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The girl in the Headlines
"Who's there?". My voice shook. It sounded smaller than I expected.
No answer.
Just silence. And then- knock knock knock.
Three slow knocks. Not urgent. Not patient either
My mouth went dry. I adjusted my dress and opened the door a little, chain still on.
Alfred Coker stood there.
He looked different at night. Gone was the white long sleeve shirt with a tie he wore this evening. Now it was a black, expensive jacket that smells of whiskey and cologne combined.
His hair was a little wet. Maybe he's just out from shower. His face was stone. Cold. The same cold he uses in the morning when he told me "Don't break anything. Don't be noisy "
But his eyes.......his eyes were looking at me differently. Not through me. At me
"Goo.....good evening, sir". I whispered. I immediately felt stupid. Good evening, at almost 11 p.m?
"I'm sorry, is Pamela okay?"
Alfred didn't answer. He looked past me into the small room. At my one small traveling bag in the corner. At my phone on the bed - the screen lit up with the picture of Henry on my lock screen.
"Your brother?" He asked. His voice was too low. Deeper than during the day.
I nodded. "Yes sir. He's sick. That's why I....."
"I know why you're here" . He cut me off. No pity in his voice. Just fact
"Come with me"
"Where si...sir?
"For a walk "
For a walk? At almost midnight?. I hesitated. The compound was so quiet. Going for a walk alone with him at this hour........but I couldn't say no. Not on day one. Not with 95,000 hanging over my neck.
We walked side by side, slowly down to the gate. Silence hovering all over the compound. Only the sound of our footsteps, crickets chanting and the distant hum of the generator.
Halfway there, he stopped and turned to me.
The cold on his face melted into something softer. Almost gentle. It was confusing.
"You did well with Pamela today", he said "she didn't cry not for once. That's.....rare".
I ducked my head. "Thank you sir. I just...."
"I can help you with the whatever bill", he said suddenly. Like he was commenting on the weather. "The hospital bill for your brother. I can clear it".
My breath caught. "Sir?"
"If you're cooperative with me". His eyes searched my face. "You're smart. You're bold and beautiful"
"You're not like the other girls they've sent here. Something is quite different........I can see already"
Before I could answer, my mind spinning and selecting the right words.
DUM!!!
Heavy rain. Sudden. Uncontrollable.
Alfred cursed under his breath, then without thinking, pulled off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. It was heavy and smells expensive - Italian, the label says.
"Run"
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the gate house. His hand was warm. Firm. Rich man's hand.
This was the same man who was engaged to Lady Vivian. And rumour says he never lent anyone, even Vivian his jacket when it rained.
So why was he giving it to me?. The new nanny?
We reached the gate house. Both slightly soaked.
The security man was asleep in the corner. Alfred didn't seem to care. He turned to me, water dripping from his hair down to his jaw.
"You look cold" he said softly.
"I'm fine, sir"
"Stop calling me sir"
I swallowed. "Al......Mr Coker"
He almost smiled at that. Almost
"I can take care of you Simi", he said . His voice dropped
"You just have to let me. You don't need to bother about your brother's bill. Not with me around .
I pulled the jacket tighter around myself. My heart was beating for different reasons. Fear and something else I didn't want to name.
"Sir.....I just need the job. To help my sick brother"
Alfred's face hardened again. The softness vanished like it was never there. Cold snapped back.
"6 A.m. My office ". He walked off into the rain without looking back.
I stood at the gate house for few minutes after he left. The jacket was still warm. Then I finally made it back to my room. Soaked and shaking. The rain was still drumming on the roof.
I dropped Alfred's jacket on the only chair and locked the door. My hand wouldn't stop trembling.
Then I saw it...... his phone. He must have forgotten it inside his pocket jacket
There it was - a black iphone, still lit up
I stared at it. I shouldn't touch it. I was just a nanny. I could be fired.
But what if it's important?. What if his fellow billionaire was calling?.
I reached for it. The screen was already on - no passcode.
But before I could put it down, the screen flashed.
New article alert - Linda's Blog
"BREAKING: Girl missing after Coker's party........ police still investigating".
My eyes widened. "Coker's party?"
Coker. My boss last name.
My stomach twisted. "What party.... someone missing?
Before I could read more. Another notification popped up
Whatsapp - 1 new message
From: just an unsaved number
" We need to talk about what happened. Delete the photos immediately "
My heart dropped to my stomach.
Photos it said?. What photos could that be?
My thumb hovered over the message. Should I open it?
At that exact moment. BANG! BANG!! BANG!!!
Someone knocked on my door. So hard
A deep voice called out, furious
"Simi! Open this door. Quick?"
I clutched the phone to my chest
The article. The message. The knocking
And it was still just my first day on the job.