The Alphabet Game the Complete Alpha Series a to X, Y, Z (30 page)

He nods. ‘What a shame. Meet me in the Reception area.’

After showering I meet him in the reception. ‘So what now?’ I ask.

He sighs, ‘I’m not sure you’re going to like what I have to say, but I don’t see another option.’

‘A
month
? I’m not going to see you for a
month
?’ I cross my arms over my chest.

He steps away, raising his voice slightly. ‘We’re going to have to make it look like we’ve split up Stella. It’s the only way I can think to keep our baby safe at the moment. I’ve bought one of those pre-paid phones like you’ve got so we can keep in touch, but we can’t be seen together.’

‘Okay, I’m listening, I don’t want anything happening to our baby. What’s the rest of this plan?’

‘Look, we can’t let my father see we still want to destroy him, because he’s already shown you that he holds all the cards. We have the baby to lose now. We’ve got to make it seem like we’ve given up and,’ he pauses, ‘like there’s no baby.’

‘What?’ The stupid flush is back in my cheeks, but I’m annoyed.

‘You need to go out with Ronnie. Have girly trips shopping, be seen in bars, drink fake alcoholic drinks, no-one but the bar staff will be able to tell. Talk loudly about what a shit I am and flirt with other men.’

I raise an eyebrow.

He smirks, ‘Just not too much or I may have to kill them.’

‘Do whatever you have to in order to get my Dad off your case. Get Ronnie to piss on a stick and put that in the trash. Keep the proper one. It’s got to look like you’re not pregnant.’

‘And whilst I’m doing all this what will you be doing?’

He swallows, I see his Adam’s apple rise and fall. ‘Being my father’s right hand man.’

My mouth slackens,‘What?’

‘He offered me a job at the helm alongside him, if I promised to stay away from you.’

‘You can’t be serious?’

‘It’s my chance to show the Board of Governors I can run this firm.’

I shake my head, ‘Your father’s not stupid, it’s a trap.’

‘I don’t know if it is. He’s a desperate man. He has no-one else who can take over when he’s ready to give it all up, only me. Christopher’s not interested. My father doesn’t like having to rely on me, but I reckon that as long as he thinks he’s in control, he’ll put up with it.’

I run my hand through my hair. ‘A month then?’

‘Thereabouts, and then we need to get everything in place to annihilate him, because we’re running out of chances.’

I nod.

Gabe crushes his lips to mine, his warm body pressed against my own. ‘Do not forget I love you. I’ll be in touch soon.’ He pushes a soft paper bag into my hand and turns and leaves.

I stand there in the quiet reception area, all alone, and open the bag. I pull out a little white babygro and across it’s chest are the words ‘Gabe’s babe.’

I hold it next to my heart as I return to the apartment.

Chapter 3

‘Well I’m astonished,’ says Ronnie with a bemused smile.

‘Oh yeah?’

‘Well he’s a man, but he’s making perfect sense. That in itself makes no sense. He’ll be winning me over soon and I’ll be becoming a Babe.’

‘The plan stinks.’

She pinches my arm, ‘Excuse me, what is wrong with spending the next few weeks with moi?’

‘Because Ronnie dear, my pregnancy is making me so randy I may hump a pillow, and now my lover won’t see me.’

Ronnie pulls her top down exposing the top of her breasts slightly, ‘Well I aint going lesbo again.’

‘Ronnie,’ I shake my head, ‘at which point did you go lesbo?’

She bites on her lip whilst she considers. ‘Well it was just the one time when this guy invited his ex-girlfriend over for a three-way. We got chatting and agreed that he was crap in bed with a cock the size of a Chihuahua’s. We snogged to get him wound up and then took off. Swapped cock for cocktails.’

‘That is not going lesbo.’

She wrinkles her nose, ‘I felt her boob a bit.’

I walk over to the door, ‘Come on, grab your jacket.’

Ronnie clasps her hand to her chest, ‘Oh my goodness are we actually venturing outdoors?’

‘Kind of.’

Ronnie’s lip pouts as we walk through the door of The Riverside.

‘Ronnie,’ yells Col who actually comes over and flings his arms around her in a bear hug. She looks startled for a moment. Then Col realises his exuberance and backs off. ‘Usual is it ladies?’

I, thank heavens have not gone off coffee, though I decide to limit how much I’ll drink. ‘Yes please.’

Ronnie looks like she wants to say something, but is chewing on her lip like she’s trying to unpick stitches from it.

‘He just hugged me,’ she eventually spits out.

‘Yeah, and?’

‘He touched me. He has a girlfriend and now he decides to touch me. I’ll kill him.’

‘Why are you so angry?’

‘Because it felt so bloody nice, he’s a total bastard wanker.’

The door opens and Suzanne walks in. ‘Morning, lover,’ she shouts at Col.

Col flushes bright red looking straight over at Ronnie who by this time I’m having to hold down in her seat.

‘Hey Stella,’ she greets me like we’re long lost friends, despite the fact we only met the once. ‘Ooh this must be Ronnie.’ She beams at her. ‘So lovely to meet you, Col’s told me all about you.’

‘Really? All about me?’ she looks daggers at Col.

‘Yes, I’ve been telling her how you’ve been on the most lovely
holiday
and that’s why we haven’t seen you.’

‘Silly man couldn’t remember where you’d gone though. Was it anywhere nice?’ asks Suzanne.

‘Yes actually. Really nice. A little island called Clitoris.’ Ronnie pronounces it Cleetorrrooussss. ‘I did think of asking Col to go down there with me once, but I doubt he’d have been able to find it.’

A puce faced Col actually splutters up the water he’s drinking at that point.

‘Are you alright there?’ says Suzanne, going to pat him on the back.

‘Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’m just going to put this bacon roll on to warm up, can you get these two their drinks?’

‘Ronnie.’ I elbow her, ‘The poor bloke nearly choked to death.’

She shrugs, going in her handbag to grab her lipstick, she sits reapplying the pout.

‘Oh dear, I just can’t get the hang of these coffee machines. Col could you help me?’

‘Oh for heavens sake,’ shouts Ronnie. She walks around the counter, goosing Col as she walks past him, making him drop the bacon roll, and then takes over from Suzanne. In a couple of minutes our coffees are done and she places them on the counter.

‘Wow, Ronnie, that was awesome, where did you learn to do that?’ asks Suzanne.

‘My parents have one at home, always have to get my own drinks there or I’d dehydrate.’

‘Oh course they do,’ mumbles Col. ‘We all just have industrial coffee machines in our houses.’

‘Sorry I didn’t think,’ says Ronnie, ‘I forget you don’t have a lot of money Col. Tassimo’s are good too, they don’t cost much.’

He bites on his lip as she swishes past him, looking like he doesn’t know whether to kiss her or kill her.

Personally, I’d go with kill her.

‘Oh my God, she’s like an over eager puppy. She kept stroking his hair. Did you see?’

‘You’ve got it bad Ronnie haven’t you?’I smirk.

She holds her head high, ‘No. I couldn’t care less who he dates. I was convinced he was gay before she showed up.’

‘You were not.’

‘I was. Otherwise why has he not chatted me up? I’ve battered my eyelashes at him enough.’

‘Do you think it could be because you keep saying he’s poor? Leave him alone, I think he and Suzanne make a nice couple.’

She stabs me in the arm with her bony finger, ‘Just cos you aren’t getting any, don’t be all mean to me.’

‘Ronnie. We agreed you’d leave him alone, because you want someone with money and he doesn’t have any.’

‘Well I’ve changed my mind. I don’t care if he’s dirt poor. I’m going to working as a Designer so I’ll have enough for us both.’

‘What about Suzanne?’

She looks skyward as if thinking.

‘I’ll tell her I’m sending her to the Island of Pennus and give her my Rodeo membership card.

For the next couple of weeks Ronnie and myself enjoy some best friend time, whilst she continues to recuperate. We go shopping several times, amassing far too many pairs of new shoes, these our Achilles heel; and we venture into some nightspots, the ones Ronnie has managed to not get barred from. I find she has a restraining order from a Barman in one place, and is banned from another because we watched Coyote Ugly the night before and she decided to dance on the bar. We do what Gabe advised, drinking non-alcoholic cocktails or tonic waters that resemble vodka. We act drunk and flirt with men, but never take things any further.

My contact with Gabe is brief, we just check in with each other. It’s too hard to stay on the line longer.

By the beginning of September it’s been just over three weeks since mine and Gabe’s separation. On this particular Wednesday morning I hear my other mobile ring and go to get it, thinking it will be Gabe, but it’s Peter, the Private Investigator.

‘Hey Peter, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again.’

‘Yes, well, it wasn’t in my plans but I received a phone call with a message for you.’

I hold the phone nearer to my ear, ‘Yes?’

‘Arnie Gregory’s PI, the one who followed me. Arnie’s pissed him off. He saw him get his henchmen to rough up a worker at one of his clubs a bit, apparently she’d been snooping around. Terry doesn’t condone hitting women.’

‘What’s that got to do with me?’

‘He thinks Arnie needs teaching a lesson, that he’s got too big for his boots. Apparently he’s out of control at the moment, like a madman. Terry says if you set up the young honey trap, he’ll not report it. One time offer. You get one chance to nail him. He can’t let you have another without compromising himself.’

‘We’ll take it.’

‘I thought you would so Jasmine’s booked for Friday night. Terry, has told us that Arnie has a dinner meeting at Homage at The Waldorf at seven pm. The meeting’s due to finish about nine, we’ll have Jas there ready and waiting.

‘What shall I do?’

‘Whatever you want. Either I’ll bring you the tape, or be there to receive it.’

‘I think I’ll book a room at the hotel and throw a party if you bring me that tape.’

‘Do you want to know my fee?’ He tells me the price.

‘Bring me that tape and I’ll double it.’

I ring Gabe and fill him in on the conversation.

His voice is hesitant. ‘I don’t know Stella. I thought we were going to get hold of Robyn Kewley?’

‘And what if she has nothing for us? We’ve got a shot to get him. He couldn’t get enough of Jas last time. He only has to go for it and that’s it, stitched up and we have our lives back.’

‘It sounds too easy.’

‘I’m sure it will be far from simple, but what do we have to lose? If he doesn’t bite then he doesn’t know it was a set up and we go back to our original plan. I miss you Gabe, we’ve got to try this.’

‘Fine.. Friday night it is. Have you booked the room then?’

‘Yes, we’re in Room three-zero-two and Gabe?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Check in’s at two, but we’re not needed until after nine? So -’

I hear a throaty chuckle, ‘Now I’m definitely warming up to this plan. So?’

‘T for two?’

‘Are you talking scones and jam Miss Mulroney?’

‘Hell no, I’m talking alphabet T Mr Gregory.’

‘Then I’ll see you there at two fifteen. You book in and I’ll sneak right up.’

I press my thighs together, ‘Oh yes please.’

I’m on edge on Friday morning and need to keep myself busy, so I phone my mother to see how she is. Of course it’s Mitch who answers the phone.

‘Stella, thank goodness, where are you?’

I’m shocked at his concerned tone and immediately panic.

‘Is my mother? -’

‘She’s fine. I heard you went to New York, despite the fact you told me you weren’t interested?’

‘An opportunity came up. It made sense to go.’

‘Yet you’re back already?’ There’s a pause. ‘I heard about your friend.’

‘How?’ I’m guarded.

‘Arnie of course. Listen Stella, you are in danger. You need to back the hell away from the clubs, the law firm and Arnie Gregory.’

‘Scared I’m going to find out something you don’t want me to know?’

He snorts. ‘No I’m scared your mother’s going to have to bury her own daughter.’