by Ber Carroll
He sat down again, his weight on the bed unbalancing the tray of untouched food. She steadied it.
‘Her mother told me that Julia had had a nervous breakdown a few months before she met me. She had been married before – the divorce was the trigger for her breakdown. The doctors at the hospital suspected she had a drinking problem … This was all news to me … I felt like a fool …’
‘You’re not a fool, Robert. Everyone makes mistakes, even vice-presidents,’ she said, teasing him to lighten the moment.
‘I tried to give it a go, at least for a year, but she wouldn’t admit to her problems and the affection we had at the start wasn’t strong enough to see us through. I’m still not without sympathy for her, but I don’t believe that after one lousy year of marriage she’s entitled to half of everything I’ve worked for …That’s a rather blunt but honest account of what led to the conversation you overheard.’
‘Thanks for telling me.’
When Robert had said a few months back that he was going through a divorce, he’d given no hint of the disappointment and self-blaming and ugliness that was going on in the background. Claire could understand now why he had run away to Sydney, and why he sometimes seemed overcome with regret, and whilst there was still a lot she had to process from their conversation, her most immediate feeling was that she felt closer to him.
She had a leisurely breakfast while he showered and dressed for work. She was content to watch him complete his morning routine. There seemed no need to talk after their intense conversation about his marriage.
The car phone rang while they were in transit to her apartment. She handed him the earpiece.
‘Hello, there,’ he gave a friendly greeting to the caller. ‘It’s a beautiful morning here in Sydney – blue skies, sunshine – it’s good to be alive.’ He turned to give Claire a wink. ‘Yeah, I got your message. Cathair came to the table on our compromise. I thought they would. It was a good result in the end … Yes … I’ll make sure that it’s not made public … I’m glad I didn’t need to fly back … Yeah, sure … Catch up with you soon.’
‘Was that Donald Skates?’ Claire asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
‘Yes,’ Robert confirmed, taking off the earpiece.
‘You sounded as if you know him quite well,’ she commented.
‘Yes, I do … We go a long way back, Donald and I.’
‘What’s he like?’
‘Donald? He’s a nice man, good to work with … but sometimes he drives me crazy.’
‘Why?’ she asked, laughing.
‘Because he’s so damned conservative … afraid of making mistakes … I keep telling him we can’t learn unless we make mistakes.’
‘That’s a good line. I’ll say that to you the next time I muck up.’
Robert didn’t laugh at her joke; his thoughts were still with Donald.
‘My patience with him has been stretched to new limits with this Cathair deal. He’s paranoid about everything – what the press print, what they don’t print … I’m sure the press aren’t half as interested in us as he thinks.’
Struggling with her key in the lock, Claire felt guilty for not ringing Fiona to tell her she wasn’t coming home the night before. Fiona must have heard her trying to turn the key as she whipped the door open from the inside.
‘Where the hell –’
When she saw that Claire was not alone, she altered her stance to a more hospitable one.
‘I’m glad to see you weren’t mugged and left for dead somewhere,’ she said instead.
Robert sat in the kitchen and Fiona made him a coffee while Claire changed. She could hear them talking warily as she threw her clothes on the bedroom floor and hurriedly changed into fresh ones.
Robert didn’t live anywhere near where she did so there was no easy explanation as to why she would arrive at work in his car. She suggested he drop her a few doors up, and he agreed.
She rang Fiona as soon as she got to her office.
‘I’m sorry, Fi. It was very inconsiderate of me not to call you last night to let you know I wasn’t coming home,’ she apologised, logging onto her PC as she spoke. There was a multitude of unread messages in her inbox from yesterday afternoon.
‘I was really worried. It’s not like you to forget to call,’ Fiona answered tersely.
‘I know. I know. Sorry … Robert sort of swept me off my feet yesterday. So, what did you think of him?’ She held her breath, not wanting Fiona to disapprove but knowing that she would.
‘You’re right, he is too sexy for his own good, or for yours for that matter. He seemed nice …’
‘Do I detect a “but”?’ Claire prompted.
‘The “but” is that he’s very charming and I’m worried you’re going to get hurt,’ Fiona said quietly.
‘I won’t get hurt. I’m just seeing where this takes me.’
She was lying, both to Fiona and herself. If she was brutally honest, there was a real risk of getting hurt. Because Robert himself was a risk. He was her boss. He had an ex-wife. He was complicated beyond her experience.
A message from him flashed in her inbox and she opened it as Fiona talked about plans for the weekend.
Would you like to go to see the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Saturday night?
She had been afraid that he would leave things hanging like he had after Hong Kong. The message made her stupidly happy and it was hard to keep her voice normal as she spoke to Fiona.
I might do, she typed. What’s in it for me?
She said goodbye to Fiona and did some small easy tasks, keeping a watchful eye on her inbox. He must have had a busy morning because she didn’t receive his reply until midday.
Free dinner. Excellent company.
He was good company. The thought of having a proper date with him made her nervous already, even though it wasn’t until the weekend. Losing half a day yesterday was bad enough without wasting the morning daydreaming. She started to go through her emails with determination.
The company search on DC Solutions had come through. She sat forward in her seat to read the soft copy report on her screen. There were no financial statements included in the report as DC Solutions satisfied the criteria of a ‘small company’ and did not have to file them. In fact, the report was disappointingly brief. There was very little information other than the directors’ names and the equity structure. There were two directors and both were citizens of the United States. The equity was fully owned by a US company called ARS Corporation.
What now? Do I waste more company money and do another search on ARS Corp, or do I let it drop? Her eyes squinted as she scrolled down through the report again in case she had missed something the first time. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. But why aren’t they listed in the phone directory? And Frank was so vague when I queried him about their contract. And if they are just a ‘small’ company, as this report says they are, why are we paying them a million dollars? Is Amtech their only source of revenue?
Her instincts were screaming warnings, ignoring the polite protests of the part of her that said she already had enough work to do without wasting time on another company search.
‘How was the tax seminar?’ James appeared suddenly, catching her off guard.
‘What … oh, it was … good. It was more of a workshop than a seminar,’ she improvised, trying to contain a guilty blush.
‘Did they cover anything on GST?’
‘No, it was income tax only.’
‘I’m surprised Robert went along. A workshop seems a bit low level for him.’ James was unknowingly persistent even though he was simply making conversation.
‘Yeah, I know. I was surprised myself. I think he got caught on the phone to one of the organisers and didn’t know how to say no. I don’t think he’ll go to another one in a hurry – he was bored out of his mind.’ Claire picked up the phone in an attempt to terminate the conversation before she had to tell any further lies. ‘Sorry, James. I have to make a
phone call.’
‘Before I go, have you decided what you want to do with that cheque?’
‘What cheque?’
‘The one for DC Solutions. I came around yesterday to ask if you wanted it cancelled but you were out … I think it’s too late now.’
Claire hesitated before saying, ‘Did you notice that the invoice has no phone number on it?’
‘No, I didn’t see that. It must be a printing error. I have all the right details in the system – I’ve had no problems contacting them.’
‘Who asked you to set up the vendor?’ Claire asked, still holding the phone.
‘I think it was Frank … it was a few months ago. Do you want me to check?’
‘No, it’s fine. Just let it go.’
She didn’t want too much attention focused on DC Solutions. Amtech was a close-knit company and it wouldn’t take long for Frank to find out she was digging. She waited until James left before she dialled the number.
‘Hello, it’s Claire from Amtech. I need another company search. The company’s name is ARS Corp, incorporated in California.’
As she said the date of incorporation, she realised the holding company was only two months old. Amtech rarely dealt with young companies; they represented too much of a risk. As a consequence, most of Amtech’s business partners were mature organisations with years of experience. She scrolled down to check the date of incorporation for DC Solutions. The company had been registered in June, the very same day as ARS.
‘As the company is a foreign entity, it will take at least ten days before we can produce a report. Do you still want to go ahead?’ the customer service officer asked politely.
‘Yes, please.’
Chapter 19
Samantha knocked on Robert’s door before popping her head inside.
‘There’s someone here to see you.’
‘I’m not expecting any visitors,’ Robert answered, taking off his glasses as he looked up from the document he was reading. He rarely wore them; they left a fresh red rim under his eyes.
‘I know. But I think you’ll be pleased to see this person,’ Samantha smiled.
‘Who is it?’
‘It’s your wife.’
Julia was dressed up to the nines. She swept past Samantha and leaned down to plant a kiss on Robert’s cheek.
He was still seated, stunned.
‘Hello, honey!’
‘Julia … what the hell …’ Robert checked himself, remembering that Samantha was still there. She took the hint, discreetly leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her.
‘Are you surprised?’ Julia kissed him again, on the lips.
‘Yes, yes, I am surprised.’ Robert was dazed as he stood up.
‘Are you happy to see me?’ she asked, clapping her hands together in excitement.
‘Of course,’ he said vaguely, massaging his forehead with his fingers. He had an instant but fierce headache.
‘Is that all you have to say after two months?’ Julia was becoming rapidly disappointed with his lack of response.
‘You’ve thrown me, Julia. Totally thrown me.’ He was pale under his tan.
‘Let’s go somewhere … let’s go to this house you’re staying in.’ She clasped his arm, brushing her breasts suggestively against it.
‘Julia, I can’t just walk out of here. I’ve got work to do.’ He was starting to gather his wits. ‘How long are you here for?’
She shrugged. ‘However long … what does it matter?’
‘It matters a lot. I can’t take time off to spend with you, I have too much happening at the moment.’
‘For goodness’ sake, you haven’t seen me for weeks. You must be able to fit me in somewhere,’ she pouted, her voice getting louder.
Robert could see Samantha through the glass; her desk was right outside. He didn’t want a scene that she could hear.
‘Don’t take it the wrong way,’ he said, his tone more reasonable. ‘I didn’t have the luxury of planning for your visit.’
‘I know, that was very naughty of me.’ Her smile was loaded with innuendo.
‘And I have a golf day with some key clients tomorrow. I have to go to that …’ Robert started to go through his schedule aloud.
‘I’ll come with you. I’ve been to golf with you before – it will be like old times.’
Robert checked his watch. ‘Okay, let’s go. Where are your bags?’
‘In reception.’ She linked his arm as he opened the door.
‘We’ll drop them off at the house … and then I’ll show you some of Sydney.’
‘Do you know where Robert is?’ Claire asked when she saw that his office was unoccupied.
‘He’s gone for the afternoon,’ Samantha replied, busy with a stack of filing.
‘He told me he wanted this report today. I’ve been working on it for the last few hours. I guess it wasn’t that important after all.’ Claire went into his office to put the report on his desk.
‘He went off with his wife about an hour ago,’ Samantha said when she came out, willing to provide more information in the face of Claire’s obvious annoyance.
‘His wife?’
‘Yes, she’s come over to visit him.’
Julia was on her best behaviour at the golf. She flirted with the clients, glowing with the status of being the only attractive female present. The sun glanced off her blonde hair as she mingled confidently, sipping a mineral water. The golf course was adjacent to Collaroy Beach. The green had a superb view of the coastline, warm orange sand meeting the navy water as far as the eye could see. Robert was reminded of the picnic at Newport earlier in the week. He needed to talk to Claire. He hadn’t yet told her about Julia’s surprise visit.
Julia was now talking to Frank, her head tilted as she looked up at him. His sallow face was creased in a smitten smile.
‘Your wife’s very charming,’ Steve Ryan remarked.
‘Frank certainly seems to think so,’ Robert said, nodding in the direction of Julia and Frank as they stood close together, away from the group.
‘Yes, he seems to have a lot more to say to your wife than he has to the clients who are here,’ Steve answered sarcastically.
‘Relax, Steve. It’s a social event. I’m sure he’ll get to the clients,’ Robert said, trying to concentrate on his game. He swore when his putt rolled past the hole.
‘I’m not sure how motivated he is, Robert. He’s way off his quota. He won’t earn any commission this year. I’m not picking up good vibes since we lost that Queensland government deal.’
Something was niggling Steve but Robert wasn’t in the mood to draw it out of him.
‘Yes, losing that was a surprise,’ Robert agreed somewhat absently. His next putt went in and he smiled.
‘I guess he did have the commitment to come here today, even though he’s still on annual leave. That should be a good sign,’ Steve said, still on the subject of Frank.
‘I’m sure it is … How about I pull my wife away from him so that he can mingle with the clients?’
‘That’s an excellent plan. Keep her by your side. It’s where she should be.’ Steve flushed when he realised that his attempt at humour came out sounding inappropriately sexist.
‘Julia, you have to go home tomorrow.’
They were in the car, on their way back to the house. Robert had excused himself from the drinks and nibbles in the clubhouse after the golf. As far as he knew, Julia hadn’t touched alcohol since she had arrived in Sydney but he wasn’t brave enough to place her right in the way of temptation.
‘Why? It’s coming up to the weekend – you’ll be off work.’ Julia’s face was mutinous.
‘I won’t be off work – we have a big deal happening in Hong Kong that doesn’t pay any regard to weekends.’
They were passing over Spit Bridge but she was blind to the splendour of the sun as it edged towards the horizon.
‘Look, isn’t that a beautiful sunset?’ He took one hand from the wheel t
o point it out to her.
‘Don’t tell me that you can’t make time for me after I came all this way to see you,’ she said, her voice a whisper as she stared ahead. The sunset was not going to distract her.
‘Let’s not go there – you didn’t consult me before coming.’
His face was flaming hot; he must have got sunburned in the winter sunshine. When she didn’t answer, he glanced over at her to see tears streaming down her face.
‘Give me your ticket when we get home. I’ll ring the airline for you and get you on a flight tomorrow morning,’ he said practically, hoping she would give up the weeping when she realised he wasn’t negotiable. Her silent tears became loud sobs. He cringed.
‘Julia, don’t spoil the nice time we had today and yesterday. Let’s leave it on a good note … hmmm?’
He had planned to talk to her about the divorce tonight but she was getting close to hysterical in the seat beside him and he realised that it wasn’t the right time. Julia was a long way from home with no support. She’d had a breakdown when her first marriage ended and Robert didn’t want history repeating itself. He needed to give more thought to the best way to tell her.
‘Where’s Robert?’ David asked, looking impatiently at the clock on the wall of the Duxton suite.
‘With his wife, I presume … He’s possibly forgotten about the management meeting this morning,’ Steve replied, helping himself to a coffee. It had been a late night after the golf yesterday – he would be propping himself up with a lot of coffee today.
‘If I had a wife like his, I’d certainly forget about the management meeting,’ Frank leered.
Claire felt a wave of jealousy. She had tried not to overreact after talking to Samantha on Wednesday, deciding she would wait to speak to Robert and hear what he had to say about his estranged wife coming to Sydney. But with the whole management team discussing Julia like this, she felt her resolve to stay open-minded being whittled away.
‘Tone it down, Frank,’ Brian admonished, looking at Claire.
She busied herself reading the agenda, furious with Frank, furious with Robert.
