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“No, really, I have a meeting I must attend” he had lied.
“But it was very kind of you to invite me” he had added, taking the older man’s hand and shaking it with a finality which brooked no argument, before nodding politely to the young woman who was looking confused at having not been able to make him stay within her arms.
“I will phone you tomorrow, to discuss that deal further” John Jones had muttered, seeing how Alexis Demitri’s expression had hardened.
“I see little point, John, I am not going to change my mind” and with that he had turned and made his way to the door he had seen the young woman leave from, breathing a sigh of relief to be free from the room. When he had arrived that night, he had not expected a party, having been invited over for an informal talk, and his face had hardened at the way John Jones had attempted to push his granddaughter so obviously on him.
Outside his eyes had scanned the foyer looking for the woman who had left before him, his brow furrowing not seeing her. As he had moved forward to check outside, to see if she was entering one of the many cars in the large driveway he had finally spotted her half hidden behind one of the many pillars which supported the upstairs landing whose balcony looked down on the magnificent hallway below.
Tessa leant against the hard marble pillar, her eyes shut tight as she bit her lip, a small tear coursing down her cheek, trying hard to pull herself together after her run-in with her grandfather. It had taken a lot for her to come that night, but she had hoped that she would have been able to appeal to his greedy side, knowing that he never wanted her to have her inheritance. However, she had underestimated his need to upset her more, the repercussions of this causing another tear to fall down her cheek, her mind going back to the previous day.
Tessa had never known why she had the sudden urge to visit Andrew Drake that day. Why she had turned her beat up car from heading to her small comfortable apartment to make the extra 3 mile journey to Andrew’s house. She had been exhausted, after a full day of dance rehearsals, with the midterm show only a week away. Tessa had been smiling to herself, remembering how cute the newest intake of baby dancers were in their costumes, which she had spent most of her nights creating, with the help of two of the other mothers, so happy with the way her life was going.
On driving up to the detached house, she had been surprised to not see the usual top of the range car in the driveway. With a frown, she had almost turned her car around, before smiling seeing a light flicking on in one of the downstairs rooms.
Well even if Andrew was not there, his wife Helena would make sure that she at least got a cup of tea, and looking forward to seeing her friend she had parked her car.
Knocking gently on the door, she had stood for some time before it was finally answered. At the door step Andrew looked nervous and dishevelled. He was dressed in his usual suit, but the tie was pulled down low and his hair was sticking up at angles, as though he had been pulling his fingers through it. Tessa had gasped seeing the wild look in his eyes and the way her friend, normally so well presented and slickly dressed looked.
“Andrew” she had gasped in shock.
“What’s wrong?”
She could see how he tried to put on a smile for her, his eyes still holding the bleak haunted look.
“Hey Tessa……I…I didn’t expect you”
“What’s wrong Andrew?”
She had continued her tone more insistent.
His eyes had darted around, refusing to meet hers.
“Look, it’s a really bad time now Tessa……..Can you come back tomorrow?”
Looking hard at him she had moved forward, catching him unaware, as she had moved into the house.
“I don’t think so Andrew……..not till I find out what is going on”
As she had walked into the living room he had tried to move ahead of her, but Tessa had been faster. Spotting the note on the table she quickly moved over picking it up and beginning to read it, her mouth opening wide with astonishment. As she had looked over at him she had seen the look on his face, seen the tears rushing to his eyes.
“Suicide?” she had breathed, her tone expressing the complete shock she felt.
“You are planning on killing yourself?”
Slowly Andrew had moved over to the sofa, sitting heavily on it.
Tessa had never seen him like this before. When they were growing up he had always been the self-assured one, the one who could think his way out of any situation, the joker of the group who had been able to find a silver lining in any cloud. When he had opened his own business and made a success of his small company, nobody had been surprised. When he had married Helena and had two beautiful children, it seemed to be the icing on his wonderful slice of life.
“I…I don’t understand Andrew………..why?” she had mouthed still in shock.
As he had burst into tears she had thrown herself into the seat beside him, taking him into her arms and feeling his body as it was wracked with loud sobs as he clung to her.
“Oh my God, Tess…….it is such a mess”
As he went quiet again she had held him, making soothing noises against his hair.
“Please tell me” she whispered softly “I want to help Andrew”
“I am going to end up in jail………..and there is nothing I can do about it”
He had finally replied, his voice miserable. Tessa had gasped
“Jail………….why… what happened?”
By now the sobs had subsided enough for him to look at her, his face almost emotionless, as he started to tell her the story.
Tessa had listened as he told her of his accountant, who had not filed tax forms for the past 5 years, hiding the fact from him with false documentation, keeping all the money for himself. He had fraudulently withdrawn most of the money from the company also, and only that week when the tax office had finally contacted him personally had the issue come to light. However, having also received a copy of the letter, his accountant had disappeared, taking with him all the money he had stolen. Looking so broken, Andrew had looked at her.
“Please Tessa just go, pretend you never came here tonight………..All the cheques had my name on them. I was so stupid……..I should have been more careful what I was signing…….but I trusted him. We will lose everything……….the house….everything and I will end up in jail for years, at least if I’m………”
His voice had cracked slightly.
“If I’m dead………..they won’t lose anything”
“Not lose…………” Tessa’s voice had been angry.
“How selfish can you be…Helena will lose her husband, and two little kids will lose their father, how the hell can you think that they would be better off Andrew?”
She had seen the tears once more rise to his eyes.
“I don’t know what to do Tessa”
Holding his hands in hers she had looked into his eyes.
“What if you put the money back into the business before they check ……………..? Then hunt for this guy and get your money back”
He had made a small noise.
“I can’t find that much money Tessa and they are coming in to audit me in a week”
“How much money is it?” she had asked, seeing the defeated look in his eyes.
“A million” he had groaned softly.
“He managed to get a million………..how the hell do you not see that….. I can’t get my hands on that much”
Looking surer she had sat straight.
“I can get it for you Andrew……….I will get the money”
Looking at her in surprise he had shaken his head.
“No Tessa ….. I can’t let you……..”
She had made a determined noise.
“So what are your choices, take my money or commit suicide Andrew…………..do you really have a choice?”
For the first time he had looked at her with hope in his eyes.
“I would get it all back to you” he whispered, as she had smiled back at him.
“I know you will”
She had sat with him for the next hour until Helena had appeared, so happy to see her. Feigning tiredness she had then taken her leave of them, more sure now that she had stopped his thoughts of taking his own life.
Returning to the present she had savaged her lip feeling the tear slide down her cheek. Now how was she to help, she had given him hope, promised him the money, how was she to tell him that she could not deliver.
Moving silently behind her, Alexis had held out a handkerchief, causing Tessa to start in surprise, her eyes flying open.
“I thought you might need this” he offered softly, seeing as she had looked warily at him before taking the handkerchief from his hand, a small thank you lost as she dabbed her eyes, before pulling herself up proudly.
