by Mandy Baggot
‘Someone’s been in this house, Freya and I think they’ve been in this house before. I don’t think that crow hit the glass in the door. I think someone broke in. You saw the pictures, whoever it was destroyed every photo we ever had taken. What if defacing things isn’t enough for them? I’m not putting you at risk.’
‘Well you may as well shoot me now, because I’m not living like that.’
‘I know you’re mad at me because I told the police about your father, but it had to be done. If you really think this is down to him then they have to investigate it.’
‘Then things are going to get much worse. There’s one thing my father hates more than me and that’s the cops. Once they start sniffing around his offices, asking questions there will be hell to pay.’
‘Hey, come on, have some tea. There’s still left over Chinese from yesterday’s left over Chinese in the fridge. Do you want me to microwave it for you?’
‘Have we got any honey?’
‘I don’t think so. Although I think there’s some peanut butter if you’re thinking of a spread.’
‘Do we have Jell-O? Can I have toast with Jell-O?’
‘If I can find Jell-O it’s yours.’
‘If I don’t go into the office will you stay at home with me?’
‘Of course I will. Maybe, to take our mind off things, we can start making the wedding arrangements,’ he suggested.
‘Yeah, maybe.’ She smiled but her heart wasn’t in it.
‘Right, well, why don’t you go and get showered and I’ll make this Jell-O on toast thing you want.’
‘OK, I won’t be long.’ She left the kitchen and headed up the hallway. She stopped in her tracks when she heard Nicholas pick up the phone.
‘Hey, Sandra it’s Nick. Listen, I want you to make an appointment for me. Yeah, I want you to telephone Lawson-Peck Industries and get me a meeting with Eric Lawson-Peck. Don’t take no for an answer. I want it as soon as possible.’
What the hell was he doing?
Roger and the security company arrived a little after ten thirty. They had four trucks and a team of fifteen people. When they’d unloaded the vehicles and started to get out all manner of locks, bolts and alarms it began to look like a locksmiths’ convention. It was too much for Freya. She kept herself busy making cups of tea.
‘This is the plan I’ve come up with. If you want to have a look and see what you think. Then the guys can get started installing everything,’ Roger said. He passed the plans over to Nicholas.
‘And this will definitely keep anyone out? It’s guaranteed? I mean, Freya does have a habit of forgetting to set the alarm and…’ he started.
‘This equipment is state of the art. You can’t leave the house without knowing you haven’t activated it. It warns you with a noise and a verbal command and it won’t let you leave until you’ve done what it says.’
‘It won’t let you leave until you’ve done what it says?! What is this machine based on? Terminator?’ Freya exclaimed. She put a pot of tea on the table.
‘It sounds complicated but it’s really simple to use. I’ll go through it all with you when it’s up and running,’ Roger assured.
‘I have a better idea. Why don’t we not install it and move to a desert island where the only things to bother us would be sun, sea and fish?’
‘Excuse Freya, Roger. She’s not had a lot of sleep and what with what happened to Mike. She’s understandably edgy.’
‘Don’t make excuses for me. I’m just bordering on being admitted as a psych patient that’s all.’ She slammed a plate of biscuits down.
She was actually bordering on fury. Nicholas hadn’t mentioned anything about arranging to meet her father. So much for there being no more secrets! He knew how scared she was of her father. He ought to believe her when she said he was dangerous. Meeting him, having a head on confrontation was madness.
The phone rang and Nicholas jumped up to answer it.
‘He won’t even let me answer the phone now. God knows what he thinks is going to happen if I do answer it.’
Of course, it could also be because he was waiting for a call back from Sandra arranging the meeting with her father.
‘He’s worried for you, Freya. I’m worried for you too. Having someone get into your house like that and do a crazy thing…it’s unsettling,’ Roger told her.
‘It’s Sasha for you.’ Nicholas held the phone out to her.
‘Shit, I forgot to ring her. Hello, Sasha. Did Mrs Garcia turn up? I’m so sorry, I meant to ring you to cancel her and…’
‘It’s fine, she came and I saw her. She’s booked a session with you next week,’ Sasha spoke.
Freya moved out into the hall.
‘Oh thanks, Sasha. That was great of you.’
‘So are you coming in to the office today?’
‘Er no, not today. We had a bit of a time of it last night. Nick’s driver got attacked by this gang and the car was smashed up. Then when we got home last night someone had been in our house.’
Saying it out loud made her realise how bad this situation had become.
‘No! How awful! Was it a robbery?’ Sasha exclaimed.
‘We don’t exactly know yet. Anyway, the police are investigating and we have a security team here this morning making sure no one will be getting in here again. You should see them, they’re so hi-tech they could probably build the Starship Enterprise.’
‘Well, that must have been awful, having someone in your house like that. Did they take anything?’
‘We haven’t had a chance to go through everything yet, but it doesn’t look like it.’
‘Well, that’s something. So, I expect you’re both feeling a bit shaken up.’
‘A bit, but we can’t let it take over our lives. After all, we have a wedding to organise.’
‘Of course! Are you still planning to go ahead with it on December twenty second? Have you thought more about venues?’
‘We can’t make up our minds at the moment, but when we do you’ll be one of the first to know.’
‘OK, well don’t worry about anything here. I’ll get Avril in if I need her and field anything I can’t deal with personally.’
‘Thanks, Sasha, I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh one thing you should know. I lost my handbag last night, so if you need to call you’ll have to phone this number. My mobile was in there.’
‘Oh, OK. I will.’
‘See you.’
She went back into the kitchen where Roger and Nicholas were discussing where to put the motion sensors.
‘Could I make a suggestion?’ Freya asked.
‘Sure,’ Roger replied.
‘I don’t think having motion sensors in the bedroom would be a good idea. I don’t want half of Mayleaf woken up every night thinking there’s an air strike about to happen if the alarm goes off.’
‘Roger will tell you all about motion sensors later. They have an on and off button. That means every room in the house is open for experimentation.’ He winked at Freya.
‘Ah, jeez! Guys! Trying to think security here and anyway, you aren’t even married yet,’ Roger reminded them.
‘But we will be soon.’ Nicholas put his arms around Freya and kissed her on the mouth.
‘Nick, can we go out for lunch today? Maybe get a takeout from Casey’s and go and see one of the bridges?’ Freya asked, turning to face him.
‘Sure, is that OK, Roger? You don’t need me here for anything do you?’
‘No, if you’re happy with the plan, the team can get on with it. It’ll take them most of the day to install everything. As long as you’re back this evening for me to explain everything to you then that’s fine. I have your cell, I can call.’
‘By the way, Roger, what are all these alarms and beams and motion sensors going to mean for Willis?’ Freya wanted to know.
‘Yeah I’ve thought of that. Willis might be a problem. We might have to train him to limbo.’
Nicholas laughed out loud.
<
br /> ‘I was being serious!’
‘Yeah I know you were, babe. Don’t worry, we’re going to take care of it.’
Twenty
Freya was glad to get out of the house. The security team seemed to be in every corner of her home and it was unnerving the amount of measuring, pointing and drilling they were doing. She didn’t really relax until they were at County Bridge.
They’d bought bagels, sodas and a mud pie from Casey’s and they took the food down to the bridge. They sat together, their feet hanging over the side, watching the water flow up stream.
‘God, it’s been a mad few days,’ Nicholas remarked, taking a sip of his drink.
‘Completely mad.’
‘Look, Freya I know we agreed we’d try and live like two normal people, with no ostentatious behaviour or unnecessary, showy outings. We also said we’d involve ourselves in the community and try and become a part of that…’ he started.
‘I’m waiting for the “but”. Did I interrupt it? Was the “but” coming just then?’
‘I just want you to know I don’t want the security either. I love living in Mayleaf. We have a real home there with friends who care about us. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as at home anywhere as I do there. Perhaps it’s a sign of getting old, but when I have to leave to film or something, I really don’t want to go.’
‘No, I feel the same. That’s why I hate that this is happening. It’s spoiling everything.’
‘We’ll try not to let it ruin things but we have to take precautions. We would be crazy not to.’
‘I know, Nick, I’m not stupid. I know we have to be careful and that, like it or not, we’re on the top of the celebrity tree. I just never asked for it that’s all. The attention, the spotlight, that’s your thing not mine,’ Freya reminded him.
‘I would never do anything to put you in any danger and if my chosen career is putting you in danger, putting us in danger then…’
‘It isn’t you putting us in danger, it’s my father. And don’t you dare say you would give it up because I will not let you do that. You love what you do and you’re fantastic at it. And look at everything we’ve achieved in the last six months or so. We’ve donated more money to worthy causes than anyone else on the planet.’
‘But at what price? If this isn’t your father’s work then it’s the work of someone who obviously doesn’t care for us much.’ He took a sip of his drink.
‘Doesn’t care for me much you mean. You weren’t headless in any of the pictures.’
‘I was just going to say maybe we should step out of the limelight for a while. I don’t know, maybe your desert island idea wasn’t such a joke after all.’
‘I have so much going on right now, with the Every Day project, not to mention my photography exhibition coming up. I couldn’t hide away even if I wanted to. I can’t start something and then abandon it. Anyway, stepping away from things would be like giving in to my father wouldn’t it? You know he scares the shit out of me, but you also know I hate giving in to anyone.’ She bit into her bagel.
‘I just want to protect you, Freya. As alpha male as that sounds. I don’t want to have brought you over here and made your life a misery.’
And now would be an excellent time to mention meeting with her father. Was he going to tell her? Or was he going to keep it from her? She paused long, met his eyes with hers. Nothing was forthcoming.
‘Nick, you’ve made me so happy, so unbelievably happy. Every morning I wake up lying next to this Adonis and I can’t believe my luck. I keep thinking someone’s going to produce some ruby slippers from somewhere, click the heels together three times and have me whirlwinding back to Clapham. I love you, Nick, so much.’ She took hold of his hand.
‘I love you too.’ He reached out and gently touched her face, drawing her towards him to kiss her.
‘Listen, if you want to hold off on the wedding I would understand,’ he said.
‘Is that what you want?’ Freya asked him.
‘Hell no! I want to marry you now more than ever.’
‘Then let’s do it.’ She nodded with determination.
‘Where?’
‘Anywhere, I don’t care. Casey’s? Statue of Liberty? Bungee jumping over the Grand Canyon? You choose.’ She laughed.
Breaking the moment, Nicholas’ phone began to ring.
‘Argh! You said you’d turned it off. I can’t be marrying someone who can’t be separated from their mobile phone.’ She jumped up.
‘I can’t be married to someone who can’t be separated from their cameras. I see Claude under your t-shirt and I also saw you sneak Max into the car,’ Nicholas called to her.
‘Pervert! You’re nothing but a dirty voyeur, watching my every move.’ She set off across the bridge.
‘It’s Sandra, I’ll catch you up.’
She waved her hand at him and Nicholas put the phone to his ear.
‘Hello, Sandra…you did? Good. Yes, tonight’s fine. What time and where? Eight at the President’s Lounge? Yeah, I know where it is. OK, thanks. I’ll see you.’
She wasn’t stupid. She knew this was the call he’d been waiting all morning for. She just wished he wasn’t hiding it from her. There was no way she was going to let him go anywhere near her father.
‘Smile!’ she called, focusing her camera on him.
‘Freya, that was Sandra. I’ve got to do an interview tonight at eight on some chat show on the Film Factor Network. It was supposed to be next week but they want to tape it tonight so…’
Freya let out a heavy sigh and shook her head at him.
‘What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?’
“I know you’re planning to meet my father. I heard you this morning. And now you’re lying to me about it. We said no more secrets and you’re making up some bullshit about going to do a show when you’re planning on putting yourself in a room with that madman.’
Nicholas held up his hands in defeat.
‘You can phone Sandra back right now and tell her to cancel. I won’t let you go and see him.’ She sniffed, tried to stop the tears from being created.
‘Freya, I’m sorry I lied but I’m not sorry I made the appointment. I have to sort this out.’
‘No.’
‘It’s not your decision to make. He’s hurting both of us now. I’m in this, just as much of you and I want it to stop. He’s not going to control our lives. He’s not going to hurt the people we care about. And he’s not going to drive a wedge between us.’ He slammed his hand down on the bridge.
‘Nick, you don’t understand…’
‘No. I’ve heard enough about it. I’m going to see him, Freya. I’m going to see him and I’m going to end this.’
‘But…’
‘No. No buts. End of conversation.’
Twenty One
‘Freya, where the hell have you been all day? Why haven’t you been answering your mobile?!’
She tried to swallow the hunk of cheese she had in her mouth so she could speak.
‘Freya! Are you there?’ Emma questioned.
‘Mmm…hang on. Sorry about that. What did you say?’ She swiped at her mouth with her hands.
‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you all day. It’s all over the news about your car being attacked and Mike being hurt and something happening at your house. What’s going on?’
‘Sorry it’s all been a bit crazy here. I lost my bag with my phone in at the casino and it hasn’t been turned in, so don’t be surprised if you end up getting a phone call from some drifter.’
‘Are you OK?’
‘Not really. We had an intruder in the house. We got home after the car incident last night to find the kitchen covered in photographs of me and Nick. Well, I say me and Nick, they were of Nick really because someone had done some sloppy editing of me with a pair of scissors.’
‘What?! Oh my God!’
‘I have to say it wasn’t the best welcome home I’ve had. But Roger and an army of secu
rity experts have made my lovely little Waltonesque house into something that now resembles Alcatraz.’
‘Oh, Freya. Do you think it has something to do with the article about your father?’
‘Do I think it has something to do with my rich, lowlife, daughter-hating father? Can I ask the audience?’ She sucked in a breath and thought about Nicholas. He’d left an hour ago. They were hardly talking to each other. He’d never been so bloody minded like he had today at the bridge. She was worried about him. She’d seen people after an audience with her father. She didn’t know if she could tell Emma about it.
‘And Mike’s attack? God, do you think he did that too?’
‘I’d say it was an incident right out of the psychotic father book of “Ways to Bring People to their Knees”.’
‘Did you tell the police you think it’s him?’
‘No I didn’t, but Nick did.’ She swallowed a lump in her throat. She couldn’t say the words. She couldn’t tell Emma she’d let her fiancé go to face her father.
‘Nick’s worried about me, he’s gone all Neanderthal actually. I’ve got Jolie coming round to keep me company because Nick’s…had to go out and he doesn’t want to leave me alone.’ She took the slab of cheese out of the fridge and sunk her teeth into it.
She moved into the hallway and headed for the living room.
‘I think he’s right to be protective. You’ve had someone in your house, that’s terrible and freaky and I can’t imagine how jumpy I would be in that situation.’
‘Thanks, Em, that’s made me feel a whole lot better about the whole thing. I was so trying not to feel like the babysitter in a horror movie but now…’
‘Sorry, but I’m worried about you too. When are you coming over here? Perhaps the sooner the better would be best. Have you made any wedding arrangements yet?’
‘Er, no, not really. There hasn’t been time, what with police and psychos and motion sensors. Say, what’s been happening in Kassiopi? Tell me about stuff there to take my mind off it.’ She sat down on the sofa and took another bite of cheese.
