Soliman, Wendy - The Name of the Game (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Wendy Soliman

  “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Ashley finished, grimly. “Our integrity would be shot to pieces, even if we could subsequently prove our innocence.”

  “But Claire going into labour early has put the kibosh on their plans,” Matt said. “I doubt whether they have any other tame systems analysts waiting in the wings. Only people on Ashley’s grade or higher have access to the system on their home computers.”

  “They can still make a hell of a fuss about the three cases they’ve already rigged,” Ashley pointed out.

  “Unless we stop them.”

  “How do you plan to do that, Matt?” Charlie asked.

  “By fighting fire with fire. They’re not the only ones with connections in the local media.” He paused, absently brushing a strand of hair that had escaped Ashley’s chignon away from her shoulder. “Philip has his man at The Echo, but I know a guy on a national Sunday tabloid who owes me a favour.”

  “Would he care about our problems?” Ashley asked.

  “If I sell it to him right. It would make a great feature. How one business played fast and loose with the bereaved, just to get a jump in amalgamation negotiations.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” Charlie said. “But you’d have to trust the guy with the truth. It’s a hell of a risk, and if you openly accuse Stevenson’s, then you can kiss good-bye to the amalgamation altogether.”

  “I’ll have to take that chance. It’s the only option we have, given the time scales involved. This guy of mine does those double-page exposés that get readers up in arms.” Matt threw his head back and closed his eyes. Ashley could see tiredness and strain etched on his face and ached to hold him. She folded her hands in her lap before they developed a mind of their own and reached for him. “And to do that, he has to be a bit of a sleuth, or at least have access to people who can dig the dirt.”

  “Dr. Andrews,” Ashley said, realizing where Matt was going with this. “You want to find out quickly what Roker could possibly have on him that made him agree to destroy patients’ records.”

  “Precisely!”

  “And persuade him to tell all in order to save his career.”

  “Whatever happens, his career is history,” Matt said fiercely. “I can’t abide a doctor who puts his own interests about those of his patients.”

  “You can’t tell him that, though, or he’ll never cooperate,” Charlie pointed out.

  “I don’t plan to tell him anything. I’ll wait to see what my guy finds out, and then we’ll decide how to play it.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Charlie leaned back in his chair and grinned at Matt and Ashley. “If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation, I might almost enjoy trying to outwit them,” he said, his eyes lingering on Matt. “It’s good to be back on the same team, cousin,” he said.

  “Yes, it is,” Matt agreed, and Ashley could tell that he meant it. However this thing worked itself out, at least Matt and Charlie had made their peace. Matt’s mother would be glad about that.

  “I still can’t believe it of Eve,” Charlie mused. “I thought I knew her backward.” He shrugged. “It just goes to show.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Okay then. Let’s get this show on the road.” Matt stood up. “I guess I need to call my journo friend, first off.”

  He flipped through his mobile phone directory and hit on a contact. It obviously went straight through to the guy’s cell because he answered almost immediately. Matt introduced himself but didn’t waste time with small talk.

  “I might have something interesting for you, Nate. Can you meet me in Southampton tonight?” he asked. “This isn’t something for the phone. You can? Great. Just one thing before you come down, though. Get your research bod to look into a Dr. Andrews and his wife Dr. Simpson.” Matt consulted the pad Ashley held up and reeled off the addresses of their practises. They’re a married couple, but there’s something off about one of them. Probably him.”

  Matt listened for a bit, nodded, and then named a top end hotel on Southampton waterfront. “I’ll be registered there. Shall we say seven o’clock? Ask for me at reception and come right on up. I’ll tell them to expect you. Oh, and, Nate, keep this under your hat. Strictly between you and me for now. Right, good. I’ll see you tonight then.”

  “What do you want us to do?” Ashley asked.

  “I want you to gather up all the evidence we have. If we’re to have any chance of pulling this off, I need to be completely straight with this guy and place my trust in him.”

  “Okay,” Ashley said. “I can do that.”

  “Then I want you there with me tonight.” He winked at her. “All night. Tomorrow’s meeting has been postponed, and I’m supposed to be going back in Reigate. Eve won’t question my disappearance, but I don’t want her hanging round you instead. Besides, we’ve earned a bit of luxury.”

  “Just make sure no one tails you there,” Charlie said.

  “Good point. We’ll go separately by cab. Do you want in on it, too, Charlie?”

  “Thanks for the offer, but three’s a crowd,” he said, grinning at Ashley. “Besides, I’d be better employed keeping Roker occupied. I’ll ring him and suggest we meet for a working dinner. Try and iron out some of the snags that led to the postponement of tomorrow’s meeting.”

  “That would be a great help, if you don’t mind doing it.”

  “I might even call Eve and suggest she comes along, too. That way I’ll have them both in the same place, under my beady eye. Not much I can do about the mystery third party, though.”

  “You’re doing more than enough as it is,” Matt assured him.

  “Right, just don’t forget to call me and let me know how it went with the journo.” He flashed another grin at Ashley. “Before other occupations make you forget about poor old me.”

  “Business before pleasure,” Matt said, sighing.

  “For what it’s worth, I might think you’re overcautious, anal retentive, and all that other shit I’ve thrown at you over the years, but I can’t fault your taste in women.”

  “Thank you,” Ashley said, blushing furiously. “I think.”

  Matt just laughed, slapped Charlie’s shoulder, and kissed the top of Ashley’s head.

  “See you later, babe,” he said.

  * * * *

  Ashley was a bag of nerves, jumping like a scalded cat at nothing for the rest of the afternoon. She had plenty of work to do but couldn’t concentrate. Matt must be devastated by Eve’s treachery. Their marriage might be over, but she could see that Paul’s revelation had shaken him to the core. His hastily concocted plan to undermine Roker seemed somewhat nebulous, especially since it placed the entire future of Interactive in the hands of the tabloid press, but she couldn’t think of any alternative that would work in the limited time available to them.

  A cab deposited her at the DeVere Grand Harbour Hotel at just after six. Matt had texted her with a room number, so she walked through the swing doors and was whisked upward in a silent elevator to the top floor. Matt opened the door to a sumptuous penthouse suite, but Ashley barely noticed its opulence. Her attention was all for Matt. In shirtsleeves, he looked totally drained, as though all the life had been sucked out of him.

  “Come here,” she said, walking into the room and kicking the door shut behind her.

  He swept her from her feet, holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. Then he kissed her with savage possessiveness, exorcising his demons by plundering her mouth like he never intended to stop. Ashley matched his urgency, glad to finally express her feelings without the need for words.

  “I need you, Ash,” he said, almost plaintively, when he finally let her go. “You have no idea how much.”

  “Just as well because you’re stuck with me.”

  “Do you know what thought’s been constantly going through my head all day?”

  Ashley didn’t want to hazard a guess, scared of what he might say. “That it would be a nice day to go for a hack,” she
said flippantly.

  “Not even close.” He maintained his hold on her, his arms like bands of steel as their bodies collided. “All this shit was going down, and all I could think about was how classy you look in that new suit. How much I wanted to take it off you.”

  Ashley’s heart melted. “I don’t know what to say to that, other than be my guest.”

  “Oh, I intend to be, once Nate’s been.”

  “I’m so sorry about Eve,” Ashley said quietly. “It was a real bummer, finding that out about her.”

  “I should have read the signs. About her and Charlie,” he said, with a heavy sigh. “I’ve been a prize fool, thinking I had all the answers. Just assuming that Charlie was against me because he always is. Underestimating Eve.”

  “She’s your wife, Matt. You thought she wanted to keep the relationship alive. How were you supposed to know differently?”

  “Perhaps if I’d bothered to look?”

  He released her and walked further into the room. Ashley finally took notice of her surroundings and let out a low whistle. They were in a very swish sitting room. The door to the adjoining bedroom was open to reveal a massive bed that looked far too comfortable.

  “Wow,” she said. “What have we done to deserve this?”

  “If we can’t spoil ourselves after the sort of day we’ve had…” Matt let out a long breath. “I’m through with hiding, Ash. After this, it’s you and me for the duration, and I don’t give a damn what happens. As long as I have you with me. We’ll be living in style, as well, so get used to it.”

  “I don’t care about style, I just want you.”

  “You’ve got me, count on it, but we need to decide what—”

  “Let’s get through this first, and then we’ll make plans.”

  “Hey, you’re not having second thoughts, are you?” He looked horrified. “I can take most of the crap that comes my way, but if I were to lose you I—”

  “No chance of that, buster.”

  “Thank God for that.” He went to the minibar and found a beer for himself and white wine for Ashley. “Although why you still want to hang around, what with the all the baggage I bring with me, emotional and otherwise, I’m at a loss to understand.”

  Ashley flashed a grin. “Can’t get my head round that one myself.”

  “Wench!” He sat on the nearest settee and pulled her onto her lap. “What have you got on under that jacket? I’ve been wrestling with that question all day.”

  “Hmm, that’s for me to know and you to find out.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  He looked a little less stressed now, but months’ worth of tension was still etched in his face. The vertical lines that came together above his nose seemed deeper than before, and strain was evident in his eyes.

  “You’re wondering how to resolve all this and keep Eve out of it, aren’t you?”

  He shot her a surprised look. “What makes you say that?”

  “Matt, it’s hardly rocket science. She’s your wife, the mother of your children. I’m guessing that you’re thinking of them and how the news will affect them, if it became public knowledge.”

  He expelled a long breath. “You’re a wise woman, Ashley Wilde.”

  “That’s why you love me.”

  “One of the many reasons.” He kissed her temple. “But yes, of course that’s what I’m thinking about.”

  “They’re not children anymore. It’s not a pretty story, but I’m sure they’d understand.”

  “Eve could finish up in prison if this all comes out. How can I explain that to them?”

  Ashley gasped. “Yes, I suppose she could. I hadn’t thought of that.” She paused. “But if it helps to harden your heart, bear in mind that that’s where you could have landed up, thanks to her.”

  “Yes, that’s true, and it does help.”

  “Couldn’t you settle the claims, say there had been a glitch in the system that originally rejected them, and then confront Roker and Eve? Tell them you know what they’ve done and that if Roker resigns and Eve just goes away, you’ll not report it to the police.”

  “I’d thought of that, but I don’t think it would work. We don’t have any actual proof. It would be Claire’s word against Eve’s.” Matt paused, clearly deep in thought. “The doctor’s the key to it all. We don’t know why he got involved, but if we can find out, it would swing the balance of power in our favour.”

  “Which is why you asked your newspaper man to see what he could find on him?”

  “Precisely. If we know what hold Roker has over him, then would be the time to confront Roker and Eve.” Matt rubbed his chin. “I’d like to know who else is involved. Who the mystery third party is. I’d also quite like to know why Roker is doing this.”

  “So that he can be top dog, I suppose. If Stevenson’s became the senior partner in the amalgamation, then he probably would be.”

  “Yes, but this feels more personal to me. There’s something I’m missing.”

  There was a tap on the door. Matt tipped Ashley off his lap and stood up.

  “That will be Nate. Just follow my lead, right?”

  “Sure.”

  Matt opened the door and one of the best-looking men Ashley had ever seen stepped through it. The archetypical tall, dark, and handsome type who doubtless turned heads wherever he went.

  “Hey, Matt, how ya doing?”

  “Nate, great to see you.” The men shook hands. “Thanks for coming at such short notice.”

  “I wouldn’t be much of a journalist if I didn’t follow up when a high flying businessman drops hints about some big story.” He stopped talking when he saw Ashley, glanced at Matt ,and elevated his brows. “Hi,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m Nate Black.”

  “Nate, this is my office manager, Ashley Wilde.”

  “Please to meet you, Ashley.”

  “Likewise.” Ashley smiled at him. She simply couldn’t help herself. He had a lazy, compelling charm that drew her in. “Are you American?”

  “Afraid so.”

  “I think I’ve seen your picture in the Inquirer.”

  “Very likely,” Matt said. “Nate’s one of their main attractions. God knows why.”

  Ashley had a pretty shrewd idea but didn’t voice it.

  “Didn’t you get to the bottom of that case where a woman was jailed for embezzlement?”

  “Er, you’re behind the times, Ash,” Matt said, smiling. “Nate nailed the bastard who’d manipulated Lauren into stealing.” He grinned at his friend. “When’s the wedding?” he asked.

  “I’m still trying to pin her down to a date,” Nate admitted.

  “You’re marrying the lady?” Ashley asked.

  “Oh yeah, and as soon as her probation period comes to an end, we’re going to settle back in the States.”

  “A happy ending. That’s great. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks, but a word to the wise, Ashley. The guy who manipulated Laruen was her boss.” He flashed a grin at Matt. “So watch this guy.”

  Ashley smiled, too. “Warning heeded.”

  “Can I get you a drink, Nate?” Matt asked. “Not that you deserve one after that crack.”

  “Beer would be good, thanks.”

  With refreshed drinks all round, they sat on opposite sides of a coffee table, Matt and Ashley sharing a sofa. Without preamble, Matt explained about the three suspicious death claims.

  “Insurance companies turn down bona fide claims all the time, don’t they, hoping that the policyholders won’t fight back?”

  “Not death claims,” Ashley said emphatically. “We—the industry that is—doesn’t have the best reputation in the world when it comes to personal possession, household, or personal injury claims. That’s because the punters usually try it on or don’t read the small print.”

  “What would you have done if those three really hadn’t told the truth about their medical conditions, then?”

  “We’d have asked their doctors to report on the s
tate of their health at the time they applied for the policies. Once we knew that, if we’d have declined the policy, then we’d decline the claim. We’d just return any premiums paid. It’s that simple, and the ombudsman would support our decision. But if we’d have rated the policies, then we’d pay out proportionately, according to the degree of rating.”

  “Hmm, so let’s see if I’ve got this straight,” Nate said. “Someone has altered your records, expunged records from different doctor’s offices, and got rid of all papers pertaining to the policies from the homes of the deceased.” Nate leaned back and took a swig of beer. “Someone has it in for you, Matt.” Matt merely nodded. “Someone with cojones the size of Southampton.”

  “Yes, and we have a pretty good idea who.”

  Matt told Nate all about Roker, his long standing connections with his family, and his current status at Stevenson’s. He left out all mention of Eve.

  “And you think he’s doing this in cahoots with this Dr. Andrews you asked me to check up on?”

  “Yes,” Ashley said, “we do. It has to be either him or his wife. One of the deceased was registered with her, but the other two were with Andrews’ partnership. I paid a visit to Dr. Seymour this morning, and I’m almost certain that she’s not involved.”

  “Then how’s he doing it without her knowledge?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking that perhaps she updates her records from home, using her laptop.” Ashley shrugged. “Senior personnel at Interactive do the same thing. A lot of companies do nowadays. Think of all the people who work from home.”

  Nate nodded. “Yeah, I can access the paper’s files from just about anywhere, given an Internet connection and the right passwords.”

  “Well, there you are then.”

  “Did you find anything interesting on Andrews?” Matt asked.

  “Nothing that stands out, but it might mean something to you. He’s financially sound but very ambitious to make his mark.”

  “He sees private patients on behalf of a plastic surgeon, I gather,” Ashley said.