Temptation

Part 11

“Eleanor Lightman is in danger. I know it. I can feel it.”

Carl looked carefully to Brendon as he heard those words. Never had he seen that man genuinely worried. Brendon was the kind of man who seemed to have a good night of sleep even on the worst scenarios, but as he stood there, he looked worried, tired and sad.

“Why do you say that?” Carl asked calmly.

“I just know it. She lied about John Samuel. I confronted her today, and I believe she feels endangered somehow.”

“Why? Tell me everything.”

“When we spoke today, she cried… I could see that she is hiding something. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something there we should look into.”

“We should look into?” Carl repeated. “Brendon, we need a good reason to focus on the Lightman girl. What if it is just an ex-boyfriend who is getting a little edgy?”

“It isn’t! I don’t believe it’s just that!”

“I’m gonna need more than your belief to actually do something, Brendon.”

“Come on, Carl… We’ve known each other for years! You always say I have a thing for those things, and I do! I can feel it!”

“Yes, but Brendon, it’s about work we’re talking about, bureaucracy and everything, you know it as well as I do!”

Brendon punched the wall, making Carl jump. “You don’t understand, Carl! I know, it, I can feel it!”

“Man, calm down!” Carl shouted. “What is wrong with you?!”

Brendon shook his head, walking clumsily to a chair.

“I’ve never seen you like that before,” Carl continued. “What the hell is happening to you? Is it because of the Lightman girl?”

“No,” Brendon automatically lied.

“It is. It’s written all over your face.” Carl approached his friend. “Oh, Brendon, what is it? Are you attracted to her?”

“No!” Brendon said, a bit louder than he had expected. “No… It’s just… I can relate to her in a way. We both have things in common. A tough childhood... Loss of our mothers... Controlling fathers… I know how she feels like, and I feel protective towards her.”

“I see.”

There was a silence where Brendon could feel Carl evaluating him.

“Alright,” he finally said. “If you say so, I believe you. But listen to me, my friend: control your sympathy. She is not the focus here. Theo Lightman is. His connection to the Mafia is. Keep those in mind, if you want to protect her.”

“Fine,” Brendon sighed.

Before any of them could say anything else, Carl’s computer beeped, the sound of someone messaging him. Rushing to grab his laptop, Carl turned his attention to it and left Brendon with his thoughts.

Could he be wrong? Could his sympathy towards Eleanor Lightman be too much, and getting in the way of the real purpose of his task? It was true that he cared about her; the few days he had spent in her company were enough for him to see her many faces, for him to understand her behavior and to even grow affection for her. What if Eleanor was playing with him? What if she was lying just for fun? Could he be showing too much care, and could she have noticed that and decided to have a go by playing with his feelings? That thought made him feel strangely sad and upset.

“Brendon,” Carl called, interrupting his thoughts. “It’s Rob from the Cryptography Department. He asks for a video conference, because he’s found something.”