Chapter 10: The man without a Shadow

It wasn't until the manager left her office and she got to serve three other clients that Maya had an uninterrupted chance to take in what had just happened. What a day she was having! During that moment of reflection smiling to herself as she childishly swung around the executive headrest high-back chair, she realized the gallant bastard did not mention how they would communicate. There was no way she could reach out to him in case he was running late unless he was also a habitual timekeeper like she was that was a foreseen possibility. She pictured herself sitting duck in the park sipping on her drink and thinking every guy with a suit was him.

"Bastard!" She cursed picking up her blazer, "Let's see just how smart you are"

If she was going to risk meeting him again outside the bank she had to have a plan of hers in case things went sideways. Just because it was a public park on a Saturday afternoon it didn't mean she was not risking a kidnapping in broad daylight. Her next stop was the security office and she intended to kill two birds with one stone.

"Hello, I'm Maya from Loans and Recovery. You have a minute?"

"Welcome Mrs. Stock. I'm John"

The security guard in charge welcomed her into the small room with a huge monitor covering the entire wall. It was portioned into small rectangular monitors showing live feed for both the inside and outside the bank front and back.

"Thank you. Did the manager talk to you about the security upgrades sanctioned by the board?"

"He mentioned it. How can I be of help?"

"I'll need a full report of the system we already have and how it works. Your professional advice on how we can make it better so that we can be aware of what the consultants can do"

"They settled on Boyd. Can I share it via email tomorrow?"

"It will be better"

Agenda number one was accomplished. She had created a rapport with the security personnel and asked for the report that was going to aid in negotiations.

"Is this feed live?"

"Yes"

"Can I access the feed from an hour ago?"

"Sure, which area?" He typed away on the keyboard.

"Let's start with the entrance, then the waiting bay and the door that leads to my office"

She wanted to know how smart he was? Maya was yet to get her mind blown. The guard had no idea what they were looking for he just kept playing the tape and stopping whenever he was asked to, zooming in on particular individuals who walked in and out of the bank. She was almost giving up when she spotted him. He came in at 9 Am.

"He was telling the truth"

"Who?"

Shit. For a moment she forgot she wasn't alone and that came out loud.

"My boyfriend. He said he was here and I didn't believe him"

"Okay, should we keep looking?"

That was close.

"Yeah forward"

Knox had outplayed her, the only way she would have found his picture was if she took it herself with her phone. His movements were fluid, the guy knew where every security camera was and how to avoid it even if it meant reading his Fort Canon daily newspaper right in front of his face. There was proof he was there but there was no camera angle that captured his evil handsome face, he didn’t leave anything that could identify him, he was a man without a shadow.

"Looks like he didn't want to be seen"

"Yeah. He bet with me he could get in and out of here without being seen. A tech guy"

"Okay. Is that all? If you wish I can share the tape but it will require clearance from the manager and Detective Stewart. This is still a crime scene"

"What?" She struggled to hide the mixture of surprise and fear. He did take a risk being there.

"Yes. Get them to clear you"

"No need. That's enough already he won. Don't forget to mail me the report though unless it requires clearance" she teased on her way out.

"No, it doesn't you’ll get it tomorrow"

"Thank you. Good day John"

It was lunch hour already. Maya went to the cafeteria feeling confused about why she cared whether or not Knox was caught. Her trip to the security office didn't turn out as expected. The goal was to get some sort of leverage over Knox, a picture she could use to threaten him with but instead she left with proof that he was telling the truth about not tailing her that morning and taking risk to come back to a crime scene just to ask her out. Something else she figured, he was smart. It was one thing to get attracted to his good looks and the physique of a Greek god but it was another different thing to get attracted to his mind. Maya was curious. She wanted to know his thinking, and his hobbies. He was not just a local robber, wasn't he? Her phone buzzed just as she picked up a spoonful of rice pellets.

"Please give me good news"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Stock seems like today am a carrier of bad news only. We found the car. I'm standing right in front of it"

"And? You can get prints if the guy is nowhere to be seen I don't expect him to be waiting"

"It’s on fire. Burnt beyond recognition. Who would go to all that length to hide evidence?"

"You don't think it's the robber?"

"No. This is not their modus operandi. I've been following this criminal enterprise for years now and I know them like the back of my hand. After a job they disappear and lay low. Whoever was following you is someone else something else. Which leads me to this uncomfortable question" he paused waiting for her go-ahead.

"Ask Detective. It's my safety we are talking about here"

"After our talk yesterday, I did some digging into your father’s murder. There's something the guys from my side are hiding. Back to my question, have you been asking questions surrounding his death? Did you request anything, a file or...”

A loud ringing noise in her head made it impossible to hear anything else, her face became stiff from held back tears. She cleared her dry throat and emptied her glass of water.

"We can't talk over the phone Detective"

"I understand. I'm sorry. If you want, I can have you put in protective custody"

And ruin her date with Knox putting him at risk? No. She could take care of herself. Still, she knew the Detective was going to keep a close eye on her anyway.

"I'll respectfully decline"

"Okay. Anything suspicious call me"

"Fine. Thank you so much"

One call was enough to ruin her day again. She lost her appetite and the ability to think straight. All she could think about was when she was going to get out there and have a cold shower or scream at a passing train in the subway, seat alone by the lake drinking her sorrows away as she watched the sunset. At her lowest, she remembered her friend and probono therapist. Maya exited the bank with the phone on her right ear.

"You have a minute?"

"For you, a lifetime. Go ahead bitch am listening"

"He came"

"Who came? Where?"

"The criminal came to the bank, he brought a rose, and tomorrow we will be going out"

"In prison you mean"

"I didn't call the cops. He is very handsome and calm and funny and smart. Very smart"

"Maya dear. Water and oil don't mix"

"They don't have to. Anyway, can I trust you?"

"That one you can. Always. Don't forget I'm keeping your secrets that I intend to go to the grave with anything involving this criminal isn't much of a bother"

"Good tomorrow at half past noon. You'll watch from a distance I don't intend for him to find out we are together you'll be my backup. If he turns on me...which he wouldn't but just in case...you call the cops"

"Deal. I just hope he is worth it"

"The guy walked back to the crime scene just to ask me out? Besides, unless we hear his story we can't judge him"

"You're right" Anita said unwillingly, "I'll have your back"

"Thank you bud. Enjoy the rest of your day"

By the time she hung up, she was at the ice cream truck. And the service lady knew her usual it was already served.

****

Knox was seated at his office on the seventh floor of the magnificent Boyd skyscraper, known to be inhabited by executives only. He was busy reading through a document with the keenness of a surgeon in the OR, dissecting its pages and scribbling notes on the notepad on his left. His secretary knocked on the door before she walked in with a notebook and a pen.

"The executive's meeting is in five minutes"

"If you hadn't showed up I'd have forgotten it. You're ready?" He asked marking the document with a blue sticker.

"Yes. Can I help you with anything?"

"Carry my laptop" Knox grabbed his coat from the coat hanger, "how do I look?"

"Let me help" She put the laptop and notebook on the big mahogany desk and adjusted the tie and sleeves of his shirt, "better. You're in a good mood today as compared to yesterday"

"Let's just say life is finally meeting my expectations, a little bit" he gestured how trivial it was with his fingers, "We don't want to be late you are armed?"

"To the teeth boss. All reports and data they might ask is ready" She trailed behind him in the hallway leading to the boardroom at the far end, his strides were long and powerful.

The room was almost full by the time they arrived. Every executive was seated with their administrative assistants by their side.

"I think we've reached quorum. We can start this isn't going to take long. We are here to discuss our quarterly report and a top-priority project we have at our hands" he nodded in the direction of the senior VP.

"Based on the performance of all executives and their teams. Our design and engineering team has outperformed every other team this quarter. For that reason, this deal will be handled by the youngest executive in the room"

Knox cracked a smile of contentment. Life was meeting his expectations after all...just a little. The rest of the team clapped.

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate this opportunity. You won't regret it"

"So far you haven't given me a reason to"

"Who's the client? My assistant and I have to do research probably over the weekend"

"The recently robbed, FCNB. They will send their representative next week" the COO announced.

His heart wanted to jump out of his ribcage. He looked like he had seen the face of God.