"Come in," Cole answered the knock on his office door.
"Good morning Mr. Willker."
"Good morning. Emma, right?"
"Yes, sir. I came to get you some coffee."
"Thank you."
Emma set the coffee down on Cole's desk.
"Is Vanessa in her office?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Okay. You can go back to your workplace."
"Okay. I'm available if you need anything."
Emma left the office, and Cole started writing an email.
A minute later, an inbox message appeared on Vanessa's computer screen. She opened it.
08:06
From: Cole Willker
Subject: Order
To: Vanessa Blake
---
I want you to be ready in ten minutes.
---
Cole Willker, CEO
Willker Enterprises Holdings
Vanessa raised one eyebrow slightly and answered his email with a question.
08:07
From: Vanessa Blake
Subject: Re: Order
To: Cole Willker
---
Ready for what, Cole?
---
Vanessa Blake, CEO Assistant
Willker Enterprises Holdings
08:08
From: Cole Willker
Subject: Re: Re: Order
To: Vanessa Blake
---
You will come with me.
---
Cole Willker, CEO
Willker Enterprises Holdings
08:09
From: Vanessa Blake
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Order
To: Cole Willker
---
Where?
---
Vanessa Blake, CEO Assistant
Willker Enterprises Holdings
Vanessa didn't hear back for the next few minutes.
"Whatever," she muttered and went to work.
At exactly 08:16, the door to her office opened, and Cole walked in.
"Are you ready?"
"Where are we going?"
"You will see."
"Cole, I don't like being in the dark."
"Okay."
"So you're going to tell me?"
"No. Now go."
Vanessa rolled her eyes in annoyance but followed him.
The two got into his SUV and drove off.
Before long, Cole parked on a hill outside of town. After the two got out of the car, an incredible view of the entire city opened.
Vanessa took a few steps forward and stared. "Cole, it's beautiful. It's so captivating."
"I know," he told her as he reached down and took a thermos cup of coffee from the car. "I come here when I need to think. When I need to be alone."
"Then why did you take me with you?" she asked in astonishment as she turned to him.
Cole walked in front of the car and leaned on its hood. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tossed it to Vanessa, and set the thermos next to him. "Double, black, no sugar."
Vanessa moved closer and also leaned next to him against the hood of the SUV. She lit a cigarette and sipped her coffee.
"You are a strange man, Cole Willker."
"I take that as a compliment. It sounds better than 'you're an ass.'"
"I remember that." Vanessa laughed.
He looked at her for a few seconds. "You should laugh more often."
"Look who's saying it. Since I know you, I don't remember seeing you smile even once."
Cole stared at the horizon and again said nothing.
The two spent a long time enjoying the view. Enjoying the silence.
At one point, Vanessa felt a tension in her legs. She bent down and removed her shoes, the heels of which causing her discomfort, and set them aside. She rested her palms on the hood of the SUV, lifted herself slightly, and sat on top.
Cole looked at her and gave a small smile without even realizing it.
"Hmm," Vanessa exclaimed. "So, you were able to smile after all."
"You just sat on my car, and I heard the hood pop."
Cole was one of those men—like most probably—who adored his cars and took great care of them. Vanessa jumping on top of the car like that should have pissed him off. But it did not.
"Do you want me to come down?"
"No, don't," he told her, then looked ahead again.
"Have you ever thought about it, Cole?"
"About what?"
"About this big world. With these big cities. So many people. With so many problems. So much love, hate, joy, sadness. But how small we are against the whole picture."
"What makes you think about that?"
"I don't know. Random thoughts, I guess."
"I don't usually reflect on the philosophical side of life. I prefer to focus on my 'small' problems."
"That's what I meant. Every person has their problems. And they think they're the biggest. At some point, everyone thinks the world is falling apart. But the world is still there. It doesn't care about people's troubles."
"You're quite a philosopher, aren't you?"
"Hey, don't make fun of me." Vanessa nudged him with her hands, but even though she meant it to be a light nudge, it went a little too far because Cole swayed and nearly fell. "Oops."
She jumped out of the car and ran, giggling.
"Where did you go?"
He went after her to chase her.
The moment he reached down and grabbed her, she spun, and they both fell to the grass in her attempt to break free.
"You're crazy," Cole, who was on top of her, told her and moved with his hand the hair in front of her face.
He was laughing too. It came completely naturally. And he didn't try to hide it. "Do you always have such deep thoughts?"
"No. I usually only think about the tasks at hand and their completion. Just like you, I guess."
Cole got off Vanessa and lay next to her. The two looked at the sky and fell into silence again.
Neither of them had mentioned the kiss. Cole could sense that something was holding Vanessa back. Something that bothered her. He was also scared inside, even if he wouldn't admit it even to himself. All these emotions. All these feelings. This longing. That lightness and carefreeness, and at the same time tension, he was feeling with her—he had never felt it before.
So, it was easier for both of them to act like nothing happened rather than to talk about it.
***
Meanwhile, in Willker Enterprises Holdings, Rebecca opened Mike's office door slightly and stuck her head in.
"Hey, Mike."
"Becca, come in." Mike invited her in, typing away on his laptop in the meantime.
"Have you seen Vanessa or Cole?"
"I haven't today."
"Weird. I checked, but they're not in the offices."
"Call them?"
"But you're a genius! How did I not think of that?!" Rebecca exclaimed wryly.
Mike closed his laptop and laughed.
"Of course, I called them. But no one picks up the phone," she continued. "Emma said they went out together. I thought you might know where they were."
"I don't know, sorry."
"Okay. Well, I'll let you work."
"Becca, wait." Mike got up from his chair and stood in front of his desk.
"What?" Rebecca turned to him after reaching for the doorknob.
"Nothing. Forget about it."
"About what? You didn't say anything."
"Nevermind."
"O-okay." She turned to the door again.
"Becca, wait."
"What's going on with you, Mike?"
"Do you want to have lunch together?"
"Um, well, why not? Is that what you were trying to ask me?"
"Yes. No. Oh shit!" Mike rushed over to her, tangled his fingers in her hair, brought his face close to hers, and kissed her passionately."
After they broke their kiss, Rebecca placed her fingers on her lips, unable to believe what was happening.
Mike looked at her, unsure what to do or say next. But the decision came quickly. He pulled her even tighter. This time his kisses trailed from her lips down to her neck, his hand trailing gently down her body.
Rebecca released her hands wrapped around his neck and began to unbutton his shirt.
He reached out with one hand and turned the key on the door. He quickly removed her blouse, lifted her into the air, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Then he carried her over to the desk and let her sit on top of it. He bent down and took off her shoes and then her pants.
"Becca—" Mike was about to ask her something, but she interrupted him.
"Shhh, less talking."
***
Later / Around midnight that night
A knock on the door woke Vanessa up. She looked at her phone, trying to figure out what time it was. There was another knock in the meantime.
"Nessa, are you awake?" Rebecca's voice came from outside.
Vanessa got up and opened the door. "Becks, come in. Is everything alright?"
Rebecca didn't seem worried at all. On the contrary, she was beaming with happiness.
"You can't guess where I come from!"
Vanessa went to one armchair by the window, lit a cigarette, and sat down. "I can't. But I guess you're here to tell me."
Rebecca sat down in the other chair. "From Mike's apartment! And you won't guess what happened!"
"I think I can guess that," Vanessa replied, exhaling the smoke.
"It was so nice. He was so gentle. And we... Oh, it was so nice..." Rebecca was talking dreamily.
"Nice, huh?" Vanessa repeated with a half-smile.
"Amazing! By the way,"—she abruptly changed the subject—"where were you and my brother all day?"
"Amazing, huh?" Vanessa repeated after Rebecca again.
And she quickly forgot her question, propped her elbow on the table, and rested her chin on her palm. "Yeah."
Vanessa laughed again. "Okay, start from the beginning!"
Rebecca told her how it all started and how she and Mike had spent the afternoon and the evening at his place. Happiness oozed from her.
"Okay, I'll let you sleep now, Nessa," Rebecca said, getting up from the armchair after telling the story to Vanessa several times. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay. Good night, Becks."
Rebecca opened the door and left the room but quickly returned. "Wait, Nessa! You didn't answer my question."
"Good night, Becks," was all Vanessa said to her. She got back to the bed and wrapped herself in the blanket.
***
Vanessa had just fallen asleep, or so she thought when her phone rang and woke her up again.
Who's calling at night? she thought as she reached over to the nightstand for her phone.
"What's going on, Karevsky?" Vanessa asked worriedly after picking up.
"Griffith Park. In thirty minutes," he only told her and hung up.
"What the hell?"
Vanessa got up, quickly dressed, and went out.
In precisely thirty minutes, she was at the park. It was raining heavily outside, lightning streaked the sky, and thunder echoed through the dark night.
"What are you doing here, Karevsky?" Vanessa asked him, her voice high enough to be heard.
He stood opposite her, an umbrella spread over his head.
"Come hide under the umbrella, Blake."
"No need." She was already all wet, but she didn't care. "Answer me. Why are you here?"
"Because you're gonna need me."
"Why?"
"I found out what your parents' killer is saying on the footage." Karevsky took a deep breath. "He says, 'Tell the boss that 2-f-m is cleaned.'"
"What?"