Holly smothered a yawn behind her hand. It was the very early hours of the morning, and she, two police officers, Michael, Victoria, and Louise all sat in Victoria’s office, going through everything that had happened.
Notes were made, questions were asked, clarifications were made. At one point the doorbell rang to announce the presence of a very large man called Keith from the security company. He checked the house from top to bottom with Louise’s help and then formulated a plan to keep the house under surveillance.
Holly watched Victoria take the lead during the police questioning. She was so powerful and confident as she handed out instructions and explained in her soft yet authoritative tone what had happened and what she expected to happen next.
It was incredibly sexy, and Holly was getting some insight into what she must have seen in Victoria when she’d worked as her assistant. She could just imagine sitting in meetings and watching the impressive editor dishing out orders in that impossibly soft voice, everyone sitting to attention and waiting for their instructions.
During some of the quieter parts of the early morning, Holly had accessed her newly recovered journals. It was a revelation to finally read what had happened on the trip, from boring day-to-day details right up to the momentous decision to tell Victoria how she felt.
Even though it went terribly and Victoria had harshly turned her away, Holly didn’t regret a thing. Taking that brave action had proved to Victoria that her feelings were real, had been real even back then.
There was a line in her journal about Steven Goodfellow, stating that she felt something was going on, but she couldn’t be sure what. She’d made a note to investigate some of the things he’d said when she got back to New York.
Steven had been sure that she knew everything, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Maybe that would have changed with further investigation, but the fact remained that, when Steven had requested that Holly be murdered, she’d not known a thing.
That angered her the most, the pointlessness of it all. And for nothing more than greed.
Steven’s more recent plan to pull them apart had backfired tremendously. She and Victoria had grown impossibly closer—to be expected, she guessed, after such a heart-wrenching time—but Holly couldn’t possibly think of spending time apart now.
She wanted to know that she could lay her eyes on Victoria any moment she chose to. Victoria’s eventual return to Arrival would be hard, but she didn’t have to worry about that for a couple of days at least. Louise had everything in order, and Gideon would pick up the rest of the slack.
Eventually the police left, having everything they needed to begin proceedings and hold Steven and Phoebe for their crimes. Victoria bade them farewell and then spoke with Michael about what would come next.
Holly left the room and sought out Louise.
“Hey,” she said as she found the woman searching for food in the kitchen. “There’s cookies in that tin.” She pointed to the blue tin on the top shelf.
Louise pulled the tin out of the cupboard. She opened it and grabbed one and put the whole thing in her mouth.
“Don’t tell Victoria,” she said through a mouthful of cookie.
“I won’t.” Holly leaned on the countertop. “Louise, you and I need to be friends.”
Louise frowned as she chewed.
“I know you didn’t like me when we both worked for Victoria, and I understand why now.”
“I liked you; you didn’t like me,” Louise argued, swallowing quickly before picking up another cookie. “You made that very clear.”
“Well, I obviously can’t remember any of that. But from my journals, I can tell you that I never hated you. Well, we grew to dislike each other, but at the start, I respected you. You were good at your job, and you taught me well.”
Louise looked at her suspiciously as she chewed.
“The thing is,” Holly said, “despite what you may think, I’m here to stay. I love Victoria, and I’m not going anywhere. I know Victoria depends on you, and I know you like working for her. Even if she is going to push you into an early grave.”
Louise smiled. “She probably is,” she admitted. “But I don’t… like her like her or anything. I just respect her.”
“I know.” Holly nodded.
“I’m willing to start afresh if you are,” Louise said.
“I’d like that. A clean slate.”
“On one condition.”
“Name it.” Holly was willing to do almost anything to put an end to hostilities.
“Could you give me Jazz’s number?” Louise asked, a hint of colour on her cheeks.
Holly smiled. “Yes! Absolutely.” She recalled the way Jazz had stared at Louise and knew that they would be excited at the prospect. “We can double date.”
“No,” Louise said flatly. “No offence, but I don’t need to see you making goo-goo eyes at my boss.”
“Don’t you like her goo-goo eyes?” Victoria asked as she entered the kitchen.
Louise slid the cookie tin behind the toaster.
“Don’t tease her,” Holly instructed. “We’ve just come to a truce; she likes me now.”
“I-I’ve always like you,” Louise lied.
Victoria smirked. “Louise, exemplary work today as always. I know I don’t say that often.”
“Or ever,” Holly added.
“Or ever,” Victoria agreed. “But well done. I can’t adjust your Arrival salary, obviously, but I will ensure that you are appropriately compensated for your help tonight.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Louise said.
Victoria gave her an indulgent smile. “Of course, I’ll need a replacement photographer ready for work when I get back in two days. Oh, and Izzy needs to have her nails clipped. And Alexia wants to take up the violin, or the cello, or was it the double bass? Get all three. Tomorrow.” She turned on her heel and left the room.
Louise was already on her phone making preparations despite it being the middle of the night. Holly shook her head with a smile on her face. She wasn’t about to come in between the strange relationship Victoria and Louise had; it seemed to work for them.