Daisy's Blog

DAISY STORIES - The Oak
by Crystal Jones © 1995-2007

Chapter 1

Daisy was sitting at her office table trying to do her accounts. The office door was open as she was expecting the gas man to come.

Hearing footsteps, Daisy looked up and saw a big, wide man at the entrance. “Miss Hamilton please?” This oak of a man was clearly a foreigner. His clothes were worn badly as though their occupant had slept in them. His accent sounded harsh and unmusical.

“Yes, can I help you?” The oak slouched in, sat down opposite Daisy and looked at her from his half-opened eyes which studied her constantly. “I hear you are a very bright lady and that you can be trusted.”

He spoke these words as though they were at the same time a statement and a question. Daisy didn’t know how to reply and decided just to nod her head.

“I’ll tell you about my little problem. Here is your initial fee - I think a hundred pounds will do for the present. I work for the Russian Embassy and what I have to say must not get back there. My name is IIich Zubkov. You can check that by telephoning me at the embassy this evening, but only pretending to be an acquaintance, of course.”

“Can you please tell me your problem first. I can’t accept to help you without knowing what it entails,” Daisy was trying to take time as she felt rather overwhelmed by this man’s strong personality and physique.

The oak shut his eyes completely for a minute. He was used to giving orders and being obeyed without question. He decided to make an effort to appear more courteous to an English woman. “My wife has disappeared.”

The atmosphere was electric. “She went out shopping in the morning, two days ago, and hasn’t come back since. I have heard no news at all from her.”

Daisy got up ostensibly to make some instant coffee, but it was really to be able to study her client better.

(to be continued)

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