The Redeemer (22 page)

The inspector had continued to shrivel in her seat as Xander had spoken. Then her eyes darted around the room, making Isla suspect she was looking for a way to escape.

Xander continued. ‘Alternatively, you could award the hotel the minimum four-star grading that it truly deserves and have one less thing to worry about when your employers are contacted. Or, you could award a five-star grading and the aforementioned evidence will not make its way to your employers. In order for me to destroy it, you must give me a name. And you must not pass on any information whatsoever to that person.’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said, weakly.

‘I think you do. Remember, I have proof of a bank transfer.’

Mrs Walker sagged even further in her seat. ‘Mr Rodgers, your head barman I believe,’ she muttered, no longer able to meet Xander’s hostile stare.

Isla gasped.
Dean?

Xander simply nodded. ‘Former head barman. Thank you. You have exactly thirty minutes to use this office to complete your paperwork awarding the hotel a five-star rating. I shall hold on to the evidence that I have until I’m sure that you do not pass on any information to Mr Rodgers. That may mean that I don’t destroy it for months. If word gets back to me, I shall pass the evidence to my legal team and they will be in contact with your employers. And rest assured that I will make damned sure that you don’t work in this industry again. Hell, you’ll be lucky to get a job waitressing when I’m finished. Do you understand?’

Staring at her shoes, she replied meekly, ‘I do.’

Isla and Xander left the office and gave strict instructions to the reception staff to call them immediately if Mrs Walker attempted to leave the building. Then they took stools at the bar and ordered themselves a gin and tonic. Before they could finish their drinks, Mrs Walker appeared and handed over her revised paperwork and had the nerve to congratulate them on their five-star grading.

‘Get out,’ whispered Isla, out of earshot of the other residents. ‘Women like you make me sick.’

Xander caught the inspector’s arm as she turned to leave. ‘Remember, Mrs Walker, one word and a whole shit storm of trouble is coming your way.’

She nodded once and then left.

‘Jesus,’ Isla sighed. ‘Thank you. I’d have been stuffed if you hadn’t come back when you did. I was seriously pissed at you for disappearing but I didn’t know what you were up to.’

‘I went to see Janine,’ he said simply. ‘I attempted to pre-empt the inspector’s judgement by getting Janine to call her off. It was a waste of time because she said she knew nothing about it. I logged on to our online banking and attempted to find the transaction that I suspected would be in there. I found nothing.’

Isla pulled a face. ‘Well, you wouldn’t, because it turned out that it wasn’t her. Oh my God. I can’t believe that Dean would do that. How did you know it was Dean?’

Shrugging, Xander replied, ‘I didn’t. I still assumed it was Janine behind it but that she’d either found some other way of getting money to the inspector or that she was going to pay her everything once she’d completed the sham inspection.’

Isla nodded. ‘How is she? And the baby?’

He laughed. It was a harsh, unpleasant sound. ‘She declared when I arrived that I wasn’t welcome. I told her that, according to her, my child was inside and that it was still my home on paper and I was the one paying the bills so she couldn’t refuse me. She announced that I wasn’t allowed to see the child, not after I’d doubted its paternity. I told her I had no interest in seeing it, that I knew it wasn’t my child. I told her about all the fertility tests that I’d had. She looked shocked but still insisted that she hadn’t slept with anyone else so he must be mine. She then proceeded to slag me off for deserting her at the hospital, for upsetting her when she’d just given birth and for abandoning my child and the family home and how all of that was going to go in her favour when we sit down to discuss the divorce settlement in court. She also said that she knew I’d got money in Rouge Passion. I denied it, of course, but she was very confident.’

Isla shook her head. ‘There’s no proof for her to find . . . unless she’s spoken to Gerald and he’s told her it was your money that enabled him to transfer the hotel into my name.’

He shrugged. ‘I doubt she can prove it but she’ll damned well try.’

Closing her eyes, Isla sighed. ‘It’s not going to be easy, is it? The next few months are going to be hell.’

Xander clasped her hand. ‘But we’re together now. We’ll get through it. Yes, I’ll fight her but not at your expense. Defeating Janine isn’t as important as keeping you happy.’

‘But it’s your inheritance from your grandparents that allowed you to buy your hotel . . . and this one, really. So why should the cheating bitch get her hands on them? No, Xander. You fight her all the way and I’ll be right by your side. Well, unless that complicates it and then I’ll be supporting you from the sidelines. You take on that bitch and you keep all that you can. Let the baby’s father support her and keep her accustomed to the lifestyle that she’s lived at your expense.’

‘That’s it,’ he said suddenly.

Isla frowned. ‘That’s what?’

‘A paternity test. That’ll prove I’m not the father conclusively. Far more conclusively than all my fertility test results. The judge can’t argue with that. And it will save me having to pay those fertility experts to stand up in court and defend those test results, because you know that’s what Janine’s legal team will try to do. They’ll try to cast doubt on their reliability et cetera. But there’s no arguing with a DNA paternity test. That’ll prove I’m not the father and will fuck up her attempts to get more than she deserves. It may even force her to agree to a quick divorce and accept what I’m prepared to offer her. You’re a genius, Red.’

She laughed. ‘I didn’t think of it. It seems so obvious now that you mention it. Do you think she’ll agree to get one done?’

His face fell. ‘Fuck. I hadn’t thought of that. She knows I’m on to her for cheating. I’m willing to bet that she’ll refuse. I know I’m not the father, Red. Why would she be stupid enough to agree to have one done if she has a choice? It will prove in court that she’s a cheat and that she had another man’s child. She won’t want that coming out and risking her settlement. No, there’s no way she’ll agree to it. I’m sure I’d be able to force her to get one done but that would have to go through the courts and could take months.’

‘What if you could get a sample of the baby’s DNA without her knowing?’

He frowned. ‘I don’t know what I need. And how can I when she says that I’m not allowed to see him?’

They sat in silent contemplation for a few minutes.

‘I don’t know what you need either but, from TV programmes and books that I’ve read, I think it may be as simple as obtaining one of the baby’s hairs or by rubbing what looks like a cotton bud around his gums. Of course what I know may not be strictly true but surely, it’s worth investigating.’

When she finished speaking, Xander was staring at her. ‘Red, I don’t even want to see the child. There is no way I’m pulling hairs out of his head or messing inside his mouth.’

Isla nodded in acceptance. ‘Well then, you’re just going to have to ask her to get one done. Point out how bad it will look in court if she says no.’

‘I’ll think about it,’ he grunted. ‘But right now I’m going to look into the process and take legal advice. I can’t believe my legal team didn’t suggest getting a test done. I’ll bust their balls for this.’

He slipped off his stool and headed back towards the office leaving Isla wondering just how challenging the next few months would be. She ordered another drink, figuring that she’d earned it after dealing with the hotel inspector but before she’d finished it, Xander appeared and slammed a piece of paper on to the bar next to her before ordering a large gin and tonic from the barman.

Isla turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

He nudged the paper towards her and hissed, ‘Read it.’

She recognised what it was as soon as she picked it up. It was a copy of a birth certificate for a Jacob Xander Rhodes. Her eyes flew open when she saw that the box giving the father’s details had been filled in with Xander’s name.

‘This just arrived by courier. Apparently, because we’re married, I don’t have to agree to my name being given as the father. I don’t even have to be there when the birth is registered.’

He was so angry that his face was puce. Isla didn’t know what to say.

‘That’s it, Red. I’m getting a DNA test done, no matter what it takes. Even if I have to break in and pull hairs out of his head as he sleeps. I’m proving that I’m not the father once and for all. I’m going to see Janine and ask her.’

Isla nodded. ‘Okay. It can’t hurt to ask. When are you going to see her?’

‘I’m waiting for a courier to deliver a DNA paternity test kit. It should be here within the next thirty minutes and then I’m going to do my sample and take it to Janine to get his. You were right, you just rub a stick across your gums.’

Isla reached across and took his drink that had been placed on the bar. ‘Well, if you’re driving, you’re not drinking this. And I don’t know whether the alcohol would affect the test if you have to give a sample from your gums. You need to calm down and consider how you’re going to approach Janine. You can have a drink when you get back. Hell, you can have ten if you want them but you need to keep your head clear for now.’

He looked irritated but he didn’t overrule her. He just sat there, looking tense and impatient until Belinda brought a small package into the bar and handed it over.

‘Give me a hand with this?’ he asked as he slipped off his stool.

Isla nodded and then picked up his drink before following him back to the office.

The instructions were simple and within minutes, Xander had collected his sample on to a little stick and had placed it back in the tube provided. He completed the accompanying paperwork and put everything into the provided reply paid envelope.

‘Wish me luck,’ he muttered, before kissing Isla on the top of her head and disappearing through the door.

Isla finished her drink and tried not to think about him going back to see his ex for the second time that day. She knew he didn’t want Janine but she found herself not wanting him to spend any more time with her than necessary. To distract herself, she decided to put on a party at the end of the week to reward all staff, including the temporary staff from Xander’s other hotel, for their efforts during the hotel inspection.

Before she knew it, he was back. And he was looking extremely pleased with himself.

‘So, how’d it go?’ she asked.

He grinned. ‘At first, she outright refused. She wouldn’t let me inside the house and she once more declared that I would not be allowed to see the baby. However, once I explained that the judge would look unfavourably upon her decision and that I could force her to have the test done, she reluctantly agreed. I wanted her to do it there and then but when she said that the baby was asleep, that it had taken her ages to get him to nod off, and that she didn’t want to go in and risk waking him, I agreed to leave the test with her and let her do it when he woke. I’ve arranged for a courier to pick it up this evening. I don’t think she wants to do anything that will look bad in front of a judge. I paid for the urgent service so, once they receive it tomorrow morning, we should get the result within forty eight hours. I cannot wait to wipe the smile off her face. I even managed not to bollock her for putting my name on the birth certificate. Why bother, once I have incontrovertible proof that the child isn’t mine, I can get my name taken off easily enough. Anyway, enough of that. What have you been up to?’

He was looking at the notes that she’d made for the staff party. ‘I decided to have a staff celebration. I haven’t told any of them the results of the hotel inspection yet but I think they all need a pat on the back to celebrate the five-star grading that they helped us to achieve. So I’m arranging a staff party for this Friday night.’

Xander groaned. ‘Don’t tell me I have to go. I hate that type of thing. I was thinking more of an intimate celebration for two.’

Rolling her eyes, Isla haughtily informed him that his presence would be required and that he’d look as though he was enjoying himself . . . even if it killed him. Then she whispered that their own intimate celebration couldn’t wait until Friday; he’d be enjoying that pleasure later.

Since Isla had gathered the staff late on Wednesday afternoon, and had given them the good news about the hotel inspection and the celebratory party, there had been a feel-good atmosphere around the hotel. Everyone’s morale seemed to be boosted and all were looking forward to the party that would take place that night in the bar after residents’ meals service had been completed at 10:00 p.m. Isla had a slight panic when Belinda informed her that she’d managed to contact Dean and invite him but then she calmed down when she rationalised that he’d be unlikely to turn up. She’d managed to persuade Xander to let her deal with Dean. Xander insisted that he be dismissed instantly but Isla suspected that Dean’s actions were linked to her treatment of him. She wished fervently that she’d owned up to Xander about her drunken actions when she’d had him on the back foot in Kington. If Dean was capable of such malicious acts then Isla knew she needed to handle his dismissal carefully.

Like the rest of the staff, Xander’s mood had improved but she knew it was more likely to be because the paternity test results were due back at any moment than from excitement for the evening’s party. She hoped that the results came back on schedule, knowing that it would give them both something to celebrate.

The restaurant had an unusually high number of covers that evening and everyone was busy right up until the time the party was due to begin. Some of the residents were seemingly in no hurry to retire to their rooms so Isla made the decision not to eject them. She hadn’t informed Xander that the hotel would be funding all the drinks at the bar yet and reasoned that a few residents wouldn’t make much difference to the total cost.

Isla kicked off the celebration by thanking all staff for their contribution to the excellent result of the inspection. She gave the hotel’s own staff a special mention for their part in improving the hotel over recent weeks and then did the same for Xander’s staff for their part in salvaging the inspection. Then she declared a free bar and instructed them all to forget that they were in their workplace and to party hard. The DJ got started, making Isla cringe in anticipation of the number of complaints they might receive in the morning from residents but she pushed it out of her head and went in search of Xander who had sloped off when she had been making her speech.

She found him in the office, sat at the desk and was about to berate him for disappearing and then drag him back to the party, when she noticed he had a large glass of Scotch in his hand and his head was bowed.

Oh God. What’s happened now? He only drinks Scotch when it’s something bad. And he’s brought the bottle in here. Crap.

She sidled up next to him and draped her arm around his shoulders. He didn’t seem to register her presence for a few minutes but then he spoke.

‘I can’t believe it,’ he muttered. His voice was so thick with despair that it made the hair on Isla’s neck raise.

‘What, sweetheart? What’s happened?’

Without lifting his head, he picked up an envelope and held it up to her. She took it and saw that it had been slit open. She took out the letter and began to read.

Within moments, the letter slipped from her fingers as anxiety gripped her like a vice. The results of the paternity test showed that Xander was indeed the baby’s father. Isla didn’t know what to say or what to do but that didn’t matter since her body seemed to be completely paralysed anyway.

Eventually, Xander broke the trance-like atmosphere by lifting his glass of Scotch and tossing back the contents before hissing out a breath as the burning liquid poured down his throat. As he reached for the bottle to refill his glass, his elbow knocked against Isla’s hip. He apologised as if on autopilot but other than that, he didn’t seem to notice she was still there.

His actions interrupted Isla’s silent protest. Inside her head the word ‘no’ had been drawn out into a scream of denial that had been echoing around her head repeatedly. Her mouth opened and her vocal chords gave volume to that same scream.

‘Nooooooooo!’ she wailed, her inner torment evident from the way the half-word, half-plea tore from her throat.

‘Oh yes,’ Xander said, bluntly, when the sound of her voice faded. ‘Fuck knows how, but oh yes. And I’m sorry, Red but I’m in no mood for hysterics tonight. You’d better get back to hosting your little celebration before you’re missed and someone comes looking for you. Close the door on your way out.’

Isla stood staring at him as her mind tried to comprehend his words.

He’s dismissing me. He finds out he’s the father of her baby and he dismisses me, just like that? Like I’m someone unimportant . . . like this has nothing to do with me. You selfish, arrogant, unfeeling twat, Xander Rhodes.

Well, fuck you.

I need a drink. I’ll leave you to sort your own affairs out, since I’m clearly unwanted.

She moved to the door, not sure whether she would actually go through with her thought to leave him to it and re-join the party. Part of her wanted to confront him and force him to let her into his torment but she knew better than that. She was reeling from the shocking news too and, much as she wanted to know what he planned to do next and how it would affect her, the last thing they needed was an almighty row. And she had a feeling that’s exactly what would happen if she pushed him right now. So she slipped through the door, feeling increasingly hurt and rejected – especially since he didn’t seem to register her leaving.

The sounds of a pumping dance track and the staff indulging in jovial frivolity filtered down the corridor. That atmosphere was the last thing she needed but she desperately needed a drink so she passed through the lobby and entered the bar, not even registering the fact that the tables had been pushed to one side of the room, making a makeshift dance floor that was crammed with members of staff taking part in an impromptu dance competition. She was blinkered by her need for a large gin and tonic. She hopped on a bar stool and ordered one. Thirty seconds later, she ordered another.

As she drank it, there was one topic going around her head, over and over again.

Xander’s a father. Fuck. Xander has a baby. What does this mean for us?

By the time she’d finished her third gin and tonic, she had decided that she needed to confront him. The alcohol in her system had wiped away all of her earlier reticence about causing an argument. By the time she’d finished her fifth, her conviction that Xander wasn’t a really a cheat was weakening. She began to doubt him as the pain of his rejection and dismissal of her grew. She wondered whether he’d really had a cast-iron guarantee from the fertility experts that he could not father a child. To her alcohol-fuelled mind, it simply wasn’t possible that he could have been told that he was completely infertile and yet have fathered a child in the same time frame. Doubts about Xander’s credibility in the truth stakes began to creep into her mind.

She slipped from her stool and strode through the lobby and down to the office. She burst in to find him sitting there, just as she’d left him – Scotch glass in hand, although the bottle was significantly less full than it had been before. He looked up in surprise at the door being flung open, then sat back and closed his eyes as if he was resigned to the conversation that he must now have.

‘So, you managed to father a child after you’d allegedly been guaranteed that you couldn’t? What are you going to do now?’ Isla demanded, as she perched herself stiffly on the edge of the chair facing him.

He sighed. ‘Less of the allegedly. I can prove it to you. And as for what I’m going to do now, I was just considering suing the arse off every one of those clinics for malpractice.’

Isla laughed. ‘Well, assuming that they did tell you that you are completely infertile, isn’t it a bit pointless to sue them? After all, before you had the first result, she was already with child. Then you say you had the other tests done after that. So what are you going to claim? That she got pregnant because you stopped using contraception on the basis of those results? You’d be laughed out of court.’

His eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted into a cruel, hard line. ‘No, Isla. I ended my marriage based on those results. Results that I can show you, if I need to prove my word to you. I distanced myself from my pregnant wife on the assumption that she was carrying another man’s child. I put myself through hell for several months and all because of their fucking incompetence.’

A cold, heavy sensation settled in the pit of Isla’s stomach.

So he regrets leaving her. Does that mean he’s going to go back to her? Is this his way of telling me I’ve lost him? What does it matter if he can prove those results? It won’t change anything now.

The feeling of dread began to spread from her stomach, circulating in her veins and sinking into her soul.

I’ve lost him. Just when I thought we were over the past, I’ve lost him.

She began to rock back and forth slightly as her mind accepted the inescapable finality of the situation. She battled the tears of anger and frustration that threatened to fall. She would be strong. He was never hers. From the start, he’d belonged to someone else. Now he would go back to his wife, where he belonged.

She jumped when she felt hands on her shoulders. She hadn’t noticed Xander get out of his chair and come around behind her. She froze at his touch. A part of her wanted him to take her into his arms and tell her that it wasn’t true. Another part – a larger part – wanted him to make it as painless as possible and just leave. The touch of his hands on her skin felt wrong. He wasn’t hers. He shouldn’t be touching her. He should go back to his wife. She would not be ‘the other woman’. As far as she was concerned, Xander was now every inch a married man with a newborn child. He may not be a happily married man, but he was still taken. And now, it wasn’t simply a case of getting a quickie divorce and being hers . . . he had a baby.

Xander must have sensed her tensing up because he withdrew his hands as though he’d been scalded.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered quietly. ‘Red, I’m so, so sorry.’

Silently, he passed by her and walked out of the door. And silently, although her heart was breaking, she let him go.