Chapter 9 Trust 2

The ladies were interrupted by the knock on the door. Patricia ordered the door be opened by the maid. Andy comes in and informs Patricia about a guest in the home office.

"Aspiring?" She asked. Andy gave an approving nod. Patricia smiled softly. She requested kate come with her to the office and without a thought, kate followed her to the study.

Unlike kate's home office, Patricia's office wasn't built with a glass frame but it was well equipped with artifacts and it had a peculiar door that led to an underground chamber.

"Congressman Peter" Patricia called out. She greeted him with a hug and gestured to a chair opposite hers. He settled down very relaxed.

"It's been a long time," he said.

"Indeed it has been five, ten years" Patricia laughed. Kate watched the two reminisce about old times. She was familiar with the congressman also known as fat Pete, a bald but powerfully built man with thick lips. The laughter ended. Kate saw Patricia transition from a happy character to a serious character.

"What can I do for you?" She said.

"The elections are around the corner and statistics say I do not have a chance at beating my opponent," he said.

"That's what the newspapers claim it to be," she said.

"I need your support. He drew nearer and reached for her hands. I know with your support I can win this election" he pleaded like a subject to a king.

"There's no need for all this, I will support you in every way till the election is over" she declared.

"Thank you I knew I could trust in you" he smiled as he felt relieved.

"But, you will have to throw in a little favor," she said with a smirk.

"That's?" He asked.

"When you have the higher power which you will. I need you to monitor my imports keep them safe, provide a cleared road"

"Done deal!" He chuckled. Patricia beckoned for kate to come closer. She introduced her to peter. Peter expressed how nice it was to be introduced to the CEO of Richards group, he also made it clear that he had heard a lot about her from Charles his nephew. Kate's fiance.

A while later, peter set out for an important meeting but not without apologizing for not staying longer. Patricia bade him goodbye and called on Andy requesting him to find out all the data on peter's opponent. Kate excused herself. Coming down the stairs, kate noticed a dark figure at the end of the hallway standing still.

The dark figure silently walked away. Kate curiously followed behind the figure, out through the back into the garden of black roses. In the light, the figure is revealed to be Mrs. Ferdinand standing amid the black roses and her sickly appearance was frightening. The black sleeveless gown showed how her skin was ruined with starch marks, her eyes looked tired and puffy. She opened her mouth to speak but only a loud release of air was heard by kate. Patricia came up from behind and is immediately startled.

"Oh! She painted the roses black again. She yelled as she struggled to pull Mrs. Ferdinand out of the garden. Hope she didn't startle you my sweet?".

"What happened to her," Kate asked while she watched Mrs. Ferdinand stagger away.

"Poor woman she was never like this. She sighed deeply. Ever since kelvin died she never remained the same".

"kelvin?" Kate asked.

"Yes, kelvin her husband. Patricia said as she gently ushered kate into the driveway. Don't worry she's on medications I will make sure she takes her pills" Patricia assured.

Kate turned her car out of the driveway unto the road but she felt a little bit disturbed for as a child she could not recall Mrs. Ferdinand having a husband. She picked up her phone to call Cassandra to confirm if Mrs. Ferdinand was ever married. After the first three beeps, she terminated the call because she felt it was unnecessary.

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Inside Nica's bakery, west sat down patiently waiting to apologize for the scene he caused this morning. He had been asked several times to leave but ordered bread instead or he would politely make the remark

"It takes months to find a customer.....seconds to lose one". Positioned directly opposite the counter, he thought hard about how he was going to turn the situation around and also how he would converse with her without sneezing. He found out that he was allergic to her scent.

Seconds turned into minutes turned into hours. Occasionally, his eyes would shut down and he would quickly get up to avoid falling asleep. Eventually, the shop came to be empty and he was the only customer left. The woman walked up to him but he created a distance between them. Right now, he knew that the woman must be freaked out as to why he was behaving like a psychopath. He explained to her, that the scent on her cloth caused him to sneeze whenever he was near her.

"Do you want me to take it off" she inquired, removing her shirt.

"No-no-no! Don't. He shrieked and closed his eyes.

"I'm done, better now". She motioned to her singlet. West inhaled deeply and with a smile, he became convinced that the scent no longer affected him when he was able to sit at the same table with her. He apologized and narrated a fabricated story of his friend coming up with the cake ruse because he was too scared to talk to her.

Out in the airy street, Sarah stood watching the agent through the glass window from across the road with the reporter by her side.

"Do you think he can pull this off?" She asked. She observes the way he spoke and replied with gestures.

"Of course, I will make sure he delivers". He said with a snigger.

"You better. She fixed her eyes on his gaze. The big guy doesn't like to be disappointed".

" I understand but he has to also hold up his end____".

"Yes yes, I know your liberty" she spoke sarcastically.

"What about the mole," said the reporter.

"Freddie? I have taken care of him. He will continue to sing but in a different tone" Sarah said. Her mouth slowly path to show her teeth. Suddenly her phone brightened up. She looks down at the message notification from Peggy. She hasn't been home since she left the hospital because Peggy was not a helper but a spy set to monitor her.