Shadows to Ashes

by Tori de Clare

  Vincent dropped onto the bed and groaned. Nothing worse than ball-ache. Toothache came the closest. The bed dipped again when Lorie sank beside him.

  ‘You’re only wasting time,’ she said, but still he didn’t talk. ‘Alona my heart. Oui? How long did you think it would take me to work that out? Hmm?’

  ‘Not long.’

  Lorie twisted herself in his direction. ‘I worked it out alright. A little childish for you, isn’t it – an anagram? You are a Hamilton.’

  He let all the air gush out of him. He was exhausted, suddenly. ‘Well, I was bored out of my head, in Australia.’

  ‘You complete arse,’ she yelled, roughly grabbing his arm. ‘I hate you. Hate you!’

  Injected with rage, he turned and took both her arms and wrestled her backwards until he was pinning her to the bed. One tear escaped her left eye but she wouldn’t stop glaring at him. Eventually, she went limp.

  ‘Hate me?’ he said. ‘I know what’s going on here, Lorie. You’re obstructing justice and breaching police confidentiality by coming here. One hell of a risk, don’t you think? As well as getting your answers from me tonight, you wanted me first! You always have, and you got all of me didn’t you. And, despite everything, you’re still in love with me and you wanted to warn me that the police are on my case. Well, here’s news, I already knew.’

  ‘Knew how?’

  ‘Irrelevant.’

  ‘Tonight was about revenge. Nothing else.’

  He watched her. ‘Dream on,’ he said. ‘And when the police find out you’ve been here breathing out their secrets . . .’

  He let her go and straightened up. The pain in his groin was easing.

  Lorie sat up and scrambled away from him to the bedhead and wrapped her arms around her knees. A couple of minutes passed.

  ‘So, tell me,’ he said, ‘how did it feel to discover that you’re a Hamilton?’

  ‘How do you think it felt?’ She rubbed her face and brushed her hair aside. ‘I was in a hotel room in Manchester by myself because I’d been turfed out of my flat and had nowhere to go. The perfect place to get news like that. Not!’

  ‘As good a place as any.’

  ‘How long have you known that I was Henry’s daughter? How long?’

  He paused, calculated. Cocked an eyebrow. ‘Almost nine years. Why do you think I hired you in the first place?’

  ‘Because you liked me, thought I was a good worker?’

  ‘Erm . . . no.’

  She shook her head. ‘How the hell did you find out who my father was when I didn’t know?’

  ‘Long story.’

  ‘My story! Not yours. I want to know everything.’

  Vincent made her wait. He stood up and walked to a chair under the window. It was difficult to marshal his thoughts when he was still filled with a suffocating brand of disappointment that his visit to paradise had been a hoax. Like winning a gold medal to be told you’ve been disqualified. He sat down. ‘First off, your mother should have told you who your dad was. Not my fault she didn’t. Did try to warn you that she was a lying bitch.’

  ‘Just leave my mum out of this and answer my questions.’

  Vincent ran his hands through his hair. ‘My dad had been banged up in prison because of Henry, and he gave me two tasks: continuing his businesses and bringing Henry Hamilton down. He didn’t want it done Charlie’s way, by violence. It would have been too obvious, with Henry having shopped my dad to the police. My dad wanted slow torture for Henry. He wanted entertainment, reports from me while he was in prison, updates about Henry getting hot around the collar and feeling the heat being notched up without knowing why. I was good at working things out, always had been. Good at analysis and research, so I asked my dad for all the information he already had about Henry. Family, school, friends, past jobs, past girlfriends. And then I went to work, digging very carefully and methodically.’

  ‘And you found my mum.’

  ‘Wasn’t difficult. And guess what else I discovered – that she’d had a child a few months after they broke up. That roused my interest a lot. Henry ditched your mum for Camilla, you know.’

  ‘So my mother said when I pressed her hard enough about it. Carry on.’

  ‘I had to find out if Henry was the father. So I paid someone to go into the house. Your mum kept a key under a plant pot in the garden as many stupid people do, and my guy went in and carefully combed the place. He didn’t need to break in. He didn’t disturb or take a thing, but he did find your birth certificate in a suitcase in the attic and guess whose name was on it?’

  Another tear slid out of Lorie’s eye. ‘Did Henry even know she was pregnant?’

  ‘At the time, I didn’t know. I just knew I needed to meet this daughter of theirs. I suspected she’d be very useful, and I was right. You were eighteen by then. The perfect age for employment. So I grilled you, as I do all new employees and I gave you special attention and tested you with the kind of jobs that I didn’t entrust to anyone else. You responded very well. Of course, you assumed I wanted you, but no. Your abilities were impressive though. And I knew with absolute certainty that you’d be loyal.’

  ‘So that’s when you decided to use me to ruin my own family?’ she hurled at him.

  ‘Well it became clear that you thought your dad was your mum’s husband, which made things interesting. I was monitoring the Hamiltons carefully. They’d just returned from South Africa and – would you believe it – they needed help with the house and with Naomi. It was all too perfect. I knew exactly what would impress Camilla, so I prepared you for the job interview and sent you in with a glowing reference. Camilla took the bait. You know the rest.’

  ‘You complete arse.’

  Vincent barely heard her comment. His head was in the past. ‘I thought Henry would realise who you were and that you’d detonate like a bomb in that house, until I realised that Henry was as clueless as you were. Your mum had a new surname. He never put two and two together and neither did you. Disappointing really.’

  She closed her eyes. ‘I’ll never forgive you for this.’ Lorie was motionless on the bed.

  Vincent looked at her. Really looked, until she opened her eyes. ‘You already have.’

  She drew breath. ‘How could you?’

  Vincent steepled his fingers together. ‘How could you not realise that you belonged to them? Why do you think you look so much like Naomi? It’s been under your nose the whole time. How do you think you were able to get away with the crime you committed with Nathan? Ironically, if Henry had known he had a third daughter, you might have got a third of the share. But that plan, to bump Naomi off and claim her money, was all yours and Nathan’s.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known she was my sister,’ Lorie yelled, spit oozing from her mouth.

  ‘You’d have done anything to impress me and save Nathan’s skin.’

  ‘No. You poisoned me against the Hamiltons. You used me and you messed my life up, and theirs. If you’d never groomed me as a teenager, I might have led a normal life.’

  ‘And never found out who your father was, or that you had two sisters.’

  ‘It would have been better that way. Look what I’ve done to them!’

  Vincent had nothing to say. He had a pressing urge to leave.

  Lorie went on, ‘I know you killed Simon Wilde, your accountant. You pinned it on Nathan, but I’ve always known it was you. Why did you do that?’

  ‘Why are you bringing him up?’

  ‘I know Nathan didn’t kill him and I’ve protected you all this time. Why did you do it?’

  ‘This is boring,’ he said.

  ‘Tell me!’

  A long pause. ‘OK, I’ll tell you – you always did want to know my secrets, what keeps me awake at night. When you were Simon’s “girlfriend” you gave him a key to your flat which is a breach of terms because it’s my flat. So, having found out that Naomi was missing – your so-called best friend – Simon, being the dutiful, pleasant ex-boyfriend
that he was, decided he’d do the decent thing and buy you some flowers and drop them at the flat. Only you weren’t there because you were in the Lake District with Dan. But, guess what? he still had a key. So he let himself in to leave the flowers for you and what did he find? An open suitcase full of Naomi’s things and the pearl necklace they’d been showing on the news after the wedding, that you took from that hotel room before you went to the Caribbean with Nathan. And then he knew. He could have gone to the police immediately, but he was furious. He decided to confront Nathan first, so he marched round to the flat and guess who was there? I was, waiting for Dan to come home. I opened the door to Simon instead and he was my accountant and wanted to know what I was doing there. He wanted answers. He was yelling. He knew my dad had been to prison and he got jumpy, actually grabbed a knife from the kitchen and threatened me with it. Long story short, I snatched a tie of Nathan’s, dodged the knife and wrapped the tie around his neck until he couldn’t speak anymore. It was self-defence.’

  Lorie shook her head.

  Vincent stretched his legs and said, ‘You think you protect me and cover for me? I had to cover for you because you were careless. I had to clean the place up and rid it of Naomi’s things and leave that money for Henry just to keep you out of prison. And I had a professional job done on the Stone’s flat. When Dan went back there, the place was immaculate. So now you know. I saved your skin and pinned the blame on a dead man months later. So what?’

  ‘I also know you blackmailed my mother, once you found out about Henry being my father. For years, you made her life hell.’

  ‘I’ve never liked the woman.’

  ‘You don’t even know her! No wonder she freaked out when I went to work at the Hamiltons. She’s lived in fear and it’s driven us apart. I never understood why she was so depressing to be around, or why she acted like a victim. All makes sense now. So once I’d worked your puzzle out, I went round there to confront her with the truth, but you’d already warned her, hadn’t you? She knew what I’d be asking and she wouldn’t answer the door. I was furious, Vincent, and muscled my way in and I told her what I thought of her. Didn’t hold back.’ More tears streamed from Lorie’s eyes. ‘Hours later, she needed an ambulance and a blood transfusion. Because of you! All because of you.’

  ‘Well, Lorie, it’s been good to catch up.’ Vincent was calm, numb but for a dull ache down below. ‘That enough answers for you?’

  ‘No. I want to know what you were trying to achieve with all your games? Telling me to stay in Sydney, constructing stupid riddles, knowing I’d find that note and follow you home?’

  ‘Double bluffs work out surprisingly well. If I tell you to stay, you’re bound to leave. It was time you knew the truth. I expected you to confront Henry with it and do my job for me, causing chaos – taking the limelight from Naomi so that I could gently pull her away from a family in meltdown.’

  ‘Well, you failed. I confronted my mum and then confided in Kerry Marshall.’

  ‘Because you were fevered with jealousy because I wanted Naomi instead of you.’

  ‘No! I was furious at the way you’d interfered with my life to serve your own agenda. You needed stopping. You wanted me to hate Kerry because of her and Nathan, but we helped each other. And we outplayed you. Naomi, Kerry and me. Hence my farewell note to you – the Hamiltons will have the last laugh. Because I’m a Hamilton.’

  ‘Well, I’m sure the police will be delighted about that when they find out that you’re obstructing their operations and pissing on their bonfire.’ He stood up now. ‘You’ve had your answers, Lorie, now tell me where she is.’

  ‘You really think I’d hurt her once I knew the truth? I used to sit outside the house when I found out. I’d watch Henry walking the dog. Looked ill with worry, always looking over his shoulder. I wanted to go and talk to him, tell him he had another daughter, tell him how sorry I was about the pain I’d caused. But I couldn’t. I watched my sisters come and go. One night, Charlie pulled up and I left before she saw me. She was watching the house and that was when I knew that I had to do something. That’s when I started to leave Naomi notes and I looked up Kerry Marshall and involved the police even though you’ve taught me not to trust them.’

  ‘Oh I knew they were breathing down my neck.’

  ‘You didn’t know I’ve been helping Naomi all these weeks. Helping her to survive you. I warned her about your cameras. I gave her the code to your secret room and I found her there looking through your precious files. She unearthed them by herself.’

  Solomon was stunned at this news. Outdone by two women? Naomi in his sewing room? It was a punch in the gut to add to the one lower down, but he wasn’t going to flinch with Lorie watching him.

  She was still talking. ‘I showed her the drugs you have stashed inside the manikin. I told her that I once worked in that room, sewing pouches and packets of cocaine into hems and pockets of dresses and sending them out to your clients via your private delivery service. She knows your clothing business is a sham, a façade for your drugs trade. She knows everything. She knows about Joel and Charlie. And she’s taken that file, which is enough to put a question mark over Dan Stone’s conviction. I’d say you’re in a corner now.’

  He’d never show weakness. His face remained expressionless. ‘So, finally she knows you’re her sister.’

  ‘No.’ Lorie dropped her head. ‘I didn’t tell her that. What good would it do? I decided they’ve taken enough.’

  ‘Where is she?’ His voice was quiet.

  ‘You’re going down, Vincent. Just like Jimmy did. I’m pretty sure the police are this close now.’ She displayed a finger and thumb an inch apart.

  ‘Tell me where she is,’ he roared.

  ‘The hospital. Annabel’s in labour.’

  A swoosh of thoughts, which began and ended with Charlie. ‘Give me the key now. I’m only going to ask once.’

  Lorie’s eyes were wide. ‘Vincent, listen to me. Don’t come back here. The police will take you.’

  ‘You think I don’t know that? I’m guessing a dawn raid around 5 a.m.?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘How did Naomi get to the hospital?’

  ‘In my car.’

  ‘The Mini?’

  ‘No. My mum’s. A VW Polo.’

  ‘The black one?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Registration plate?’

  Lorie kept her lips sealed. When she opened them, she said, ‘Don’t do this.’

  ‘You tell me now, or so help me –’

  ‘I don’t remember it. It ends OXN.’

  ‘Give me your phone.’

  ‘Vincent, no.’

  ‘Where is it?’ his face was flushed with fury. His hand rose to her neck.

  ‘Handbag by the door.’

  ‘It’d better be. Keys?’ He held out a hand and she snatched the bunch from inside her pocket. Vincent took it and she grasped his wrist.

  ‘I know you felt a connection with me tonight.’ Her tone was desperate.

  ‘Oh, it was the best hour of my entire existence.’ He took her wrist with his free hand and peeled her from him. ‘Until I realised it was you.’

  ‘It doesn’t change what happened between us. What we felt.’

  ‘You performed some magic trick, that’s all. And when you shared the secret of how you did it, it killed the mystery because it was never really magic at all. Just an illusion. You’re a ghost to me, Lorie, dead and buried. Now get out of my house.’

  Vincent strode to the door, unlocked it and seized Lorie’s handbag.

  ‘You have five seconds to collect whatever clothes you came in.’

  She leapt from the bed and snatched an armful of clothes off the floor and a pair of shoes, during which time, Vincent checked that her phone was in her bag.

  ‘Time’s up.’

  She walked to the door without looking at him and he followed her down the stairs and unlocked the front door.

  She said, ‘Can I have
my bag?’

  He said, flatly, ‘No.’

  With that, he took her arm and turfed her out in her strappy nightdress, then hurried to his room, taking the stairs two at a time.

  50

  What would Naomi do?

  So, Annabel was in labour and Naomi was bursting to get to the hospital for the birth. Was she likely to swing by the police station first? Course not! Nor would she walk onto a labour ward with the file tucked under her arm. The file had to be in the car – the black Polo, which ended OXN.

  In his room, Vincent replaced his smart trousers with blue combat pants, vile and uncomfortable things that they were. Then he pulled on an unsightly jumper normally used for cleaning, and threw on a jacket with a hood. He finally stepped into some chunky ankle boots meant for walking. He zipped a loaded handgun inside his jacket and refused to consult the mirror as he passed it. He’d only find a stranger, horribly dressed.

  Lorie’s phone was in the top of her bag. He took it out. No calls or messages. Unhelpful. He used her phone to text Naomi and said, simply: Any news? He got nothing back which could mean anything. Phones were supposed to be switched off in hospitals. Every chance she was still there.

  He put Lorie’s phone securely in the outside pocket of his awful jacket and left his bedroom. He ran down the stairs, out of the house and snatched a look up and down the street. No sign of Lorie. In the garage, he cut himself a two metre length of string and made a slipknot in it. Over, under, then through. He dragged the loose knot to within two inches of the bottom, leaving himself a loop. Then he tightened the knot just where it was and folded the string and found a vacant pocket.

  Next, he took his helmet and straddled his motorbike. It was quicker than a car and could squeeze down tight passageways if needed. It had advantages, the main one being that he rarely rode it. The element of surprise was always useful. The main disadvantage was the noise, especially at this hour.

  There was no way that Charlie wouldn’t know that Annabel was in hospital. She’d be tracking Joel, having waited in the wings to steal her chance. It was what she did; what Vincent had trained and expected her to do. She was an expert. He’d got inside Charlie’s head on this one and never doubted that she’d make a play for the kid. It was only a question of when and how.