I unlocked it and got in. The smell of the leather seats and interior brought back memories. Some good some less good, but all belonging to someone I no longer was.
I turned the key in the ignition. The 4.2 litre V8 roared into climate changing life. I pressed the accelerator, making the car rock on its suspension. I found my high heels made pedal control hard, so I slipped the shoes off and felt happier.
Howard returned from making some phone calls.
“I contacted the Hull duty social worker. I explained I was responsible for you and you were now staying with me. Had quite a long chat with her, and I think I satisfied her that I was on the level, I gave her the story we agreed. She seemed very relieved that someone was able to step in and take responsibility. She didn’t like loose ends, but I think we may receive a visit on Monday.”
“Thanks.”
He looked at the car.
“We changed the number plates. Everything is legal; it’s now registered to a cover company in Sussex.”
“So I don’t need my V5?”
“No, we’ve removed all history so it’s perfectly legal. The new V5 is with the fleet manager. It has any driver on the insurance.”
He’d thought of everything. He even handed me a mobile phone.
“This is yours now. My number is keyed in already.”
Howard always used the underground or taxis, as he lived in a very nice townhouse in Knightsbridge. He also had a large house overlooking the Berkshire Downs, not far from the Wiltshire border. Mary preferred to live in the country, so he commuted in every Monday and returned on most weekends. He was due to return to the country this Friday evening.
I drove carefully across town. I had no licence in my new identity, so I didn’t want an accident. There was a lot to sort out.
“I’ll need a driver’s licence,” I said.
“Make a list; we’ll sort them all out on Monday.”
“Are you heading to the country?”
“Mary’s arranged a dinner party tonight. I have to.”
“I’ll be fine by myself. I’m used to it now.”
He was frowning as I pulled up outside his home.
“You could come down with me, if you want. I feel responsible for what’s happened to you.”
“Don’t I’m a big boy,… sorry, girl, now. Thanks anyway, I won’t join you as I’m a bit new at this being female bit, I’d rather just have a little practice before you spring me on the high society in Berkshire.”
He smiled. “I understand.”
He directed me to his reserved parking space, worth a fortune in this part of town. He rarely came by car, as the congestion charge made it cost prohibitive.
I locked the car and accompanied him into the house. It was on four enormous floors, but was very narrow. There were six bedrooms and three bathrooms, three very nice reception rooms and a very modern kitchen. His study was all wood panels and leather, with a modern up-to-date PC on the large mahogany desk.
He took me to a double room on the third floor.
“This is the guestroom; there is an en-suite bathroom and towels on the towel rails.”
“Thanks, it’s really nice.”
He smiled. “I’ve never brought my work home before, it was an unwritten rule.”
“I appreciate it. It might be worth getting a forensic team over to my place to see if they can find out who paid me a visit.”
“Already done, I called them while you got the car.”
“Oh. Any ideas as to who it could have been?”
“One or two.”
“Care to share?”
“Was the flat being watched?”
“Not that I saw, I hung about for ten minutes and it looked clear.”
“I have a feeling it might be the Agency.”
“The CIA, why?”
“One or two of the other lads I use have had similar visits. We got lucky on one and a CCTV still image reveals one of their operatives. He’s a local burglar with known connections to the Agency.”
“They’re fishing?”
“It would seem so.”
“Why?”
“My guess is that they want to know how much we know.”
“Okay, forewarned is forearmed, as they say.”
“Are you carrying?”
“Yes, I told you, I still have the Sig.”
“Good, the security system is very good here, it has to be, but if you go out, take extra precautions. They don’t know who you are, so they’ll want photographs and everything. I’d be inclined to leave the gun behind.”
“Received.”
He smiled, holding out his hand.
“Welcome back.”
I shook his hand. “Thanks, boss, it’s good to be back.”
It was.
Chapter Seven.
Howard caught the seven-ten train so he wouldn’t be too late for his dinner party. I stayed in, ordered a Chinese takeaway and had a long and luxurious bath in the spa-bath. I couldn’t help it, but my hands seemed to gravitate to my crotch, and before I knew what I was doing, I was masturbating again.
Having experienced the male orgasm, I now knew why there were so many unwanted pregnancies. The female orgasm was a wholly different animal.
It wasn’t a short sharp explosion, like the males. It built up and even when it exploded, it didn’t subside if the momentum was maintained. I had to stop before I rubbed myself raw. I was gasping and breathless, wondering, not for the first time, what sex would be like. David’s image popped into my mind, so I tried to dispel it.
I got out of the bath and wrapped myself in the white towelling dressing gown that was on a hook behind the door. I dried my hair, flopped onto the sofa and picked up the file on Standing and his family.
They looked a relatively ordinary family. Hugh was very much as I recalled from the facility, although I never got a good look at him. He had weak eyes behind spectacles and his dark hair was thinning. He looked like a professor, with a fleshy, pale face, a vacant expression and far-away look in his eyes.
His wife appeared a much stronger person, stiff-upper lip and all that. With her blonde hair in that style that the gentry seem to favour, she gave off a real feeling of control.
Their children were good-looking, the two elder ones, Jonathon and Holly, taking more after their mother than their father. William was a real clone of his father. Jonathon’s photograph stared up at me. He was a real hunk, with a rugby forward’s build and a nice smile. Holly would be giving her mother the run-around soon, but William looked as if he was a real swot and possibly a computer nerd. He had the same type of glasses as his father, which made him look faintly ludicrous.
David’s image returned and I felt guilty. I liked the lad. No, he wasn’t a lad. He was certainly younger than me, but I wasn’t looking as old as I really was. I hoped the change was permanent, and I wouldn’t suddenly deteriorate like Ursula Andress in the movie, SHE.
I found the piece of paper with David’s number on it. On a whim I called him on my new mobile.
“Hello?”
“David, it’s Rebecca.”
“Rebecca! Hi, how are you?”
“Fine. I found my Uncle and am staying with him, all is coming back slowly.”
“That’s brilliant. Any idea how you managed to get up to Hull?”
“No, that’s still a mystery. I just thought I’d ring and tell you. I also want to thank you for giving me a lift.”
“Oh, that was a pleasure. So, where are you?”