Thirty Days: Part One (24 page)

Punishment

I barely see Marcus the entire morning. The building here is a similar layout to the one back home. Glass exterior, same high countertop as Asher’s, only here it’s manned by Trinity, and she’s not nice like Asher, nor uplifting. She looks like she sucked a lemon—sour bitch.

For the majority of my morning, I’m left to my own devices, stuck in a cubicle. Well, actually it’s a room. It has a door, but it’s no bigger than a cubicle. A single desk holding a cordless phone, laptop, and voice recorder pretty much fills the entire space, and then there’s me. The walls are white and there’s not even a window. With no décor, it resembles a prison cell. I’ve limited interaction with anyone apart from a few faces that smile wearily at me on my way to the bathroom. I guess I’m as foreign here as an alien sent from Mars. Why am I being treated like an outcast? Where the hell is Marcus? Maybe he’s mad and this little prison cell is my punishment. I would’ve much preferred a spanking for my tardy effort at reading the binder pre-Sydney than this shit.

Tapping my pen against the desk, I think back over yesterday and how very bizarre it was. I kind of wish I went home to the Coast when I had the chance.

“Miss McMillian.” The door opens and an older lady with greying hair, maybe late fifties, early sixties, stands with a brown paper bag and a bottle of water in hand. “Are you hungry? It’s lunch time.” Her tone is welcoming.

Finally, someone nice.

“Please.” I drop the pen and for some reason stand. I tower over her. She’s definitely exceptionally short.

“Cup of tea, Miss McMillian?”

“No!” I say brusquely. “Sorry, no, thank you. Oh, and it’s Abigail, just Abigail.” Tea is definitely off-limits, which sucks because I could use a caffeine hit and fast.

“Abigail, I have some instructions for you. Can you please activate the email account attached to the laptop you were given and create a password? The address is [email protected].”

“Sorry, let me just write that down. Again, please?” I ask, sliding a piece of paper across the small space left on the desk.

“It’s [email protected].”

“I’ll do it now, thank you.”

“Enjoy your lunch.”

“Will do. Sorry, what was your name?”

She smiles sweetly. “Kelly.”

“Nice to meet you, Kelly.”

“You too. I’ll let you get back to your work.”

I nod.

The door closes gently as I spy into the brown paper bag.

“What’s for lunch?” Unwrapping the tissue paper, I soon discover that an egg, lettuce, and tomato sandwich awaits me. I begin to laugh so hard, I’m guessing my time in prison has increased my level of insanity. “Well, Marcus, this doesn’t appear coincidental, that’s for sure.”

The sandwich is devoured in two point three seconds. Well, it felt that way…I was ravenous. Opening up the email account, I type in the address and select a password. Bellagirl. It’s denied, and a message states it must have at least one numeral, so I type Bellag1rl. It’s accepted. The computer dings immediately.

From:
Marcus Klein

Subject:
Hope your morning has been pleasant?

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 11:58am

To:
Abigail McMillian

Abigail,

Did you receive the checklist this morning? How far down the list are you?

Marcus Klein

Partner

Sims, General, and Klein.

“You could have said hello, jerk…shit! How far am I into the checklist?” I locate the piece of paper that was left on the desk when I entered this morning and note I’m halfway through. Well, he has to be happy with that ground work, I’m sure. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him. He’s being an arse after all. If he wants to give me the silent treatment, well, two can play that game, douche. Hell, what’s the worst thing that’s going to happen? I get sent home.
Hallelujah!

Brrring…brrring...brring

The loud and irritating sound of the phone beside me stops once the handset is in my hand.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

“How are you?”
More like who are you? And what do you want?

“Is this Sims, General, and Klein?”

“The very one.”

“May I ask whom I’m speaking to?”

“You may.”

“Well, who is this?”

“Oh, sorry, Abigail.”

“Do you think you should state that and the company name when you’re answering?”

“Probably. Who is this?”

“Abigail, it’s Asher. You know, for a teacher in business you have poor phone skills.”

Asher, my new friend, maybe you can help.

“Sorry, I’m just in the middle of something.”

She laughs. “It sure is boring without you here.” Her tone sulky.

“Really?”

“Yes. How is your first day going?”

“You know what? Better now that you’ve called. Hey, you know the Asher here is not as nice as you.”

“There’s no Asher who works there.” Her voice lifts on the words.

“Well, yes. I mean you, but here you.”

“I’m confused.”

“What’s her name? The uppity front desk chick.”

“Trinity.”

“Yeah, her.”

“Trin’s lovely, you just have to get to know her.”

“Everybody is uppity here.” I sigh.

“That’s Sydney for you.”

“Really?”

“Well, yeah, sometimes, but they are nice once you get to know them.”

“I see.”

“So what were you in the middle of?”

“I’m thinking payback. You might be able to help actually.”

“This sounds interesting.” Her tone is filled with curiosity.

“It is.”

“Spill.”

“Hang on, I just thought of something.” Tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear, I begin typing.

From:
[email protected]

Subject:
What checklist?

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 12:38pm

To:
Mr. Klein

Dear Mr. Klein,

Good day to you, sir. I hope your day has been productive in preparation for this very difficult case. I’ve activated the account as ordered on instruction. My reply has been very prompt, given I’m still on lunch break. Unfortunately, I am not privy to this checklist you speak of…can you please instruct where I might locate it?

Regards,

Miss McMillian

Assistant

“Now I’ll wait for a reply,” I scoff, pleased.

“Reply?”

“Let’s just say a certain someone has ignored me and made me feel really unwelcome here.”

“Who?”

“Well, everybody. But this certain someone, I’m not particularly happy with.”

“I’m so confused.” Asher’s voice rattles.

“Hey, Asher?”

“Yes.”

“You know I had no idea Marcus was Mr. Klein?”

“Really, how did you not? You were talking to him in the copy room and you seemed to get along well.”

“Yeah, we did, but I thought he was an assistant.”

“Oh Lord, hope you didn’t tell him that. Big shot lawyers probably don’t take too kindly to being demoted.”

I awkwardly laugh.

“You did tell him, didn’t you?”

“Foot in mouth, I suffer, Asher. The problem is real.”

Fits of laughter barrel down the line. “See, this is what I’m missing by not having you here. You’re a breath of fresh air.”

The sound of dinging alerts me to a reply.

“Can I call you back? I have something I need to do.”

“Sure thing. Be good, Abigail.”

“Trying.”

Dropping the receiver onto the console, I immediately open the email.

“Well, well, Marcus, what says you?”

From:
Marcus Klein

Subject:
Please tell me you are joking?

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 12:40pm

To:
Abigail McMillian

Abigail,

This is not funny. I assume you are joking. Am I right to do so?

Marcus Klein

Partner

Sims, General, and Klein.

From:
[email protected]

Subject:
I’ve not the foggiest idea what you are talking about

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 12:41pm

To:
Mr. Klein

Dear Mr. Klein,

I have no checklist. Please instruct.

Regards,

Miss McMillian

Assistant

From:
Marcus Klein

Subject:
Care to explain?

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 12:43pm

To:
Abigail McMillian

Abigail,

Well, what have you been doing all morning then?

Marcus Klein

Partner

Sims, General, and Klein.

A small giggle escapes my lips. Oh, wouldn’t you like to know. I think hard about what to answer and before long I have a ‘ding, ding’ moment.

From:
[email protected]

Subject:
Explanation?

Date:
8
th
of November 2012 12:45pm

To:
Mr. Klein

Dear Mr. Klein,

Playing Solitaire.

Regards,

Miss McMillian

Assistant

Giggling to myself for the second time in a matter of minutes, I’m pleased with my efforts. I’ll give it a moment and let him finish shitting himself before clearing the matter at hand by confirming I indeed know what he’s referring to. The morning has been so boring and lonely a little humour never hurt anyone. Picking the pen up from the table, I go back to the checklist and see what the next task is: blue folder, read through statements. Locating said blue folder, I open to the first page, but just as I’m about to settle in and begin reading, the door almost bursts off its hinges.

Marcus’ eyes burn through me. He’s pissed. His jacket is missing, and his nostrils flare as he huffs.

Oh shit!

“Fucking Solitaire, you’ve been playing fucking Solitaire!” His eyes narrow as he slams the door behind him.

“Umm.”

“What, Abigail, you think this is funny?” His voice rises to another level of anger.

“No.” I swallow hard. I’ve never seen him like this, but I’ve also only known him for a week and even then I’ve spent limited time in his company.

“I wasn’t playing Solitaire…I have the list.”

He stalks towards the desk. My breath hitches in my throat as his hands are placed heavily onto the table. He towers over me as I pull my body backwards. He must see the fear on my face because he stands upright quickly, running his hands through his hair while puffing out his cheeks.

“So you’ve got the checklist?” He calms, but you can still hear the tension.

“Yes.”

“Where are you up to, please?” His eyes close.

“Halfway,” I whisper.

“Which half?”

“I’ve done all the copying and lodgements, the eight different sets. I sent through the information about the work you want done to the Sunshine Coast office. Faxed over the folder worth of information to the lawyer for the accused and now I’m up to the researching stuff.

“Good. Don’t bait me again.”

I have no idea what to say.

He doesn’t even look at me. “Abigail…” He stops, placing his hands to his forehead. “Let me know when you’re finished or if I can help you with anything during this process. These statements can be…well, it’s not going to be fun, so if you need me I’m here.” With that he leaves, and I’m left with legs that tremble and a heart that thumps so loudly I can hear the blood passing through it.

“Holy crap!”

Looking back at the blue folder, I’ve learnt a valuable lesson—don’t bait Marcus because he bites. In hindsight, I can understand his reaction, but still, ‘WOW’ that was intense. After my stomach settles from the flips that took place during my scolding, I turn my attention back to work. Hopefully, I can make peace later, but for now I’d better behave.