CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ben solved the dilemma of getting to meet Felicity’s husband by the simple expedient of turning up again one night a few days later when he observed that they were all in. He gave Felicity a rueful grin and handed her a folder. It was from the modelling agency he had used in the past as a cover, and it appeared to seek models for a shoot in London who closely matched Felicity. Well it would, as Ben had given the agency her photo and had them draft the advert. She was surprised, flattered, and grateful, and with only the tiniest hesitation, which would have been missed by anyone not looking for it, she invited him in to meet her husband, Jeremy. When Ben followed her into the kitchen, Alice was at the table doing some homework, and Jeremy was bending over her shoulder, helping. Ben was introduced, and he disliked the man instantly. He was incredibly friendly and boisterous in his largesse, offering Ben drinks and talking almost non-stop about his job and the house. He didn’t seem at all put out by Ben’s considerably more glamorous presence, although being shorter, fatter, and balding, he could have been forgiven for resenting someone like Ben.
Ben took the offered seat at the kitchen table and a drink, and smiled at Alice. “What have you got for homework?”
She wrinkled her nose. “French.”
“You don’t like French? It’s the perfect language.” He pulled her book closer to take a look. She was about to show him the part she had to do, but Jeremy intervened, engrossing Ben for a moment then his stepdaughter once more.
Finally, Felicity came over, drinking steadily from a large glass of wine. “Go and have your bath, darling. If you are good, Dean will stay for supper, and you can speak with him again then.” Alice nodded obediently and left.
Felicity was clearly about to ask Ben if he could stay, when Jeremy said, “I’ll go and check she’s okay—leave you two alone to chat.” And it was then that Ben saw it. A glance on Jeremy’s face and Ben knew. He looked to Felicity and saw that she knew, too.
He stood quickly. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay. I only came to bring you the…” He made his way to the front door. He heard Felicity following him. She seemed about to speak, but he didn’t want to hear anything she had to say.
He didn’t go back home but headed into town to a bar he used to frequent when he was still in the service. It felt safe. He drank a couple of pints, thinking, and then made his decision. He returned to the house and waited outside in the dark until three a.m. It was the least alert time for the human body. He made his way up the side of the gravel drive on the grass and methodically went around checking windows. He wasn’t unduly surprised to find only a cheap lock fastening the patio doors to the kitchen. He broke in easily, and the dog even welcomed him with a wag and by dropping a rubber toy at his feet. He gave it a pat and went out into the corridor. All was silent. He found the study easily. There was a laptop on the desk. He checked for other computers, found none and left as silently as he’d arrived, computer under his arm.
Nikolas was asleep when he got home, so he took the opportunity to sit at the kitchen table and fire up the machine. He scanned folder after folder: work, family—nothing. Then he grabbed his phone and made a call. He heard a very confused, sleepy voice answer. “Hello? Who—?”
“Kate? It’s Ben. Ben Rider.”
“Ben? What’s wrong? Has—?”
“Nothing. I need your help.”
“At…four a.m.?”
“You know I’m not with the department anymore, Kate. I can’t use office hours. This has to be off the record.”
“What do you need?”
“I need you to examine a laptop computer. See what you can find on it.”
“What should I be looking for?”
“I—I don’t want to prejudice you. Just take a look, will you?”
“Okay. Bring it round. You know where I live.”
§§§
Kate met him at the front door, dressed and looking good. She made a sheepish excuse about getting to the office early, but Ben felt sure the effort was for him. They’d been close once. He wondered how much she knew about Nikolas and him. He handed her the computer. “I’m really grateful, Kate.”
She waved him off. “You know Sir Nikolas has asked me if I want to come work for him? He said you were working for him, too.”
Ben didn’t know what to say. He knew Nik wanted someone who knew computers, but he hadn’t considered him poaching old department people. Other than him, of course. “Does he know about our history?”
Kate laughed. “I never found anything that Sir Nikolas didn’t know, so I assumed he did when he made me the offer. I mean, why me, otherwise?”
Why you either way?It didn’t make much sense to Ben either.
“When do you need this computer checked by?”
“I need you to call in sick and do it today, Kate. It’s important.”
“Life and death important?”
Ben didn’t hesitate. “Someone’s, yes.”
