“Did you know Emma was pregnant?” he asked.
“Pregnant, no I didn’t. But it can’t be mine; you bastard Preston.” He lunged forward, Alex intervened.
“Calm down Charles you can’t be certain it’s not yours,” Alex stood between the two men.
“Oh yes I can, I’m infertile. Mumps when I was a child, so I do know for certain I’m not the father,” Charles stared at Ben.
“I’m really sorry Charles,” Alex laid a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“You’re the father aren’t you?” Kate glared intently at her husband.
“I’m sorry Kate I really am, I never meant to hurt you,” his tone was remorseful.
“Everybody’s sorry, but that’s not going to change anything is it?” she burst into tears.
Ben attempted to comfort her, but she drew away from him and continued to cry.
“Can we talk about this later? There’s something really important you all need to know,” Ben pleaded.
“What’s more important than our marriage Ben?” Kate dabbed her eyes and looked up at him.
“Please Kate will you let me explain?”
“Spare me the details.”
After a few minutes silence, Ben turned to Alex. “I need to tell you what happened,” he began.
“When I was in the bar on Tuesday evening I met Emma Lewis. It was pre-arranged, I will admit that, but I was going to finish the affair.” Ben omitted to mention that he was seriously considering leaving Kate, it didn’t matter now anyway.
“When she left my room, I received a phone call from a woman I knew about ten or twelve years ago. She said she had something to tell me and that I should book out of the hotel and wait in my car for her. Stupidly I did as she asked, but she was in the back seat and put chloroform or something over my mouth; when I came to I was tied up in a dirty basement somewhere,” he paused.
“Who is she Ben?” Alex asked.
“It’s not important at the moment,” he avoided glancing in Kate’s direction.
“This woman belongs to an animal rights group; a very radical and dangerous one. Their idea of retribution is to kill a member of the family, or a close friend of a Company owner who use animal testing for their products. Your cosmetics company test on animals Charles, that’s why Emma was killed. You were the next intended victim Kate. On the day our house was ransacked when you were out, they were after you .Your name has also been mentioned Alex. They have a list, and there are others who’ve been killed in the past in accidents, but Emma’s death was no accident.”
“Why me, I don’t have anything to do with animal testing?” Alex protested.
“You were about to use my cleaning products, which are. It goes a bit deeper than that, the group also despise the fact that we make money and live comfortably from animal suffering.”
“Are you saying my wife was murdered because of my company’s policies?” Charles was horrified.
“That’s what I said,” Ben leered at him.
“How do we know you’re not making all this up, we only have your word for it?” Kate was doubtful.
“Why would I do that love?” he turned to face her.
“Because you’re good at telling lies love,” she taunted him.
“I think he’s telling the truth Kate,” Alex intervened.
“If you were tied up, how did you escape?” Kate continued to distrust him.
“I just asked her nicely and she let me go; how do you think? I managed to overcome her.”
“We should get the police here,” Charles spoke up.
“I haven’t finished yet,” Ben turned away,” You have members of the group working in this hotel, and probably in your company Charles, employees you’ve trusted for years.”
Alex turned and glared at Ben.
“That’s not possible; I scrutinise all potential employees myself, you must be mistaken,” he argued.
“One of your trusted employees has gone missing Charles,” he pointed out
“You mean Joseph, don’t you?”
“I don’t know any names, but there could be hundreds of them in this city alone.”
“You must know the woman’s name Ben?” Kate persisted.
Ben stood up and paced nervously up and down the room trying to avoid Kate’s constant stare and relentless questions.
“Is it someone I know?” she asked.
“No, you don’t know her, but you’ve seen photographs of her. The ones you received through the post. It’s the same woman.”
“It is you in the photos, isn’t it?” Kate nodded her head.
“Yes of course it is.”
“So who’s the woman, tell me Ben.”
He hesitated, “my first wife, Anne Parrish.”
“Your first wife, you never told me you were married before.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
“I don’t think I want to hear any more”.
“We had twin daughters. One of them died in an accident when she was ten, and I’ve recently learnt that her sister died of a heroin overdose.”
“That’s terrible.” Alex said.
“So this Anne Parish is involved with the animal rights group?” Charles asked.
“She’s the organiser.”
“How can she be name Parrish; is it her maiden name?” Kate asked.
“That’s my name.”
“Now you’re scaring me Ben, I don’t understand,” she stood up.
“Parrish is my birth name,”" he muttered the words.
“I don’t know who you are any more, you’re a stranger.” Kate sank into a seat and stared vacantly at the wall.
“Why did you change your name?” Alex asked.
“I’m still married to Anne Parish, we never divorced. Our marriage broke down after the death of our daughter. I just picked the name Ben Preston from a gravestone. It was easy to get a birth certificate and passport.”
“Oh my god, we’re not even married. I don’t want to hear any more Ben, please stop,”
Kate began to cry again. This time Alex put a comforting arm around her shoulder and she didn’t resist as Ben glowered at him. Alex felt genuinely sorry for her; her husband was a callous liar and she didn’t deserve to be treated so badly. Kate stopped crying and looked up to meet her husband’s cold stare.
“Our marriage has meant nothing to you has it? It’s just a farce, and all this time you knew we weren’t legally married. At least now I won’t need to divorce you.”
“We can talk about this Kate I’m sure we can sort it out,” he pleaded with her again.
“Sort it out; how the bloody hell do we do that Ben? You’ve been living a lie for years. Why didn’t you tell me, it’s easy to get a divorce?” she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Ben desperately wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he knew she was burning with the pain of betrayal, and watched on helplessly as her body shook with sobs. When she had calmed down, she looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes.
“Did you ever really love me Ben?”
“You know I did, I still do,” he knelt down beside her and reached out to take her hands, but she pushed him away.
“I did try to tell you about my past, but as time went by it got harder and harder. I never thought I would meet Anne again.”
“I went to Max’s café on Tuesday. I spoke to him about the Parish’s, I knew it was you in the photograph, but I told myself I was wrong. I’d have known if you’d been married before. Now I know what you really are, a liar and a cheat, and you deserve to be on your own,” Kate spat the words at him.
“I’ll call Inspector Salt and get him to come over,” Alex said as Charles, who hadn’t got much to say, stood up and dragged Ben from his seat. With his clenched fist drawn back, he punched the unsuspecting man full on in the face. Blood spurted from his nose as he attempted to stem the flow with a cupped hand.
“That’s for getting involved with my wife. I’d lik
e to kill you, but you’re not worth going to prison for,” he rubbed his smarting hand.
Ben didn’t speak or retaliate as blood dripped onto his shirt.
“I’ll get some ice,” Alex offered.
“Don’t bother, I’ll go upstairs and clean it up.”
“Do you think that was necessary Charles?” Alex asked.
“He’s lucky I didn’t hit him any harder.”
“Emma would still be alive if she hadn’t been here with that bastard. I would have forgiven her and bought the child up as my own. She didn’t have to die in such an awful way.”
Kate was deeply humiliated and distressed by her husband’s confession, and left the room. Ben followed, desperately trying to make her listen to his feeble excuses.
“Go away Ben, I need time to think I just can’t take it all in. When I married you I thought I knew you, but I don’t know anything. Leave me alone, I can’t bear to look at your face.” Ben saw the pain and hurt on her face and realised it was useless to pursue the matter. He was a pitiful sight as he walked slowly towards the lift with his head bowed low.
Downstairs, Charles was still revelling in self-satisfaction and turned to Alex.
“Don’t tell me he didn’t deserve that; I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with Emma’s murder.”
“You told me you’d kill her yourself if she was unfaithful,” Alex reminded him.
“I didn’t mean it I was angry. I’d never hurt her, I loved her too much,” tears welled in his tired eyes.
“I know you did Charles, but I don’t know what to say to make things better.”
“There’s nothing you can say Alex. I just hope the police find the person who’s responsible for this before it happens to someone else.”
“Have they told you when the body will be released for the funeral?”
“Possibly next week. I’ll have to make some arrangements; she would have liked to be buried next to her father.”
“I’m sure she would,” Alex placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I need to make some phone calls I’ll see you later Alex, and thanks for all you’ve done.” Charles stood up.
“I wish there was more I could do,” he replied solemnly.
“There’s something I need to tell you Alex. It’s to do with Emma’s past, and I don’t want it getting in the papers. What I’m about to tell you must never go outside of this room.”
“Of course, what is it Charles?”
“You have to promise me.”
“I promise; now what’s wrong?”
Charles sighed and ran a hand across his chin.
“When I first met Emma she was married, but she wasn’t happy. Her husband Leo Marshall was a policeman stationed in Gloucestershire; I think he was a sergeant, not that it matters. They had nice house in Bath and I don’t think money was an issue, but their marriage was breaking up; he was constantly on duty and Emma couldn’t adjust to being a policeman’s wife. She was very young when she married him and became pregnant almost immediately. They had a child a boy named George; he was just two years old when I met her. When she told Leo she was leaving him and taking the child with her, he gave her an ultimatum. She could leave, but she couldn’t have George. So she gave up her son to be with me.”
“She must have really loved you Charles.”
“I know, so how can you possibly think I could hurt her?”
“I’m sorry you should have told me sooner.”
“Emma fought her husband through the legal system, but he knew exactly what to say and convinced them that Emma was an unfit mother. Leo was awarded custody, and she had to be content with monthly supervised visits. I used to dread her visiting him; she would come home red-eyed and depressed. It took days for her to return to normal and then it would happen all over again,” he explained.
“What about Emma’s mother, did she have any contact with the boy?”
“No, not after she separated from Leo. He was very bitter and refused to even speak to her on the phone. Leo will have to be told about Emma’s death,” Charles looked troubled.
“I’m sure he’ll find out, it’ll be hard to keep it out of the papers,” Alex replied.
“George is the only part of Emma I’ve got left. I really want to see him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea Charles.”
“I’ve hired a private detective to find him. Leo is living in Cornwall now. If anything happens to me, will you give this letter to him?” Charles handed Alex a sealed envelope.
“Nothings going to happen to you Charles, but if it makes you feel better, yes I will.”
“Thank you and please don’t repeat anything I’ve told you to anyone,” Charles urged.
“You have my word, I promise,” Alex shook his hand.
Charles left the room and Alex realised he hadn’t called Inspector Salt.
Making his way to his office, he slipped the letter into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
************************************
Patrick Hinds was facing a long journey in a car which was extremely unreliable; it barely started on the previous morning, and there was a strange noise coming from the back axel. He now discovered that the heaters had stopped working. To make matters worse the traffic had barely moved in twenty minutes, and the engine temperature was soaring to a dangerous level. Consulting his map, he decided to turn off the main road and take the ‘B’ road. It would make his journey slightly longer, but the road couldn’t possibly be as congested as this one. With the exception of an occasion car and motorcycle, the road was deserted, but it twisted and turned and in parts and was only just wide enough to allow one vehicle to pass safely. Negotiating a blind bend Pat reached for a cigarette. Unable to find his lighter he took his eyes off the road for a split second. Noticing it had slipped to the back of the passenger seat; he stretched over to grab it and flicked it on. Before he had time to light the cigarette, he heard the sound of crashing metal and a heavy thud on his windscreen as a motorbike hurtled through the air. A man’s body slid down the windscreen leaving a trail of deep red blood as he fell to the ground.
“Jesus Christ; where the fuck did he come from!” Pat shouted aloud. Hitting the brakes as hard as he could, he sent the car spinning and screeching into the grass embankment. Stunned and motionless, Pat stared in horror as the motorbike’s wheels whizzed round and round in the air. Time seemed to stand still, it could have been seconds or minutes as he stared trance-like at the carnage before his eyes. Seized by blind panic and terror, Pat pushed the car door open and stumbled over to the injured man who was still motionless. He searched frantically for a pulse fearing the victim was already dead. Desperately prodding the man’s neck repeatedly, he eventually detected a sign of life. It was very weak, but it was there. Breathing a sigh of relief, he phoned for an ambulance which arrived ten minutes later, followed by a police car.
Pat watched on anxiously as a team of paramedics rushed to help the motionless victim, who lay on his back with his head tilted to the side. Two police officers got out of their vehicle and approached Pat, who was becoming more and more distressed by the minute.
“Thank goodness you’re here. He’s still alive but he hasn’t moved or spoken yet,” he said pacing up and down in a state of severe agitation.
“What’s your name Sir?” the fresh-faced policeman asked.
“Hinds, Patrick Hinds,” he replied shakily.
“I’m P.C. Paul Whiston, and this is P.C. Glynn Kelly. Can you tell us exactly what happened?
“He just came out of nowhere, I didn’t see him until he hit the screen,” Pat explained.
“Were you distracted by anything at all? Perhaps you took your eyes off the road for a second or two?” P.C Whiston asked.
“No not at all. Why are you trying to blame me? He came out of nowhere, I’ve just told you. You’ve only got to look at the road, he was in the middle of it and I couldn’t avoid him,” Pat knew he was lying.
“It’s a tight bend alright, but we only have your word for what happened; and in accidents similar to this, most car drivers claim the motorcyclist was to blame.” P.C Whiston doubted his account of the accident and Pat knew the reason why, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth. The fact that he had taken his eyes off the road for a split second to light a cigarette was unforgivable. What if the man died? He would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.
As Pat contemplated his rash actions, a further police car arrived conveying two more officers to the scene of the accident, where the area was cordoned off. They were followed shortly by an unmarked police car carrying a team of accident investigators, who promptly began to measure skid marks and take photographs from every conceivable angle.
The motorbike rider, who still hadn’t regained consciousness, was attended by two paramedics, as his condition was ascertained. P.C. Kelly approached one of the paramedics and enquired of his condition.
“It’s very likely he’s sustained a serious spinal injury,” Matt, one of the paramedics informed him.
“What are his chances?” Kelly asked.
“Without knowing the full extent of his injuries it’s hard to say. We’ll have a better idea when we get to the hospital,” he replied, securing the patient to a spinal board.
“How’s the car driver?” he added.
“He seems to be in a state of shock, but he’s only received a few minor cuts.”
“Does he need any medical attention?”
“I don’t think so, but you can check him over if you like?”
“Do we have any I.D. on the biker?” Kelly enquired.
“We’ve found a wallet with his driving licence, his name sounds Dutch to me,” Matt handed it to P.C. Kelly.
“There’s a few phone numbers in here; perhaps one of them is a relative.”
“We have to move him now, so if there are no more questions I must get on,” Matt urged.
“No, carry on.”
“I’ll just take a look at your car driver before I go.”
Still protesting Pat was given the all-clear but warned of the possibility of concussion, and advised not to drive for a few hours.
HIDDEN SECRETS Page 13
