And she’s playing cards with Ben.
“We flew. As soon as we heard you’d been attacked. And what you were probably doing when you’d been attacked.” Her voice is soft, any brittleness that was there before has gone.
Ben grips my hand tighter. “How did someone know you were searching your father’s house? That’s the question. There’s nothing on camera because you’d turned them off.”
“There’s only one person who’d know.” The person I’d dreamed about while my head was pounding. “The man who knows more about everyone than they do themselves, for a price.” I tell him about my informant and the information is relayed straight to Nate.
“You think he’s sold you out?”
“I think he’s tipped someone off.”
“He’ll be taken care of.” Ben looks at his phone as a message pings through.
“Carefully. He’s worth a lot. The man has skills. I doubt it was him who hit me though. That would’ve been someone stronger. Or it could’ve been an opportunist. Someone who was targeting the house as no one had been in.”
“Maybe. Nate’s going to speak to your dirty white knight today. And he’s not in a good mood – too much time on dry land.” Ben puts his phone away. “Were there other pictures?”
I nod. “My father and Franklyn. Some were from years ago; on holiday, in bed – whatever it is between them has been going on for years. The one I gave Ivy is more recent. The rest might still be in his house. There’s a hidden enclosure behind the back of the bottom drawer of a bureau in his office.”
Ben nods and looks towards Blair. “How are you feeling?”
She shakes her head. “Maybe it isn’t Franklyn who’s passed on information. Even if they were in a relationship, it doesn’t mean that Franklyn would help Isaac’s father assassinate me. Or Lennox.”
Because that’s now implicated as well. Franklyn always knew all the security details. He had access to everything.
“What’s happening with him?” It’s only been eighteen hours since I found the picture. There’s been no contact from my father even though I know the police will have left messages and his secretary would’ve been in touch.
“Nothing. He’s on leave.” Ben’s tone says it all.
“At the same time as William Goldsmith, in the same resort and probably in the same room.”
Ben nods. “Private island in the Seychelles. Looks pretty nice actually. Maybe we should all take a break there.” He looks at Blair.
She smiles but doesn’t say anything and I’m no clearer as to how she’s feeling. Or if that hand to her belly meant anything at all. Or why I want it to mean something.
“What now?” I look at them both.
“You rest,” Blair says. “Then I believe there’s a small matter of a vote in the next few days.”
Everything was done. There had been me and one other candidate put forward for the leadership role for our party and rumour had it that he was about to withdraw and give his support to me. For a role I wasn’t sure I wanted. Another tarnished crown.
“Maybe. It might not happen.”
“Either way you will have a lot of work to do. I heard William has stood down as MP for his constituency so there’ll be a by-election.” She moves closer and I catch the scent of her perfume. “You’ll be busy.”
I’d swap it all for her and for Ben. I’d give it all up tomorrow if we can have a chance to make what it is work. Sitting up isn’t easy. The world sways a little more than it should.
“Easy.” Ben shifts and puts an arm round me. “There’s time.”
I’m not sure what he’s referring to, until I realise I said the words out loud.
“I’m sorry, Blair that I didn’t tell you. I just want all this to be done with so we can just live.”
She slips off the bed and walks to the top, resting a hand on top of the quilt around my stomach and leans in to kiss my forehead, a gentle touch and it’s not enough.
“I know. I understand. We all need time. Just a little time.”
I catch her hand in mine, the three of us somehow touch and then I ask the words because I need to know.
