Accounting for Love

by Chrissie Loveday

  ‘I hardly ever go out. Not just sight-seeing anyway. Do you want to go to the Tower or to the Thames?’

  ‘How about the zoo?’ she said almost flippantly.

  ‘You’re not serious? I’ve never been to the zoo.’

  ‘Let’s go there then. I’m not even sure where it is.’

  ‘Regent’s Park. I can guarantee it will be full of screaming brats. But if that’s where you really want to go ...’

  ‘Not really. Let’s go down by the river and walk a bit. Then we can talk and get things clearer in our minds.’

  They found a place to park and set out to walk along the South Bank. It was a pleasant afternoon after the rain. There were lots of people around and a feeling of general good humour in the air.

  ‘Let’s go on a boat trip,’ Adam said suddenly. ‘Come on. Down here.’ He took her hand and dragged her along to a ramp that had several boats moored alongside.

  ‘What? Where are ...’

  ‘Two please. To the Thames Barrier. When do you leave?’

  ‘Ten minutes,’ the ticket salesman told them.

  ‘Great. Come on, Fiona. Let’s get on board.’ She smiled at him. He was suddenly like a kid, excited and pleased with what was happening.

  Okay,’ she agreed. ‘Let’s go for it.’

  She watched his enjoyment of the situation. He entered the spirit of the event totally. One hundred percent. He was asking questions and looking at each point described by the commentary. Was this why he had been so successful in his business? His handsome face, frowning in his attempts to understand everything that was being said, was crumpled in concentration. She smiled, knowing suddenly that here was a man she could really love. She needed to be careful, however, not to make any mistakes. Their family business depended on the decisions she made, and what she reported back to her father.

  ‘Isn’t this wonderful?’ Adam asked her. ‘I never knew any of this even existed. And, though I’d seen it on the news, the barrier affair is quite an engineering feat, don’t you think?’

  ‘Indeed it is.’ Fiona was somewhat less enthusiastic than her companion, but was thoroughly enjoying seeing his total pleasure in the whole thing. By the time they had returned to the South Bank, she had decided, she really was in love with this man. The problem was now keeping it to herself until he made his move. She sighed. It was so unlikely that he would see anything in this simple girl from the backwaters of Britain, she could be waiting forever.

  ‘There’s a pub I want to take you to. It’s in Shepherds Market. Come on. We’ll take the car and find somewhere else to park.’ He grabbed her hand and almost dragged her back to the car.

  ‘Hang on. What’s the big hurry?’

  ‘No hurry. I’m now in a good mood.’

  ‘So, what’s so special about this pub?’

  ‘It’s a peculiar place. Somewhat dark, and, if there was more light, it might even look grubby. But they do amazing food. I know you’ll love it.’

  The car was dumped in a side street, and they went into Shepherd’s Market. It was so close to Mayfair, she wondered exactly where they were going. He opened the door of a pub and led her upstairs.

  ‘What do you want to drink? I’d suggest beer, if you like beer. Don’t let me influence you however.’

  ‘Beer will be fine. I didn’t know you liked it.’

  ‘I like it in some places. Here’s one of them.’ He went to the bar and returned with two glasses of beer and menus tucked under his arm.

  ‘Thanks. What do you recommend we eat?’

  ‘I’d think one of the fish dishes. They’re usually pretty good.’

  ‘So, here we are in central London, and you’re recommending eating fish? On a Sunday evening too.’

  ‘I suppose it does seem a bit strange. But yes. You like fish, and they do pretty good fish dishes.’

  ‘Looks like it’s fish then.’

  They chatted easily and made plans for the following week. Fiona knew her deadline was the end of the week, and she desperately wanted the deal to go ahead. She was concerned about Melissa’s involvement with the deal, and said as much to Adam.

  ‘It’s her way of dealing with problems.’

  ‘What? To go away and leave it all to you?’

  ‘Pretty much, yes. Don’t worry about her. I can handle her eventually. I was thinking, I might contact her father and tell him what’s been going on. If I can actually discover the whole story and she stays away, wherever she’s gone.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan. How’s about we go through all the books once more and go to see him tomorrow?’

  ‘I thought you were keen to go to Brent Cross?’

  ‘I am, but we do need to get things sorted. Let’s make a start when we get home and, once we know the bottom line, then will be the time to go out and about. You must have done quite a lot this morning.’

  ‘Well, yes. But do you really want to get involved at this level?’

  ‘Oh, Adam, of course I do. I need to know exactly what my father is getting into. If Melissa has been defrauding your company on a regular basis, we need to know. If going to her father is the only way to expose her, let’s do it. She’s threatened to tell him some lies or other anyway. If she is really away somewhere, it seems like the perfect time to do it.’

  ‘Oh, Fiona, thank you. You’re a wonder. Why has it taken me till now to meet someone like you?’

  ‘I really don’t know. Maybe because you only came up to visit my father last week.’

  ‘Crikey. Is it really only a week since we met?’

  ‘Not even a week yet.’

  ‘Amazing. I feel I’ve known you for ages. Anyway, have you had enough? Or do you want a pudding?’

  ‘No. I’m keen to go home and get things sorted.’

  ‘Okay. I’ll go and pay and we’ll be off.’ He went to the bar and she watched him. He moved so easily and gracefully. She felt marginally guilty about him paying for the meal again, but she knew he’d never let her pay.

  When they arrived back at his flat, he suggested they might knock at Melissa’s door first, to make sure she hadn’t returned home.

  ‘She did say she was flying out somewhere,’ Fiona reminded him.

  ‘Doesn’t mean a thing. No, she doesn’t seem to be there. Come on, to work woman.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ she said with a laugh.

  They went into the office, and he switched on his computer.

  ‘That’s strange,’ he commented, looking at the screen. ‘The work I did this morning, it’s disappeared.’

  ‘Did you save it?’

  ‘Course I did. Someone’s hacked into my machine. I don’t think anyone’s been into this place. Maybe I didn’t ... No. I’d never have failed to save my work.’

  ‘So how could anyone have hacked into the computer? I know one hears about it, but I’ve never experienced it.’

  ‘Nor have I, till now. Damnation. What have they taken, I wonder?’

  ‘Can’t you tell?’

  ‘It’s more a case of where they went to on the machine. All the company’s business is there. If someone else has read all of that, who knows what they can do to harm us?’

  ‘Don’t you think it was Melissa?’

  ‘I couldn’t imagine her going to this extent. I’m not sure she’d know how to, anyway. It strikes me it’s even more important we get this sorted and challenge Melissa’s father with her mismanagement. We need to see him tomorrow. If it means we need to work all night, let’s do it.’

  ‘Okay by me. I’ll go and make some coffee. We’ll need it.’

  ‘I’ll do it. You open up the files and we can see exactly what’s been going on.’

  The two of them worked away, topping up their coffee cups whenever either of them felt weary. By seven o’clock the next morning, they felt comfortable with the work they’d completed. Adam printed out the relevant part of their work and secured the rest with a new series of passwords.

  ‘That should fix anyone from trying to hack
us again,’ he said, pleased with what they’d achieved. ‘I’ll try phoning Melissa’s father at nine o’clock and demand an appointment with him.

  ‘I’m going to have a shower now, and then I’ll get some breakfast. It’ll only be toast and cereal, but at least I can do that without too much hardship.’

  ‘I’ll maybe scramble some eggs. We need some decent sustenance for the day ahead.’

  At eleven o’clock, the two of them were waiting outside the rather grand office of Melissa’s father. It was situated at the top of one of the most prestigious buildings in the city.

  ‘I hope this is important, Adam. I’m a busy man. Who’s this with you?’

  ‘This is Fiona Theobald. Her family are hoping to buy the business, but there are some discrepancies with the books.’

  ‘And this affects me how?’ He was already looking rather irritated at the interruption.

  ‘Your daughter. She has gone away and we can’t contact her. There are things that she needs to answer, and she said, well she said she would be discussing it with you.’

  ‘I see. How much?’

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘How much has she filched out of you?’ He was reaching for his chequebook as he spoke.

  ‘We’re not entirely sure. These sheets explain some of the problem.’ Adam handed him the balance sheets he had printed off. He glanced at them and shook his head.

  ‘Give me a figure, and I’ll write you a cheque. This is a once and final deal, then you cancel any deals you made with my daughter. I’ll deal with her when she eventually returns. Did she say where she was going?’

  ‘No. She just said she had a plane to catch and swept out.’

  ‘Typical. We’ll fix on a sum, and then you can cancel any more payments she demands. It really is about time she settled down. I can’t be doing with her nonsense.’

  ‘This wasn’t really why I came to you, Sir,’ Adam said politely.

  ‘No. I’m sure it wasn’t. But it’s my way of dealing with it. It’s quick and saves me time. She started with an investment of how much?’ Adam told him. ‘Really? Now where did she get that sort of money from? Okay. I’ll pay you half that and you cancel the deal. That should cover the stuff she’s conned out of you. Okay?’

  ‘Well, if you say so. It’s generous of you, but she is expecting to get at least that back from us. It doesn’t really make sense.’

  ‘Take it and cancel,’ he demanded. ‘I want shut of the whole mess. I’ll deal with her when she gets back, as I said.’

  Shaking his head, Adam pocketed the cheque, and the two of them left.

  ‘So, this makes a whole heap of difference to you. Are you still wanting to sell?’

  ‘Oh yes. It makes the deal viable again. The price your father offered is a good one, and it may even mean we can work together for some of the time.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ Fiona said shyly. ‘We could go and look at Brent Cross now, couldn’t we?’

  ‘You’re incorrigible. Don’t you want to go home and sleep?’

  ‘Not at all. I want to see the flagship store.’

  ‘Okay,’ he sighed. ‘Then can we go home and sleep?’

  ‘If you must. I’m feeling far too excited.’

  ‘I’d better pay this cheque into my account first. Actually, there’s a bank at the Cross. Come on then, slave driver. Let’s go.’

  They drove to Brent Cross and parked. It was all so new to Fiona. She’d never visited such a huge shopping centre before, and felt slightly overwhelmed. She followed Adam as he strode off ahead of her. He went into a bank and filled a paying in slip.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t thinking of you. I wanted to pay that money in before he changed his mind and cancelled it. Now, it’s along here.’

  Fiona was looking at the various shops in the row. It all seemed so much more high-class than the other shops. “Sullivan’s” it said in a rather nice painted design along the top of the shop. The window display was perfect in her eyes. A lovely range of reds into pink fabrics, carefully arranged to maximise the fabrics used. Inside, it was well organised, and a large table on which several people could cut the fabrics lay across one end of the store. There were two tills, one at each side, so people didn’t have to wait for a long time.

  ‘It looks wonderful, Adam,’ she said. ‘Exactly how I’d have wanted it. It’s mainly dressmaking fabrics you sell here, isn’t it?’

  ‘There are some furnishing fabrics too. Round the corner, at the rear of the shop. Let’s go inside and you can look properly at everything.’

  Inside the shop, he introduced her as an interested friend. She was slightly surprised that this was all he said. She met the manager, Rory, who introduced his staff.

  ‘We have two part-timers on duty each day. It’s our way of offering more employment to more people, and means we don’t have to pay quite so much in taxes.’

  ‘I see. More book keeping for someone too.’ He looked surprised.

  ‘You know about this sort of thing, do you?’

  ‘Oh yes. We have a shop back at home. In Norminster.’

  He looked at Adam.

  ‘Melissa not around today?’ he asked.

  ‘Not today. In fact, I doubt you’ll see her again. She’s out of the business from now on.’

  ‘Thank the lord for small mercies. Sorry, Adam. I shouldn’t have said that. Trouble is, she expects to be given so many privileges and discounts, it makes it tricky doing the books.’

  ‘So I’m now gathering.’

  ‘So, what can I show you Miss er ... what did you say your name is?’

  ‘Fiona will do nicely. I’d like to wander round and look at the stock. Get a general impression of what you have.’ She noticed someone come into the shop and watched as one of the assistants went to her to see if she needed any help. She liked the way the girl spoke to her and offered any help, should she need it, before stepping back out of the way.

  She wandered round, as usual fingering various materials. She liked the range of stock very much, and noticed they didn’t have huge quantities of most of them. They had a large range of summer fabrics that looked as if they belonged to various schools in the area.

  ‘So, are these your range for local schools?’ she asked Rory.

  ‘Indeed they are. For parents who want to make their kids’ school dresses. We try to keep it as cheap as possible. We do have patterns too. Not as many as we used to have, but still a decent range.’

  ‘And what is your buying regime?’

  ‘Salesmen call in. I also take several trade publications and I buy off cuts etc. from different places. I like to keep stock moving on.’

  ‘Do you want to see the books?’ asked Adam.

  ‘Please. But are they different from your figures at home?’

  ‘No, but you need to see how Rory keeps them.’

  ‘Okay. Thanks then.’

  He led the way into the small area at the rear of the shop. It was open to the rest of the place, and very organised and tidy looking. Rory followed them and opened his desk drawer.

  ‘There you go. I do them each evening and tot up the totals at the end of each week. Being a Monday, there’s nothing done for today. I shall do it near closing time.’

  ‘It all looks very well organised.’

  ‘Oh it is. I may not have too many other skills, but I do like things to be organised. I’ll leave you to look over them. Give me a shout if there’s anything else you need to know.’

  ‘What a nice man,’ she commented. ‘He’s obviously got nothing to hide.’

  ‘He’s my star manager. I’ll leave you to look if you don’t mind. I need to chat to him about the television show and which fabrics they’re going to need.’

  ‘Okay. No problem.’

  A quick glance at his meticulous figures and the neat columns told her everything she needed to know about how Rory managed his shop. She put them away in the drawer and wandered into the rear of the shop. It was obviously much larger
than it looked from outside. There was a large display of furnishing fabrics here, and, when she looked again at the window display, she could see some of the fabrics were there too. They had some more expensive things, plus a range of cheaper deals. There was also a long rack of fabrics they could obtain specially. She really liked this idea, as it showed a collection of curtains that people might like to buy without them having to carry extra stock. She also spotted a notice offering for someone to make curtains at a reasonable cost. Everything pointed to a well-run shop with excellent facilities. She went off to find Adam and Rory, pleased with all she’d seen. She saw they were deep in conversation and left them to it. She went out into the mall and looked at some of the other shops. It was by now quite late in the afternoon, and shoppers were going home. She realised they hadn’t stopped for lunch and began to feel quite hungry. Resisting the various temptations, she went back to the shop to see if they’d finished their discussion.

  ‘How are you doing?’ she asked.

  ‘Just about there. You ready to go now?’

  ‘I think so. Everything is looking good, Rory. Thank you for showing us your work.’

  ‘My pleasure. I look forward to seeing you again.’

  ‘You too. Thanks again.’

  They went back to the car and began the long drive back across London.

  ‘I gather you liked what you saw?’

  ‘Oh yes. It was all wonderful. Rory seems a really good chap.’

  ‘One of the best. He’s quite shrewd in his buying and staff management. I don’t think we could better him.’

  ‘What are we doing about eating tonight? I’m starving.’

  ‘Time for another cookery lesson, I think.’

  ‘As long as it’s quick, I don’t mind.’

  ‘Let’s go home then.’ He smiled at her, his killer smile wiping away any comments she might have made. She needed to watch herself, or she might just throw herself at him.

  ‘Haven’t we got something we could just re-heat?’ she asked him. ‘I really don’t feel like cooking anything much.’

  ‘I might find something in the freezer. I’m not letting you off the hook though. Taking a break for one night is a possibility. Especially as we didn’t actually get any sleep last night.’