Chicago , livre ebook

Title Page
CHICAGO
Book Five of the Saskia Story

by
Ian Berry



Publisher Information
Published in 2013 by
Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
The right of Ian Berry to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998
Copyright © 2013 Ian Berry
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Any person who does so may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.



One
Monday. It had been one hell of a weekend. The Charity Ball had been a great success on Saturday. We’d raised over a hundred thousand pounds. Only a thousand over, but still more than a hundred grand.
Lunch with James on Sunday was - interesting. We’d discovered that Peter and Melanie were now going out together and Ellie and Andy had revealed that they were an item as well. Both things had come as a surprise to me and, I think, to Saskia too.
Sunday afternoon Saskia and I had unwound with a walk in the woods. Now that was over and we had to get back into the real world. Saskia drove us to the hotel to see Cesca and Holly.
“What do we need to collect apart from the computer?” asked Saskia.
“Nothing of ours I don’t think. We just need to check everybody else has arranged to fetch their own stuff. I know Anna and Hannah took the wedding dresses back to Harveys on Saturday night, which just leaves the other clothes.”
“Will our IT department be around to get the Accounts computer d’you think?”
“If not, we can ring Gerry and see what they’re going to do.”
The IT people were already there when we arrived. “Hi Saskias. D’you want us to take that computer of yours as well?”
“No. We’ll see to that, don’t worry,” said Saskia. “Can’t have you lot getting your grubby hands on our nice new shiny computer.”
The guy from IT had the grace to laugh. We smiled and went to find Cesca.
“Good morning, Cesca. How are you after the weekend?” asked Saskia.”
“I’ll survive. That was some show you put on.”
“We try. Did you see the final total?”
“Yes. I was in the back of the hall when you asked for the final update. Very impressive.”
“Which? The total or our means of displaying it?” I asked with a grin.
“Both of course.”
“Is there anything you need us to do? We’re going to see Holly and get our stuff out of your way.”
“Don’t think so. Most of the clothes people have already been and gone.”
“In that case it only remains for us to thank you for all your help,” I said. “I suspect you might get a more formal thank you from Sir James in due course.”
“It’s been a pleasure. Any help we’ve given has simply been our contribution to your charity. By the way, did you know that our chief executive won the bid for the trackday for his son and friends?”
“That’s really good. They’ll enjoy that. We need to go find Holly. I doubt this is the last time we’ll meet. Bye, Cesca,” said Saskia.
Holly wasn’t around. I began disconnecting the equipment while Saskia went to get her paged. By the time they appeared, I was ready to go.
“Holly,” I said, “You’re a star. Thanks for Saturday.”
“Saskia, that’s spooky. That’s just what Saskia said a minute ago. Did you rehearse it?”
“No,” I laughed, “Great minds think alike, that’s all.”
“Anyway, I’m sure I’ll see you both again before long. Want a hand with that stuff?”
“Thanks, Holly. Probably do it in one trip if you help.”
If Holly wondered how we could carry so much in one go she didn’t say anything. Super girls like Saskia and me have no problem with carrying things. We have to be a little careful. It doesn’t do to pick up very heavy stuff in public, at least not while we look like Saskias - as Kyra and Katya, of course, we can be seen to lift anything.
At the Robinson plant, we moved the computer and bits into our office. It was supposed to go at home but until the house move was complete we had nowhere to put it. Melanie wanted to talk to us - well - to me really.
“Saskia, are you ok with Peter and me? Us going out I mean?”
“Of course, Melanie. I’m very happy for both of you.”
“Only I thought you might have been - you know. I’ve seen you kissing.”
I sighed, “I’ve known Peter for years. For most of that time he’s been trying to persuade me to go out with him. I’ve not given in to his requests. Peter is, however, a very dear friend. Not a boyfriend, just a friend. When I kiss him, it’s just a measure of that friendship. Yesterday, when I heard the news, I released him from any obligation he might have thought he had towards me. I no longer have the right to kiss him, that is now yours, until you release him. I hope you never do. I’m so happy for both of you.”
“Saskia, you mean all that don’t you?”
“Yes. I no longer have a friend called Peter, I have friends called Peter and Melanie.”
I walked over and kissed her. For a moment I thought she was going to cry, she managed not to - just.
Saskia whispered, “Twin, that was so nice of you.”
“Simply the truth. What more could I say?”
“We should go and see James. Hold the fort Melanie?” asked Saskia.
“Fort is being held at this time. Holding will continue for foreseeable future.”
I grinned. Melanie was back to her old self, more or less.
To see James we had to get past Amanda, his PA. “Can we get in to see the boss or is there a queue?” I asked.
“After this weekend I’d wouldn’t be surprised if orders were issued that you two could go in whoever was in there. Damn good show on Saturday.”
“Thanks, Amanda. We try. I know, I know, sometimes we’re very trying.”
Amanda laughed. “Boss is expecting you. Go in before he hears I’m holding you up and gives me the sack.”
James was sitting behind his desk. “You’re expecting us? I thought we’d done the debriefing yesterday over lunch,” said Saskia.
“I know you two. I reckon you’ll have some last minute thing or other you want me to do. Besides, I have a little task for you. You can go first.”
“Are we that predictable?” I asked. “We do want you to do something as it happens. Will you do a formal thank you letter to the hotel? It’s the kind of thing they pin up on their wall so all the staff can read it and have a pleasant feeling for a little while. In my other life we called them Hero-grams. It’s very nice to get one.”
“It’ll be my pleasure. Trust you to think about other people.”
“It’s our job. It’s what we do,” said Saskia. “What’s the job you want us to do?”
“Ah, yes. Go down to Accounts and make sure they write a cheque for the Charity people. Then bring it up here and I’ll sign it. I’d like you to do the covering letter. I’m sure they’ve heard what the total is but if you were to give them a ring as soon as you have the cheque in your hand....”
“We can do that, if you’re happy not to do it yourself.”
“Quite happy. Just one little thing - they’ll want pictures and interviews, for their own newsletter if nothing else. I want you to do that. You did the work, you can take the credit.”
“And who’s thinking about other people now, Sir James Robinson?” said Saskia.
“Yes, well. Hm. Go on and find something to do. I’m busy.”
I walked over to him and gave him a gentle kiss. “Thank you, James. We’ll see to everything.”
Saskia waited until I was out of the way then gave James her own kiss. We walked out of his office leaving him a little embarrassed at being caught being human for a change.
Accounts were only too pleased to produce a cheque for the large amount of money we’d raised. A phone call to the cancer charity headquarters revealed they did know what the actual final figure was, but James was right, they wanted to talk to us. Nothing would do but that we made an appointment for them to visit on Thursday. We could hand the cheque over then.
At that point everything went on hold.



Two
“Saskia, can you feel the MI5 phone ringing?”
“Yep,” I said, “Hang on, I’ll make it appear.” I changed to be holding it, the ringing sound became audible. I answered it, luckily there was no one around at the time.
“Hello, this is Kyra. What can I do for you.” Saskia stood next to me with an attentive expression, she was listening in with super hearing.
“This is the Ministry of Defence. One moment, I have the Minister for you.”
“What do they want us to do now,” whispered Saskia.
“At least it’s not MI5.”
“Huh. Probably no chance of getting shot at then .”
“Honestly! You and getting shot at!”
“I like it!”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Hello? Miss Kyra?”
“This is she. How may we help you?”
“The PM has passed on this number. I hope you don’t mind but you are probably the only people who can help us.”
“Tell us what the problem is and we’ll see what we can do,” I said.
“It’s a bit delicate for the telephone. Could you come to the ministry?”
“This is probably the only completely untraceable line in the world but we’ll come and see you. How much urgency is there?”
“This afternoon would be good. There is no immediate urgency but we need to resolve the matter within the next day or so.”
“And that would be Whitehall?”
“Yes. Announce yourselves at the main door.”
“We’ll be there. Goodbye.”
“What now I wonder,” mused Saskia as I put the phone away by changing so as not to be holding it.
“Only one way to find out, Twin. London this afternoon.”
“Right. Accounts. Cheque. Tell James we