Subject Seven

Chapter Twenty-six
Evelyn Hope

Evelyn Hope looked up from her excellent broiled leg of lamb with mint jelly dinner as George knocked briskly and entered her office. She set down her fork and looked longingly at the herbed potato she’d skewered. Business first, unfortunately. “There’s been further activity at the warehouse.”

Gabriel let out a small belch and covered his mouth with his napkin, casting an apology with his eyes. The smallest offense and he apologized. She smiled with her eyes before turning to look at George.

She wiped her lips carefully and set the napkin to the right of her plate. “Really? Actual activity this time? Not another indigent looking for scraps?”

George looked at her with an exasperated sigh that said he didn’t much like being doubted. She didn’t like having her dinner with her son interrupted. So they were even.

“Surveillance showed one man entering the building several hours ago. As I said then, the individual put a cheap table and even cheaper chairs in there, along with a TV.”

She smiled. It was killing George that she hadn’t let him take the TV from the place. Instead she’d gone over there herself with Gabriel in tow and pulled the package from the player and made a copy. Then placed the original back where it belonged. It didn’t bother him that she would risk her own life but that she hadn’t shared the contents of the video.

She hadn’t watched it herself as yet, hadn’t had the time, really, but now that there was activity at the warehouse a second time, she would make the time. Having someone try to set up a video seminar was strange, but hardly a crisis. Having that someone come back with others made it a bit more of a priority.

Gabriel set down his cutlery and waited patiently for the meal to resume. He was careful not to speak because, as she had made clear a long time ago, children were never to interrupt adults. He could speak up around her and be himself, but the academy frowned on any child disrespecting adults.

“Send in the first unit, George.”

He nodded. “Backup teams?”

“You know how I feel about people nosing into my business. Two backup teams and a bird.”

“A bird?” He lifted one eyebrow.

Gabriel made a show of not listening. He was a curious child. She loved that about him.

“The building has served its purpose, and you should know by now that I’m hardly sentimental.”

He tried looking shocked for a second and then shrugged.

“And George?”

“Yes, Evelyn?” He looked over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

“Henri? Is that the chef’s name?” He nodded. “Tell Henri the lamb is perfect tonight.” She looked at Gabriel. “Would you agree, Gabby?”

“Yes, Mother.” Good boy. Very polite in front of George, as he should be.

George nodded and left and Evelyn looked down at her dinner. She contemplated ignoring the food, but a sound body helped promote a sound mind, and she had already skipped lunch. Besides which, it was really quite tasty.

After George was out of the room, Gabriel looked at the door he’d used to leave and made a raspberry noise with his tongue, blowing a long, wet note.

Evelyn tried to keep a straight face and a frown of disapproval, but her exterior cracked and she let out a small laugh, covering her mouth with her fingers to muffle it.

“You’re impossible, Gabby.”

Gabriel smiled, that warm, lovely expression lighting his face. “He’s just so… stuffy.”

She waved her fingers at him. “Eat your dinner. Shameless. You are shameless.”

“I am my mother’s son.” He spoke softly with his usual dry wit. And she realized he was right. He was her boy and hers alone. She thought of Bobby and how much she missed him and then pushed that aside. Bobby was the past. Gabriel was today.

After a few seconds she started eating again, curious as to what would happen at the old offices. Gabriel sat with her, both of them content to share a comfortable silence.