Chalk And Cheese

Austyn was at a loss for words. He had never seen a woman who so readily made herself at home in a stranger’s apartment. ‘Second door on the left,’ he said. ‘Thanks.’ Kira scurried upstairs. She found the well-appointed bathroom and sat down on the toilet with its lid down. She called Rony. ‘Kira? Where are you? I was getting worried!’ ‘I’m not going back to the hotel tonight. And cancel my ticket to Stamford tomorrow. I’m staying here. Tell Jim I’ll be on leave for the next couple of—no, for the next week. If he needs a field correspondent, get Anne-Marie to cover it.’ ‘What?’ Rony shouted. ‘What are you doing in Rinton? Our job is done here. Jim is going to kill me if you don’t—’ ‘I have more than two weeks of unused leave saved up from the last couple of years,’ Kira cut him off. ‘I’m entitled to take days off.’ ‘But Jim will—’ ‘I gotta go. Bye.’ Kira hung up. Then she called another number. The line was connected but Jesse didn’t pick up. Kira gave up after four tries and left him