Last Known Contact

by Phillipa Nefri Clark

  “No, Ellie. The business. He has a buyer for the group.”

  “He…but he wouldn’t. This means everything to him, and the Foundation. Oh, God, what about the Foundation?”

  “That was the draw card for the buyer. The shining jewel in an already beautiful crown. I am so sorry, Ellie, but Jack was only waiting for you to come home before signing the papers.”

  36

  Telling The Truth

  “I’ve told you everything I know.” Dennis glared at Ben across the table in the interrogation room. “You have no answers, I have no answers. Someone is obviously setting me up.”

  Ben stood and stretched. He’d sat for too long going around in circles with this man. “But why? What would motivate someone to go to such trouble? To steal your gun—and somehow know where it was to steal—then plant it on the yacht you were supposed to meet Jack on the day he vanished. How is that proving you killed Jack?”

  “Exactly! There’s no evidence I have anything to do with Jack going wherever he went. And now you’ve admitted it, I’d like to leave.”

  “Soon.” Ben turned his chair around and straddled it. “You see, there’s still a few things I need to know. Are you having an affair with Meredith Bannerman?”

  “Hey. You can’t ask that.”

  “Just did. How long has it been going on? Does Jack know?”

  “I bloody hope not. I mean, there’s nothing to know. We’ve not done a thing.”

  “Photos of you sliding a spoonful of dessert into her smiling mouth say otherwise. She’s got a lot going for her. Attractive. Funny. Good fashion sense. Young.”

  I meant one of those. Wait. None of those.

  “Too young for Jack. Okay, I like her a lot. But we’ve not…not yet.”

  “Because you are both married?”

  “Get real, detective. But the writing is on the wall, isn’t it? Jack was an absent husband, the way Ellie was an absent wife. She’s allowed to move on.”

  “Meredith? Or Ellie?”

  Dennis glared at him.

  “And there’s the small bonus of anything she might bring from her marriage.”

  “None of it matters. Whether she is loaded or poor, Meredith means the world to me. She is all class.”

  Trying for the insanity plea?

  “So, you don’t care if she gets nothing from a divorce, or Jack’s death?” Ben asked.

  “We’re a long way from worrying about it. Assuming Jack is alive and well, there is still a year to wait before divorce and that’s if it doesn’t get messy.”

  “If he’s dead?”

  “Then I don’t know. Presumably, Michael is looked after for life, Ellie gets a slice of the business, and Meredith gets the rest. I already said I don’t care.”

  A tap on the door and Andy poked his head in. “Borrow you for a min, boss?”

  “Sure.” Ben stood. “Would you like a coffee, or water, Dennis?”

  “How much longer will I be here? I have a meeting at five.”

  “Try to get you out in plenty of time.”

  “Coffee. Black with two sugars. Can I make a phone call?” Dennis reached for his phone.

  “A quick one.”

  Door closed, Ben and Andy walked to the coffee station.

  “Getting anywhere?”

  “He has motive but if he did anything to Jack, it’ll be for nothing.”

  Ben poured two coffees.

  “Frank Barlow’s autopsy is underway. A bullet was removed from his heart and is the same calibre as Dennis’ gun. Forensic testing will take a little while.”

  “Crap.” Ben stirred sugar into one cup. “I’d love to keep him here.”

  “Not much of a flight risk and if you arrest him, he’ll be on bail in minutes.”

  Coffees in hand, they headed back to the interrogation room.

  “I might drop some information on him and see what emerges. Anything else?”

  “You had a call from Ambling Fields, from a Kerry.”

  “Is Michael okay?”

  “Yeah, she said something about Ellie asking for extra security for him and wanted to know if you had suggested it.”

  “No. I’ll call Ellie later and ask why. Mind getting the door?”

  Andy grinned, opened the door with a flourish, and closed it behind Ben.

  Dennis was on his phone. “I have to go. Just confirm they’ll be there and make sure the room has a decent selection of consumables.” He hung up. “Thanks for the coffee.”

  “Sure.” Ben leaned on the edge of the table. “That was about the meeting you mentioned?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “With?”

  “Need to know. Company business.”

  “Is Ellie attending?”

  “Just Campbell and the other party. Nothing to do with her at this stage.”

  There was a smugness about Dennis that irked Ben. Something was going on behind the scenes.

  “Enjoying your job? Acting CEO, isn’t it?”

  “I would if Jack wasn’t hanging over my head. Everyone wants him found and until he is, it’s a bit hard to move forward.”

  “But you are. Moving forward? Meetings you don’t want to talk about. Secret dinners with his wife. Misplacing a firearm.”

  With a scowl, Dennis leaned forward. “Already told you that was stolen. Unless you can prove otherwise, I’d like to leave now.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Dennis pushed his chair back.

  “Curious about one thing though.” Ben took a long sip of coffee. “You say you don’t care about what Meredith brings from her marriage to Jack.”

  “And?”

  “Even if it is nothing?”

  “What are you driving at, Rossi?” Dennis was in Ben’s face, his own flushed in anger. “You think you know so much? You think you know my wife?”

  Without moving from his perch on the desk, Ben raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t about Ellie. No, this is about Meredith and the pre-nuptial contract she signed before marrying Jack. You might want to ask her about it.”

  Whatever colour was in his face drained to white, and Dennis stumbled back a step. “You’re wrong.”

  Ben shrugged. “Anything is possible.”

  For a moment, Dennis glared at him and Ben maintained steady eye contact, willing the other man to do or say something stupid. But he turned and flung the door open and stalked out.

  Paul tapped on the conference room door and strode in. Empty. From the look of the place, Ellie must have stepped out for a moment.

  On the end of the table were markers, a ruler, and eraser, and the whiteboard was covered with diagrams. Not diagrams. He stepped closer, scanning what reminded him of a mind map.

  Most of it made sense of sorts. It was Ellie’s handwriting and her attempt at playing amateur sleuth was admirable, if misguided. She was missing a whole lot of details for a start. Nothing about Dennis and his plans for the company, so she must be in the dark.

  His own name featured, linked by lines to security footage. Why was she worrying about it?

  Leave it to the professionals.

  Despite her recent poor judgement with the detective, Ellie’s heart was generous. Not making Meredith look bad, although she could. And the comments about Michael?

  Paul squatted to read. “Is Michael safe where he is or is it time to bring him home? Speak to Paul about security and a specialist doctor about options.”

  Was that why she’d called for him to come here? He straightened and glanced again at the items on the table. Lids were off some of the markers so he replaced them and laid them in a neat row. Two chairs were pulled out—opposite each other at the end. Did Ellie meet with someone else?

  He sent her a text. In boardroom. Where are you?

  As he waited, Paul checked the cameras. Three in total, all working as expected. But it was time for upgrades. He’d almost completed his purchase order and only needed one of the executives to sign off on it. Jack normally did it. He wasn’t about to waste hi
s time with Dennis so Campbell would have to do.

  The doors opened and Mark wheeled a trolley in, covered in a white tablecloth and filled with cloches. He nodded to Paul and parked it by the narrow table near the door. Paul wandered down as Mark transferred cloches to the table.

  “What’s all this?”

  “Meeting in half an hour. Joni went home so I’m the bunny in charge of this now.”

  “You’re doing alright.” Paul’s mouth watered as he looked under one then another of the domed lids. Pastries, cheeses, perfect little sandwiches. He’d missed lunch. Would anyone notice if he took some?

  “Don’t even think about it. I’m under strict instructions and have no desire to draw the wrong kind of attention to myself.”

  “Who is at this meeting, then?”

  “Campbell, Mr Van Doran, Ms Langford, and Dennis, as long as he’s back by then.”

  “I gather Ellie doesn’t know?”

  “Not from me, she doesn’t. I have to go find the key to the bar.”

  With no response from his text to Ellie, there was little point hanging around. Paul followed Mark as far as the elevator then they went to different floors.

  Back in his office, Paul picked up the purchase order. It was for a complete refit of cameras, monitors, and alarms, to allow for a software upgrade for the building and Jack’s house. His eyes flicked over the words and the numbers, down to the one at the bottom. All six figures of it.

  37

  Only Some Things Matter

  Sea Angel strained against her ropes, longing to be free. From her position slumped on the deck, Ellie lifted her head from folded arms for long enough to make sure the yacht was still tied up, then dropped it again. The sounds of the sea swooshed through the timber boards she lay upon.

  The late afternoon sun was kinder today than the recent stifling heat, and between the warmth and the movement of the boat, she could almost have dozed. Perhaps she had, for the tears were gone and the thumping of her heart no longer resonated in her ears. Her stomach was an empty pit and her body might have been run over by a truck, so much it ached from the tension in her muscles.

  How she’d got here from the boardroom was hazy. There were flashes if she thought hard enough.

  “That was the draw card for the buyer. The shining jewel in an already beautiful crown. I am so sorry, Ellie, but Jack was only waiting for you to come home before signing the papers.”

  “I’m okay, Campbell.”

  I’ll never be okay again.

  “My dear, I’m so sorry to drop this on you.” He’d retreated into the haze.

  She’d made it to her car, she knew that much because the keys were secure in her hand. But the drive here? Lost somewhere.

  Why, Dad?

  He’d spent his life building his empire from nothing. Less than nothing if you knew his history, and Ellie only knew what he’d told her and what she’d found in old records. With every step he took, it was one more away from his childhood and from the father who cared for his drugs, not his family. The chaos of juggling school, protecting his mother and siblings, and earning enough to feed them until he’d broken free. As Sea Angel wanted to now.

  Ellie pushed herself upright, wiped her face, and leaned back against a seat. Instead of going below and curling onto a bed, she’d collapsed here when her shaking legs refused to carry her another step. All she had with her were the car keys, so her handbag must be in the car. Hopefully locked.

  “Ellie?”

  She hadn’t heard Ben approach. He looked so worried, there on the pier with his sunglasses off and jacket under his arm.

  “Hi.”

  “May I board?” he took off his shoes.

  “I’m not good company.”

  He stepped onto the deck. “I’ve phoned and left messages. I called your office and was told you’d left some time ago. What happened?”

  She shook her head, not knowing how to start or where.

  “Shall I get some water for you?” He didn’t wait for an answer, heading below and returning in a moment with two bottles. He handed one to her and tossed his jacket onto the seat before joining her on the deck. Ellie opened her bottle and gulped down half without stopping.

  “I have a bit to tell you. Would you like to go first though?” he asked.

  “No. What’s happened?”

  “I’ve interviewed Dennis at length. And although he has motives, and there is now some evidence, my gut still says he isn’t responsible for Jack disappearing. Not directly.”

  “And what does that mean?” Ellie stretched her legs and turned to see Ben better. “Not directly?”

  “He’s up to something. A secret he’s keeping from you.”

  “More than just about Meredith?” She put the bottle down. “I know what the secret is. Campbell told me today.”

  “That’s why you’re here?”

  “One reason.” She didn’t know how her words would come out. If she could even say them. “Give me a minute, Ben. Tell me the rest.”

  “Okay. He admits to having a relationship with Meredith although he claims it is platonic for now. But he had no idea about the pre-nuptial agreement.”

  The corners of Ellie’s mouth lifted. “You told him?”

  “Might have mentioned it. He’d just finished explaining how he didn’t care if she was loaded or poor.”

  “God, he’s such a liar.”

  “He was pretty desperate to leave for a meeting at Bannerman House.”

  Was it happening now? It must be at least five o’clock and as Acting CEO, he might believe he could sign on Jack’s behalf. Did she have a job to go to tomorrow?

  “Ben, that meeting is about selling the business.” The words rushed out. “Dad decided to sell Bannerman Wealth Group and was waiting for me to come back to tell me first. But now Dennis and Campbell are meeting with the buyers, or I think they are.”

  Ben swore beneath his breath.

  “Yes. And all this time they’ve told me Dad was worrying about a wind farm project but it was this.”

  “But the Foundation?”

  Lips pressed together, Ellie nodded. She reached her hand out and Ben took it, curling warm fingers around hers.

  Seagulls hovered overhead and a breeze picked up, Sea Angel rocked a bit more, still wanting freedom.

  I should set her free and go with her.

  “It isn’t right, Ellie. Or fair.”

  “We were making a difference. It isn’t fair for the thousands of people who still need a hand.”

  “Wouldn’t the buyers keep going though?”

  “Maybe I should apply for a job. From the sound of it I won’t have one for long.” Ellie sighed, squeezed Ben’s fingers, and retrieved her hand. “There’s something else and I was waiting for you to finish with Dennis before bothering you.”

  Ben nodded as he swallowed some water.

  “When I got to my office today, only Mark—you know, Dennis’ PA—was on the floor. Nobody else. Anyway, he was desperate for a juice or something so I sent him off and played receptionist. A man phoned.”

  “Who?”

  “Impossible to tell because his voice was muffled. As though something was over the receiver. He told me to stop the sale.”

  “Sorry?”

  “This was before I knew about it. I wrote it all down, what he said. But at the end, he said he knows where I live and where…where Michael is.”

  “That’s why she called.”

  “What?”

  “Kerry Gibbons left a message asking about increased security for Michael. Now it makes sense because I assume you rang her?”

  “Why did she call you? I can take care of things. I’ve got to keep him safe.” Ellie’s heart was pounding again and she quickly sipped some water. “I’ll speak to Paul about hiring someone to go out there for a while. And I was thinking, well hoping, if his specialist will allow it, maybe he can come out of the facility.”

  Ben’s face was unreadable.

  “Sor
ry. You don’t need to know about this stuff.”

  “I do. After this is all over, we need to talk. Really talk. But, Ellie,” his voice softened. “I wish you’d phoned me as soon as it happened. Never mind what else I’m doing.”

  A sense of calm replaced all the hurt and fear and confusion. In this moment she trusted Ben again. Amongst all the chaos, he was a beacon of safety. She exhaled, long and slow.

  “I might go and see if the meeting is underway. Gatecrash it.” She used the seat to push herself to her feet, stiff from being on the deck so long. “Thanks for looking for me.”

  He stood, grabbing his jacket as Ellie headed for the pier. “Maybe keep your phone a bit closer. Don’t want to be searching for two Bannermans.”

  In the carpark, Ellie gazed up at the apartment building up the road.

  “What’s up there?” Ben rattled in his pockets for keys. His car had four new tyres and someone had washed it.

  “In the downpour yesterday, I saw someone up on the balcony.”

  Ben turned to look. “Probably wondering what anyone was doing out in the middle of a storm. Which balcony?”

  “The end one.” She pointed. “He just stared at me. It was a bit…creepy.”

  “Are you certain it was that one?”

  “Very certain. Why?”

  “No reason.”

  “Ben!”

  “Doubt if it means anything, but that apartment is empty. However, before you add this to the inevitable list of clues I suspect you keep somewhere, it was most likely either the agent or the owner doing a check.”

  Ellie grinned. “List of clues? Me?”

  “Yes. Now, are you okay to get to this meeting, and not begin a war?”

  “As if. I’m going. Will you tell me what you find out?” Ellie unlocked her car, relieved to see her handbag on the passenger seat. “I’ll keep my phone closer.”

  “Good. And I will.” He pulled his phone out.

  As she drove out of the carpark, he was talking on the phone, his eyes up on the balcony.

  38

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