Criminal Beware: The Lykanos Chronicles 1

Chapter Twenty-Two

I didn't make it to my office desk until the afternoon that day. I first rang San Francisco to speak with Western Director Manafort's office, but his secretary informed me that it was unlikely he'd be back in the office until Monday morning. I called New York for Executive Director Riley's office, but the call was not even answered by the administration office, forcing me to speak with the front desk of the Plaza Hotel. For both men, I left messages asking for a return call at my office or my home regarding a challenge that required their attention.

I then had meetings with my management team to explain everything I could, verifying what we could and mustn't say to the staff. I covered how I wanted inevitable questions by reporters to be answered, though none had arrived yet. I then spoke with the secretary pool separately, who I warned of leaks to the remainder of the staff. After divulging all that I could to her, I had my first conversation with Vanessa about integrity and what it would mean if any of the details she knew were to join along with the gossip that was already seeping through every pair of lips in the building.

"You simply can't tell them," I said to her, "it's as simple as that. Everyone knows that you know everything that goes on here. I was going to discuss with you about confidentiality in your role and outline what constitutes sound judgment in your position, and we'll still have that talk one day, but this is different. I'm sure they've already been speaking to you, and I know its not just the ladies in this office."

Vanessa began to protest, but I held up my hand to stop her, shaking my head.

"You don't need to do that. I live in this world with you, and I know how it works. But in this case, the survival of the hotel relies upon what we do now to slow the scandal." The hairs on the back of my head rose as I heard tones of Jonathan's voice in my own. "The people who ask you questions will understand that you know as much as I do. You won't be able to give them a 'no comment' answer and keep your relationships viable. So, I need you to decide now what you'll say to them because it can't be the truth. Worse, a writer will likely offer you money for insight. This case will take months to resolve itself, and they will need to write something new every day. It won't be long before the details of Richardson's life here become interesting to every news desk. So, we need to establish what our story..."

"Nothing," she interrupted me. "That's what I'm going to tell them. I will maintain that I know nothing more than what anyone could assume. The man came to the office for one week every quarter. He was here these past weeks because you came aboard, and he happened to be staying in the hotel. What more would I need to say?

"That's just it, Vanessa, people are going to be curious. Why was he staying in the hotel if he didn't normally? What was he like when you would speak to him? Did he ever scold you? Did he ever get personal with you? Do something inappropriate? Offer something inappropriate? How about with one of the other ladies?"

She lowered her head and gave an incredulous chuckle. "Frankly, Mr. Archer, the ladies here would already know if he'd ever gotten stupid with me or anyone else. But I see where you're going and I can promise your concerns won't amount to anything. I've been doing this job for almost twenty years, and I know how to do it better than anyone. I know how to get what I need from people without giving away something that's not for them."

I was immediately impressed by her and felt a bit of relief that I hadn't expected.

"I have your word then?"

"You may put your mind to rest, sir," said Vanessa with a reluctant grin.

"Thank you. And you were excellent today, by the way. I promise you I won't forget it."

She thanked me and assured that she'd already rescheduled the rest of my appointments for future dates before offering to bring me lunch from the kitchens.

"Anything you can find would be wonderful," I answered gratefully before she left to make it happen, closing my office door behind her.

I lifted my telephone receiver and asked the operator to connect me with Gabrielle's home. After a short wait, the line rang before being answered by her maid.

"Laura?" I asked, glad she had remained at her job. But then, she didn't yet know that her private affair would one day become a public trial anecdote. "This is Daniel Archer. Is Ms. Roussade available?"

After some time, Gabrielle came on the line.

"Daniel, I'm having the very best of days. Jackson has been released, and all charges were dropped. He's back in his apartment resting now, as I insisted, but only after promising he could serve dinner this evening."

"I'm happy to hear that, but I have news that's going to upset you again. Are you sitting down?" I asked.

Her sigh over the line was audible, and I could hear the receiver shuffled as she placed it down on the table to pull up a chair beside the telephone. "Very well, I'm sitting down. What is it now, Daniel?"

"The police arrested Jonathan this morning. They dragged him out of my hotel through the lobby in handcuffs. I just sat through an interview with Eleanor, who's in shambles."

"What?" she answered with impatient skepticism.

"The detective told me that he has "irrefutable evidence" that Jonathan killed Ebink, along with the three other men found under the bridge. I don't know why it matters to them, but much of Eleanor's interview focused on if she knew of his infidelity."

"Daniel, what are you saying?"

"Eleanor eventually told them that she knew of it, of his infidelity" I continued, a numbing feeling arising in my arm as if I was making a mistake by sharing this detail with Gabrielle. I knew I couldn't stop myself and briefly saw in my mind Vanessa give me a look of disappointment on the edge of beginning a lecture about integrity.

"You maid wasn't entirely forthcoming with you about her interview with the police. Evidently, she'd been having an affair with Jonathan for some time. And the detective implied that he went after Ebink because he caught the man flirting with her."

The line went silent for some time as my words were absorbed by Gabrielle.

"Well," she eventually said wearily, "you were certainly right in asking me to sit down." A moment of silence followed before she began to whisper, "Stupid!" over and over. "This is all so stupid, Daniel. I really don't know what else to say..."

"Are you going to let her remain with you?"

"How could I do that?" she answered pointedly. "Of course, I can't. I'll have to dismiss her at once. As soon as I get off the line, I'm afraid. I'll go and place her remaining wages due in an envelope and tell her to pack and go." She fell silent again before resuming her whispered mantra, the word giving way to the question, "How could she be so stupid as to do that? This all happened here, I presume?"

"Whenever the Richardsons would stay with you, it seems."

"Thank you for telling me, Daniel," she added wearily. "I don't envy your position, but I'm very grateful to you. I realize why it would've been easier for you to keep this from me."

"Despite it all, Eleanor wonders if she may come to stay with you this evening. The news of this will be in the evening paper, I'm almost certain of it, and having her stay in the hotel has already become problematic."

Gabrielle didn't answer for some time.

"Do you really think that's wise, Daniel?"

"I don't know how wise it is, but I know she can't stay here and doesn't have anyone to turn to. I've been in contact with Martin Jensen, who can no longer represent her. He'll be a witness for the prosecution because of his involvement. He's put me in touch with another attorney he trusts. The man is on his way to the police station right now to represent Jonathan. He'll be coming by to speak with Eleanor when the booking, the arraignment, ...whatever it's called, happens."

"No, you're right," she said cautiously. "I'm happy to have her come here. You may bring her over after three. I should have everything here settled by then. I'll go now and speak with Jackson to offer the apology of my life, perhaps. Hopefully, he'll forgive me for letting this all go on under my nose, to say nothing of almost ruining him because of it. And if he does forgive me, then he and I shall handle this together.