‘Wait,’ Dan interrupted. ‘What? He approached you before that day I met him?’
Jet sighed, not wanting to worry Dan any more than he was. ‘Yes. It was nothing,’ she lied. ‘Just him throwing his weight around as usual and I was stupid enough to let him in for a few minutes. Obviously I’ve got no proof of how it got there and Andrew will never admit to it. The Commissioner suggested I get a new phone, which I already have, and don’t let it out of my sight.’
‘And what about the fact your ex-husband doesn’t seem capable of letting you live your life now you’re divorced?’
‘Unless I have proof of something ...’
‘You can’t do a thing,’ Dan finished, exasperated. Then added, ‘I know what you can do. You can come and live up here with me.’
Jet laughed at his insistence. ‘A tempting thought, but—’
‘But you’re busy. I know, I know. You have an empire to run, I get it. And so do I, if I can keep my mind on the job.’
Jet toyed with the cord on her desk phone. ‘Actually, I was thinking of coming up for the weekend. If you’re open to it?’
‘Open to it? I’ll drive down there Friday night and come and pick you up myself.’
Jet laughed again. ‘Not necessary. I could do with a quiet drive. Something tells me by the end of this week with all the media fallout from Alex’s news, I’ll need it. You can do something else for me, though.’
‘Name it.’
‘Have dinner and a good bottle of wine ready for me when I arrive.’
‘Done. But I’m afraid there won’t be any dessert on the menu. I can’t wait through two courses for you, Jet.’
Jet’s pulse skipped a beat. She licked her lips and her heart rate increased in anticipation. ‘Well, I hope entrée hasn’t been decided yet.’ She smiled at his sharp intake of breath.
‘See, this is why I fell for you. You’re smart and beautiful.’
And come with a hell of a lot of baggage, she thought, but didn’t say it. Instead, she said, ‘Thank you. I can’t wait.’
Dan didn’t reply straight away and Jet wondered what he was thinking.
‘Do you really believe Andrew could have something to do with any of this?’ Dan finally asked. ‘I mean, I think the guy is a creep but I’m biased.’
Jet straightened in her seat at the change of subject. Dan was putting into words her thoughts over the last few days.
‘You know, until recently I never would have believed Andrew could be tied up in this mess, but then I didn’t think he’d invade my privacy the way he has either. I can’t imagine how he’d be tied up in Crystal’s death in any way—it’s too much of a leap and it doesn’t fit. But if he thinks Alex drugged me and he still has an unhealthy interest in me ...’
‘Be careful, Jet.’
Jet’s stomach twisted. ‘I am. More than ever after last week.’ She’d already had the locks changed on her front door and was yet to tell Edie. ‘I mean, what if Andrew had Alex set up to make him pay? It sounds so sick when I say it out loud.’
‘It’s possible, though. It’s pretty clear he hated having no idea where you were and with Alex out of the way, you were safe to come home.’
‘And then I came home and he started snooping on me. Now he knows exactly who you are. I feel horrible he knows about you and the estate. I’d hate to put any of you at risk.’
‘It’s more important you worry about yourself for now,’ Dan told her.
‘There’s one more thing I can’t get out of my mind.’ On the weekend, Jet had been too shell-shocked to make sense of anything. Now she’d had time to recover, her brain seemed to be going over everything and it felt good to share it with someone she could trust. ‘Those men said Alex was trying to protect Crystal. I can’t make sense of that either. What would he be trying to protect her from?’
‘I wish I knew. I guess we’re just going to have to hope the police can find some answers.’
‘I hope so. That poor girl deserved better.’
But how many cases went unsolved, Jet wondered. And would she always be left wondering who it was who had drugged her that night? Or if Andrew had been involved in setting Alex up?
They were questions that all deserved answers, but in the meantime one thing was certain. She was never going to trust her ex-husband again.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jet wondered what she was doing here.
Working, she reminded herself. Attending gala charity dinners came with the territory of running your own events business, because they were important networking opportunities. Especially where the wealthy were concerned. They seemed to like demonstrating their wealth by donating large sums of money in public. Perhaps Jet was cynical. Maybe some wealthy people truly did want to make a difference.
Not her ex-husband.
Andrew stood at the front of the grand ballroom holding up a giant cheque, ready to hand it over to the children’s charity the evening was in support of. Andrew didn’t even like children. He had made that perfectly clear during their short marriage. He’d admitted he would have kids one day, but only to continue the Temple empire, nothing more. The only reason he was showing his support of this charity was because it was most likely a PR exercise.
‘Careful. Your claws are out,’ Edie whispered from beside her.
‘I don’t have claws.’
Edie’s response was to smile knowingly. ‘It’s the quiet ones you have to be wary of.’
Jet smiled. ‘Hardly. You heard Andrew. “Always so polite”,’ Jet mimicked.
‘You’re tougher than you come across. He knows it. That’s why he tries to rile you up so much. He likes seeing you mad.’
Jet shifted in her seat to face her friend. Thankfully, Jet had been seated at a different table to Andrew. Edie was his plus one for the night. As much as Jet wanted to catch up with her friend, that didn’t extend to enduring Andrew. Jet had watched them from afar during the main course and had to admit Edie fit in here. The room was full of some of Sydney’s wealthiest business people, as well as a handful of celebrities, including a popular news reader and a well-known daytime television host. Jet hadn’t gotten around the entire room yet and expected to discover more familiar faces.
As soon as the main course was over and the guests began mingling, Edie had come over to Jet’s table. Jet hadn’t missed the curious glances from the other guests when they recognised Andrew’s date for the night and noted Jet was seated elsewhere. It didn’t matter they’d been divorced for two years, Juliet Temple always seemed to be associated with Andrew, which meant she was happier than ever to be Jet Appleton.
‘Your name change has caused quite the stir,’ Edie said with a grin, mirroring Jet’s thoughts. Her gleeful expression matched the sparkle of her diamond necklace. Jet wondered if Andrew had given it to Edie. Not that she was going to ask. The necklace set off Edie’s navy gown, giving her an air of old-world sophistication.
Jet shrugged. ‘It will settle down soon enough and then hopefully I can get on with my life, no longer in the shadow of the Temple name.’
‘Are you really sure it’s the best thing for your business?’ Edie asked, with a hint of concern that surprised Jet.
‘Absolutely. The business is well-established now and if people stop coming to me just because I no longer hold the Temple name, then I don’t want them as clients anyway.’
‘A lot of people don’t seem too sure of your name change. Jet Appleton,’ Edie said, like she was trying it out on her tongue.
‘Like you?’
‘What? No. I love it. It will just take some getting used to. You seem different, too.’
‘Do I?’ Jet was secretly glad. She felt different. She felt more sure of herself than she had in years.
‘Yes. That dress for starters. It’s amazing.’
Jet hadn’t really intended to draw attention to herself this evening but when she’d tried on the dress, she knew she had to have it. One of her clients was an up-and-coming fashion de
signer and her style was a lot edgier than Jet’s previous fashion choices. Fashion choices she was now realising were a result of feeling the need to fit into Andrew’s glamorous lifestyle.
‘Is it actually leather?’ Edie asked, reaching out to touch the skirt.
‘Yes. I feel like I should have arrived here on the back of a bike.’ The dress was made entirely out of leather except for the long sleeves and neckline made from black lace. The skirt was short but still tasteful, finishing mid-thigh, and flaring out from the waist. The sweet, innocent design of the dress was at complete odds with the choice of fabric and Jet loved it.
‘I bet Dan wishes he was here to see it.’
Jet eyed her friend carefully. Edie was curious to know all about Dan, but Jet wanted to keep the details to herself due to Edie’s relationship with Andrew. It wasn’t that Jet didn’t trust Edie. She didn’t trust Andrew not to manipulate her friend to his benefit.
‘I’ve already sent him a picture,’ Jet said, then changed the subject. ‘Have you heard anything further about that television show?’
Edie screwed her nose up. ‘You mean the reality show? No, and I’m not chasing them. I know every celebrity these days goes on a reality show, but—’
‘You’re not every celebrity. You’re an actress.’
‘Exactly!’ Edie replied, satisfied at Jet’s response. ‘I’m glad you can see it. It’s just a shame the producers in this country have no idea about the difference between the two. If it wasn’t for Andrew ...’
Edie had been threatening for the past few years to move over to the US and try her luck there. Jet had heard time and time again from Edie how parochial the Australian film and television industry was. Edie had always prided herself on her acting skills, which she felt were sorely undervalued in this era of reality television.
‘Why don’t you try the US?’ Jet suggested casually.
The longer Edie stayed with Andrew, the more uneasy Jet became. She didn’t want Edie to fall under the spell of Andrew’s wealth and power only to find herself under his control. A year ago, if someone had suggested Edie Thomas could be controlled by Andrew Temple, Jet would have laughed out loud. Now she wasn’t so sure. Her friend seemed to be growing more and more comfortable in her role as Andrew’s plus one.
‘Maybe next year,’ Edie told her, smoothing her gown and darting a look at Andrew at the front of the room. ‘How about you? Any plans to relocate to the Hunter Valley?’
‘What? No.’ Jet was surprised by the question. ‘It’s very early days where Dan is concerned.’
Edie smirked. ‘I don’t know. Sharing a vineyard with a sexy winemaker could be fun.’
Jet found it hard to disagree, but was keen to change the subject again. With a pang, she realised just how different things had become since Andrew and Edie were together. Jet couldn’t care less about what her ex-husband got up to, but her best friend was another matter. She hated the way she now felt like she had to censor their conversation.
Jet blinked when Edie touched her arm. ‘I better go.’
Jet saw over Edie’s shoulder that Andrew was walking in their direction and she stood at the same time as Edie.
‘Yes, me too. I need to mingle.’ The last thing Jet wanted to do was attempt polite conversation with her ex-husband in a room full of Sydney’s who’s who. She retreated in the opposite direction, towards the doors to the foyer. She needed a minute to go to the bathroom then she would return to network with some of the guests.
Outside in the foyer, the air was cooler and Jet exhaled in relief. She hadn’t realised the dress had made her so warm until now, although she supposed leather wasn’t exactly breathable. She headed for the ladies’ bathroom. The pointed black heels she was wearing pinched at her heels as she walked, making Jet promise herself not to linger too long tonight. Another hour should do it, then she could go home.
Jet wondered how Dan would enjoy an event like this evening. She’d been tempted to invite him, but felt it was too soon. Knowing him, he’d take it all in his stride though, and mingle effortlessly with the other attendees. Dan didn’t seem remotely affected by the circles Jet mixed in. It was just so typical of Dan not to make a big deal out of it. Kind of like her apartment. He wasn’t usually surrounded by the sort of wealth Jet was, yet he’d made himself at home in her space like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The last thing Jet wanted was for him to feel like an outsider. Like an ‘other’. Jet paused outside the door to the ladies. Funny. She’d never thought of it before, but she’d always felt like an ‘other’ too. A ring on her finger and the Temple surname had never really changed that.
With a smile, she put a hand on the door and stepped inside. Something told Jet that wherever Dan was, he wouldn’t be anyone other than himself and she admired him for it.
A few minutes later she exited the bathroom, the smile still on her face. Dan may not be here tonight, but she found his presence in her life centred her somehow—even from a distance.
She was so caught up in thoughts of Dan that she didn’t notice the man standing waiting in the corridor.
He reached out and hooked his arm through Jet’s, matching his stride to hers, and guided her in the direction of the hotel entrance, instead of back to the ballroom as she’d been intending.
She froze when she recognised the man’s face.
‘Alex,’ she gasped.
He tugged on her arm, not letting her slow their pace. ‘Juliet Temple. I’ve been waiting all night to speak to you.’
Chapter Thirty-Four
‘Jet Appleton,’ Jet stuttered as Alex pulled her out into the night.
The warm air enveloped them, the humidity making Jet sweat almost instantly in her leather outfit—or perhaps it was from the fear.
‘Yeah, I heard about your name change. Nice one.’
‘Where are we going?’ Jet looked around them desperately, hoping to see someone who knew her. It was a summer evening a week from Christmas and plenty of people were out and about on the city streets, talking and laughing as they passed. Jet and Alex were just another couple out celebrating the lead up to the festive season.
‘For a walk where your ex-husband can’t see us.’
‘Why?’
‘Because we’re long overdue for a chat.’
Alex kept their pace to a brisk walk. Jet’s heels had gone from pinching to brutal torture and one of them caught on a crack in the footpath. She overbalanced and Alex caught her weight smoothly, preventing her from falling over.
Jet glanced at him warily as they walked. Everything about him was smooth. His jet black hair slicked back in his signature hairdo and the impeccably fitted suit he wore. He could have been about to pose for a magazine. And she needn’t have worried about being alone with him. Every second person they passed did a double-take when they saw him. First came recognition, then shock, and on the back of that just a hint of uncertainty—Alex’s arrest had obviously left a lasting impression on his reputation.
The fact that he was out in public with her now spoke to his self-confidence. He nodded and waved to the occasional passerby when they recognised him. Even if they were repelled by the image of him the recent news headlines portrayed, his natural charm made it difficult for strangers not to be drawn to him.
‘Aren’t you going to ask me how I am?’ Alex asked, but he didn’t wait for an answer. ‘I’m better now I’m not up on charges for sexually assaulting a minor. I’m not sure my career will ever recover though. Kind of sucks, hey?’
Jet didn’t know what to say. The fear pushing against her chest had eased, but her body was still on high alert and she kept looking around for places to run if she needed to.
‘Makes me wish I could change my name like you have,’ he continued.
They turned the corner and Circular Quay came into view. The famous green and yellow ferries were coming and going and the terminal was swarming with people. They were heading right for it.
‘Alex.’ Je
t stopped and turned to face him, ignoring the tight grip of his fingers digging into her arm through the lace. ‘What do you want?’
His eyes were so dark that they looked almost black. ‘I want to know what you remember from that night.’
Jet frowned. ‘What I remember?’ Indignation surged up her windpipe, making her mouth taste bitter. ‘Perhaps you shouldn’t have drugged me if you wanted me to remember that night.’
Alex flinched and his grip tightened. When he spoke his voice was low. ‘I told you, and I told the police, I had nothing to do with that.’
‘Yet the police have discovered no other obvious leads.’
He dropped her arm and expression twisted in disgust. ‘See? This is what I have to face everyday from now on. Judgement. Hatred. Fear.’ He shook his head fiercely as pedestrians walked around them, eyeing him curiously. ‘Tell me, Jet, why on earth do you think I would slip you a party drug?’
Jet hesitated for a beat. That he called her Jet threw her off guard. So many people of her acquaintance were still accidentally referring to her as Juliet, which was entirely understandable. Yet Alex had made the effort to call her Jet. She didn’t know what that meant. Did it mean he was good with details? Or was it a sign of respect? She didn’t know what to think.
‘I—I don’t know,’ she said eventually.
‘Exactly!’ Alex threw his hands up in the air. ‘I’m a good-looking guy, I’ve got money, fame, success. I don’t need to drug women to make them sleep with me. Come on.’
He hooked his arm through Jet’s again and she didn’t fight him. They crossed the road together in silence and Jet was secretly relieved when he bypassed the terminal and guided her to walk with him along the water’s edge.
‘Worse than that,’ he said, once they were through the crowd, ‘people think I want to sleep with little girls, thanks to your ex-husband.’ He practically spat the last words.
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