Lang: Company
Chapter 5
Ava Lang was very methodical about her work. Even meal preparation involved a level of accuracy usually found only in her laboratory. She grew up in a very strict household. Her parents grew up in China and they had passed their childhood on to her.
But as she got older she grew out of the restrictiveness. She even married a white guy much to the dismay of her parents, who moved back to China shortly after she announced her engagement.
During the day, Ava was a researcher at a the University of Chicago. Her team worked in association with major pharmaceutical companies in designing and testing new drugs. She was an expert in how different chemicals interact with the human body. And she was paid a lot for it.
Ava loved her job. The process of discovery was a rush she could get nowhere else. But on this particular night she wasn’t so cheerful. Goddard Morgan had just pulled a large percentage of its funding from her research department. They had been one of the chief sponsors of the university’s pharmaceutical work for several years.
But her day only got worse. She had sent her staff home early that afternoon so she could unwind a little before dinner. Her husband Greg was having a client over and Ava had agreed to make the meal. But she wasn’t really in the mood for company.
On her drive home, Ava got a call from the private investigator she’d hired the week before. Greg’s business partner Clive Murray had been killed in a car accident just two months prior and Greg had not taken it well. Greg and Clive had been friends since elementary school. Ava was worried Greg might slip back into his old drug habit since he refused psychological help.
Unfortunately, the investigator came across something that was even more detrimental. Greg had been slipping away from his office in the middle of the day to meet with a woman for three days in a row. They went to a room in the Allegro, a luxury hotel in the middle of downtown.
The investigator had been unable to track down the woman’s name but said he’d continue to work on it. He was clear with Ava though, that it was possible the woman was just a business associate. He never saw them kiss or even embrace. Ava took some comfort in that, believing the woman could have even been a therapist that Greg didn’t want to see in the office.
Ava would have to put it out of her mind tonight. She had to help Greg impress a new client. She had the table set when he walked in with a woman. He introduced her as Jamie Rosen. She was a very attractive woman. Her eyes were a piercing blue. Her company was looking to have software customized so they sent her to meet with various representatives — one of which was Greg.
The three chatted away the evening. Even Ava, who was somewhat skeptical at first, found Jamie to be good company. They even wore the same perfume.
As the evening was winding down, Greg excused himself from the table to answer his cell phone. Ava and Jamie continued talking.
“So where are you staying while you’re in Chicago?” Ava asked.
“The Allegro,” Jamie said. “It’s beautiful inside.”
Ava Lang was very methodical about her work. Even meal preparation involved a level of accuracy usually found only in her laboratory. She grew up in a very strict household. Her parents grew up in China and they had passed their childhood on to her.
But as she got older she grew out of the restrictiveness. She even married a white guy much to the dismay of her parents, who moved back to China shortly after she announced her engagement.
During the day, Ava was a researcher at a the University of Chicago. Her team worked in association with major pharmaceutical companies in designing and testing new drugs. She was an expert in how different chemicals interact with the human body. And she was paid a lot for it.
Ava loved her job. The process of discovery was a rush she could get nowhere else. But on this particular night she wasn’t so cheerful. Goddard Morgan had just pulled a large percentage of its funding from her research department. They had been one of the chief sponsors of the university’s pharmaceutical work for several years.
But her day only got worse. She had sent her staff home early that afternoon so she could unwind a little before dinner. Her husband Greg was having a client over and Ava had agreed to make the meal. But she wasn’t really in the mood for company.
On her drive home, Ava got a call from the private investigator she’d hired the week before. Greg’s business partner Clive Murray had been killed in a car accident just two months prior and Greg had not taken it well. Greg and Clive had been friends since elementary school. Ava was worried Greg might slip back into his old drug habit since he refused psychological help.
Unfortunately, the investigator came across something that was even more detrimental. Greg had been slipping away from his office in the middle of the day to meet with a woman for three days in a row. They went to a room in the Allegro, a luxury hotel in the middle of downtown.
The investigator had been unable to track down the woman’s name but said he’d continue to work on it. He was clear with Ava though, that it was possible the woman was just a business associate. He never saw them kiss or even embrace. Ava took some comfort in that, believing the woman could have even been a therapist that Greg didn’t want to see in the office.
Ava would have to put it out of her mind tonight. She had to help Greg impress a new client. She had the table set when he walked in with a woman. He introduced her as Jamie Rosen. She was a very attractive woman. Her eyes were a piercing blue. Her company was looking to have software customized so they sent her to meet with various representatives — one of which was Greg.
The three chatted away the evening. Even Ava, who was somewhat skeptical at first, found Jamie to be good company. They even wore the same perfume.
As the evening was winding down, Greg excused himself from the table to answer his cell phone. Ava and Jamie continued talking.
“So where are you staying while you’re in Chicago?” Ava asked.
“The Allegro,” Jamie said. “It’s beautiful inside.”
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