Witching Tree (Alice Gray Book 1)

29

Anne and Evan chatted together like nothing was out of the ordinary. Thomas sulked at the window, ignoring everybody.

"Right, let's get this over with," I said, to no-one in particular.

Marching out of my apartment, I crossed the hall to Emily's door head held high. This meeting would be on my terms and I would be the one to initiate it. I knocked loudly, while the other three followed me out.

I didn't know if they would all come.

I didn't know if I wanted them to.

They brought a level of drama that was not a welcome addition to my life. But the idea of facing Stephen alone was harrowing. At least I didn't look like a pathetic loner with my current entourage. If only they would lose the prejudice and macho bullshit and just behave themselves.

"I wondered if you would come back on your own, I was expecting to have to come and get you again," Emily said, derision oozing from her tone.

"Drop the attitude. I need you to go through the story you told me on Sunday again, in a little more detail this time please," I said, refusing to be intimidated.

"Forgotten already?" she sneered.

Emily had answered the door far too quickly to support her attitude of indifference. She needed me, and I was ready to find out why.

"Just let her in," a familiar voice called from inside.

Emily stepped back with a shrug, all the bitchiness leaving her demeanour in a flash. Stephen sat on the floor cross-legged in front of the coffee table, hand written notes covered the surface. Ink stains marked his hands, and a pair of geeky glasses perched on his nose. Since when did he need reading glasses?

Stephen held my gaze with a neutral expression. He folded his glasses and placed them on the table, each movement slow and calculated. Finally he stood and offered me the one seat in the room, the awkward designer chair.

Moving further into the room, I was at a loss how to continue. I was damn well finished playing the role these two directed for me. But I'd been expecting Emily the bitch and Stephen, the man who'd betrayed me. Not this serious and sombre pair.

Then the other three traipsed in behind me.

Stephen's mild expression soured. Emily rolled her eyes. That was more like it.

"Oh, I didn't realise you'd brought your harem. That must be awkward," Stephen said, his face twisting into a sneer directed at the two men who had moved to opposite sides of the room.

The tension racked up a notch. Emily got to her feet with a sigh. Only Anne seemed at ease. In fact, she couldn't keep the grin off her face.

So glad that someone was having a good time.

"Look, just tell me again, ok?"

Emily looked at Stephen. He nodded for her to go ahead.

"Ok, but do we all need to be here for this?"

"Yes," Thomas and Evan said in unison.

A squeak of laughter erupted from Anne. Emily glanced at my exuberant cousin, a tiny smile breaking through her severity.

I shrugged my consent. At this point, it was better to have everything out in the open. Besides it was doubtful that I could get them to leave even if I wanted to.

"We can use my apartment," Evan offered. "I have space for us all to sit."

Evan's living room had two leather couches at right angles from each other lining the walls. Anne and I sat on one of them and Evan and Emily took the other. Thomas drew the curtains closed, and then stood sentry at the window. Stephen tried to look casual perched on an armchair by the door.

I don't know about the rest of them, but he didn't fool me. His body screamed of barely controlled tension. It reminded me of our many arguments as a couple. He would always keep the upper hand through a deceptively calm demeanour. But it was just a tactic; a waiting game for his opponent to show a weakness. Then he would strike, putting them back in their place.

I had been on the receiving end of that all too often.

My eyes refused to stop drifting over. Something was different about him, and it was more than the rumpled clothes and five o'clock shadow. I'd traced every curve and angle of his hard body, but I didn't know his mind at all. With nothing to anchor my relationship with him, I didn't know how to be around him.

"Ok," Emily started, giving me something to focus on other than Stephen. "I may as well start from the beginning again, but pay attention this time because I do not want to go through this again. Five years ago, Stephen and I were handed a brief that would be active for an indefinite period. It was a big case, the most extensive that we'd ever received. We were still at the bottom rung of the ladder, since starting our security business after college. We needed to make a success of it."

Emily focused on me intently, making sure that I understood the importance of this case. My glare hardened. This was my life they were talking about. All of it, not just a job.

"The brief consisted of infiltrating the life of the target, ensuring her safety and making periodic reports to the agency. Due to the age and description of the target we decided that the best approach was for Stephen to meet her and attempt to initiate a relationship."

Eyes dropping to the floor, even Emily couldn't tell this part without some shame. Stephen shifted in his seat, unable to disguise his agitation.

"Alice, that may have been how it began, but things changed," he said quietly, starting across the room towards me.

I turned my head in disgust. Stephen paused mid-step.

"Leave her alone," Emily said sharply. "You've already done enough damage."

My eyes shot to Emily in surprise. She was the last person that I had expected would admonish Stephen. Hadn't it been her idea as well?

Her eyes held a spot on the wall. Back straight, head high, she was determined not to meet my gaze.

"Anyway, Stephen had been successful in making contact, and I don't think that we need to go into how we maintained surveillance of the target over the next four years," she said quickly.

"We hadn't detected any threat. It seemed like the job was panning out to be an easy earner. Then we got new instructions. The case was up for review. The new case-worker was alarmed by the serious nature of the relationship that Stephen had built with the target. His concerns mirrored my own, but it required a direct order to convince Stephen to end the relationship. Things became difficult then. We had lost our direct access to Alice's life."

This was the first time her narration referred to me by name, instead of simply 'the target.' I'd been able to remain detached, but hearing my name brought it all home. This was the reality of my life for the last five years, four of those having been Stephen's dupe.

"Wait, Agency? Case-worker? What are you going on about? She's too old for a social worker." Anne said, eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"The DPA," Stephen said. "The case came direct from the Home Office."

Alice is finally getting some answers, but will she like what she hears?
Read on to find out, and don't forget to ⭐️ if you like it!