Topspin (26 page)

“Nah, I just mislaid yer number, that’s all.”

“That wasn’t very efficient of you. Do you have my number safely stored in your phone now, Mr. Brady?”

“Yeah, it was just an oversight. Sorry about that.”

“Okay, then tell me how your attempt to oust the existing chairman went.” Aston spoke politely, but something in his smooth tone turned Ed’s stomach. He had a feeling he already knew the answer to his own question.

“Well, there was a problem or two that we hadn’t anticipated, so there could be a slight delay before I officially take control.” Ed tried to sound authoritative and reassuring. “It’s nothing serious. Nothing I can’t deal with. It won’t hold us up.”

“So do I take it that you’re not chairman yet?” Aston’s tone was liquid venom.

“No, not yet, but it’s just a temporary setback. We’re going off to Bisham Abbey on Thursday for a weekend’s coaching session. All the influential members will probably be there, and once I’ve talked ’em round it’ll be a piece of piss to influence the others.”

“I see.” A long pause. “You disappoint me, Mr. Brady. You’ve failed to deliver on your
firm
promise. I don’t like that in a partner.”

“Look, it couldn’t be helped. It only failed on a technicality that no one could ’ave foreseen. But don’t worry, I’ll get there in the end.”

“It isn’t me that has to worry, since I’m not the one who’s invested everything he owns in the scheme.”

How the hell did he know that? “I, well, I think—”

“Don’t think, Mr. Brady. You’re obviously not very good at it.” The silk in his voice had turned to steel. “We need further support on the inside. Who else at the club might be persuaded to work for us?”

“Well, the new coach might be interested, I suppose. He’s very popular, especially with the ladies. I haven’t told ’im what we’re up to, but I suspect that if he knew he’d be willing enough to help. I get the impression that he came to us under a cloud of some kind and wouldn’t be averse to earning a little easy cash.”

“What’s his name?”

“Colin Palmer.”

“All right. Don’t tell Palmer what we’re doing for now.” Another pause. “Will the Porterhouses be going to Bisham Abbey?”

“I don’t know who’s going for sure yet. Joe Porterhouse might not be able to get away, but I dare say Claire and her son will be there.”

“Has Palmer shown any particular interest in Claire Porterhouse? Any personal interest, I mean? I’m not referring to her tennis technique.”

Ed couldn’t hide his surprise. He’d told Aston the names of the members likely to oppose the scheme but couldn’t see what relevance Claire might have in respect of their plan and said so.

“Never mind that, just leave the thinking to me.”

“Hey, just a minute, you can’t talk to me like that!”

“Be quiet, Mr. Brady, and listen to me. You’ve had your opportunity to manage things and failed miserably. And I don’t like it when a partner of mine fails to deliver on his firm promises. Now, answer my question, please. Has Palmer ever displayed any personal interest in Mrs. Porterhouse?”

“I’ve no idea,” Ed said sullenly. “Everyone fancies Claire, but she don’t play away from home.”

“Doesn’t she?” Aston sounded amused. “Now, do you have a phone number for this Palmer character?”

“Yeah.” Ed reeled it off.

“Then I’ll take it from here.”

The line went dead, leaving Ed with more questions than he had answers. Why Aston was banging on about Claire Porterhouse was beyond him. If she had any relevance to their scheme, he was damned if he could figure out what it might be. Shrugging, he decided he’d carry on in the way he’d been planning to all along. He’d show that smart-arse Aston that he wasn’t the imbecile he took him for by pulling this thing off without any help from him.

Then perhaps he’d treat him with a bit more respect in future.

As soon as Jack realized who Aston was, everything started to make sense. Not that it absolved Claire from blame. He didn’t care how persuasive Rod had been. That was no reason for her to cheat on Joe. Now that he’d got over the initial shock, Jack knew he’d try to cover up her indiscretion, for Joe’s sake. But he’d never be able to look at her in the same light again.

“Talk me through how and why you think they got on to Claire?” he said to Angela.

“Well, first of all, you have to understand that Paul has turned nursing a grudge into an art form. I walked out on him and Rod, and he takes that as a personal affront. I don’t know much about his background, but he let slip once that he grew up in a posh white neighborhood, where black kids stood out like sore thumbs.”

“And he was psychologically damaged as a result of the bullying,” Jack suggested with a cynical lift of his brows. “And—I’m guessing here—he underwent extensive counseling as a result, which would have screwed him up even more, encouraging him to confront all sorts of issues that didn’t actually exist.”

Jack turned away, running a hand distractedly through his hair. Christ, if Aston thought
he’d
had a tough deal, he should have tried taking some of the crap Jack had had to deal with as a kid. He’d got through it, though, without any of that psychoanalysis bullshit fucking with his mind. And without it turning him into a bloody pervert.

“No,” Angela said. “What happened was that the other kids just treated him as though he didn’t exist, which he reckoned was ten times harder to bear. It’s left him with a huge complex, which is probably why he never forgets a slight. He’s a control freak who doesn’t like losing, much less having someone stand up to him. He’s out to feather his own nest, but manipulating anyone who tries to cross him is irresistible.”

Jack opened his mouth to make a caustic comment and thought better of it. “Go on,” he said instead.

“Well, in his eyes that’s what I’d done to him, you see. I’d slighted him. He could have got any number of other women to star in his productions, and I’m sure that’s what he did in the end. There was nothing special about me, other than the fact that I’d said no to him and found the courage to keep on saying it. I knew he’d take it personally when I left and haven’t stopped looking over my shoulders in all the years since.”

“So he knew you were here on the Island?”

“Yes. He tells me that he’s been legit for years now, diversifying into building and leisure activities. But I think he kept tabs on what’s going on in this part of the world because I’m here. Apparently he bought into the building project in Gurnard on a whim, initially anyway, and made use of it to get at Claire when Ed’s project came along. Paul and Rod wouldn’t waste that sort of opportunity.”

“Do you think he bought into it in the first place so that he could keep an eye on you and the kids?”

Angela shuddered. “Probably.” She looked up at Jack, her eyes full of misgivings. “And the irony is that if he hadn’t been here already, he wouldn’t have seen Ed’s advert for a partner in the local rag.”

“Paul told you that?”

“Oh yes, and he loved every minute of it. The moment Ed mentioned the Porchfield Club he would have been hooked, however bad the deal Ed was offering.”

“You think he knew beforehand that you’re a member there?”

“I don’t imagine there’s much he doesn’t know about my life. Anyway, Paul wouldn’t take Ed’s word for the fact that he could swing the vote and would have wanted someone else on the inside working for him.”

“And he wanted to talk you into being that person?”

“Exactly, but I wouldn’t even agree to meet him until the situation with Claire blew up and I was forced into it.”

Jack patted her hand. “It must have been a nightmare for you.”

“It was, especially because he was at his most charming and persuasive. He said it was time we put the misunderstanding that made me leave the mainland behind us. He kept banging on about how much Rod wanted me and the kids back, and how this scheme would set us up for life. All I had to do was use my powers of persuasion on a few key shareholders who might otherwise convince the rest not to sell.”

“How did you respond to that?”

“I’m afraid I just waffled. I pretended to be interested, but said I needed time to think about it. I’m sorry, Jack.” She lifted tear-filled eyes to his face. “You know I won’t do it, but apart from that one time when I thought my kids were in danger I’ve never had the courage to take them on directly. They scare me.”

“You’re not the one with anything to apologize for, sweetheart. You did the best you could.”

“He obviously wants to have Claire and me working on those Porchfield members who are likely to oppose the scheme. He couldn’t be sure that I’d go along with it, of course, but he knew he’d boxed Claire in and that she’d have too much to lose if she refused.”

“Which is why they did what they did to her,” Jack said.

“Exactly. Ed would have given Paul the lowdown on the members likely to hold out against selling, and Paul would have studied their backgrounds carefully. Claire would have stood out as a likely candidate to be manipulated, mainly because of the amount of time she spends alone while Joe’s working. But also, of course, because she’d have so much to lose if her affair with Rod ever came out.”

“But if he studied everyone’s backgrounds he’d know that Claire wasn’t into affairs.”

Angela snorted. “You don’t know Rod and Paul. I don’t think there’s ever been a woman they wanted and didn’t get. By fair means or foul. Claire’s situation is the sort of challenge they wouldn’t be able to resist.”

“Perhaps.” Jack could see the logic in Angela’s argument but still wasn’t prepared to exonerate Claire.

“You can bet your bottom dollar that they watched her for a while and got used to her routine. When they discovered that she lived so close to Paul’s new project and walked her dog that way most afternoons, it must have seemed like fate. Rod would have just posed for Claire’s benefit when he knew she was likely to appear.”

“So it’s not really my fault then.” Claire’s voice was barely audible.

Jack glowered at her. “You didn’t have to open your legs for him.”

“So what do we do now, Jack? I thought you might have some suggestions. I know Paul too well to imagine he gave me all the pictures he has of Claire. Once I tell him I’m not interested in helping him, he’ll find a way to tell her that if she doesn’t convince her husband and the rest of us to sell our shares he’ll send the complete video to Joe.” She screwed up her features in an expression of distaste. “He’d do it as well, out of spite.”

Claire groaned, running both hands through her hair. “What are we going to do?”

“We? And this is my problem how, Claire?”

“Can’t you pretend you’re going to help him, Angie?” Claire asked, ignoring Jack’s sarcasm. “Then perhaps he’ll leave me alone. After all, it’s you he really wants.”

“Think of someone other than yourself for once. Angie’s already told us that Paul’s dangerous.” Jack stood up and paced the terrace, deep in thought. Neither woman said anything, leaving him to his cogitations. “Ed’s bound to use the Bisham Abbey trip to work on the members,” he said, coming to a halt in front of Angela, “and if Angie says she’s on board she’ll be expected to back him up. He’ll soon hear about it if she doesn’t, and what do you suppose he’ll do to her then?”

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry, Angie, I can’t seem to think straight at the moment.”

“I don’t think I’ll be going to Bisham Abbey anyway,” Angela said.

“Why not?” Jack asked. “Can’t you get the time off?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that…well…—”

“I was going to invite you and the twins to come as my guests.” Jack should have realized immediately that she probably couldn’t afford the trip. “We’ll both benefit from the so-called expert coaching facilities there.”

“Thanks, Jack, but I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering.” He ruffled her hair. “And I’ll even drive you there. That old banger of yours probably wouldn’t make it.” He could see she was tempted and pushed home his advantage. “You’d be doing it for the club. We need as many of us there as possible to counter Ed’s campaign. Besides, if you stay here and we’re all over there, Paul will be able to get to you more easily.” That was a cheap shot, but probably enough to make her swallow her pride. “How about it, then?”