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Chapter Forty Four
 
 
 

The tall, rather awesome appearance of  Bengal Corporations was within a block of eyesight and it was then that Bobie stopped, walked toward a bench and sat.  She was still feeling a bit shaky.  The plane trip was not long but all that happened before had unsettled her nerves.

Leaning back, she closed her eyes for a brief moment.  It was something to get used to, the traffic, the people, the noise and the fog that seemed to come out of nowhere.  The beat of her heart was sending out loud and clear messages within her chest.  She had come this far to face Skylar and now she wasn’t sure this was the wise thing to have done.  Sky had made it clear she no longer wanted anything to do with her, yet there she was like some sort of stalker, chasing after the woman.

 Los Angeles was a fascinating place, in a few moments time she had seen things that were not an everyday occurrence in Springfield.  Bengal Corporations looked like a very thriving business.  The revolving circular doors seemed to never stop as one person went in another came out.  She couldn’t help but wonder just what type of deals might go on?  But in the back of her mind was the charming redhead and her hopes to find her this day.

"Too bad we have this fog today."

A petite brunette had sat beside her.  The woman was smiling and happy to sit down several packages she was carrying.  Realizing she had been talking to her, Bobie replied,  "Yes, it is."

"You don’t look like you are from around here, just get in?"

In the back of her mind all she wanted was some peace and quiet all the while knowing, this was impossible in this city.  "Visiting."

The woman smiled and sidled closer, her strong perfume permeated Bobie’s senses making it very difficult to breathe.  "Like I said, visiting."  The last word was more of a choke than anything else.  At this time the woman’s right hand had come to rest on her shoulder.

"Nice looking man like you, must be here on some special business.  You look tired, perhaps I could help . . ."

Before she could finish her statement, Bobie was on her feet, hymning and making sounds that were undistinguishable.  It was then she realized she was made up to look like a man.  The woman was indeed coming onto her and this was not the situation she wanted to find herself in.   "I apologize but I do have business at Bengal Corporations, if you will excuse me."

She leaned back, eyes traveling Bobie before slowly saying in a whispered fashion, "Wouldn’t want to make you late.  When you are through, take my card, I would love to meet up for say a drink or two.  I can be a marvelous tour guide."

Taking the woman’s card she replied,   "If I can, I will.  Have a nice day."

"My name is Denise.  You have a nice day too. And your name . . ."

"Denny, got to go."

She watched the young man hurry toward the building and once he went inside she shrugged and began to look through one of the bags she had with her.
 
 

Barbara Johnson was sitting behind the welcome desk, flipping through a new Metro Fashion magazine when the elevator door opened to admit several people. She glanced in the direction and it was then she saw the tall redhead standing behind the others.  Quickly putting the magazine in a drawer she turned her full attention toward Skylar Richmond.

Sky had been talking with Larry Payne when they stepped from the elevator.  The man was deep in some sort of discussion and kept pointing down the hall toward Bernie Herbella’s office.  Placing her elbows on the desk, Barbara rested her chin on her hands all the while watching the two.

Skylar was dressed in a chocolate Bohemia Moto Jacket, all the rage in the fashion world.  Flaming red hair cascaded upon the classic tailored shoulders as stray tentacles tried to peek in the jacket’s open neck.  The two chest pockets with zippers, and the front with  a creamy suede stylized flamed design that was Asian inspired stood out.  It was enough to catch anyone’s eye.  As Skylar reached out to shake the man’s hand, Barbara could see that there were also elbow circular stitching and zippers on the arms of the jacket.  It had a slightly cropped fitted styling that hugged Skylar’s hips with perfection.  The jacket went well with the dark leather pants and black boots she wore; the three inch heels of the boots gave her even more height as she towered over Larry.

The man didn’t seem to mind, it appeared his eyes were glued on Skylar’s bounteous breasts and the front zipper that had been loosened on the jacket to show skin, enough to keep his attention.  Barbara had been reading about the classic button motorcycle collar and the expert tailoring that went into the making of this.  It was said the jacket was super chic this season.  The way Skylar wore these clothes it was as if they had been made just for her.   No one had seen the woman since she left for Arizona, but there had been the usual office gossip.  The woman she was looking at did not look like someone that had weathered any type of storm, if anything, Skylar Richmond looked more beautiful than she remembered.

Sky noticed Barbara gazing her way and waved.  The woman returned the wave and set about doing some clerical work.  As her fingers began to hit the keyboard, Skylar’s voice-brought pause to this.  "Barbara, nice to see you again."

Turning to gaze into emerald green eyes that had the ability to reach out and grasp a person pulling them into their very depths, Barbara finally found her voice,  "Skylar.  How good to see you."

Sky leaned on the counter, as if to get closer to the woman before asking,  "Is Bern in his office?"

Barbara stood and walked to the counter, gazed at the woman’s jacket and replied,   "They have those in Arizona?"

Sky shook her head.  "No, something a friend picked up for me.  Is he in or not?"

"He is in a conference call, said, ‘not to be disturbed.’  I’ll tell him you are here."

"Don’t bother.  This won’t take long."

Before Barbara could say another word, the woman was heading down the hall and toward the door to Bernie Herbella’s private office.
 
 

Bernie was on the telephone deep in conversation when she entered the room.  He slanted his eyes when he heard the door open.  "Thought I said not to be disturbed!"  He turned to say a few more words and stopped, mouth agape, his composure quickly changing.   "Skylar, have a seat, I’ll be with you as soon as I finish this call."

Sky shook her head in distaste.  The man was still wheeling and dealing.  Her lengthy legs took her to the desk and before he knew it, she had disconnected his call.  "Why did you go do that?  I was on an important call.  Now I will have to call and apologize."

Sky gazed down at this very handsome man.  It was obvious he had been in the sun, for he was tanned and looking gorgeous.  "Apologize later.  We need to talk."

He stood, walked around the desk, all the time his eyes traveling her lengthy form. "Nice outfit, anyone ever says ‘that clothes make the woman,’ you certainly show that to be a false statement.  You make the clothes.   And I have to say, huba huba and more.  Your leave certainly didn’t harm you any.  Looking better than ever."

"Cripes sake, can we just get serious?  I don’t need my brow stroked or my ego plumped up.  ‘Leave?’   I went to Arizona because you insisted I go.  The leave I wanted to take, you wouldn’t let me at the time."  Skylar watched him pull out a chair for her and walked past to the divan and sat.

He shrugged, walked back to the desk and replied,  "Yeah, should have thought better of it.  Well Arizona is in the past and it is time we discuss your next venture."

"There was a time you would never have come onto me like that.  The  remark about the ‘clothes’ was nice but so untrue and the ‘huba huba’ and looks I can do without.  About the next venture, there won’t be."

His facial expression changed as he picked up a pen and began to twirl it in and around each finger.  "Sure, it is already being discussed.  The phone call you interrupted, it was from our liaison in Televiv and seems you are needed there."

Sky, leaned back, tilted her head to the side and replied,  "No.  I meant it, no more ventures, no more going here and there when you smile at me with your pearly white teeth or throw your head back so I can watch your golden locks frolic as they move.  I know you had a big hand in what happened at Springfield, and I won’t forget it."

"Springfield is past, you are here, things are happening and fast. You are needed.  Surely you are not going to let these people down."

"You have enough working for you that any one of them will do a good job.   It wasn’t enough getting me out of Springfield, now you want to send me to a place even further away.  No matter how far I go, or what may happen to me, I will never forget Springfield, or Bobie Parker if that is your plan.  By the way, pretty smart using that dummy company."

"What are you talking about?"

"The company that has been buying up a lot of the land in the area around Springfield."

He looked insulted that she would even think this and vehemently said,  "I was there but only to get you.  Have nothing to do with the land in the area.  As far as I am concerned the vultures can have it."

"This is Sky you are talking to, I know you tend to have your fingers in things that are not on the up and up at times.  Usually overlook this but not this time.  Try as hard as you can to deny it, I know you had something to do with the land purchases, the uranium tie.  Maybe even the Kiva incident, Injun Pete’s untimely death, Jason Littleton’s murder and probably a lot more."

"What happened to you in that hick town?  Someone brainwash you?"

"No, I speak the truth and you know it."

"Sky, I had nothing to do with either murder, in so far as the land purchases, not there either.  ‘You are barking up the wrong tree’ as they might say in Springfield.  I am only guilty of one thing and that is sending you to that town in the first place."

Sky never took her eyes from the man’s face.  She was studying every movement.  "Wanted to see if I could rattle you. I’ll take your word for the moment but it is not over.  I will get to the bottom of this and I'm getting so close a few people should start to break out in a sweat.  Now can you tell me where I can find Tara Coltrane?"

"Tara, what do you want with her?"

"Seems Tara has been dipping into things that need to be stopped.  Where is she?"

He chewed at his bottom lip, eyes gazing downward then back to Sky finally saying, "Last time I heard anything involving the woman she was at the Beverly.  Think it was in-between cruises."

"Thanks, if I can, I will talk with her."

"You never just talk, must be something important.  I know the two of you hate one another and it has to be important for you to want to see her.  Want to tell me?"

"Are you kidding?  No, this is strictly woman to woman business.  Like I said, I will not forget Springfield or the people I have grown to care about.   And yes, Bobie is at the top of my list."

He stood up and walked around the desk, pulled up a chair and sat.  "I don’t want to get into this with you. But seems to me the woman has been nothing but trouble.  I know the sheriff is looking for her.  Is she with you?"

The man’s words were surprising and caught her off guard, as she quickly looked away from him.  "No.  Why would she be?"

"Broke out of jail with someone’s help and the sheriff thinks it is you."

Trying to hide a  grin as she envisioned Bobie's jail break, she turned to him and replied,  "I have been here, and had no idea this happened.  When did it occur?"

"Nope, not going to talk about Bobie Parker.  Want to talk about us."

Sky stood and said,  "There is no ‘us,’ never has been.  Get your head out of the fantasy you have created and come back to earth."

"Look Sky, I’m sorry about sending you to that place, but from what I am hearing you were pretty close to solving this case.  Surely they can finish without your help."

"I’m wondering if you are hard of hearing or you just don’t want to."

He was standing now, his eyes never leaving the woman.  "You don’t think you can get over Bobie Parker, but you can."

"That’s not what I said.  Sky reached out, placed her hand on the man’s shoulders, their eyes met and locked for a moment before she made it very clear.  "I quit.  Don’t say a word, you no longer tell me what to do or where to go.  Is this clear enough for you?"

He nodded.  "Have you forgotten?  You are under contract, we can sue, take you to court, stop you from doing any other work, is this what you want?"

"I want out.  Go ahead and sue, I have lawyers.  I’m not broke so you can’t lord it over me.  Get over it Bern, be a gentleman and let me go."

He stepped back, shook his head and muttered,  "No.  Not to her. You may never work for us again, Skylar Richmond but Bobie Parker will never be a part of your life.  I have ways."

"Sky smiled, raised an eyebrow as she walked close to the man and whispered in his right ear,  "I have many skills.  We will see who walks away."   Before he could utter a reply she was on her way out the door calling back,  "My resignation will be on your desk in the morning, ciao."
 
 

Bobie had been stopped when she stepped onto the main floor.  The security guard asked for her pass and when she said she didn’t have one, he wanted her to accompany him to his office.  Once inside the man began to interrogate her.   Only he thought he was interrogating a young man.

Bobie sat and looked at this man, a guard that was up on espionage and was beginning to do a good job of looking into her background.  She was thankful he kept being called away from his post.  When he finally was able to sit, he stared at the woman and asked,  "Want to tell me what you are really doing here?"

"Look, I just wanted to talk to Bernie Herbella.  I work with some influential people in Wyoming and while putting in a pipe line they accidently uncovered what looks to be the remains of some prehistoric animal.  A large animal.  I just need to talk to him that’s all."

"Uh huh and what do you think Bernie Herbella would have to do with this?"

"I know that Bengal Corporations looks into things like this that they have top notch people in many fields of expertise to do this."

"People like?"

"I know that a woman named, Skylar Richmond works for Bengal.  She just did some great work in Africa from what I heard.   If Mr. Herbella is not in, maybe someone can give me her address and I could talk to her."

"We don’t give out employees’ addresses to anyone.  Let me give Bernie a call and see if he wants to speak to you.  Now you stay right there, till I come back."

As the man opened the door to leave, Bobie caught sight of Skylar in the lobby.  Jumping to her feet she said,   "Changed my mind, there is Skylar Richmond, I’ll go talk to her."

Bobie was ecstatic, every fiber of her being was on fire.  Sky looked so beautiful, the leather outfit she wore brought out her skin color and her glowing red hair seemed to be on fire as it bounced upon her shoulders.   Bobie was already out the door when the man’s strong hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the floor and pulling her back to the room.

"What are you doing?"   Bobie croaked trying to keep a low voice.

He closed the door then replied,  "Won’t have someone attacking one of our employees in the lobby.  Now listen, son, you go through the right channels, get your pass, make an appointment like everyone else."

"But I have to see Skylar Richmond."

The man shook his head in disbelief as he watched this young man pace the room.  "Let me give you some advice.  Skylar Richmond is a woman of the world, and if there is a thought in your head you can wine and dine her, forget it.  The woman is like a stone wall, no one gets past.  When you have cooled down, I will let you leave but not till then."

Bobie walked toward a chair and sat, turned her back to the man, folded her arms cross her chest and sulked.  Her body was sending out many signals and each spoke volumes of emotions she was having a hard time controlling.
 

When the man finally let her out of the room, she promised to get the pass and go through the right channels.  By this time, Sky was gone and she had no idea where she went.  Bobie was just getting ready to leave the building when an elevator opened and Barbara Johnson walked out.  She saw the young man, and for some reason felt he needed someone to talk to.  After checking out, she walked toward him.  "Pardon me, but you seem lost.  Can I help?"

Continued in Part 23