office.
Jean is working late and this surprises her. Has she been giving her too much work? Surely not.‘You’re working late, Jean. This is a surprise.’
‘I hung on to see you. For goodness’ sake call Mr Marais,’ Jean grumbles. ‘I’ll get him on the line for you.’
‘No wait. It’s too late. He’ll have left by now.’
‘He gave me his home number. Listen, Chris. I know this is awkward…I doubt he’s calling for business, but after all he’s deputising for the client. You must call him. What if he complains to Rowan?’
‘He wouldn’t dare.’
Moments later her telephone rings. Chris picks up the receiver.
‘Chris, it’s Dave. What’s going on? Getting hold of you is just about impossible. Don’t you ever call back?’ He sounds hurt, which surprises her.
‘I’m sorry, Dave.’ She gestures to Jean that it’s Dave Marais.
‘Look, I’m sorry I haven’t called you back. I’m not free to make calls from nine to five and by the time I get back here, it’s too late to call you. I come in early in the morning, well, most mornings, but you’re not at work yet.’
‘Don’t apologise,’ he interrupts her. ‘Just call me at home in future. Thank heavens you’re all right. What are you up to?’
‘Ben left me with a project to complete which involves being out of the office all day. Sorry Dave.’
‘Well, nevermind. I thought you’d thrown in the towel.’
‘Not my style. How could you think that?’ She feels annoyed by his inference.
‘Calm down. I want to take you to dinner or lunch. Whichever you feel you can cope with.’
‘I can’t. Truly I can’t. I’m not sure how long I’ll be involved with this job I’m on.’
‘You’re moonlighting!’
She laughs. ‘Strictly under orders. Don’t ask, because I can’t tell you any more, except that it’s strictly short-term. Listen Dave, this is a bit of a long shot, but I need some background on a man called James Stark, an American. Have you heard of him?’
‘Unfortunately yes. Steer clear of him, Chris. He’s an ex-mercenary who’ll turn his hand to anything that pays. He’s a real con…spent a while in prison in Equatorial Guinea. It can’t get worse than that. More recently he tried to interest us in a long-term contract to purchase Angolan blood diamonds. He’s a known liar and cheat, so be careful.’
‘Thanks, Dave. I will. Be seeing you soon.’
‘Hey there. Not so fast. OK…what can I say…I’ll have to wait. I’ll be honest, Chrissie, you intrigue me. I look forward to our next meeting.’
Chris feels surprised. ‘I’ll keep in touch…promise.’
She replaces the receiver and considers the call. Dave is old enough to be her father and he doesn’tlook the type to make a fool of himself, so what does he want?
Jean leaves and soon she’s alone. She works all evening but Ben doesn’t call.
By midnight anxiety has gained the upper hand. Chris dials Ben’s mobile, despite the fact that it’s six a.m. in the States. There is no reply. This is more than strange. Feeling thoroughly alarmed she waits an hour before calling Ben’s sister.
‘Hello. Is that Sharon…Mrs Bronstein? Oh, hi. My name is Chris Winters, I’m Ben’s assistant…’
Sharon interrupts her with a rush of words. ‘I know who you are…Ben told us about you. Is Ben all right? He didn’t even say goodbye… Oh God!’
Chris catches her breath as she hears Sharon talking in the background. Something is terribly wrong. Her stomach quails. A man’s voice replaces Sharon’s.
‘Hello there, Chris. I’m Jonathan Bronstein, Ben’s brother-in-law. We assumed that Ben was back in London. He’s not, then?’
‘No.’
‘The truth is, Sharon and Ben had a disagreement. He wanted Sharon to sign away the proxy on her company shares in favour of my father. She wasn’t keen. She knows Father would vote me out of the company after what’s happened. Ben’s been helping us. He saw Moses Freeman a second time…wait
Jean is working late and this surprises her. Has she been giving her too much work? Surely not.‘You’re working late, Jean. This is a surprise.’
‘I hung on to see you. For goodness’ sake call Mr Marais,’ Jean grumbles. ‘I’ll get him on the line for you.’
‘No wait. It’s too late. He’ll have left by now.’
‘He gave me his home number. Listen, Chris. I know this is awkward…I doubt he’s calling for business, but after all he’s deputising for the client. You must call him. What if he complains to Rowan?’
‘He wouldn’t dare.’
Moments later her telephone rings. Chris picks up the receiver.
‘Chris, it’s Dave. What’s going on? Getting hold of you is just about impossible. Don’t you ever call back?’ He sounds hurt, which surprises her.
‘I’m sorry, Dave.’ She gestures to Jean that it’s Dave Marais.
‘Look, I’m sorry I haven’t called you back. I’m not free to make calls from nine to five and by the time I get back here, it’s too late to call you. I come in early in the morning, well, most mornings, but you’re not at work yet.’
‘Don’t apologise,’ he interrupts her. ‘Just call me at home in future. Thank heavens you’re all right. What are you up to?’
‘Ben left me with a project to complete which involves being out of the office all day. Sorry Dave.’
‘Well, nevermind. I thought you’d thrown in the towel.’
‘Not my style. How could you think that?’ She feels annoyed by his inference.
‘Calm down. I want to take you to dinner or lunch. Whichever you feel you can cope with.’
‘I can’t. Truly I can’t. I’m not sure how long I’ll be involved with this job I’m on.’
‘You’re moonlighting!’
She laughs. ‘Strictly under orders. Don’t ask, because I can’t tell you any more, except that it’s strictly short-term. Listen Dave, this is a bit of a long shot, but I need some background on a man called James Stark, an American. Have you heard of him?’
‘Unfortunately yes. Steer clear of him, Chris. He’s an ex-mercenary who’ll turn his hand to anything that pays. He’s a real con…spent a while in prison in Equatorial Guinea. It can’t get worse than that. More recently he tried to interest us in a long-term contract to purchase Angolan blood diamonds. He’s a known liar and cheat, so be careful.’
‘Thanks, Dave. I will. Be seeing you soon.’
‘Hey there. Not so fast. OK…what can I say…I’ll have to wait. I’ll be honest, Chrissie, you intrigue me. I look forward to our next meeting.’
Chris feels surprised. ‘I’ll keep in touch…promise.’
She replaces the receiver and considers the call. Dave is old enough to be her father and he doesn’tlook the type to make a fool of himself, so what does he want?
Jean leaves and soon she’s alone. She works all evening but Ben doesn’t call.
By midnight anxiety has gained the upper hand. Chris dials Ben’s mobile, despite the fact that it’s six a.m. in the States. There is no reply. This is more than strange. Feeling thoroughly alarmed she waits an hour before calling Ben’s sister.
‘Hello. Is that Sharon…Mrs Bronstein? Oh, hi. My name is Chris Winters, I’m Ben’s assistant…’
Sharon interrupts her with a rush of words. ‘I know who you are…Ben told us about you. Is Ben all right? He didn’t even say goodbye… Oh God!’
Chris catches her breath as she hears Sharon talking in the background. Something is terribly wrong. Her stomach quails. A man’s voice replaces Sharon’s.
‘Hello there, Chris. I’m Jonathan Bronstein, Ben’s brother-in-law. We assumed that Ben was back in London. He’s not, then?’
‘No.’
‘The truth is, Sharon and Ben had a disagreement. He wanted Sharon to sign away the proxy on her company shares in favour of my father. She wasn’t keen. She knows Father would vote me out of the company after what’s happened. Ben’s been helping us. He saw Moses Freeman a second time…wait