Seen And Not Seen (The Veil Book 1) Read Free Page B

as two cops keep the patrons inside. Landelle opens the town car door and Robert climbs aboard.

THE JUDICIARY
    Robert sits opposite a stern, tight-lipped Justice Garr, as Landelle and Toor climb in. The car moves off and Garr wastes no time setting about a braced Robert with a verbal club.
    “For heaven’s sake, Bobby! Where have you been?”
    “Hello, Alka.”
    “And look at you! No better than a bum.”
    Robert winces at the personal rebuke, knowing better than push back too early during an onslaught from this individual. Toor, never having fully understood the depth of history between the two of them, seeks to intercede.
    “Justice Garr, perhaps…”
    “No, Sharanjit. He needs to face up to his responsibilities.” But Garr sees that Robert is retreating back in to himself. “This…condition. It’s getting worse, isn’t it. Why won’t you see Lucius?” It’s enough to snap Robert out of it and snap at her.
    “They still prescribe lithium, you know. You’d think it was the bloody nineteenth century!” Robert sinks back into a mood. Outside the city slides by. Garr leans forward.
    “Senator Blake has been making considerable capital out of your evasion of his subpoena.”
    “I am afforded the right not to be served.”
    “And he is afforded the right to serve you. And he’s using the F.B.I. to do it. Manhattan is probably crawling with them already.”
    Robert is more than ready to lock horns, “Blake’s committee is a political stunt and irrelevant. I have the popular vote, not him.”
    Garr leans back, eying up Landelle and Toor before calling forward to the driver. “George, pull over,” followed by a polite request of the two women, “I need a moment alone with Bob.”
    A compliant Landelle gets out followed by an irritated Toor, pushing the door closed behind her. The two of them linger beyond the privacy glass. Garr ponders Robert for a moment, his eyes averted.
    “Where do you disappear to? And why?”
    “I need to be alone to deal with the times when I can’t be.”
    “It’s a wonder you’re never spotted, let alone…”
    “People don’t see me when I’m that way, and that’s just fine with me.”
    “Be as it may, your behavior has given Blake the mandate he needs. It no longer matters whether you have popular opinion behind you or not. When Blake lifts the lid on the Afrika he’ll find Five Earths, then Trinity and then the cat will most decidedly be out of the bag.”
    Robert snaps back at her, jabbing his retort home. “Then get the coalition to stop him.”
    “Monica lobbied them, but they won’t lift a finger.”
    “Monica?” Shocked surprise from Robert.
    “She still believes in Trinity, Bob. But Blake’s committee has everyone else distancing themselves.” Garr’s tone with Robert darkens. “The coalition want her to throw you to the wolves. So does your board of directors.” She looks away—at the world outside, “They are seeking to take control of the company and have you removed.”
    “On what grounds?”
    Garr keeps her gaze elsewhere, but she can hear the contempt in his voice.
    She lingers on the outside world a moment longer, “That you are absent from your responsibilities,” before confronting him directly. “You can hardly blame them. If Blake finds Trinity they will be culpable. Your head on a platter might just stop him digging any deeper.”
    Robert’s face boils with a rage. Garr rests back in her seat to make her concluding point.
    “So there you have it. Blake is after you and the coalition and your own board want to hang you out to dry. The only person fighting your corner is Monica. Your only way out now is to confront Blake. You must appear before the Senate committee and prevail. You cannot let him find Trinity.”
    Fighting back the rage, Robert wastes no time getting out of the car, Garr calling after him.
    “Don’t give him the satisfaction of serving you with that subpoena.” But he isn’t listening so an exasperated Garr