He makes sure he keeps an eye on what is happening elsewhere. He doesn’t want to lose the chance of a promotion. Not when his future with this beautiful blonde is at stake.
Wednesday and Daniel is hoping his ‘girlfriend’ will make an appearance today. Yesterday she arrived at 11.09 and when she fails to appear by noon he is disappointed.
The day isn’t going to be as wonderful as he hoped. At lunchtime he sits in the control room with the cream of chicken cup-a-soup he enjoys as his lunch every day along with a couple of slices from the loaf of bread he bought on Monday. It means his total lunch expenditure for the week is less than £3.
He is careful with his money and makes sure to save as much as he can. His only extravagance is buying the various spy devices. Sadly, his budget is not as sizable as MI5.
At 2.35pm, just when he has given up hope, he sees ‘his angel’ as he now calls her. His face beams as he spots her. She is wearing her hair slightly different today but there is no doubting the stunning beauty filling his CCTV screen.
He admires her lovely smile and flawless skin, her perfect mouth and luscious lips. The way she tosses back her hair as if knowing he is watching. He feels certain this is his future wife. When they meet face to face she will gaze into his eyes and her heart will melt.
Daniel waits all day on Thursday but there is no sign of her. Then on Friday, it must be his lucky day. She visits the shopping centre at 10.16am and, to his utter delight, she comes back at 2.25pm.
The following Monday, Daniel gets the shock of his life. He can’t quite believe his eyes. His beautiful angel, the girl who is to become his future wife, he is seeing double. There are two of her locking their bikes to the rail.
Identical twins. So which one will be his girlfriend? Which one will he marry?
He will decide after he gets to know them. Maybe one is a nicer person than the other. If not, his chances have just doubled. Daniel is a happy bunny.
He writes the details down in his journal. Daniel has kept a journal every day since he was sixteen. Usually a list of daily events, sometimes his hopes and dreams for the future.
The problem is he’s still no closer to knowing anything about the girls. He needs to find out their names and where they live. Surely this can’t be too difficult for a budding spy? He’s trying to think what Ethan Hunt would do.
Chapter Thirteen
Daniel Zugravescu is working the day shift in the CCTV control room. On Friday, Lucas who works the evening shift from 6pm until midnight turns up twenty-five minutes late.
Daniel is about to protest when the twins come into view walking back through the shopping parade. In an instant, Lucas's bad timekeeping is forgiven.
Daniel reaches his bike just as the girls reach theirs. He decides to follow them to wherever they are going. He hopes they are heading home.
He keeps his distance, as the twins’ ride side by side chatting.
They cross the Mill Pond and towards the edge of Trentbridge, following the bike path that takes them towards Barford.
As they reach the village, they cycle up to a big house and the metal gates open to let them inside.
For the entire fifteen-minute ride back to his tiny bedsit, there is a massive smile on his face. Now he needs a way to find out their names and more about them.
Daniel remembers Lagan, a fellow countryman he met on the coach over from Romania to London.
When Daniel first moved to Trentbridge, they hung around together until Lagan asked him to sell drugs.
Daniel said he wasn't interested. But Lagan has a lot of contacts and ways of finding things out.
"Why would you want such information?"
"I've seen a girl, two actually. I really like them."
"Give me the address and send me a photo and I will see what I can do."
"Thank you, Lagan."
The following day, Daniel receives a call from Lagan with the information.
"They are twins. Erica and Leona Mitten. If you want to meet them, go to The Alley Club."
Whenever Erica or Leona visit the shopping centre, Daniel follows them using the CCTV security cameras and his heart skips a beat.
The girls are always in his thoughts. They are like movie stars or models but not on the TV or in a film but right before his eyes, in real life. His life!
It will either be Mrs Erica Zugravescu or Mrs Leona Zugravescu. He is already making notes in his journal. In which church will they marry? Where will they go on their honeymoon?
All he does is fantasise about which one of them will become his girlfriend and then his wife. He thinks they will make a lovely family together and everything will be perfect.
Daniel is very shy and not good at dancing but maybe he should go to The Alley Club and get to know them.
Before he does, perhaps there is a way to find out more about them. So when they meet he can pretend to have the same interests. An idea is forming in his mind. Why not make use of the covert spy equipment?
Chapter Fourteen
Daniel’s boss had indicated if he did well in charge of the CCTV room he would get a promotion. But yesterday they told him they have decided to recruit a woman for the position. He understands why. Women are paid less.
The boss informed Daniel in two weeks his role is being taken over and he will return to his nightshift duties.
Scattered around Trentbridge there are lots of empty commercial properties. In the past, some have been vandalised and set on fire. So landlords are paying Metro Security for someone to make sure they are secure. Otherwise their insurance companies might refuse
