Mutual Benefit

New York City

Michal Eldridge was mid-50, single, of medium height, short grey hair, pudgy face and wore glasses. He was always immaculately turned out. Bespoke suites and shirts from the best tailers on the East Coast.

He lived in a Brownstone on the upper East Side. Three floors and a basement, restored back to its glory days of the mid-19th Century. Entering the impressive oaken front doors was like stepping back 100 years.

Michael lived a grand lifestyle, measuring his income in millions.

He’d entered the art world buying and selling obscure works of art for huge profits. No one quite knew how and where he found the items. His reputation soon spread as someone who had an eye for objet d'art.

An employee of a wealthy New Yorker known for his reclusive lifestyle had approached him offering a substantial amount of money simply to represent him anonymously, at an upcoming action by Sotheby’s in London, and bid on a pair of rare 18th century coins. Which he did, securing the items for his client, for 3.23 million Pounds. He was paid $100,000 for five minutes bidding.

A month later an attorney representing a well-known Hampton resident made a similar offer. An anonymous purchase at a forthcoming auction in Venice for a priceless 14th century Venetian vase. He accepted, attended the auction and was successful. Again, handsomely rewarded.

Michael Eldridge had embarked on a new endeavour.

He became a procurer.

Representing unnamed purchasers across the country, travelling the world, on behalf of some of the most prominent people in America. People who wished to remain anonymous and paid handsomely to remain so.

Bidding on behalf of unnamed prospective owners, who had a particular desire to possess an item that came up for auction, private and public. He knew from experience many of the items he secured for second parties where never publicly exhibited. Wealthy people had rooms and spaces specially constructed solely for their own personal gratification. Such was the secretive world of the collector.

There were, however, occasions when a client wanted something that wasn’t for sale. That was known to have been in a private collection for decades or more, never being shown publicly, or its existence ever acknowledged.

To this end, he had on occasion, approached an owner regarding a possible private sale between themselves and his unnamed client. They had never gone well. To date, he’d never succeeded. Irrespective of the amount, most would not admit to even owning the object, let alone entertaining a thought of selling, if they did own it. No one was willing to sell, despite the amount on offer.

For these forays he was offered well above his usual commission for bidding on the behalf the anonymous purchaser. As there was no sale, there was no commission.

It was obvious to Michael these circumstances represented opportunities, the client was willing to pay a fortune to secure a specific object anonymously, for their own private collection. The item never seeing an auction room. It was frustrating for both Michael and his clients.

Although, he was not a thief, he was greedy. As avarice was a great incentive, he needed to find a way.

He felt frustrated. He had all the pieces, the clients, willing to pay for something they desperately wanted to possess, and he had the location. The perfect scenario, motive and opportunity, missing one thing, the means. Michael Eldridge didn’t know the first thing about theft. Fudging numbers for the IRS, was as good as it got for him. Even then, he had accountants for that. The only thing he was good at when it came to money, was spending. At that, he shone.

No, he would need another party to provide the means. He would need to give this careful consideration. There had to be someone, somewhere.

He began to trawl through his many contacts.

He wouldn’t let this opportunity pass.

Los Angeles California

Marie Le Pen, 36 was born and raised in Quebec Canada. She’d begun her life in an orphanage, having been abandoned by a mother she would never know. Raised by strict nuns she remained in care until she was 17. During this time, she’d learnt to trust no one and to keep her own counsel.

In the six years since her discharge, she’d moved between a series of unfulfilling meaningless positions, living in bed sits and generally struggling.

Just when her life seemed to be continuing on into nothingness, she found a position. An opportunity that would change her life forever.

The position was data entry for a leading Canadian company that specialised in high end personal security. She was told if she applied herself there was prospect of promotion to an actual field assignment, working with the company’s specialist installation teams, installing devices from security lighting, CCTV to in-house safes.

The prospect of that drove her. After eighteen months her superior rewards her with a trial run working with one of the installation teams. She was over the moon. She loved it. Working with plans and electronics excited her. Her photographic memory storing every diagram and plan she sees.

Two years on she has her own team of technicians. She earns a reputation for hard work and attention to detail.

Then her world implodes.

She begins an affair with one of the Vice Presidents of the company. They meet secretly, neither wanting to jeopardise their positions.

Then Marie hears a rumour, her lover is married. She confronts him, he strenuously denies it. She’s not convinced; her survival instincts tell her otherwise. Finally, he admits it. Not only is he married, but to the Presidents daughter, who chooses to live in Vancouver, and is not willing to join him in Quebec. She ends it. Too late.

He confesses to his father-in-law, who, in response to both protect his daughter and the company, decides she must go.

What follows will impact her life forever.

Maria receives a letter, she’s suspended immediately, pending an investigation into possible breaches of the companies security policies. She’s suspected of sharing confidential information with third parties as to specific installations. All lies, but mud sticks.

She hires an attorney. After two months of toing and froing all she has to show for it is $10,000 in legal costs, and growing. The attorneys tell her the case could drag on for months or even years. She knows it’s a battle she’ll never win. David and Goliath.

She tells her attorneys she’s willing to accept an offer.

A settlement is reached, the company admits to nothing, offering a financial settlement, in return, Marie must sign a nondisclosure agreement. With mounting costs and no income, she agrees.

Marie Le Pen had moved to LA from Canada a month earlier, changing her name to Kathryn Collins. Deciding to start over, afresh.

She felt like a fish out of water. What she hoped would be a relatively simple relocation, was becoming a nightmare. The heat and humidity alone was a shock.

She rents a small two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Santa Monica, three blocks from the bay. Although she has some money, moving her possessions had been expensive, the storage costs mounting up until she finally found somewhere to live.

After settling into her new home, she looked for work.

Getting work in any area of security, irrespective of her credentials, she knew wouldn’t happen. Going down that path meant raking up her past in Quebec, including her stay in the orphanage, something she wasn’t prepared to do.

She’d made the decision to start anew. And that’s exactly what she intended doing. Come what may.

She registers with several employment agencies. The response was not good. She’s unsure if it’s her French-Canadian accent that is holding her back, or what.

After three months the best Kate could get was temp work. A day here, two days there. The cash coming was barely covering her rent let alone her living expenses. Then there was the car, the journey from Quebec finally taking its toll. A new radiator and water pump, was going to set her back $1200, cash she doesn’t have. It was all very unsettling. The lack of certainty played on her mind.

In an endeavour to save money she quits her Santa Monica apartment and takes a bed-sit in South LA.

Daylight hours are bearable, come nightfall, it’s a different story. Once the sun sets the streets come alive with a different scenario. The area is known for its homeless and gangs. Gun shots and screaming. Her sleep is constantly interrupted. She wakes to sirens and flashing lights that bounce off her bedroom walls.

Every morning, she takes her coffee at coffee shop a block from her apartment. Every morning is much the same. She trawls through the want ads. Noting down potential positions, mostly part time or casual. She opens her cell phone and begins the frustrating and humiliating process of applying.

The limousine with darkened windows idled in the early morning heat. The engine, providing the interior with cool air, whilst pumping exhaust fumes into the already over polluted atmosphere of LA.

The immaculately attired passenger in the rear watched with interest as the women, not 50 metres away sat at an outside table of a coffee shop. With a cell phone in one hand, she keyed in numbers. He glanced down at the small coloured photograph on the seat, and smiled, it was her.

Michael Eldridge's diligence had paid off, even if it had taken three months.

The women, now calling herself Kathryn Collins was definitely the one his sources had identified as Marie Le Pen. A disgraced former security consultant from Quebec Canada. Disgraced, perhaps but highly qualified just the same. Currently from what he’d been told, down on her luck.

He tapped the glass partition; the liveried chauffer exited the vehicle, pulling on his cap opened the rear door. The passenger exited, putting on his white boater as protection from the sun, straightening his silk tie and brushing his light grey summer suit.

She’s distracted momentarily from dialling by a shadow that falls over her table. She looks up into the morning glare. Seeing a man, an older man, immaculately dressed, looking well out of place in the grime of South LA. He raises his hat and smiles …

‘Ms Collins, my name is Michael, I have a proposition, that maybe to the benefit of both of us, may I sit?