by Sofia Grey
“We’re visiting friends.”
“Yes, we enjoyed our honeymoon in Thailand.”
“Yes, we’re looking forward to the next part of the tour.”
“No, we haven’t heard any rumours about the band splitting up.”
“No, there is no news yet of our next album. Our manager is planning a press release for our forthcoming single, but we don’t have any details.”
They posed briefly, and were finally able to escape to where Kate waited, Poppy wriggling in her arms.
“Hello.” Kate hugged them both, and then led the way to the short-stay car park. “They reminded me of sharks, circling around you. Is it always like that?”
Alex grunted. “Bloody vultures.”
“Shush.” Sylvie squeezed his hand. “He gets grumpy when you mention the press. They love him, but I can’t think why.” She looked brighter after her nap, and chattered to Poppy on the drive to Jordan’s Knightsbridge apartment. Maybe she needed a change of scenery?
Alex looked forward to the two of them having a relaxed evening with Kate and Jordan, but they’d no sooner arrived, when Sylvie checked her phone and announced she was going out. “It’s not quite seven yet, and Lara’s home. I’ll only be an hour or so.”
“Sure,” said Alex. “Would you like me to come with you?”
“Not this time, but thanks.”
Kate asked, “do you want me to call you a cab?”
“Oh no.” Sylvie looked amused. “I’ll take the Tube. Nobody ever recognises me. I’ll be fine.” As Alex started to interrupt, she placed a finger against his lips. “I’ve been taking the Tube to Lara’s house as long as she’s lived there. I’ll be back by nine, so don’t worry about dinner for me.”
The idea of her travelling across London alone didn’t sit well with him, but if it made her smile, he wouldn’t make a fuss. As much as he wanted to keep her safe from everything, he couldn’t cage her.
Jordan arrived soon after she left. Like Sylvie, he had shadows under his eyes, and he looked wiped out. He abandoned his jacket and tie on the back of the sofa, and then sprawled out, massaging his temples. Kate pressed a beer into his hand, and then disappeared into the kitchen.
“It’s been a fucked-up week,” said Jordan, “and it’s only Tuesday. I don’t know if Sylvie said anything, but Lara came to see me yesterday. She’s uncovered a potential fraud. Someone has swindled over two million pounds out of TM-Tech in the past year. It makes my teeth itch to think about it and how cleverly it’s been covered up. She did well to find it.”
Alex couldn’t contain his astonishment. “How the fuck did that happen?”
“That’s the question of the day. It’s gonna take a while to get to the bottom of it.” Jordan took a gulp of beer. “Do you remember a guy called Aiden Bradley? He was seconded to TM-Tech last year, as part of Rico’s team?”
“The MI5 spook?”
Jordan grinned. “Yeah. That’s him. I’ve requested that he come back, to investigate. It’s beyond complicated.”
“How do you mean?”
“I don’t need to stress this goes no further?”
Alex nodded.
“Lara told me something in confidence. She believes one of my execs spikes women’s drinks in clubs, then assaults them.”
“Christ. Can’t you go straight to the police?”
Jordan shook his head and rubbed his temples some more. “No evidence—just supposition. That’s one of the things I want Aiden to look into.”
“There’s more?”
“Yeah.” Jordan stared at his drink. “Nick—Lara’s husband—is currently the chief suspect for the fraud. He signed most of the fake invoices.”
Though Alex was having a bad day, Jordan’s was worse. “Does Lara know?”
“Yep. She was with me when we looked at the invoices. That’s the other thing Aiden’s gonna look into. In the meantime, she’s going to pretend she knows nothing about it. Nick’s in Paris right now.”
“Man, that sucks.” Alex’s head spun with the information. An unwelcome thought jolted through him. “Did you say that Lara knows this guy? Your exec?”
“Yeah. She had a run-in with him at the weekend.”
“Sylvie’s just gone around to Lara’s. Will she be safe?”
Jordan frowned. “I don’t see why not. It’s not like she accused him of anything. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
****
Nick was impressed by Adele’s courage. After seeing the state of her on Saturday, he found it miraculous that, by the time Lara dropped them at the airport on Sunday evening, Adele was—outwardly—back to normal. He guessed she covered up the bruises with make-up. She looked glossy and confident again. There was a slight tremor in her hands, and a wild look in her eyes, but nobody at the conference seemed to notice.
Nick and Adele worked flat out at the conference, manning the TM-tech stall, schmoozing with potential clients and suppliers, and presenting to various audiences. By the time they got back to their hotel on Monday evening, they were exhausted.
After making sure Adele felt secure in her room, Nick went downstairs to the bar, for a drink. He phoned Lara while he was there. She sounded odd. Stressed. He worried that Jason had been hassling her, but she was quick to reassure him.
Tuesday followed the same pattern. After Adele went to her room, Nick went for a walk, found a bar to have a drink in, and made his phone call home. Lara said she couldn’t talk, because Sylvie was there.
“Sylvie? How come?”
“They’re on a flying visit to London, so I grabbed the chance to see her.” There was a pause, and Lara spoke softly. “How is Adele? Has she heard from Jason?”
“She seems okay. She’s not mentioned him. Has he said anything to you?”
“Well... he’s not said anything.”
Nick was instantly alert. “What happened?”
“Maybe I’m being paranoid.”
No. Lara was never paranoid. Alarm trickled down Nick’s spine. “Lara, sweetheart, I’m miles away and worried about you. What’s the matter?”
“I bumped into him about ten times today. I never see him at all in the office. And I’m sure he was on the same Tube home as me.”
Now Nick was really worried. “He lives in the same building as Adele—near the office. Did he get off at our stop?”
“I don’t know. I lost him in the crowd. Does he know where we live?”
Nick thought rapidly. “I never told him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find out. Is there somewhere else you could stay while I’m away?”
Lara hesitated. “I told Sylvie about it, and she suggested I go back with her. She’s staying with friends.”
“Can I talk to her?”
Nick heard the phone being passed to Sylvie, who said hello. “I’m trying to persuade Lara to come and stay with us,” she continued. “You’re away for a few days, aren’t you?”
“Yes. And I’m worried about Jason hanging around, especially when he knows I’m in Paris this week. Will your friends be okay with that?”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Alex and I are planning to go home tomorrow, but our friends won’t mind. It’s Jordan and Kate. They’ll be cool about it.”
“Jordan Merrill?” He couldn’t keep the astonishment from his voice.
She chuckled. “Yes. Lara was surprised to find we know them. Alex is great friends with Jordan.”
Sylvie gave the phone back to Lara, and Nick urged her to pack a few things and leave straight away. The prospect of Jason Farnley hanging around his wife after what he’d done to Adele was like something out of a nightmare.
****
Sylvie knew she was being presumptuous, but at the same time, she felt sure that Jordan wouldn’t mind.
While Lara threw some things into an overnight bag, Sylvie rang Alex and asked if Jordan was home yet. He was.
“Hey, Sylvie,” said Jordan. “Is everything okay?”
She trusted Jordan, but this was awkward. “Can
I bring Lara back, to stay overnight? Well—until Nick comes back.” She rushed on before he could say anything. “I know it’s not ideal, but Jason has been hanging around, and Lara thinks he followed her home on the Tube. Nick is very concerned. So am I.” She drifted to a halt.
Jordan was as smooth as ever. “It’s not a problem. Come straight back. Give me your address and I’ll send a cab there. Will you be here for dinner?”
“Thank you. You really are awesome. Lara’s organising a taxi now. And yes. I guess we’ll be there in half an hour or so. Is that okay?”
“Sure.” He passed the phone back to Alex. He’d been listening to Jordan’s end of the conversation and was anxious to speak to her.
Sylvie heard Jordan quickly update him.
“Sylvie,” said Alex. “Get your butts around here now. I don’t like the idea of this weirdo following you. Okay? Sure you don’t want us to come pick you up?”
“We’re good, thanks. We’ll be back before you know it. See you soon, babe.” She blew him a kiss and disconnected.
Lara called half a dozen cab companies, but none were available. There’d been an incident on one of the Tube lines, a couple of stations had been closed, and taxis across the city were fully booked. Sylvie gazed at Lara in frustration. “Brilliant timing, huh? Shall we try the Tube instead?”
It was only a few minutes’ walk to the station, and that was also packed. Lara’s nearest Tube line was being used as a diversion for the closed ones. The platforms were bursting with people, and the first two trains to come through were full. Sylvie resigned herself to a long wait. To make it worse, being so far underground meant there was no cell-phone reception. She couldn’t call Alex to warn him they’d be late. If they went back up to the surface, they’d have to start from the back of the crowd again. Since it’d be more efficient to wait on the platform, Lara sat on one of her bags, and Sylvie claimed a clean-looking patch of floor.
They gossiped to pass the time, swapped stories of TM-Tech people, and reminisced about the days when they worked together. Lara relaxed and was soon giggling as Sylvie regaled her with disastrous tales from their last tour. While they talked, she kept a constant watch on the people surrounding them. Rico had survived tours of Afghanistan and Iraq in the marines, and he’d taught her well when it came to personal safety.
She inched closer to Lara and spoke into her ear. “Don’t turn around, but a guy by the chocolate machine has been staring at you for the past few minutes. What does Jason look like?”
Lara huddled closer. “He’s quite good looking, I suppose. Dark eyes. Medium height and build. Very short dark hair, with a little goatee beard and sidies. Cocky too. Thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”
Sylvie pretended to rub her eyes and used the opportunity to gaze at the guy watching them. He carried no camera, so it was unlikely he’d be paparazzi. Fans rarely recognised her unless she was with Alex, anyway. But he didn’t fit Jason’s description. “Not him, then. This guy is whippet thin. Short dark hair, no beard. Crinkly eyes. Looks nice.”
Lara turned around to see him, and smiled. “It’s Karl. He’s okay.” She made eye contact with him and waved. Next minute, he eased his way through the crowd, to stand in front of them.
“Hi, Lara, you going out of town?” He stared at her overnight bag.
She glanced at Sylvie. “Just going to my friend’s for the night. This is Sylvie.” She gestured towards him. “This is Karl, from the IT department.”
He looked innocuous, and Sylvie gave him a polite nod.
“Have you heard from Adele?” he asked Lara.
“Nick says she’s fine. I’ve sorted out another apartment for her, so she doesn’t have to stay in the same block as Jason. Do you live near here?”
“No.” He smiled easily, and little dimples appeared in his cheeks. “I planned to get to Leicester Square, to meet some friends, then found out the lines are stuffed. I’m making my way there by travelling halfway around the city. Good, eh?”
As he spoke, the lines started humming, and a rush of warm dry air swept up the platform. The crowd surged together and paused, a quivering mass of people, waiting for the train doors to open. Again it was full, or as good as. Maybe half a dozen commuters climbed off, and they were replaced by eager travellers, cramming into a tiny space. The doors closed, but the train didn’t move. Sylvie watched the frustrated expressions of the people inside, as it became apparent this train was going nowhere fast, just like them.
“Come on.” Sylvie stood and stretched. “Let’s go back to the surface. I’d rather walk or risk a bus, than stay down here any longer.”
Karl gave Lara a hand, to haul her up. “How far are you going?” he asked.
“Knightsbridge,” Sylvie replied absently. These days she was routinely cautious about giving away information. “How about you?”
“I was told the entire Piccadilly Line is closed at the moment, so I’m trying to go via the Central Line. Looks impossible, though. I might just go home.” He chuckled. “If that would be any easier.”
They squeezed through the crowd to the nearest map and examined their options. They were at Holborn station, on the junction of the Central and Piccadilly Lines. “I live at St. John’s Wood,” said Karl, tracing the lines with his finger. “Oh sod it. I’ll walk to Leicester Square from here. It’s only ten minutes on foot.”
Unfortunately for Sylvie and Lara, the only station for Knightsbridge was on the Piccadilly Line. “Looks as though we’re walking as well,” Lara hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, and refused Karl’s offer to carry it. “Come on,” she said. “I’m fed up of waiting down here.”
It was a struggle to get above ground. More people poured down the escalators, not realising that the trains had stopped running.
“Aren’t you glad you came back to London today?” Lara gave Sylvie a friendly nudge, and Karl looked at them enquiringly.
“I live out of town,” Sylvie explained. “I’m only down for a few days.” Funny how she’d developed a combination of Rico’s caution and Alex’s general paranoia.
As soon as they reached the streets, her phone burst into life. She glanced at the display. Three missed calls and two texts. The messages were both from Alex.
Hi babe. Not heard from you for a while. Everything OK? A x
Ring me, babe. Getting worried about you. A x
She listened to the voice messages—also from Alex and getting increasingly concerned at her silence—and called him straight back.
“Syl. Where the hell are you? I’ve been calling you for the past hour.”
“Sorry. We’ve been stuck in Holborn underground.” She quickly explained about the congestion. “We’re going to try to catch a bus, and we’re setting off now.”
“Any sign of the weirdo?”
“No. It’s all cool. I don’t know how long we’ll be, though.”
“Syl, you’re a muppet, sometimes. Jordan’s car is here. We’ll come and get you. Wait there for us.”
She felt silly. Why didn’t she think of that? She swore her brain was only working at half-speed these days. “I’m sorry. It never occurred to me to ask for a ride.” Where should they wait? There was a wine bar on the other side of the road, so she gave Alex directions to it. “Take care. It could take a while for you to get here. It looks as though the roads are stuffed as well.”
Karl joined them in the wine bar and bought a round of soft drinks. When Lara told him she’d seen Jason hanging around earlier, Karl insisted on waiting with them until their lift arrived.
It took even longer than Sylvie expected. Alex phoned almost an hour later to announce they were approaching Holborn station. There’d been a jumper on the Tube network—a suicide that leapt in front of an oncoming train.
Sylvie grimaced. What a particularly awful way to go. She was pleased to see Alex waving at her from the front of Jordan’s silver Jaguar.
It felt like hours later that they crashed on Jordan’s sofa and kicked off their shoes, gigg
ling with tiredness. Kate had saved some food for them, and Alex and Jordan shared a couple of beers, while Kate curled up in a roomy armchair.
It was close to midnight, and Sylvie was heading to bed, when Jordan came to find Lara. He’d been working on his laptop in the kitchen. “Lara, there’s some news you should hear.” He looked serious, and Lara sat up straight.
“Is it Nick?”
“No. I was reading about the incident on the Tube. The body’s been identified as Jason Farnley.”
Chapter Eighteen
Adele was fine one minute, or as fine as she could be, but the next she was curled up on the bathroom floor. She planned to run a bath, but something spooked her. A sound? A smell? She wasn’t sure. Now she fought for breath through lungs that seemed to have forgotten their purpose.
It wasn’t the first panic attack she’d had, but knowing what it was didn’t help. Angry tears trickled down her cheeks. Damn Jason, for doing this to her. She hated feeling weak. Being scared of her own shadow. Being helpless.
She needed a paper bag—something to breathe into. There was one in her laptop bag, but that meant going back into the bedroom, and she wasn’t ready for that.
Her phone chirruped with a text, and she grabbed it. Any distraction would do.
It was from Nick.
Hey. It’s mild outside, if you feel like a walk?
Adele clutched the phone to her chest. Nick was so lovely. She couldn’t have managed the last couple of days without his support. She couldn’t go out, though. Not in this state.
When she didn’t reply, he sent another message.
Have you ever seen the Louvre at night? Stunning. Come be a tourist with me. Two hours, that’s all.
She smiled despite her tears. She’d love to, but that meant leaving the bathroom. Putting on clothes. Fixing her make-up. Tidying her hair. Too much to think about.