. He had spent so many hours two floors below taking refuge in the very same room. The design was the same throughout the building. At the time he had seen no way out. No way out and no way up. The paralysis of being a paralegal who made enough money to need to keep working but not enough to live properly. And then unexpectedly he had met Saffron..

It spooked him to think about it really. Within the space of less than six months his life had utterly changed. None of it he had planned. He had literally stumbled across the woman he loved, quit his job and now, thanks to a chance meeting with Charles and Andy’s loose bladder he was actually working in exactly the profession he wanted to be. Being back in the coffee room brought it all back to Toby. He shivered just thinking about what might have happened if he hadn’t accepted the drink with Dave. Dave the paralegal who was still Dave the paralegal.

A shadow appeared at the door which startled Toby who was still gazing at the coffee pot in front of him. ‘We’re alone’ Selia said calmly, holding her high heals in her hand. ‘Let’s get this over with.’

Selia closed the door softly behind them and Toby hovered nervously around the large, ostentatious desk which was the centre piece of the room. Behind the desk, a floor to ceiling window looked out over east London as the city crept ever further out.

‘He keeps his personal files in here’ Selia said sliding one of the tall aluminium doors back to reveal three rows of orange folders. ‘This may take a while. Sorry.’

‘Don’t worry take your time’, Toby said taking one from Selia and resting on the floor behind the desk and flicking on the small torch he had brought for the occasion. ‘Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for or shall I just flick through the pages’, Toby grinned.

‘Shit sorry, I’m just so bloody nervous’, Selia whispered, kneeling down on the floor beside Toby. ‘Anything which mentions The Heaton fund. Be a good boy and chronologise those for me too will you. Toby smiled at Selia but the light mood was suddenly broken by the noise of the glass doors sliding open on the other side of the hall near the elevators. Selia’s reaction was instantaneous as she leapt up, taking the file in Toby’s hand with her and slipped it back in the cabinet before slowly closing the cabinet and ducking back behind the desk with Toby.

There was just enough room for them both to crawl under which they did as they heard footsteps coming closer to the office. Selia bit her lip as she heard the door latch push down and recognised the unmistakeable baritone of Stevens voice. Selia covered her mouth with her hand though there was no risk that she would say anything.

Toby looked as scared as she was but their thoughts were distracted by the sound of a female voice as the lights flicked violently on.

‘Come here, Selia heard Steven saying in the same voice she had heard him use so many time when he wanted something.

‘No, come on lets get out of here’, a voice which Selia didn’t recognise responded. Toby looked across at Selia but she had her eyes shut. He knew how painful this must be.

Suddenly the desk moved slightly above them. Steven was sitting on the edge of the desk, a few centimetres away from where the pair was hiding.

‘Come on, come here and give me a kiss. No ones going to find out. Besides I’m a partner.

For a moment there were no more voices. Toby could recognise the sound of Steven and whoever was his latest kissing above them. He reached out under the desk and took Selia by the hand. Bastard he thought.

‘I want to fuck you on my desk’ Steven said and Toby saw Selia shaking. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. Toby wanted to stand up and do something or say something to end her pain but he knew he couldn’t. They just had to wait.

‘No not here, let’s go back to your place.’

‘I told you. I can’t tonight. I have to be at home. Clare made a fuss this morning and I promised.’

‘You told me that was over’, the voice replied.

Selia looked at Toby. The jealousy was beginning to fade. In a way she felt sorry for whoever it was who had fallen into Steven’s trap after her. It wasn’t her fault. In a way, hearing the conversation taking place like this reminded her that it wasn’t her fault either. The conversation above them became more heated and Toby was relieved that he and Selia wouldn’t have to sit through the consummation of Steven’s latest romance on the desk above them.

After another minute the light went out and the door closed shut behind them as the voices drifted down the hall.

‘Are you ok’, Toby asked, not sure what else to say.

‘I’m wonderful’, Selia grinned, wiping a tear away from her cheek and forcing a smile to her face. ‘Let’s find that file and get out of here ok.’