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Summer shot her mother a sour glance. ‘Ricardo was just leaving,’ she said tartly.
‘Oh Ricardo, you can’t leave,’ purred Molly, stroking the dark hairs on his arm. ‘We’re all going to the pub later. It’s very quaint.’
Ricardo kissed her on the cheek before turning to watch Ellie again. ‘I might see you there then,’ he said, winking at Summer. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave mother and daughter alone to congratulate themselves on a wonderful afternoon.’
‘He’s right, isn’t he?’ smiled Molly triumphantly after he’d gone.‘Marcus is practically wetting himself it’s been so successful.’
‘I can’t believe you,’ said Summer, shaking her head slowly.
Molly sighed theatrically. ‘What have I done this time, darling?’
‘You invited Ricardo Lantis,’ replied Summer, her voice shaking. ‘I told you what happened the night of our so-called date, and you still invite him to your home.’
Molly pursed her lips. ‘Darling, I’m not exactly sure what happened that evening – you don’t seem terribly clear yourself,’ she laughed. The main thing she remembered about Summer’s date with Ricardo was that it was the night her daughter had ended back at Adam Gold’s house. ‘But I can assure you that Ricardo is not the hazard to society you seem to think he is. You just got a bit drunk,’ smiled Molly. ‘We’ve all been there.’
‘What bit don’t you understand, mother?’ snapped Summer. ‘Ricardo gave me Rohypnol. He would have raped me. Look at him now, on the prowl for any young girl he can lay his hands on,’ she said, instantly worrying about Ellie.
‘Summer, Ricardo is an important businessman,’ said Molly patiently. ‘More than that, he’s a good friend, a generous friend. He did not try to rape you and spreading lies like that could land you in a lot of trouble, young lady.’
‘Well, now I know where your loyalties lie,’ said Summer, unable to look at her mother. Just then there was a roar from the crowd.
‘Speak up, darling. I can’t hear over the noise. Ooh, listen. I think they’ve just called out the number of my raffle ticket. I’ll see you later.’ As she watched her mother totter off towards Marcus, Summer couldn’t stop a tear escaping down her cheek. There was a garden bench a few feet away from her and she sat down on it, hugging herself protectively as she watched everyone laughing and drinking punch in the distance.
‘I take it you didn’t win the raffle,’ said a voice behind her.
Summer rubbed her cheek quickly when she saw Erin. ‘I never win,’ she said, forcing a smile.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Erin, taking a seat beside her.
‘Nothing,’ said Summer quickly as another tear trickled down her face.
Erin felt caught between compassion and curiosity. What had happened between Adam and Summer in Madam Zorba’s tent?
‘You can tell me, Summer.’
Summer exhaled deeply and looked in the direction of Ricardo Lantis, whom she could now see handing Ellie a glass of punch. ‘That man over there is a beast,’ she said motioning over at Ricardo. ‘If Adam sees him here he will go ballistic.’
Summer realized she had said too much already and looked away. She liked Erin and trusted her, but it was enough that her mother knew about her affair with Adam. Anybody else knowing would be too dangerous. ‘I’m sorry, Erin. It’s nothing.’
‘Do you want me to tell Adam anything?’ she said gently. Part of Erin was desperate to know more, the other part did not want her earlier suspicions about Adam and Summer to be confirmed.
‘No. Just forget it,’ replied Summer. ‘Don’t mention anything to Adam.’ She turned to look at Erin, her eyes pleading, wondering if she had any idea of her relationship with Adam. ‘Please Erin, don’t say anything at all.’
47
Karin was determined to look particularly sexy tonight. As she walked into her bedroom, she thought of Adam across town, having dinner with Claudia Falcon, and frowned. Despite her pep talk with Lysette Parker in Paris, Karin was still convinced that Claudia was a threat. She was attractive, powerful and Adam needed her; it was a potent combination. Well, we’ll see who’s got what it takes tonight, thought Karin, letting her white bathrobe slip off her shoulders onto the floor.
Karin was due to join Adam and Claudia for drinks at Boujis in Chelsea and she was going to look dynamite. She picked up the deep-lilac silk dress lying on the bed and smiled to herself as she pulled it on, feeling the thin fabric skim over her naked body. She had decided against wearing underwear. Her breasts were round and firm enough not to need a bra and she loved letting Adam find out halfway through the evening that she was sans panties.
She glanced at her gold Cartier watch on the dresser; it was almost 9 p.m. Damn, she was late. Outside it was darkening quickly, the sky the darkest lavender streaked with spaghetti-thin lines of gold. Slipping on her shoes and grabbing a jacket from her wardrobe, she turned off the light. Remembering she hadn’t closed the curtains, she turned back towards the window – and suddenly saw movement. She snapped back away from the window and peered round the curtain, making sure she stayed out of view. She gasped: there was a man sitting on the low wall at the end of her courtyard garden. She recognized him instantly – it was the boy she had seen hanging around her house, the one who had unnerved her with his intense stare. And now he was here, staring up at her window, his face pale, eerie and ghoulish in the dusk.
Karin found herself squeezing her hands into tight fists. She told herself sharply it was not fear, but she was overwhelmed by a sudden sense of vulnerability. How long had he been there? Minutes? Hours? Was he there every day? Nausea swept up her throat as she realized her curtains had been open, lights blazing as she had undressed. She stepped away from the window and pulled her mobile out of her bag, quickly dialling 999.
‘Operator, there’s an intruder on the premises,’ she hissed.
‘Is he in your house, madam?’ asked the voice at the other end of the line.
‘What? No, he’s in the garden,’ snapped Karin.
