Tasha nodded. “I suppose so.”
“So, are you clear on what to do in the event that your dad or Liam attempt to make contact?” he asked with a very serious tone.
“Yes.”
“Not good enough, tell me.”
“I have to call the police and then Jerome, Mr Stewart,” she corrected.
“Yes, at the first sign, do not engage them in any way. And you call me after the police and Mr Stewart, okay?”
She nodded.
“Answer me, Natasha.”
“Yes, James, do not engage, contact police, Jerome and then you.” She cut her eyes at him on the screen.
“Don’t cut your eyes or James me. This is serious. Oh, and Mr Stewart, not Jerome. He will think you want to be his friend and then he may want to play with you and that is my privilege alone. Now, let’s get Angie and P.R. in and we can all get on.”
Tasha made no reply beyond waving to those gathered on the other side of the glass wall and watched as they all filed back in.
Together they agreed a plan; if the story broke P.R. Bradley would deal with the flack and issue a statement confirming a domestic dispute that had all been dealt with and so long as her father accepted the caution they could prove his guilt by him accepting what he’d done. Jim also insisted that in the event of Tasha’s dad or both parents trying to cash in and make money from being victims in this the details of the restraining order and a plea for privacy should be made on Tasha’s behalf citing her need to come to terms with years of systematic abuse at her parents hands, but without giving specific details and ensuring any donations for stories shared went to charities for victims of domestic violence.
“I’m not sure about this, Jim,” she said, concerned.
“Trust me on this, Tasha. You need to plan for every eventuality and if we need to go on the offensive and play the media we will, but I will be with you and you will be safely protected over here if it turns messy, okay?”
“I suppose.”
“Then I think we are done for now. Angie, are you happy with things?” he asked.
“Yeah, great,” replied Angie, grinning at him. “Although we may need to have a contingency plan for that fucker Liam.”
“Agreed. Angie, leave it with me. So, Lily, keep me posted on further developments as Mr Stewart will. Tasha text me or call me if you need anything.”
She nodded.
“Thanks, everyone. Speak to you later, baby. I love you,” he said, oblivious to the others staring at his open show of affection.
She smirked at him. “Sext you later.”
He grinned broadly at her sudden openness.
“Right, I am heading home,” announced Angie. “But I bloody love that man of yours, Tash.”
Jerome came back for Tasha to give the police her statement. He briefed her on keeping the details of herrelationshipwith Liam under wraps for now and to stick to the facts of her father’s attack, which she did. The police officer confirmed they were looking at a caution rather than a court case.
When she had finished with the police she sat in Jerome’s office and asked, “Did Jim send you the messages I received from Liam Pickering?”
He smiled wryly. “Yes, Mr Maybury did.”
She laughed. “Sorry. He is very particular about business relationships and I should probably have pre-empted it.”
“I know. I had a call from a very prominent attorney in L.A. at midnight to discuss this case and I know Mr Maybury is a very well respected businessman out there. He is obviously and understandably concerned for you.” He smiled at her kindly and then went back to Liam’s message. “Your relationship with Mr Pickering, how old were you when it started?”
“Fifteen, almost,” she replied uncomfortably.
“And he would have been late twenties?”
