One Week in May

The merger would be KLCON and GCON in New Zealand. Due to the impending scandal in Australia the GCON Brand would be terminated and a completely new brand developed thereby retaining selected staff.

I was to be made acting head of KLCON operations in New Zealand and the New Zealand head office moved to Christchurch. A letter of intent had been prepared and signed. I was requested to return to Christchurch and reassemble the staff. Zikri would come down on Tuesday with a view to commencing a reconstruction of the team for the Philippines project.

They knew of my family problems and suggested that I continue in Christchurch as planned and put some effort there. None knew where Bridget or Schaefer were but knew that the police were looking to interview them.

********

Saturday 11^th May 4:00 p.m.

I am puffing as I entered the bar. The last few days have been a rough ride. I see Sally is already there having a quiet drink with herself. I rush over. "God, you look like a man in a hurry," says Sally.

"Yeah, yeah! you have no idea."

"Have you seen Bridget?"

"No", I look down, "so I take it you haven't?"

"No."

"Listen, I'll cut to the chase; Bridget has disappeared, she has been abused and the police are looking for her."

"Oh my god!"

"The thing I am trying to come to grips with, is how she got into this mess. Looking back, she must have been the most successful of the entire book group; like she was your poster girl."

"Yeah, you are right; the other women put a lot of pressure on her. Unfortunately for you they reckoned she was better than you; Marcia especially."

"I always thought of Marcia as the Queen Bee."

"That would be right."

"Do you know that Bridget sacked me from my job?"

Sally gasps; "No, she didn't did she?"

"Yup, she stood me down without a bye or leave."

"How could she be so callous? Did you know that suggestion came from the book group?"

"Fuck me! She wouldn't have just done it from a suggestion. Listen she was tied up with a guy named Schaefer. Do you know anything about him?"

"I know something but the other women will know the full story."

"Can I ask you a favour? Can you ask around the group? I do know the police are after Schaefer and Bridget."

"The police are after Bridget?"

"Sure am, and you guys will almost certainly be questioned by them. You can tell them that. If you can get to me tomorrow, I really need as much info as I can on Monday. I need to find Bridget so if there is any clue...."

"OK, I promise I will do that."

"OK then, if you can call me about three. I know it does not give you much time."

"No, no problem."

We have finished our drink so I replenish and we continue in a general vein

"You agree I was a little hard done by with the group?"

"You sure were; I felt sorry for you and now thoroughly ashamed."

"I sort of view the book group like a bunch of adolescent girls going out and getting pissed. One of them gets so pissed she flakes then the rest just leave her by herself. It's like the book group got Bridget drunk on power."

"I never looked at it that way. But you are right you know. They just abandoned her. Bridget would brag that guy Schaefer was grooming her to become CEO of the New Zealand operation. He was going to Philippines or something. I don't really know any more than that."

"I raised my eyebrows with that remark "Well they don't hand out CEO positions on a plate. I guess she was sucked in on that one, he was grooming her for something else."

"There was a great falling out. I don't know why; I will find that stuff out."

"If you find Bridget, what are you going to do? Will you divorce her?"

"No. She needs help, I think. I want to get our lives back on track but it's going to be hard if not impossible. We were going to have other children. Naturally Bridget is a very maternal woman. She loves children."

"I never saw that side of Bridget."

"Believe it or not that is her true self. She comes from a conservative background. Thinking about this, how is Moana? Are you guys going to have children?"

"Yeah, we have thought about it."

"Obviously guys don't have the babies and therefore trust and confidence in partner is paramount in their thinking.

A woman always knows the baby she is having his hers. A guy cannot be so certain that the baby his wife is having is his, so trust and confidence is the glue for a guy and his marriage. It just seems the group dismantled all that with us. It's going to be hard building trust with Bridget to keep going."

I begin to rant "Girl power is not equality if it is misandrist. I think Women have largely got power but their perceived inequality shows that they not learnt how to wield it. Legislation was largely created when it served to protect women from the power of men. It does not now recognize the responsibility women have, now that they have been given power.

They are still victims but often it is by their own actions. Legislation interestingly does not protect men or women from the power of women."

I am on a roll," If you want to enter the wild and stormy waters you take a life jacket, get a bigger boat or don't go there at all. Some women seem to want to legislate against wild and stormy waters or better still some omnificent male to part the waters so that they can just walk through. Shit! Males have to put up with battling one another to achieve power; women just have to learn to do the same."

Continuing, "Biology in all this gets forgotten, love, jealousy, maternal feelings confidence in one another or lack of, can steer both partners into irrational behavior. It does not help when external factors introduce competition and ambition into the mix.

Bridget seems to have fallen into the arms of a true misogynist helped by the book group. I was vilified by your friends and yet I have a proven track record, the book group refused to believe."

Sally is silent all through my rant. She is nodding her head but the look on her face is one of tolerance than belief. In the end she smiles slightly.

"I believe you, at least about your record as an employer. I know Diane from your work very well. I couldn't tell Marcia anything. I don't know why Marcia hated you so much. May be it was that. You have a good record and that's what she didn't like about you. I have never thought about misandry much but there is probably one in Marcia."

I finally leave Sally. I am missing Lily after the last couple of days. I seem to have done so much travel I just feel I need to blob out with my girl.

**************

Sunday 12^th May 9:00 a.m.

I have just got back to my house with Lily. I have spent last night at Alf's and Claudija.

Today I am determined to spend a relaxing day at home. But I have just come in when I hear a car drive up, followed by a rap on the door.

It is Dean.

"Long time no see."

"Yeah mate, how are you?"

"I could do with my wife back."

"Really? Are you so sure after what she did to you?"

"Ah well, I am sure there is more to it."

"Ever the optimist, my boy."

"Well, it's paid off so far."

"Yeah, so I believe."

"I got a call yesterday afternoon; I take it you are now Il duce, the paramount chief?"

"Stand easy, young man. Do you know anything about Bridget and Schaefer?"

"Bridget, no; Schaefer, yes."

"Do tell."

"You don't know?"

"No."

"Schaefer has been arrested."

"Really?"

"And what's more he is being done for pedophilia and child porn. It's primarily what the yanks are after him for. It may explain his interest in the Philippines. It seems he has lived there once before under another name and he has another wife there. I don't think Anthony Schaefer is his real name. He's been kicked out of the Philippines for some reason and he is trying to find a back door in. There is also a big investigation going on involving fraud and god knows what. I thought I would come around and warn you. The police may want to question you."

Dean continues, "the other thing is I understand you will be in tomorrow. Now I don't know where Bridget is but she was due in tomorrow morning so I am picking that if the police are after her they will show up early as well. What are you going to do if Bridget is there?"

"Stand her down."

"That's ironic," followed by a cynical chuckle.

"I am not being callous, I will try and be gentle about it, I now have some idea of what she has been through and she is going to need a lot of help."

"That's if she is not in jail. Listen she was pretty callous herself, I would bust her arse if it were me. Aren't you going for divorce?"

"Yeah, I jumped the gun on that. Listen you don't know half of what I have found out. Would you leave you wife if she had cancer."

"No."

"Well neither would I and this is the predicament I'm in."

"Well good luck. Listen I have to go. See you tomorrow boss."

*************

Sunday 11^th May 11:00 a.m.

There is a solid knock on the door.

I can see two males standing there in suits.

I open the door

"Are you Alwyn Gallimore?"

" Yes."

"This is detective constable Saunders and I am Detective sergeant Bryant."

"That's a relief I thought you were Jehovah witnesses." I don't know why I made a silly joke of it but it went down like the proverbial lead balloon.

"May we come in?"

"Yes, can I get you something?"

"No, we are OK."

I usher them to our round white kitchen table.

"We would just like to ask you a few questions; we will not take up much of your time."

"Fine, shoot."

"Do you know the whereabouts of you wife Bridget Gallimore?"

"Not at present."

"When do expect to see her next?"

"I don't know, but I am told she will be at the offices of GCON at eight tomorrow morning."

"Do you know Anthony Schaefer?"

"Only by reputation, really; I have seen him once. I have not even shaken his hand let alone spoken to him."

"Are you aware of his relationship with your wife?"

"I had been seeking a separation from my wife partly because of him. I have met Schaefer's wife who was seeking the same thing. I believe she has put that on hold because of your interest."

"That is correct. Yesterday morning, we arrested Schaefer. When we did so, we disturbed Schaefer trying to down load compromising photographs of your wife on the internet."

"Oh shit no, what else?"

It may not be as bad as you think.

The detective held up a brief case and pulled out an image

"Is this your wife?"

It was a naked picture of my wife taken in broad sunshine. It was taken on a tramping holiday before we were married. I took it myself she had just been for a skinny dip in a forest pool.

"We determined that this one is the only one he managed to load. We have confiscated the lap top and we do not expect any other images to show up on the internet. If you do discover any others on line, let us know."

"I wonder how he got this image?"

"We wouldn't know."

"These days people sext; my wife must have sent it to him. Are there any others like it on the laptop?"

"We haven't been through them yet. Finding this image, we thought that maybe there is the possibility that he hacked into your computer."

"Nah, not for this image; this has to have come directly from Bridget."

We have another image here. We are hoping you might identify these people in the image. It was taken at Port Douglas in early January. As part of our investigation we are tracking people to time and place."

I look at the photo. There are three women in bikinis. Bridget is in the middle, in a bikini she has had for a couple of years. The other two women are the two from the video I watched on Friday, One is in a wet white bikini that might as well be transparent. The other was in a ridiculously small bikini her large hanging boobs straining to escape. The bottoms had a camel toe imprinted that left nothing to the imagination. Toasting them is Saks, Westfield and of course Schaefer.

I identify all to the cops stating that I don't know the name of second woman. I told them that this photo must have been taken when my wife was supposedly in Auckland on her final interview for her job. She was away a few days but I had no idea that she was in Port Douglas.

The detectives were not about to be helpful about why this particular picture was important. It did put Saks, Westfield and Schaefer together at an earlier time than I had imagined. The whole scheme must have been concocted by the three of them. They probably constructed their plans around what Bridget told them. Pillow talk, as they say.

Well it is a pity she did not talk to me more than she did, as they got it all wrong didn't they?

**************

Sunday 12^th May 3:30 p.m.

Sally didn't call on time but appears at my door a little later with a deputation from the book group. Apparently the entire book group is in a real panic now. They all express their apologies.

It turns out that it was Marcia that teamed Bridget up with Schaefer.

Marcia worked for a franchise that was opening up in the mall project that Schaefer managing. Schaefer, at some stage had come down to Christchurch and looked Marcia up. He must have met Bridget with Marcia and Bridget must have told him I worked for GCON.

Schaefer worked on her from there, Marcia saw an opportunity to get at me and stoked the fire. That's where the suggestion of sacking me was made although it was probably Schaefer that pushed Bridget to do the deed. The fallout from this was that it pushed Bridget into Schaefer's arms and she became infatuated with him.

The book group knew about the trip to Port Douglas as Bridget had been impressed with the trip and saw it as part of her new glamorous life style

Marcia and the group did not approve so there was some friction. They saw through it but Bridget was already hooked.

It all got to a head when Bridget complained to the group how Schaefer was coming on to her. Marcia then hatched a scheme to have Bridget accuse him of sexual harassment. That lead to a blazing row and Bridget dumped the book group.

Sally says she recognized that I was right in that the group inadvertently pushed her into the hands of this misogynist.

The deputation says that they are disbanding the book group. The other women are really pissed off with Marcia and blame her for what had happened. I just say that their influence was just one act in a much bigger saga. I mention that an apology from Marcia would be very nice.

"Unlikely" was Sally's reply. "Listen, I let you have your little rant yesterday and perhaps I agree with some of what you said but you missed one big factor in all this that was apparent to others in the book group."

"What was that?"

"Marcia was in love with you.

She was blindly obsessive about you and would do anything to split Bridget and you apart."

There was a long silence. I was stuck for words as I contemplated this.

Finally I muttered, "Why didn't you say?"

"Marcia loving you would have been unthinkable to me. It really wasn't my business and the whole thing passed me by. It just didn't cross my mind. It seemed obvious to the others. Why didn't you see? Knowing now what was happening I am profoundly sorry but I guess we are all wrapped up in our petty biases and we didn't see the obvious. I suspect you may be as guilty of that as I."

I think for a second "Kind of proves my point in that biology can get in the way of ideological doctrine."

**************

Sunday 12^th May 5:30 p.m.

Sunday evening I take Lily around to my parents for an early dinner. Once we have put Lily to bed I find my father fiddling with his record collection again.

He looks up at me. And I sit down and bring him up to speed.

"After all this can you possibly get back together?"

I just said idly, "I can dream."

The word dream sparks a chord and he shuffles into his vinyl collection and held up an LP with a rather starry gentleman on the cover.

"You remember we told you about Mum and my difficulties. This is another song that helped me out of my funk." My father takes the LP out of the cover and places it on the turntable swinging the arm in place... "Dream weaver I believe you can get me through the night..."

I feel a sensation in my spine, again a song reflecting my secret thoughts. If I can dream I think I can make it happen.

**********

Monday 13^th May 8:00 a.m.

Dean and I were having morning coffee when we hear Heather and Bridget walk in.

Bridget went straight to what had been my office.

I follow them and stand at Bridget's door. Heather looks up from her desk and her jaw drops.

I cleared my throat and Bridget looks up, saw me and starts to rise. She looks terrible; she had been beaten around the face

"What happened to you?"

"Anthony..." she pauses not quite getting it out.

"You know he has been arrested."

"What for?"

"Pedophilia."

"What!" Bridget immediately has her hands to her mouth. "There has to be a mistake."

I can hear a commotion behind me. I turn and I can see a couple of policemen with others arriving.

"Look Bridget, I don't know whether you have been told but I am now acting CEO of the New Zealand operation of KLCON, which is in the process of absorbing GCON. The Revecon deal is now null and void."

I continue, "I am sorry I have to stand you down, but it will be on full pay until all investigations are complete into the behaviors' of certain personnel in the firm."

By now the two detectives are beside me.

"There are two police officers here who want to ask you some questions."

They move past me into the office. I walk over to Heather's desk.

"Where has she been?"

"She was at my place. She came down from Auckland on Saturday morning."

"What happened to her face?"

"Schaefer beat her up. Not the first time but this was savage. She had come all the way down from Auckland and she arrived on my doorstep and I took her to ED. Nothing broken fortunately, I wondered why the airline did not do something but she had a sort hijab on apparently. I think it was her scarf."

"Why did he beat her?"

"They knew their number was up. She thought he was going to kill her but she managed to escape. They had just met up as she had been staying somewhere separately from him. "

"At that stage yes, but I am not sure that was always so."

"I had never thought that she could be so subservient."

"Yes ironic isn't it. She wanted power but she wanted someone to give it to her, not work for it and she had to pay the price."

"Aren't we blaming the victim?"

There is a silence. How do I feel about Bridget? I am numb.

The police finish their questioning. As they pass me they say, "Get her home and look after her, she is pretty shaken up. Make sure she does not leave town as we will need to ask further questions. We have advised her to make a complaint about physical abuse."

"I shouldn't think she has told you the half of it."

"That may well be but we can't act without a complaint. We are working on a wider picture right now."

"I will get my lawyer to help her."

"That would be sensible."

"I look in on Bridget, who is still sitting at her desk head down and crying."

"I ask Heather to take her home. I will come home later once I have had a staff meeting."

"Bridget refuses to leave; she just wants to stay behind the desk but eventually she relents and she slowly leaves, her shoulders hunched and shaking with Heathers arm around her."

The meeting goes on longer that I anticipate. Just as I was rounding up my phone goes. It is the panicked voice of Heather. Bridget had tried to ring her Mother. Claudija had disowned her and told her that she would never see Lily again. Bridget was now on the floor in a fetus position and was unresponsive but was breathing.