He didn’t respond immediately. His expression was unreadable. ‘You’re dead.’
‘Is that a wish, or a threat?’
‘I was led to believe it was a fact. Have you come alone?’ he asked, eyes narrowing and shifting.
‘Yes.’
‘If you’re lying to me –’
‘Why would I do that? I didn’t have to come here. No one in the world but you and Dan Stone knows that I’m alive.’
Again, he stared at her without speaking. She held his eyes.
‘You’re beautiful,’ he said, as if he was thinking out loud. ‘I could blissfully get lost in those eyes for a very long time.’
She didn’t react, but her nerve faltered. She’d dressed for confidence, not appeal.
He switched subject. ‘OK, you’ve got my attention. What are you doing here, Mrs Stone?’
‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t call me that.’
For the first time, a ghost of a smile played on his lips. ‘Fine by me.’
Naomi broke eye contact and took her bag from her shoulder and emptied the contents onto the glass table to her right. Forty-five thin bundles of fifty pound notes fell out. Each bundle held a thousand pounds, easily countable. She’d reserved five thousand for Dan. He glanced at the table, but didn’t budge.
‘Forty-five thousand,’ she said. ‘I’m here to pay Nathan’s debt and cut ties for good.’
His eyebrows twitched. ‘You realise he arranged to have you murdered? His idea.’
‘Yes.’
A pause. ‘You say he doesn’t know you’re alive?’
‘That’s right.’
He frowned. ‘You’re not about to give me a sickly sermon on the virtues of love and forgiveness I hope.’
‘I wouldn’t waste my breath.’
‘In that case, I’m intrigued. You’ve succeeded in surprising me, which happens pitifully rarely,’ he said. ‘Tell me what you’re doing here.’
‘It has to stop now. You’ve taken my dad’s car, and every penny you’ve had from Nathan has come indirectly from my family, including that.’ She flicked a glance at the table. ‘So, I intend to forget we’ve ever met and go home to my family. Nathan and Lorie will be punished by law for faking my death. Because I’m alive, no one’s going to look your way, are they? I don’t ever want to have to look over my shoulder again. And I want the same for Dan Stone. The only crime he’s committed is saving my life.’
He smiled, fully now. ‘You’re very demanding.’
‘It’s been a stressful couple of weeks.’
‘I can see that.’ The smile vanished. ‘I like women who know what they want.’ He lowered his voice and shuffled closer. ‘Do you realise what a vulnerable situation you’re in here, Naomi?’ He eyed her carefully up and down. ‘You’ve come alone – entered the lion’s den, you might say. No one knows you’re alive.’ He paused. ‘You’re an exceptionally attractive girl with no one to watch your back.’ His voice had dropped to a whisper. His mouth was inches away. Naomi didn’t recoil.
He continued. ‘Some girls get a kick out of danger. They’re not attracted to the nice guys who get them flowers and write poetic verses. They go for the bad boys to inject a little excitement into their lives. Are you one of those girls, Naomi?’
‘No.’
He smiled. ‘So, you’re a good girl then?’
‘I try.’
‘That’s good.’ He eyed her again, in no rush. ‘See, guys like me, when bad things go down, we like to come home to girls like you.’ He leant forward, tilting his head, stopping an inch from her lips. Naomi swallowed hard. ‘With your permission, I’d very much like to kiss you.’
She didn’t move. ‘I’m married. I’d very much like it if you didn’t.’
‘We both know your marriage is meaningless.’
‘When I stood in church with God as my witness, it wasn’t meaningless to me. So until –’
‘You’re a shrewd negotiator, Naomi, don’t hide behind God. How about one kiss and you can have your money back and leave. What do you say?’
They were breathing the same air. Naomi, aware of the scent of her own perfume, wished she hadn’t worn any. ‘I agree I’m in a vulnerable position. One kiss can easily lead to other things.’
‘What things?’ Naomi said nothing. ‘Describe them to me.’ Naomi held her breath. ‘Naughty things you’ve never done?’ he dragged out in a throaty voice. He paused. ‘Unless . . . Nathan . . . showed you a thing or two before he sent you to your death.’ Naomi didn’t move. ‘You’re exciting me, Naomi.’
Naomi drew a little air. ‘I don’t want you to kiss me, so ignoring that would be very rude indeed.’
He coolly backed off, unruffled. He was smiling, in fact. Was it all a game? A test? Her heart was inconsolable. Her legs could barely support her weight. She battled to hold her nerve.
‘OK. Let’s do it your way and be honest then. Your husband owes me thirty thousand, not forty-five.’
Naomi paused to calm her breathing and control her voice. ‘I know that.’
‘So . . . I’m struggling to work out why I’ve earned a bonus.’
‘You haven’t yet.’ Naomi leant against the doorframe for support now. ‘I was hoping for a favour.’
He sat carefully in the chair again, easing her discomfort a little.
‘A favour? Does it involve Nathan?’
‘Yes.’
‘You know, I’m very disappointed in him. He’d have made a great business partner, but he wanted out. It took an awful lot of persuasion to let him go.’
‘I know. We paid.’ Naomi collected her bag from the table, a signal she was ready to leave. ‘Maybe what I have in mind will be satisfying for both of us.’
‘There’s an irony here, Naomi, don’t you see it?’ She shook her head. ‘Nathan was good. You’re better. Plus you have more guts and nicer legs.’
Her only thought was to get out as fast as possible. ‘Do we have an agreement or not?’
‘I’m in,’ he smiled widely, opening his arms. ‘What man except an idiot could refuse you?’
‘I’ll be in touch.’
‘The sooner the better.’
<><><>
Naomi stopped the car around the corner and took out Lorie’s phone and called Dan. She kept checking that no one was following her. She was trembling all over when Dan answered, sounding out of breath.
‘Naomi, I’ve been panicking. What the hell are you up to?’
‘It’s all sorted. No one’s going to pay the ultimate price, but debts have almost been paid.’
‘Almost?’
‘Nathan and Lorie are going down, Dan. Are you prepared for that?’
‘Yes. I agree we have to turn them in.’
‘We won’t need to turn them in.’
‘Meaning?’
‘You’ll see. Look, I’ve got to get out of here. I’m going back to the flat to pack my things, then I’m going to Lorie’s flat to retrieve anything from my life she’s taken.’
Dan breathed loudly down the phone in relief. ‘Be careful, OK?’
‘Of course. What’s happening there?’
‘She’s like a wild animal. I mean she’s not just furious, she’s ferocious. And she’s afraid.’
‘Progress. Prison doesn’t reform people, Dan. By the time I’ve finished with both of them, they’ll have a small inkling of what they’ve put me through, followed by plenty of time to think about it.’
‘I’ve got to be out of the cottage by tomorrow.’
‘Perfect. Nathan will be back in the UK by then. He’ll very much want to see Lorie. Pack your things. Tie her up. Throw her in the boot. Bring her back. I’ll tell you when and where once a plan’s in place. And don’t panic or back down on anything.’
‘I promise.’ Dan cleared his throat. ‘Naomi?’ His voice had a tender edge.
‘Yeah?’
There was a heavy pause. ‘Doesn’t matter.’
‘Yeah it does.’
Dan didn’t reply.
Naomi read the silence. ‘I miss you too, Dan. See you tomorrow.’
<><><>
Nathan was standing in the queue ready to board the plane home, aware of the eyes on him. Having done all he could to locate his lost bride, he was going home to try and rebuild his life without her. These were his thoughts as he arranged what he hoped was a suitable expression. There was an unusual hush in the line of people who were allowing him to the front as if they were collectively responsible for his loss. It was VIP treatment. Very nice! He was absorbing the apologetic glances, the mothers who silenced the whispers of the kids and told them off for staring.
Something was troubling Nathan though, making his pained expression easier to fix. He hadn’t heard from Lorie. UK time, it was six pm. She should have delivered the money to Solomon hours before and let him know the job was done. Time and again he’d tried to contact her and got nowhere. Had she run into trouble? Been late? It was unthinkable. The most logical thing was a communication problem, but still he felt unsettled. The flight to Manchester with a pit stop in New York was eighteen hours, during which time, he wouldn’t get a signal. His phone was infuriatingly silent. And to think that the last time he’d spoken to Lorie he’d been anxious to be rid of her . . .
‘Sir?’ An attractive English stewardess with very red lips and glossy tied-back hair dragged Nathan from deep thought and invited him to follow her. When they were free of the line of people and heading directly for the plane, she said, ‘The Captain has instructed me to offer our condolences and upgrade your flight to first class. If there’s anything we can do to make the flight easier or more comfortable, please don’t hesitate to ask.’
She was walking slightly ahead. From behind his dark shades, he admired her figure in a tight navy skirt and slightly transparent blouse. The way she moved her hips when she walked mesmerised him. Her legs were toned and shapely and perfectly tanned. The delightful view was marred only by his desperation to hear from Lorie while there was still time. When she took a glance over her shoulder, Nathan offered a strained smile as if nothing could ever compensate for the pain.
‘That’s very kind. Thank you.’
His phone vibrated in his pocket just before they reached the open door of the plane.
Finally. He resisted looking while he was shown inside and up a short flight of stairs to his luxury seat.
She indicated that he should sit down and make himself comfortable. Now his spirits had lifted a bit, he took time to notice that her name badge said ‘Jess.’
He sat down. She leant a little closer as if lowering her voice marked respect. She smelled as good as she looked. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
‘That would be lovely, Jess, thank you,’ he said sincerely. ‘Whisky and dry.’
She nodded and hurried away. Nathan withdrew his phone from his pocket. It was a message from Lorie just as he’d hoped.
‘About time,’ he muttered, opening the message.
His mouth went dry. Even sitting down, he felt dizzy. He could only stare.
The stewardess returned with the drink that clinked with ice. ‘Sir? You don’t look so good. Are you alright?’
He mindlessly took the drink and downed it in two big gulps. His hands were shaking. ‘Another, please.’
After a short delay, she left again. Nathan looked down again at the message in his hand. It said: ‘Couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks for all your help. It’s been fun. Xx’
Nathan logged on to the internet and hurried as quickly as he could into the website of his bank account. He jabbed out user names and passwords. Details arranged themselves on screen. He stared. His balance was twenty pounds. He thought he might be sick. He logged into Lorie’s account, having to fight to remember her password. Her account details lined the screen. The account was empty. Nathan wanted to scream out loud. She’d withdrawn the fifty thousand they’d transferred to her account. There was no sign of the rest of the money. Lorie had a secret account somewhere. Of course, she must have.
The stewardess returned, looking concerned. She handed him another drink, which he took without thanking her and gulped quickly. He needed cold water on his face.
‘Is there a toilet I could use?’
‘This way.’
Nathan disappeared inside a pocket of a bathroom and locked the door. He splashed his face with water and sunk onto the toilet seat. He fought for a signal, found Dan’s number and dialled it. Dan answered after a few rings.
‘Dan, I’m in trouble.’
After a short pause, Dan said, ‘How?’
‘Lorie has done the dirty on me. Sly cow has taken off with all the money,’ he whispered fiercely. He sighed and shut his eyes. Hearing it out loud seemed to double his anxiety.
‘How do you know?’ Dan asked.
‘How do you think – the account’s empty. So is Lorie’s because she’s got fifty grand in cash. I’ve got to catch up with that bitch before Solomon catches up with me. Where did she go after she’d been to see you?’
‘Nathe, she hasn’t been here.’
‘What?’
‘She didn’t show.’
‘I know she came. She described the cottage, said you were seeing some girl.’
‘Girl? Girls are the last thing on my mind. What you know is what she told you.’
‘She was supposed to give you Mum’s ring.’
‘Like I said, she didn’t show.’
‘I’m going to kill her,’ he hissed, the full impact hitting him about now. ‘I trusted her.’
‘Trust is a risky business, so you’ve always told me.’
Nathan wasn’t listening. ‘You’ve got to help me, Dan. We’re brothers.’
No assurances came back. Nathan’s agitation grew with the silence that followed. ‘Nathan, I told you that if you ran into trouble, you’d be on your own this time.’
‘We’re in this together. If I go down, you’re going with me, Daniel. You and her. You’ve committed a murder don’t forget that.’
There was another short pause. ‘I only ever tried to help you, Nathan. I trusted you and you crapped on me from a great height.’ Dan sounded close to tears.
Nathan was unmoved. ‘Don’t go soft on me now,’ he whispered fiercely.
‘Bye, Nathan.’
Dan cut the call. Nathan was pumped with enough rage to punch something, preferably Lorie’s face. He didn’t even have the luxury of yelling. He thought of Lorie, thousands of miles away with a head start and all his cash. Plus a ring worth thousands. He captured his wild eyes in the mirror. He stared and asked himself a pressing question: Do I hunt the bitch down or try and get off the plane.
29
It was a smooth landing at Manchester when the British Airways flight from San Juan to Manchester via New York, touched down an hour late at eight-thirty in the morning through clear skies. Nathan had played the part well of a bereaved person who’d lost everything and was about to face a painful and uncertain future, because there’d been no acting required.
He’d never know that Jess the stewardess, would go home and report to her parents that Nathan Stone had been distraught and had not slept all flight, but had sat upright in a trance staring blankly into the abyss of black space beyond the window, unaware of everything. He hadn’t been so bad, she reported over lunch that same day, when she’d seen him before the flight, but had deteriorated the further away he went from his bride’s final resting place. Nathan would never know that Jess and her mum had spent a few silent moments pitying him, before Jess turned in to bed for the day and her mum went to the gym. He’d never know that the story the day after that, had become distorted enough to include him sobbing all journey.
Apart from staff, Nathan was last off the plane, and last to the terminal to reclaim his luggage. He was in no hurry. Leaving the safety of passenger-only areas to a public meeting point where Solomon or one of his crew might be waiting to collect money Nathan no longer had, was hardly inviting.
Nathan watche
d his suitcase pass him four times on the carousel before dragging his stare from the snaking black belt and retrieving it. He wheeled it to the gents where he hung around to kill time. After a spell in the toilets, he wandered into the baggage hall again and dropped onto a hard bench for another cowardly wait.
The sensation of his phone vibrating, dragged his concentration from a trampled sweet wrapper on the floor. A text message three words long chilled his blood. From Solomon, ‘You can run . . .’ But you can’t hide, he finished off in his head.
Nathan looked about him as a random sample of the general public trailed luggage around. No one was paying him any attention as he sat, head bowed. The hall was constantly filling and emptying – the people themselves on a kind of conveyor belt. His forehead felt moist, like his hands. Pull yourself together, he told himself sternly, trying to rally himself into some action. If they’re waiting for you out there, sitting here isn’t going to save your skin.
He pulled his wallet from his hand luggage and counted his English cash. Was there enough for a taxi to his flat, if he got that far? He had nineteen pounds thirty-eight pence. It would get him somewhere. He hadn’t thought he needed to reserve any cash when Lorie should have collected him. The free drinks on the plane had preserved what bit he had, mercifully. The thought of Lorie and the need to track her down, gave him the energy to stand.
He dragged his suitcase towards the exit and held back until he could tag on to a group of people. He emerged head down. It was stupid to think that like a child playing hide-and-seek, if he hid his face no one would see him. At six feet three, he was as conspicuous with his head bowed as not. Nathan chanced a glance at the scattering of faces who were gathered together in small clumps, waiting. He scanned desperately while working to appear casual. He looked down for a split second before stalling mid stride and re-searching the faces with a sense of alarm. He’d seen someone, a girl who was slow to file out of his memory and into his mind because she’d been deeply stowed. Buried, in fact.
His eyes flicked over a dozen faces, twice over. Three times. She wasn’t there. Was she ever? He looked beyond the bodies and could see no one scurrying away. He was tired. Maybe mad. Maybe stressed too. Naomi? Use your head, idiot.
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