Code Name Orchid

Chapter 8

       "Are you expecting visitors?" Hannah asked in surprise.

"Not at this late hour," Chantelle jumped out of the bed, slipped on a robe and walked quietly to the front door. Through the peephole she saw Michael standing there.

"Chantelle, are you ok?" he called through the door, "I didn't see you leave the club and you're not answering your phone."

"Oh fuck!" she muttered.

"So who is it?" Hannah was standing behind Chantelle.

"It's Michael," Chantelle whispered.

"Michael?"

"Your husband."

"What?" Hannah looked through the peephole. Her eyes widened in shock. "You can't tell him I''m here" she whispered looking alarmed.

Michael knocked again. "Chantelle, are you there?"

"Yes I'm here," Chantelle called through the door, "I finished work early."

"This is awkward talking through the door. Can I come in?"

"No. Look, I'm not alone. I have someone with me."

"Oh okay. I'm sorry I interrupted you. Just let me know if you see her again. I'm going now. Goodnight." 

"Goodnight," Chantelle called. She turned around to see Hannah looking severely at her.

"I told you not to tell anyone you saw me, and of all people you told Michael?"

"W-well you scared me that night at the restaurant," Chantelle stammered.

Hannah smiled and gave Chantelle a kiss on the lips. "It's okay, sweetie. If it was the other way around I'd have done the same thing. Well you've got rid of him for the night. Let's go back to bed. I'll figure out what to do about Michael later.

"You're not going to kill him are you?" Chantelle stared at Hannah.

"No, of course not."

"Do you still love him?"

"No, yes, oh I don't know. He was always good to me, but in my business you can't form attachments to anyone.

"What about me?"

Hannah looked thoughtful. "We'll see, my dear, we'll see."

*****

Chantelle and Hannah worked together at the bar again the following night, and again Hannah came home with Chantelle.

When Chantelle awoke the following morning with Hannah lying next to her in a tangle of sheets and blankets, the result of a lengthy sexual romp the previous night, she leaned over to kiss her friend.

"Mmmm, I could get used to this," she murmured.

"Me too," Hannah replied, "but I'm not sure if we should go on doing this."

Chantelle sat up, "Why not?" she asked.

"Have you forgotten I am wanted by the police and the FBI? If they find out I've been staying here you would be charged as an accessory or harbouring a felon."

"I could claim I didn't know who you were. I mean how would I know that Hallie Reynolds is really a wanted criminal?"

"But my dear husband Michael knows that you recognised me that night at the restaurant."

"Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that."

"Well maybe we can keep this going, but we have to be discreet, very discreet. No one can find out, especially those gossipy girls from the club."

Chantelle smiled, "Okay it's a deal, now come here, you." She pulled Hannah against here and soon they were rolling around on the bed together giggling.

So their discreet relationship continued. Hannah worked three or four nights a week, and on those nights she went home with Chantelle, but on her nights off Chantelle never saw her, and when asked what she did on those nights she gave vague answers or made jokes about having another lover.

Then one evening when Chantelle arrived at work the staff were all huddled together at one end of the bar talking in hushed voices, some of them with distressed looks on their faces.

She walked up to them. "What's going on?" she asked.

The bar manager turned to her. "Didn't you hear it on the news today? It's Glen Evans, our boss. He was found this morning upstairs in his office dead. He was murdered."