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Karin’s heart was pounding. ‘So you’re pleased?’
He flipped up the duvet and rolled on top of her. ‘I’ve got a feeling that you are going to be really, really good for me,’ he whispered into her ear as his lips began a trail of moist kisses down her neck.
The next day, Mikhail rang Adam as they were on the way to Domodedovo Airport. He would be delighted to subcontract the building of the Moscow Supertower to the Midas Corporation. Sitting on the black leather seat of the Mercedes beside Adam, Karin had to turn her head to look out of the window to stop Adam seeing her Cheshire Cat grin. She took his hand and squeezed his fingers, silently predicting that, by this time next year, she would be Mrs Adam Gold.
54
There was no answer at Eton Square. Molly had tried the front doorbell of Donna and Daniel’s house and peered in through the windows, but there was no sign of life. Luckily, she knew exactly where to go. Daniel’s father Alexander owned a small apartment in Holland Park, where Molly and Alex had occasionally met for sex. It was like a tiny literary bolthole, crammed with books and journals, and Alex had told Molly nostalgically that Daniel had used it to revise for his finals twenty years earlier. It was the perfect place to lock himself away, Alex had told her.
‘Well done. You found me,’ said Daniel flatly as he buzzed Molly into the small top-floor space. He was standing by a window that overlooked the park, arms folded across his chest. It was a bright day, but the sun was shining on the opposite side of the street, which gave the room a sombre cast that perfectly matched Daniel’s expression.
Molly sat down on an antique leather sofa without being asked. ‘Donna’s sister has been trying to reach you.’
‘Well, I haven’t wanted to be found,’ said Daniel tartly. He looked up and glared at her.
Molly frowned and avoided his gaze, a little unnerved by his hostility. Okay, so he was angry and upset, but he didn’t have to take it out on her, did he?
Daniel shook a cigarette out of a packet and lit it, giving a small shake of the head.
‘Starting smoking again wasn’t part of the plan, but when you’ve got every bloody hack in London chasing you for a comment …’
‘Well, I think you might need that cigarette,’ said Molly.
‘What do you mean?’
Molly paused before speaking.’It’s Donna. She’s okay now, but she took an overdose.’
Molly saw his jaw slacken and more colour drain out of his face. ‘What?’ he said, his voice small and cracked. He walked over to the sofa and sat down, burying his head in his hands. ‘Jesus,’ he said, muttering to himself. ‘I am so stupid. I’ve been so bloody selfish.’
‘I think you left your mobile at Delemere so nobody could reach you,’ said Molly. ‘But don’t worry, Patsy is with her. Evie is okay. And Donna’s okay too, really she is.’
All of a sudden he looked up; Molly could see his fingers were curled into a tight fist. Daniel was not usually an aggressive man – he was certainly the most placid of the husbands in Molly’s circle of friends – but the atmosphere was now prickling with enmity. He jumped to his feet and took a step toward Molly. ‘Donna is clearly not okay, you stupid fucking bitch,’ he said through clenched teeth.
Molly stood up, holding her hands out in front of her in a placating gesture. ‘Now calm down, Daniel. What I meant was that it could have been so much worse, but the doctors have all said she is going to be fine.’
Daniel stood there, clenching and unclenching his hands, his shoulders shaking with suppressed violence.
‘You’ve not cottoned on that I know, have you?’ he sneered, shaking his head slowly. ‘That I know what a vicious, conniving little cow you really are.’
‘I honestly don’t know what you are talking about,’ said Molly, her voice shaking, tripping over her heels as she tried to back away from him.
‘Oh, I always knew you were self-seeking,’ spat Daniel, ‘but I really didn’t think you would have the gall to do what you have done and then come here posing as a friend of my wife.’
‘But I am a friend, Daniel,’ said Molly, backing right up to the door. ‘I don’t know what you think has happened, but I haven’t done anything except come to find you, to tell you about Donna and to say she is sorry. She is so sorry.’
‘Sorry?’ yelled Daniel, lunging across at Molly and gripping her arms, pinning her against the doorframe.
‘Sorry? You’re the one who should be sorry, you sad little whore!’
Daniel’
s face was only inches from hers, his eyes blazing with fury. She could feel his arms shaking and his fingers pressing into her flesh. Molly was terrified, unable to utter a single word, barely breathing.
Suddenly, Daniel released her and turned away, walking back to the window. He stared out at the street and shook his head slowly. ‘Donna thinks we were both tipped off about the story on Saturday night, but a friend at the newspaper had told me a couple of days earlier. I had tried to get an injunction to stop it being published, but was unsuccessful,’ he said flatly. ‘So, I hired a private investigator.’ He barked a hollow laugh. ‘When a reporter tells you that your wife was a high-class hooker, you want to find out if it’s true or not.’
The look on his face was one of anger and confusion as he ran his hand through his blond hair. Molly was unable to do anything except stand frozen by the door.
‘It didn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to track down Sharif Kahlid.’ He looked up at Molly with probing, accusatory eyes. ‘At first he wouldn’t talk. But it’s amazing what a suitcase full of cash will do. Apparently you found the same thing out yourself.’
