Sporting Chance: A Raw Romance

by Penny Henry

  "Who are you, lady?" asked the bald man. "It’s none of your business what we’re doing here. Why don’t you go and get your nails done or something.”

  "Maybe it is my business," said Temple in a harder tone.

  No one picked up on the clue. Ginger leaned across to leer at her. "I guess we know what kinda business that is, honey," he said lewdly.

  That was about it for Temple. "You should do," she snapped. "My name is splashed all over the front of the building." She waved a hand in the direction of the golden sign that proclaimed Hart Leisure in giant script. "My name is Temple Hart."

  There came a deafening silence that was broken by the sandy-haired man hastily exiting his car to face Temple. He thrust out a hand that Temple shook briefly. "Good to meet you, Miss Hart. My name is Michael Alleyne. I represent the surveyors engaged by Campbell Properties." There was no apology. "I was hoping to arrange more reasonable access to the property than we were given yesterday by Ms Harrison. I have to tell you, she wasn't too helpful. And the black lady was quite aggressive towards us. It will all be in my report." He nodded to where Jill and Grace stood at the entrance. "They seem to be waiting for us," he added with some unease in his words.

  "Good for them," said Temple fiercely. "And would you like me to tell you exactly what you can do with your report?" No answer was forthcoming and Temple kept right on. "Now, if you'd like to move your vehicles, you can get the hell out of these reserved spaces for a start."

  "But, Miss Hart, we have a contract. We have rights," protested Michael Alleyne. "I'm afraid I must insist. If you have read the contract thoroughly you’ll know we have clear right of access to the property."

  The other men were silent for the moment and happy enough to let their boss do the talking for them. They had encountered Grace in a full-on confrontation yesterday and had hoped Temple would prove more reasonable.

  "Tell me, Mister Alleyne. Do you want to drive these cars away, or would you rather carry them piece by piece?"

  "That’s pretty tough talk for a girl," sneered the bald guy from the safety of his car.

  Temple's twisted to shoot out her right hand and grip him by the throat. Michael Alleyne stepped hastily backwards. "You wanna try me, fella?"

  The man instinctively raised his hands to Temple's wrist then pulled away as her fingers tightened on his windpipe. "Okay, okay" he whispered in a strangled croak. "I apologize. My mistake."

  Temple heard the catch on the door of the other side of the car click open. She immediately released the man with a contemptuous shove and lifted her eyes to the ginger lad with his hand on the door handle. "Get out of the car and I'll break your leg."

  "You can't go round threatening people like that," insisted Michael Alleyne from a safe distance. "I’ll be putting in a formal complaint."

  Temple pulled a wry smile. "A cute defenseless girl like me threatening four big ol' boys like you? Who’s gonna believe that?" she asked innocently. "And what would your tough pals make of it all? Best you do as you’re told."

  The men began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. They were on a hiding to nothing. Temple decided to put them out of their misery.

  "Gracie!" she yelled. "Baseball bats!"

  The doors to the complex hadn't slid open far enough for Grace to squeeze through them before Michael Alleyne had jumped back into his car. The engines of the two Fords burst into life and crashed into reverse. By the time Grace returned with a couple of shiny bats the contractors' cars were parked in the furthermost corner of the car park.

  "Don't bother," Temple spoke before the tight-lipped woman set off in pursuit across the parking lot. "They’ll be on their mobile phones right now asking for instructions. We'll deal with it later. Right now I've got a phone call of my own to make. Thanks anyway, Gracie."

  "Any time, honey," replied Grace. "Just holler if you need me."

  "I'll remember, Gracie," promised Temple as she linked arms to walk inside the complex with the one person in the world that could get away with calling her honey.

  Temple left Grace as soon as they entered the foyer promising they would talk later. She headed straight for Jill's office. She was keen to get to the bottom of yesterday's events. She was having a difficult job accepting that she had been used in the perfectly timed contrivance of her absence. In Temple’s head the episode with the mobile phones was the final damning proof.

  "Hey, Jill. Thanks for looking out for me yesterday.” Temple came through the door like a whirlwind. “I’m sorry you had to deal with it on your own. What do we know about those guys?"

  "That’s okay, Temple. You weren’t to know. And I had Grace to back me up.” Her grin told Temple that Grace had been a formidable presence. “All I know is that Elliot turned up with them yesterday without a ’by-your-leave’. Then they started surveying the property. Elliot was quick to point out that it is written into the contract," explained Jill. "I left them alone to get on with the outside but then they insisted on coming inside. I tried to reason with them but they wouldn’t listen. That’s when I shouted for Grace. She threw them out.” Jill giggled. “They were pretty shocked. The biggest problem was explaining it all to the members. I mean, that's the last thing we want them to see. Everyone's curious enough as it is."

  "You did the right thing, Jill," said Temple. "I'm just so sorry you weren’t able to get hold of me. Andrew Denham must be planning to rip the complex apart the minute we close our doors. It won’t take long before a new Pegasus hotel is spoiling the view."

  "So we are shutting down then? You've decided?" asked Jill worriedly. Her green eyes were open about as wide as they could get.

  "Not if I can help it, Jill.” Temple clenched her jaw before she spoke. "Travis Campbell has got a fight on his hands. We're not done yet by a long way. "

  "Okay, boss, I believe you," She was relieved by Temple's fighting talk. She covered a small laugh. "You should have been here yesterday. It was so funny. You know I actually felt sorry for the contractors. Grace scared them half to death. She literally threw the ginger one out by the scruff of his neck. You had to see it to believe it."

  Temple smiled with Jill but she didn't feel like laughing. It must have been written on her face. Jill's features took on a sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry, Temple."

  Temple tried a rueful grin that didn't quite come off. "Oh, so am I, Jill, so am I." Then she pulled herself together. "I've got something I really need to attend to. I'll be in Ben's office if I'm wanted. See you later,"

  Temple left Jill's office with the enormity of her disappointment beginning to sink in. She had been deceived and betrayed. She hadn't suspected a thing when he had suggested leaving the mobile phones behind. She had been well and truly set up. If it hadn't been for the resistance put up by Jill and Grace the surveyors would have probably frightened off half of yesterday's clients. What the hell was Travis playing at? The fun they had shared in Disney World hadn't been a dream. Had it? It had all seemed so real - so genuine. But it had all been a sham. They had made love. They hadn't just had sex. She was convinced of that. No one could have acted out the emotions they had experienced last night. Now it all seemed part of some cheap scam. She felt dirty and cheated. She dialed the number and asked to be put through.

  Travis answered immediately. "Hey, Temple, I was about to call you. I guess you know what happened yesterday while we were otherwise engaged," he said blithely. "I'm afraid that Elliot exceeded his authority. I’m sure that Jill—"

  "You duplicitous bastard," cut in Temple. She couldn't believe that he was treating this so lightly. He was trying to gloss over what had happened. She was having none of it. "How could you do this to me, Travis? How could you be so deceitful? No wonder you left the mobile phones in the car. And don’t try to tell me you didn’t plan it. You used me!"

  "Temple, wait!" Travis tried to interrupt. The lightness was gone from his voice. "It had nothing to do with me. How could you possibly think such a thing after yesterday? It was Elliot. He gave in
to pressure from Pegasus—"

  Temple talked across him again. "Don't use that line again, Travis, it's wearing a bit thin. Elliot works for you. Are you trying to tell me that you can't control your employees? I don't believe that for a second. Or would you have me think that Elliot is the real power behind Campbell Properties. Is that it, Travis? Are you simply past it?"

  "It's not like that, Temple, and well you know it. Just listen to me for a minute, damn it!" He was growing angrier by the second. "Andrew Denham and Elliot are as thick as thieves at the moment. Elliot probably wants to impress the old boy, and Denham will screw Elliot for everything he can get. I don't know exactly what the arrangement is between them, but I do know that Elliot gave permission for a survey without consulting me first. I‘ve had strong words with him. I thought you of all people would understand. You know what Elliot is like."

  "Am I really that gullible?" asked Temple without pausing for an answer. "Do I actually have treat me like an idiot written across my forehead? You've lost the plot, Travis. Do you really think that Elliot listens to a word you say? He has his own agenda. When are you gonna wake up and smell the coffee?"

  "Temple, you're blowing this out of all proportion. Even if we do have right of access within the terms of the contract, I promise you I would not have authorized any action without talking to you first."

  "That's big of you," mocked Temple. "Of course you mentioned this tiny detail to Elliot, did you?”

  "I assumed that Elliot would respect our usual mode of operation, which is with the agreement of all parties concerned. I wasn't aware that Denham had such power over him."

  "I told you," reiterated Temple icily. "Elliot has his own agenda. He's a young man going places. He's not a worn out has-been."

  A heavy silence fell over the conversation. Temple listened to his breathing and seethed with anger. She was too furious to care how Travis felt right now - just as long as she hurt him.

  "Then perhaps you're sleeping with the wrong man," said Travis quietly.

  "Perhaps I am," agreed Temple viciously. "But not anymore." She slammed down the phone and slumped into the chair behind Ben's desk. She was shivering uncontrollably. It was a hot day but the chill came from somewhere deep inside. Temple had a feeling that it might be her heart. How long she sat there unmoving in the chair until the shaking stopped, she couldn't say. She couldn't even recollect what she had thought about. Or even if she had thought at all. Temple was only aware of the terrible numbness that gripped her heart and squeezed until her pulse slowed down to the point of turning to ice. For one terrifying second Temple thought she was going to die. It was an irrational, emotional fear that she sensibly dismissed. No one ever truly died from a broken heart.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The hurt receded as Temple’s body warmed up. She forced herself to get up from behind Ben's desk and continue with clearing out the office. She worked herself hard and came across more of Ben's personal things that revived forgotten moments and sparked cherished memories. She clung to them, expanding and embellishing each one with the smallest detail, weaving a blanket of recollections that she used to deaden the pain that came with every unguarded thought of Travis.

  She was carrying out her third bag of rubbish when she almost collided with Tim Crane coming in. "Hey, Tim. I didn't know there was training today." She greeted him with a peck on the cheek.

  "You know Grace works us pretty hard when there's a grading coming up," explained Tim. He hung around. “We haven't seen much of you lately, Temple."

  "I know, Tim. I'm really beginning to miss it. I was planning on a workout today but I've lost the incentive. There's been so much going on since Ben―” She left the sentence unfinished. “

  “It’s no problem, Temple. We're behind you all the way. But I do kinda miss you in the sparring sessions though. You always were hard to hit."

  "You'll get your chance soon, Tim, I promise." She managed a faint smile.

  "Okay. I'll be waiting. But don't make me come and find you."

  He didn’t seem in a rush to move away. They moved to one side of the busy doors as people came and went and other members of the Tang Soo Do class arrived, nodding or saying hello.

  Tim waited until the area went quite. He took on a serious look. "I’ve made some progress on Ben's movements. There’s not much to tell. Ben spent most of the day here before Elliot picked him up. Then they went to watch some tennis at a time-share resort in Buena Vista on the road to Kissimmee. There was a big pro-am charity tournament. As far as I can make out it’s the only place they went. But the date was the same the contract was signed so they must have slipped up to Kissimmee to Lance Chapman's office to get the document witnessed, or maybe they met up at the time-share resort. There's no way of proving it either way."

  "So we don’t know exactly when or where the contract was witnessed. We only have the word of Elliot and Lance Chapman to go on."

  "That's all that's legally necessary, Temple. We’ve got no reason to question what happened. Whether it was signed at the time-resort or in Lance Chapman's office is irrelevant. We have no reason to suspect any illegal activities. All we have is your suspicion that Ben was somehow coerced into signing the contract."

  Temple went quiet. Was it all in her head? She could easily be accused of paranoia where Elliot was concerned. How could she ask Tim to continue searching for something that simply did not exist? "So all you really have to go on is the word of a crazy woman?" she said dully.

  "I don't happen to think you're crazy, Temple. And maybe there is something else." Temple’s eyebrows lifted as Tim carried on. "Ben and Elliot did meet up in a restaurant later. Apparently they were accompanied by an attractive brunette. She seemed to get very friendly with Ben. Elliot left while they stayed and enjoyed themselves into the early hours."

  The news came as no surprise to Temple. "I wonder why Elliot said that he and Ben dined alone." She was thinking out loud and recalling Elliot's assertion that there had been just the two of them. "I don't suppose you found out who she was?" she asked.

  "Not yet. She could have been someone Ben met that night or maybe a friend. There's no way of knowing. I’m still working on it.”

  "I don’t suppose asking Elliot would be much help," said Temple with a note of frustration. Not after the way she had embarrassed him at their last meeting. Smart move. "If we could find out who she was, she could maybe tell us what happened after they left the restaurant."

  Tim gave Temple an old fashioned look. "I don't think we need to be drawn a picture, Temple. We can leave that to the imagination."

  Temple colored up a little. "Of course, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. If only there was a way to discover who she was."

  Tim gave a non-committal shrug. "A good-looking brunette with a perfect tan," recited the world-weary lieutenant. "Have you any idea how many ladies fit that exact description round here?"

  "And a lot of them created courtesy of Hart Leisure," said Temple wryly.

  "It looks like a dead end. But we're not finished yet. If your theory is gonna work it would mean that Elliot has some kind of hold over Lance Chapman. It’s not the sort of thing that would be done lightly. That’s a heavyweight piece of paperwork. There might be a number of ways that Elliot got Lance’s signature. It's something we’re looking into. There's more than one way to skin a skunk."

  "We?"

  Tim winked. "Some things you don't want to know, Temple." He walked away without offering more. "I'll be in touch," he said over his shoulder.

  He was disappearing through the door when Temple called out, "Which restaurant?" She was asking out of curiosity. She thought she probably knew the answer.

  "Red Lobster," he shouted without turning round.

  Just as Temple thought. Red lobster was Ben's all-time favorite restaurant. She recalled the tales he had recounted about his evenings spent indulging himself in painstakingly working his way through the menu.

  "Ooh, Red Lobster. My favorite restaurant,"
said Samantha Hockley arriving late as usual. "Hi, Temple, don't you just love it there? I know Ben did,"

  "He sure did," agreed Temple. "At least he got to enjoy his favorite restaurant before he…"

  "I know," said Sam. "That’s why I was so shocked at the news after seeing him… Look I've got to run; I'll see you— Temple? What's wrong?"

  Temple had suddenly realized what Sam was saying. She stared at Sam and reached out to hold her by the arms. "Did you see Ben at the Red Lobster, Sam? On the night he died? Tell me, Sam."

  Sam was a little put out by Temple's intense expression. "Yes, I just told you, didn’t I? You're hurting me, Temple." Sam shook herself free from Temple's grip and rubbed her upper arms. "I didn't like to mention it before, you know… I quite often saw Ben out. He was with Elliot quite a lot. I think Elliot was trying to get Ben to agree to something. They were always deep in conversation. In fact I don't think they ever noticed me. But I thought you knew that Ben and Elliot went out to eat together?"

  Temple relaxed. “I’m sorry Sam. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” And yes, she did know that Elliot was often in Ben's company. But there was just a chance that for once in her life Sam could have said something helpful. It wasn’t to be.

  "That’s fine, Temple I know you’ve been upset lately.” She was about to run off when she remembered. “Oh, and then Trinity Ford joined them."

  "What? What did you just say, Sam?"

  "Trinity Ford joined Ben and Elliot," repeated Sam. "She's one of Elliot's crowd. She’s not really my type at all. She’s all fake boobs and mouth. She works for one of the big hotel groups. Let me think for a minute…" Samantha hummed as she thought and Temple resisted the temptation to shake the words out of her.

  The suspense was more than Temple could take. "Pegasus?" she suggested hopefully.

  "Yes, Pegasus!" Sam lowered her voice. "They do say that Trinity Ford is no better than she ought to be. She calls herself an actress. Oh, and she’s resting at the moment. That’s why she’s working for Pegasus. I think she had a bit-part in some spaghetti western - playing a whore most likely." The last snippet was imparted in the theatrical manner of a natural born gossip.