Damn her, he thought, but avoiding eye contact he located the key and unbolted the door. ‘I’ll be back.’
Teschmaker had a coffee and bagel at the Café Dansen. Despite the unimaginative name both were superb. After what he had been through he felt like a tourist visiting normality. The clientele were mainly young office workers and students. It was hard to imagine that they were inhabiting the same world. Yet it was his own experiences that seemed surreal. He imagined attempting to describe the preceding forty-eight hours to any of them. They would have thought he was mad.
He considered having a second coffee, but knew it would be partly to frustrate Jane and realised it was unworthy of him. The task at hand seemed impossible but putting it off was not the answer. So he paid for the breakfast and headed back upstairs.
‘I’m sorry about snapping,’ he said as he walked in.
‘No, it was me.’ Jane’s expression, partly sheepish, was completely unconvincing.
‘So?’ He moved to sit opposite her at the kitchen table.
‘I’m really afraid I did the wrong thing last night,’ she began.
‘Rescuing me?’ Teschmaker laughed.
‘No, leaving my father behind. I thought it would be easier for us to work this out without him, but I can’t do it. I can’t leave him there. And if he is here at least Rusak can’t keep grilling him about the project.’
‘And there is an outside chance we might get him to remember something other than bloody flowers.’
Jane shook her head. ‘I’m still not sure about that.’
‘What? About all that gardening stuff? How do you mean?’
‘I don’t know . . . Anyway, we have to get him out of there.’
Teschmaker didn’t think much of that idea. They had what — two people and one pistol? Then it occurred to him that there might be a way.
‘Listen. If we can’t come up with a trade then we have to go on the offensive.’
‘You mean, go after Rusak?’ It was obvious from her expression how little Jane thought of that particular notion.
‘Can you think of any other options?’
‘No. But you and I against —’
‘What about Oliver’s men? Norman and Edwards.’
Jane looked blank. ‘Who are they?’
Teschmaker explained about his first unpleasant experience with the two men. The sticking point, as he saw it, was one of loyalty. ‘It all depends on the extent of Oliver’s arrangement with Rusak. What’s his involvement with this stuff about your father’s project?’
Jane thought about it for a moment before she spoke. ‘I don’t know, but my gut feeling is that he’s unaware of it. Oliver’s dealings were always through Grice until recently. He had a different relationship with Rusak, a long-distance one. Oliver and I met Rusak some years ago in Moscow. My understanding is that they developed a reasonably long-standing business arrangement —’
‘Producing S&M porn for sale in Eastern Europe?’
‘Yes. Oliver had dabbled in it for years but didn’t have the contacts in the Eastern Bloc before meeting Rusak. No, the more I think of it I’m certain Rusak’s agenda with my father is outside of their business dealings.’
‘And you haven’t told him?’
Jane shrugged. ‘I don’t talk to Oliver if I can avoid it and Rusak made it clear right from the beginning that my father would be hurt if I said anything to anyone.’ She paused, thinking it through. ‘I think that somehow Rusak learned of whatever my father had been involved with and tracked him down to the Czech Republic.’
‘So Rusak brought your father here. Why?’
‘A last-ditch effort to get something out of him. He discovered that he had a daughter and thought he could use me as a lever. He told my father I would suffer if he didn’t cooperate and . . . Well, you get the picture.’
‘Okay. And, just so I have this clear, Oliver and you —’
Jane held up her hands. ‘Stop! Look, I don’t see what this has got to do with getting my father back.’
‘Jane, there’s only you and me, right? Now, if we want to enlist the help of Edwards and Norman then we’re involving Oliver. He’ll know about it the minute we approach them.’
‘So?’
‘So we have to involve Oliver.’
Jane snorted. ‘Just great! And he tells Rusak and they have a welcoming committee waiting for us.’
‘No. Not if you tell him about Mel.’
Teschmaker got up and went round to her, unable to deal with the distress in her face. He knelt down beside her and took her hands in his. She didn’t resist. ‘I’m really sorry about what’s happened, Jane, and I have no right to tell you what to do. Maybe taking out Rusak is too big an ask, but Norman and Edwards could get your father back, believe me.’
But Jane was slumped over, fighting back the tears.
‘I’ll make you a cup of coffee.’ Without waiting for an answer he got up and, feeling suddenly as if he had overstepped some invisible line, went over to the bench and began to rinse out the coffee plunger. Jane didn’t say anything but when he turned he found that she had her face buried in her hands. Her body was shaking.
There was a box of tissues on the end of the bench, so he pulled out a couple and put them down in front of her.
‘Listen. You said that you were pushed into all of this because you were fighting with Oliver over custody of Melanie, right?’ Jane just sniffed and reached for the tissues. He went back and got the whole box.
‘And you say that Oliver knows nothing about this project stuff — it’s outside of his deal with Rusak about the videos. So if Oliver is willing to go to the lengths he has done to prove you aren’t a fit mother to have custody of Mel, then logically it seems to me that he’s going to go ballistic when he hears that Rusak’s kidnapped her.’
‘Maybe.’ She sounded dubious.
‘You find it hard to see that Oliver really loves Mel?’
‘Of course, I’m sure . . .’ Jane sniffed and picked up another tissue, ‘I’m sure he loves her, but he treats her like a possession.’
Teschmaker shrugged. ‘And you know all too well how hard he’ll fight to keep his possessions. Melanie is the key to the way you’re behaving and it’ll be the same for Oliver. The video deal will seem unimportant to Oliver compared with getting his daughter back.’
‘But I told you, he doesn’t know . . .’ Then it dawned on her where this was leading. ‘Who’s going to tell Oliver? You?’
Teschmaker shook his head. ‘No. I think you should tell him.’
He could see by the look on her face that she didn’t like the idea. He turned away and hunted for the coffee.
‘In the freezer.’ Jane sounded defeated.
Teschmaker busied himself making the coffee. Behind him Jane’s inner turmoil was palpable.
When she spoke again, he sensed the fire had gone out of her. Her voice was soft and almost monotone. ‘Oliver and I clashed right from the very beginning. The trouble was, I was young and excited by him. He was so immensely confident and I blamed myself for not always meeting his expectations. There was also a seductive element to the tensions between us. At first I thought it was because we were such high-spirited beings and it was inevitable we would spar like that. But then I realised I didn’t have the energy or the desire to keep it up. I started giving in to his demands, I did things I’ve never forgiven myself for. And, right from the beginning, there were Oliver’s other women. Stupidly, I justified it by convincing myself that no one person could satisfy a man with such enormous appetites. So for a while I tried to ignore them. But it was very difficult to ignore it when his dalliances ended up in the news or the gossip columns. Oliver delighted in the notoriety, not once expressing remorse or asking my forgiveness — and in the early days I would have given it.
‘Just when I had decided that I couldn’t take it any more I found I was pregnant with Mel, and for a short time things improved. I guess I thought that becoming a father had changed him. For a
lmost two years we had the nearest thing to a normal relationship. Oliver was attentive and spent all his time with me. But then, about five years ago, he got involved with Grice, and at the same time his sexual demands on me became more and more perverse. I still don’t know why I went along with him, but I was scared and didn’t know how to stop him. Then he went too far. I remember feeling so dirty, so soiled, that all I wanted to do was kill myself. It was only the fact that I had Melanie that stopped me. So I told him I wanted a divorce. Well, that sparked the most horrific fight and he told me that if I ever talked of divorce again he would take Melanie away from me forever. I capitulated and we agreed on an uneasy truce. I got a separate house and started my business with Sarah. Slowly, over the next couple of years, I began to regain my own life but instead of easing the tensions it got worse. Oliver was paranoid that I was going to take off with Melanie, and convinced me that he could do so any time he wanted.
‘Then he showed me some photographs he had taken of me secretly. I can’t tell you . . .’ Jane stopped, suddenly choked by the memory.
Teschmaker put a cup of coffee in front of her. She looked up at him through teary eyes and mumbled thanks. She sipped it cautiously then slid it away, determined to complete her story.
‘He showed me the photographs and told me he’d sent a copy to his lawyers and that they were going to start an action to claim custody of Melanie. I became hysterical. I told him I’d do anything he wanted as long as he didn’t take her away. Unfortunately, as you know, he found a way of humiliating me even more . . .’
Her voice trailed away and she reached for the now lukewarm coffee. ‘I seem to be making a habit of not finishing the things you give me.’ She smiled weakly.
‘It doesn’t matter. I think I can deal with it.’ Teschmaker returned the smile.
‘But I will complete what we’ve started. I’ll go and see Oliver.’ Jane dabbed at her eyes and then said quietly, ‘I’m not used to anyone being kind to me. I don’t know how to react. How can I thank you, Martin?’
You fucked up my life once before. You think I’m going to forget that? He looked at her, wondering if this was the moment to raise the issue that had been bothering him. He decided he might not get a better chance.
‘Why did you say that I’d fucked up your life?’
‘Oh shit, I wondered when that would come up.’
‘Well?’
‘Forget it. It was just an instant reaction.’
‘Fine. Don’t tell me. I’ll keep on helping you and you keep on being a prize bitch.’
‘For fuck’s sake, Teschmaker!’
‘Sorry. That was out of line.’ Leave it, he told himself, it isn’t worth fighting over at this point in time.
But Jane looked at him for a moment and shrugged. ‘For years I blamed you for my father leaving.’
‘Why? I had nothing to —’
She held up her hand to silence him. ‘You remember the night Dad caught us?’
‘We weren’t really doing anything.’
‘I know. But he exploded at me like you wouldn’t believe. Two days after that he vanished.’
‘Oh Christ, and you thought . . .’
‘I thought it was your fault. I know it’s not true, but when you phoned all that stored-up anger came out and I rang back and dumped it on you. I had it worked out intellectually, I guess I never dealt with the emotional baggage.’
They sat in silence for a while then Teschmaker reached out and touched her hand. ‘You know, your father must have been so tense in the lead up to his defection and catching us like that would have really hurt. Knowing that he wasn’t going to be there for you. It’s no wonder he got so angry. I think if you asked him now he’d tell you that it wasn’t about us at all.’
Jane smiled bleakly. ‘I did ask him.’
‘And?’
‘He couldn’t remember a damn thing about it.’
Fifteen minutes later Jane was ready to leave.
‘I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ll ring you if I run into any problems. If you go out, take the key.’ She shot him an anxious look. ‘You are going to stay, aren’t you?’
‘Sure,’ Teschmaker replied. ‘I’m not planning on going anywhere.’
Despite the fact that she dreaded visiting Oliver, Jane knew that she really had no other option. She needed him on side.
And Teschmaker? It had been good to have someone to talk to but he was still a stranger. Yes, they had been children together but that seemed a lifetime . . . was a lifetime away. And he was weak. Right now, as much as she despised Oliver, she knew that he would be decisive. Mind you, his strength was a double-edged sword. It was fine when it was working for you but, as she knew from bitter experience, he had no compunction in using it against those close to him.
It had been over a year since she had entered Sinclair Towers but Andrews, the doorman, maintained his poker-face and swung the door open. ‘Morning, Mrs Sinclair.’
‘Good morning, Andrews.’
‘If you’ll allow me the pleasure I’ll escort you to the private elevator.’
‘Thank you.’
They walked through the foyer and instead of going left to the public elevators he led the way to the right of the security desk. A young boy, uncomfortable in his uniform, straightened up and quickly opened the door.
‘Top floor for Mrs Sinclair,’ Andrews snapped.
‘Welcome to Sinclair Towers.’ The boy recited it as if it had been drilled into him. Jane imagined that he probably said the same thing to Oliver. Fortunately that was where the script ended and they ascended the tower accompanied by only the slight whir of the lift.
Andrews had obviously decided it was best to cover all bases, for Oliver was waiting for her as the door opened. His face was wreathed in a broad grin.
‘Have a pleasant day,’ the boy said as the doors shut behind her.
‘You should have rung first,’ Oliver said softly. ‘I would have alerted security.’
‘Sorry to disappoint you, Oliver. But then I’ve made a career of that, haven’t I?’ She matched his soft tone, determined not to let him faze her. ‘I see you’re still setting the trend in corporate dress codes,’ she said disdainfully. ‘At least you must still be buying your own shirts, or has your latest tart developed your supreme lack of taste?’
The shirt looked as though it had started life in Tahiti but been under the influence of LSD ever since. She walked past him and straight into his office.
‘Well, you certainly seem to have regained a bit of your old spark.’ Oliver laughed as he caught up with her. ‘Come to mend the bridges, or fences, or whatever it is one mends?’
‘No. You trampled the fences years ago and I recall several notable bridge burnings. Sorry, Oliver, I come not to praise Sinclair but to bury him.’
She sat carefully on the edge of the calf-leather chair, making sure that she didn’t allow herself to slip back into it. Years before Oliver had boasted about how he’d had the office furniture designed to put his visitors at a psychological disadvantage.
‘Many have tried, believe me,’ Oliver said and sat himself behind the desk.
‘Can we stop playing games now? I really need to talk to you.’
‘But I was just warming up,’ he began, then realised she was no longer joking. ‘What is it? I can only spare a few minutes.’
‘This will take as long as it needs to sort out.’ She knew she couldn’t put off the moment any longer. ‘Oliver, your friend Rusak . . .’
‘Yes, what about him?’ He shifted in his chair, suddenly uncomfortable. There was something in Jane’s demeanour that unsettled him and he didn’t like it. He glanced at the clock on the wall behind her. He really did have things to do. But still Jane didn’t speak. ‘Damn it, Jane! You know how busy I am.’
‘Too busy for your own daughter?’
‘What do you mean?’
Jane took a deep breath and launched in. ‘Rusak has taken Melanie.’
‘What do
you mean?’ Oliver was confused. ‘You mean, out for the day? To the pictures —’
‘The bastard has kidnapped your daughter — our daughter.’ Jane stood up, grabbing the front of the desk to steady herself. ‘That fucking evil little Russian shit says he’ll kill her if I don’t do what he says. He already has my father, Oliver, and unless you agree to help me, our fight over Melanie will not matter one iota. We could both lose her, Oliver.’ She realised she was shouting but it was too late to stop now. ‘We have to get her back. If you help me, then I promise you she can live with you, whatever you want, but I don’t want our little girl killed. I need you to say you’ll help me.’
The blood drained from Oliver’s face. He tugged at his moustache for a moment then grabbed the phone. ‘I’ll kill that fucking Russian —’
‘No!’ Jane screamed and reaching across the desk grabbed the phone and ripped it from his hands. ‘No, you can’t say anything. Not yet.’
Oliver had never seen Jane like this. For the first time in their years together he was unsure of what to do, what to say.
‘Okay. Tell me exactly what’s happened and we can work out what to do.’ He went round the desk and gently took the phone from her. After replacing it, he leaned across and pressed the intercom. ‘Irene. Something’s come up. Cancel all my appointments and absolutely no calls.’
‘But what about the gentlemen from Zurich? They’re already in the boardroom —’
‘Get rid of them. Make something up.’ He took his finger from the button and straightened up.
Jane looked at him and for the second time that day did something she hadn’t done for several years. She burst into tears.
Rather than being therapeutic, Teschmaker found the sudden inactivity bordering on the intolerable. He hunted through the apartment but although there was a bookshelf of brand new books he decided that he was too agitated to read. He thought of going back to bed, but even as he thought it knew that he would never sleep. In the end he decided to take refuge, temporarily, in domesticity. He would prepare a meal. Teschmaker had no idea what condition Jane would be in after her encounter with Oliver, so he played it safe and opted for comfort food.
Delicate Indecencies Page 30
