In Focus (2009) (25 page)

‘Oh, Edward—’ She broke off, not knowing what to say.

He kissed her cheek. ‘No need for words. We enjoyed one another’s company, and we’re going to continue doing that.’

She was sorry he hadn’t tried to persuade her to go back to his flat. She was sorry he’d come into her life at such a complicated time.

No, she wasn’t. She was glad she’d met him, whatever the circumstances.

Fifteen

Beth got up on Monday feeling hopeful that things had taken a turn for the better, even though so much was still to be resolved. She didn’t feel like breakfast and didn’t want to disturb the others, so left a note for Ghita and was at work by just after five. Someone had to be there to make sure the early shifts went off smoothly and it was easier to sort things out from the office than from home.

When a woman rang in sick she called in a standby cleaner. It was a house rule that you rang in if you couldn’t make it, one of the few things for which she had dismissed people who offended more than once. When a second person rang in, none of the other standbys answered their phones. In the end she raced along to the office block in question and filled in herself. She worked quickly and efficiently, noting that parts of the floor had been skimped last time.

As they all trooped outside at eight o’clock, she caught up with the group supervisor. ‘Who’s been doing the sixth floor, Rachel?’

‘That student, what’s he called? Tom.’

‘He’s been skimping. Do you want to have a word with him or shall I?’

Rachel flushed. ‘I can’t seem to get through to him about our standards. I’ve already spoken to him twice, and he’s apologetic, promises to do better next time, and he does for a while. Then things start to slip again.’

‘I’ll come in tomorrow and speak to him myself.’ She patted Rachel’s shoulder, knowing that even though her companion had three small children at home, she was an extremely conscientious and reliable worker. ‘If warnings don’t work in future, let me know. It doesn’t mean you’re failing. I’m the next step up the chain of command, so it’s normal and right for you to turn to me.’

She smiled. ‘The rest of the place looks good and those changes you made seem to be working well.’

Rachel’s expression brightened. ‘Thanks. It is more efficient, I think.’

‘I’ve been wondering if you’d like to go on a people management course?’

‘I’d love to, but I can’t afford to lose my pay.’

‘You won’t lose anything. It’s paid training. I’ll get Sandy to ring you and discuss arrangements.’

Rachel flushed in pleasure. ‘Thank you. I’d love to do that. I’ve not been on a course since I left school.’

Beth walked to her car, knowing she’d have to sack Tom. He’d had two warnings about sloppy work and if that hadn’t done it, experience told her nothing would. She remembered him clearly. Good-looking, full of himself, but she’d been doubtful about him from the start, only he’d applied at a time when they’d taken on a new contract and were short of cleaners. He’d said he was a student, but she’d seen him around during the day a few times so he couldn’t be studying full-time.

She left a message on his phone as soon as she got back to the office then sat back, feeling tired.

Sandy came in, looked at her and said tartly, ‘Don’t tell me. No one else was available, so you had to do the work yourself.’

Beth shrugged. ‘You know how it is.’

‘You look exhausted. Did you eat any breakfast before you started?’

She had to think for a moment. ‘I forgot. Besides, I had a huge meal yesterday. Edward took me for a drive in the country and we stopped at a pub.’

‘You mean you had a huge lunch. What did you have for tea?’

‘What is this, the Inquisition? I had some supper. Ghita made it.’

‘I’m your friend as well as your employee, so I’ll continue to question you when you look like that. I care about you so I’m going out to buy you a sandwich and I’m standing over you till I’ve seen you eat it.’

‘I’ll go and buy myself one. I could do with some fresh air.’

But before she even got to the door, a new client phoned and she had to change her plans.

‘You need another member of staff,’ Sandy said. ‘A personal assistant. You can afford it.’

‘Perhaps. I’ll think about it.’

‘I’ll draw up some job specs. Now, promise you’ll get something to eat on the way there.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’

She meant to, she really did, but she was thinking about Jo and Ghita and it slipped her mind.

Edward woke feeling happy after a thoroughly relaxing day out with Beth on the Sunday. It wasn’t until he’d finished breakfast that he began to wonder what to do with himself. How wonderful to have the whole day stretching before him! Normally he’d have been at the office by nine, discussing the coming week’s show with Pete, sewing up any loose ends, answering a dozen phone calls.

It was no use calling Beth. She’d be working hard.

When the phone rang he checked the caller ID before he picked it up. He didn’t intend to be dragged back to the office. ‘Hi, Aunt Sue. How are you?’

There was silence, then, ‘I’m a bit upset, dear. Pete came to see me on Saturday.’

‘Yes.’

‘You knew about it?’

‘He told me.’

‘I didn’t know he’d been kidnapped, Edward, I
swear
I didn’t. Have you seen Pete? I tried to contact him yesterday, but he’s not answering my calls.’

Her voice was so shaky, he said at once, ‘Do you still make the best scones in the universe? Good, then I’ll come out to see you mid-morning. We’ll talk about this quietly. I’ll be there in about an hour.’

Annoyed, he rang Pete at the office.

His cousin greeted him with, ‘Ready to come back to work?’

‘Nope. I want to know what you said to your mother on Saturday. She’s very upset and says you’re not answering her calls.’

Pete’s voice turned sulky. ‘I was out all day. The last thing I wanted when I got back was to have my mother weeping all over me.’

‘Then you shouldn’t have treated her so harshly. You know what she’s been like since your father died. What
exactly
did you say?’

‘I asked her why they didn’t tell me I was adopted, and as usual she said it was Dad’s idea. Then I told her what had really happened, that I have a sister and a birth mother hounding me and—’

‘They’re hardly
hounding
you.’

‘It feels like it. That sister of mine has a steely look in her eye. If my birth mother is at all like her, I don’t want to know either of them.’

‘What you mean is, you don’t want anyone to upset your happy little bubble. Well, get over that, Pete, because your real family aren’t going to go away.’

The phone was slammed down on him.

Edward went to the gym to do twenty minutes’ swimming, then drove out to his aunt’s.

No sooner had Pete put the phone down, than it rang again. ‘Oh, hi Gerry.’

‘Is Edward coming in this morning for the show briefing? He’s not been in touch today.’

‘Oh, er, he resigned last week. I’m sure it’s only temporary. We can manage without him for a week or so, surely? You can take his place.’

‘I don’t have his notes, don’t know the details of what’s been planned.’

‘I’ll look for them in his office and get back to you. You will, of course, be paid at a higher rate while he’s off.’

‘But you do think he’ll be coming back? I can’t manage for long without him, Pete. I’ve never made all the arrangements myself. I’ve been mainly in charge of the research for the
Who Am I?
segment.’

‘Look, I know Edward. He’s my cousin as well as my manager and he won’t let me down. I just need to give him a few days to get his head together. I have every confidence in you in the meantime, Gerry.’

Pete glanced at the clock, eager to end this conversation. He was having lunch with Rosa and was looking forward to it. He’d enjoyed being with her at the weekend. Strange that, with no sex involved. He wasn’t feeling the lack as much as he’d expected, either. Well, no wonder. He had too much on his mind.

Edward drew up outside his aunt’s house. He’d have expected to find her in the garden on a day like this but there was no sign of her. He went to rap on the door and when she didn’t answer, he pushed it open.

She was in the kitchen, sitting weeping over a batch of burnt scones, and she looked dreadful. She didn’t even notice him coming in.

‘Aunt Sue?’

She jumped visibly. ‘Oh, Edward. I’m sorry. I can’t seem to do anything right today.’

‘The scones don’t matter.’ He’d only suggested them to give her something to take her mind off the situation. ‘Come and sit in the living room. We can talk there.’

He guided her to the couch and sat beside her, worried by her pallor. From the look of her, she’d been doing a lot of weeping. ‘Pete shouldn’t have told you about the kidnapping,’ he said gently.

‘Yes, he should. That’s the only thing I’m certain of in this mess.’ She blew her nose and let him take her hand again. ‘I didn’t know they’d
stolen
him. I met a young woman they said was his mother. He was very confused for a while after we first got him, but the psychologist who helped us said it was because of being taken away from all he knew.’ She stopped to stare pleadingly at him. ‘You do believe what I’m telling you, don’t you?’

‘Of course I do.’

‘Edward, what am I going to
do
? I keep thinking about that poor woman.’

‘I don’t think you should do anything at the moment. There could be legal implications. Leave that to Pete and me.’

She shook her head. ‘I can’t. I must see her, make her understand that I’d never, ever have done such a dreadful thing.’ She began weeping again.

It was soon clear that he couldn’t keep her out of this, nor should he. He too was upset by the thought of what Beth’s mother must have gone through. And Beth. She’d had a difficult childhood after her brother disappeared, from the sound of it.

‘Pete says the sister wants money off us.’

‘He’s wrong. She doesn’t. She’s not like that.’

‘How can you be so sure?’

He’d been hoping to avoid this, but wasn’t going to add any more lies to the pile already festering. ‘Because I’m seeing her. I’m in love with her, actually. She doesn’t need money nor is she asking for it. Pete thought he could buy her off, but he can’t. What she does want is closure for her mother.’

Sue looked startled. ‘You’re going out with this woman?’

‘I certainly am. Her name’s Beth. You’ll like her, I’m sure.’

‘I doubt she’ll want to see me. If this comes out, how can I ever show my face again?’ She began weeping, a soft, despairing sound.

He put his arms round her. ‘Shh, now. Shh. I can’t see any reason for it to come out. I told you Beth isn’t after money and would hate the notoriety she’d face if it did come out, I’m sure. Let me feel my way, try to settle this quietly.’

He stayed for lunch but had to leave around two if he was to do as he’d promised and try to reconcile the various parties. Beth would understand that his aunt hadn’t known what had happened, he was sure. But would her mother? He had no idea what Linda Harding was like.

The day had started badly and was rapidly getting worse, Pete thought resentfully. Rosa rang just before noon to cancel their lunch date and wasn’t free to see him for several days.

Instead of working on the first interview for his coming show, he kept trying to figure out what to do about his sister. Surely, if he raised the stakes financially, she and her mother would leave him in peace? He didn’t
want
another family. Most of all, he didn’t want this to get out. The media would have a ball with all the lurid details. He shuddered at the mere thought of that. And what if the police prosecuted his mother? It’d destroy her.

He told Ilsa he wasn’t taking any calls, but she came into his office an hour later. ‘Look, Pete, if I don’t let Gerry speak to you, he’s threatening to resign. We can’t manage without him.’

‘Oh, very well. Put him on.’

Gerry rang three times that afternoon for clarification of some point or other in connection with this week’s show.

In the end Pete lost patience. ‘How the hell am I supposed to know every sodding detail? You’ll have to get hold of Edward and ask him.’

‘I’ve tried. He’s not answering his phone.’

‘Use your initiative. Send someone round to his flat. Go yourself.’

‘But—’

Pete slammed the phone down.

It rang almost immediately and Gerry said, ‘Don’t put that phone down on me again, Pete, or I’m out of here. I need an assistant and if I don’t get one, I’m resigning forthwith. There’s far too much work for one person, especially when that person is still feeling his way.’

‘You can manage for
one week
, surely?’

‘No, I damned well can’t.’

‘Well, hire a temp then. Yes, pay what you think fit. Just sort it.’ Pete kept himself from blowing up again, put the phone down and rested his head on his hands. He was finding out how much they’d all depended on Edward, who was an amazingly well-organized person.

There must be some way to get his cousin back.

Edward slowed down as he reached his former office building. He didn’t want to go inside again but was worried about his aunt and wanted to talk to Pete about her. She was in a very agitated state and at her age that could be dangerous.

He walked inside and went up to the suite of offices, feeling the building close round him like a tight grey shroud.

The receptionist didn’t even look up as the door opened. ‘Go straight in, Gerry.’

‘I’m not Gerry.’

Ilsa stared at him. ‘Edward! Thank goodness you’re here. Everything’s falling to pieces without you.’

This greeting from the dragon-lady amazed him, but he wasn’t going to be blackmailed into working for Pete again. ‘Is he in?’