Taking Chances (20 page)

Michael was frowning. ‘Power-hungry?’ he echoed. ‘Is that how you see her?’

Sandy’s eyes came quickly up to his. ‘Oh, well, perhaps I’ve got it wrong,’ she said. ‘It was just the impression I got when we first met. I don’t suppose I’ve seen so many signs of it since, except over this, of course. But then I’m not there every day, so I don’t really know what’s going on.’ She laughed and waved a hand. ‘And
who
am I to accuse someone of being power-hungry, when I’ve done the kind of things I have to get where I am.’

He was still looking pensive, which surprised Sandy, for she hadn’t expected him to take the bait quite so readily. But he had, and for the moment it seemed he wasn’t going to let go.

‘Tell me, what gave you that impression?’ he asked.

Sandy pondered for a moment, then said, ‘Well, I suppose it was what she said about Ted Forgon. You know, the day she and I had lunch at the Café Roma in LA. God, that was ages ago now, before you were even living over there.’

‘I remember the occasion,’ he said.

Sandy smiled. ‘Well, I don’t know what Ellen told you about that lunch,’ she said, ‘but I don’t imagine it’s any secret now that she was the one who told me what stage you were all at in setting up World Wide. It was how I was able to give Ted Forgon what he needed to buy into the company.’

Michael’s face was looking strained. ‘Ellen gave you that information?’ he said, clearly bemused, but not yet angry. ‘I don’t understand. Why would she do that?’

‘Oh God, I thought you knew all this,’ Sandy said.

‘No,’ he corrected her, ‘but I’d like to.’

Sandy looked trapped, as though she really didn’t want to go on. ‘Well, to be honest,’ she began, ‘I wasn’t really sure why she did it myself at the time. It was only later, when I really thought about it, that it started to make sense. It was her way of getting you to go to LA. She knew if Forgon got himself a majority share in World Wide that you’d fight to get it back, and that you could only do that if you were there on the ground. So she had to arrange for Forgon to take over, and the best way of doing that was to send me in for her.’ Her eyes danced, as though this were merely mischief they were discussing rather than outright betrayal and deceit. ‘I’ve
got
to admit, she played it brilliantly,’ she said, ‘and everything was on her side, including the fact that it was
me
who’d invited
her
to lunch, rather than the other way round. I can tell you, I wouldn’t mind those kind of breaks whenever I’m trying to manoeuvre things to work in my favour. Oh God, I’m sorry, this really is all news to you, isn’t it?’ she said.

‘You’re right, it is,’ he confirmed. ‘I’m just wondering what made you think she’d have told me.’

Sandy looked incredulous. ‘Well, I suppose because you got control back from Forgon virtually the minute you arrived in the States. God only knows how Ellen managed that, but I assumed it was something the two of you had worked out together. There again, why tell you about her involvement when she can heap all the blame on me? I’m sure I’d have done the same in her shoes and I’m sorry now that I even brought it up.’

He said nothing as he absorbed her words, though it was very clear that he didn’t like what he was hearing at all.

‘Listen,’ she said, after a while, ‘as you know, I’m the last person Ellen would ever confide in, so I’m only surmising here. I could have it totally wrong. All I know is what she told me over that lunch, and what happened as a result. And let’s face it, it all worked out pretty well, so there’s no reason to get upset about anything.’

It was a while before Michael’s eyes came up to hers. He gazed at her for a few seconds, searching her face, then suddenly he smiled. ‘You’re right,’ he said, ‘it did work out, for all of us, including you.’

Sandy laughed with relief. ‘Maybe you’ll tell me one of these days,’ she said, ‘exactly how you managed to get back control.’

‘Maybe I will,’ he said. ‘But now, what I want you to tell me is whether or not you’ve managed to contact Vic Warren.’

Satisfied with the change of subject, Sandy finished
her
champagne and updated him on her latest conversation with Vic Warren, who would be flying over to London the following evening with a mass of notes he’d made for script changes, casting, crewing and a hundred other concerns that needed his input. The seeds of Ellen’s treachery had been sown: to overwater them now would be simply to drown them. The fact that she was lying bothered her not a bit, for it was her word against Ellen’s, and with a certain friction already developing between Ellen and Michael this was unlikely to be dealt with in a particularly rational manner.

The rest of the meal passed in a friendly way, with lots of business to discuss that frequently made them laugh and plunged them into some good-natured banter, as well as seeming to draw them physically closer to each other across the table.

It was after they’d ordered coffee and she’d returned from the Ladies that he unwittingly opened up another channel for her to feed in more doubt about Ellen. Not having seen it coming Sandy knew she must tread carefully, for planting the suggestion that Ellen might have slept with Ted Forgon at some point in her career certainly wasn’t the direction Michael was expecting the conversation to take. On the contrary, unless Sandy was greatly mistaken, what he was trying to find out was whether or not
she
had ever slept with Forgon. She was curious to know why he’d be interested in that, but there would be time later to fathom out his motive. For the moment she was happy enough to go the route of misunderstanding.

‘You know, I think you’re wrong, Michael,’ she said, unwrapping the dark chocolate that arrived with her coffee. ‘I know there were rumours at the time that Ellen was sleeping with Ted Forgon, but I honestly don’t think she did. To be frank, I’m surprised you even suspect it.’

Michael looked at her in amazement. ‘No, that’s not what I was saying,’ he laughed. ‘I’m convinced she
never
slept with him, it’s just not her style.’

Sandy smiled. ‘Whereas it would be mine,’ she said.

He had the good grace to look embarrassed, before saying, ‘I’m sorry. I’m not sure how we stumbled onto this subject, but maybe it would be safer to get off it.’

‘Whatever you say,’ she responded, her eyes shining with mirth. She hadn’t felt this good in so long that were there not still a half-bottle of wine on the table, she might have considered herself drunk. ‘But plenty of women do use their bodies to get what they want,’ she told him. ‘Whether it be promotion, a new coat, an exotic holiday, a peaceful life, or simply to make a decision go their way.’ She gave that a moment to sink in, thinking now of Tom Chambers and the casting of Michelle – a decision Ellen would very much like to go her way. The allusion was probably too subtle for Michael to pick up right now, but it was something she could easily come back to another time. ‘Or,’ she continued, looking him right in the eyes, ‘depending on the man, it could be to achieve unsurpassable pleasure in bed.’ She dropped her gaze to his lips, then returned to his eyes. ‘Most women want that,’ she told him softly.

She hadn’t flirted so outrageously since the days she’d been paid to, in truth she’d thought she’d lost the ability, but right now, looking at him across the table and remembering that one night he had made love to her, she was prepared to do almost anything to make it happen again. What was more, from the way he was looking at her, she could tell she had aroused him.

‘When do you plan on coming into the office again?’ she asked.

‘In the …’ He cleared his throat. ‘In the morning,’ he answered. He picked up his coffee, and was very quickly back in control. ‘I’ve got a stack of phone calls I need to make. I don’t really want anyone to know I’m here though, I won’t have time to see them all. If Vic’s getting in at five, I’ll meet with him at Heathrow so he can fly
back
again when we’ve finished. I promised my mother I’d take her out to dinner tomorrow night. Maybe you’d like to join us?’

Sandy’s hand stopped in mid-air. She was so stunned that for a moment she couldn’t answer. ‘Well, yes, I’d love to,’ she said, putting her coffee down. ‘I’ll have to check my diary, but I’m sure I can reschedule if necessary.’

‘Good,’ he smiled. ‘The others are all coming too.’

She had no idea if he knew how badly he had crushed her with that, or even if he’d intended to, but it didn’t matter. She’d made sufficient headway tonight in creating some doubt about Ellen; she’d also discovered that she still had the power to turn him on. It was enough for now.

Thanks to a lingering jet lag Michael woke at four in the morning with an erection that was so hard it was almost painful to move. He had no clear recollection what he’d been dreaming of, all he knew was that Ellen wasn’t in the bed beside him and he wanted her badly.

He looked at the clock and groaned. Then, remembering it would only be eight in the evening in LA, he pulled on his dressing-gown and went downstairs to get the phone. By the time he returned to the bedroom he was thinking about the suspicion Sandy had put in his mind earlier, that at some point in her career Ellen might have slept with Ted Forgon. He was certain it wasn’t true, nor could he make himself believe that Ellen had discussed his plans for World Wide with Sandy at a time when the whole project was so vulnerable, especially not when Ellen had known very well that Sandy was out to finish him. No, he didn’t believe any of it, though he could wish it wasn’t bothering him the way it was seeming to.

He started to dial their number in LA. He was halfway through when he abruptly rang off. From out of nowhere the way Sandy had looked last night when
she’d
spoken of women wanting pleasure in bed had come back to him, and for a moment all he could think of was the night he had taken her to his apartment and screwed her half senseless. He’d be lying if he tried to tell himself he didn’t want to do it again, it made him hard just to think of it.

But despite how gratifying the whole thing might be, there was also something vaguely disturbing in the way he wanted Sandy. Even though she had changed a great deal since he’d first known her, it was still his basest instincts she appealed to, arousing surges of violence in his lust and a desire to abuse and humiliate her in ways that appalled him even to think of.

Quickly he dialled again. ‘Hi darling, it’s me,’ he said when Ellen answered.

‘Michael? What time is it over there?’

‘Just after four in the morning,’ he answered. ‘Jet lag.’ He turned onto his side and rested the phone more comfortably into his shoulder. ‘I miss you,’ he murmured.

‘Sorry? What did you say? How’s Clodagh?’

‘I said I miss you, and Clodagh’s just fine. A bit bruised, but she’ll live.’

‘Did you get any flowers?’

‘I did, but they were later than everyone else’s so they don’t count as much. How’s Robbie?’

There was a short silence before she answered. ‘I think Michelle’s just putting him to bed,’ she said. ‘Would you like to speak to him?’

‘Sure, when I’ve finished speaking to you.’

‘Honey, I’m sorry, but I’m right in the middle of getting changed. I’ve got a dinner tonight at the Hillcrest. Ted Forgon needs a partner for some function they’re having and I said I’d fill in. Oh, and Tom’s escorting Michelle tomorrow night at the charity gala, so you don’t need to worry about that either.’

Michael’s eyes closed. The last thing he wanted was a
fight
, so he said, ‘Put me onto Robbie if he’s awake. If not I’ll speak to Michelle.’

Michelle was lying on her bed in the semi-darkness, Robbie beside her and an unfinished book resting on her chest, when Ellen tapped lightly on the half-open door.

‘Can I come in?’ Ellen said, peering round.

‘Sssh, he’s asleep,’ Michelle whispered.

Ellen looked at Robbie’s sleeping face and felt her heart ache. ‘It’s Michael,’ she said, holding up the phone.

‘I’ll speak to him,’ Michelle smiled. ‘Suffering with jet lag, is he?’

Ellen nodded and after handing the phone over, she gently smoothed Robbie’s face before leaving the room.

‘Michael?’ Michelle said into the phone.

‘Hi, how are you?’ he asked.

‘Fine. How about you? And Clodagh?’

‘We’re OK. Robbie asleep?’

‘Just. He misses you.’

‘I miss him too.’

Michelle paused and wondered if Ellen might be listening outside. ‘Michael, we need to talk,’ she said softly.

It was a moment before he answered. ‘I know,’ he said. ‘Is he OK?’

‘Of course he is. And he loves her, but … Look, let’s do this when you get back.’

‘OK. By the way, good luck tomorrow night. I hear Tom’s taking you.’

‘It would have been nice if we could’ve all gone, but it wasn’t to be.’ She paused, then said, ‘I miss you too, Michael. Come back safely.’ She waited for him to answer, but he didn’t, so she quietly clicked off the line.

Laying the phone down on the bed she turned to look at her son, tracing the gentle curve of his inky dark eyebrows, the small nose, his parted lips, the flush of his cheeks. There was no love in the world to compare to the
way
she felt about this boy. It was so powerful it could tear her to pieces, so commanding it could swallow her up in its might. If need be she would kill for him, so what in God’s name had made her abandon him to the care of another woman?

A single tear rolled across her cheek and dropped onto the pillow. She’d never been able to understand what had made her do it, and not a single day went by that she didn’t deeply regret it. But at the time when she and Michael had tried to work things out, it hadn’t taken her long to realize they were destined to fail. Michael had loved Ellen and had wanted to be with her, so Michelle had decided to let him go and take Robbie too. She’d felt she owed Michael that, after depriving him of the first four years of their son’s life. It was the hardest thing she had ever done, and maybe, if the kind of life she was offering hadn’t been so fraught with hardship and danger, she would never have found it in herself to be so noble.