Naked Truths (39 page)

‘Fancy a hot chocolate? I was just about to make some,' Caro asked.

‘Super.'

‘There's a Fortnum & Mason's jar in the cupboard by the door, if you wouldn't mind getting it. I'm afraid the bump is rather limiting my reach.'

Caro was just pouring the hot water out when a loud smash made her jump. The jar was lying in pieces among a debris of chocolate powder on the floor.

‘Are you all right?' Caro gasped.

Amelia was frozen to the spot, a wild look on her face. Caro followed her gaze out of the kitchen window. What was she staring at? Oh Jesus Christ! Out of the darkness, a swarthy figure stepped forward.

The man locked his hooded eyes on to Amelia, then slowly lifted a finger and drew it across his throat. The gesture was chilling. Face stretched with fear, Amelia staggered backwards, gripping the worktop.

‘Amelia!' Caro cried. She moved towards her, but Amelia turned and fled down the passage. Caro turned back fearfully, but the man had gone. Summoning up her courage, she crept up to the window and peered out. The garden was empty.

Caro had to get to the bottom of this. She rushed up the stairs. ‘Amelia, let me in!' She tried the handle, and slowly, afraid of what she might find, opened the door.

Amelia was standing in the middle of the room, arms wrapped around herself like a frightened child. She was pale with terror.

Caro was by her side in a flash. ‘Darling, what's going on? Who was that man?' Her sister-in-law's teeth were chattering so loudly she couldn't speak.

‘Amelia!' Caro was seriously frightened now. The phone calls, the face at the window, the intruder . . . Of course they were all linked! Why had she been kidding herself?

‘Amelia!' she said again, gripping her arm. ‘We can't go on like this.
I
can't go on like this. I've been giving you the benefit of the doubt, but I've got Benedict and Milo to think about.' She gestured at her stomach. ‘I've got
this
one to think about. Darling, if you're in some kind of trouble you have to tell me! I won't have my family put in danger.'

‘What's going on?' Benedict materialized in the room with a towel wrapped round his waist. ‘I thought I heard shouting.'

‘You knew him, didn't you?' prompted Caro gently.

‘Knew who?' Benedict demanded. He took in the stricken faces. ‘Amelia, what on earth's going on?'

It was all too much. Tears running down her face, Amelia collapsed on her bed.

‘I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I thought I'd be able to deal with it by myself.'

Benedict knelt down beside her, his voice gentle. ‘Darling, what is it? Please let me help you.'

Amelia took a deep breath, steeling herself. ‘His name is Vladimir Kirillov,' she said in a small voice. ‘I met him in a nightclub in Moscow. He told me he owned the place, but that was a lie, along with everything else he said. Vladimir was a dream boyfriend at first. He told me he was a successful businessman, although he never talked about his work. I didn't pry, and besides, when I was with him Vladimir had the ability to make me feel like I was the centre of his universe. He was so generous and so attentive.'

She sniffed. ‘Then one of my friends told me she'd heard he was mixed up in some bad stuff, and that I should stay away from him. Of course, I was so in love by then I didn't listen. But Vladimir changed. Maybe he noticed I was more curious about his work. He got more and more possessive, phoning me the whole time to see where I was, turning up at work.'

Amelia smiled bitterly. ‘Of course, I was never able to question him about anything. One night we'd been out, and when we got back Vladimir went mad and accused me of flirting with one of his friends. I hadn't, of course, but I just lost it and accused him of trying to control me.' Amelia hesitated. ‘That's when he hit me.'

A muscle flickered in Benedict's cheek. ‘The bastard. If I ever get my hands on him . . .'

‘Benedict, you mustn't!' Amelia cried. The fear was back in her voice. ‘You must never, ever go near him. I finished with him there and then, and he swore he'd come back to haunt me.' Her eyes filled with tears again. ‘That's when I found out what he really was.'

‘What is he?' asked Caro fearfully.

‘Money laundering, blackmail, extortion . . . you name it, he's involved in it. He's even rumoured to have ordered hit men to kill off other “business” rivals.' Amelia shivered. ‘And now he's followed me here.'

‘Is he blackmailing you?' Benedict asked quietly.

The tears were free-falling now. ‘I've been so stupid!' she sobbed. ‘There were these pictures of me, before I met Vladimir. I met this guy and when he offered me cocaine I knew it was wrong, but I tried it anyway. There were other people there as well, it was quite a party. Someone had a camera,' she added, ashamed. ‘Somehow Vladimir found out about them and started saying if I didn't give him money, he was going to put the pictures all over the internet and I'd never work again, that my life would be ruined.'

She looked in such a state that Caro's heart almost broke. She sat beside her sister-in-law, rubbing her back soothingly. ‘Does he know you've got family money?'

Amelia nodded miserably. ‘I talked about my life and family when we were happy together, of course I did. Vladimir was always very interested, asking what you did, Benedict, and where we had houses.' She sounded bitter again. ‘I always thought he wanted to know all about me because he'd come back here with me one day, but he was obviously just sizing me up.'

‘Did you give him any money?' Benedict's voice was so low and quiet, it sent a shiver down Caro's spine.

Amelia nodded her head. ‘I thought if I gave him it, he'd go away, but then he started asking for more and more.' She gulped. ‘That's when I fled back here; I thought he wouldn't come looking for me. But I was so stupid. Vladimir's got eyes everywhere!'

‘How much money have you given him?' asked Benedict.

Amelia avoided his eyes. ‘At first it was twenty-five thousand, then it was double that, and now he's demanding a hundred. Whatever I give him, it's never enough.'

Benedict looked completely appalled. ‘You've given him seventy-five thousand pounds of your inheritance?'

‘That's why I didn't tell you, I knew you'd be upset! I've been so scared. I thought if I kept a low profile, he wouldn't come looking for me.' Amelia smiled tightly. ‘I don't think he even needs the money. He's such a sick fuck, he's tormenting me for pleasure.'

‘Was he behind that devil mask? The man's a complete psychopath!' gasped Caro. ‘You poor thing. I can't bear that you've gone through this by yourself.'

Benedict stood up. ‘Have you got his number?'

She shook her head. ‘The calls always come from a private number.'

Just then, Amelia's mobile starting ringing on her dressing table.

‘Benedict, no!' Amelia cried, but it was too late. He snatched the phone up.

‘Vladimir Kirillov?' His voice was like ice. ‘This is Benedict Towey, Amelia's brother. I've had enough of you harassing my family, I suggest we meet once and for all to sort this out. Since you've spent so much time in the area, I assume you know the Horse and Groom pub off Guinevere Road. I'll be there in five minutes.' He hung up.

Caro rushed over to her husband. ‘Benedict, please, it's too dangerous! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, this chap could be mafia for all we know.'

‘Please listen to her,' Amelia said quietly.

Their pleas fell on deaf ears. A white-hot rage seemed to have taken over Benedict's face. Every muscle had come alive, his eyes flashed, and his strong jaw was rigid, defining the contours more than ever. Caro thought he had never looked more beautiful or frightening. He stood up. ‘I need to go and sort this.' He strode out, Caro following him into their bedroom.

‘Please don't go,' she pleaded. ‘We should go to the police and let them sort it out. This is dangerous!'

He pulled a sweater over his head. ‘And what will they do? They're not going to stand and keep watch over the place until this Kirillov character turns up again. Amelia's at breaking point, Caro, I can't let her go on like this. And I can't risk him coming back here, near you both, and Milo.'

Benedict came over and dropped a kiss on Caro's forehead. ‘I love you,' he said. ‘Don't worry.' As he left the room, the tang of aftershave trailing in his wake, she collapsed sobbing on the bed.

It was the longest hour of Caro's life. She and Amelia were in the living room anxiously waiting Benedict's return. Caro was pacing the floor like a madwoman. She kept picking up the phone to dial 999 and putting it down again. Horrible scenarios kept running through her mind; she should have said something before! Instinctively Caro cradled her bump. What if something terrible happened, and their unborn child had to grow up without a father? What would she tell Milo? Caro loved her husband so much the thought of never seeing him again filled her with the most desolate grief she had ever known. She moaned softly, barely aware of Amelia trying to comfort her.

Finally, they heard a key turning in the lock, and to her unimaginable relief, Benedict walked in. His face was pale and set, but aside from that he looked unharmed.

‘Oh my God, you're safe!' cried Caro, racing across the room.

‘What happened?'

Benedict put his arms around her. ‘It doesn't matter, it's all over.'

‘But are you hurt? Did he threaten you?'

‘No darling, please don't upset yourself. Everything's OK. Kirillov is out of our lives –
all
of our lives – for good.' He shot Amelia a meaningful look, and she broke down completely.

‘Thank you, thank you,' she sobbed. Benedict opened one of his arms and Amelia snuggled into it, pushing her face into his strong chest. He squeezed her tightly.

‘Hey, come on. That's what big brothers are for.'

SAFFRON GROANED AND
pulled the pillow round her ears. The banging of the headboard next door was getting even louder. If she'd known what shaggers Tara and Tim were, she would never have moved here in the first place. The noise reached a hammering crescendo, there was a single wail, and then it all fell silent. Saffron knew it was a brief respite – they'd be at it again within ten minutes.

Lying awake every night listening to Tara and Tim's carnal habits had made Saffron think, amongst other things, about her own love life. She had never gone without sex for this long before. Saffron thought she'd have been gagging for it by now, but strangely, she wasn't that bothered.

A lanky, naked figure appeared in the living room doorway. ‘Are you asleep, Saffron?'

‘No such luck,' she sighed.

Tim moved closer. ‘I say, Tara and I were wondering. Do you fancy a threesome?' He said it so casually he could have been asking if she wanted one sugar in her tea or two.

Tim had a spotty back and the beginnings of nostril hair. Saffron rolled her eyes in the darkness. ‘No offence, Timbo, but I think I'll pass.'

It was definitely time to move on.

Harriet gazed happily across the table from her date. She couldn't believe how nice and well,
normal
, he was. She'd been seriously thinking of cancelling her subscription to Chapline, especially after the last fellow. A wet-lipped brand-manager from Surrey called Jonty, he had invited her to the cinema to see
Sleepy Hollow
. Harriet had been delighted, she'd always been a Johnny Depp fan, but her excitement soon waned when it turned out they were actually going to see something called
Sleepy's Hollow
, a rather dubious low-budget erotica film about a young sultry blonde who suffered from narcolepsy every time she had sex. Harriet had lasted halfway through the performance before Jonty's wandering hands got too much, and she'd excused herself to go to the loo, never to return.

Samuel, however, seemed different. They'd met at a champagne bar in Knightsbridge. He'd been older than he looked in his photo, but charming and attentive, asking her lots of questions about herself. They were now round the corner in a candlelit tapas place. It was very romantic, Harriet thought, as she watched Samuel expertly fork up a mouthful of marinated squid.

‘Tell me more about yourself,' he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin before putting it down in his lap. He reached across to fill Harriet's wine glass again. She found herself thinking he had beautiful table manners; her mother would like him.

‘There's not much to tell, really. I work for a magazine called
Soirée
, editor's PA mainly, but I organize their parties and stuff.'

Samuel raised his eyebrow, impressed. ‘That's a fantastic magazine. I bet you're awfully good at your job.'

‘You know
Soirée
?' asked Harriet, liking him more by the moment.

‘Of course. I used to buy it for my . . .' Samuel hesitated for a moment. ‘Look, Harriet, I didn't want to tell you earlier, because I like you so much, but technically I'm still married.'

‘Oh,' said Harriet, her heart sinking. She had known Samuel was too good to be true.

He leant forward and put his hand over hers. ‘
Technically
I'm still married,' he repeated. ‘Marina and I separated months ago, it's just that the divorce is taking months to go through.'

‘Oh?' asked Harriet again, her spirits rising. ‘Do you have any, er, children together?'

‘No,' replied Samuel. He squeezed her hand meaningfully. ‘But I do want them some day, I just haven't met the right woman yet . . .'

Harriet felt a surge of happiness.

Just then, there was a cold gust of air as the front door flew open and a woman stormed in. ‘Samuel!' she screeched across the restaurant.