Jessie Slaymaker's Non-Existent Love Life (The Jessie Slaymaker Series)

by Jo Iles

  ‘Sonia, you’re not listening to me. The plan to get Jessie to be the scapegoat for taking that information has seriously backfired on me. For some reason they seem intent on believing her innocent rather than me,’ Charlie whined.

  ‘I can’t think why,’ Sonia chipped in sarcastically. Jessie could practically hear Sonia rolling her eyes even if she was too far away and it was too dark to see.

  ‘I had it all planned out. I thought, worst-case scenario, even if I was suspected, then she’d take the blame for me. She’s besotted with me. Now they’ve gone and offered her a job out here,’ Charlie said bitterly. ‘And now I’m suspect number one thanks to her bloody testimony, the little bitch. That’s why I need my money now, so I can get out of this bloody mess.’

  ‘Wait, they’ve offered her a job here? In Hong Kong?’ Sonia asked incredulously. ‘You said she was useless.’

  Jessie hadn’t been able to process the full extent of what she’d heard come out from Charlie’s mouth, but she had zeroed in on the shocked and surprised tone from Sonia. It wasn’t that farfetched that she should have been offered a job in Hong Kong. Was it?

  ‘Yep, she is. But I can’t control any of that now, so your little plan to entrap Jack has an obstacle,’ Charlie said almost gleefully.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not worried about her. Jack is as good as mine now. As long as he’s in fear of my father’s wrath for breaking their agreement, there’s no chance he’d dare go off with that Jessie woman.’

  ‘I seriously doubt that she’d move out here anyway,’ Charlie said. ‘She’s just not brave enough,’ he added. ‘I take it the information about Jack and your father proved useful then?’

  ‘Yes, Charlie. And I’ve already thanked you for that. Look, I’ll see what I can do to expedite the funds to you first thing tomorrow,’ Sonia suddenly conceded, and seemed impatient to conclude this liaison with Charlie. ‘Meanwhile, I have to get back to my party, and I think it best you disappear. I’ll call you in the morning.’

  Sonia began walking, but Charlie suddenly grabbed her and kissed her. Not just a peck on the cheek either. It was a full-on smooch. If she’d been wearing socks, he would have kissed them right off her. Sonia pulled away and, instead of reprimanding him as Jessie expected she would with a slap round the chops, she just laughed and told him to go in a hushed whisper.

  By now, Jessie’s thighs were on fire and cramping like never before in her life. This, combined with the facts she’d just heard and the act she’d just witnessed, caused her to lose her balance, and she stumbled forward. She knew immediately that her blasted shoes had made an audible noise on the paving that couldn’t simply be passed off as trees rustling or some such other outdoorsy noise. Jessie’s only hope now was that Sonia wouldn’t clock her as she made a run for it—or rather swiftly tiptoed, to be more precise—back the way she’d come. She’d barely done any physical exertion, but her heart was thumping and she could hear her breathing coming loud and fast.

  Once back inside the house, Jessie hot-footed it to the bathroom on a quest to control her ensuing hyperventilation. Well, that was her plan, but she was, after all, in a maze of a building, and such a thing as finding the bathroom was easier said than done. In her haste and flustered state, she’d had to ask two different waiters for the desired location before she finally found what she was looking for. Jessie leaned heavily on the washbasin for some time before she was able to bring her breathing back under control.

  ‘So,’ she sighed as she slowly looked up into the mirror to see that her complexion had now turned quite pale. ‘Charlie tried to set me up,’ she said to herself bitterly. And what’s more, the fucking bastard was going round telling people she was useless. Jessie stood still for some time, shaking her head, as she tried to make sense of what she’d just heard.

  First, she ran through what she’d learned about Charlie. She’d already known that he’d been in Mr Chan’s office, and had stolen the sensitive information. But now she also knew that he’d deliberately tried to set her up to take the blame for it! Bastard. He’d then sold his precious information to Sonia—and despite his protestations to Jessie that Sonia wasn’t interested in him, there was definitely something going on between those two. That kiss spoke volumes. Conclusion: Charlie was a self-serving lying bastard.

  Next, Jessie thought about Sonia. Sonia had paid Charlie for stolen information. It was also clear from what Jessie had heard that Sonia had known all about Jack’s agreement with her father. Jessie felt sure that Jack hadn’t been informed about that little gem of pertinent information. Sonia was totally playing on Jack’s fear of her father to keep him under her thumb. Conclusion: Sonia was not the good girl she made herself out to be. She was a schemer who was prepared to have someone else essentially break the law—for that is what Charlie did when he stole those documents. Winning Jack was the cherry on the top.

  It was too much for Jessie to digest as she began to fan herself ineffectually with a tissue. The more she thought about what she’d discovered, the dizzier she felt. She didn’t have a clue what was going on, or how many other people might be involved. It did cross her mind that perhaps even Jack was actively involved and all three of the buggers had been scheming around her and weaving a web of intrigue. She didn’t think this was the case though. She hoped it wasn’t the case. Something in the pit of her stomach told her that Jack was as innocent as she was. Jessie took several more deep breaths, then reapplied her lipstick and brushed her cheeks with some blush to make her look a bit less shocked.

  ‘But what to do now?’ Jessie asked herself as she gathered up her makeup into her bag. She allowed herself another couple of deep breaths, forced her shoulders back, and prepared to reenter the lion’s den—aka Sonia’s party.

  Chapter 64

  Jack was having the time of his life—not. Fortunately, he’d managed to find a quiet spot near the kitchen where Sonia hadn’t found him yet and where he could sit in relative peace. He was glad to be alone, and contented himself with watching the waiting staff glide backwards and forwards, delivering trays of canapés to Sonia’s guests, whilst he wallowed and continued to feel sorry for himself. Sonia had paraded him around all night, steering him this way and that, introducing him to this somebody and that somebody, all the while feeling like he was a nobody. It was clear to him that none of this Hong Kong set wanted to meet him on account of his success in Shanghai. No, they only wanted to pass the time of day with him because it appeared that he was Sonia’s latest squeeze.

  Is that what he was? Her latest squeeze? That suggested an air of the temporary, and Jack had gotten the distinct impression that Sonia’s plans for them were far from temporary. He’d already overhead a couple of the guests saying things like they’d ‘never seen Sonia so happy’ and ‘what a perfect couple.’ He’d even heard Sonia herself explaining to a couple of people that he already knew her father and that they ‘got on well.’

  Perhaps he was overthinking things. What was he really complaining about? A gorgeous, intelligent woman wanted to be with him. They’d known each other for years, were very good friends, mixed in the same circles, and ultimately came from the same privileged world. Perhaps Sonia was the one for him, and he should just bite the bullet and get on with it. When he’d gone back to England, he’d been lost. Maybe what he’d been looking for all along was still in Asia. Yes, Jack told himself. Sonia could be good for him.

  But that was easy enough to say. Not so easy to really believe. A nagging voice inside his head was still worried. Worried about her father and what he would do to him for interfering with his daughter. Jack really didn’t know if Mr Shum would call for the hit man, as rumour had it. There was something else niggling him. Although he and Sonia had gotten together after a drunken night, there was something about the whole affair which reminded him of an arranged marriage. Not that he was even contemplating marriage. No way. But subconsciously, the thought had crossed his mind. What if old Mr Shum insisted he marry Sonia? How would
he feel about that? Jack shuddered involuntarily and told himself he’d just have to make the best of it.

  He was also worried about ending up with the wrong person. Whether it was for a week, a year, or a lifetime, the wrong person was the wrong person. And life was short. He guessed he could be content with Sonia, but could he be truly happy with her? The kind of happiness that radiates from every pore? He just wasn’t sure. There was also the sex. They’d done it again the morning after the night before and it hadn’t been bad. But it hadn’t been great either, Jack thought sadly.

  Right on cue as he was thinking about sex, a flash of midnight blue flew past him. Jessie. She looked a little lost, trying several doors before she found the bathroom. Jack knew he should get up and find a different hiding place. But he couldn’t. He was drawn to this woman and he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible—while he still could. So he waited. He waited for ages. He waited so long he thought that she’d found a different way out. But he knew this house fairly well, and he knew there was no other exit for her to have taken. Jack was about to get up and knock on the door to check if she was alright when the door slowly opened. He watched her carefully, noticing how she arranged her face and posture for the public. He could see something clearly was not right with her. He’d been so entrenched in his own mess that he hadn’t thought much about anyone else. Yes, of course he’d thought about Jessie, but he hadn’t stopped to consider how she was doing in Hong Kong. Then he remembered that she’d been about to tell him something earlier out on the terrace before Sonia had whisked him away.

  ‘Jessie,’ he called out to her, beckoning her over to where he was sitting. She saw him and paused, seemingly undecided as to whether to walk over to him or not. Apparently making up her mind, she walked slowly over to him wearing a serious expression. Gone was her excited and happy demeanour from before when she’d been keen to tell him something. She stopped a few paces in front of him. Jack automatically went to grab her hand to pull her closer to him but she snatched it away quickly, obviously not wanting to be touched.

  ‘What’s wrong, Jessie?’ he asked softly.

  ‘Lots,’ she replied, throwing her eyes up to the ceiling before fixing him with an odd look like she didn’t quite trust him. Then she visibly shook herself like she was a professional sportswoman getting ready to race, exhaled loudly, and plonked herself down next to him.

  ‘Very elegant,’ he teased, unable to not smile at her, as he nudged her shoulder with his.

  ‘Ha ha. Very funny,’ she replied, rolling her eyes at him whilst grabbing his drink and taking a large swig.

  ‘Hey, that’s mine!’ he halfheartedly protested.

  ‘I need it more than you do,’ she said as she took another big mouthful.

  He was about to object and say that he wasn’t so sure of that, but stopped himself. From the moment he’d arrived in Hong Kong this trip had been all about him. About how he’d been slighted, and how he felt about things, and about the mess he was now in. He remembered Jessie’s face when she came out of the bathroom, and realised that she probably had her own shit going on and probably no one to talk to about it. He let Jessie sit there quietly, finishing his drink, just feeling content to be in her presence. Jack didn’t want to push her, and he knew that, provided they were left in peace, she’d talk eventually.

  Chapter 65

  Jessie didn’t know where to begin. Not a flipping clue. There she was, sat with the love of her life—possibly—necking his drink, and she was speechless. In fact she was wordless. She couldn’t even think of one measly word to say to him. Jessie had managed to convince herself of one thing, though. She’d looked into his eyes and knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jack didn’t have an inkling of what his brother and his new girlfriend were up to.

  ‘How’s the girlfriend?’ Jessie asked, aiming at a lighthearted, jovial tone when she eventually spoke.

  ‘Ha ha. Very funny,’ he replied, mirroring her earlier response.

  ‘Jack,’ she began, serious now, turning to face him. ‘Are you sure Sonia doesn’t know about the agreement you made with her father?’ she asked carefully. Jessie knew she had to sow a seed rather than merely make a bold statement which he would be unlikely to believe or want to hear.

  ‘Positive,’ he said quickly. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘And who else knew about it? About the deal?’ she asked, ignoring rather than answering his question.

  ‘Just myself and Mr Shum. And like I told you before, nothing was written down. At least not to my knowledge.’

  ‘So if Mr Shum died, do you think he would have nothing in place to stop you from marrying his daughter?’ Jessie said objectively, although she felt herself go queasy at the thought of Jack marrying anyone. Jack looked blank. It was obvious to Jessie that he hadn’t thought of that, and that he simply had no way of actually knowing.

  ‘Are you sure no one else could know? Or have guessed?’ Jessie pushed further, needing the conversation to come round to Charlie. ‘Surely questions were asked about your funding in China when you first set up your company?’

  ‘There was never any secret about who set me up. I think people just presumed that because Mr Shum was an old family friend, he was the obvious person to help me.’

  ‘But if people knew Mr Shum, would they think he would offer his assistance freely? Or would they assume that he’d expect something in return?’ Jessie asked, conscious that she was sounding a little cryptic.

  ‘What is it you’re trying to tell me, exactly?’ Jack asked, fixing her with a pointed look. Jessie didn’t say anything. She diverted her gaze away from Jack’s and stared off into the middle distance as her state of wordlessness returned.

  ‘Spit it out, Jessie. We don’t have all night, and Sonia has probably sent out a search party already,’ Jack said irritably, scanning the vicinity. The mention of Sonia nudged Jessie out of her trance as she felt a sense of urgency flow through her.

  ‘Look, Jack. There’s no easy way of saying this, but I’m sure Sonia knew about your deal with Mr Shum. I don’t know why, but she’s deliberately entrapped you into being with her. She’s playing games with you and Charlie,’ Jessie said, looking at Jack and trying to gauge his reaction.

  Jack didn’t have time to try and digest what she had told him and ask questions, because at that moment they were interrupted again by the lady of the hour. Sonia.

  ‘Hello again, you two,’ Sonia said as she stood over them. ‘Not interrupting anything, am I?’

  ‘Not at all,’ Jessie replied jumpily. All Jessie wanted to do was put on a disappearing act. Knowing what she knew, she felt extremely uncomfortable being in the same vicinity as Sonia. The woman couldn’t be trusted.

  ‘Do you know what? I’m actually really tired and I have to catch a flight tomorrow. I think I’m going to say goodbye to Mr Chan and then make a move,’ Jessie announced, handing Jack his now-empty glass and standing up.

  ‘Leaving so soon? Well, have a safe trip home, and thanks again for coming,’ Sonia said insincerely, pulling Jack to his feet and linking her arm through his. Yuck, Jessie thought to herself. Sonia was all over Jack like a rash.

  ‘I hope you enjoyed your time in Hong Kong, but as you know, all good things must come to an end,’ Sonia added coldly, looking Jessie square in the eye. The depth of meaning was not lost on Jessie. Sonia wanted her gone. Gone from Hong Kong and gone from Jack’s life. It was clear as day that Sonia would not be welcoming Jessie to Asia if she did take that job in Hong Kong.

  ‘See you,’ Jessie said as politely as she could, ‘and thanks again. Bye, Jack,’ she added, feeling sad that she was leaving him to this viper.

  Still, he was a big boy, and in theory he should be able to look after himself. The only trouble was, he had the combined plotting of his lovely loyal brother and his good friend Sonia to contend with. As Jessie left Sonia and Jack to more introductions and social butterflydom, it suddenly dawned on her that with the information she had, she needed
to save two people. Jack and Mr Chan. She’d tried her best to save Jack. What he did with the information she’d given him was up to him now. She only hoped he’d actually been listening to her. Really listening to her. In the meantime, Jessie knew she should definitely go and tell Mr Chan what she knew, which could hopefully help him mitigate any fallout which might occur as a result of the stolen information that Sonia had gotten her hands on.

  Chapter 66

  Jessie managed to find Mr Chan, and on their way back to the hotel she told him everything she’d learned regarding the missing documents. Mr Chan listened carefully, and Jessie was surprised that he didn’t leap to Sonia’s defense, seeing as she seemed to be the golden girl in these parts. Literally. When Jessie told him that it was Sonia who seemed to be behind things, he didn’t seem at all surprised, just disappointed.

  The next day Mr Chan called Jessie whilst she was packing and filled her in with the full story. It turned out that Mr Shum had a vendetta with some of the senior people at the bank, and Sonia had hatched a plan to get even in her father’s name—hopefully with the use of a little tool called blackmail. She wanted to expose some of the bank’s staff by looking at their benefits and bonuses, citing some accountancy anomalies, whilst also pulling out key personnel and offering them up to their competitors. The only snag was, Mr Shum hadn’t sanctioned the plan, and when Mr Chan had asked for a meeting with him, he’d been horrified to find out what his daughter had been up to. The last thing Mr Shum wanted to do was to draw attention to any of his own accounting anomalies—and so he regarded the whole business as playing with fire.

  Mr Shum had apologised to Mr Chan profusely, saying that he would bring his daughter back into line and that the stolen information would be returned to him by the end of the day—along with a solemn promise that they would not use any of it to cause embarrassment to the bank. Jessie had asked if she would need to testify against Sonia to the authorities, but Mr Chan had merely given her one of his chuckles. Jessie simply shrugged silently into the phone, disappointed that a dishonest woman like Sonia would be allowed to fight another day. She guessed that was one of the perks of being part of the super-rich set. On a more positive note, Jessie was pleased for Mr Chan. He sounded thoroughly relieved, and he couldn’t thank her enough. He said he hoped this debacle hadn’t put her off the idea of Hong Kong and told her to take as much time as she needed to consider his offer.