“How did you know I was here?”
“Oh your business partner, Mr. Mellor told me you were there when you closed your business.”
“I am sorry could you repeat that?”
“Yes, your business partner Mr. Mellor told me you were there when you closed your business.” Dean’s pulse suddenly shot through the roof as the adrenaline coursed through his veins. He went white as things started slowly falling into place.
“And what happened to the accounts?”
“We shut all those down, as requested, and transferred all the monies to your accounts in Switzerland.” Dean sat down as the information sank in.
“And what of my private accounts?”
“Oh, those are still open, Sir. They were nothing to do with the business and therefore are still up and running. Although I feel I must point out that with your spending over the last month and no money coming from the company account-”
“Yes, yes.” Dean cut him off before he could warn him that he was almost out of money. He paused. “I have other accounts. I can wire some funds through to you today.”
“Very good Sir.”
“Also Mr. Larpen, please make yourself available. I need to meet with you with regard to the closed company account. I shall need everything you have. I shall explain when I get there.”
“Yes, of course. Just let me know when you wish to meet.”
“Thank you. I shall be in touch shortly.”
Dean sat down and looked seriously at Ellen.
“I have to thank you and also have to think.”
“Why thank me?”
“Well. It appears Matt has scammed us both. If you hadn’t come here today, I don’t know how far it would have gone.”
“Really? How?”
“Firstly, he kept me here in Spain, whilst he closed my company and raped it of all its assets. Assets, I am afraid, that included your investment. I can only imagine he took or transferred them all to his own company along with any assets and contracts I had. I don’t know the full story at the moment, but I will.”
“But how could he keep you in Spain?”
“Julia. It appears she was under Matt’s employ.”
“She was a hooker?” She was tempted to laugh.
“I don’t really know that, but when she found out you were his wife she accidentally let slip that she knew him too.”
“Oh God. What a day. It doesn’t get any worse than this does it?”
“Oh I don’t know. I have had a few. What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know yet, Ellen, we shall sort it all out, but I am not sure yet, how. I have to tell you though, I am much angrier than I appear to be.”
“Yes being British does have its advantages doesn’t it?” They both turned to the dockside where Julia could still be heard screaming expletives loudly. “She’s not having a good day either.” She said with a wry smile.
Neither spoke at any length on the plane back to London. There was a bond between them now. A bond that joined them on so many levels; love and betrayal, deceit and lies, and they had both been pawns in the hands of a master conman, Matt. Both wanted their revenge. Neither knew how they were going to get it but they both knew they had an ally in each other and that in turn gave each of them a certain strength.
After the meeting at the bank, in which it said they would start a full investigation and lengthy reports were made to both the police and companies house, Dean went to find his housekeeper and also Margaret, who had been loyal to him for so many years. When he told her what had happened, she sat down and cried that she had unwittingly been duped, and so trusting too. She offered to give all the money back to him, and swore she would make it up to him. He refused the money, saying it was hers to keep, but he would like her to work with him again, once he got his company back on its feet. She gratefully accepted.
Dean had one more thing he needed to do. He had not heard from Veronique and that puzzled him, but at this stage he thought she might have been made redundant, or maybe she was just happy at home being a housewife with the loves of her life, Nico and Michael.
“Come on,” he said to Ellen.
“Where are we going?”
“To see Veronique.”
“You never did explain that.”
“I’ll tell you in the car.”
He told Ellen the few things he knew, that Priscilla was really Veronique and that she worked on the ship with Nico. That she changed her name to escape Matt, which was why Matt had reacted so oddly at the wedding. She had a child called Michael by Nico and that Michael was now his Godson and he adored him.
Ellen started laughing suddenly realising how silly she had been and how jealous she had been of Veronique thinking she was with Dean and the child was his. Dean watched her laughing thinking how inappropriate it all was under the circumstances. He didn’t think he had said anything funny at all.
“I shall have you know I am a very good Godfather and am very good with children.”
“Oh Dean. It’s not that. I thought you were in a relationship with her and the child was yours!”
“Heavens no! What do you take me for? Some Don Juan?”
“Well, Julia?”
“Touché. No, Veronique is his sister.” He smiled.
“His sister? Why would she want to escape him?”
“That I can’t answer, you will have to ask her that. Here we are.” He pulled up outside Veronique’s home.
Knocking at the door got no response. Neither did ringing the doorbell incessantly.
“Maybe they are away on holiday?” ventured Ellen.
“Maybe.”
Dean bent down and shouted through the letterbox.
“Veronique, sweetie. Anyone? It’s Dean. Are you there?”
There was a delay of a few moments and Dean heard shuffling sounds and then the door opened slightly. There was a chain across the door and her face was just seen through the crack.
“Veronique? My God!” He exclaimed when he saw her. “Are you all right?” Her hair was growing through blonde where she had not been dying it dark and was lank and unwashed. Her face pale and drawn, and her eyes still red from crying. “What is it? Is it Nico? Did you split up or something?” She shook her head. “Darling, what is it?” His voice showed genuine concern and for that moment he forgot that Ellen was behind him. “Let me in Veronique. Let me in.” She stood there not moving and went to close the door. “Let me in Veronique, please.”
She paused and then took the chain off the door and allowed it to open so he could enter.
He stepped in and looked around the place. There was police tape everywhere, rolled up on the side and he didn’t realise that she hadn’t moved a thing since she had returned. The place had been cleaned after the police left, but all of Michael’s toys lay where he had been playing with them last. She hadn’t really been eating either and was as thin as a rake.
“Where is Michael?” He looked around. “Veronique,” he said gently, “where is Michael?”
“Sleeping.” He looked at Ellen concerned.
“You look after her. I am going upstairs to check on Michael.”
Ellen didn’t really know what to do and so she took Veronique through to the living room and sat her down in the armchair. Dean came charging down the stairs two at a time.
“Where is he Veronique? Where is he?”
“Matt.”
Ellen bristled at the sound of his name, as did Dean.
“What about Matt? Veronique?”
“Matt came.”
“Did he take him?” He started to panic. “Veronique, look at me. Did he take him?”
She shook her head.
“Dead. He is dead.”
“Who is dead?
“Michael.” It was the first time she had acknowledged it, to herself, or anyone.
“Michael is dead? How?” Dean gasped as though a knife had just been plunged into his heart.
“Matt. Matt killed him.”
/> He could hardly breathe, and he fell backwards onto the sofa. Veronique screamed like an animal when he sat on the sofa. He quickly stood up, then dropped to his knees in sorrow, his head bent as the tears flowed freely. Ellen had never seen Dean so distraught. She looked to Veronique, who was in her own world, looking distraught too. She put her hand on Dean, and then went to hold him. He cried in her arms. When he stopped crying, he stood up, and walked across to Veronique.
“Where is Matt?”
“France. I hope he is dead. I stabbed him.” She started to get a flash of anger in her eyes. “As he was killing my Michael, I stabbed him. Over, and over, again.”
“Where is he in France?”
“At our family home, maybe.” She got out a piece of paper with the address on, and handed it to him.
“Listen Veronique, if Matt is not dead, you have my word, I am going to kill him.” Dean was not a violent man, but he wanted nothing more than to murder Matt.
***
Dean managed to persuade Ellen to go with him. He didn’t want to leave her out of his sight, not for one moment. He knew they had to catch up with him and bring him to justice. Otherwise they were victims, and they had lost. They caught a flight to Nice, and arrived later that day. The sun was shining and holidaymakers surrounded them. Happy laughing people were everywhere. It was so surreal. Especially as they were there, with blackened hate filled, hearts.
They hired a car and drove up the winding roads to the villa, more than once they had to stop to ask directions. Arriving outside the villa, Ellen didn’t want to get out of the car. She perspired with both the tension and the heat.
Dean walked over to the door and banged at the door loudly. The door opened a few moments later.
“Mr. Mellor?”
“Not ’ere.”
“When?”
“Soon.” He shrugged his shoulders. Dean tried another tact. He turned to Ellen and pointed to her.
“This is Mrs. Mellor to see him. Mr Mellor.” He spoke very slowly as though that would help.
“Oh.” The man opened the door and invited them in and smiling at Ellen warmly. She smiled back more out of habit than the desire to smile and got out of the car and went in.
They were shown to the main salon and cool drinks were brought to them, a lovely tray with iced tea and lemon. It was a beautiful room and showed great designer taste. A large rug was in the centre of the floor and warmed the cool marble with its pastel shades and pattern. Flowers were in vases around the room and the air was fragrantly perfumed.
“Toilet?” Ellen asked the housekeeper who nodded and gestured for her to follow her. She took Ellen upstairs and showed her the way.
It was more than twenty minutes before Matt returned. He eyed the hired car with suspicion as he parked and then walked into the villa. He looked around to see who was visiting. Dean stood up as the car arrived and the moment Ellen saw him, all the rage she had carefully kept under control, exploded like the historical explosion of Mount Tambora. She literally pounced on Matt the moment he walked, in her nails arced and aimed at his eyes.
“You bastard,” she screamed whilst trying to dig her nails into his face. Matt laughed as he enjoyed the tussle with her. He held her off easily.
“Oh miss me, did you? Came to find your beloved husband? You have balls, I will tell you that. How did you get out and find me?” Ellen screamed and struggled with him. Up until that point, Matt had been unaware that Dean was there. Dean stepped forward and grabbed Matt from behind and held his arms until he was forced to release Ellen.
“You are going to tell us what is going on,” Dean shouted.
“Ha! You were the easiest money I ever made and as for her, she was nothing, but a cheap whore who served my purposes. Even when you were in the clinic, drugged up to your eyeballs, I fucked you. Sometimes, the nurse would hold your mouth open as I came on you. Sometimes, she put your hips on pillows so I could get into you deeper, whilst you slept. You were totally out of it.” He looked at Ellen with contempt, who was still doing her best to punch and kick him in the stomach. She was outraged. He had even raped her when she was drugged and in a, supposedly, safe place.
“I’ll kill you!” Dean spun him around and hit him squarely on the jaw; something that he had never ever done in his life before, but which gave him immense satisfaction. He ignored the agony of his hurt knuckles, and took another swing at him. For the first time ever, he wished he had done boxing at school instead of fencing. He could use those boxing skills now.
Matt’s housekeeper came running through, shouting and waving her arms, and Ellen stopped her as she tried to intervene. Her husband came running through, attracted by all the commotion, and jumped between Matt and Dean. Matt swung his fists at Dean and missed, and accidentally knocked his elderly manservant out cold. His wife dropped to her knees to look after him and Ellen grabbed a very heavy vase, filled with flowers and water, and hit Matt over the head, causing him to fall to the floor, his knees buckling and giving way, as he blacked out. Blood started pooling on the floor around his head.
“Oh my God. I didn’t mean to do that. It was an accident,” She said in horror. She stepped back as Matt’s face started to go pale. Dean grabbed her hand.
“Come on we have got to go. The police will be here any minute.”
The housekeeper, who was sobbing over her husband’s unconscious body, never saw them run out and leave at speed.
Matt’s face started going a deathly pale, as his blood pumped onto the floor.
Chapter Twenty Three - Veronique
“No!” Veronique woke up screaming again, her body shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably. Nico woke up with her and took her into his arms. He held her tightly.
“My baby, my baby. He killed him.” Her hands covered her face. It was the first time he heard her say this and he tried to calm her, knowing that now she had acknowledged what had happened, she would be able to heal her emotional wounds and pick up her life. He knew it would be a long journey, but he would be there for her.
Veronique hated her brother. She always had but then she had loved him too until this. Now there was just a ripe and festering hatred for him. Any love she may have felt for him in her misguided and groomed youth was gone. Now she knew what he had done and she moaned. A sound that came from her core, from deep inside her. A guttural cry that filled her and the room she was in.
“Nico. I want to die. I can’t live through this.”
“Shhh my love, you can and you will be ok.” He had tears in his eyes. Tears of sadness but also relief. She could slowly begin to live again. He rocked her and when she slept he held her still.
In the morning, when Nico was downstairs making breakfast, Veronique got up and went to the bathroom. She saw herself in the mirror for the first time in a month. She splashed her face with cold water, and looked at herself again. She looked so old and so bitter.
“You ok in there?” Nico was outside. He tried the handle of the door, which was locked.
“Yes I am.” She felt the resolve start to enter her soul. She felt herself getting stronger, and she felt the strength rising within her like a snake uncoiling, before it strikes. She had felt this once before, the last time Matt had crossed her. The last time she had run away and that hadn’t worked. This time, this time she would run towards him, and face her fears. This time, she would attack, and not defend. This time, there was no room for him to attack again. This time, she would do what she had to do. She would make him pay for everything.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she had washed and styled her hair, had done her makeup and she was calm and controlled. Never again, was she going to be a victim to any one.
She put her clothes on with precision, and started to pack a bag with a few essential items including her French house keys, her credit cards, some cash, her sleeping pills and her passport. It was all so clear now, so obvious. The answer was so simple now that she had made up her mind; the thoughts were going around and around in
a loop. Murder Matt, to murder Matt. And she agreed it was what she must do to be rid of him and to avenge her son’s death. It had been Dean’s words that had first given her the idea. He wanted to kill Matt, but she realised that unless she did it, she would never have the satisfaction of knowing she had taken control and made him pay. She had to get there first. For all she knew, Dean and Ellen were already on their way to France. She hadn’t a moment to lose. She had to be the one to murder Matt.
She started to laugh, as she thought of the knife plunging into him over and over again. This time though, he would not be able to stagger away. This time she would stab and stab, until his heart stopped beating. Only then, could she be happy again. It wouldn’t bring Michael back, but he could rest in peace. She could rest knowing she had ended Matt’s life. Even if she were sent to prison for the rest of her days, she would smile to her last moment on earth. She would run, laughing, towards her grave. She would see him in hell, and welcome it.
Nico was surprised when Veronique came downstairs, all calm and collected. She kissed him and went out the front door and started down the path to the car. He started after her, running behind her, still in his bathrobe.
“Where are you going?”
“I have something I have to do,” she said calmly, too calmly for Nico's liking.
“Wait I will come with you. Come back inside.”
“No, it’s best you stay here. I don’t want you implicated.”
“Implicated in what?” Nico didn’t like what he was hearing. She got into the car and lowered the window.
“I have to do this alone. Trust me Nico. I finally know what I have to do.” She smiled in a way that frightened him and he didn’t frighten easily.
“Wait!” She drove off leaving Nico stood in the street. He had no idea what she was doing, or where she was going, but knew he had to go after her.
She was sitting in the airport departure lounge, when a man came and sat by her. If he had known what she was thinking, he would have avoided her at all costs. She had been thinking of all the different ways to kill someone. Matt, in particular. With every method, she saw him die in a new way. She thought of the pros and cons of each method. She was still undecided, when he started to talk. At first, she didn’t listen, and had tried to ignore him, but then he mentioned the word murder, and her hearing zoned in.
To Murder Matt Page 27
