by Susan Lewis
‘So what did she have to say?’ Georgie asked, taking a bottle of wine from the fridge as Beth came into the kitchen.
‘Not much,’ Beth answered, ‘but they’re obviously afraid of something.’
‘Like what?’
‘I only wish I knew.’ Taking the glass Georgie was passing, she said, ‘She seemed to think the girl could have been blackmailing Colin.’
‘Well, we’ve all thought that,’ Georgie commented. ‘Did she have any theories on what about?’
Beth shrugged. ‘Government secrets? I don’t know. You know Leonora, she never lets anything slip if she doesn’t want to. Anyway, he told me it was nothing to do with blackmail. That the girl didn’t know anything she shouldn’t.’
‘Would he tell you if she did?’
‘Probably not. He’d surely tell Bruce and Giles Parker, though.’
‘Only if it would help his defence.’
Beth looked at her and felt the world sliding into chaos. ‘Why do you think none of the papers has run the story about the prostitution scandal?’ she said.
Georgie shook her head. ‘Bruce and I were discussing it the other night,’ she answered. ‘He thinks they will, they just don’t have the names, or the proof, yet.’
‘I mentioned it to Leonora, but again she wasn’t giving anything away. Colin says it’s a red herring. That it’s got nothing to do with that.’
‘Then I wish to God he’d tell someone what it does have to do with,’ Georgie remarked.
Beth took a sip of wine and tried again to wrest her mind from the devastation Leonora had left her with. She didn’t want to face it; she didn’t even want to think about it.
‘Are you going to tell Colin about the visit?’ Georgie asked.
Beth started to say something flip, but instead, in a voice choked with anguish she heard herself saying, ‘Have you ever heard of someone called Heather?’
When Georgie didn’t answer right away she looked up and her heart turned inside out to see the expression on Georgie’s face.
‘You know!’ she cried.
‘I was going to tell you,’ Georgie said. ‘Later, when Bruce gets home. He had a call earlier, telling him it’s going to be in the papers tomorrow.’
Beth’s eyes were so wide they hurt. She couldn’t stand any more. Please, God, she just couldn’t take any more. ‘What is?’ she whispered.
‘Apparently this Heather – Heather Dance her name is. Well, apparently she and Colin … They have a home and child together. A little girl. She’s three.’
‘Oh my God,’ Beth murmured, grabbing the edge of the table. There was such a horrible drumming in her ears that she hardly heard herself as she said, ‘Who is this woman? She must be making it up. She has to be making it up.’
Georgie’s anguish was almost palpable. ‘Bruce has already spoken to Colin,’ she said.
‘No!’ Beth cried, jumping to her feet. ‘Georgie, it can’t be true. If he had a child, I’d know.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Georgie said. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry.’
Beth’s eyes were darting about in a frenzy. Somewhere there was an escape from this, she just had to find it. Then Georgie took hold of her and pulled her into an embrace.
‘It’s OK,’ Georgie said. ‘You can get through this. We’re here to help you.’
‘Leonora said she’s been going to visit him,’ Beth sobbed. ‘He’s been seeing this woman and not me.’
‘No, that’s not true,’ Georgie assured her. ‘If it were Bruce would know, and the first he heard of the woman was when Elliot Russell, the journalist, called his office today to tell him the story was about to run.’
Beth was confused. She couldn’t make herself think straight. It was going to be in the papers. Everyone would know. Robin Lindsay, Stacey Greene, everyone who called her Ava would know that behind that smooth, cultivated exterior was the wretched failure of a woman who’d been unable to give her husband a child, so he’d gone out and had one with somebody else. They would know that Ava was damaged, wrecked, a false image …
Then suddenly she realized what it was going to mean for him and she groaned aloud. ‘They’ll twist this into another motive,’ she said. ‘They’ll say this is what Sophie Long was blackmailing him about, and maybe it was. Maybe she knew about the child and was threatening to tell me.’ Then shaking her head, she said, ‘But why would Leonora get involved in that? What difference would it make to her? Or her husband? She just made sure to let me know she knew about Heather before it came out in the papers. Why would she do that? What was she telling me? That she knows about this woman, and doesn’t consider her to be important? They’re still hiding something, Georgie. They’re afraid of something, and they think I know what it is.’
‘Let it go,’ Georgie advised. ‘Don’t even think about it. It’s Colin’s problem, and theirs. Don’t let it hurt you any more than it already has.’
‘I just wish I knew how to stop it,’ Beth sobbed. ‘I just wish to God I could run away and hide from it all.’
‘What about going to Spain?’ Georgie suggested. ‘I know you don’t get on with your mother, but maybe you should go away for a few days. The pressure here is just too intense.’
‘I’ve got a meeting on Friday, with my publisher.’
‘Then go after.’
Beth was shaking her head. ‘She won’t want me there.’
‘Give her a call. I’m sure she won’t say no.’
‘I want to see Colin,’ Beth suddenly cried. ‘I have to talk to him.’
‘OK. We’ll speak to Bruce later, see if he can arrange it.’
Beth’s heart and mind were in turmoil. ‘What if he says no? What if he still won’t see me?’ she gasped. ‘Oh God, I couldn’t bear it. Which paper is it going to be in, do you know?’
‘The Mirror, I think.’
Beth covered her face with her hands. ‘Georgie, this hurts too much. It just hurts too much.’
‘I know,’ Georgie soothed. ‘That’s why I think you should get away. If you like, I’ll call your mother for you.’
‘OK, yes. You’re right. I have to get away from this, because I’m just not handling it well. I need some space. I need some time to think before the next disaster explodes in my face.’ Her eyes closed as the sheer dread of it swelled through her like a malicious wind. ‘But there can’t be any more,’ she murmured. ‘Please, tell me, there won’t be any more.’
Inside the rear compartment of the black Mercedes Leonora was speaking to her husband on the phone.
‘No, it certainly wasn’t a waste of time,’ she was saying. ‘Nothing is where this is concerned.’
‘But she doesn’t know anything?’
‘I don’t think so, but I’m reserving final judgement.’
‘Why?’
‘The purpose of breaking the Heather Dance story is threefold,’ she reminded him. ‘First, to let our good friend Colin know that we’re aware of her existence. Second, to provide a reasonable motive for the prosecution to work with. And third, to get Beth Ashby to show her colours. She might be trying to protect her dear husband right now, but that could change once she’s over the shock of finding out he has a child, and a home, with another woman. If it does, and he was foolish enough to tell her anything, there’s a very good chance she’ll come to us for, let’s say, help.’
‘And what if she decides to go public instead? Leonora, we have to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent that from happening.’
‘Marcus, darling, you’re starting to sound like a gangster. Stop worrying. I truly don’t think she knows anything, for the simple reason that if she did she’d have used it to get him out of there by now.’
‘Unless he’s told her not to.’
‘She’d have done it anyway. Women are like that, believe me. We’ll do anything to protect those we love, especially from themselves.’
‘So where does that leave us?’
‘Keeping an eye on her, but not aggressively so. She hasn�
�t spoken to the press yet, and personally I don’t think she will, even if she does know more than we’d like her to. After the Heather Dance affair she’ll be looking out for herself more than him, and now that juicy income of his has dried up she’s going to need money. Of course, she could sell her story, but she’s not stupid, she’ll know very well that no one in the media can even come close to what we can give her.’
‘You’re worrying me, Leonora,’ he told her. ‘You’re making it sound as though she does know something.’
‘Darling, relax. Please. We’ll keep tabs on her over these next few weeks, make sure she doesn’t make any contact with the press, and by then, if she hasn’t come to us either, we’ll know that he never told her anything. By the way, has Sophie Long’s family spoken to anyone from the press yet?’
‘Not that I know of. They’ve been given the go-ahead, though. Apparently, the father’s reporter of choice is Elliot Russell, but Mrs Long is putting up some resistance. I’m sure they’ll work it out. Now, I have to talk to Kleinstein in New York in half an hour. What do I tell him about Beth Ashby?’
‘That there’s absolutely no need to worry.’
‘He won’t want her in on this if she does know anything,’ Gatling warned. ‘No one will.’
Leonora sighed. ‘Darling, please, let’s just stop getting excited,’ she responded. ‘First, this is far too big for Beth Ashby to fully comprehend, so she’ll just want paying. And second, if she does want more, it simply won’t be an option. So now, let’s just settle down and wait and see if the Heather Dance story manages to live up to our expectations.’
Chapter 9
ELLIOT RUSSELL WAS driving fast through the East End of London after spending the past day and night in Brussels talking to contacts at selected financial institutions. The primary subject for discussion had been Marcus Gatling and his multinational investment dealings. The man was a serious player in so many fields it was hard to keep track, but just as Elliot had hoped, a pattern of other names had started to emerge, of equally powerful men in equally strategic positions in such far-flung places as New York, Washington, Singapore and the Bahamas. There was no clear picture yet of what might be going on between them, but considering the nature of the protagonists it had to be both financial and political, and considering the lengths these men were going to to disguise their contact, never mind its purpose, he certainly wasn’t drawing the line at criminal either. Nor was he ruling out a connection to Sophie Long’s murder, since it was her untimely demise, and Ashby’s curious denial considering the evidence, that had triggered these investigations in the first place.
Now, as he accelerated his Carrera past the East India Dock basin and down on to Aspen Way, he was trying to reach Heather Dance on the phone. Her story had broken that morning, and though he now knew why she’d agreed so readily to see him after her initial shock of being found, he was still curious to learn precisely how this little exposé was going to serve Leonora Gatling, who, albeit indirectly, had given him the lead in the first place. On the face of it, she’d just fixed Ashby up with yet another motive, which immediately begged the question, why? It also strongly suggested that she knew more about this case than she should, which might have been a surprisingly vulnerable position to have put herself in, had she made the call personally. As it was, an underling had made it for her, so she could always deny any knowledge of it ever taking place, and insist that the underling had acted upon his own conscience.
With a sigh of impatience he prodded a key on the dashboard again, and listened to the rapid beeps of Heather Dance’s number redialling. This time he made the connection.
‘Heather. It’s Elliot,’ he said into the speaker/mike. ‘How are you?’
‘OK. I think. I’m glad you called. It all feels rather strange.’ Her whispery Welsh accent sounded even softer than he remembered, but though he couldn’t hear her anxiety he could sense it.
‘Has anyone tried to contact you?’ he said.
‘No, it’s all been rather eerily quiet, considering.’
‘How’s Jessica?’ he asked, referring to her daughter.
‘She’s fine. Oblivious, of course.’ She paused for a moment, then said, ‘I keep thinking about Beth. This has to have been very hard on her. How do you think she’s taken it?’
He’d been thinking about Beth Ashby rather a lot himself since pulling this together, but not even warning her that it was about to break had reaped a response from her end. ‘I don’t know,’ he answered. ‘She won’t talk to anyone. We can’t get near her.’
‘You know I wouldn’t have done it if Colin hadn’t insisted,’ she said. ‘I mean I’d never have wanted her to find out like this. Never. My God, I can hardly bear to look at it myself, so heaven only knows how she must be feeling.’
Elliot glanced down at the open newspaper on the seat beside him, where Heather Dance’s almost wistful beauty and her daughter’s exquisite elfin features were either side of Colin’s laughing face in a perfect happy family shot. It was a photograph Heather had given him when he’d gone down to the New Forest to see her three days ago. The headline above it had been written by a sub, ‘Colin’s Two Good Reasons for Killing’. So Heather wouldn’t be the only one wondering how Beth Ashby must be feeling right now, though what Elliot would really like to know was what the hell had made Ashby do this to his wife. OK, he wasn’t the only man in Christendom who’d got himself a mistress and love-child, but he was the only one Elliot had ever come across who’d told the mistress to go right ahead and talk to the press. Or that was the way Heather had told it, when she’d finally agreed to see him. ‘I’ve told Colin you’ve been in touch,’ she’d informed him the second time he called, ‘and he says I should see you and tell you everything. He thinks it’ll be safer for me if people actually know I exist.’
Of course, when he got there he’d quizzed her relentlessly on the ‘safer’, but if she had any idea what Ashby had meant by it she’d put on such a convincing show of not knowing that he was actually tempted to buy it.
So now everyone knew of Heather and Jessica Dance’s existence, that Ashby had been supporting and part-time living with them for the past four years, that Heather had no doubt whatsoever that Ashby had not killed Sophie Long, and that if Ashby, by some miracle, managed to get out of this, he was planning to marry her. In fact, according to Heather, he’d already asked Beth for a divorce. Since there was no line of communication with Beth, Elliot had no way of knowing if that was true, but from the way Heather had told it, it was clear she believed it.
Actually, what interested Elliot much more than all the marital wranglings was the visit Heather had been paid, just after the murder, by someone claiming to be Special Branch. Though Heather hadn’t been able to tell him the man’s name, she’d described him as looking rather American with a military-style crew cut and a harsh, jutting jaw. In fact there was an officer in Special Branch who fitted that description, so Elliot was inclined to believe that the man had been telling the truth, which suggested either some kind of government collusion surrounding Sophie Long’s murder, or that Marcus Gatling was appropriating the services of élite police officials to carry out his private business. Either way, Elliot hadn’t mentioned anything about it in that morning’s story, so for the moment, other than those directly involved, only he knew about it.
‘So no one’s called you at all today?’ he said to Heather. ‘From the press, or anywhere else?’
‘No. Apart from Colin and my mother you’re the only one who has this number. But no, that can’t be right, can it? Someone must have given it to you. Was it –’
‘Have you spoken to Colin?’ he cut in.
‘Not since last night. He said he’d call again tonight.’
‘Then get him to send me a visiting order. I need to talk to him.’
‘Actually, he guessed you’d ask and he’s already said to tell you no.’
‘Well, try anyway. Now, tell me again about the man who came to see you from
Special Branch. What exactly did he ask you?’
‘Mainly if I knew why Colin would kill that poor girl,’ she answered. ‘And I just kept telling him that I didn’t care what evidence they had, I just don’t believe he did it.’
‘Did he give you any idea why he thought Colin might have done it?’ Elliot pressed.
‘Not exactly, but he wanted to know if Colin had ever said he was being blackmailed, about me and Jessica, or anything else.’
‘Had he?’
‘No. I even asked him the next time we spoke and he swore he wasn’t being blackmailed, by Sophie Long, or anyone.’
‘Did you believe him?’
‘Yes.’
Of course. She was in love with the man, she’d believe anything he told her.
‘Did he ever mention anything about some kind of syndicate, or exclusive organization – a kind of financial consortium operating on an international level?’
‘No. I don’t think so.’
‘Are you sure? Did he ever discuss investments, or currencies, or commodities?’
‘Yes, quite a lot, actually. I used to be a stock-broker, so we’d often talk about his investments.’
‘Does he have any offshore, that you know about?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘But it’s possible?’
‘I suppose so. Why?’
‘Was he part of an investment group of any kind?’
‘Not that I know of.’
Elliot paused for a moment. Drawing this many blanks always annoyed him, but reining it in, he said, ‘OK. Let’s talk about old friends.’
She sounded uncertain. ‘Do you mean Colin’s old friends?’ she said.
‘Yes. Tell me again what you know about one in particular.’
‘Well, I’ve never actually met the man, but Colin used to talk about him from time to time.’
‘In what context?’
‘He’d occasionally tell me if he ran into him, or if he’d been invited to dinner at the Gatling estate. It’s in Suffolk somewhere, I believe.’
