Page 78 of The Lucky Escape

‘Jeez.’

In a feat of comic timing, a rat the size of a small rabbit appeared at the corner of the cracked wheelie bin just beside the gate. We both screamed, leaping back.

‘What the hell!’ Adzo cried.

‘Gross, gross, gross,’ I said, pulling on her arm so that we almost collided with a passing cyclist who screamed out, ‘Fucking watch it, dickheads!’ whilst issuing the finger.

We screamed again and this time it was Adzo tugging at my arm, leading me to the street corner where she asked me in a hushed voice, ‘Do you actually want to go in there?’

I shook my head. ‘No,’ I said, as if it was obvious. ‘But it’s in the right area, –ish, and I can afford it.’

‘I think we need to go and wash our hands,’ she said. ‘I don’t think this is the place for you, okay?’

I nodded. ‘Okay. I have another viewing somewhere else tomorrow, anyway, and one the day after.’

‘Email the guy to say you’re not coming,’ she prompted.

I nodded agreement. ‘At least I can be early for my meeting with Chen.’

‘Go,’ Adzo insisted. ‘Save yourself. Pretend this never happened. Urgh!’

37

I was still shivering at the thought of the giant rat as I uttered my thanks to the top-hat-wearing doorman at the entryway to the hotel Chen had mysteriously asked to meet me at. I’d been due back at work that morning, but she’d told me to come for a mid-morning brunch and start back tomorrow, instead. I noted that the polished golden sign ahead of me said to make a left for the restaurant.

‘This is all very cloak-and-dagger,’ I said as she stood up to greet me. ‘I don’t think we’ve ever met outside the office, have we?’

‘Surely that’s not true,’ she replied brushing her hand through the air to dismiss my observation. Her sleek black bob framed her petite features perfectly, but I knew that for as girly as she looked, Chen had more fire than any manorwoman I’d worked with. ‘We’ve met like this many times before.’

I mean, we honestly hadn’t, but her curt delivery made me question my own sanity. I wondered what it was like to go through life as Chen, so certain that she could bend thereality of others to fit her own. It was admirable, if not a little intimidating.

‘Tea?’ she asked, as a gloved waiter appeared, a starched white cloth folded over his arm. I addressed my response to him.

‘Tea please, yes,’ I said, and then sat, waiting for the reason of our meeting to become apparent.

‘Now, Annie,’ Chen said. ‘We need to talk about your situation.’

‘Okay,’ I said, my stomach burbling. ‘Is everything okay? I’ve really appreciated the time off to get my head together …’

‘I’m worried about you.’

‘Oh,’ I said, trying to keep my face neutral.

‘It’s apparent to me that you’re not being challenged enough,’ she continued.

The chap with gloves returned with our tea and Chen interrupted herself to say, ‘Are you hungry? I’m afraid I can’t do solids before noon, but please, by all means you go ahead.’

I was starving, but it seemed rude to go in for the eggs hollandaise like the woman on the table across from us, who’d had the good sense to get a side order of hash browns too. I stole a glance at her plate hungrily, but even New Annie couldn’t engage the ‘Sod It’ muscle it took to dig in when her boss was only having tea – and black tea, at that. She didn’t even add any milk.

‘Maybe some toast?’ I said, feebly, and the server nodded obligingly.

‘As I was saying,’ Chen continued. ‘You’re wasted at the moment. You could do your current tasks with your eyes closed, and quite frankly that isn’t good enough. I’ve known this for a long time.’

Crap. Definitely fired.

‘The Antwerp lab love you. I’ve been reviewing the work you did for them in the spring, and Adzo agrees: it’s quite remarkable. There’s a position for you there, managing the team. You should take it.’

‘What?’

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