Silver Tears(5)
Faye contemplated her own neat white desk with satisfaction. It had never been owned by any autocratic, self-satisfied lecherous old bastard who had conned and exploited the women in his life. It had only ever belonged to her. Without the weight of what had gone before. Just like Faye. She had disentangled herself from her own story. Reshaped herself.
She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. The anxiety about what Kerstin had said was beginning to make itself felt again. It could no longer be postponed. Kerstin’s study had been empty earlier, so Faye assumed she was in her bedroom. Kerstin often liked to take a siesta, but Faye always tried to avoid thinking about the fact that she was no spring chicken any longer—that she had seen both sides of seventy. The very thought that Kerstin wouldn’t always be there at her side was enough to give Faye palpitations. The loss of her best friend, Chris, to cancer had brought home to her all too clearly that nothing and no one could be taken for granted. And besides, death had been a part of her life for far too long.
She tapped on Kerstin’s bedroom door.
“Are you awake?”
“I’m not asleep.”
Kerstin sat up drowsily when Faye came into the room. She reached for her glasses on the nightstand, her eyes clouded with sleep.
“Did you sleep well?”
“I wasn’t sleeping,” said Kerstin, standing up and smoothing her trousers. “I was just resting my eyes for a moment.”
Faye wrinkled her nose slightly at the scent of patchouli in Kerstin’s spacious bedroom. After she had met Bengt, who was posted to the Swedish Consulate in Mumbai, on a flight, she had begun to spend an increasing amount of time in India. She had gotten involved with an orphanage and always traveled out with great quantities of necessities for the children. The only thing was, she would return with gaudy gold-tasseled souvenirs to “brighten up” the muted color palette of Faye’s lounge. Paola was under strict instructions that any such items were to be returned to “Ms. Karin’s room.” They had quickly given up all attempts at teaching the irascible Italian to pronounce Kerstin the Swedish way, so they had settled upon the rather more simple Karin by way of compromise.
“Do you miss Bengt?”
Kerstin snorted and put on a pair of slippers that were neatly stowed at the foot of the bed.
“At my age, you don’t miss each other. It’s like…something else when you’re a little older.”
“Oh, that’s bullshit,” Faye said with a grin. “Paola has been gossiping about how ‘Ms. Karin has much nicer underwear now.’?”
“Faye!”
Kerstin blushed all the way down to her neck and Faye couldn’t resist the impulse to wrap her arms around her.
“I’m so happy for you, Kerstin. But I hope he’s not planning to claim you on a full-time basis. We need you here too.”
“Don’t worry. After a while over there, I get sick of him.” But Kerstin’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Come on, let’s go down to the study. I’ve got something I have to show you.”
They descended the stairs in silence. Faye could feel her heart sinking with each step they took. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
* * *
—
Kerstin sat down behind her desk and switched on the computer, which began to whir. Faye settled down in one of the two large Chippendale armchairs in front of the desk. Although the ban on gaudy trinkets extended to Kerstin’s study, Faye had decorated it with Kerstin in mind. In addition to her recently discovered delight in all things Indian, Kerstin had one great passion in her life: Winston Churchill. So Faye had ensured her study was done out in a classic English style with a modern twist. The pièce de résistance was a huge framed photograph of Winston Churchill in pride of place on the wall above the desk.
Kerstin turned the display toward Faye, who leaned forward and tried to bring order to the figures flickering past on the screen. She was most certainly knowledgeable in the financial aspects of the business world, but Kerstin had proven herself to be the true expert. Winston stared down at them sternly, but Faye avoided looking at the picture. Right now, she didn’t need the judgmental gaze of a man.
“I’ve been looking after Revenge’s shareholder register since you’ve got so much on your plate with the American expansion and the new stock issue. Before you left for Rome, two shareholders had sold their holdings. And now another three have gone.”
“To the same buyer?”
Kerstin shook her head.
“No, but I can’t shake the feeling that they all seem to be synchronized.”
“Do you think someone is trying to take over Revenge?”
“Perhaps,” said Kerstin, looking at her over the top of her reading glasses. “I fear that may be what we’re facing.”
Faye leaned back in the armchair. Her body was tense and every one of her veins throbbed with adrenaline. She forced herself to remain calm, even though her thoughts were running away with her. It was too soon for speculation. What she needed more than anything right now were facts.
“Who’s selling?”
“I’ve printed a list for you.”
Kerstin pushed a sheet of paper over to Faye. Kerstin knew her well. Faye always wanted critical business information printed instead of just reading it on a screen. She would have to save the trees by other means.