“It’s normal routine,” answered Araon trying to make her calm down.
“Do you know darling? I would like to go back home now.” said Jill who was close to tears.
“I don’t understand your trembling but I will obey you. Be happy that in a quarter of a hour we will be back home,” said Araon while Jill and him silently left the megastore.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Samantha’s day at work was endless. She arrived home just on time not to forget she had dizzy heels on her shoes. No sooner had she dropped her purse on the sofa than the telephone rang. Nobody was speaking from the other end. She waited just a moment and a tiny voice spoke aloud. “I’ll have you at any cost.” And the call finished.
“Bastard,” she cried, “how can you have my telephone number?”
It was too late for her to be listened to. “Oaths are oaths. You won’t deceive me,” she carried on undeterred.
Those gripping moments finished when somebody knocked on the door.
“Hi Samantha it’s Phillip. I apologize for the delay.”
“Actually, I wasn’t waiting for you. Come in,” she said.
“What happened to you? I heard you screaming.”
“Nothing relevant to my mood. My former boyfriend just called me though I have been clear that I left him once for good. Don’t worry about me. You have a nasty odour from your throat.”
“The fact is that I have drunk some beer. You have the same instinct as a bloodhound. I am here to protect you. Would you like to go out right now? I see you have still your job uniform. Do you call that your smart dress?”
“I have just come in and I have skipped dinner. I was thinking to drink some tea and eat some biscuits. I am not very hungry today.”
“I guess you are concerned with your body shape. But we are all sinners and we have to enjoy tasty meals all the time. I’ll take you out anyway. A walk along the banks of the River Thames will do. I am an enviable romantic.”
“Give me just one hour and I’ll be with you,” she said.
“OK. I’ll come to pick you up at half past eight. Be assured I will come on time.”
“I’ll wait for you.” Samantha was hopefully alone again. She couldn’t understand how her former partner had her new phone number. She had absolutely to get rid of him. The best thing to do was to contact Lucia. “Lucia, it’s Samantha speaking. Can you hear me?”
“Yes indeed. It’s always a touch of glamour that distinguishes your calls. You sound a bit depressed or am I wrong?”
“The boss called me. He uses unbiased distance to harass me. I don’t know how he could have my new phone number. I need help. I don’t know if I’ll ever get rid of him.”
“Don’t worry. Concerning your phone number, you must have dialled his own by mistake and on his phone screen appeared your new phone number. Now be quiet. It’s not time yet to report that stalking thing to the police. Anyway, I am happy to be in touch with you. Right now, I am with my daughter. Lucky you, you are not a mum yet. It’s so distressing. I don’t know what sources of information make motherhood appear the most beautiful thing in a woman life. But when I drop my mask, I’ll see it’s really wonderful. I am thinking of coming to visit you soon. One thing I recommend to you: make sure never to reveal your true identity to anybody. You must be strong. We have to jettison the past and take pleasure in a brand-new life. Be careful I repeat. Never trust male figures. For today you’ll have enough of me. I’ll be in touch with you constantly. By and good night.”
“Bye Lucia. See you soon.”
Samantha went to drink some liqueur. Apparently, she had not a good lesson from Phil’s stinking breath. But she needed something to boost her mood. Then she dressed herself up. A pair of jeans, a white top and gorgeous sneakers. That was the way to dress she liked most. Her Versace shop boss would never be suspicious she was so restrained and temperate. She was ready to go out with the next wolf in her life.
Phil arrived with a brand-new Lamborghini. Samantha was shocked by that bad, healthy lifestyle. She wasn’t used to a jet-set sort of way of life. She got in the car and gave him a casual kiss on the cheeks. “You have a wonderful sea blue colour in your eyes. Are you using special contact lenses?” she said.
“It’s to impress you, grace. You are so beautiful and I don’t want anybody swipe you. I don’t deserve you. Are you still annoyed by your former boyfriend?”
“Thank God it’s finished. I don’t think he will ever accept my decision to leave him. He is a real stalker and that frightens me a lot.”
“Be tranquil. You are under my protection now. Do you like London by night? We are close to Waterloo Bridge. There is an enchanting view over the city there. It’s so romantic to walk by the river banks. And, if you don’t mind, we can stop at the National Theatre for a drink.”
“It’s perfect. This is the typical day for me.”
“Hey! How easily you turn eyes my doll. I am very jealous and you will get used to it. These stupid reactions of mine won’t definitely help you to love me. Forget everything and think of the present. I am in the company of the most beautiful woman in the world. Do you know something?”
“What?”
“Just leave the flat you are living in at present. I’ll let you have a new one very quickly. Of course I won’t burden you with the expenses. I’ll pay everything for.
“It’s too kind of you. I’m simply speechless.”
“I am mad about you, grace. Come on, sit closer. We are more intimate like that.”
“I would like to drink non-alcoholic drinks.”
“There is a brand-new peach juice. You can have a try. I will drink some coffee. I deserve it because of the interesting night ahead. You know I deal with different jobs. I am the owner of an offshore company and I am involved in a letting and selling apartments agency. Tonight, I will be very busy. For me there is no difference between the day and the night.”
“I see. I am a bit concerned with your health. How can you manage to work so much?”
“I am used to it. I regularly go to the doctor for a general checkup. I am perfectly healthy. Oh, look the waitress is approaching us.”
“Please would you bring us a peach liqueur and a coffee?”
“It’ll arrive immediately.”
“And don’t forget to bring me the bill,” he said to a hasty waitress.
“Samantha. Can you see that couple over there? They are actors. They must be here waiting for a contract. There will be an astounding performance of Macbeth tonight at the theatre. We can go to see it on Sunday.”
“That’s a good idea. I love Shakespeare.”
“And I love you my little queen. Now let’s go for a walk by the river banks.”
“It’s so easy to show the instinct of obedience to you,” said Samantha radiant and shining as she had never been before. She liked that ‘I love you’ thing. The night was the ideal setting for a romantic stroll. Phil pretended to make Samantha fall into the river as a joke which annoyed her a lot. “Sorry love. Tonight, I see very clearly your eyes. They are very dry eyes. Are you taking some soporific?”
“No really. I’m usually fast asleep before midnight. My alarm clock wakes me up at half past seven every morning.”
“I understand. I have to take you home straight away. I have spent enchanting moments with you.”
Samantha simply smiled having recovered from the earlier fright. They found themselves in the sophisticated car with Phil too attached to the brake. It was one of those nights when he would easily break his car. But Samantha was with him and he had to get rid of his idiotic frenzy. There was the strength of a wolf behind his so-called shyness. Samantha’s house was a perfect nest for two lovers: this was what he was thinking of while driving so fast. Maybe he would have liked to be clasped to one another before midnight like the Prince Charming and Cinderella. “Good night, honey,” were his words when they finally reached Samantha’s flat. Phil’s foreboding was in ambush: did she need some soporific to slee
p?
She was turning over and over under the pillow thinking of nothing. But she wanted to fall asleep naturally to prevent Phil from ticking her off. She was frightened of that sort of dependence on him. Was it true love or was it him just pretending? The least thing she wished was to be a form of escapism of a broken by love guy. She was nervous beyond belief but this meant nothing. A flat on her own? Who else would have such luck? Nevertheless, she was in agony over a past unblessed love story. “Do not fornicate,” her mother carried on repeating her. She was not in favour of marriage though. How many crazy ideas populated that dark scenery? She was almost agnostic but she frightfully needed a place where to go and pray. Her soul was as white as the snow, no doubt. But she needed clarification on her credence. Probably her mum was simply advising her not finish her life with a marriage like her own. Or she was simply doing mum’s preaching. A strand of black conscience overwhelmed her: she felt guilty over the lie she had told Phil concerning the phone call she received from her former boss. She had dismissed the issue of telling that she came into collision with her former boss. Phil had not to be suspicious at all of the sins of her past life. She was refreshing herself as if in a baptismal font over there in London.
It was half past four and nothing had happened yet. She had only two hours of sleep remaining having set the alarm clock for half past six. But she had no hopes As if by mistake, Samantha was in the realm of dreams. The alarm clock rung too quickly for her to be able to remember the dream of the night. She went to have a shower, pampered herself with body cream and facial and admired herself in front of the mirror. Soaked eyes were relevant to her mind status. “Bloody Hell! I don’t know how to hide this disaster,” she cried out. She put on some makeup and embellished her eyes with the usual eyeliner. The weather made her sweat a lot and that made her worry that her makeup would dissolve on her face. She put on a stunning Versace gown and some shoes with glamorous dizzy heels. She was ready to go.
It was so early for one reason. She had to go to the automated banking of her bank and fetch some money. Five thousand pounds was what she needed. She had read in the newspaper about a pretty gala to collect money for the aids foundation but she was ashamed to ask Phil to take her to the party. She realized that nobody saw her collecting all that of money and a purse was never safe enough. She was maudlin and soppy. She wished so much that Phil was with her and to share any secret about her life. But she had no time to complain any more. It was half past seven and she had an hour free before going to work. She was so frightened that her boss wouldn’t understand she had an almost completely sleepless night. Hopefully there was nothing binding in the contract about that.
She went to a luxury bar to have her breakfast. She was delighted by the smell of the just arrived croissants. She ordered a coffee with milk and a croissant. “Here you are.” The waiter arrived in a few minutes.
“Here is the money. Take the change as a tip,” said Samantha giving the man a five-pound note.
“Maybe I am too stingy,” she thought. She was so comfortable in those delicate moments at the bar. She nearly forgot the bloody night just spent. But trouble was in sight. A fat man drinking beer never stopped watching her with passion. Harassment! That was it. She had not the courage to report the fact to the bartender. She strongly needed Phil with her in those moment. He was so protective and gentle. Poor baby: she went out of the bar in tears. She had pledged to Lucia that she wouldn’t fall in love but trespass was the current countersign. She had to make sure that nobody could go back to her past. Phil was a powerful man and it was not easy to lie to him. And then there was Van der Baast. Yes, the European famously known doctor she had tried to contact a few days earlier. She had not to deceive herself under a frowning mask. What a pleasure! She was privileged. But how could she go ahead with a love relationship while she was so frantically muttering over her past? Sooner or later her past would return to the surface. She was not a scold and she was meant not to be one. After all that wandering, she realized she had a wristwatch with her, not just for sporting something fashionable. It reminded her that it was already half past eight, time to go to work. It was a nice stroll.
She cheerfully arrived at the Versace shop where she expected her boss to be waiting for her with folded arms. But there was a surprise. She found the shutter of the shop shattered with a note on it: I’ll be back at ten am. She was devastated. She had absolutely no idea about what could have happened. But when she was in the grip of tears Phil arrived, this time with a Ferrari.
“Hi grace. Are you OK?”
“Not really. How comes you are here at this time?”
“I’ve got news for you. Get in and come with me. I will explain everything to you.”
Samantha was a bit reluctant but she didn’t want to annoy Phil with some disruptive behaviour. She was agitated and trembling. Her imagination was not enough to guess what Phil had in store for her. Do you know why the shop is closed?” he asked smartly.
“Because it has been fined. Apparently, they had not paid the rent for three months and they had threatened to make them close the shop. Hopefully it has been sorted out with a fine. And guess who was the man behind that move? Me. Now you are not forced to be stuck to the contract and you can leave the job today. You can come and work with me as a VIP hostess. You will be under my protection. What do you think of this stunning idea?”
“I really do not know. I have to hurry up to take a decision, but, maybe, I am not ready for this.”
“You will say yes, I’m sure. Talk to your boss today and make yourself free as soon as possible. Think well of it. I’m driving through London to make you breath air of novice and you’ll be back at New Bond Street by ten am. Are you OK? I see you look nervous.”
“The point is that I am a bit embarrassed.”
“I’m falling in love my dear and I don’t want you to disappoint me. Think of the matter properly. With you I feel the luckiest man in the world. I will never force you to wear those dizzy heels that are so uncomfortable. Just joking, of course. Feel free to sleep. You really need it. You are my little sleeping beauty. I wouldn’t dare to call you my Cinderella. It’s so sexist,” he said not realizing he had already won Samantha’s heart.
Araon was ferreting about in the furniture of the toilet where Jill used to save all her cosmetics. He astonishingly found painkillers of many kinds. Among which was the famous plervix. “What are you doing here?” said Jill with a rude tone while entering the toilet. “You are spying on me, aren’t you? Have you ever found me rummaging in your personal things? Look here! What you have done.”
“Sorry honey. I was just concerned. Do you know that all those medicines have dangerous side effects?”
“I know it. I have advice from the doctor over that matter. He said to me to keep them in a safe place and not to use them. Their presence in my personal creams has the advantage of sedating me with a placebo effect. Now I apologize for having been so rude. I was just frightened that you wanted to revolutionize my ideas. Now I must go. See you at the usual time.”
Jill went out without slamming the door. She had a huge amount of self-control. Araon had now to make plans for the day. He went out of the flat wandering excited. He needed to talk to doctor Van der Baast. He dialled the number and a soft voice welcomed him from the other end. “Hi Van der Baast. You will never be used to my voice, will you?”
“Definitely not Araon. I was bored here now and your call came as a bolt from the blue. I have important things to say to you concerning our Van Gogh mysterious case.”
“That’s lovely. But I want firstly talk to you about Jill. To my surprise I found a lot of painkillers in the toilet furniture. Among them there was the famous plervix.”
“I know it. They call it an internet deceiving surrogate. To be clear, they are deceiving the law that says that a medicine can be put on sale only when it has been tested on five thousand persons. Only then they are forced to write on the label a list of side effects. I have spoken to J
ill about it and she swore to me that she will never use them.”
“But now tell me about the news. I am so nervous.”
“From my clandestine blood analysis, it came out that the blood of the missing corpse didn’t contain enough platelets. This would lead not to stop the blood of a wound. But the blood in the handkerchief was abundant enough to justify the ill state of the woman. Yes. A woman because the imprints on the handkerchief were small enough to show the hand of a feminine size. Then I made a risky hypothesis about the filament of the DNA which holds similar characteristics of a woman who died ten years ago. She could be her twin. Her name is Olga Itch. It emerges that she had a twin sister who disappeared from home before her death and of whom we have no news any more. I repeat, it’s a risky hypothesis because the DNA of twins is different like the DNA of everybody. At least we have a name. That’s it. I swear you just preceded me with your call. I was so eager to bring you good news. Apart from this I cannot complain. Sure, I am very tired, but this is the allure of my job. I have to face a struggling day at work because I have to perform an emergency operation. And my wife is so patient. She is looking forward to going on holiday somewhere far from here soon.”
“I understand you very well. Your wife’s desire of escapism is something she has in common with Jill. I’m planning to go to Miami with her very soon, but this is meant to be a surprise. Blistering hot weather sounds good for a pregnant women and Jill is no exception. I’m looking forward to booking the hotel and the travel to make my wife happy. I need to be forgiven by her for what I have done this morning.. Sorry if I am making you waste so much time. We’ll keep in touch and share our own experiences in the foreseeable future. See you soon.”
“See you Araon and thank you for everything.”
Araon couldn’t swallow the bad impression he gave to Jill earlier in the morning and he was testing his intelligence by founding a good way to overcome that hint of crisis. Feelings of guilt also followed his chat to Van der Baast. He was telling himself he hasn’t been a nice chap, not selfless at all. The doctor had to deal with a lot of patients on a daily basis, though he had found the time to carry on the investigation over the Van Gogh Museum case. He, Araon, needed a coffee.
The Red Box Page 39
