The Dead Ex(82)

‘He missed another really important meeting today. Very unlike him.’

Hah! Clearly she doesn’t know him that well. Despite our brief acquaintance, even I can tell this is a man who doesn’t play by the rules. Rather like me.

‘I just don’t understand it.’ She runs her hands through her hair, messing up the style completely. I almost feel sorry for her.

‘Have you rung his wife?’ I suggest.

Perdita makes a face. ‘She says she thought he was staying in the London flat. But when she went round, it was empty. He’s not even answering his private mobile.’

I hadn’t realized he had one. But when I think about it, this stands to reason. In fact, he probably has two or three.

One of the men from HR then walks past. ‘Have you seen David?’ Perdita demands.

‘Not for some time.’ His brow creases. ‘I need him to sign something.’

By late afternoon, the rumours are flying thick and fast. David Goudman has been in an accident. He’s left his wife. The business is going bust. This last ‘fact’ comes from a girl in accounts. Things ‘haven’t been good’ for some time, apparently.

‘Bastard,’ says a young man who works in the design section. ‘How am I going to pay my mortgage if it all goes tits up?’

‘What’s going to happen?’ I ask Perdita.

‘I wish everyone would stop asking me that just because I’m his bloody PA.’

‘Have the police been called?’

‘Tanya did. Apparently they told her “to wait a bit” to see if he turns up.’

‘How long?’

‘They didn’t say. Maybe until Monday. Who knows?’ She slumps down into her chair. I’ve never seen Perdita look so shaken. ‘The thing is – I know this might sound silly – but I can’t help wondering if something might have happened to him.’

‘Like what?’ I ask carefully.

‘That’s just it. The possibilities are endless. David had – I mean has – several enemies.’ Then she shakes herself. ‘Goodness knows why I’m telling you this. Just get on with some work, can you?’

But no one can concentrate. As one of the secretaries says, there doesn’t seem any point when everything is so uncertain. Not for me. I’ve already got what I came here for.





45



Vicki


My mouth is dry after so much talking. I take a slurp from the plastic beaker on the desk and glance up at the clock. I’m surprised one of the officers hasn’t knocked on the door to say it’s lunchtime. I’ll get a strike if I’m late. But my solicitor hasn’t finished yet.

‘I have to say that I hadn’t realized you were pregnant.’ My solicitor has a thoughtful expression on her face. ‘What happened …?’

Her question hangs in the air.

‘I can’t talk about it at the moment,’ I whisper.

There’s a sigh. ‘You’re not making it easy for me. As I said before, I need to know as much as possible. But all right. We’ll go back when you feel a bit stronger. Meanwhile, let’s go on to your theory that David was money laundering. When did you first have suspicions?’

I’d come back to the Kingston house during a rare weekend off. I was nearly three months pregnant. I’d had that dragging ache at the bottom of my stomach which is apparently normal at this stage. It had been a tough week. A woman on B wing had thrown paint at another during the art class. The teacher had brought in her own materials (which wasn’t allowed, although they had somehow got through security), and the oil paint had stung the victim’s eyes. No long-term damage had been done, but her family had reported it. I’d had to suspend the teacher, which was a shame, as she had, until now, been a great asset.

Consequently I was tense. So, too, was my husband. Instead of asking me how the drive had been or how I was feeling, he announced that he had some ‘urgent papers’ which he needed me to sign.

‘What are they?’ I asked.

‘Just to do with our investments.’

David and I had decided at the beginning of our marriage that we would each maintain our separate bank accounts. So the sudden mention of ‘our’ investments was a surprise.

‘I didn’t know we had any,’ I said, sitting down at the dining-room table to read through the papers he’d put in front of me.

‘I want to put something aside for the baby.’ As he spoke, he massaged my shoulders from behind. Mmmmm. ‘Couldn’t we do this in the morning?’ I suggested, leaning my head sideways against his arm.

‘I need to get this sorted.’

His hands stopped. His voice was abrupt. ‘It has to be sent off by tonight. Don’t you want to make sure that our baby is provided for?’

‘Of course.’ Keen to make the peace, I added, ‘It’s really thoughtful of you.’

‘Just sign here.’

‘I haven’t read it yet.’

‘There’s no need.’

‘Come on, David. You wouldn’t sign something unless you read it first.’

‘I would if you asked me to. Don’t you trust me?’

‘Sure.’ My eye had already scanned the first few paragraphs while we’d been talking. ‘You’re buying a house in the States for 3.4 million dollars?’ I was stunned. ‘I didn’t realize we had that kind of money.’