This is the tenth part of a fiction serial, in 947 words.
Anita was confused. “MI6? What, you mean like spies and stuff, James Bond? That’s crazy. Mike is just a hard-working glue salesman. Why would he ever be mixed up in anything like that?” Jane Dawes thought about her words. “I’m not saying he is mixed up in anything, but not everyone has someone like Judith Harley in their contacts list, that’s for sure. And what about Susan Judd? Have you ever heard her name mentioned? She used her home phone to call his mobile. When I checked her out, she was definitely secret squirrel, and I am talking ‘no information disclosed’ here. I can see I am going to end up being called in over my search history at work, but I guarantee they will tell me sod-all”.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Anita started to get annoyed. “Jane, I have never heard of any Susan Judd either. This is all getting too silly for words. The point is, as I see it, that it isn’t helping us find out where Mike is. Shouldn’t you do a broadcast on the TV news or something? I could put an advert in the newspapers, or speak to journalists about all this. It’s a mystery I know, but it seems to be getting too convoluted. My husband is missing, and all I am hearing is lists of names”. Jane was sympathetic, but realised Anita wasn’t considering the implications of this news.
“It’s not that simple, I’m afraid. We have all the usual missing person stuff in place, but we can’t start mentioning those contact names, not when some of them might go underground as a result. I have Constable Soni going over everything to do with the names we can trace. She’s very good, and I’m sure she will dig deep. But we have no decent CCTV images of Mike anywhere. The last confirmed sighting of his car on CCTV was at a motorway services on the way to Portsmouth. He only stopped for petrol, then nothing. Where his car was found isn’t covered on camera, and the approaches into the city don’t show up his car at all. It’s as if it was taken there by helicopter or something, and dropped into the street. My best guess is that it was taken there inside a larger vehicle, and off-loaded in plain sight. I don’t actually think Mike went to that city at all”.
Jane packed her stuff away, and stood up. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you something more positive, Anita. It is still early days as far as missing persons go, and we are doing our best for you. But we have a backlog of other cases to work on too, and not that many staff. I will be sure to let you know as soon as I have anything new. Meanwhile, you have to try to take care of your health, for the sake of you and the baby”.
When the detective had left, Anita tried Claudia’s mobile. She was going to tell her all the crazy stuff about the secret service, and see if Claude could shed any light on it. After all, she had known him at university, and might remember a name or two from his past. “Nita, great news! Betsy is awake! She came round in the early hours. Not speaking yet, but she knows who I am, and smiled at me. I’m just having a coffee in the hospital canteen. Are you alright, love?” Given the good news, Anita didn’t want to go into all that other stuff now. Best to let Claude enjoy the moment. “That’s great news, Claude. I just rang to check how she was. Please give her my love”.
Something else had occurred to her, and she rang Mike’s boss, Ian Winkowski. “Mrs Hollis, how can I help you? Do you have news of Mike?” She had thought about what to say, and repeated it as if from a script. “No, nothing new at the moment. He is still listed as missing. The reason I am phoning is to ask about his pay. I don’t know how it works, you know, when someone is missing. Will he still get paid?” He had obviously been prepared for this to be asked.
“Well, he is absent, and since he rang in sick, we ar treating it as that for one week. After that, we would usually need a medical certificate. I appreciate that the circumstances are exceptional, but we cannot continue to pay someone indefinitely, when they are not here. I would say that I will allow him paid holiday leave. That is thirty days for the year, added to one week counted as being off sick. After that, I will keep his job open for three months, in the hope he returns. But after that thirty days, I am afraid he will no longer be paid”.
After thanking him, she hung up, her mind ticking over.
Something else suddenly popped into her brain. Even if Mike got that thirty days pay, she wouldn’t be able to access his bank account, to draw it out or transfer it to hers. She knew there were some savings, but not how much. And they were in accounts in Mike’s name too. Beginning to get really worried, she got her i-pad, and logged in to her own online banking. It was no surprise to discover that she only had just over four hundred in her account. Hopefully, Mike’s arrangements would continue to pay the regular bills, but she didn’t have a clue how much was in his main account.
Once her cash ran out, she would have to depend on her credit card.
She is coming along beautifully, learning at every hurdle. Way to go, Anita!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Adversity can often be character-building, Jennie. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, it can.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉 Oh ye,s Pete! Whom you tell. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I assure you that if I woke from a coma and wasn’t talking my family would be more concerned than when I was unconscious! Loving this serial and not just because I am in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Elizabeth. You are definitely ‘on the mend’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nonstop questions going through my head.. Marvelous work, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad to hear that’s working, Pete! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spy. Ah. Yes. I knew it. But all those women using their real names? Hmmmm…. also, why do the British always think Florida is so great? I’ve never been there but have also never wanted to. I think it’s because of old shows like Miami Vice that make it look so enticing. Really, though, we make jokes here because If there is a weird story in a newspaper anywhere in the country it often starts with “a Florida man…” and then usually the story details some truly bizarre thing the Florida man did – like feeding their cat to an alligator or something. Well, there you go – there is your free rabbit hole excursion of the day – in other words – I totally went off the rails in this comment. Looking forward to seeing if Mike is drudged up or what Anita drudges up about him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The people in charge of MI6/MI5 do use their real names, Lisa.
They even have a public website. https://www.sis.gov.uk/ And everyone can read about who is the current chief exec.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_the_Secret_Intelligence_Service
The big attraction for people here in Florida is Disney, pure and simple. It is a shorter flight than California for us too. I have never been. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh! I see. Like the FBI. They use their real names too. Thanks for the clarification. I know much less about the organizations over there and love learning new information. Maybe I should use Google more. 😜
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to work in a department of the Police in London called’ Special Operations’. I had daily dealings with people from the SIS, so learned quite a bit about how they work.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀😀😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Lorraine.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pete, if nothing else, this is a great reminder to have access to all accounts for the family! Terrific chapter and I completely get how Anita is reacting to al of this news…and I suspect she will begin to take a deeper dive into her husband’s “work” as well…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, John.
This reminds me of when my Dad left my Mum. Everything was in his name, including the house!
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ouch! That would stink for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
She saw our house advertised for sale in the window of the estate agent before she had any idea he was going to leave her. It was a rough time for her. (And me)
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my gosh! That is absolutely crazy and awful! I’m so sorry! I always say there is a special place in hell for people like that but I’m not so sure about that theology.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, well well….. MI6, eh? or running from MI6?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t have a clue, GP! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm, so Jude and I are potential ‘demons of the piece’ !! 😳
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nah, not us, who could suspect us of any wrong doing.. 🙄
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, I have not a clue, Jude….😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d take that if I were you, I’m a ‘lipstick lesbian’ for heavens sake. 🙄🤣
LikeLiked by 5 people
🤣🤣🤣
LikeLiked by 2 people
Goodness, yes, a LL is to be avoided!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Guardians of National Security!
I would say that makes you heroes. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, if we are, that’s to be applauded…
LikeLiked by 1 person
That could be a bridge too far, Pete…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Which bit? 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How long have you got?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please let me know, I’m interested in your opinion.
You can email me when you get time.
petejohnson50@yahoo.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just thought the story became rather complicated at that point, Pete…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I see. Yes it did. And it will probably get worse. That was intentional, as it’s not really meant to be too ‘serious’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do like a complicated plot though… it tests my imagination…
LikeLiked by 1 person
David’s comments are almost as good as your chapters 😂
Poor Anita, having left everything to her missing hubby is now going to leave her in a real quandary.
LikeLiked by 4 people
You are coming up as ‘Anonymous’, though I suspect you are not.
But thanks for commenting.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
That’s because I am incognito, being as I am working for MI6.. 😅
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh, and his comments are better than my story. I only write these serials to give him an excuse to pun. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only pun to give you an excuse to write serials! #symbiosis
LikeLiked by 1 person
(1) So Mike Hollis is some kind of international man of mystery? Sounds groovy, but maybe he’s shagged the wrong lady? Alotta things can go wrong when espionage turns you into a horny devil. If you ask me, Mike should have stuck with his job as a hard-working glue salesman.
(2) James Bond knows all about glue.
(3) I’m nut familiar with the expression, “secret squirrel.” Is that someone who’s permitted to gain in-tree into a highly guarded MI-6 computer in order to squirrel away classified information? Or am I barking up the wrong—oh, never mind!
(4) I’m also not familiar with “sod-all.” Is that the British way of spelling “sawed-all?” As in, ” I ain’t a-kiddin’! I sawed-all ’em girls a-doin’ sumptin’ raw-raw in da boys locka room after d’game!”
(5) I’m thinking something in the car was smuggled out of the country. Maybe a secret industrial glue formula? If so, it’s already being analyzed in a Chinese manufacturer’s lab.
(6) “After thanking him, she hung up, her mind ticking over.” Not surprised, considering the bombshell just delivered by Jane Dawes. She needs to defuse her mind before the countdown reaches 006.
(007) First, Anita’s husband ran out. And now her money is running out. I’m wondering if maybe Anita’s time is running out? (I’d add another comment, but I’ve run out of ideas.)
LikeLiked by 4 people
3) SECRET SQUIRREL
You and/or someone is up to something …….They ain’t saying..
He isn’t telling anyone anything,up to some secret squirrel shit again……
#secret#sly#hush hush#clandestine#?#unknowing
4) SOD ALL
Typically British phrase. Used to mean the same as “nothing”
Fred: “Hey Ben, what are you doing during your gap year?”
Ben: “Sod all”
#sod#all#bugger#nothing#nowt
Nice ‘merge’ with Austin Powers too. 🙂
Thanks, David.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait till Anita finds out that Mike’s last name is actually Myers!
LikeLiked by 2 people