by Sean Russell
“Xav,Iwillgiveyoutheopportunitytomakemesomemoney.Iwillgiveyou
$100,000.00toinvestforme.We’llseewhatyoucandowiththat.Whatwasthe timeframeyouwereboastingabout?”Xavierwastooexcitedtoletherponder.
“Eighteentotwenty-fourmonths.”
Amandaraisedaeyebrow.Xavierwasecstatic.
HeraisedhisglassofwineandwaitedasAmandaresponded.
“Towealth,happinessandwonderfulmealswithveryspecialpeople.”
The glasses clinked and Amanda took another sip of wine. She got what she wanted. She was back over to pleasure zone. She allowed the sense of well-beingtoenvelopherlikeanethercoursingthroughherveins,takinghertothe heavenswhereshewantedtobe;whereshedeservedtobe.Afterall,shewasa topmodel.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Amandasteppedontothetarmacandtookinthehot,humidclimate.Therewere
several other aircraft parked on the tarmac, some having already shed their contentsandothersemptyingtheirsofhundredsbipedmammalsmakingatrail
fromtheirgravity-defyingmachinestoalocationwheretherewasanothergreat invention,thearrivallounge,aplacewherethemassesgatheredandescapedthe heat and stood in cool defiance of the elements as they awaited approval for entryintotheislandforbusiness,pleasureorwhateverelse.Shewashome,and not a moment too soon. Somehow this island, a veritable dot on the map, managedtobehersaviouryetagain.Thistimeshewasescapingthelandofmilk andhoney.Themilkhadgonesour.ShehadkeptherwordandgivenXavierthe
chancehesoeagerlyaskedfor.Fourmonthslater,hewasarrestedforrunninga Ponzi scheme. He had promised her early returns in six months. She ended up withnothing.
Truthbetold,itwaslessthannothing.Sheendedupwithlegalfeesandahiatus inhermodelingcareer.
Shewasimplicatedinthescam,asshewasacloseassociateandshewasliving withhim.Morelikehewaslivingwithher;hehadmovedin.Hisexplanationat thetimemadealotofsense.Shedidn’tmind,hewasarealhandyman.Handy
enough in the kitchen and very handy in the bedroom. What more could a girl askfor?Shedidn’tneedmoneyandhedidpullhisweight.
Herlegalteammanagedtoconvincethe‘feds’
thatshewasaninnocentbystanderwhoherselfwasinveigledbythischarming
rogue. Her bank account supported the plea and the law enforcement agency grudginglyacceptedherstory,disappointedatlosingtheopportunityofbagging abigfish.Inreturn,Amandagavethemherfullcooperation.Notthatitwasany help,XavierwassoslickthatAmandahadnousefulinformationtogive.
Amanda’scareerhadbeentainted.Thoseintheknowsaidthedamagewasnot
irreparable,butsheneededtobeoutofthepublic’seyeforsometimeuntilsome otherunfortunatemortalfellfromgraceandwasdevouredbytheinsatiablemob that was the media and its close cousin, public opinion. So Amanda took a sabbaticalandreturnedtoherhaven,theplacewheresheexperiencedtheregular
undulations of life that average people had, and not the precipitous peaks and valleys she fell prey to whenever she was away from it, the kind that unlucky peopleandtheimmortals,thestars,werepronetoexperience.
It was funny, she thought, how the trajectory of her life when she was there reflectedthelandscapeofthecountry;rollinghillswithgentleslopesgivingway to open valleys. Nothing harsh or dramatic to stir the soul with a scare. She neededthecalmnow,theabsenceofdrama.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Jadewastorn.Shedidnotknowwhattothink.
ShehadwantedtoseePhilandtalktohimfacetoface,butshewasadvisednot to.Shewastolditwastoodangerous.Shewasalsotolditcouldcomplicatethe case that the Crown was holding against Phil. She was told this by a very enthusiastic Detective Seale. He was also good enough to coach her for the upcoming trial. Jade was not sure if this was the norm, but he was a genuine policeman.Shewasquiteconvincedoftheveracityofthecase.
Thenshehadavisitfromanotherdetective,DetectiveClarke.Shedidnotknow why,butsomethingaboutthemanmadeherwanttopethim.Hesatwithherand asked her pointed questions and insisted on her being very detailed. He noted everythinginalittlebrownnotebook.Jadefeltheactedlikearealdetective.
TheotherguySealeseemedtobemoreofapublicrelationsofficer.Thoughhe did not say, the tone of his questions led Jade to believe that Detective Clarke wasnotbuyingPhil’sguilt.Someofthequestionsheraisedwereconcernsthat Jadehad.Howdidhegetaccesstohercar?Andtheemergencycall…shedid
notremembersuchacall.DetectiveSealeassuredherthatshedidcall.Hetook the call. She may have had patchy amnesia as a result of her head injury. Did Phil ever resort to violence to resolve any conflicts? Did he even threaten violence?Washehandywithtoolsandmechanicwork?Washeinthehabitof
havingaffairs?
Washeajealousman?Didshethinkhestilllovedher?Didshestilllovehim?
Theuncertaintytoreherapart.
Then there was the issue of a wife not having to testify against her husband.
Suppose he was innocent and she willingly aided and abetted him being put away?Shewouldneverbeabletoforgiveherselfdespitetheaffairhehad.She’d hadonetoo.
Shewasn’tsurenowifhewasn’tsetuplikeshewas.
Shehadtodecidesoon.Histrialwasimminent.
*****
MobertClarkewasinhiselement.Hehadacasetosolveandsomehowhewas
gettingnocooperationfromhissuperior.ThatwaslargelybecausePastorSeale had his ear. The ambitious detective gained the chief’s favour by being his informant,sotospeak.
Seale kept the chief abreast of all the happenings in the department. Clarke’s brusque manner did not endear him to anyone anyway. Mobert savoured a challengeandthrivedinadversity,andhehateddirtycops.Howwasitthatan upstandingcitizenlikePhilFergusoncouldbechargedforattemptedmurderand beplacedontrialinrecordtime,andwithsomuchunsubstantiatedevidence?He had no access to the car after the fallout with his wife. He had no history of violenceandtherewasnoclearmotive.Thewholethingwasabsurd.Thescary
thingwasthatPhilwasheadedtoprisoninahurry.Moberthadtofindoutwho wasbehindthisandfindawaytostopthem.
PhilFergusongoingtoprisonwouldbeatravestyofjustice.Mobertthoughthe hadanallyinJudgeThompson.ItwashewhohadcalledtheeveningPhilwas
arrestedandinsistedthathebereleasedonhisrecognizance.He’dvouchedfor Philpersonally.
Mobert decided to approach the judge with his suspicions. Initially, the judge hadagreedtomeetwithhimandthenhecanceledandstartedtobeevasive.
ThatwasnotincharacterforJudgeThompson.Thedetectivedidpinhimdown
in the end and the judge insisted that he was privy to information that proved Phil’sguiltandhewasnotpreparedtodiscussthematteranyfurther.
ThewholescenariomadeMobertClarkeevenmoredeterminedtoprovePhil’s
innocence. He had an idea of the reason for the judge’s change of heart. The detective,becauseofhislineofworkandparticularlybecauseofhissharpmind, was aware of the details of many prominent people that the common man was not. The judge liked to gamble. Detective Clarke was sure the judge was indebted to someone, very likely the same person who chose to be Detective Seale’sprotectivegodfather.
It was time for Mobert Clarke to be a snoop. His best lead was Sea
le. He was goingtokeepSealeundersurveillance.Themanwassoambitiousandarrogant
that Mobert was sure he would soon learn the identity of the person who was
yankingthechainsofthejusticesystemtoservehisownpurpose.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Amandafeltcheated.JimmyCadoganhadoutsmartedher.Sherealizednowthat
hehadusedhertogettoPhil.Shedidnotknowthedetails,butsheknewnow that she was a pawn used by Jimmy Cadogan. She had been so pleased with herselfafternegotiatinganabsolutelyfantasticleaseforhercondo.
Jimmy had asked her to meet Phil and talk to him. He had convinced her that Philwasarivalofhiswhowasdestroyinghisbusinessbyunscrupulousmeans, and he wanted an opportunity to level the playing field by having any information which he could use to do that. Amanda was a survivor and was awareofthemanygamesyouhadtoplayinlifeifyouwantedtogetaheadon
thefasttrack.
Thecondowasphenomenal,andprimingPhilforinformationwasasmallprice
and an easy score. When she met him things got twisted. He was genuinely a nicemananddidnotfitthecharacterJimmyprovidedher.Shehadtoadmitthat shetripped.ThateveningshesleptwithPhilwasreal.Shehadfelthimthen.
She regretted her actions afterwards, except for the pleasurable memories she had.Ifshethoughtaboutitenough,itstillmadeherwet.
Henevercalledherafterthatevening.Shetriedcalling,texting,evenemail,but gotnoresponse.Shewashurt.Notbecauseshetookitpersonally,butbecause she missed him and the magic they had. She had not experienced it before nor since.Shehadasenseofthemanandsheknewhewascommittedtohiswife
andhencehadnoroomforher.Shekeptherselfbusywithherbusinessaffairs andsocializednotonlytonetwork,buttokeepherselfoccupied.
She had no shortage of options to date, but they all seemed dull after her time withPhil.
Then there was Jimmy Cadogan, who was present and as welcome as the gum thatstickstothesoleofyourshoe.ShemadeitcleartoJimmythatshehadno interestinhimapartfrombusiness.None.Hisskinwasasthickasthatofanold rhinocerosandlikegumonashoe,hestucktohisobjective.Amandawassure
hewouldstopatnothingtosleepwithher.
ShehadheardofPhil’sarrest.Shebelievedhewasinnocent.Attemptedmurder wasnothim.Shewantedtocallhimandtellhimthatshewasthereforhim,that shebelievedinhimandthatsheknewhewasinnocent.Shedidn’t.Shedidnot wanttoexperiencethepossiblerejectionofhimnottakingthecall.Shedidtext himthough,buttothesameeffect.Shedidnotexpectareply,butsheknewhe wouldhavereceivedhermoralsupport.
ShehadstartedtofindherfeetinBarbadosandshewasdevelopingabusiness asatalentscout.Itstartedserendipitously—shewasatafashionshow;shewas curiousabouttheofferingsofthelocalfashionindustry,andshehadbeengiven acomplimentarytickettotheshow.Muchofwhatshesawwasmundanetoher
tastes,butonegirldidstandout,asdidonedesigner.Shemetwiththemafterthe show.
Shefoundthatthedesigner,thoughtalented,hadabitofanattitude.Itwasasif hehadalreadyarrived.
Heevenofferedtoallowhertomodelhiscreations.
Amanda decided that he had some growing to do. The girl was different. She was hungry for a chance and willing to listen. Amanda felt a connection and madearrangementstomeetwithher.
Amanda had some photos taken and sent them to Bill Michaels. He called her back and said he liked what he saw and he wanted more. He sent a ticket for Amanda’s protégé, Trina. Trina flew out and modeled for Bill. He didn’t want herforhisline,butshedidhavesomethingspecialsohesetupameetingforher withafriendofhis,VictorSpiegz,anexecutiveofanup-and-comingmodeling agency.VictorlovedTrinasomuchthatheofferedheracontractrightaftershe auditioned.VictoraskedBillwherehefoundTrina,andifheknewofanymore like her. Bill saw the opportunity. Amanda, in addition to being an incredible model,hadaneyeformodelingtalent.HetoldAmandaasmuch.Theyagreed
that she would continue to scout for talent—there was a sideline business in it forbothofthem.
She felt she was becoming fulfilled professionally again, even though she was temporarilyoutofthegame.Shehadmoneyandshehadalife,buttherewasa void.
She did want for companionship. Real, quality companionship. Half the men
whoshowedinterestwereintimidatedbyherandtheotherhalfwerewannabe’s.
Theytalkedagoodgame,butalltheycoulddeliverwashotair.
ThentherewasherrecenthistorywithXavier.Shehadmanagedtodealwithit asshehaddealtwithmanynegativeexperiencesshehadbefore—shetookitasa learning experience. She developed a deepened mistrust for men. They always had an agenda. Her money being at the top of the list and not her body was a newtwist.Shepromisedherselfthatfromthattimeforwardshewouldalwaysbe the one with the agenda. It was only when she met Phil and became involved withhimthatshebegantohaveachangeofheart.Shefeltsomethingwithhim thattranscendedthephysical,theemotional,therational.Itwasspiritual,atleast that’s what Amanda chose to label it as. She never spent much time intellectualizing,shewasnormallytoobusysurviving.
Asshethoughtmoreabouthim,sherealisedthatshewassorryshemethimthe wayshedid,andevenmoresorrythathewasmarried.Nosurprisethere,though.
Nosensiblewomanwouldletthatmangetaway.Nowitlookedlikehewould
literallybeunderlockandkey.
It was then that she made her decision. She was going to do everything in her powertohelphim.
Married or not, he was too much of a good deal to allow to waste in jail. She shuddered to think what would happen to him in prison. Now that would be morethanawaste,thatwouldbeanabomination.
He would never be the same. She couldn’t let that happen. Besides, it would seem that he and his wife were estranged. It made her chances for the future a possibility.Fromnochancetopossibility…thatwasastart.
Amanda had lived it many times before: the thin thread of a possibility woven into a reality. She thought for a bit. Jimmy Cadogan was the key. Her keen intuitiontoldherthathehadverymuchtodowithPhil’stroubles.Shewasgoing to have to get closer to Jimmy, a thought she relished as much as having an enemainpublic. Yep,gross.
Noworries.ShehadbeenthroughworseandsheknewshecouldhandleJimmy.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Jackie was gorgeous, exquisite even, with flawless, medium-brown skin so smooth and soft it was unreal. She was oval-faced with high cheek bones and almond-coloured eyes, long, toned legs, and a healthy serving of booty. Jackie was flat-chested, though, but she took care of that with padded bras which she stuffed.Jackiewasaccustomedtoturningheadsandshelovedtheattention.She wasoneofAmanda’sfriendsandshe,likeAmanda,wasalsoamodel.Shewas
she was due to be back in the island for a few days to unwind and get her favouritepuddin’
andsouse,whichshemissed.
It was Jackie who Amanda thought of when she told Jimmy that there was a friendofhersshewantedhimtomeet.Shethoughthewouldlikeher.Amanda
hadbeenallowingJimmytoseehermore.Theyhadhaddinnerthenightbefore.
It was then that Amanda mentioned that Jackie was due in town. Jimmy was workinghiswaythroughanabsolutelydeliciouslobstertail.Youcouldseeitin hisface.
/>
“YouknowJimmy,mostofyoumendon’thavemuchtoofferme.”
ShecaughtJimmy’sattentionimmediately.Hewasinstantlydistractedfromhis succulentlobster.
Hestartedtospeak,thenrememberedtowipehismouth.
“Iamnotmostmen.”Helookedatherandsmiled.
Amandasmiledback.
“Idon’tmeanyou,youareuniqueandIappreciateourfriendship.”
“Youappreciatemyfriendship.Soundslikeaconsolationprize,andnotethis,I don’ttakesecondplace,ever.”
Amandasmiledverysweetly.ShetookJimmy’shandandsqueezeditslightly.
“Poorchoiceofwords.Itreasureourfriendship.”
“Itcouldbemore.Itcouldbedeeper.”Jimmy’seyestoldtellherexactlywhathe meant.Amandadroppedherfork.
“Yousee,that’swhatImean.Nowyou’rearegularman.Youjustwanttostick your cock in me the like other million-and-one jokers out there that I have no interestin.”
Jimmywastakenaback,butAmandacontinuedunfazed.
“Women are not like that. They are friends. They care about you. They care about your feelings. You know? Like what’s going on with you, what you’re goingthrough.Thenyoufeellikeaperson,notacommodity,apieceofmeatto be poked and prodded for the other person’s satisfaction.” Jimmy seized his opportunitytointerject.Helostinterestinthelobster.
“Iassureyou,Iamamanthatguaranteessatisfaction.”
Amandalookedathim,almostdisgusted.
“Iamnottalkingaboutcontractsortort.”
“Iknow.”
“Imeanthewoman’ssatisfaction.”
“That’swhatI’mtalkingabout.”
“Really?”
“Really.”BynowJimmywasstartingtorapeAmandawithhiseyes.
“Nowawomanknowsherself.Sheknowsherbody.Sheknowswhatawoman
wantsandneeds.
Sheknowsexactlywhattodo.”
“Butshedoesnothavetheequipment.”Jimmyslappedthetablewithhishand.
