Time to Try

He waited two whole days before calling her. It was midday and she answered quickly, he asked to

meet her, she explained that she’d meet him after work and that she would call and arrange a

meeting place then – she wasn’t sure at what time she would finish.

That was fine, it would give him a chance to be away from Stephanie this afternoon. Currently she

was out doing what she likes to do best; shopping. Heaven only knew what for. London – New York

and Paris were not safe places to let a woman loose with a credit card. The results tended to be

disastrous.

He could only dread what she would bring back.

He shuddered at the thought and opened his laptop, checked his email as a distraction from the

thought and not because he needed to check it. One email from his father, containing nothing

important, just a check-up and some junk mail. All in all a massive waste of time.

To pass more time, he showered and changed slipping two knives into his socks, and stuffing the

gun which he had managed to slip past customs early that week into his pocket. He then waited,

sitting on the bed reading a book. It felt like it had taken just minutes to read 150 pages and

minutes for the phone to ring. He checked his watch: 7.30 P.M. His mind wandered and he was

surprised to find himself thinking of Stephanie and how she wasn’t back yet. He checked the caller

ID, it wasn’t Stephanie, and so he answered.

“Rebecca?”

“Bexii, please. Where are you staying?”

“The Park Lane Hotel.”

“Nice.”

“Standard.”

She laughed. “I like your attitude.”

“I try.” He waited for her to tell him where they would meet. It seemed like a forever’s long pause

before she spoke again.

“I’m in a cab, heading toward the Park Lane come outside, we’ll go for a walk in the park.”

“Walk with take out coffee?”

She laughed, a small and feminine laugh, one which he was thankful to hear “That makes you

sound so very tourist… It’s obvious you’re an American.”

He said nothing, he was getting on his jacket and almost missed what she said after that. “My cab

will be there in a few minutes.”

“I’ll be down.” It was he who hung up without saying goodbye. He put the phone back into his

pocket and leaving a note for Stephanie to say he was out and was unsure of what time he would

be back, he left the room putting a do not disturb sign on the door. The last thing he wanted was

for someone to come into the room and read his things, the last thing he wanted was to give the

game away by spending his time worrying about it.

He left the hotel not stopping at the bar and enquiring about how much take out coffee was, or

indeed if they did take out coffee. He was sure they would if a customer asked, but how much it

would be that he dreaded. Here, at the Park Lane hotel, one or two steps down from Claridges, one

of London’s more superior hotels, like The Ritz, was still highly expensive. He left through the back

entrance which lead straight out onto Park Lane and waited for a moment or two before a classic

London Taxi pulled up and the young lady stepped out, she paid the driver, looked around and

smiled at him when she spotted him. He walked over. “Mr Kaller.”

“Rebecca.”

“I said Bexii”

Yes, she had.

They walked slowly saying nothing for a few moments, it did not seem appropriate to speak. For an

English night the weather was warm, the coat took him to a comfortable temperature, but it was not

needed. Rebecca lead the way, walking slowly but confidently, she stopped suddenly. “Have you

thought of where you would like to go? For the most point London will still be open, so it’s up to

you, we could nip over to Oxford Street, or Reagent Street. You’ll know Hamley’s of course?”

“I know of it, huge toy store, lots of floors, too many children, even more parents, the definition of

pure hell.”

She laughed. “You’re not a children man?”

He shook his head. “They are not my idea of heaven.”

“Are they anyone’s?”

He smiled. “I’m a toy person; I’d go to treat the place as a large nursery.”

“We could take the Underground over, if you have an oyster card.”

“No Oyster Card and no money. Somewhere we can walk.”

“Green Park… Perhaps you could see Buckingham Palace.”

“I’ve seen it, the tiny place is over rated.”

They laughed as they walked, again momentarily slipping into a comfortable silence. “I take it you

are rich then Mr Kaller?”

“What would make you assume that?”

“You come to London, stay in a five star hotel, you shop in Harrods, call Buckingham Palace small

and pay the bill at one of the city’s most expensive restaurants without having brought it up.”

“I was waiting till we were out of sight to mention that, mugging I have heard is not approved of

here in London.”

“Not publically I’d guess.” She smiled, stepped to the curb and stopped. The line of solid traffic did

not stop for a minute. Lyndon was about to suggest finding somewhere safe they could cross, then

she grabbed his hand and set off at a sprint across the road, they reached the other side in one

piece. He questioned how.

She gently took his hand making him gulp, a small smile sat on her face, she was content and so he

didn’t object. They walked down the street, turning into the park. “This reminds me of Mary

Poppins.” He said.

She laughed at that one, wondering but not asking why it reminded him of Mary Poppins, the

answer was obvious, it was London. She knew the other reason why, Americans are ignorant

enough to put one city – often the only city which they have heard of in England (sometimes

outside of America) and they can limit one huge, wonderful and historic city to one thing which they

have heard of. She almost sighed. They walked a little longer before he suddenly stopped, he

looked around. “You like me don’t you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why else? You gave me your telephone number and arranged a meeting with me, how can I

assume that you don’t?”

“Because you’re correct, are you single Lyndon?”

“yes, but are you?”

She looked away for a moment and gulped "That's the terrible thing, I'm engaged and if he were to

see me with you, he'd be upset, he'd hate you. He sees me talking with women and he gets mad

but you? You're new around here, and you're male. No, he'd want you dead." She glanced around,

looked panicked and looked back quickly.

Lyndon too scanned the area. Nothing. "Bexii, theres no one here."

"You can't be sure, you dont know here, you dont know him."

He sighed and nodded. "So what does this mean?"

She looked at the floor and looked awfully guilty, awfully sad. "We cant see each other, he cannot

see me with you, you shouldn't, no must not call me either."

"He cant-"

"You can't judge him, you cannot say what he can and cannot do, he can do anything and you can't

stop him."

"He scares you does he?"

"Lord knows I wouldn't have told you not to call me if he didn't" She checked the area again and

once sure they were safe, kissed his cheek She started walking away, he watched her, she stopped

and looked back, she smiled. "Good bye Lyndon, remember, please dont call. Forget I ever existed.

you dont know what he is capable of."

She turned and continued he watched, a look of confusion on his face. The thought running through

his mind, he might not know exactly what that man was capable of, he was however sure that he

could handle him. As for her, she had simply made this far easier for him to do his job. She was

clearly lying.

She turned back with one last smile she stepped out of his view, ensuring that she kept their, she

watched Lyndon Kaller turn and walk away, a sad look on his face. She then looked down the park,

at the borrom were huge gates, leading onto the mall, which in turn lead to Buckingham Palaxe,

which had it still be day light would have been visible from this view point.

She walked down the rest of the path to where the man stood, he glanced at her, paid her little

attention but he was clearly unimpressed, something had annoyed him. She put her hands around

his waist and kissed his cheek. "Oh Pete, so glad to see you here, isn't it a surprise."

"You seemed too close with him."

"And that is no concern you know it."

"Don't make me hurt you Rebecca,"

She tried hard to stffle a smile. "Don't make me laugh... Pete." with that she walked away quickly.

A small skip in her walk, she climbed the gate quickly and looked through it, a big smile on her

face, she blew him a kiss through the bars "I'll see you at home handsome."

And off she skipped....