“Not yet. Sit tight.”
Fabian wants to say something to Claire, but Gray’s voice occupies the window of opportunity he was going to take.
“Fabian, why don’t you just come out and admit it. You killed my Sloane!”
Everyone else in the room is shocked, especially Fabian. “Dad. Why in the hell would you think that?”
Gray’s steely eyes shoot daggers at his son. “Because, you were having an affair with her behind my back.”
Fabian can’t believe what he’s hearing. “What? Me and Sloane? That’s absurd. I can barely stand the woman.”
Gray is unwavering in his belief. “Cut the bullshit. I found this on her nightstand.” Gray reaches underneath his chair and pulls out a journal. “It’s Sloane’s diary. I think she forgot to put it away. Being only human I read some of it. Wished I’d resisted the urge.”
“What did you find out, Gray?” Nathan asks.
Gray shakes his head. Tears run down his dry cheeks. “There’s details about her…and my son, my own flesh and blood, doing stuff I can’t say out loud.”
“Dad, whatever she says about me in there, I promise you, it’s pure fiction. I’ve never been intimate with her.”
“Stop lying to me, Fabian. She goes on for pages about how you meet up in hotels and…have kinky sex.”
Fabian is beside himself now. He desperately needs Gray to believe that he’d never betray him like that. They may have their differences, but for god’s sake, Sloane is the last person he’d ever think of touching in that way.
“Dad, you’re drunk right now, so I’m not sure I can even get through to you. But, I swear on a stack of bibles that I’m not currently, or have I ever done anything sexual with Sloane.”
Nathan walks over to Fabian. By the look on his face, it’s clear that he too now doubts his friend’s innocence. “I hate to say this, Fabian, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Sloane, it’s that she isn’t shy about her enjoyment of sex. It’s not like you’re Mr. goody two shoes when it comes to women.”
“Aw, Nathan, that’s not fair. Just because I’ve had my share of fun over the years doesn’t make me a backstabbing murderer.”
Nathan takes the diary from Gray and leafs through several pages. Meanwhile, Fabian attempts to reconnect with Claire.
“Claire, I don’t know what you must be thinking about me right now. I just want you to know that I’m not what my father is trying to make me out to be. He’s understandably upset over what’s happening with Sloane. We all are. Please know I would never physically hurt any woman.”
Claire finally makes eye contact. Unfortunately, there’s no sparkle in her eyes. “I’m no one to judge you, Fabian. I’m keeping an open mind.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Nathan slams the diary shut. It’s obvious he hated what he just read. He hands it back to Gray. “Its’ not looking good, man. The stuff she says in there about you. Wow. Words escape me. Plus, there’s this whole thing about meeting in hotels. I don’t think it’s a stretch to think that you may have something to do with her sudden disappearance.”
Fabian is feeling very alone. The people that are supposed to be closest to him suspect him of doing something horrible. Gray and Nathan know what kind of person he is, or should. During all the years they’ve known him he’s never done anything to suggest he’s a sociopath. Most of the harm he’s done is to himself through his drinking and carefree party lifestyle. But, in a blink of an eye, he’s suddenly become a man capable of murder. In her absence, Sloane Cooper is turning his world upside down, and he’s not sure how to get out from under this awful weight that’s being put on his shoulders.
“I wanna read it. The diary,” Fabian declares.
Gray silently hands the diary over to Fabian.
Fabian reads a few pages while the others in the room intensely stare at him.
One short passage captures the gist of Sloane’s secret thoughts:
Fabian makes me strip for him and pretend I’m a slutty hooker. Today he had me slip off my 5-inch heel and stick the pointy end into…
“Oh my god. This is all pure fiction. You guys don’t believe me, but I know for a fact none of this crap ever happened. All it proves is that she likes using me in her kinky fantasies.”
Gray responds with cold anger. “When you’re arrested I will not lift a finger to help you.”
His father’s icy words stick like a knife in his heart. He knows now that the old man is totally convinced of his guilt. Nothing short of showing him real proof of his innocence is going to change his mind. What little remains of their strained father and son relationship is in tatters.
“You need to get a lawyer, Fabian. The company will pay for it,” Nathan says emptily. “Claire. I want you to do the research and make a list of the top three criminal defense attorneys in the city. Email the info to me and I’ll pass it along to Fabian.”
“I’ll get on it first thing tomorrow, Nathan,” Claire promises. “Should I go into the office?”
“No. Use your laptop at home and we’ll communicate by email and phone.”
“Okay.”
This is too much for Fabian to bear. He’s totally overwhelmed by a tangled mixture of fear, sadness and anger. He needs to get out of this room fast before he breaks down sobbing in front of Claire. And, since he can’t go to her for comfort, he’ll find plenty of solace in a bottle of whisky. That’s one trait he and Gray share—a love of good booze. Fabian grabs a full bottle of Jack Daniels from the liquor stash.
“I’m going to my part of the house to get good and drunk,” he says resentfully. “Don’t worry. I won’t be a threat to any of you fine, upstanding people.”
P1.Chapter 4
A little over an hour later, Claire exits the sitting room, leaving Nathan alone with a totally sloshed Gray. A female house staff member with a pleasant demeanor cordially escorts her to the front door. During her first visit to Cooper manor she had been in awe of the magnificent décor, now all she is focused on is the idea that the man she is falling in love with may be a murderer.
It’s a grim thought. Claire wonders how Nathan, his best friend, and Fabian’s own father can so quickly assume the worst about him. Maybe there’s something in his past that she doesn’t know about—something dark. To her Fabian is this charming, easy-going guy who is in desperate need of love and acceptance. Perhaps he’s latched onto her so quickly because he’s always searching for a deeper connection. So far, she has seen nothing in his character or actions to indicate he’s capable of doing away with Sloane Cooper. But, then again, her judgment could be clouded by her feelings for him.
She’s reminded of the fact that history is filled with tales of charming rogues living double lives. She’s already suspicious that he’s been using her just for sex. Maybe he was using Sloane too, in spite of his claiming not to like her. What if Fabian’s a sexual deviant?
Maybe he simply can’t help himself. If that’s the case, he’s definitely not marriage material. There’s no way she could ever trust him—unless, he were to get psychiatric help for his problem. But, even if this is true, it still doesn’t explain why Sloane disappeared from that hotel room.
Was Fabian there?
She quickly pushes this thought out of her mind. Sloane Cooper may actually be the one with a sexual issue. She knows for a fact that the woman is already messing around with Nathan. Sloane could have another secret lover that does the things neither Nathan or Gray will do. Except, why would she write about Fabian in her diary?
No matter how much Claire tries to rearrange the pieces to this confusing puzzle, Sloane’s diary entries continue to tug at her mind and heart. Fabian could be telling the truth. It’s certainly possible that what Sloane wrote is nothing more than her kinky fantasies about him. Or, he really did do those things with her and something went terribly wrong during their last encounter. Sloane could have made him mad. They argued and he killed her in a blind rage. Or maybe they got carried awa
y having sex and her death was an accident. Fabian panicked and covered it up.
Not knowing whose story to believe is tearing at her insides. She wants to believe Fabian, but the logical part of her mind says to wait until the police come up with more facts.
“Claire, can I talk with you a moment?”
Claire turns around and sees Fabian standing on the lower portion of the winding marble staircase leading to the upper floors of the mansion. He’s distraught and looks like a wreck. It’s clear he’s been drinking.
“I don’t think so, Fabian. I’ve gotta get home.”
“Please, Claire. I don’t have anybody else to talk to that I trust. I need you.”
“Fabian, I…”
“Are you worried I’m going to hurt you?”
“To be honest, I don’t think I should be alone with you, especially since you’ve been drinking.”
Fabian agitatedly runs his fingers through his hair. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Claire.” Fabian makes a broad sweeping motion with his arm. “We have security cameras inside and out. Nothing bad can happen to you here without someone noticing. I’m simply inviting you to come up to my living quarters for a few minutes. I’ll keep a respectably safe distance from you. I swear.”
Claire looks at the front door where the patient house servant stands waiting to let her out. She could simply keep walking towards the door and not look back. That would let Fabian know that he can’t manipulate her easily with his pleading eyes. After what she just found out, no one would blame her for staying far away from Fabian Cooper.
Still, she can’t help it if her heart rate increases each time she sees him. Her feelings for him are still intact. He looks so forlorn right now. How can she walk away and leave him in such an awful state? Wouldn’t she be guilty of convicting him before he’s even been charged with any wrongdoing?
Of course, she would.
That’s enough reason for her to turn around and take another chance.
“Okay, I’ll come up there. Only for a few minutes, though.”
Fabian is relieved as Claire follows him up the stairs to his private living quarters.
“You won’t regret this. I promise.”
Claire was expecting a large room, but her definition of living quarters is way off the mark. Fabian has a full suite that reminds her of those penthouse suites in fancy hotels. It’s basically an apartment inside of a large home. He has the entire third floor to himself. He can come and go as he pleases and never worry about paying rent or utilities. For the first time, Claire feels a hint of envy over Fabian’s privileged lifestyle.
“Sit anywhere you like.”
“Thanks.”
Claire sits on the tasteful black sofa in his bachelor pad style living room. Unlike the rest of the expansive Cooper home she’s seen so far, Fabian’s suite is decorated in beige, black and white colors. The look is cool and sophisticated. The couch faces an ornate fireplace just a short distance away. She imagines how wonderful it would be to sit here on winter nights staring at a blazing fire while snuggled up in his arms.
“Want a drink?”
Claire snaps out of her daydream and realizes Fabian is holding a quarter-empty bottle of Jack Daniels. Apparently, he assumes she’s a whisky drinker.
“No thanks. And, I think you’ve had enough of that.”
Fabian gets cocky. “I can drink most of this without passing out. Cooper men know how to hold our liquor.”
“I don’t care. If you want me to stay here and talk, put that away.”
Fabian starts to argue, but thinks better of it. He stashes the bottle away behind a cabinet. “There. Happy?”
“It’s a start.
Fabian plops down in a large, black leather chair positioned kitty corner to the couch. He leans his body towards her, but is keeping his word about maintaining physical space between them to make her more comfortable.
“I appreciate you being here, Claire. I mean under the circumstances you could have run for the door.”
“I thought about it. But, decided to give you a another chance because I really wanna know your side of this story.”
Fabian frowns. “That’s all it is, Claire. A fable made up in the mind of a manipulating woman. And to think that after the charity party I thought we were making a little progress on getting along better.”
“I just don’t understand it, Fabian. Why would she write about the two of you having sex in her diary if it’s not true?”
“Claire, there are some people in this world that defy explanation. Sloane is one of them. I don’t have a freaking clue why she wrote what she did. I’ve never laid a hand on her in any sexually suggestive manner. Even after she literally threw herself at me one time like a tramp.”
Claire isn’t surprised to hear this about Sloane. This woman seems to lust after all the men in the Cooper circle. She comes across as being very classy, but behind closed doors she sure doesn’t act it. Yet, Claire intends to also keep an open mind about Sloane. She hardly knows anything about the current Mrs. Cooper. Claire believes that there are two sides to every story and she’s only getting this one-sided view.
“How’d you handle that?”
“I told her to get off of me and never do that again. I’m not some plaything she can use whenever she gets horny.”
Claire can’t help but think about the moment she walked in on Nathan and Sloane at the office. It seems that Nathan is more than willing to be her plaything. She had wondered how it got started. Now she knows that Sloane was probably the instigator. But, Nathan had a choice, just like Fabian, to go along or tell her to get lost.
“I hate people like Sloane,” Fabian continues. “They latch onto people when they are most vulnerable and suck them dry like leeches.”
“Is she really that bad?”
“In my opinion, yeah. Don’t be fooled by her fancy dress or airs. She’s playing the gold digger game with my dad to the hilt. For his sake I’m cordial to her, but I keep her at a safe distance.”
“So, you think she’s just blowing off steam in her diary? Writing about things she’d like to do with you, but can’t because you won’t go along?”
Claire is hoping that this is the case. Fabian doesn’t seem like he’s lying about his relationship with her. That’s real contempt in his eyes.
“I dunno, Claire. Something weird is going on with this whole disappearance situation. I can’t tell you why, but I think I’m being set up.”
“Set up? By who?”
Fabian shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “I can’t answer that. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure it out and coming up empty. All I know is that I’m caught up in something that’s going to be hard to get out of. You’ve got to believe me when I say I did not kill Sloane. I don’t know what the hell happened to her.”
Claire so wants to believe him. Her gut is telling her he’s being truthful. But, again, how does she know what is real or not real? She’s never dealt with anything like this before. Because of all the secrecy she can’t even call her mom to ask for advice.
“I don’t think you’re a murderer, Fabian. But, I do think Nathan is right about you needing a good defense lawyer—just in case things go bad.”
Fabian leans back and shuts his eyes for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right.” A loud sigh escapes his lips. “Don’t send that lawyer list to Nathan. Send it directly to me. I’ll text you my email.”
Fabian is asking her to disobey her boss, which is not something she takes lightly. “Okay, Fabian, I’ll do it, but I’m sending Nathan the list in a separate email. Since the company is paying all the expenses isn’t Nathan going to want to have some say in who represents you?”
“I don’t give a shit what Nathan wants right now. I’m choosing my own representation.”
“What if Gray doesn’t want to pay for an expensive attorney for someone he thinks murdered his wife?”
“Hmm. I didn’t think about that. Well, in that case, I’ll use money from
my trust fund. Thank god my grandfather set it up for me. I use that money to fund my trips and investments. I may be a rebel at heart, but I’m no dummy when it comes to money.”
Claire was not expecting this statement to come out of Fabian. “I thought you didn’t like business.”
“I’m not against business in general. I’m against being forced to participate in business that I have no interest in. I’ve managed to grow my trust fund threefold just by making smart investments in real estate and stocks. I pay a money manager handsomely to give me solid advice.”
“Wow. That’s impressive. You probably won’t admit it, but you’ve inherited Gray’s business savvy.”
“Not really. My grandpa James took me under his wing and taught me lots about business and life. I love him so much and really miss him a lot. Granpa James gave me the emotional love I desperately needed. Gray distanced himself from me emotionally once he realized I wasn’t going to be a carbon copy of him. To make up for that grandpa spent hours talking with me and sharing all sorts of wisdom about life.”
“Your grandpa sounds like a great guy.”
“He was. I still talk to him sometimes when I’m alone. I like to think he’s looking down on me and sending me positive spiritual energy. I sure could use some now.”
Claire is moved by Fabian’s love for his grandfather. She barely knew her own grandfather. He passed away when she was four. She doesn’t understand how Gray could be so cold and uncaring towards his own son. Why do some parents try forcing their kids to be just like them? She was raised to think of everyone as being a person with a unique way of being in the world. She and Fabian share this belief, which is one of the reasons they understand each other so well. She accepts who he is as an individual and vice versa. There’s no pressure to be something you’re not.
Claire can only imagine the pain Gray inflicted on Fabian while he was growing up. Every child desires to please their parents on some deep level, even kids that rebel. Fabian knows his erratic lifestyle annoys Gray. She’s no psychologist, but she thinks Fabian may act out in certain ways because he’s still that little boy seeking attention from his dad.
Fugitive Millionaire (Fugitive Millionaire Book One) Page 5