Billionaire Bosses Collection. Кэрол Мортимер

back up here.’

      ‘You’re right,’ Roscoe groaned. ‘I’ll have to stay for a while. Sorry.’

      A few minutes earlier she’d felt him tremble in her arms and known that he would gladly remain all night. Now he spoke as though staying with her was a duty that he dreaded.

      ‘I’ll stay out here,’ he said, settling on the sofa. ‘You take the bedroom.’

      The spell was broken. And that was good, she tried to tell herself. She’d had enough of spells.

      She lay awake for the rest of the night, and finally went out to find Roscoe on the phone to Angela.

      ‘Charlie’s arrived home,’ he said as he hung up.

      ‘Don’t mention Charlie to me,’ she said crossly. ‘Turning up like that in the middle of the night! Does he think nobody has a life apart from him? I feel really sorry for your mother, pinning so many of her hopes on that overgrown infant.’

      She was still full of nerves or she would have been careful not to say the next words.

      ‘She’s had so much to bear in her life already. Losing your father, knowing he killed himself—’

      Too late, she saw the strange look on Roscoe’s face.

      ‘How did you know that?’ he asked. ‘Charlie, I suppose?’

      ‘I already knew. David said something.’

      ‘So you’ve known from the start. You never mentioned it to me.’

      ‘I knew you wouldn’t like it, and it was none of my business.’

      ‘That’s right,’ he said lightly. ‘Well, I’d better be going.’

      She could have kicked herself. Roscoe’s cool tension told her more than any words that he resented her for what she’d just revealed. In time, he might have told her, but he disliked her knowing without his being aware.

      ‘I’ll make you some breakfast,’ she offered.

      ‘No, I’d better be off. I’ll be in touch.’

      She doubted it. He couldn’t get away from her fast enough.

      There was nothing to do but stand back while he collected his things. Suddenly a chill wind was blowing. He gave her a polite smile, thanked her for everything, just as he should, but something was mysteriously over. Worst of all was the fact that she couldn’t be sure what had ended, because she didn’t know what had begun. She only knew that the sense of aching loss was unbearable.

      Then a strange thing happened. Charlie became elusive. He didn’t call, wasn’t in his office and his cellphone was switched off. Without him, the trip to the police had to be postponed.

      After two days, Roscoe texted: Is Charlie with you?

       She texted back: I was about to ask you the same thing.

      The next time Pippa’s work phone rang it was the last person in the world she’d expected to hear from.

       ‘Biddy—or should I call you Ginevra? Where are you?’

      ‘Abroad; that’s all you need to know. Charlie’s a real gent, I’ll say that for him. I’m not coming back but I’ve written to the police and told them it was me in the shop, not him. I wasn’t going to, but then I got to thinking I owed him something, so I sent the letter from…the country I was in. I’m in a different place now, so the postmark won’t help them. But I wanted you to know about something else, so listen.’

      Pippa did so, growing wide-eyed as Ginevra’s information grew clear.

      ‘Thank you,’ she said at last. ‘That’ll be very useful. Where can I get hold of you?’

      ‘I’m moving around, but you can call this mobile number. I’ve sent you a copy of the letter so that you’ll know exactly what I told the police. ‘Bye.’

      She hung up.

      Pippa sat, deep in thought. Then she made a call.

      ‘Gus Donelly? Good, I need your help, fast. Listen carefully.’ After a terse conversation she swept out, announcing, ‘I won’t be back today.’

      David, who’d been shamelessly eavesdropping, exclaimed, ‘Donelly? I seem to recall that he’s a private detective, and a very shady one. I hope you’re careful.’

      Pippa was not only careful but successful. Returning, triumphant, she knew she had all she needed to achieve a victory—thanks, ironically, to Ginevra.

      Charlie presented himself at her office with a shamefaced smile that was clearly meant to win her over. She dealt with him briskly.

      ‘So much for telling everything to the police! You offered a grand gesture that meant nothing. Now there’s no need. I’ll see you at the trial tomorrow. Now, go before I lose my temper.’

      He fled.

      The next day, they were all present in the courtroom—Angela clinging to Charlie’s arm, Charlie trying to read Pippa’s expression without success, Roscoe, aloof and isolated.

      The court assembled, the magistrates seated themselves, the accused were produced. Mr Fletcher entered the witness box and Pippa confronted him. There was nothing in her manner to suggest tension. On the contrary, she seemed at ease, cheerful and smiling. So that the sarcastic words that poured from her came as a greater shock.

      ‘Tell the truth, Mr Fletcher. You haven’t the faintest idea what actually happened that night, have you?’

      ‘I certainly have,’ he declared indignantly. ‘I gave a full statement to the police.’

      ‘Your statement is an invention. You should take up fiction writing, you do it so well.’

      ‘Here—’

      ‘You don’t know what really happened because you’d spent the evening in the pub. I gather you put away quite an impressive amount, far too much for you to be a reliable witness. Isn’t that so?’

      ‘No, it ain’t so. Nobody said I was drunk. The police never said so.’

      ‘True, but then you’re a past master at seeming more sober than you are, aren’t you? As the police have found out to their cost before.’

      ‘I dunno what you mean.’

      ‘Then let me refresh your memory. About five years ago, there was a case that had to be dropped because you turned up in court the worse for wear.’

      ‘That’s not true,’ Fletcher squeaked.

      ‘Perjury is a crime, Mr Fletcher, and you’ve just committed that crime. I have the papers here.’ She waved them. ‘The case had seemed to be watertight, but then you ruined everything, as the constable in question will tell us.’

      After that, it was over quickly. The policeman from the previous case, still furious at having his hard work undone by an unreliable witness, gave evidence that totally undermined Fletcher. The magistrate declared Charlie not guilty, then asserted that the case against the other three was also unsafe and should be dropped.

      The court erupted.

      Angela bounced around, throwing her arms about Charlie, then Roscoe, then Charlie again, squeaking and weeping with joy.

      Pippa was surrounded by people congratulating her. She smiled but concentrated on gathering up her papers, the very picture of an efficient lawyer who cared only about her case. She resisted the temptation to look around for Roscoe. Secretly, she was afraid he wouldn’t be there.

      The lawyers for the other three defendants regarded her in astonished admiration.

      ‘How did you do that?’ one of them demanded.

      Another one merely touched her arm, saying, ‘I’ll