Chapter 7 - Dee

I close my eyes and lean my head back onto the chair, as I sigh.   

What a day.  However, it isn’t over yet, but it feels like this day has gone on for more than a week or maybe even a month. 

I lightly tap my fingers against the chair’s armrest and mentally thank Uncle Charles for not sitting in my office while he is here.  I’m sure that he remembers that we don’t work well together.  Thus, that is the reason why for his early retirement and for him leaving me in charge of the company. 

You could say that it was like walking on eggshells back then, but that isn’t even close.  The honest turth is that it was like navigating through a field of land mines.  You never know when you will accidentally step on one and everything around you explodes. 

However, right now, I’m stressed and so is Uncle Charles.  I’m sure that it won’t take much more for Uncle Charles and I to start snapping at each other.  But with him working in the conference room, that gives us a little space and allows us to calm down before we speak to each other again. 

As I take a deep breath and slowly exhale, Max’s voice breaks through my thoughts.  “Dee, the team has given me the report on those various newspaper articles.”  He pauses for a second.  “There are a few that seem to have a close connection to the attack.”

I open my eyes and lift my head.  Close connection.  How close?

I would love to sit and try to relax more, but this isn’t the proper time.  Plus, I still haven’t heard anything from mother about father’s condition.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we have a little glimmer of hope that my father’s condition is improving. 

I sit up in my chair and narrow my eyes at Max, who is standing at the door.  “What do you mean by close?  Have you told Uncle Charles about this yet?”

Max shakes his head.  He doesn’t wait for me to motion him into my office, before he steps in the room and walks across the room to my desk.  As he sits down in the chair in front of my desk, he replies, “No.  I came straight to you.  I haven’t even taken the time to see what is in the report either.”

Uncle Charle’s voices fills the room.  “Report?  Did you get a report?”

I pull my attention away from Max as Uncle Charles walks into the room and sits down on the other chair next to Max. 

I’m glad to see some things haven’t changed.  I swear Uncle Charles has ultra-sensitive hearing.  One of these days, I’m going to test my theory, but right now, I’m kind of glad that I don’t have to stop and go get him.

Max points to my computer monitor.  “Dee, open the folder on the server for this attack.  All the reports and info have been uploaded to that folder.  Only the top-level agents with the appropriate security clearance can access the folder.”

That’s good. 

As I open the folder, Uncle Charles turns my monitor so all three of us can see it.  I skip all the individual files and go straight to the main report.  As soon as the report opens up, Uncle Charles and Max slide their chairs closer. 

It doesn’t take me more than two sentences and my eyes are immediately drawn to the words that my gut and mind have been repeating in my mind.  It is also the one thing that I have been hoping isn’t true.  However, my staff is good, and I trust in their opinion and unbiased conclusion. 

The attack is an inside job with someone close to the royal family. 

I’m instantly torn between me filling full of dread for someone being bold enough to betray the royal family while on the other side, my heart hammers hard against my chest demanding justice.  Only my kind of justice will come when my fist meets the face of the idiot who dares to betray not only the royal family, but also our country. 

My blood instantly boils as I ball my hands into fists.  However, I’m not the first one to slam my hand on the desk. 

BAM!

Uncle Charles grits his teeth and growls, “They won’t get away with this.  I’ll make sure to put an end to this once and for all.  I will make sure that whomever is behind this attack, pays for it!”  He takes a deep breath.  “They will be afraid to see me coming.”

Well, I can’t argue with him.  If anything, I will be right there helping Uncle Charles beat every last reason plus a few more into the culprit’s mind. 

While my mind is still thinking of tortuous ways for me to serve justice to the hideous master mind, Max hisses, “We need to check the royal family and see who has talked with whom about that day’s events.  Someone in that group is the traitor.”  He pauses for a moment, while his eyes bore holes through the monitor.  “I just hope that we can get to them before the citizens find out who it is.  I have a feeling that the citizens will tear the individual apart.”

I have to admit that the idea isn’t so bad.  However, that is the easy way out.  No.  The person needs to be punished for this and needs to suffer over a long period of time.  Only the hardest punishment will do. 

As I ball my hands even tighter, my knuckles begin to turn white.  I glance between Max and Uncle Charles, while I huff, “We need to thoroughly go through everyone.  I think we need to talk the Queen and see if she knows with whom the King has talked about the changes in the schedule.”

While Uncle Charles hisses with each breath, Max nods and adds, “I think the sooner, the better.  Dee, have you asked the Queen to not allow any family members in to see the King?”

I slightly unfold my hands as I turn my attention back towards Max.  “I told the Queen that I was going to prevent anyone from seeing the King, but I didn’t give the Queen an option to protest.  She knows that I’m only doing it to protect the King.  The Princes are too busy.  They have to fill in for the King, so I don’t know if they know yet.  However, the guards, that I put in front of the King’s room, have strict instructions to not only allow anyone except the doctors, nurses and the Queen to enter.  No one else is allowed in.”

Uncle Charles stands up and starts pacing back and forth, as he runs his hand through his hair.  The whole time, he grunts and growls, but no actual words come out of his mouth.  That doesn’t matter because I already know what he is feeling.  I’m feeling it too.

However, at some point, instead of running his hand through his black wavy hair, he starts pulling at his hair.  If he keeps this up, he won’t have any hair left after today.

Once again, I clench my hands into a fist as my mind goes through all the possible outcomes.  Most of the outcomes aren’t pleasant, which makes my blood boil even higher.

I turn my attention back to the computer monitor and go through each individual line of the report.  Max and Uncle Charles quickly follows my lead.  As soon as Uncle Charles sits back down, we silently go through the report absorbing each detail that is stated. 

While I let each new item within the report sink into my mind, one name keeps coming to the top of my mind. 

Can she really do that?  Is it that easy for her?

***

Brimming with frustration and anger, I march through the castle halls towards my father’s private hospital and his private room.  While the harsh scents of disinfectants attack my nose, my mind replays all the information that the team has gathered.  Unfortunately, the team hasn’t been able to find much. 

A user account with a fake name, John Doe, is the biggest lead that we have. 

Right now, Trevor is putting the finishing touches on the spyware.  However, up until now, the team hasn’t been able to locate the phone or computer that is used to log into that account. 

We need a break.  We are almost at a dead end, but I’m not going to accept defeat that easily.  The team must find more information about the culprit.  We have to get more info than the fake name John Doe.

As my frustrations grow, my strides widen and my feet stomp harder against the floor.  The steady rhythm of my footsteps echo throughout the hallway.  Without saying a word, my steps warn of the approaching war that is brewing. 

I won’t stop until I find the master mind behind this and put that person behind bars.  However, I’ll first throw a few punches and leave my mark on him or her.  I’m sure that Uncle Charles will follow right behind me with a few punches of his own too. 

The only difference will be that Uncle Charles’ ring has rough edges that often cuts into the skin.  So, instead of bruises, I’m sure the individual will have cuts and torn flesh all over. 

Man, I wish we could at least narrow it down to whether the culprit is male or female, but right now, we can’t even do that. 

Ugh…

With my blood still boiling, I march around the corner and head for my father’s room.  Luckily, the hall is empty, except for the two security guards posted at my father’s door.  The nurses and doctors are down the hall a little distance at the nurse’s station discussing something. 

Ignoring the staff, I march past the guards and into my father’s room.  However, my feet stop as soon as my eyes spot my father. 

My heart throbs in pain as my eyes roam over all the machines blinking and humming around my father.  Tears well up in my eyes as I slowly turn my focus away from the machines and to my father, who is still unconscious.  The only good sign is that the ventilator has been removed. 

I have read his medical file, but I’m not a doctor.  I can’t understand a thing that it says. 

However, I can notice progress and the removal of the ventilator is a good sign.  Maybe my father is coming out of it and will be conscious again soon.

As I blink trying to keep the tears from falling, my mother’s tired voice cuts through my thoughts.  “Dee.  Is everything all right?  I didn’t think that you would be here to see us so soon.  Plus, are your sister-in-laws not allowed to be in this section of the hospital or visit your father?”

I pull my eyes away from my father and turn towards my mother’s voice at the side of the room.  A lone tear slides down my cheek when our eyes finally meet.  The bags under eyes suggest that she isn’t sleeping well. 

I’m sure that if I ask the staff to review the video cameras, I will find out that she hasn’t been sleeping well, if at all.  My heart aches as I look into my mother’s red and puffy eyes. 

How can I add to her pain?

How am I going to tell my mother that Katherine maybe the one who is behind all of this?  Or do I even tell her? 

I’m sure if I don’t say anything, Uncle Charles will tell her everything.  I guess I don’t have a choice.