The Carlswick Affair (The Carlswick Mysteries Book 1)

by SL Beaumont

  Stephanie let out a frustrated sigh. “Stop avoiding my questions, eh?” she said.

  James moved closer to her on the sofa and put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his. “I’m sorry – I really am. My grandfather hates your family for what happened during the war and will never forgive them for their part. The thought of me hooking up with a Cooper was too much for him. He made all sorts of threats. I’ve been disinherited several times in the last few days, whatever that means. After that night I showed you the photos in the library, he and my brother insisted that I cease all contact with you immediately ‘for the good of the family’. And then your name kept coming up and Alex made it very clear that he would deal with you if I couldn’t stop you looking into our family history. He has some top secret deal on and you were asking questions about us and drawing unwanted attention. You don’t know him. He is ruthless when anyone gets in his way and I couldn’t stand you getting hurt. He dropped his hand and sat back, watching her reaction carefully.

  Stephanie bit her lip. It all sounded very plausible, but can I trust him? She shook her head, trying to process what he had said. The usually confident James was gone and a vulnerable looking James sat in his place. But it could be just an act to find out what I know?

  “Steph, can I ask you something?” he said suddenly.

  She nodded.

  “Sam…” he began. “Are you and he…?”

  She sighed. “No. We were together, but it ended six months ago,” she said.

  “Andy was right,” he said as much to himself as to her.

  She half smiled. So he has been talking to Andy about me.

  “So James, what now? Because I have uncovered some information that you are really not going to like. And I think that it’s going to be a problem, because something is really off here and since someone keeps trying to stop me, I have to see this thing through,” Stephanie said moving away from him. “I owe it to Michael to at least find out who ran him off the road.”

  “You think that’s related, don’t you?” he asked.

  “I know it is,” she replied with certainty.

  James took a deep breath. “Ok – why don’t you tell me what you think you have found,” he said.

  Stephanie hesitated. She couldn’t just tell him bits, she would have to tell him everything and she still wasn’t sure. She was beginning to believe that maybe he was sincere, but there was still that nagging doubt that he may use whatever she told him, against her.

  James sensed her uncertainty and sat back from her, giving her space. “Let’s start with what were the police looking for at my place tonight?” he suggested.

  “Ok,” she agreed, “I don’t know, but I suspect that some of Alex’s business deals are not all above board.” I will test the waters with that one.

  “Ok, somehow that doesn’t surprise me,” James said looking thoughtful. “The cops tried to blag their way in without a search warrant. It seemed that they were looking for one thing in particular. Do you know what that might be?”

  It was Stephanie’s turn to take a deep breath. “The painting in your library.”

  “What – the little one?” he asked.

  “It’s a Van Gogh which is on a list of stolen artworks, missing from Germany since World War II,” she said.

  Silence.

  “No,” James shook his head. “Grandfather was given that by a business acquaintance, many years ago.”

  “How many years ago?” Stephanie asked.

  “Before the war, from what I understand….” His voice trailed off. “How do you know that it’s not just a copy?” he said.

  “Well, the Nazis marked all the artworks they acquired with a black swastika and yours has one on the back,” she said.

  “And you know that, how?” James frowned.

  Stephanie blushed. Oops.

  “Ah – they day you were looking for your “lost” earring. Right?” he said remembering his conversation with Alex. When Stephanie nodded, he continued. “Jeez, Steph – that took some nerve – you could have been caught at any moment.”

  “I know,” she agreed quietly. “Here I will show you the information on it.” She stood and walked over to her desk and grabbed the large file of papers and her laptop and brought them back with her to the sofa.

  “You think Alex is trying to sell it,” he said drawing his own conclusion.

  “I don’t know. But it is worth millions,” she said.

  “Mmmm. It disappeared from the library a few days ago,” James said quietly. “I asked Grandfather about it and he said it was being cleaned.”

  Stephanie looked at him long and hard and made a decision. She shuffled along so that she was sitting beside him. She sat forward on the front edge of the sofa so that her feet were flat on the floor. Her leg pressed against his as he settled comfortably beside her resting one arm on the sofa behind her and leaning in against her shoulder. She opened the folder across their knees and proceeded to take him through everything that she had found. He interrupted with questions every now and again. She showed him the file she had saved on her laptop comparing her mobile phone photo with the screen shot of the missing painting.

  After about half an hour, James sat back and ran his hands through his hair. “Bloody hell, Steph. I don’t know what to say.”

  “I don’t either. Part of me thinks I should take this to my Dad. Those guys that came to your place tonight with the police are from Israel I think; military or law enforcement of some kind. They are downstairs having a meeting right now.”

  “What? Here? Now?” he asked surprised. “Hey, tell me honestly, what is Michael’s involvement? He has been helping with more than setting up your laptop.”

  Stephanie blushed. “Yes,” she admitted. “He was helping me with an internet search to cross reference German visitors to your place before the war with the list of missing Nazi art. You see many of them had valuable paintings in their art collections that haven’t been seen since the war and Sophie’s journals mention that your grandfather and his father were acquiring new art and other valuables long after war was declared. Here I’ll show you,” she said flicking to the relevant pages in Sophie’s journal.

  After reading over her shoulder for a few minutes, he sat back deep in thought. “So why exactly do you think Michael was targeted today?” he asked.

  “He had a copy of David’s memoir from the library with him, but it’s missing,” she sighed and leaned into him slightly, feeling a strange relief at having shared all the information that she had gathered, and having him believe her at last. “I just don’t know what my Dad’s involvement in this is. Maybe he is on the other side of Alex’s deal? Although, I can’t believe that he would be involved in anything illegal, but then I’m sure that you think that about your family.”

  “That’s where we’re different. I could so believe that about Alex. It’s all about money and power with him. I don’t know your Dad, so I can’t comment on him,” he said.

  “Maybe Alex doesn’t realise that the painting is stolen,” Stephanie mused.

  James laughed. “This is Alex we’re talking about. He’s an art dealer. If the provenance is dodgy – he will know. It certainly explains why he has been so concerned with you looking into our family around World War II.”

  Stephanie walked over to her desk to return the folder and laptop.

  A movement outside caught her attention. Vince and another man were out on the front lawn with torches and headsets. She gasped. James vaulted the sofa and was at her side in an instant. She pushed him away. “You need to stay away from the windows – they’re still searching.” A sudden thought crossed her mind. “Did you drive here? Will they find your car?” She felt a sharp stab of panic.

  “No – the Vespa is stashed in a hedge about a kilometre back on Ridge Road. They won’t find it,” he said.

  Stephanie breathed again, relieved.

  James yawned and looked at his watch. It was midnight. He pulled out his phone
and tapped a text.

  “Just letting Grace know that I won’t be home tonight – not that anyone will notice, but still,” he said, his voice trailing off.

  Stephanie didn’t know what to say. She stood studying him for a few moments. She really wanted to trust him. He yawned again.

  “You’re tired,” Stephanie could see the dark circles under his eyes and the bruise that was beginning to show on his cheek. He looked worn out.

  “Yeah – it’s been a long day. Can I sleep on your sofa tonight?” he asked shyly.

  “Of course,” she said.

  James kicked off his shoes and stretched out on the sofa. Stephanie went to get a spare duvet from her wardrobe and laid it over him. She wandered into her bathroom to get ready for bed. When she came out five minutes later, he was fast asleep.

  She curled up on the chair opposite the sofa for a long time, watching him sleep and thinking. Finally, she decided that he was truly asleep and that she was safe to do the same. She stood and stretched. James looked so relaxed and somehow younger when he was asleep, with one arm thrown back behind his head and his hair flopping down over one eye. She leaned over him and gently brushed it back. He murmured and stirred. She very gently kissed the top of his head and climbed into her bed and fell into a restless sleep.

  Chapter 25

  Sunshine streamed into Stephanie’s room the next morning. She rolled over and bumped into James who was stretched out on top of the covers beside her.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” he said huskily. She smiled and ran her hands self-consciously through her sleep tousled hair.

  “I thought it was a dream – I didn’t think that you were actually here,” she said, the memory of their kiss the night before springing unbidden to her mind and causing her breath to catch in her throat.

  “At least it was a dream and not a nightmare,” he said arching an eyebrow.

  In the morning light, the bruise on James’ cheek had darkened and was swollen. Stephanie reached over and gently ran her fingers over it.

  “I’m really sorry for hitting you – I lost my temper.”

  He reached up and held her hand in place with his.

  “It’s ok Steph. I was being a prat. I deserved it.”

  A loud knock on her door and the handle turning, startled them both.

  “Steph – it’s me Sam,” the person on the other side called.

  “Shit.” Stephanie froze. Thank goodness she’d locked the door the night before.

  James looked at her through narrowed eyes. “What’s he doing here?” he demanded angrily in a low whisper.

  “Honestly, I don’t know James. I thought he was in London – you have to believe me,” she whispered.

  “Steph – wake up. Open the door. I need to talk to you,” Sam called urgently from behind the door.

  “Hang on – let me get dressed,” she called.

  “That’s not really necessary,” Sam said, a smile sounding in his voice.

  Beside her James swore.

  “What do you need to talk about this early?” she called stalling for time and sitting up in bed holding the sheet to her chest. “Is Dad still here?”

  “No, he left earlier. You must have been sound asleep – he took the helicopter. But he’s just found out about the brick through your car window and wants you away from here for a few days. He thinks that maybe James Knox was behind it and wants you where he can’t get to you,” he called through the closed door.

  “Oh?” It was Stephanie’s turn to glare at James. She shoved him hard, which caught him by surprise and he fell off the bed with a crash.

  “Steph are you ok?” Sam sounded concerned and tried the door handle again.

  “Yeah – just tripped,” she called through gritted teeth as she rounded the bed to confront James. “Go and make me some coffee and I’ll be down in a minute, eh. I just have a bit of a mess here to clean up.”

  “Ok, see you in a couple of minutes.” She heard Sam retreat along the passage towards the staircase.

  “Oh come on Steph. You don’t believe that do you?” James protested getting up from the floor holding his hands up in front of him, as if to defend himself.

  “It’s an interesting conclusion for my father to come to though isn’t it?” she accused in an angry whisper, hands on her hips, her eyes blazing.

  “For God’s sake. Sam turns up and you believe him over me?” James was getting annoyed now.

  Stephanie groaned and put her hands over her face. “Who do I believe? Everyone is putting a different slant on things.”

  James gently pulled her hands away from her face and tilted her chin to look at him. On one hand she looked so cute with her messy bed hair and smudged mascara and on the other she looked incredibly sexy in her camisole and pyjama pants that he had to force himself to let her go. “Go and see what the bastard wants. I’ll wait here.” He said roughly and then added, “Please trust me Steph.”

  “How do you know that I won’t tell them that you are up here?” she challenged, but with less defiance in her voice.

  “I don’t. Now I’m the one trusting you,” James replied evenly.

  Stephanie sighed and disappeared into the walk in wardrobe and reappeared a moment later wearing her skinny black jeans and a blue hoodie, which somehow reflected in her eyes making them seem a deeper blue than usual.

  James was standing to one side of the large bay window near her bed, looking outside. He turned as she walked back into the room. She gave him a small smile and unlocked the door letting herself out of the room, closing it behind her.

  Stephanie walked down the wide hallway to the staircase that curved down to the entrance hall, skipping down the stairs past the portraits and photographs of her family. She headed towards the kitchen where she could hear the low murmur of a conversation.

  The voices abruptly broke off as she strode into the room. Sam was leaning against the counter talking to Vince.

  What the hell was he doing standing in the kitchen like he owns the place? Stephanie thought irritated and a little wary.

  “Hi.” Sam smiled walking towards her. He ran his eyes up and down her body and leaned to kiss her cheek. She stiffened. “Vince was just telling me they thought there was an intruder last night,” he said.

  “Just a false alarm wasn’t it Vince?” Stephanie asked stepping away from Sam and helping herself to coffee from the percolator bubbling away on its stand.

  “Look, Steph. After that brick was thrown through your car window and Michael’s hit and run, your father and I think it would be safer for you to come back to London with me today,” Sam said with the air of someone taking charge. “That way we can make sure that you are safe until we can find out what’s going on.”

  “I think I’m pretty safe if Vince is still here – you should have seen him last night, Sam,” she responded light heartedly. “It was like a full scale military operation.” She looked slyly at Vince, who returned her gaze steadily and said nothing.

  “Nonetheless Steph, I’m just following your father’s instructions,” Sam said.

  Stephanie thought quickly.

  “Well, ok,” she said acquiescing. “Give me a little while to cancel my plans for the next few days, have a shower and pack a bag. What time did you want to leave Sam?”

  “No hurry,” said Sam sounding surprised. He’d clearly been expecting her to put up more of a fight.

  Stephanie refilled her coffee mug and headed back upstairs to her room where James was waiting beside the window, his back to the door. She locked the door again behind her and walked over to him, handing him the coffee. He smiled gratefully. His fingers lingered on hers momentarily as he took it from her.

  “Sam is here to take me back to London with him – ‘to be safe’,” she mimicked Sam’s London accent.

  “No,” said James shaking his head, his eyes stormy. “That bastard – trust him to use the situation to his advantage.” He sipped the coffee, frowning.

  “Hang on,
though,” Stephanie said. “I’ve had an idea and I’ve bought us a little time. Why don’t you slip out the back way now and go and get your moped. Text me when you get there and I’ll meet you at the front gates. You can kidnap me. That will give me some space to decide what to do.”

  James thought for a moment. Then a wide smile spread across his face. “Perfect,” he said leaning down to kiss her on the lips. “I can’t wait to see Sam’s face when I spirit you away before he gets the chance.” He took another gulp and put the coffee cup down on her desk and grabbed his hoodie and leather jacket off the back of the sofa. Glancing out of the window he said, “I don’t think I’m going to need all these clothes – it looks much warmer today.”

  Stephanie sat on the edge of her bed watching him as he pulled his t-shirt off and picked up the hoodie to pull it on. She ran her eyes over his firm chest and abs – James was very toned with muscular arms. His jeans hung low around his hips.

  He grinned as he caught her staring him and sauntered over to where she sat, dropping the hoodie on the floor as he walked. He stood with his legs either side of hers and leaned down cupping her face between his hands and gently kissed her. She placed her hands on his chest as he pushed her back on the bed, deepening their kiss as he did so. Stephanie wrapped her leg around his thighs and deftly twisted so that James was thrown off balance on to his back.

  She sat up straddling his legs with hers, her breathing slightly faster than normal. They both laughed. “You can do that to me anytime,” James said in a low voice, as he reached up and put his hand behind her head and pulled her into another lingering kiss. He slipped his hands up under her top and began stroking her back, a small moan escaping from his throat.

  “James,” she broke from his kiss and sat up again. His eyes sparkled with desire and she could feel his body responding to hers. “Get your clothes on and let’s go - enough gratuitous flesh for one day.” She placed her hand on his chest and laughed, sliding off the bed, pulling him up as she did.

  “You weren’t complaining a moment ago,” James said. “But you are right, you’d better show me the best way out now or we’ll never leave your bedroom. I think you greatly over estimate my self control,” he said, his voice huskier than normal. He picked up his discarded hoodie and pulled it on, followed by the leather jacket.