For Your Own Protection(54)

‘Matt,’ Beth said, shocked at his appearance at this late hour as she stood in the doorway. She was wearing her comfy joggers and a white T-shirt that reminded Matt of a holiday they had taken in Cyprus in the early years of their relationship. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I need to talk,’ he said. ‘Is it okay if I come in?’

She looked back into the house, as if she was thinking about how James might respond to Matt walking in and spoiling their evening. She frowned, thinking, then said, ‘C’mon in. We’re just in the middle of dinner, but we can pop it under the grill.’

‘Sorry,’ Matt said, as he followed her inside. ‘I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t really important.’

‘Matt,’ James said flatly as he came into the living room. He’d obviously heard him at the front door. ‘I’ve already put the food in to keep warm,’ he said to Beth.

‘Thanks.’ Beth stood at James’s side as they both waited for an explanation. Their positioning served to make this situation all the more uncomfortable.

‘Maybe we’d better sit down,’ Matt suggested.

‘What’s this about?’ James said, not moving. Matt noticed his hand linking with Beth’s.

Matt decided to get straight to the point. ‘It’s about Charlie. About his safety. I’m worried about him.’

‘His safety?’ Beth said, her face flashing concern. ‘Why, what’s wrong? What’s happened?’

Matt tried again. ‘Can we sit down?’

Beth nodded, encouraging James down on to the sofa, even though he looked less than happy about it.

Matt sat in the chair opposite and took a moment to gather his thoughts. ‘This might sound crazy, but over the past few weeks I’ve had this feeling that I was being followed. By the girl I was dating, Catherine. I tried to dismiss it, that I was imagining it. But it turns out it was true. She was following me. Her real name is Natalie, not Catherine. And her usual job is to work for women, to determine whether their husbands are cheating on them.’

Beth was transfixed, while James just looked bored.

Matt continued. ‘I challenged her about what she was doing. At first, she wouldn’t tell me, and I assumed that maybe it could be something to do with you.’

‘Me?’ Beth said, perturbed. ‘I promise, it isn’t anything—’

‘It’s okay,’ Matt interrupted. ‘I know that now. Later she told me what she was doing was for my own protection.’

‘Your own protection? She was protecting you? Like a bodyguard?’

‘She was being paid to look out for anything suspicious, and to report back to the person who was paying her. But it wasn’t me she was asked to protect. It was Charlie.’

‘Charlie?’ Beth said, aghast. ‘But, why – why would Charlie need protecting?’

Matt looked across to James, eyeing him for any signs as he spoke. ‘I had no idea at first. But now I have a theory. It’s something to do with UGT.’

James just looked back at him impassively.

Beth turned to James, then back to Matt. ‘In what way?’

‘I don’t know,’ Matt admitted, eyes still trained on James. ‘But I’m telling you all this now because I wonder if you, James, can help, or know anything?’

He laughed. ‘Me?’

‘Alex McKenzie, an employee at UGT, was killed in a hit-and-run two weeks ago. His girlfriend Rachel Martin was pushed under a Tube train two days ago. I think there’s a connection between what happened to them and the bank. Do you know anything?’

‘My God, you’re actually serious, aren’t you?’ James shook his head. ‘You’re losing it, mate.’

Matt’s eyes slid back to Beth. ‘Charlie is in danger, Beth.’

Beth looked across at James. ‘Do you know anything about this?’

James looked affronted. ‘No, of course not! Yes, I heard the dreadful news about Alex, but I didn’t know about his girlfriend’s accident.’

‘The police don’t think it was an accident,’ Matt carried on. ‘And Natalie believes the chief suspect is the same man who has been following me and Charlie.’

‘I don’t know anything about this,’ James said, directing his protest at Beth and studiously ignoring Matt. ‘He comes here, making wild accusations—’

‘I’m not accusing anyone. I just want to protect my son,’ Matt stated.

‘No,’ James said, now turning to him. ‘You want to try and drive a wedge between Beth and me. You’ll try anything to stop us going to Australia, won’t you? Isn’t that what this is really about? It’s about you wanting to ruin everything for us.’

Now, under the gaze of them both, Matt felt defensive. ‘It’s true that the last thing I want is for you to move to Australia. For Charlie to be thousands of miles away. The prospect terrifies me. It keeps me awake at night. But that’s not what this is about.’

‘I don’t believe you,’ James said. ‘You’re a desperate man, and desperate people do desperate things. But the truth is, Matt, you threw away your great life, not anyone else. And it’s too late to . . .’

‘James!’ Beth chastised. ‘That’s enough.’