“Sorry, Eva” said Lauren, sounding distinctly un-sorry, “but that sounds like the dictionary definition of blackmail to me. If he doesn’t do what we say, we’re going to trash him in the press... Look, I haven’t got a problem with it. I’m just calling a spade a spade.”
Lauren sipped her coffee and regarded Eva quietly. Was that amusement in the woman’s eyes? Eva felt her hackles rising. One minute Lauren wanted her to get out of her poisonous relationship, the next she was questioning her integrity.
“You’re putting me under pressure to come up with a solution to get you away from this man. But you won’t go to the police. You won’t let me help you just leave him to get you safe. You won’t let me do anything I’d normally recommend, and you still need an exit plan. You’ve put so many restrictions on me, but I’m trying my best here.”
“Be fair, Eva. All I want is to get free of a man who is planning to kill me. And you already know why I can’t do what you suggested. He’s threatened to kill my family. I’m thinking of my mother here. I can’t take that risk – and neither would you.”
Eva sipped her coffee and put down her cup.
“No. But if you want to hear my ideas, don’t pre-judge them. This isn’t blackmail. Call it what you like, under the circumstances and the time restraints, this is all we’ve got. To make it work, I’ll still need you to produce those emails. They could become the ace which makes Blane fold.”
Lauren nodded. The gleam in her eyes remained. A gleam of optimism or hope, perhaps. Eva noticed she seemed far calmer than when they had first arrived. Something she’d said, perhaps?
“It’s still blackmail in my eyes, but hey, I don’t mind.”
Eva bristled but kept her face calm and her voice quiet.
“Then perhaps you’d like to help me come up with a plan which suits you better.”
Lauren smiled. “Don’t be offended, Eva. Actually, I’m relieved.”
“Relieved? Why would you be relieved?”
“Because you said you’d help me whatever it takes. Now I see you actually meant it. You’re actually prepared to take on Jamie Blane at his own game to get me out of this mess. That means a lot.”
“It’s what you hired me for. But we haven’t got a lot of time. If you’re so sure something bad is going to happen, then you need to get out now or you need to get me those emails, then I’ll package something for my approach to him.”
“Package something?” said Lauren. “For your approach? I’ve read about some of the things you’ve done during your career… but it’s something else to hear you saying them out loud. I never knew you had it in you.”
“Back when were kids, I didn’t. But life makes us what we are, eh?”
“Yes, it does,” said Lauren. “I’m glad to have you on my side.”
“Don’t think I’m going to take pleasure in confronting Blane like this, because I won’t. But I’ll do it get you away from him. But Lauren… if it’s true that Jamie really is responsible for his wife’s death, then the police will have to be informed.”
Lauren’s face soured instantly. “But if you told the police, you’d lose any leverage you had!”
“No. Because I’d only tell them once you were safe. Then I’d give them the evidence too.”
“First blackmail? And then you’ll withhold evidence? Eva, what aren’t you capable of?”
“A few extra days won’t hurt. Besides, the ends justify the means,” said Eva with a shrug. “If the man’s a killer, justice is the least he deserves.”
“If the ends justify the means…?” said Lauren, raising her coffee cup like a wine glass in a salute to Eva before she sipped. “To the ends justifying the means,” she said by way of a toast. “And to you, Eva. You’ve given me hope.”
“But it’s only going to work if you can get me those emails - and soon as you can.”
“I’ll do my level best,” said Lauren. “Soon as his back is turned, I’ll get them.”
“Good,” said Eva. She paused for a moment and swirled the dregs of coffee in her cup before she met Lauren’s eyes. “Until this is done, you’d better let me handle the right and wrongs of my strategy. I do have a moral compass, Lauren. But my current priority has to be getting you safe.”
“I wasn’t questioning your morals. I was just impressed at your flexibility, that’s all. You’re far more versatile than I would have guessed. But this needs to be done within a day or two. I doubt I’ll have any more time than that. Soon as he twigs that I’m onto him, I won’t have any time at all.”
“I understand. Just do what you can to get me those emails, and I’ll set up the rest.”
“But what happens if I can’t?” said Lauren. “Just a question.” The gleam of light in her eyes faded a little.
“But you’ve told me about the contents of those email- they sound absolutely damning to me. If we had those, I bet he’ll do what I ask. We need them.”
“But Jamie’s very sharp. What if I can’t get near them again? He might have changed his computer password or even deleted them… who knows?
Eva spoke carefully. “If that happened – if you couldn’t get hold of that evidence we’d be in a very difficult position. Without them we’d have almost no leverage at all.”
Lauren nodded and looked down into her coffee cup.
“But I’d still help you as best I could.”
“How, Eva?” she said. “You’re putting all your eggs in one basket. Where’s your plan B?”
“Let’s cross that bridge if we come to it, shall we?”
“He’s dangerous, Eva. I think it would be best if we planned for all eventualities.”
“All eventualities?”
“Yes! He’s a killer, Eva!.”
Eva took her time to reply. As she thought it over her mobile started ringing. Dan hadn’t been in touch for a while. It was probably no more than an update on the Poulter case. But when she picked up Eva the number on screen didn’t seem familiar. The penny soon dropped.
“Lauren, do you mind if I take this?” said Eva.
“If you need to.”
Eva turned to one side and put the phone to her ear.
“Mr Poulter?”
“Correct, Miss Roberts.”
Eva interrupted him. “We’re already on the case, Mr Poulter. My colleague is out there looking for your sister as we speak.”
“And? Any progress?”
“Not quite yet,” said Eva, her mind turning to what was keeping Dan so long. Eva kept her voice bright and breezy. “But we’ll give you an update as soon as we can, I promise you that.”
“It’s just that…” Poulter faltered, as if the words were too difficult to say.
“Go on, Mr Poulter,” said Eva.
“It’s just that, there are some other things you need to know about Alma. Important things...”
“Didn’t you have an opportunity to do that already?” said Eva, her temper fraying.
“Yes, I did,” said the man. “But, I wasn’t sure how much you needed to know at the time.”
“Everything, preferably,” said Eva.
“Don’t worry. There’s just a couple more things to say. Though I’d rather not do it over the phone. It’d be far better face to face.”
“I’m a little busy right now.”
Lauren nodded in agreement.
“You know this is urgent. My little sister is missing, Miss Roberts. Can’t you spare me just ten minutes?”
Eva winced. She saw she had little choice.
“Okay, Mr Poulter. When?”
“Soon as possible. I can head over to your office right now.”
Eva glanced at the time on her phone screen then put the handset back to her ear.
“Give me twenty minutes, I’ll be back by then. Thanks, Mr Poulter, I’ll see you then.” Eva cut the call before the man could say anything more. She looked at Lauren.
“You heard that,” said Eva. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Dan’s working the case, so I’ll
have to go and meet the man myself.”
“But we’re still talking here… and we’ve not settled anything yet.”
“Haven’t we? We’ve settled everything we can for now.”
“No, we haven’t. Those emails are out of my control. We still need a backup plan.”
“And we’ll make one. Just as soon as we know if we have them or not. Lauren, I have to go. You’re my priority here, but this man still needs dealing with. Do what you can, and I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Eva… you know what trouble I’m in.”
Eva forced an earnest look to her face. The woman was desperate, so of course she would make claims on her time. And she had also paid an advance. That couldn’t be ignored, either.
“I promised I’d help you, and I will. But I can’t just ignore the man’s request. He’s a client too. Look, I’ll make this go away as soon as I can, then I’ll be back. But can you at least try to get your hands on those emails?”
Lauren’s face hardened. “Of course. I have no choice, do I? But I’m relying on you, Eva. If he hides those emails, or gets nasty with me, I’ll be depending on you to get me out of this.”
Eva swallowed and gathered her handbag from the table. “Of course. And I’ll do my best to help you. But evidence, Lauren. Evidence is the ammunition I need to bring Blane down. I’ll see you soon.”
Lauren stayed in her seat, looking doubtful.
“Just do your best, okay?” said Eva.
“I’m doing that already. My very best to stay alive.”
“Keep at it.,” said Eva.
She walked away and put her hand to the coffee shop door, relieved but not unburdened. As far as Eva saw it, the pressure just kept getting worse. The weight of Lauren’s angst was mounting. She was glad to be away on a rudimentary matter on the Poulter case. It sounded as if the nervous printer wanted to come clean on some detail of his sister’s life. Easy enough to handle, and highly predictable in many ways. Nobody liked to confess their family sins, not even to their own private investigator. It was a natural part of the process, the coming clean. Eva would give the man have his say, then she intended to have an hour off, to give Lauren time to stew in her panic while she detoxed from the whole drama. Just an hour, and no more. Eva hoped it was enough time for Lauren to find those emails. No matter how she pleaded – Eva was banking on them. A scumbag like him wouldn’t do so unless they made it essential. And blackmail?! It wasn’t anything like blackmail. It was white-mail. Forcing a villain to do the right thing couldn’t be wrong, could it? Lauren’s warped world view and playing devil’s advocate were the latest aspects of the case Eva was beginning to dislike. Out in the car park, her eyes roved the rows of parked cars. The men talking on their mobiles behind their steering wheels. The shoppers carrying bags and talking into phones as they paced between the cars and shops. None of them looked anything like the image of Jamie Blane she’d seen on his social media profile. None of them looked anything but normal. But life had taught Eva that normal didn’t really exist. The human race was made up of shades of grey, from violent black, to soft grey of lies. And everything in between.
Eva let it go and with a hint of relief showing in her eyes she walked to her red Alfa Romeo with her bag swinging at her hip.
Ten
Rob Poulter was waiting outside their office when Eva drove past looking for a parking space. She looked at the darkened office windows and saw no one inside. Which meant Dan and Mark were still out on the job. How long ago had that been now? Her eyes flitted to the dashboard clock. At least two hours. Surely it couldn’t have been that hard to locate the woman’s rehab. They had the address, after all. If Lauren was going to be a problem – and she certainly was – then she needed Dan to stump up and carry the Poulter case and carry it well. Odd. As her eyes passed over the man waiting outside the office, she saw a moody looking aspect to his demeanour. Yes, he looked irritated. In the next second, their eyes met as Eva flicked the indicator to take the side turning. As soon as he saw her, the man’s face instantly brightened and his posture softened. Yes, the nervous type, the type who hid their true selves. But she’d seen him unmasked. Poulter’s real feelings were those she had seen when he thought he was unobserved. Then he put on a more genial face for her consumption. Everybody did it. But Eva wasn’t in the mood for any rubbish. Unless Robert Poulter had something very good to share he was going to get short shrift. Eva parked the car, then took a moment and dialled Dan. Her call went straight to voicemail and she raised an eyebrow.
“Where are you?” she muttered to herself.
And Mark was still out of the office too. She didn’t bother calling Mark. Instead, she decided to get some help from their other assistant. Joanne usually didn’t mind coming in at short notice, and if Mark was going to be away from the office much longer, Eva thought it best they get at least some cover for taking calls. Losing potential business at the very first hurdle seemed a bad idea. Eva dialled Joanne’s number. It rang a long time, and Eva had almost given up, about to end the call when it finally went through.
“Eva? Is everything okay?” said Joanne, sounding awkward and rushed. It was an odd opening remark. Almost as if the girl expected a problem.
“Um. I think so… why do you ask?”
“No reason. I just wasn’t expecting you to call, that’s all. I hope the case is going okay?”
“It’s started well enough. At least I think it has. Mr Poulter seems the needy type, of course, but then he’s not the only one. Needy seems to be the flavour of the month.”
“Oh dear,” said Joanne.
“Don’t worry. We’re still grateful for the business. Every case we’ve ever worked has had its fair share of issues. Listen. Mark and Dan are out working on this one, and the client, Poulter, has just called me away from an important meeting. My old friend Lauren has gone into crisis mode, and I think her problems could be serious. I was wondering if you could come in and help me for a couple of hours.”
There was a brief silence at the other end of the line. A telling kind of silence. Reluctant silence.
Eva paused. Now she was the one who didn’t want to sound too needy.
“You know, it could be a lot less than that. I know it’s an ask, Joanne, but Mark and Dan could be back any time…”
“Sure, Eva. No problem. Just let me have a word this end. I’ll only be a moment.”
The line became muffled and then went dead altogether. Eva looked at her phone screen to check she was still on the line. Yes, the call was still open. Joanne must have put her on hold. Weird. The girl sounded the paragon of businesslike, cool, detached even. Neither was she sharing the jovial gallows humour usually deployed against her job whenever they called her at work.
While the silence went on, Poulter appeared from around the corner. He pasted an awkward smile over his face, and ambled towards her, his hands clasped together as if he was going to ask something or make a false apology as he approached close to the driver’s side window. Eva didn’t want to hear it. Neither did she want the man’s interruption. She raised her finger to tell Poulter wait. The call came back to life in Eva’s ear as Joanne’s voice came back on the line.
“Yes. I can do that, Eva. I’ll be over in twenty or so.”
“You’re sure you can spare the time?” said Eva, biting her lip, thinking.
“Of course.”
“Joanne. Are you at Civic Centre?”
Silence hung in the air.
“Where else would I be? I’ll be right over. See you soon, okay?”
Joanne ended the call right there.
Eva pondered the abrupt ending, but the odd, simpering face of Robert Poulter standing by the car window put paid to too much introspection. She opened the door and got out into a breeze which flicked her hair across her face as she stepped onto the pavement. Poulter was still standing too close and she failed to realise he hadn’t moved. As her shoulder bumped into his chest, she tutted, a sign of outright irritation, and Poulter
stepped back with an apology.
“Sorry to drag you back here, Miss Roberts. And sorry if I’ve disturbed you.”
Eva nodded, swept her red hair aside and shut the door of her car. She nodded. “It’s just that another case seems to be taking a distinct turn for the worse.”
Poulter’s mouth turned tight. “You do realise that’s what could happen here too? It could be a matter of life and death.”
“It’s the same for my other client, Mr Poulter, I can assure you.”
Poulter’s eyes flashed with a little anger. Eva watched it fade.
“But Alma. She’s in very deep trouble.”
Eva sighed. “You’d better come into the office if you have something sensitive to say.”
“Everything’s sensitive where Alma’s concerned.”
Eva led the way to the office door which was locked but the shutters had been left up. She fussed with her keys and unlocked the door before walking in and switching on the lights to combat the dull overcast day. The bell on the wall gave its familiar shrill ring as Poulter dithered about closing the door.
“You may as well close it,” she said, watching. “Or that noise will just carry on all day.”
“Yes, of course.”
Eva dumped her handbag and jacket on her desk and headed on to the kitchen out of habit. She’d just drunk a strong coffee shop concoction of coffee and too much milk but offering Poulter a drink seemed necessary. Lauren’s words still circled like vultures in her head. Blackmail? Don’t be ridiculous. The strange accusation kept coming back to her. Why would Lauren want to make her life difficult by putting such a nasty label on the only course of action left? Eva shook her head to slip free of such pointless thinking, but it didn’t help. Instead, she spoke loudly over her thoughts in order to drown them out.
“Tea or coffee, Mr Poulter?”
“What? Oh, coffee please.” His voice sounded close. Surprised, Eva turned around to see the man far too near again. Poulter had drifted across the length of the office to stand in the doorway of the kitchen as Eva fussed with the coffee machine. Poulter didn’t seem the standard sexual harassment type, though the truth was a woman could never be sure, but if he was of that ilk, he was going to receive a harsh lesson in the strict limits of the client/investigator relationship. Looking at his face, Eva realised the man was too lost in his own problems to realise he was being creepy. She decided he was one of those clients to be placed under the general heading of ‘annoying – miscellaneous’. It was a very broad category with a lot of names filed there. Most of the time Eva wasn’t too generous when pigeon-holing her clients. But today she was making an exception.
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