Page 116 of The Facilitator 1

There was a downstairs cloakroom, and the last door I opened held Mackenzie behind a glass desk. He looked up while still on the phone and smiled at me. He waved mein.

“Yes, she’s here now. Okay, hold on,” hesaid.

He handed me his phone. “Gabriella,” hesaid.

“Hi,” Isaid.

“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry to hear what happened. My God, are youokay?”

“I am just a little bruised. Mackenzie is overreacting, but I’m sure glad to get out of the apartment for a day orso.”

“What have the police said? Have they chargedhim?”

“I expect to hear from them today. I gave a statement, and of course, Mackenzie beat him up, so I don’t know what will come ofthat.”

She laughed. “Another clue perhaps, to how hefeels?”

I turned my back slightly, not sure if he couldhear.

“No, instinct. Anyway, I wanted to come into work, I’m perfectlyfine…”

She cut me off. “You’ll do no such thing. Take the rest of the week off, start afresh on Monday. I’m sending Joanna, your replacement, over to meet your team today. I’d have liked for you to meet her first, but we might as well get it over with. Mackenzie tells me you need some things, how about you email Jenny, and we’ll have that couriered to thehouse?”

“That would be great, thank you. I can’t just sit here doing nothing for a couple ofdays.”

“I’ll see you at some point, and rest assured, Lauren. Scott will not be welcomehere.”

“Thank you, I’ll pass you backnow.”

I handed the phone to Mackenzie. “I’m taking a tour, is that okay?” I asked before hespoke.

“Of course it’s okay. Let me finish up and I’ll show youaround.”

He placed the phone back to his ear, while he continued I pulled my mobile from my pocket and texted a message toJenny.

“Gabby, sort out Lauren’s things for me and I’ll call youlater.”

He didn’t say goodbye, just cut off thecall.

“So, what have you seen sofar?”

“The huge TV in that room, do you watchit?”

“I spend most of my time in the kitchen or here. Maybe we’ll watch a movie later. I called the police before Gabriella. They charged him with assault, he didn’t deny it and is out on bail,” he said. Inodded.

“So, tour?” headded.

I followed him back to the hallway. “Living room, I don’t go in there much, cloakroom, my office, kitchen that way, obviously, and TV room. That door there, takes you to the basement.” He walked towardsit.

I followed and we descended a flight of stairs and into agym.

“Wow, do you use all this?” I asked, looking at a range of high techequipment.

“Yes, every day, usually. I like to keep fit, work out a little frustration. There’s a shower room through there,” he said indicating to adoor.

“You’ll have to teach me how to use this,” Isaid.

I stood beside a weight machine with a leather bench underneath. He had running machines, cross trainers, weights, rowing machines, a spin bike, various sized core stability balls, a punch bag hanging in one corner, and in the other, an area of soft mats. To one side was a massagetable.

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