Writing Fiction a novel - Exclusive for Steemit - Diamonds and Deviants 5

Diamonds and Deviants

---

This picture my own - others from Google Free to use images

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

---

“I thought your species didn’t shake hands on a deal?” Celtica was surprised at his offer of trust.

“No, but i believe your species do and I feel more affinity with you than I have with anyone since I lost Simeon. Send me the bill, I’ll settle it today and if you need more, just send it on.” Gideon turned to go but thought of something and turned back to face Celtica. “Just one thing.”

Celtica remained silent but she raised her eyebrows to indicate that he should continue.

“Why did you seem surprised when I came into your office if you knew I had an appointment?”

“Oh that was just a way of taking your measure. Apart from the fact that you actually did surprise me, I really didn‘t hear or sense you but I wanted to see how you’d react. If you had been angry about my PA allowing you in without buzzing me first, even though I instructed her to do exactly as you asked, you’d have got a lot of sympathy, platitudes and the numbers of other private investigators, but you wouldn’t have got me. I wouldn’t have touched this case with a barge pole.”

Gideon nodded that he understood, he realised that he’d passed Celtica’s test and he was relieved that he had. Again, he turned to leave but turned back. “What does that even mean, 'barge pole’?

Celtica shrugged her shoulders and grinned. Gideon left.

She tapped her fingernail on her bottom lip. "I wonder exactly what species he thinks I am?" she said in a quiet voice.

As usual, Celtica stayed in the office until she was satisfied that her work day was done. She had a few leads to work on and she had filled in her calendar to let Jenny, her PA know what she was up to for the next few days. Jenny was more than capable of filling in at the office and she wielded a big enough stick with staff and colleagues to ensure the organisation didn’t grind to a halt while the boss was away.

Before she left, she stood at the window, watching the bay beneath her. The stars were beginning to brighten against the darkening sky and she rubbed her arms as though trying to get warm. Her pale skin responded to her touch and a light covering of goose bumps rose on her upper arms. “Hmm, that needs moisturising,” she said in a quiet voice. She grabbed her briefcase and set off for home.

She hailed a cab without too much trouble, it was busy but rush hour had been and gone.

Celtica got home. Mike would have been impressed, she ran all the way up the stairs to the penthouse. She showered and changed, then went back out.

Elegant as usual, her attire was functional too; she had her favourite jeans and boots on and her hair was braided tightly.
She called in at one of the more select restaurants and of course they were able to accommodate her for dinner. Nothing was too much trouble for Miss Celtica Diamond - especially when she tipped so well.

Celtica went out of town for her next stop. The cab driver wasn’t impressed with the destination she gave him but when she flashed a couple of bills in his rear view mirror, he begrudgingly drove her there. She didn’t push her luck and ask him to wait.

The bar wasn’t her usual type of haunt at all. She should have felt uncomfortable with the curious stares and attention she drew, but she didn’t.

The bar may have been frequented by a different type of people, a different type of creature, to what she was used to, but it was certainly not as though she hadn’t encountered anything like them before.

She walked right to the bar, past the two burly men playing pool for money, past the audience watching the pool match and when the surly barmaid finally acknowledged her, she ordered a drink. “JD rocks,” was all she said. The woman nodded and fetched her drink. Celtica left a ten dollar bill on the bar and turned away with the glass in her hand.

She sipped her drink and raked her gaze over the occupants of the bar room. When she at last saw who she was looking for, she took her glass and walked across the room, she seemed to ignore everyone else in the room but took note of every face.

She was well aware of the eyes that followed her progress but once she reached the table where the object of her attention sat, the curious eyes were suddenly no longer interested.

A chair swung out from under the table towards her, kicked expertly, and Celtica took it as an invitation to sit. Before she did so, she leaned forward to kiss the man, the one that had kicked the chair, on both cheeks.

At that, the bar seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and all of a sudden, the tension evaporated. She heard laughter for the first time since she opened the door and saw the winner of the pool match shake hands with the loser, collect his winnings, and buy the opponent a drink.