by Orla Bailey
“Makes a change from all those high hopes, Mr Keogh. Sometimes they’re just too hard for a woman to live up to.”
Chapter Twenty
Despite my natural inclination to prefer a quiet affair, as the day of the wedding approaches the arrangements are growing so complicated we need regular strategy meetings to organise and manage things. And invitations.
There are business associates on both sides to accommodate. My friends from university. And Jack’s enormous family is flying in from all across the world.
“They’re your family too,” he reminds me, laughing and shifting place cards on the planning board every time I get set to freak out about the numbers on his side of the invitation list, compared to mine. I keep imagining the building subsiding under the uneven weight distribution during the ceremony. His solution is to dispense with traditions that inconvenience us and mix everyone up.
But the thought of his family becoming mine is guaranteed to make me smile. “I know.”
It’s harder to come to terms with what a massive public figure Jack is, when I want him all to myself, but I just have to suck it up. He knows I’m nervous about the whole thing and wants to ensure it doesn’t become a media circus.
“I just want to make you happy,” he tells me. “Not entertain the world.”
I love it that Jack wants to be so hands on. I love it even more that he usually defers to my wishes, except where security is concerned. He insists he will handle that side of the day as he doesn’t want me to have to worry about a thing.
“Except pleasing me,” he insists.
“Pleasing you comes later,” I tease. “You have to marry me first.” It’s our private joke.
Jack finds it less funny nearer the date when I insist on being terribly old-fashioned and sleeping apart. It’s quite funny really after all the time I’ve bemoaned sleeping alone but it’s a testament to how much I trust Jack and our future together and he trusts me. He moves into his club for the final two weeks, lest he kick in the guest room door and ravish me in his sleep; but it takes some negotiating. My ace card is when I tell his mother on my regular weekend phone call to Dublin. She approves so highly of me insisting upon separate beds, he can’t talk me round.
Jack calls telling his mother, playing dirty. I suspect more relevantly, he capitulates because I promise, every time he resists, and in a very sexy voice, that I’ll make his sacrifice extremely worthwhile on our wedding night. He reminds me of my undertaking every night on the phone before I go to sleep, leaving me so equally hot and bothered, the Turbo Toy even gets some action.
Our September date is now so close, the planning meetings, insisted upon by Jack, are practically held daily.
“I’d never get to see you otherwise. I’ll be forgetting who I’m marrying shortly.”
“You’d better not be forgetting that, mister.”
Everyone involved sits round the huge dining room table at Belvedere while we thrash things out. For the most part Jack and I seem to want the same things.
Each other, whatever that takes.
Today Jack calls a special meeting to which the event planner has not been invited. I’m surprised, but delighted when Lenuta, Blackstock and Libby all arrive together. Everyone seems a bit more serious than usual though which gives me pause.
Jack begins as soon as we’re settled. “I wanted to get this out of the way so we can move on and forget everything that’s passed.”
“What’s going on?” They all look so serious. I seem to be the only one who isn’t up to speed.
“I’ve asked everyone to come as we’ve all been involved, one way or another, in getting to the bottom of some of Amanda’s more unpleasant activities, particularly the night you were held against your will at Claridge’s hotel and drugged.” Jack stops and looks apologetically at me. “Although I’d like to shield you from any reminder, you deserve a full explanation. Libby, would you like to remind us how far the two of you got finding out who was responsible?”
I jump in. “We know who was responsible.”
Jack appeases me, his hand covering mine. “We do. But we have to make sure our evidence is watertight. I won’t let her get away with it.”
Libby sits up straighter and glances at Blackstock. I note with pleasure, the look of affection they give each other. Their relationship has stepped up to the next level and they’ve moved in together.
“Tabitha and I managed to discover the hotel was booked in Tabitha’s name by an unknown person. Payment was delivered in cash, by courier, so the hotel has no direct link to Amanda. However, a courier identified Ben Gunn as the person who handed over the cash and the instructions. That’s the closest we got to her.”
“Thank you, Libby.”
“Amanda was controlling Gunn,” I remind everyone. “They were colleagues and she set him up to compromise me at the Commerce Ball too.” I hold Jack’s stare, in mild condemnation for ever doubting me.
He mouths the word sorry and I forgive him. We were both a bit crazy back then.
“We all totally accept what you say but it won’t stand up in any court of law, Tabitha. I had to dig deeper for hard evidence but I don’t want you to think –”
“– It’s okay.” I know what he’s worried about. He doesn’t want me to think he’s investigating because he doesn’t believe me. He simply believes Amanda should pay for her crime.
Jack offers me a look of gratitude and squeezes my hand in his.
“Blackstock. Over to you.”
“Mr Keogh.” Blackstock turns to face me directly as he continues. “I got to remain in the hotel with Miss Caid, long enough that night to see things weren’t quite so black and white as they appeared.” He’s trying to phrase things diplomatically.
Jack still feels guilty that he let his hurt pride and jealousy get the better of him that night. This time I squeeze his hand back. I understand totally. I’ve been pretty unforgiving towards him on occasion too. We’ve moved past all that.
“It’s Amanda who should be sorry.” I blame her for all of it and Jack for none. I’ve let it all go and it’s such a relief. I can understand Jack’s caution about raising the matter again but it simply has to be done.
“Anyway,” Blackstock speaks as Jack and I smile at one another in mutual acceptance. “Your recovery rate suggested to me you might have been mildly drugged rather than drunk, so I carefully sealed and removed the Champagne bottle from the hotel when I took the bags to the car. I thought it might provide us with evidence and it did. We got prints from the glass and a chemical test done for drugs on the residue inside.”
“None of which can be directly pinned on Amanda,” I say with resigned certainty.
“No,” Jack admits. “However, it was a fairly unusual brand of Champagne. I contacted the importer and the few places that supply it in London, one of whose customers is Advance Advertising.”
I’m amazed at Jack’s investigations on my behalf. Yet it still doesn’t implicate Amanda specifically. She will deny all knowledge. “Her lawyers will claim it’s all circumstantial. Everything points to Gunn’s guilt rather than Amanda’s.” I turn to look across the table. “Thank you, Mr Blackstock, for your quick thinking. I wouldn’t have thought of taking the bottle as evidence.”
“You were in no fit state at that time, Miss Caid. It needed someone who was emotionally detached enough to have perspective. I happened to be the available person, that’s all.”
“Nonsense, Blackstock,” Jack tells him. “You’re a highly capable member of my team and I’m extremely grateful for your insight and capability.”
“Thank you, sir.”
A moment passes between men who respect one another. I’m sure it makes Libby feel the same warm glow I do.
“You’re right, Tabby. The only common link we could establish was Ben Gunn. And he wasn’t likely to implicate himself further and risk losing his job with Advance by talking.” Jack looks a little smug.
“But he did lose his job. You made sure of that after t
he bids,” I remind him.
“That, Tabitha, gave me leverage.” He narrows his eyes. “I paid Gunn a little visit straight after he got the sack to point out he was highly unlikely to get a job of that calibre again after word spread about how he came to lose it.”
“You strong-armed him.”
“Established the facts.”
“Did he agree to testify to Amanda’s involvement?”
“He was cagey. Smart enough to know anything but a complete denial would expose him too. Amanda had gone to work on him so he was scared of the criminal consequences of his involvement. But when I was told about the evidence you’d already gathered about Gunn’s role in this business, I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
“You coerced him to talk?” It was all falling into place. Ben Gunn would have to give evidence against Amanda now.
“Coerce is a strong word, Tabitha.”
I can’t help thinking that just one of the Looks Jack gives when he’s less than pleased with someone can be intimidating enough. I’ve been on the receiving end of them often enough, but I keep such thoughts to myself.
“I merely pointed out the obvious and made a few suggestions about how this was likely to play out. One way or another, he had to face facts. The evidence clearly establishes his involvement and Amanda will most certainly let him take the fall for the whole thing.”
“What did he say to that?”
“He wasn’t exactly jumping to speak out.”
“Even when you told him Amanda would happily let him take the blame?” I can’t believe it. Gunn doesn’t sound too smart to me.
Jack gives me a strange, wistful glance. “I think the poor deluded boy is in love with her.”
“She’s ten years older than him!”
Jack raises his eyebrows at me. His voice slows. “I’m ten years older than you,” he points out.
“Yes, but…,” I blush at my gaffe as Libby rolls her eyes at me.
“But what?”
“You’re, you. And Amanda’s…. well…”
“Amanda?” Jack suggests, amused.
“Exactly!” I sigh, crisis averted.
Jack doesn’t appear annoyed. Blackstock and Libby look at one another as if to say, they’re off again.
“I sat Gunn down and told him a few home truths about Ms Devereaux, man to man. I tried to make him see he was playing a very dangerous game. She’d involved him in serious criminal activity for which he could go to jail for a very long time and he’d already lost an extremely good job and future prospects thanks to her. She was in no position herself to help him out any more in that quarter, after losing her own employment.” He glances at me clearly gauging my mood before continuing. “I pointed out why she was doing it too. Not so she could be with him but so she could be with me.”
“She was using him,” Libby pipes up. “Exploiting his feelings for her. She’d probably seduced the poor boy. Oldest story in the book.” Her face screws into an unpleasant grimace and Blackstock laughs, earning himself a glare.
“It’s a hard lesson for him to learn. But will he talk?” I ask.
“I gave the boy a choice. Either he goes down with Amanda or he salvages what he can out of the mess. If he’s willing to testify honestly when it goes to trial, I’ve said I will help him on the employment front.”
“You’re giving him a job at Zee-Com?” I squeak. The thought of seeing Ben Gunn every time I show up at Jack’s building makes me feel pretty uneasy.
“Not exactly. I’ll see how things go. I might just turn him over to Phil to supervise down on the farm.” His expression is contemptuous. “A bit of strict army discipline might be the making of the boy. He’s been led astray.”
“A farm labourer?” I find that thought highly amusing. Down among the dirt is where Gunn belongs.
“On one condition.”
“What?”
“That he comes, if you’re agreeable, and apologises to you in person for all the underhand, deceitful tricks he’s been party to.”
“Can I think about that one?” I ask. I’m not sure I ever want to set eyes on him again.
“For as long as you need. This isn’t for him, it’s for you. You don’t have to agree.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure, Tabby.” Jack’s face reveals the purest love for me.
But I’m still bothered. “This could still be seen as Gunn’s word against Amanda’s. Him, trying to get off the hook by implicating her.”
“True. We’re not home and dry yet.” Jack stares at me.
“However?” I know there’s about to be a however.
“Those fingerprints on the bottle and the drug you were given. Mr Keogh had a contact in the Metropolitan Police look into it. They’ve come up with a name and he’s been interviewed on suspicion of kidnap, false imprisonment, drugging and sexual assault at Claridge’s hotel.”
My stomach turns over. I’m not as over all this as I thought I was. “Is it the same guy?” I can’t believe they might have found him.
“I’ve already identified him in a line up, so you don’t have to.” Jack nods. “It’s the same one. You may have to face him later on in court though.”
“Creep,” Libby adds. Blackstock puts his hand over hers, supportively.
“I can handle it.”
“I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”
“I know you will.” I’m gripping Jack’s hand tightly nonetheless.
“The good news is that guy definitely isn’t smitten with Amanda.” Jack’s voice drips sarcasm. “He was hired and paid. And his fingerprints were all over the bottle and in the hotel suite.”
“How did they get those?” I never reported it to Police.
“I had access to the suite.” Jack waits for the realisation to hit.
It does. With force. “You booked the same suite for you and Amanda.”
“I booked it to have it forensically examined, not to be with Amanda.”
He came back that night to be with me.
“I showed him CCTV footage Lenuta had acquired for us placing him moving in and out through staff corridors at the scene and with all that evidence he was quick to identify Amanda as the woman behind the whole operation.”
“Saving his own neck, Miss Caid,” Blackstock says.
“Lenuta?”
“I know people who work in London hotels,” she explains. “We ask friends of friends and find someone who works at Claridge’s hotel. He copies the security pictures for Mr Keogh. Cat not always land on feet.” Lenuta looks very satisfied with herself and rightly so.
I laugh. “Well done, Lenuta,” I say. “So putting everything together we may have a case against Amanda, after all?”
“Prosecutors are building it now but, yes, we have a case against Amanda Devereaux. She won’t be able to lie her way out of this one quite so easily.”
Jack sees my mixed emotions. Everyone in the room is squarely on my side and I’m so grateful to them. They want to protect me. I know Amanda did wrong and deserves to be punished for it but I can’t help pitying her for wanting Jack so badly that it drove her to such desperate measures. I burst into tears.
Everyone looks uneasy.
“Delayed shock, sir.” Blackstock stands. He holds his hand out to Libby. “We’ll be leaving now. Can we give you a ride, Lenuta?”
Libby gives me a warm hug until Jack takes me from her arms. He wipes my tears with his thumbs and kisses me gently as the elevator doors close on the others.
“Don’t be upset, Tabby. It’s almost over. I’m sorry I had to dredge this up again.”
“No.” I shake my head and blink away the moisture from my eyes. “I’m glad you told me. Where’s Amanda now?”
“I had an update this afternoon and it seems the Police think they have enough evidence to question her and hopefully arrest her. I want this settled before the wedding. I won’t have anything marring our day. The safest place for you is if Amanda is behind bars. My
lawyers have been instructed to challenge any attempt at granting her bail.”
“Thank you for looking out for me, Jack. I’m safe when I’m with you.”
He hugs me close and kisses the top of my head. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you, kitten. I love you far too much for that.”
“I love you too, Jack. Thank you for asking me to marry you.”
“Asking was always a certainty. Thank you for agreeing and making me so happy.”
I lean back to look up at him, prompted by the warmth in his voice and wonder at the changing colours of his Arctic blue eyes. They’re sunlight reflected on crystal clear icy waters and I’m blinded by his shining love for me.
“Do you want me to stay tonight?” he asks hopefully, caressing my shoulders gently.
I see right through him. “Nice try, Jack.”
He sighs. “You’re making me sleep at my club again?”
“I want our wedding night to be as special as our day.”
“You’re killing me here, Tabby. It’s been way too long. You know I can’t get enough of you, even when I get some of you. And I haven’t had any of you for days.”
“Soon,” I whisper, echoing the tempting word he spoke to me when I first came to Belvedere, so desperate for Jack to make love to me for the first time. “Soon.”
He remembers. And groans. “I’ve created a monster.”
“Your monster,” I remind him. “There are witnesses.”
* * *
Surprise after surprise showers down on me like bounty in the days before the ceremony takes place.
Jack charters the executive jet to take me, Libby and a whole bunch of my university girlfriends to Rome for a weekend bachelorette party. Libby and I go wild despite the fact he insists on a pair of female security guards escorting us all the way and they’re joined by a couple of Italian counterparts as soon as we touch down at Leonardo da Vinci airport.
Those girls are discrete and friendly and don’t stop us doing a thing. In fact they suggest some of the hotter places to hang out in Rome.
I have to wonder if they’re reporting my actions straight back to Jack though and decide to flirt outrageously just to serve him right, in case they are. But I never hear a word. He’s way too smart. His unusual silence has me wondering what he’s up to instead. I can almost hear his wicked laughter.
