The Organization by Lucy di Legge

Author:Lucy di Legge [Legge, Lucy di]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Supposed Crimes
Published: 2016-01-31T16:00:00+00:00

Part II

Chapter Forty

Soft, classical music filled the room. Harriet had programmed her office computer to play the music at just the right volume so that it wouldn’t distract her when she was busy working, but that it was loud enough to help set others at ease when they came to meet with her. Somehow, the noise took the edge off those who seemed predisposed towards nervousness. A bit of psychology could work wonders.

The intercom on her desk sounded as Anna, her assistant, announced, “Ms. Spencer, your eleven o’clock appointment is here.”

Harriet held the button on the intercom and replied, “Please show her in.”

The door opened and in walked a light-skinned black woman in a pressed suit with a starched white dress shirt, her hair neatly parted to one side. She looked to be in her mid-to-late thirties.

Harriet came out from behind her desk and extended her hand to her guest. “Welcome, Ms. Reese. Thank you for meeting me.”

“Thank you, Ms. Spencer,” she replied. “And please, call me Erin.”

Harriet smiled politely as she sat back down in her chair, her hands folded on the desk in front of her. “Please have a seat, Erin. And you may call me Harriet. I trust that my assistant sent you the files?”

Erin sat in one of the two chairs across the desk, setting her briefcase in the other chair. “Thank you, yes.” She seemed nervous. Harriet wondered if she should reevaluate her musical selection.

Harriet decided to try an easier topic to warm her up. “My assistant informs me that you’re a solicitor,” she said.

At that, Erin’s face lit up with a proud smile. “Yes, I qualified just under a year ago. I suppose you could call it a second career.”

Harriet returned her smile and said, “Congratulations. I don’t suppose you have designs on becoming a Member of Parliament?”

Erin laughed self-consciously and replied, “Oh, no. I greatly respect what you do, Ms. Spencer—”

“Harriet,” she corrected.

“Sorry—Harriet. But I just don’t see myself… That is, I could never do what you do.” She flushed and added hastily, “As an MP. I didn’t mean… That is, I wasn’t referring to anything else.”

Harriet made a mental note. It seemed that Erin knew more about her than she had realized. She wondered what Charlie had told her, all those years ago.

“I see,” Harriet said. “Well, back to the task at hand… I understand that you were a friend of Charlotte Parker.”

“I’d like to think I still am,” she replied.

“Indeed. Twelve years of no contact... and yet you’re still interested in her case.”

Erin looked at the desk as she said, “It was difficult at first. I didn’t even know what had happened. I went over to Charlie’s flat and waited outside for a long time before one of her neighbors told me the police had been there, searching the place. I went to the police and they told me she’d been arrested, but they wouldn’t give me any details. Eventually, after my repeated inquiries, I found out she’d been sent to prison.

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