Somewhere in Sevenoakes (14 page)

”Got what? A good mood?”

”A better temper.”

Relieved Helen sat back down.

”What have you got?”

”This.”

Maddy pushed the paper over to Helen's desk.

”What am I missing here?”

”The logo,” stated Maddy, leaning back in her black leather chair, folding her arms.

”Maddy, we've got a third of a logo. It doesn't have a phone number. If anything..,” Helen picked the paper up to examine it closely - it looks to be an international company. It's definitely got more than one office.”

”It's a clue.”

'What are you, Nancy Drew?” asked Helen incredulously. ”How is that a clue?”

”Logos are invented to promote instantly recognisable companies. They're unique; singular. We can trace the logo to find where he works.”

”We've only got a third of it.”

”Hear me out. I know it's a long shot but I know he's a business lawyer and I know he works in the City of London. How hard can it be to track an acquisition and merger firm of lawyers in that area?”

”Maddy, that area's full of legal firms.”

”But they won't all be commercial law.”

”But what if mergers and acquisitions is one department of the firm. They probably have all kinds of departments and areas of law covered if it's an international company with hundreds of branches.”

”If we get a list, they'll have a presence on the internet. We click on the website, the logo will be on the front page; if it doesn't match we scratch it from the list, if it looks similar we can tick it and check them in detail later.”

Maddy's eyes were alive with possibility.

”It'll take ages,” moaned Helen.

”The course of true love never did run smoothly.”

”I thought you hated clichés Maddison Bridie.”

”Only when I'm bad tempered. I'll stay back to prepare the list tonight. I can get to work on it straight away. You could, if you wanted to help your best friend find the man of her dreams, come in early tomorrow to help me check the rest of the websites on the list.”

Helen assessed her. Maddy was so excited and full of hope, she didn't want to rain on her parade, but she didn't want Maddy crushed if it all went horribly wrong. This James wasn't treating her friend well. She feared the effort would lead to serious heartache for Maddy. Still, best friends supported each other and picked up the pieces when they fell apart.

”Do the list. I'll come in early tomorrow and we'll trawl through, see if we can find a match. Tonight though, I need to catch up on the soaps.”

Maddy leapt up, throwing her arms around Helen.

”You're the best. Thank you so much.”

“Just,” Helen paused, ”be careful Maddy.”

Maddy stayed in the office compiling a list of all the business law firms in the City of London, including non-specialist companies claiming to cover all areas of law. Thanks to the online phone directory and law society, it didn't take long for her to copy and paste the information into a spreadsheet. Pleased with her efforts, she highlighted Helen's allocation, then emailed it so it'd be waiting for her the next day. With time to kill before her train, she started to make a start on the list.

Geoff stood silently behind Maddy watching her type in web addresses for law firms. He saw her peer closely at the screen, open a spreadsheet and highlight a row in red.

”You looking for a new job Maddy?”

Maddy straightened up, minimizing the screen.

”You frightened me Geoff.”

”Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.”

”I wasn't searching for a new job. Researching something else as it goes.”

”I'd understand if you were looking to move on,” he said seriously.

”Don't be daft. Okay, we fell out this morning. My private life is a disaster, that's why I over-reacted to your tone of voice.”

”I was snappy with you, for that I apologise,” said Geoff affably. ”There's a fair bit going on with me too.”

”I was guessing that. Sorry I haven't been more attentive.”

”It's fine. You weren't scouting new jobs then?”

”Hand on heart, no. I love it here. We've fallen out occasionally but you know how committed I am to Yearwood, Angus and Port. I love my work,” explained Maddy sincerely.

”I don't doubt your loyalty Maddy, not for a second, but you've been here eight years. You've gone as far as you can go, until I leave. It's only natural for you to want to continue up the career ladder. Yes, you'll take over when I go, but it's fine to want to spread your wings, move to a bigger company, take on different challenges.'

”I'm still learning from you and I know there's loads more you can teach me. I don't think I'd benefit from moving on. I don't think I'd have the opportunity to have such closely involved hands on mentoring. We're just the right sized company for someone like me to grow in. I find my work rewarding. Why risk losing a cushy job if I'm happy?”

”I want you to be happy here. You're bright and determined. All I'm saying is I might be upset if you left, but I wouldn’t be offended. I'd back you to make sure you got the right position with the right company. It's got to be the best for my protégée.”

”You're lovely but I'm not going anywhere any time soon Geoff.”

”The offer's there Maddy. I'll always support your career.”

”Thanks Geoff.”

Maddy gave a wave before returning to her computer screen.

”This was a lot more fun on Monday, when I thought I'd get to advise you with great techniques of becoming a stalker and you'd do it all without actively involving me, Maddy,” said Helen biting into a baguette.

”Can you not use my name in the same sentence as the word 'stalker'?” replied Maddy without looking up from her screen.

Like Helen, Maddison was eating her lunch in the office as she meticulously entered in web addresses, holding up an enlarged version of the partial logo from James' workplace up to the computer monitor.

”We're sitting in the office while the sun is shining for probably the last time this summer, eating sandwiches and indulging in psycho-woman antics.”

”It's not psychotic, it's research,” chimed Maddy, a smile dancing on her lips.

”It's research to help you be a more effective stalker.”

”You say stalker, I say lovelorn.”

”Not sure that's how the police will see it. You've clearly been reading too many trashy romance novels and watching silly romantic movies.”

”Helen, you were the one who suggested it was feasible to track down one man in a city of eight million,” reminded Maddy, catching her eye.

”I said it because you were nearly crying.”

”I'll be crying if you don't help me with this.”

Helen spun around in her chair.

”When you watch crime shows and stuff, how much time does the camera actually spend in the office while they do the admin work?”

”Minimal Helen. Do you know why?”

”Why?” she asked, pleased to have distracted Maddy from the task.

”Because they don't waste time talking to each other about how boring the admin work is. They get their heads down, do it swiftly so they can go in the field to get involved in the action.”

”Alright I can take a hint,” said Helen, returning to work.

Maddy tirelessly continued exercising diligence and care.

”Got you,” shouted Helen.

Maddy sprung out of her chair to race round to Helen's desk.

”That's it, isn't it?” said Helen, holding her photocopy of the logo, next to her computer screen.

Maddy carefully examined the screen, comparing it to the logo.

”That's it. I can't believe you found it!” she exclaimed, kissing Helen on the cheek.

”I can't believe your theory was right,” said Helen, as excited as her friend.

Maddy went back to her desk, sinking onto her chair; dazed and confused.

”What's next?” queried Helen.

”I phone up I suppose. How many offices do I have to ring through to?”

”As I predicted, it's a global law firm. Do you know they've actually got locations in every continent?”

”We can narrow the field down to the United Kingdom.”

”Offices in most major business centres,” read Maggie out loud from her screen.

”Try London,” said Maddy impatiently.

”There's two.”

”That's not so bad. Where are they?”

”One's near Temple station.”

”That's the legal district. That's got to be the main office.”

”It's like you have the 'Company Information' page open in front of you.”

”The other one?” her voice urgent.

”Canary Wharf.”

Maddy was thoughtful, going over the two locations.

”Do you want the switchboard for the main office?”

She shook her head slowly.