And between us, we wait, eating take-out food and drinking endless coffee.
The news that Charlotte is alive and free has revived Elizabeth. And since she seems able to sleep at last, I’ve banished her to bed, simply keeping the door open a little in case she calls.
And if I’m honest, it has given me my life back too.
How could I have lived with that kind of knowledge, that degree of guilt?
But as to James and Michael….
James seems to be coping the better of the two. I'd expected it would be the other way around. He leans back in his seat, hands clasped behind his head.
“Try not to worry,” I say. “She’s resourceful, and braver than, I think, any of us realised.”
But as his face swings my way, James doesn’t looked stressed, more thoughtful. “Actually, I'm not worrying now. She’s on the move. She’s functioning, and she seems to be thinking clearly. I am frustrated at having to wait, not being able to help.”
“What are you thinking about then?”
Is he blushing?
Yes, he is….
“Something that's actually none of my business….” He shrugs, trying to brush away the conversation.
As though we have anything better to do than talk….
“Being?”
Still he hesitates.
“Come on, James. Spit it out. We’re friends, aren’t we? And are we ever going to be in a tighter situation together than this?”
He rolls eyes. “Alright, since you insist. I was wondering…. Given your situation, why you decided to enter a contract with the hotel cleaner? Beth's a beauty, but you could have taken your pick.”
For a moment, my blood boils.
No wonder he hesitated….
holds up a hand.
it’s natural
seeing the
is none of your business, but in fact, I have also wondered about something that is none of my
intrigued. His
did you and Michael meet? The
you mine. You
understand, then, “The clubs? You mean the kind of club where I saw the three of
of clubs. We brushed by each other a few times, then one evening we ended up scening together. Afterwards, we went for a drink
He did?
did? At
right. I put up the money for Michael to
kind of business partner we
um… eight years back now. We’ve been good friends
Lord, where do I begin? Yes, you're right. I could take my pick, and I did. And every single time, I landed myself with some money-grubbing gold-digger. The last one, Adele, was a vindictive bitch to boot. It wasn’t going anywhere, but I was trying to find a way to make it happen. So, in a final effort to
bottle of scotch from a cupboard and
in the Imperial in the penthouse. I'd gone out
drink, sucking away a
I was in a helluva mood when I returned to the apartment. Anyway, I went to use the bathroom, and what do I find but this vision in red hair,
time keeping a straight
tried to cover up, and all she had was a washcloth. I mean…. what’s a
crinkling. “Judging by what I’ve heard from Charlotte, you knew exactly what to
and who…. who…” I reach for the words. “She's beautiful, intelligent, biddable. Everything I needed in the woman on my arm. So, I proposed a contract…. She would be…. just that…. the woman on my arm. In return,
chews on a lip. “Sounds weirdly
their own lives. To have choices. Money is power. Money buys choice, and to get
agree more. So, what
that brought her. It
danger? The previous
eyes widen, “…. working with an ex-employee who had an axe to grind. They both blamed Elizabeth for situations that were entirely of their own making, and tried to revenge themselves on me by kidnapping her. However, they were amateurs. The whole thing only
Adele and her cohort couldn’t