Catherine Hunt - Someone Out There

He leaned towards her, putting his elbows on the desk and his hands underneath his chin. ‘So,’ he said softly, ‘the Hakimi fiasco. What have you got to tell me?’

The shrewd little eyes fixed on her as if she was a specimen in a jar. She considered asking him what Sarah had told him, but decided not to – he was unlikely to tell her and would interpret the question as a sign of weakness.

‘I’ve talked the problem through with Mary Hakimi and assured her we’ll do all we can to get her son back. Obviously she’s very distressed but she agreed that was the best way forward for now.’

‘And how exactly do you plan to get the boy back?’ He made no effort to hide the scepticism in his voice.

Laura told him. As she spoke his eyebrows rose and his lips set in a thin line.

‘Snowball’s chance,’ he said dismissively.

‘Well, yes, I know it’s a long shot but there might … ’ Laura stopped. It was stupid to start justifying herself; it would only further undermine her. She changed what she had been going to say. ‘I felt it was really important to demonstrate that we cared and we wanted to help.’

‘We always care about our clients, Laura. You’ll be aware that that is one of the guiding principles at Morrison Kemp.’

‘I was quite honest with her,’ Laura continued, ‘I told her I couldn’t promise anything.’

‘Of course you were honest with her. I hope you’ve been honest with her at all times, Laura.’ He paused, took off his glasses and put them down on the desk. He sat up straight in his chair and leaned further towards her. ‘I trust she understands that this firm is not to blame in any way for what’s happened?’

He was waiting for her to dig herself into a hole. She guessed Sarah had told him she had given the forged letter to Mary Hakimi because, so far as Sarah knew, that was what she’d done. She also guessed that he would deny ever telling Sarah to write the letter and was busy distancing himself from the whole thing. She wondered if he had come to some arrangement with Sarah and if that arrangement meant dumping the blame for the deception squarely on Laura. If he believed she had handed over the letter, he would realize at once that it made her vulnerable. He would be licking his lips at the sight of a scapegoat.

‘Absolutely. I hope I was able to convince her of that. By the way,’ Laura added, smiling sweetly at him, ‘do you still want Sarah Cole fired? I met her coming out of your office just now and I was hoping you might’ve had second thoughts.’

He retreated across the desk, replacing his glasses on his hawkish nose. He sat back in his big chair, steepled his fingers together and frowned.

‘I’m afraid she told me a very worrying thing which I don’t think can be right.’

Laura waited, not asking. He wanted her to, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. He’d have to tell her anyway if he was going to put the blame on her. It didn’t take long.

‘She says Mrs Hakimi was never sent a letter telling her to remind us about the passport order. She tells me that a copy of a letter to that effect, which you gave to Mrs Hakimi yesterday, was in fact a fake and you were well aware of that when you gave it to her.’

It was what she had expected but she still felt shocked that he could be so shameless. How did he sit there and brazenly ignore the truth of what had happened? He showed no sign of embarrassment or regret. Instinctively, she knew what his reaction would be if she reminded him of his involvement. He would give her that thin-lipped, patronizing smile and she would hear him whisper, ‘I think you must be mistaken, Laura, and I think I’ve been mistaken about you.’ Then he would throw her to the wolves.

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