by Sean Russell
She had heard of Phil’s arrest. She believed he was innocent. Attempted murder was not him. She wanted to call him and tell him that she was there for him, that she believed in him and that she knew he was innocent. She didn’t. She did not want to experience the possible rejection of him not taking the call. She did text him though, but to the same effect. She did not expect a reply, but she knew he would have received her moral support.
She had started to find her feet in Barbados and she was developing a business as a talent scout. It started serendipitously—she was at a fashion show; she was curious about the offerings of the local fashion industry, and she had been given a complimentary ticket to the show. Much of what she saw was mundane to her tastes, but one girl did stand out, as did one designer. She met with them after the show.
She found that the designer, though talented, had a bit of an attitude. It was as if he had already arrived.
He even offered to allow her to model his creations.
Amanda decided that he had some growing to do. The girl was different. She was hungry for a chance and willing to listen. Amanda felt a connection and made arrangements to meet with her.
Amanda had some photos taken and sent them to Bill Michaels. He called her back and said he liked what he saw and he wanted more. He sent a ticket for Amanda’s protégé, Trina. Trina flew out and modeled for Bill. He didn’t want her for his line, but she did have something special so he set up a meeting for her with a friend of his, Victor Spiegz, an executive of an up-and-coming modeling agency. Victor loved Trina so much that he offered her a contract right after she auditioned. Victor asked Bill where he found Trina, and if he knew of any more like her. Bill saw the opportunity. Amanda, in addition to being an incredible model, had an eye for modeling talent. He told Amanda as much. They agreed that she would continue to scout for talent—there was a sideline business in it for both of them.
She felt she was becoming fulfilled professionally again, even though she was temporarily out of the game. She had money and she had a life, but there was a void.
She did want for companionship. Real, quality companionship. Half the men who showed interest were intimidated by her and the other half were wannabe’s. They talked a good game, but all they could deliver was hot air.
Then there was her recent history with Xavier. She had managed to deal with it as she had dealt with many negative experiences she had before—she took it as a learning experience. She developed a deepened mistrust for men. They always had an agenda. Her money being at the top of the list and not her body was a new twist. She promised herself that from that time forward she would always be the one with the agenda. It was only when she met Phil and became involved with him that she began to have a change of heart. She felt something with him that transcended the physical, the emotional, the rational. It was spiritual, at least that’s what Amanda chose to label it as. She never spent much time intellectualizing, she was normally too busy surviving.
As she thought more about him, she realised that she was sorry she met him the way she did, and even more sorry that he was married. No surprise there, though. No sensible woman would let that man get away. Now it looked like he would literally be under lock and key.
It was then that she made her decision. She was going to do everything in her power to help him.
Married or not, he was too much of a good deal to allow to waste in jail. She shuddered to think what would happen to him in prison. Now that would be more than a waste, that would be an abomination.
He would never be the same. She couldn’t let that happen. Besides, it would seem that he and his wife were estranged. It made her chances for the future a possibility. From no chance to possibility… that was a start.
Amanda had lived it many times before: the thin thread of a possibility woven into a reality. She thought for a bit. Jimmy Cadogan was the key. Her keen intuition told her that he had very much to do with Phil’s troubles. She was going to have to get closer to Jimmy, a thought she relished as much as having an enema in public. Yep, gross.
No worries. She had been through worse and she knew she could handle Jimmy.
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Jackie was gorgeous, exquisite even, with flawless, medium-brown skin so smooth and soft it was unreal. She was oval-faced with high cheek bones and almond-coloured eyes, long, toned legs, and a healthy serving of booty. Jackie was flat-chested, though, but she took care of that with padded bras which she stuffed. Jackie was accustomed to turning heads and she loved the attention. She was one of Amanda’s friends and she, like Amanda, was also a model. She was she was due to be back in the island for a few days to unwind and get her favourite puddin’
and souse, which she missed.
It was Jackie who Amanda thought of when she told Jimmy that there was a friend of hers she wanted him to meet. She thought he would like her. Amanda had been allowing Jimmy to see her more. They had had dinner the night before. It was then that Amanda mentioned that Jackie was due in town. Jimmy was working his way through an absolutely delicious lobster tail. You could see it in his face.
“You know Jimmy, most of you men don’t have much to offer me.”
She caught Jimmy’s attention immediately. He was instantly distracted from his succulent lobster.
He started to speak, then remembered to wipe his mouth.
“I am not most men.” He looked at her and smiled.
Amanda smiled back.
“I don’t mean you, you are unique and I appreciate our friendship.”
“You appreciate my friendship. Sounds like a consolation prize, and note this, I don’t take second place, ever.”
Amanda smiled very sweetly. She took Jimmy’s hand and squeezed it slightly.
“Poor choice of words. I treasure our friendship.”
“It could be more. It could be deeper.” Jimmy’s eyes told tell her exactly what he meant. Amanda dropped her fork.
“You see, that’s what I mean. Now you’re a regular man. You just want to stick your cock in me the like other million-and-one jokers out there that I have no interest in.”
Jimmy was taken aback, but Amanda continued unfazed.
“Women are not like that. They are friends. They care about you. They care about your feelings. You know? Like what’s going on with you, what you’re going through. Then you feel like a person, not a commodity, a piece of meat to be poked and prodded for the other person’s satisfaction.” Jimmy seized his opportunity to interject. He lost interest in the lobster.
“I assure you, I am a man that guarantees satisfaction.”
Amanda looked at him, almost disgusted.
“I am not talking about contracts or tort.”
“I know.”
“I mean the woman’s satisfaction.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.”
“Really?”
“Really.” By now Jimmy was starting to rape Amanda with his eyes.
“Now a woman knows herself. She knows her body. She knows what a woman wants and needs.
She knows exactly what to do.”
“But she does not have the equipment.” Jimmy slapped the table with his hand.
“Minor technicality. That is easily dealt with by a strap on.”
Jimmy rolled eyes. He could not believe he was hearing this.
“The good news is, with that you have options.” Amanda licked her lips.
“Rubbish. It can’t compare to the real thing.” Jimmy regarded Amanda for a moment. “I get it.
You’re playing me. You are having fun.”
“A bit, but I’ll be having more fun in a couple of days. Jackie will be here.”
“Yeah. You mentioned her. Gorgeous.”
“Never a dull moment with her.”
“I’m sure.” Jimmy is sarcastic now.
“I’m serious.”
“Uh huh.”
Amanda played with a cube of ice with her tongue.
“Tell you wha
t. You guarantee satisfaction, yes?”
“That’s what I said.”
“I’ll let Jackie be the judge of that.”
“What’s in that ice? What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said.”
“Huh?”
“We’ll have you over and see if you can back up what you said.”
“Sure.”
“You’ll have the benefit of two judges. Not one. See how nice I am?”
“Indeed.”
“I told you. Never a dull moment with Jackie. She’ll like you. She likes your type. Powerful men who think they have big dicks.”
“Sounds like my kind of girl… and I do have a big dick.”
“We’ll find out soon enough.”
*****
Amanda recalled the meeting in detail and word for word. She was in the process of planning her encounter with Jimmy Cadogan and Jackie. One thing was for sure, it was going to be fireworks. She could imagine just how much Jimmy was anticipating the meeting.
She smiled to herself. She wondered if Jimmy really knew what he was in for.
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Detective Clarke was beginning to wonder what he had got himself into. He had requested a few half days to catch up on some old cases. This was not unusual for him. He maintained a respectable work ethic and prided himself on having the minimum number of unsolved cases in the force, with the exception of Pastor Seale, but everyone knew that Detective Seale had divine assistance. It irked Mobert that Seale got away with that crap. He had followed Seale at times when he was most likely to meet with his godfather. Mobert was not making any headway.
He had followed him to rumshops, to his outside woman’s house, and to church. He was out of time off and nothing. Mobert was disappointed. He knew the man was dirty, but he had nothing.
He was even more frustrated as he watched the detective hustle out of the office one day after receiving a phone call. He had his own files to work on and had no reason to leave, so he could not follow him. It would have been too obvious, but he found himself walking out of the office as if he could not help but trail him. The phone ringing at the desk broke him out of his trance. He answered automatically.
“Detective Clarke.”
“Hello, Detective Seale ?”
“No this is Detective Clarke.”
Mobert was a little annoyed. There was always some idiot calling and wasting his precious time. They always got the number wrong.
“I’m sorry, I thought this was Detective Seale’s extension, this was the number I was given.” Mobert looked down at the desk and the phone. It was not his. She was right. It was Detective Seale’s phone.
“No need to apologise, you do have the right number. I just happened to pick up, is there any way I can assist you? Detective Seale is out for the moment.”
“Sure, just give him this message. I am calling from J.C. Chambers. Detective Seale can contact me at his earliest convenience. His papers are ready.”
“No problem. Who is it I am speaking to?”
“Sherry-ann.”
“Thanks. Goodbye.”
Mobert’s mind was going a mile a minute. He did not believe in coincidences. Detectives on government salaries did not retain the services of a high-cost firm like J.C. Chambers. Jimmy Cadogan was Pastor Seale’s godfather. Mobert knew it. He did not need to waste any more time on Seale. He needed to investigate Jimmy Cadogan, but he had to be very careful. The man was very well connected. One slip and he would be off the force, or worse. Jimmy Cadogan was not the kind of man to cross. He was rich, powerful and spiteful.
There was the story of a man who publicly accused Jimmy of being a buller*. He further iterated that he had proof of Jimmy being said buller. Jimmy was furious and only just kept his cool. Rumour had it that if he had his gun on him that day, he would have shot the man. After all, Jimmy regarded himself as being the most virile man in the land. It was not long after it happened that the man went missing. It was one of the unsolved cases that spoilt the good record of Mobert Clarke’s department.
He knew he could not go around Jimmy’s office snooping. Someone was bound to tip him off. He thought for a bit, and then it came to him. Jimmy had more than a few enemies. Some of them were sure to be only too glad to quietly assist the local constabulary with any information needed on Jimmy Cadogan. One person immediately came to mind.
* Local euphemism for homosexual
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Phil found himself with another new emotion. He wanted to just disappear. He did not care how.
He could leave the island, disappear, die… it did not matter. His ego was battered beyond a pulp. His wife had had an affair with a man he despised, and to add insult to injury, he had the transgression on film.
He was then accused of the attempted murder of his wife. The case had become one of public knowledge.
It was impossible to deny it. He was charged and it was recorded in the police station, there for any good reporter to see. Worse yet, rumours about the motive were circulating. He needed the insurance money because he was really broke and only fronting.
Jade was blackmailing him. She had some down-low information on him. He had found another woman and did not want to pay the price of a divorce. He did not know which was worse, the truth or the rumours.
How the hell did he get into this? He must have been a mean motherfucker in his previous life.
By now it was obvious to him that Jimmy Cadogan was behind all this. He knew Jimmy was not his biggest fan, but this? This was extreme. The man was out to put him away. What was his motive? Was it a case of eliminating the competition? His law practice was already suffering and he was looking at the very possible prospect of jail time. Just imagine. Phil Ferguson in prison. Phil could not fully assimilate the thought, it just made him so sick. Like it or not, this was the position he was in. Much as he wanted to, running was not an option. He was going to fight and he was going to win. That was the only option.
He was making no headway. Everywhere he turned was a dead end. He was told that the prosecution had irrefutable evidence that he tried to kill Jade. Somehow his attorney was not privy to that information. What was this evidence? It was is if he was convicted already and the trial was just a formality. His father was exerting all the influence he could to get Phil out of this mess. He had his own concerns too. The investors for the project had opted not to go with Premier Construction. They decided to go with Regal Enterprises, an established firm that did a good bit of high end work.
Regal Enterprises had seen some financial difficulties eight years earlier and nearly went out of business. Somehow the owner, Brian Brown, managed to land the company a modest contract to build some middle-income houses in the central part of the island. It was enough to keep the company on its feet and it grew from there.
The unofficial story was that Brain loved the big life and over-extended himself, and by extension the company. He then sought financing from some unsavoury characters, his plan being that he only needed a short term loan to give him the cash flow to do another project which was in the pipeline. He would make the money back, repay his debtors and be in the full swing of things again. The banks did not buy his plan. They saw that he was overspending on himself—luxury cars, luxury homes, luxury women, a yacht. They were not lending him money to support his lifestyle. Brian therefore chose option two, some well-funded gambling associates. It was an opportunity for him to consolidate a small debt he had with them. Those stupid bankers would just lose out on the interest.
As things turned out, the contract went to Premier Construction and Brian found himself in a lot of trouble. The people he borrowed money from calculated interest weekly. He was planning to flee the country, but he could not fathom being on the run with his son and he could not bear to leave him to face the dire consequences he was sure would await him. In the end he sought the advice of a friend and took it. His friend assisted
him with making the problem go away.
His friend and advisor was Jimmy Cadogan, who paid the debt and in return got controlling interests in the company. Jimmy was good enough to do the legal work himself and was also sure to charge for it.
*****
Jade was fed up with her dilemma: to see Phil or not to see Phil, dangerous or not. She was not usually one to be indecisive, she felt fine now and could not blame any mental impairment on her head injury.
She needed to take charge of her life and get on with it. Priority number one was to talk to Phil and get everything out on the table. She put her thoughts together. First things first, did Phil try to kill her? She had enough time to think and she knew it was a set up. Phil would never try to kill her. Then there were the affairs. Jimmy Cadogan had set her up. She was willing to believe that he set up Phil as well. Still, she had to know the nature of his relationship with that woman. Jade wanted to know every last detail. If Phil knew her panty size, Jade wanted to know it.
She called him on his mobile, he agreed to meet her in two hours.
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Phil reviewed his meeting with Detective Clarke. He was relieved to know that someone in the judicial system saw that he was set up. It was nothing new, though. It was now quite obvious that it was Jimmy Cadogan. The problem was that he seemed somehow to have the whole case sown up. He was just was too well connected, so connected that no one could get any real dirt on him. Anyone who may have had a grouse with him was too afraid to cross him. His appetite for revenge was well known. It was amazing that a man so despised was so untouchable. The sad thing was that nothing so far was slowing Phil’s progress to prison.
Detective Clarke did not say it directly, but it was clear that he wanted to see real justice. The only plus so far was that Jade was not likely to testify against Phil. The prosecution, however, had a lot of evidence against Phil. Phil was hoping to beat the case before the preliminary inquiry. If he lost the inquiry and it was deemed to be a case to go to trial, if that happened, the publicity would skyrocket. Phil also believed that if it got past the inquiry, it would be difficult to beat a conviction. The same illicit forces which pushed the case that far would gain the momentum to go all the way. There had to be a way out. There had to be a solution. There had to be.