Istanbul Affair

by Joanna Mansell

  Amy realised, with a rather depressed sigh, that she had finally accepted that she would have to go. There had been something very disturbing about that letter from Angeline—a slightly hysterical tone to it that her sophisticated cousin wouldn't have used under normal circumstances.

  She stayed slumped in the chair for some time, trying to figure out what could have happened to Angeline. She even read the letter through again, although that didn't help in the least. In the end, she gave another sigh, hauled herself out of the chair, and went to phone her mother.

  'Hello, Mum,' she said, as the receiver was picked up at the other end. 'I want to ask you a favour. Can you look after the shop for a day or two? Perhaps even longer?'

  'I'd love to,' her mother said at once.

  Amy gave a small, wry smile. Her mother adored looking after the shop on the odd occasions when she had to go out, or was away on a buying trip. The only trouble was, she was absolutely hopeless at it! She would cheerfully knock ten or even twenty pounds off an item if she thought a customer looked a little short of money, the till-receipts never balanced at the end of the day, and because she thought everyone was as honest as she was, she never noticed if a small ornament disappeared into the pocket of a shoplifter. On one memorable occasion, a thief had calmly walked out with a three-foot-high brass elephant. Her mother had even opened the door for him!

  'I thought he had paid for it earlier and had come back to collect it,' she had explained disarmingly.

  'If you thought that, you should have asked to see the receipt,' Amy had groaned.

  'I didn't like to,' her mother replied comfortably. 'He seemed such a nice gentleman. If I'd asked to see the receipt, it would have looked as if I didn't trust him.'

  'But he was a thief!' Amy had said a little despairingly. 'You'd have been right not to have trusted him.'

  'Oh well, it was only an elephant,' said her mother philosophically. 'I expect you'll soon be able to get your hands on another one.'

  The loss of the elephant had effectively wiped out Amy's profits for that week, and she had sworn she would never ask her mother to look after the shop again. Yet here she was, back on the phone to her, asking her to look after it not just for an afternoon, but for a few days! Businesswise, this was definitely suicidal! There just wasn't anyone else she could ask, though. Her father and all of her friends worked full-time. She would just have to hope that her mother didn't do anything too disastrous while she was away.

  'Where are you going?' asked her mother. 'You're not due to go off on another buying trip just yet, are you?'

  'I'm going to Istanbul.'

  'Isn't that rather extravagant?' said her mother doubtfully. 'I mean, I expect you'll be able to find some fascinating curios in the bazaars, but you won't make very much profit after you've paid your air fare and hotel bill.'

  'I'm not going on a buying trip. In fact I don't want to go at all. I've had this very odd letter from Angeline, though. It looks as if she's got herself into some serious trouble, and she wants me to go and bail her out.'

  'Angeline's always in trouble,' said her mother disapprovingly. 'And most of it's of her own making. I think you should ignore her letter, Amy. If she's in a mess, then let her get herself out of it. I don't want her dragging you into some risky situation. Anyway, what's she doing in Istanbul?'

  'She went there on holiday, and no one's heard from her since she left. I don't think I've got much choice except to go out there for a couple of days, and try to find out what's going on.'

  'And do you think Angeline would drop everything and go rushing halfway round the world if you were in trouble?' said her mother tartly.

  Amy knew that her mother didn't particularly like Angeline, even though she was her niece. Perhaps that was part of the problem, she thought with a small sigh. No one in their family had liked Angeline very much. On the other hand, Angeline had never gone out of her way to make herself liked. Quite the opposite, in fact. Amy had long suspected that her cousin rather enjoyed being the black sheep of the family.

  'Look, Mum,' she said rather tiredly, 'I've made up my mind about this. I'm going to Istanbul. I just want to know if you'll look after the shop while I'm away. If you won't, I'll just shut it down for a few days.'

  'I've already said that I will,' replied her mother promptly. 'Anyway, you can't shut it down. You'll lose customers.'

  'I can afford to run it at a loss for a while if I have to.'

  'And you can easily afford the fare to Istanbul, thanks to that money your uncle left you. Does that have something to do with the reason you're rushing off to try and help Angeline?' asked her mother shrewdly. 'You're still feeling guilty because you got all the money, and Angeline didn't get a penny?'

  'It doesn't seem at all fair,' admitted Amy. 'And it does make me feel—well, as if I owe her something.'

  'Does she know that you wanted to give her half? But that the terms of your uncle's will didn't allow it?'

  'No,' said Amy. 'There didn't seem much point in telling her, since there's no way to break the terms of his will.'

  Her uncle had left her the money on the proviso that she didn't touch any of the capital for five years, unless it was for business purposes. She had used some of it to pay for the lease on her small shop, and to buy stock. That had only made a very small dent in it, though. Her uncle had left her a sizeable legacy, thanks to some very shrewd investments. And although she wasn't allowed to touch the capital, she was allowed to keep and spend the annual interest on the investments. That meant she could easily pay for her ticket to Istanbul, hotel bills and any extra expenses.

  'You're absolutely determined to go?' said her mother with some resignation.

  'Yes,' Amy said firmly. Any lingering doubts had finally vanished. If she just ignored Angeline's letter, she wouldn't be able to sleep at nights for worrying about her wayward cousin. 'Can you come round tomorrow morning? If I've already left, I'll leave the keys to the shop with Mrs Baker next door.'

  'Just be careful,' warned her mother. 'Don't let Angeline drag you into anything stupid or dangerous.'

  'I won't,' promised Amy, and it was a promise that she definitely intended to keep. If Angeline needed practical help, then she would give it, if she could. But if her problem involved a man—or men!—then Angeline was on her own. Amy didn't feel inclined, or qualified, to give advice or help on that subject.

  After her mother had rung off, Amy wandered a little restlessly round her small flat over the shop. What should she pack? How long would she be away? Should she try and book a hotel-room before she left, or wait until she got there?

  Unable to make even simple decisions, she went back down to the shop. This was ridiculous! she told herself with some impatience. If she was going to leave in the morning, then she needed to get organised right now.

  The trouble was, of course, that she didn't actually want to go. She liked her life the way it was at the moment, quiet and uncomplicated, with only the running of the shop to think about. It was a period of calm after a long season of storms. And she wanted it to stay that way. She wasn't ready yet for problems and emotional turmoil, and that was what she was likely to get caught up in if she got involved in her cousin's life.

  The door to the shop rattled and, without thinking, Amy went to open it. She had half drawn back the bolt when she suddenly glanced at her watch. Twelve o'clock! That meant that it was almost certainly Benedict Kane on the other side of the door.

  For a few moments, she seriously considered keeping him locked out. Then she gave a resigned sigh. She had the feeling that Mr Kane wouldn't let a small thing like a bolted door stand in his way. The best thing would be to let him in, and tell him that she was going to do whatever she could to help Angeline. That should finally satisfy him. She could then get rid of him and, with any luck, never set eyes on him again.

  Amy drew the bolt back fully. An instant later, Benedict Kane pushed the door wide open and strode back into the shop.

  'Didn't anyone e
ver teach you that it's basic good manners to wait to be invited in?' Amy enquired, scowling at him angrily.

  'I haven't the time to be polite,' he replied shortly. 'There's too much to be done. Have you made any arrangements yet for going to Istanbul?'

  She continued to scowl at him. There was something about this man that set every one of her nerves right on edge. A few moments ago, she had been almost ready to co-operate with him. Now that she was face to face with him again, though, she had already changed her mind about that. She suddenly decided that she wanted him out of her shop, and out of her life. Let Angeline deal with him when she finally got back to England. Benedict Kane was her cousin's problem, not hers!

  'I haven't made any travel arrangements yet, but I will be going to Istanbul, and I will help Angeline if I possibly can,' she said in a very stiff voice. 'And as far as I'm concerned, that's all you need to know. I'd appreciate it if you'd leave now. This is a family matter, and you're not family, Mr Kane. In fact, as far as I can see, you're just someone that Angeline's known for a very short time. I think that you've interfered in our lives quite enough.'

  He didn't budge an inch. She hadn't really thought that he would. This wasn't a man who was used to taking orders from anyone.

  'I see that there are one or two things that you still don't understand,' he said softly.

  Amy discovered that she didn't like that low tone of voice. There was something far more disturbing about it than a voice raised in plain anger.

  'I think that I understand everything perfectly,' she returned. 'You're pushing yourself in where you're not wanted. I don't want to be rude, but where you're concerned it's very hard to be anything else! So I'll tell you just one more time, and I'll make it absolutely plain, so that you finally get the message. I want you to stop interfering and I want you to leave.'

  His dark eyes became almost black as they fixed on her face. 'Now let me make something clear,' he said, in a tone that sent a whole cascade of goose-pimples down her spine. 'I'm not going anywhere until Angeline's back in England, safe and well. I don't trust you to make much of an effort to get her out of whatever trouble she's in. As far as I can see, you've got very little feeling for your cousin. You probably wouldn't care too much if you never set eyes on her again.'

  'How dare you say that?' Amy howled in pure outrage. 'Angeline and I might not be very close, but I'd certainly never abandon her if she were in serious trouble. Anyway, I've already said that I'll go to Istanbul.'

  'I know that you'll go,' Benedict Kane agreed grimly. 'In fact, I've already booked your ticket for you.'

  'You've what?' she said furiously.

  'Booked your ticket,' he repeated, his dark eyes still fixed intently on her face.

  'I don't need you to make my travel arrangements for me!'

  'I just want to make sure you get there.'

  'And how are you going to do that?' she enquired heatedly. 'Put me on the plane personally?'

  'Something like that,' he said, sounding much more unperturbed now. 'Except that I won't just be putting you on the plane. I'll be getting on it with you.'

  'You'll what?' Amy yelped.

  'I'm coming with you to Istanbul.'

  'Oh, no, you're not!' she shot back at once.

  'The arrangements are already made.'

  'Then you can just unmake them. I'm not going anywhere with you!'

  A dangerous light began to flicker in his eyes. 'Don't you think that, just for once, you could stop thinking about what you want. Try thinking of Angeline for just a couple of minutes,' he advised tersely. 'Or are you so self-centered that that just isn't possible?'

  'I don't see how it will possibly help Angeline to have you trailing all the way out to Istanbul,' Amy said promptly. 'I've already told you, she wrote that letter to me. She didn't ask me to get in touch with you, and she certainly didn't tell me to ask you for help. I know that you've said the two of you are close, but I'm beginning to wonder if you're telling the truth about that. After all, in that letter she didn't even mention your name.'

  'Perhaps she wasn't allowed to mention it.'

  Amy stared at him. 'Just what do you mean by that?'

  'Perhaps she didn't write that letter of her own accord. Maybe someone forced her to write it—and told her what to put in it.'

  Her green gaze became wary. 'What are you saying?'

  Benedict Kane looked directly back at her. 'I think there's a strong possibility that Angeline's been kidnapped.'

  'But—that's ridiculous!' Disbelief echoed clearly in her voice. 'Who on earth would want to kidnap Angeline? And why? Anyway, what would they get out of it? She doesn't have any close family who'd pay a ransom to get her back. And although she earns good money as a model, she spends just about every penny she makes. She doesn't have any money of her own that she could give them in exchange for her release.'

  'That's right,' he agreed. 'But she does have a cousin who looks very much like her. The same pale blonde hair, tall, slim body, fair skin and beautiful face. And this cousin does have money—a large sum of it, inherited from an uncle. What if they snatched the wrong girl?' he suggested softly. 'Took Angeline instead of you?'

  Amy swallowed very hard. 'Instead of me?' she managed to get out at last in a very squeaky little voice.

  Benedict Kane shrugged. 'It's just a theory. But right now it's the only one that seems to make any sense. Perhaps someone found out about that money you inherited from your uncle—and decided this was an easy way of getting his hands on it.'

  'But the money's all tied up in trust. I can't touch a penny of the capital. I'm only allowed to spend the interest.'

  'The trust could probably be untied—especially if it meant saving your life.'

  'But—kidnapping? Who on earth would do such a thing?' Amy said shakily.

  'Someone fairly ruthless and amoral. Perhaps someone who learned about the money quite by chance—through the friend of a friend, or perhaps through some business connection.'

  'I don't think I believe any of this,' she said in a defensive tone. 'None of it adds up. I mean, if they did grab Angeline instead of me, why do it in Istanbul? Why not here, in England?'

  'I don't know. I can't answer any of your questions, I can only tell you what I think might have happened.'

  'But I don't really look like Angeline,' she said a little desperately. 'She's taller, thinner, prettier, more— oh, just more of everything!'

  Benedict Kane looked at her with some surprise. 'You don't look the type to have an inferiority complex.'

  'I don't,' she denied at once. 'That's just the way that Angeline sometimes makes me feel.'

  'But you will try and help her?'

  'I've already said that I will. But if she has been kidnapped, then the obvious thing is to go to the police.'

  'She warned you in her letter not to do that,' he reminded her.

  'But I can't handle something like that by myself!'

  'That's why I'm coming with you.'

  'I don't want you to come with me,' she shouted at him, her frayed nerves suddenly giving way.

  His dark gaze stared straight into her over-bright green eyes.

  'I'm getting very tired of hearing what you want and don't want. And there isn't time for any more pointless arguments. A delay of even a day might be disastrous for Angeline. In the morning, we're leaving for Istanbul—both of us—so be ready when I come round to pick you up. And remember this. If you cause me any trouble, or do anything that puts Angeline's life in danger, then you most certainly won't like the consequences!'

  Amy wanted to say something, but couldn't. Something in Benedict Kane's eyes and the tone of his voice had made her throat go totally dry.

  This man is dangerous, warned a small voice inside her head. But she already knew that. She had known it from the moment when he had first walked into her shop.

  And now he was going to Istanbul with her, and she couldn't see any way of stopping him. Amy didn't like that. She didn't like it at all.r />
  She also had the feeling that she definitely wasn't going to enjoy the next few days.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Right up until the moment when she boarded the plane for Istanbul, Amy tried to think of some way of getting away from Benedict Kane. As he settled himself into the seat beside her, she finally had to admit defeat. She was stuck with him, at least for the next few hours. Once they reached Istanbul, though, she was determined that things were going to change. He wanted to find Angeline? Fine, he could go and look for her by himself!

  Amy remembered his theory about Angeline being kidnapped—perhaps even being grabbed instead of her—but finally wrinkled her nose and discounted it. The whole thing was just too far-fetched. She was willing to bet that the trouble Angeline was in was a lot more personal—and probably involved a man.

  She shot a quick sideways glance at Benedict Kane as he sat beside her. He looked very relaxed and yet alert, like a great cat that was almost, but not quite, asleep.

  He had picked her up early that morning in his car, which was dark and streamlined, with an engine that purred with lightly restrained power. They hadn't spoken a word to each other during the drive to the airport, nor while they had waited to board the plane. He seemed totally uninterested in her as a person. Her only value to him was as Angeline's cousin, which meant that she might be able to help him to find her.

  Amy glanced at him again. He was a lot less formally dressed than he had been yesterday, when he had worn a dark, well-cut suit. Today he had on jeans and a sweatshirt, but they fitted so perfectly that they might have been made for him. In fact, they probably had been made for him, Amy decided with a small scowl. The man reeked of money. He probably didn't know what it was like to buy something off-the-peg!

  She didn't mean to look at him any more, but there was nothing to see out of the small window except low cloud, and she found her gaze wandering back to him. This time he looked straight back at her, his dark eyes studying her thoughtfully, as if he were seeing her properly for the first time that day.