Chasing Rainbows (18 page)

George saw that Olivia had placed herself in a corner away from him.

She was sipping a vodka and not speaking to anyone.

He did not get an opportunity to talk to her again as Heather monopolised him and would not leave him alone.

George was quickly becoming bored.

George danced with Heather most of the evening, trying to keep an eye on Olivia who was now twirling round the floor with Henry, the tourist officer.

She was laughing and chattering away, her mood had lifted and she looked as though she was enjoying herself.

Maybe Henry might get lucky? George felt a pang of envy, wishing she was dancing with him, instead.

He turned his attention to Heather, who was quite tall and although not pretty had a certain attraction about her.

It was nearing the end of the night when the DJ played, 'You've lost that loving feeling' by the Righteous Brothers.

Heather pulled George to her and put her cheek on his. As he looked over his shoulder he caught Olivia's eye, she was still dancing with Henry, now being held tightly in his arms as she gazed across the floor at George.

The dulcet tones of the Righteous Brothers flooded the room.

George felt a stirring in his loins as his eyes melted into those big brown pools that were looking at him.

Heather moved him round and the eyes were gone.

Heather was pushing her body against George and he felt the feeling that was beginning to grow disappear in a moment of disappointment.

He felt nothing as Heather pushed herself onto him.

George's mind was elsewhere and he wished his body was too.

The pleasant evening ended and after a private word with Henry, George entered the foyer.

His feelings that something was amiss were confirmed.

Jo and Heather were standing with Linda.

They were chattering and laughing.

Olivia was standing alone at the door, he couldn't put an expression to the mask she was wearing.

George moved to the side of the room and watched her.

What was that expression? It came to him. It was a brave face. But why? Why was Olivia wearing a brave mask?

The rainbow he'd been chasing was no more, he just saw a sad person who lost her colour.

These were supposed to be her friends, her work colleagues and they now appeared to be shunning her.

Surely it wasn't because she was enjoying herself and having a good time?

It was true she did have the men buzzing round her like flies, but they couldn't be jealous could they?

Olivia was rather naïve and wasn't even aware when the flies hovered, she was just Olivia and what you saw was what you got, he knew that.

“
Bloody women!” he muttered as he walked across the floor to Olivia. He took her arm and spoke into her ear, “Are you all right love?”

“
Not really,” she replied, “I'm a big girl and I will survive”.

George took her outside, helped her onto the mini bus and sat beside her.

He felt the daggers hit his back as he left the building, women were vicious and the atmosphere followed him.

George felt he had to get to the bottom of what was going on.

There were three days left before they were to go home and there were many miles still to travel.

Things needed to be dealt with before they got out of hand. He had never encountered such behaviours before and he really had to put a stop to it.

George decided that he would speak to Linda first, as she didn't seem as close to Jo and Heather and sometimes kept her distance from them.

When they reached the Weinheim, George moved closer to Linda and asked her if she fancied a night cap.

Everybody went to their rooms and Linda sat down beside George in the bar. He asked her what she would like to drink.

“
Just a coffee, thank you” she said. George persuaded her to have a brandy with her coffee, maybe it would loosen her tongue and he might just find what he was looking for.

George was not sure how he was going to broach the subject of his enquiry and began by asking Linda if she was enjoying herself and how she felt the evening went.

He was hoping that Linda might let something slip he had known her for a few years and knew she did not gossip.

Linda told George that she was having a good time but could not speak for the others, he would have to ask them.

He pondered a while before asking Linda what her thoughts were on Olivia as she was the newest member of staff at 'Into the Sun'.

Linda told George that she liked Olivia, she was full of life, liked a laugh, didn't have a bad bone in her body and was very popular in the office. She could be naïve and easily led too.

George thought that was a strange thing to finish off with and asked, “Why do you say that about being easily led?”.

Linda began to blush and looked away.

George stated, “She doesn't seem too popular here just now does she? I have noticed an atmosphere and wonder what that is about”.

Linda smiled, “Don't ask!” she said, looking down into her brandy glass with a certain amount of embarrassment.

George knew he was on the right track. Nonchalantly he threw in, “ I bet it's girls stuff, a squabble about nothing?”

Linda drank her coffee, she didn't want to be sitting next to this man, who she had a crush on. She did not want him asking these questions, she didn't want to get involved.

George's eyes never left her face and he read many things on it.

Linda began to wish she that right now she was somewhere else.

He knew she knew something, he could see it in her face.

Her expression said it all.

Linda was hiding something. “Linda, what is going on?” he spoke firmly with assertion.

Linda put her cup down. “I don't know,” she said.

George challenged her, “I think you do”.

Linda rose quickly and turned to face him, “Look George it is none of my business and I don't want to get involved, I don't know much. I suggest you speak to Jo, she seems to be at the bottom of all this, she has never liked Olivia, feels threatened by her, ask Jo not me”.

Linda turned on her heel and walked out of the bar.

George sat watching her leave, rather stunned by her outburst. That was not what he expected.

So, Jo had some part in all this, now he had to think of a way to get Jo to talk. That might be harder than expected.

George needed to know what was going on with Olivia as his feelings for her were growing and this needed sorting out.

As he walked to his room he began to hatch a plan.

The next time George saw Jo he asked her if they could have lunch together, he said he was sorry for having neglected her and that he was conscious that as manager of the team he should have been consulting with her throughout the trip. He had to feed her ego, if he was to get her to open up to him and solve the ever growing mystery.

Jo gave him a goofy smile and said rather sarcastically that she was surprised that he would value her opinion.

George was repulsed by her, as she answered that she would love to have lunch with him and today would be as good a time as any.

They were not leaving till the evening and they all had some free time.

George was not looking forward to being alone with Jo, he knew where she might want the lunch to lead and even a brave man would be foolish to take Jo to his bed.

George wasn't that brave nor that foolish.

Perhaps he could string her along, say nice things to her, find ways to get her to open up.

He could do that quite easily, Jo liked a drink and it didn't take much to get her drunk and talkative. He then might be able to extract the information he was seeking.

At eleven thirty George joined Jo in the foyer.

He could see that she made an effort to look sexy.

It had not worked.

Her mousy hair was pinned up on her head and she wore a bright red mini dress. The red lipstick did not suit her either. Not the way to dress at lunchtime really.

Jo ran up to him, all giggles, she put her arm through his and pulled him towards the door. “Come on then, where are you taking us on our SECRET lunch? Let's get out of here before anyone sees us. She put emphasis on the secret.

“
Oh God!” he raised his eyebrows, how would he manage a whole lunch time with her? This could end up very complicated.

They walked down the road to a small restaurant by a stream and sat outside at a table covered in a red gingham cloth and rustic crockery.

Although it was the end of autumn the sun still held it's heat and warmed the earth for a few hours making it pleasant enough to sit outside.

George ordered two shots of schnapps without asking Jo.

When the drinks arrived he lied about it being the custom for old friends to drink quite a few when they had not seen each other in a while.

By the third drink George could see that Jo's tongue was loosening, as she was beginning to babble.

Jo was ripe for the picking. George picked his questions carefully as he began to slowly walk through her mind.

Jo told him that everyone was enjoying the trip. She said that she missed him and their conversations and was happy to have this opportunity to be alone with him and catch up.

Her voice began to grate on him and he was quickly beginning to feel bored. For a moment he wondered why he was doing this. He needed to solve the mystery of what was going on with Olivia, that was why!

George's mind began to wander as she droned on and on. He did not like Jo.

She was a crafty bitch, who misused her power as a manager and didn't have many friends.

Kevin once told him that if she did not like someone, she made their life so hard at work that eventually they would leave.

Was this what was happening to Olivia? Had Jo got some hold over her and was now going in for the kill?

Since Hamburg the atmosphere was getting worse and it was obvious something was very wrong, very wrong indeed.

George was determined to get to the bottom of it before the end of the day.

He watched Jo as she ate her meal, she did not have the finest of table manners and the way she ate repulsed George.

He would continue his act and humour her.  He would do whatever it took to find answers to his questions.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“
Sir, Sir, would you like another drink?” The hostess put her hand lightly on George's shoulder and he was brought back into the present.

“
Err.... yes please,” he smiled up at the young girl, with too much make up on.

“
I will have the same as before please.” George looked at the man seated beside him, he looked asleep but he nudged him anyway.

As Doug opened his eyes, George asked, “Drink?”

“
Yes thanks mate, sorry was just lost in a daydream” Doug smiled back.

After a short polite chat George finished his drink, closed his eyes and returned to Jo in Germany.

His memory becoming clearer all the while as to what happened all those years ago.

They were on their second bottle of wine when George asked the question, “So what is going on Jo? I have noticed an atmosphere and everybody seems to be ignoring Olivia, she doesn't seem to be part of the group”.

Jo slurred, “Nothing, don't know what you are talking about”.

Jo's flushed face became redder, George poured her another drink.

She knew.  It was written all over her face. He needed to approach the subject from different angle.

“
Do you think Olivia is enjoying this trip, as your newest member of staff? I know you went to Norway and she told me she loved it. As my trips are important I like to hear what people make of them.”

Jo looked at him , trying to put on a sexy gaze, which wasn't quite working. “Why don't you ask her yourself George? Let's not talk about her, let's talk about us”.

She sighed and raised her glass for more wine. George obliged. He felt that this would be his last attempt to find out what was going on.

He had already approached some of the others with subtle hints. No one was willing to speak and just kept referring him back to Jo, telling him he should be asking her not them.

George needed her to spill the beans before she became incoherent. He had to manipulate this ugly, awful woman sitting across the table from him.

Taking a risk, he began, “Can I tell you something Jo? Can you keep it between us please?”

Jo perked up, “Of course you can and I think I know what you are going to say”. Taking a deep breath George began, “You know Jo there is someone who I think is lovely, a bubbly, nice person who is really pretty.”