The Consultant - NaNoWriMo2021

Chapter 25

Two hours later and the aroma of coq au vin envelops the kitchen and is seeping out across the rest of the house, heavy in garlic and rosemary, redolent of French homes found across the globe. The rain has finally stopped and in contrast to the near freezing temperatures outside, the house is warm and surprisingly cosy for a place this size.

Sebastian and I have worked our way through three bottles of wine, though to be fair some of it made it as far as the roasting pan. We have talked all evening; from books to art to philosophy and of course, ancient history but mostly we talk about Felix; him patiently listening as I unload my frustrations, and thanks to the wine, bare my soul about my feelings for Felix. I barely notice the time until I glance at my watch and see eleven fifteen.

'Sebastian. Clive still isn't back. Where on earth can he be at this time of night? There can't be anything open for miles.'

'I agree, I was wondering myself to be honest. I shall call him.' He retrieves his sleek phone from a leather satchel and pauses, frowning.

'Merde. No reception.'

'I guess we are kind of in the middle of nowhere. Try WhatsApp, it will run on the internet.'

Sebastian taps out a message and we wait, just the bubbling of the meal the only sound in the kitchen now.

'I guess he doesn't have data reception wherever he is, which given that he is probably driving home, is not a big surprise.' Sebastian pondered the situation, peering out the blinds to check on the weather and glancing repeatedly at his watch. He seemed to be working up to a decision and finally he turned back to me.

'I'm going to drive into Beaulieu and see if I can get reception. I will give him a quick call and then come straight back. Will you be okay on your own for a short time?'

'Of course, but don't forget the police. You've had a few glasses.'

'Ha, the gendarmerie do not scare me Cherie. I will simply pretend I don't speak English but if your police are like mine, they will be safely tucked up in their station on a night like this, not creeping around in the forest.'

Fair point I guess. Police are not known for their keenness to stand out in the rain, anymore than anyone else is. Sebastian grabbed his jacket and keys and headed out; the floodlights outside coming on as he dashed to his car. As the noise of the engine died away, I was suddenly alone in this big unknown house and it felt kind of thrilling but slightly scary. I decided to do a quick circle of the doors, checking everything was locked and then returned to the kitchen where I repaired to my favourite stool, clutching my fresh glass of wine.

I pulled out my phone to check messages but as Sebastian said, there was no service. I opened my email but there was nothing new, but as I casually opened a news website, I realised that now, contrary to earlier, there was also no Wi-Fi. Cursing the weather, I start hunting around for the router, eventually locating the little box in the library. I had assumed the weather had perhaps shorted it out or caused it to reset, but as I draw closer, I see that the plug has been pulled out of the telephone socket.

I stand back, wondering why Sebastian had cut the internet. There was no logical reason until I noticed his leather satchel on the floor, where he had previously kept his phone. He must have put it in here as he left, and pulled the plug as he set down the case. I plug it back in, and as I do, I notice that his case is unbuckled and has files in it. I know it's none of my business and it is unforgiveable to peek inside someone's bag, after all, if someone did that to me I would be furious, but something takes hold of me and I just can't resist.

Sebastian has told me that he makes his living as a consultant in banking but that world is completely alien to me. He tried to explain it to me but I had glazed over and he had laughed and poured me some more wine.

I prise open the top of the bag, leafing through the files but I can't really see what's in them. I lift the whole thing on to the desk, glancing at the router as it continues to flash and flicker, regaining the signal and breathing connectivity back into the house. The files are as you would expect; banking, finance, accounting, legal stuff. Nothing exciting at all, until I see the final one, with a neatly printed label on the front. FINLEY DUNBAR. I freeze, staring in bewilderment at the label. Why on earth would Sebastian have a file with my name on it? What the hell is going on here?

I pull the file over and open the cover. Inside I find photos of me; thick glossy pictures in black and white. Me in college, me in the library, me entering both Aubrey and Felix's college. I also see photos of me talking to Frank and Ronnie, and others including one of the door to my rooms, one of the entrance to Felix's college, and most worrying of all, one of me pressing the buzzer on the entrance gate to Vauxhall. I don't understand. Why would Sebastian have these pictures? Who is he? Is this stalking? It seems a hell of a coincidence that Aubrey was just arrested and now he has invited me here. I don't know what's going on but I need to get out of here.

I retrieve my phone, breathing a sigh of relief when I see that the internet connection is live again. I am about to call Leo when it rings, my father's name flashing up on the screen.

'Dad. Thank God you called. I think I'm in trouble. I need to get out of here.'

'Where are you Fin? What's going on?'

I give him a brief precis of the evening's events, but as I'm speaking, the wall is briefly illuminated as headlights nose around the drive toward the house.

'He's back. I need to go.'

'Fin, if you can get out, do. If you can't, try to hide. If that's not an option, you need to play dumb, carry on as normal and play for time. A team is on its way to you; I'm dispatching them now but it will take some time to get there. Keep your phone on; we can track it.'

'There's no reception here, it's just internet and he can turn that off.' I'm breathless now. I've replaced the files and bag and am racing back to the kitchen to appear as normal as possible. There is no time to get out, and even if I did, it would be easy to follow me. When I checked the doors, I could see the frost on the grass; Sebastian would literally follow my footprints to find me. The only option available was to front this out. My father was speaking again.

'Swallow the capsule, we will follow that. Try to stay safe Fin, we will be as fast as we can.'

He ends the call and I stuff my phone into my pocket. Trying to think ahead, I quickly retrieve it, turn it onto silent and then slide it into my sock, pulling my jeans back down to cover it. I also search around quickly and retrieve a knife. I've no idea how to use it, but I lift my shirt and carefully insert it between my jeans and my skin at the back of my waist. I've no idea what's coming but I should at least try to be prepared, unlike my altercation with Aubrey. I perch back on the stool, picking up my glass and resolving to raise it to my lips without swallowing from now on. I hear the front door open and voices, and as I turn to look at the door, setting down a magazine that I had found as though I head been reading it the whole time, the door opens, and in wanders a confused looking Felix, whose eyes bulge when he sees me sitting there in the kitchen.