Kapitel 25: Blake's investigation
When she had married Blake she did not bother about searching for the perfect dress. It had not really been her dream wedding.
In London, Rene had seen Laurelle about four times already by the time he spotted Blake.
He had called Laura upon arrival, to notify her about the fact that he was in London. He also had to promise her that he would try and see to it that Blake did not get into trouble with anybody.
Laura had then gratefully given him the name and address of a certain old lady, where Blake would receive accommodation. This lady lived in a luxury apartment in London.
Rene sat in a restaurant opposite the building, while he waited for Blake to show up on Monday morning at around eight o' clock. Rene had sacrificed his sleep in order to do this. He usually went to bed in the early hours of the morning. At this time of the day he would be fast asleep.
Blake only emerged about two hours later. Rene was feeling really sleepy by then.
Apparently Blake was already leaving the city, because he had his jacket draped over his arm, while he carried two suitcases and hailed a cab. So, he himself was too late then, Rene realized. If he had wanted to see what Blake was up to he should have been wise enough to take some time off from the partying over the past weekend.
Rene decided to follow him anyway, just in case Blake was leaving the city in order to go to another part of England.
After a while he realized, to his disappointment, that he had after all been too late to observe any of Blake's movements, because the cab was heading straight towards Heathrow Airport.
Well, at least Blake was not harmed, as far as Rene could tell. Laura would have no cause for any further worry. He still had to call her though and tell her about what little he had observed of Blake's movements. He hoped that she would not feel let down by his incompetence. He had tried what he could. At least, he had his finger on the pulse.
***
On the flight home Blake reminisced. He was pleased that he had worked according to schedule.
Nobody had expected him at the party, held in honor of Lord George Eickenberry of Downsville Manor. Blake had observed a few curious glances in his direction, since he was obviously on his own and no one could link him to anyone who might have brought him along.
Mr. Alvin Clemence had invited him along, but they had parted company as soon as Alvin had made about eight introductions on Blake's behalf. By then Blake was quite at ease. He felt confident enough to mingle on his own.
He had waited around for the right moment, by chatting casually and very briefly to a few apparently unobservant middle-aged ladies and gentlemen.
Then he had followed the smartly dressed Lord Eickenberry; out onto the huge patio and had lurked behind a few gold-gilded pillars. Blake waited while Lord Eickenberry chatted with the attractive young woman he had left the dance floor with.
This young lady wore a beautiful royal-blue gown, covered in sequins. It opened along the left side from the knee and down to her ankle, revealing a rather shapely leg.
Her hair was auburn and tumbled around her shoulders. Her face was as beautiful as it was in the photograph which he had received from Mr Clemence, upon his arrival in London.
Blake waited around by occasionally re-entering the dance hall, for a snack and a brief chat with the middle-aged guests.
Finally, after Jacky―as Lord Eickenberry was called in his close social circle―had been out with his lady friend for about twelve minutes, he returned to the rest of the partying folk and mingled again for about forty minutes.
By the time the gentleman left however, Blake was on his heels. He got into the car provided for him by Alvin Clemence and drove away without having announced his departure to anyone in particular.
Blake followed Jacky to what he assumed to be the older man's gentleman residence, but he parked the car about two houses further down the street. Jacky's car drove in at the gates.
The suburb was quiet at that time of the night. It must have been about midnight.
Blake waited in the car, so that he could observe whether his Lordship was being followed by anyone else. By the time a red Porsche approached the stately gates of the imposing, multi-storied house, Blake realized that he had been waiting for almost an hour. He had almost dozed off. Now he had to act.
***
Laura had spent an enjoyable weekend with Jared, while Blake had been away on his first training session with his boss.
Jared had not gone to a nightclub after all. After having spent Friday night watching movies, Laura and Jared spent Saturday afternoon swimming in the apartment building's swimming pool.
Later, they attended a party thrown by Jabu Sithole, a former University friend of Jared's, who was recuperating after a difficult divorce.
Jabu lived with his friend Faruok, in a house in Laudium, on the outskirts of Pretoria. Today though, he was having a party in one of the flats in Laura and Blake's complex building.
The party was rather wild, late at night towards the end. Just what Jared needed for a radical change in his demeanor. He and Laura sneaked away though and went back to the swimming pool.
By the time the party girls (whom Jabu had booked from out of a newspaper advertisement), came over to frolic in the swimming pool with them, Jared, Laura and Jabu decided to slip away from the other partygoers.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein