“What the fuck?” Caleb says. “Are these tapes real? Surely, Harper wouldn’t be that stupid. I know she went off the rails for a while, but?—”
“I’ve tried to stop them from being published, but the gutter press are like a dog with a bone. Young heiress caught in a scandal. They don’t give a shit. It’s all about selling papers.”
“She’s twenty-four years old. Why would he try to ruin her?” Elijah asks.
“Who knows what slight he felt justified this? It may have been another way to make money. He will have sold these tapes for a lot. You need to get Harper to safety. If this story hits and she’s on campus.”
Quentin doesn’t need to say anymore.
“I need Harper Frazer picked up and taken to safety,” I say into my phone.
“A lot of favours you’re asking, for someone who’s out.”
“Don’t bullshit me,” I hiss. My endless patience has now been stretched to its limit. “She’s an innocent victim in all this.”
There’s silence on the other end of the phone.
“I’ll let that one go, Tailor. Someone is already on their way to pick her up. They’ll take her to her mother’s.”
I pinch my temples. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Remember, Robert was my friend too.”
“You found something?”
“Of course. The evidence Robert had gathered. It looks like he found out about some of Crawley’s links to organised crime.”
A sob catches in my throat, but I choke it down. Elijah shoots me a questioning look, but I wave it away, giving him a forced smile. It’s up to The Seamstress and the people upstairs, whether the Frazers ever know the truth, that’s not up to me.
I end the call.
“They’re picking Harper up now. Let her know it’s safe to go with our men.”
Elijah leaves the room to call Harper. I sink down onto the sofa.
Caleb and April are quiet.
“Why Harper?”
I shake my head. “She’s the baby of the family, the one you’ll fight to protect. Why not go after her? If you want to hurt someone.”
“This is all my fault. If Elijah hadn’t stepped in?—”
Caleb takes his wife in his arms. “Don’t you dare. None of this is on you. If Crawley got what he wanted, you may have ended up like Simone.”
April shudders. I doubt Simone will be the only body uncovered.
“We’ll sort this out.” Although at the moment, I don’t know how. Not even my computer skills can work faster than the internet and reposting.
We may prove the tapes are doctored, but in the short term, it won’t matter. There are people out there who love nothing more than to see the mighty brought to their knees. Whatever good the Frasers do, this will be a juicy scandal and there’ll be those who lap it up, irrespective of whether it’s true or not. Harper’s reputation will be in tatters.
I run to the toilet and empty the contents of my stomach, finally giving way to the tears I’ve been suppressing since first hearing Crawley’s words of hate.
CHAPTER 65
PEN
Two days later, experts have proven the sex tapes were doctored, but it doesn’t matter. The damage is done. The press and broadcasters are having a field day, dragging up Harper’s rebellious years in the time after her father’s death.
