Pinstripes (24 page)

Toby had clenched his fists.
“There must be something we can do. He can’t get away with that.”

“
Toby there isn’t and I don’t want you to jeopardise your job for this. I’m OK. I mean, I miss the job, but I won’t be destitute or anything. I want to forget about Tim and the whole mess. I just don’t want you to think I’m some sort of tart.”

“
I’d never think that. But if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

“
I will, Toby, you’re a good friend.” Clara wondered if she could use him in any of their plans, and filed him in her head.

They finished their drinks, chatted, and Clara went off to meet Josh.

He was already waiting for her at the Collection, and Clara kissed him warmly. Josh was another man her parents would’ve been happy for her to marry. In this case, she would have agreed with them. He was divine to look at, tall, well-muscled, dark hair and eyes. Delicious eyes. He was also well spoken, well mannered, successful, friendly, warm and funny. What they didn’t know was that he was a serial womaniser but, then, they didn’t know about Clara either.

The families had been friends for ages and, for a long time, Josh had seen Clara as an irritating younger sister. When they met again after she left finishing-school, his view of her changed and he pursued her vigorously. They ended up in bed, and embarked on a fling. Clara was ensconced in the life of a party girl and tried not to mind that he worked long hours, hardly had time to see her and still went out with other girls. She did mind terribly, but she always brushed it off by going to another party. It lasted only a month, then Josh stopped calling her and Clara didn
’t chase him. She didn’t feel sad for long: she had a number of other men in tow, including Matt, and she had discovered the joys of cocaine – to which Josh had introduced her.

When Clara saw him, her heart flipped. She would never admit it to herself, but Josh was the love of her life.

“Clara, you look fantastic. How are you, darling?” Josh asked.

Clara sat down.
“Fine. You look fantastic yourself.” Clara decided she needed to flirt as she had never flirted before. It was the only way she could keep the butterflies at bay.

“
How’s James? I haven’t seen him in ages, but he works so hard. God, he never has any time to play. Tell him to call me,” Josh said.

“
He’s fine, but you’re right, he does work hard and he wouldn’t be pleased if he knew I was with you. He thinks you broke my heart.” Clara giggled.

“
And did I?” Josh’s eyes twinkled.

“
No one breaks
my
heart.” They both laughed. Josh summoned the waiter and asked for a bottle of champagne. When it arrived, they toasted to ‘old friends’.

“
God, Clara, you are so gorgeous. I should never have let you go.”

“
No, you shouldn’t.” Clara had seen Josh at a couple of parties recently with a tall, skinny, blonde woman. She wondered if he had anyone special.

“
I know. My mother always asks after you. Anyway, I was a bit too much of a playboy for you. You deserved better. Is there anyone in your life?” His voice was calm but his eyes betrayed his interest.

“
No one special, although I’m not short of admirers. Anyway, I did deserve someone better, although no one came along.” Clara smiled. She felt thirteen again – and told herself to pull herself together: she needed Josh for her other tasks. He had hurt her once, he wouldn’t hurt her again.

“
I bet. Anyway, what was the emergency situation you needed me for?” Josh looked and acted like a lawyer now.

“
It’s a bit delicate. I need a dealer.” Clara spoke quietly, and she put her head close to him so she almost passed out.

“
For cocaine?” Josh murmured. Clara nodded. He pulled out a pen and a piece of paper and started writing. “Here’s the number. He’s the son of a peer. Nice chap and he gets great stuff, is reliable and lives in Camden. I’ll tell him you’ll be calling and he’ll be fine.” He handed Clara the scrap of paper.

Clara read the number and her eyes lit up.
“Josh, you’re a star, thank you.” She kissed his cheek.

“
No problem. If you ever have any trouble with him, call me, OK?”

“
OK. It’s reassuring to know I can still call you. I’ve had a bit of a hard time lately. Mind you I’m putting that behind me. How much do you use?”

“Too
much, but only to take away the boredom at parties, never during the day and never when I have sex. Well, not too much anyway – it can stop me performing.”

“
I didn’t think anything could stop you performing.” Clara shivered as she remembered his amazing sexual technique.

“
So, what’s up? What problems have you had?”

“
It’s just, well, James doesn’t know about any of this and I’m determined not to let him find out. You won’t say anything, will you?”

“
Of course not. Clara, tell me.”

She thought for a minute, weighed up the gamble she was taking and made a decision.
“I will, but first I need to go to the loo.” She stood up.

“
You may want to take this with you,” Josh replied, handing her a wrap of cocaine before she went.

When she returned her mind was made up. Josh was the only hope she had for the Isabelle plan to work. He was also pulling on her heartstrings and she didn
’t know why. She felt vulnerable, and she couldn’t cope with it. She had to get him to do this for her as well as for the others.

“
You know I was working at SFH?” she said. Josh nodded. “Well, I was doing OK there, but, you see, I was ... well, I was sleeping with my boss.”

“
Christ, Clara, that’s a bit clichéd for you, isn’t it?” Josh wasn’t laughing.

“
I know. It didn’t happen for long. He chased me, and he made me feel good for a while. I didn’t feel very wanted after you stopped calling. Anyway, this isn’t your fault. But then he got jealous and he told me he was going to leave his wife and move in with me but I had to resign from SFH. I refused. He got me sacked. End of story.”

“
That’s outrageous! You could do him for wrongful dismissal, sexual harassment, everything.”

“
Yes, I know, but then James and my parents would find out. God, I couldn’t cope with that. It’s total tabloid sleaze and I can’t put my family through it.”

“
No, no, of course you can’t.”

“
Anyway, that’s only my story. After I was sacked, I walked into the nearest pub. And in there were two girls I recognised from SFH, one was a secretary, the other a trader, and they’d both been sacked too.”

“
What for?” Josh was interested.

“
Various things, but although their dismissal was kind of fair, it was unfair, if you can understand that. Other people were instrumental in getting them sacked, like with me.” Clara lit a cigarette and drank some champagne.

“
It all sounds a bit weird.”

“
I know, it’s bizarre – I mean, who would believe it? Three girls all sacked for things that meant they couldn’t appeal – well, apart from me. But three different people led to this and those people should pay.”

“
What are you getting at, Clara?”

“
We’re going to make them sorry. We’re going to make them wish they had never messed with us in the first place. Of course, what we’ll do is going to be legal, but they’ll be destroyed, just as they destroyed us.” Clara was animated.

Josh reached over and took her hand.
“Baby, I had no idea. And you’re right, they should pay. But are you sure you know what you’re getting into? Shit, Clara, what a mess.” Clara nodded. Inside she knew what she wanted him to do, but he had enough information for now. The rest she’d save for pillow talk.

“
Are you hungry? I’m famished,” Clara said.

“
Great. We’ll eat here, shall we?” Josh motioned for a menu. Clara felt like she had done a great job, and for the first time, she hadn’t just done it for herself.

She wanted Josh. She knew it, but wouldn
’t admit it. She needed him, not his dealer, but she couldn’t let herself feel like that. He might hurt her. He might be the only man who could hurt her. She didn’t know what she could do about that, but she had to get him to help with Isabelle. She would sort her feelings out later. At that moment the plan was the most important thing.

After dinner, she went back to Josh
’s flat in the Chelsea Harbour complex, which reminded Clara of a hotel. When they’d been together previously he had never invited her there; they had always gone back to Clara’s. She felt uneasy: the flat was functional, with a great view of the river, and it was definitely the place for a rich playboy. The decor was minimal, and there were no clues to his life in the sitting room, the kitchen or the bathroom.

When they kissed, though, she forgot everything. They took one more line of cocaine and she didn
’t notice how little she’d had that evening. They talked some more and kissed again. Sex hung in the air, but for once she was in no hurry. By the time they went to bed, Clara was fighting hard to keep her mind on her objective.

Afterwards she lay in his arms feeling safe and wonderful. She had to remind herself that she
’d felt like that before and she hadn’t been safe.

“
Can we try again?” Josh asked. “I mean really try this time. The two of us in a relationship. No one else, just me and you.” His voice was tender.

“
Why, Josh? I mean, you say you want that, but last time you didn’t. What’s changed?”

“
I have. I’ve grown up. I’m tired of airhead girls and you aren’t an airhead. I’m sure you’re quite mad, but you’re lovely and clever and you have your own mind. I’ve missed you. I didn’t know it until now, but I have.” Clara snuggled into his arms. She wanted to believe him, she really did, but she couldn’t let herself. Her heart had been broken before. The parties, the cocaine, the job, Tim – although she couldn’t hold Josh responsible for all of it, he had triggered it, and she knew that if she let him hurt her again, she might never recover.

“
Josh, I really want to believe you, but because I’ve been messed around – or I’ve messed around – my life is a huge pile of shit. I need to do this revenge thing. I need to know that I wasn’t fired in vain and I’m not sure I’m ready to take the risk of falling for you when I’m in the midst of all this.”

“So
you haven’t fallen for me already?” He looked hurt.

“
I don’t know, Josh. You’re such a divine creature, and I’ve been in an imaginary love affair with you since I was a kid. I’m not ready to try the real thing yet, not after last time.”

“
OK. I’ll prove I’m serious. What would it take to convince you?” Clara smiled at him; he sounded so sincere. However, he was probably just like Tim and all the others. He wanted her in bed, but he didn’t want
her
. No one wanted her. She had an idea, and if it worked, she would at least be able to get Isabelle. If it didn’t then she had only lost him again. She couldn’t feel any lonelier than she already did.

“
I want you to sleep with someone else.” Clara spoke so calmly it took a couple of seconds for the words to sink in. When they did, Josh sat upright.

“
What? Are you fucking insane?”

“
Probably, yes. But this is the most important thing right now. If I can help them get Isabelle, then they’ll help me get Tim. Don’t you see?”

“
No, I don’t, but I expect you’re going to tell me anyway.”

“
Isabelle is a manager. She’s attractive, rich, successful and hungry for power. Virginia is this poor, boring creature, never had sex, probably never will. I mean, she’s so boring, who would want her? Anyway, although I don’t like her I feel sorry for her, and I don’t feel sorry for Isabelle, who’s just the female equivalent of Tim.”

“
Clara, you’re babbling. I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.”

“
Josh, please, listen. Isabelle is a bitch. She chewed up this girl and spat her out. She deserves the same.” Clara outlined their plan. When she’d finished she looked at Josh pleadingly.

He sat in silence, making Clara feel nervous. Eventually he spoke:
“Very clever. The theory is sound – the share value will be low, it’ll go up dramatically when people start buying, she’ll think she’s a hero, until the truth emerges and the company goes bust. Right?”

“
Yes, that’s right.” Clara said.

“
Do you really think it’ll work?”

“
Well, I wasn’t sure at first, but I know that it has to. Ella has some contacts who can forge anything, so getting a document to look authentic should be easy. But I don’t know how we’re going to find a company, which is one problem, and getting the information to Isabelle is another. But otherwise how can it fail?”