Page 97 of The Cottage in the Highlands

“How long have you suspected?” I asked her.

“Not long. Just a few weeks,” she admitted. “A comedian friend of mine tipped me off about Seth, saying there were rumours about him cutting corners with my brand and being more flash with his cash.” She waggled her phone. “As soon as I heard that, I remembered that you and your colleague when you came to interview me alluded to the same thing.” She gave her long blonde hair a dismissive shake. “Seth managed to talk me round and assure me it was all idle gossip started by that disgruntled employee and that he would fix it.”

Her shoulders slumped under her raincoat. “I wanted to be proved wrong, but there you go.”

I huddled into my long coat. Through the silvery, persistent rain, Christmas trees glistened out of shop windows opposite and bursts of festive songs could be heard.

“And Seth assured you that the packaging for your Stardust beauty range was ethical?”

“One hundred percent. I insisted when we were designing it that I wanted one hundred percent post-consumer recycled plastic packaging and that the contents were to be environmentally friendly.”

“But?”

Lulu ground her jaw. “But it seems that he’s been using some second-rate material that mimics the recycled plastic and passing it off as the real thing.”

“And who is this Rick he’s talking to on your recording?”

“Rick Askew,” replied Lulu with clear disdain. “He’s a crony of Seth’s. Has been for years. He works in some PR firm, but from what I hear he’s been dabbling in a lot of shady businesses on the side.”

I glanced at Lulu’s rose-gold mobile in her hand. “Can you send me that recording please? I think I should have a word with our Mr Gordon, and Mr Askew deserves a call too.”

Lulu dusted some stray remnants of raindrops from her belted red coat. She looked like a voluptuous 50s film star. Then she delved into her shoulder bag and plucked out a white and gold satin purse embossed with Stardust. “Oh, and here are a few of the samples you asked for. I popped in the exfoliator, a body lotion, and hand cream.”

“Brilliant. Thank you.”

“What else do you need from me?”

“I need you to be careful,” I warned her. “Do you think Gordon has any indication that you know what he’s been doing?”

Lulu shook her bright-blonde head. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. He thinks I’m still his ditzy cash cow.”

I assured Lulu I would be in touch soon and that I wasn’t intending on hanging around with this information.

She vanished off back to her chauffeur-driven car, stationed on the other side of the car park.

“Leonie?”

I jumped at the voice behind me. “Kerry,” I gasped, clapping my hand to my chest. “Bloody hell! you gave me such a fright then.”

“Sorry.”

I frowned at her, decked out in her frilly-necked blouse and slim-fitting trousers. She was huddled under her umbrella. “Did you follow me down here?”

She focused on her chunky heeled shoes. “I thought I saw you talking to Lulu Stark.” She gazed past my shoulder. “I was right, wasn’t I? It was her.”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. My silence confirmed it.

“I want to help you,” she implored. “You have no idea how sorry I am about the Chandler thing.”

I heaved a frustrated sigh. “I don’t think so, do you? I thought I could trust you and look where that got me.”

Kerry’s wide mouth trembled. “But that’s my point. I’ve made a terrible cock-up of things. You’ve been so wonderful and supportive and I need to make it up to you. I want to.”

I gazed heavenwards. “It sounds from what Lulu has just told me that this could all get a bit messy and the fewer people that know about it, the better.”

Kerry flailed one hand, sending her brolly wobbling around as she clutched it in the other. “Then all the more reason for you to have some help. You can trust me.”

I gave her a cool, sceptical look.