by Jacobs, Anna
He grinned. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt her, let alone get the house. I really like this place, not because it’s in Lavengro Road, but because it’s a lovely house. I know we’ve moved all over the world and never put down roots before, but I can put them down here, I know I can. Not to mention being there for my mother.’
‘Is it any use my asking you to stay on the right side of the law when you deal with Taylor?’
His grin broadened. ‘Don’t I always?’
‘No. Oh, and you haven’t forgotten that I’m going out today to lunch with Wives Reunited.’
‘I’m sure you’ll have a great time with your friends. You usually do. I’m not sure I’ll be in when you return.’
He wandered off again, thinking hard. How did you know what was the best thing to do? It wasn’t about his job now, it was about his family’s happiness. Far more important, that.
Sunday not only brought showers, but there were thunderstorms forecast for later. At Molly’s suggestion, they’d bought a dozen golf umbrellas to lend to people going round the houses and these were well received.
Towards the end of the morning she was on her own when she heard a car drive up. One couple had just left and another was going round the houses for a second time, accompanied by Euan because they wanted to discuss the design details more seriously. Another sale, she hoped.
When a car drew up she was tidying the umbrellas and didn’t bother to look out of the door. Footsteps came towards the office and she turned to greet the newcomers. Her smile froze on her face when she saw who they were, and her heart began to thump.
Craig came into the office and looked round scornfully. ‘Trust you to work for a second-rate organization.’
Molly tried desperately to think of something to say, but her lips felt numb and her brain too. All she wanted to do was run out and get as far away from him as she could. She took an involuntary step towards the door.
He gave her a predatory smile and took two quick sideways steps to block her exit.
Tasha, who had followed him in, said nothing.
‘Not going to offer us brochures, Molly? This is no way to treat a customer.’
‘What do you want, Craig?’
‘For you to show us round the show houses, of course.’
She could hear how her voice fluted with nervousness and despised herself for it, but couldn’t seem to pull herself together. ‘We . . . um, ask our visitors to go round on their own the . . . the first time and then—’ She hauled in a deep breath and forced out more words, ‘We suggest they come and ask for further help if they’re seriously interested. I . . . um . . . here are the . . . the brochures you need.’
She fumbled for the brochures and only managed to scatter them across the floor. ‘Oh . . . I’m s-sorry.’
‘Take one of her brochures and look round the houses, Tash.’
‘Go easy on her, Craig.’ But when he didn’t reply, Tasha frowned at him, then picked up a brochure and walked quickly out, thin high heels perfectly balanced, tapping out a sharp rhythm on the wooden floor.
She didn’t looked pleased at what he was doing, Molly thought. He hadn’t even noticed that. He didn’t notice the subtleties of how people were reacting to him, only whether he’d got what he wanted.
Craig gestured to the desk. ‘Sit down. We have things to discuss.’
Habit had Molly sitting down where he indicated before she realized what she was doing. She tried to gather the shreds of her composure together, but couldn’t, felt sick with nerves.
Before he could say anything, another car drew up and she heard doors opening and voices coming from the car park.
Craig moved away from the desk. ‘Get rid of them.’
He pretended to look at the house plans on the wall.
She got up and moved towards the door, but the two women from the car were already walking down towards the houses.
He took her arm in a hard grip and swung her back to the desk. She sat down because she was no match for him physically. He’d never manhandled her before. Why was he hurting her now? She was sure her arm was bruised where he’d gripped her, sure he’d done it on purpose, too.
He came to sit on the edge of the desk, looming over her. ‘We need to discuss the house, how much I’m going to pay you for it. I will raise my offer, but it won’t be a market offer, because you don’t deserve it. I put a lot of effort into that house too, and I have as much right as you to it.’
‘I’m not selling it to you.’
‘Oh, but you are.’
‘I’m n—’
He smacked his clenched fist down on the desk. ‘Shut up and damned well listen!’
She drew in a shuddering breath.
‘You have a daughter on the verge of disintegrating. Jamie has left her and good riddance to him. But Rachel needs help, a lot of help. I’m willing to provide it, but only on condition you sell me the house.’
Her voice came out a little more strongly this time. ‘That’s no inducement.’
‘It will be. I can push Rachel right over the edge if you don’t cooperate.’
She gaped at him in horror. She’d never have believed he’d go to such lengths. ‘I thought you loved Rachel. She’s your daughter, for heaven’s sake.’
He laughed gently. ‘I loved getting between her and you. That amused me. I also love the fact that she’s so pretty. That does me credit. I think I know how to make use of it when I help her pull herself together. But whether I take the trouble to do that or not depends on you.’
‘No, it doesn’t, because I won’t.’
‘Can you really stand by and watch Rachel crumble, maybe go on drugs? Lose her home?’
‘You wouldn’t let that happen.’
‘Wouldn’t I? Are you prepared to stake her happiness on that assumption?’
She could only stare at him, horrified by this threat.
‘Anyway, it’s a win-win situation. Come on, Molly. Get real. You want to sell that house as much as I want to buy it.’
She felt even more nauseous because she was suddenly quite sure he meant what he said. He really was prepared to use Rachel in any way that suited his purpose – or destroy their daughter.
Could she let him do that?
As Stuart drew up behind a couple of middle-aged women, he noted Craig’s car parked next to the sales office. He looked round carefully before he got out and saw Tasha come out of one of the show houses, look up at the sales office with a worried air, shake her head slightly then go into one of the houses.
From that, he assumed Craig was in the sales office with Molly and that Tasha was worried about what he was doing.
Just as he was about to get out of the car, a man came out of the show houses with a smiling couple and stood talking to them, then they went into the first house.
If Stuart’s guess was right, this would be as good a time as any to eavesdrop on what was going on inside the sales office. His rubber soles making no sound on the tarmac, he moved quietly to position himself below an open window. He hoped he couldn’t be seen from the houses, but would have to risk that.
He listened for a few minutes, feeling the anger that had been there ever since the attack on his mother’s house flare up again as he heard what Craig was threatening Molly with. When he risked a glance through the window, he could see that she was afraid, and that she believed the fellow.
He felt sorry for her. Poor Molly had been browbeaten for years.
People didn’t always think straight when they were afraid of someone. He’d seen it in ex-prisoners, blackmail victims, new recruits who’d been put under a particularly nasty sergeant.
He checked his equipment, moving to a slightly better position.
Well, she wouldn’t be on her own this time.
Another car drove up and he bent to tie an imaginary shoelace. Then he saw the man who’d been talking to the couple come striding up the hill, so went back to his car as if looking for something. He’d wait
for a moment or two, then see what was going on before he acted.
There was plenty of time for what he intended to do today.
Molly looked up, but it was another couple. She thrust brochures at them, suggesting they look round the houses and get back to her if they needed more information. It was one of the worst explanations she’d ever made. She stuttered and jerked the words out as if she didn’t really know what she was doing. The woman looked at her scornfully, and no wonder.
‘What idiot employed you as a saleswoman?’ Craig said once they’d left.
Euan had waited to let the couple out, then stopped as he saw how afraid Molly looked. He heard enough to guess who the man was and walked into the office.
‘This idiot,’ he said firmly. ‘Only she’s actually a very good saleswoman.’
Craig made a faint but distinctly scornful noise.
Thunder rumbled suddenly in the distance and Molly shivered. She felt ashamed to think Euan had heard her stumbling through what was usually a well-rehearsed spiel. And she knew she wasn’t coping well with the situation, was showing her fear of her ex.
Craig turned round, all charm again. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, only I know how my ex-wife crumbles under pressure and I was worried about her. She’s not going to be happy in a sales position. You’re not doing her any favours by employing her here.’
Euan ignored him, looking at her and she felt tears of embarrassment well in her eyes. She gave him one look, then stared down.
Craig leaned against the wall with supposed casualness and waited. But he was blocking Euan’s way across to the desk. ‘Look, I wonder if you’d mind leaving me and Molly to continue a rather private conversation about our daughter? We have a bit of trouble in the family.’
Euan shoved him out of the way and went to stand beside Molly, one arm round her shoulders. ‘Rat was the correct word to describe him,’ he said quietly.
He could feel her shaking against him, so turned to stare back at her ex. ‘I’m not leaving you to bully her. In fact, I don’t even like you on my premises. You’re upsetting one of my employees and I’m not having that.’
‘I’m not leaving till I’ve finished my conversation with Molly.’
Euan looked at her. ‘Shall I throw him out?’
She closed her eyes and shook her head. ‘I think I’d better . . . speak to him. About our daughter.’
For a moment triumph blazed on Craig’s face, to be replaced by an ugly smile.
Outside Stuart switched off his recording equipment. It was time to intervene. He ran lightly up the steps into the office. ‘Don’t deal with him, Molly, or you’ll never be rid of him.’ He turned to Euan. ‘I’m Molly’s tenant, Stuart Benton.’
Euan held out his hand and the two men shook.
Two strong men, Molly thought, but not bullies like her ex. She saw Craig looking at her behind their backs and making a beckoning movement with his right hand.
She jerked to her feet and took a step forward, then stopped abruptly.
Stuart made a small shushing sound as Euan opened his mouth.
Molly looked at her ex-husband and thought about the terrible threat he’d just made. If he was capable of that, there was no way she could ever trust him to keep his word. If he cared so little about Rachel, it would do their daughter no good to be rescued by him.
‘I can’t sell you the house, Craig, because—’ she had to stop and take a deep breath – ‘I’ve already sold it to Stuart.’
Stuart nodded confirmation, though they hadn’t actually got as far as a sale.
There was silence, then Craig said, ‘There hasn’t been time for you to exchange contracts yet, so we can still negotiate, still come to some agreement – for Rachel’s sake.’
‘No. We can’t. For Rachel’s sake. And for my own.’ Her voice grew stronger. ‘I won’t negotiate with you, Craig, about anything. Ever again.’
His expression turned ugly. ‘You’re going to regret this.’
Euan moved to her side. ‘She won’t, you know. I’ll make sure of that.’
‘Who are you? Some struggling developer with a few houses for sale? I don’t think you’ve got much power to do anything.’
Euan smiled at him. ‘I’m the main shareholder of CrestHayle Holdings, actually. I started up the company, but though I’ve sold part of it now, I think I still have a little clout in business circles.’
Craig stopped in his tracks. ‘The shopping centre developer? I don’t believe you. Someone with that much behind him wouldn’t be fiddling around with a tinpot development like this one.’
Euan smiled even more broadly. ‘Every man’s entitled to a hobby.’
Craig stared at him as if he’d suddenly grown horns.
‘Anyway, what I do or don’t do isn’t your concern. But believe me, I do own most of CrestHayle and, more important, I can keep Molly safe.’
Stuart stepped forward. ‘And if you have any further doubt, you might try listening to this.’ He pressed the play button on his recorder and first Tasha’s then Craig’s voice filled the room.
‘I can’t believe you attacked a woman so soon after her husband’s funeral.’
‘How the hell was I to know the old chap had died? Anyway, no one touched her. I made a point of telling them not to. They just lobbed rocks through a couple of the windows.’
‘Even that was a disgusting thing to do to an old lady.’
‘Sometimes you have to make a point forcibly.’
Then Stuart pressed another button and today’s conversation between Craig and Molly was replayed.
‘Do you really want this to be made public?’ he asked with a smile.
‘That’s blackmail,’ Craig snapped.
‘I haven’t asked you for anything. How is it blackmail?’
Craig lunged for the tiny tape recorder.
Stuart easily shoved him back. ‘Careful, Mr Taylor. We don’t want you getting hurt. And for your information, I have copies of the first recording in safe places, and it can easily be sent to your employer if you don’t behave from now on.’
As they all stood there, waiting for Craig to speak or move, footsteps tapped up the wooden steps into the office.
Tasha stood there, her face expressionless.
Craig smiled at her. ‘Would you wait for me in the car, darling? I won’t be long.’
‘I don’t think so.’
He looked at her in puzzlement.
‘I’ve been listening to you for a while, from the back of this place. Threats against Molly, against your own daughter – your own daughter, for heaven’s sake. And two days ago you virtually raped me. I’ve been raped once when I was younger. I vowed then never to accept it again without speaking out.
‘I’m taking the car and I’m going to my brother’s. He will ensure that I’m safe when I go to remove your things from our flat. Be sure to bring a van with you when you return tomorrow, because if you don’t take your things away, I’ll send them all to the tip. Your beautiful suits, your expensive ties, all the trappings that dazzle the unwary – till people get to know you and see what’s behind the facade. You even dazzled me, and I thought I was good at recognizing that sort of trickery.’
He lunged towards her and Stuart stepped forward, twisting his arm behind his back so quickly it had happened before Craig knew it.
‘Thank you, Mr Benton.’ Tasha turned to look at Molly. ‘I apologize for the way we’ve treated you. He can be very convincing. I really thought you were a malicious fool.’
‘I was definitely a fool, but never malicious,’ Molly said. ‘I should have left him years ago.’
‘Well, you stood up to him today. Better late than never.’ She studied Euan. ‘And it seems to me you’ve found someone better in every way.’ She smiled bitterly. ‘I thought I’d met a man with solid ambitions, and he turns out to be a minor thug.’
‘Tash, I can explain!’ Craig stretched out his free arm towards her.
‘No, you can�
�t. Because I heard the truth today, and even you haven’t enough weasel words to twist the facts round and put our marriage back together.’
She turned and walked out of the office.
Craig tried to follow her, but Stuart made sure he didn’t get to the door in time.
As the car pulled away, Euan said, ‘I’ll arrange for a car to take you to London, Mr Taylor, because I don’t want you staying here a moment longer than necessary. But if you ever set foot on my property again, I’ll have you forcibly removed. Please wait in the coffee shop at the hotel. Perhaps you’d escort him up there, Mr Benton, then come back and join us?’
‘My pleasure.’ Stuart gestured towards the door and followed Craig out, winking at Molly.
Euan watched them go, then turned to Molly, who was looking as if she’d just run a marathon.
‘I’m ashamed that it took such an extreme situation to make me stand up to him,’ she muttered.
‘Don’t expect miracles of yourself. You’re taking one step at a time. Many women need years of counselling before they can stand up to a husband who’s abused them verbally for so long. I had a cousin in a similar situation.’
He pulled her to him and hugged her. For a moment she hugged him back, then moved out of his embrace with an apologetic smile.
‘I’m still afraid for Rachel. The trouble is, I don’t think she’ll listen to me if I tell her what her father said.’
‘Why don’t you ring your son? Ask him to explain the situation to her. I’m sure Stuart would give him a copy of the tape to play to her.’
She glanced at her watch. ‘I’ll do that. I hope I can catch Brian before he goes to work.’
Euan moved towards the door. ‘I’ll keep the sightseers at bay.’
‘No. It makes more sense for me to go down to the caravan to phone in private. And Euan . . . thank you.’
‘I love you, Molly.’
‘I don’t know how you can.’
She was gone before he could refute this.
He made a quick phone call to the hotel reception, then turned to deal with the customers who’d just returned from looking at the houses.
Molly’s hand was shaking as she pressed the button to ring Brian. ‘Hello? Oh, thank goodness I’ve caught you.’