Day 2
November 26, 2012
Char’s flat- 7:00 AM
BEEP BEEP BE..
I hit the snooze, then, knowing that the alarm would just sound again, I just unplugged it all together.
Today is going to be a very tiring day. Leave it to Charlotte, the laziest person in the world to pick a career that's 24/7. It is also a career in which I have to look my best at all times. It took me a while to get used to that with me being a t shirt, sweats and messy hair kind of girl. Niall does not take the dress code seriously. He comes into work always casual. Paul gets angry but knows he can't get rid of Niall. An eye for detail like Niall is very hard to come by. We're working on his professionalism.
I rolled out of bed like I did routinely every morning and checked my phone surprisingly no new messages or missed calls. I took a deep sigh of relief and walked to my closet only to be greeted by Charlie my little Pomeranian. I made a mental note then to feed him after I changed. A nice pair of khakis and nice blouse will do for today. I hate dresses, heels and makeup.
I slipped on my clothes for the day, fed Charlie then proceeded to my small kitchen. The one bedroom flat I lived in was enough for me and Charlie. Of course I couldn't afford to live in the most luxurious place but I'm pretty satisfied with the community I live in. It was about 30 minutes away from work and 45 minutes from the city. I don't mind the ride to work it's just the waking up on time to get there part gets to me. I've only been late once or twice because I missed the train but thank God Niall has a car.
Tea is the closest thing to eating I do every morning. It's a part of my morning routine. I looked in the cupboard. Shit ... I forgot to cross get more tea off my mental to do list. I'm not going to be sane without my tea. Luckily there is always tea at work. I got to remind myself to get a cup there or I won't be able to focus. Milk will have to do for now.
............
It was rainy today which is common here so it was slow on the train this morning.
After the train I have about a 10 minute walk to the office building which is why I always wear my comfortable shoes and switch to my not so comfortable heels when I get inside.
It's pretty normal in the office as I enter it. I took the lift to the third floor where I work. I was welcomed by Niall’s bright face when the lift doors opened.
"Morning Char" he smiled at me
"Good morning Niall." I stepped out of the lift and we both walked to the office we shared.
"So what are you doing here so bright and early?" Niall was usually here at least 30 minutes after me
"Well you know there's nothing I love more than a fresh new case. I got here early to do some more research on this Natalie girl."
"Did you find anything yet?"
"Nope... but I do have a hunch"
"Um hold that thought Niall. I have to go get my morning tea. Want anything?"
"No no you go." He was sitting at his desk, eyes glued to the computer screen and with his glasses on. This is the Niall I love to see.
I went into the break room and started making my tea.
"So you and Niall got the big Styles case huh?" Someone asked behind me almost making me spill hot water on myself.
"Kassie you know I'm not allowed to discuss my cases with anyone other than the people in my division." Kassie, Paul's daughter and spoiled brat worked in the same field as us but in a different team. She was also the head of her team like me. She was a daddy's girl and got mostly all she has ever wanted but was always jealous of our cases. Usually her dad would give her team the less difficult cases and us the harder ones. Kassie has a great mind but lacks focus. I'm glad I have the team I do.
"I know that." She chuckled “I’m just saying that Harry Styles is hot and he's our age maybe..."
"I don't know what you’re thinking. His wife is missing. Do you really think he would want to date right now?! Plus that's totally unprofessional Kas."
"I'm just saying." She shrugged her shoulders leaving the break room. I rolled my eyes and stirred a little cream in my tea. What's wrong with her? I went to join Niall in the office we shared.
"Woah, who’s the idiot who pissed you off Char?" Niall asked as I walked in.
My face instantly softened "Is it that obvious?" I laughed "It's just Kassie. She was asking me about the case. She was all like Harry Styles is hot. Which it totally inappropriate I might add."
"Oh so what do you think?"
"I think she's annoying"
"No, I'm talking about Harry. What do think of him?" Why was he asking me this?
"I think he's our client and we need to find his wife. What was the hunch you had earlier?" I took an awkward sip of my tea.
"Um so I was thinking since we're not finding anything on Natalie
Styles with the maiden name Sanders..."
"There must have been a name change." She must have changed her name before getting married to Harry
"I knew you would catch on. I think we should go back to the house and search for some kind of clue to what her name could have been before."
November 26, 2012
Harry Style’s Mansion- 10:23 AM
Expecting to see Marie open the large mansion doors I gasped when I saw Harrys face peek from behind the door. He was still in his pajamas and looked like he had just woken up. His once perfect hair looked mopped upon his head and he definitely hadn’t shaved since yesterday.
“Sorry we couldn’t reach you at the office. I just thought we’d come by...” I blurted out only to be interrupted
“No its fine; have you heard anything at all? Did you find her?” Harry asked
“No not yet but we would like to look around the place and have a word with you if we could.” Niall stepped in
“Sure anything” Harry gestured us in and we took a seat in the office where we had the day before. “Excuse me for a moment.”
Niall looked at me “Char are you okay? You’ve been acting so weird since we got this case. Do we need to give this one to Kassie and take on another one? You seem very uncomfortable.” He used a low whisper
“No Niall I’m fine I promise.” I whispered back. He nodded skeptically; Niall could see right through me.
Right then Mr. Styles entered the room wearing something more appropriate and has his hair somewhat fixed.
“Sorry about my earlier appearance.”
“It’s fine Mr. Styles. Might I ask where Marie is?”
“She’s here in the guest house; I just gave her the rest of the week off. I let my partner Louis take over for a couple of weeks at the law firm. I just kind of want to stay home and be here if she comes back.”
“Ah I see, so back at the office we took a look in the system for anyone under the name Natalie Ann Sanders-Styles and with the information you supplied us with we couldn’t find anything before your wedding date 2 years ago. We tried multiple times and came up with nothing. Our only explanation is that Natalie is not really Natalie.”
“What do you mean Natalie is not Natalie?! She’s as real as they come!” Harry snapped
“Maybe I used the wrong words, I apologize. We mean that Natalie Sanders must not have been her birth name. Did she ever talk to you about a name change or anything along those lines?” Niall corrected himself cautiously
Harry seemed to calm down a bit “She has never said anything like that. Now you can look around to see if you can find anything but I doubt it.”
“Thank you.” I simply stated
He stood up and we followed him up the stairs and down a little hallway. He tuned facing the doorway of a room. The door to the room was closed.
“This is her office. She was starting her own business so she made this room an office.” He paused looking down at the hallway hardwood floors “I’d rather not go in with you two but you’re welcome to look around.” With that Harry walked away.
I turned to Niall; he shrugged and opened the closed door. I immediately realized why Harry didn’t was to go inside.
There was a big unfinished self portrait of her right in the middle of the room. I saw Niall stare at the portrait mesmerized, I don’t blame him Natalie was gorgeous. She had dark brown hair with bright blue eyes and her smile lit up the whole photo. I even caught myself staring. There was no question why Harry and Natalie fell in love so quick. They were both unrealistically gorgeous.
I cleared my throat “There are some filing cabinets over there”
Niall snapped out of his trance and slowly walked over to the cabinet. He pulled the first drawer out and it surprisingly opened with no problems considering there was a lock on it.
I walked closer to get a better look. There were about twenty folders in the first drawer.
I pulled the first one out and opened it carefully. “What is it?” Niall asked
Inside there were drawings; drawings of people, places, and things. “Drawings” I answered
He pulled out the rest of the folders looking through them quickly. “They all have nothing but drawings in them. There has to be something here!”
“I know. There is something here Niall just open the second drawer.” He grabbed the handle and pulled. This drawer was different than the last, he had a bit of trouble pulling this one but yet it opened.
“It’s just the same thing Char, folders with pictures!”
“Just help me look through them Niall!”
“Fine” he puffed. We both opened a folder and started looking through the drawings. There was one very detailed drawing of a tree. I must admit, I am jealous of her talents; only thing I can draw is a stick figure. I flipped to the next page only to be shocked. Natalie had drawn Harry… naked. I bit my lip as I slowly turned away from Niall so he couldn’t see. Harry was posed propped up in bed with his hands tied to the headboard fully naked. Natalie drew a little smirk on his face. I understood now how Harry could be such confident lawyer. He was very blessed if you know what I mean…
After putting the drawing down I focused on the remaining folders. “Find anything?” Niall asked
I shook my head no. We weren’t making any progress in the case and I have no idea what to do now. I stacked up all of the folders and placed them back in the drawer. I pushed the drawer expecting it to close but it seemed like something was blocking it.
“Niall, it’s not closing. I think something is blocking it.”
“That’s weird; pull it all the way out.”
It took a big tug but I managed to get the drawer all the way out. Niall took out his phone and shined the light where the drawer had just been.
“I think I see something” He said before he reached in and pulled out a box.