The Son And The Agent

MILES' POV

"What are you doing here Miles?"A voice asked, nearly making me jump out of my skin.

I'd been so engrossed in going through James' secret desk that I forgot to listen for footsteps. A rookie mistake that I shouldn't have made.

I turned to face the new occupant of the room.

It was Chloe, arms folded, giving me the patented Chloe look. The look that said she was seconds away from blowing the whistle on me.

This was bad.

If I didn't shut this down before it got out of hand, she would go to James and ask him about this room. A room I was not supposed to know existed.

"I need an answer Miles or you can explain yourself to James" There it was. Chloe's only flaw.

She was a tattle tale.

I pushed out a bit of my essence, enveloping the flash drive I'd found in black.

"I will tell you later." A defiant look was my only reply.

"Not happening. Tell me right now." She walked into the room and settled her butt on the desk.

She was making herself comfortable in a space I was trying to get her out of. I could never decide who annoyed me more between Alicia and Chloe but I was certainly leaning towards Chloe right now.

"I'm calling in my marker" I proclaimed desperately. I needed her out of the room by whatever means necessary.

Chloe was brought up short by my announcement.

When Chloe was in middle school, she had tried to impress the new boy in her class. She had dressed up just for him, even wearing makeup....and her mum's favourite pair of diamond earrings, one of which she had lost during lunch.

I'd gone over to play videogames with Kyle and Ty that day. Mum dropped me off an hour early and I'd had the privilege of seeing Chloe's first foray into the world of makeup.

It wasn't pretty. Ty had been in stitches when he recapped her attempts to impress the new boy in her class.

When aunt Stella found her earrings missing, Chloe had used Ty and I as her alibi. She then made Ty and I keep her secret by inventing the marker. Each time we called one in, Chloe had to do whatever we wanted. Ty and I got two each.

"Fine. You'll tell me at dinner tonight." Dinner?

"Yes, dinner. I'll text you the address." She announced regally, then flounced out of the room.

I made short work of putting everything in the room back into place before pulling the nose of the penguin statue on the shelf in the library, effectively putting the false wall back into place.

I was heading back to my wing of the house when I received a text from Chloe.

It was the address of the restaurant she wanted me to meet her.

* * *

I was at the restaurant at exactly eight pm that night.

The maître d' was beside herself trying to get me the best table and anything else I could have desired.

I cased the restaurant and chose a table tucked into the corner.

Chloe showed up a few minutes later, looking beautiful in black pants, a black top and a pink jacket, her wavy brown hair falling to her shoulder. Her small bright pink purse completed the outfit.

She waved me off when I tried to pull out her chair for her. She was probably still miffed that I called in my marker. She probably thought neither Ty or I would ever use it. Honestly, I never would have called it in if it weren't for the extenuating circumstances.

"I'm listening" She announced, getting straight to the point without preamble.

A waiter interrupted before I could say anything, for which I was grateful.

I still hadn't decided how to handle Chloe. An outright lie would not work with her. She was too perceptive for that. The truth wouldn't work either though.

I could just imagine the look she would give me if I told her that I was tasked with bringing evidence that would prove that her fiancé was going against The order and dallying with very dangerous forces.

"This must stay between us"I stated ominously, affecting a serious pose.

Chloe, being a sucker for juicy news, leaned towards me eagerly, ready to get the scoop before anyone else.

"I'm investigating James." A scandalized gasp and then narrowing of the eyes.

I threw my hands up before she could lay into me.

"He has been accused of embezzling the company, I'm trying to find prove of his innocence."I explained hastily. It was a fine line between the truth and a lie.

I was investigating James, just not for the reason she thought.

"James would never do that and you know it!" She whisper shouted, enraged on her fiancé's behalf.

"I know that but they don't. Which is why I need to find prove that he is innocent of the accusations."

"But who is accusing James of this heinous crime?The company is owned by James and your dad" She wondered aloud before making a shocked sound.

"No, it's not my dad." I didn't think Chloe would know much about the company.

She was always talking about parties and the latest celebrity gossip.

Thinking on my feet I announced, "It's a job James did for the government last year on behalf of the company. There are claims of fraud. I'm trying to find prove before the government does." She looked alarmed the more I spoke.

"James is in trouble?" This was getting out of hand. I was trying to curtail her curiosity, not give her a reason to run straight to James.

"No. Not yet. That's why I'm doing all this,to prevent any sort of trouble from the government."

"Shouldn't you be asking James for whatever prove you are looking for then?"

Too damn smart for her own good. "I can't. James is too proud,you know that." I realized I had a known excuse for this. "They view me as a child, you know. If I can help with this, then they would stop viewing me just as Beaumont's son. I will finally be contributing to the company." She bobbed her head, commiserating with me.

She was well aware of how much dad babied me.

"Ok. I won't tell anyone. On one condition." I was weary all of a sudden.

"What's that?"

"You gotta let me help."

"What?! Why?"

"I want to help prove James' innocence. That's the only way I will be able to keep quiet."

That defiant look I hated and loved was back on her face. She wouldn't budge and I knew it. I wondered how my life came to this.

How was she going to help investigate a crime that didn't exist?

I was still pondering how to dissuade her when the proverbial lightbulb went off in my head. This could be the dumbest or best idea I'd ever had, but I was going to find out.

"I have a way if you are willing." She bobbed her head, a dazzling smile appearing on her face. "You can help me spy on him." Her smile froze in her face." Nothing major, just place a bug on him." I hastened to explain.

She still looked uncomfortable but whatever she wanted to say was thwarted by the chirping of her phone.

"Hey Kyle" she listened intently for a few minutes. "why would she do that?" she cried into the phone, anger clouding her face. "You know what, I'm on my way home." She hung up without another word, rising to her feet in the next instant.

"I've gotta go."

"You're not going to have dinner with me? Everyone here is going to think I'm a loser if I eat by myself you know." I pouted.

"I'll make it up to you,I promise." she promised,her face softening. She pecked me on the cheek and was gone in the next instant.

I waited a few moments before canceling our order and leaving the restaurant, much to the disappointment of the maître d'.

A short drive later, I arrived at my destination.

The park was deserted, as it should be at this time of night.

My passenger door opened and I was joined by Blade. I was pretty sure that wasn't his real name but I had no inclination to confirm my suspicion.

Neither Chloe nor anyone else ever wondered why our families were referred to as the Crane House and Black house. They just assumed it was for the sake of convenience. It wasn't. I found out why on my twentieth birthday..........