Chapter 1
Adjusting the collar of his knitted jacket, Eliot Nephew entered the café and sat at a table away from office-dressed people eating breakfast like lovers or like couples on the verge of a break-up. Amongst them were lonely singles staring into space beyond the grimy windows or hunched over a newspaper or paperback reading into splendid isolation.
A gum-chewing server with a skirt short enough to highlight knobby knees sauntered over with a coffee pot and asked disinterestedly, “Coffee?”
“Mandarin tea.”
“What?”
“Coffee is fine,” Eliot smiled, enjoying his first conversation of the day. He looked at the bored cashier leaning over her magazine and said to the server, “What’s the name of the cashier?”
“Kate.”
“When you return to your station say to Kate I want to see her.”
The server moved around topping up coffee cups and Eliot was watching a fat woman make three attempts to lift off her chair when a voice at his elbow said, “Yes?”
“Oh Kate, sorry. I was in a dream. What time is your lunch break?”
“From 11:15 to 11:45.”
“Great, have lunch with me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Kate, my name is Eliot Nephew, I arrived in this city after dark last night not knowing a soul and today is Friday and I don’t wish to spend it all alone. I’d like to invite you to lunch to seek information.”
“I’m married.”
“So? I was thinking lunch not adultery.”
“No thank you. I have a customer, goodbye.”
Eliot took her withering look without losing his soft smile and watched her trim butt as she strode off and noticed she was a fan of seamed stockings. So was he. Good choice buddy.
When Eliot went to pay for his breakfast Kate looked up and said, “Oh, it’s you,” as if the Unpopular Customer of the Week had arrived for service.
“Yes and I left a tip for the server and I have booked a table for two for early lunch beside the pool at the Marriott where I am staying. If you don’t turn up it will mean I eat alone for the second time today.”
“You’ll be…”
Eliot interrupted smoothly. “Please don’t complete that sentence, as I suspect it is in the negative. Approaching lunchtime perhaps hunger could have softened your soul.”
The surprised woman almost smiled. Eliot took his change, nodded and left and three hours and ten minutes later was not at all surprised to see her coming to his table. He stood and held out his hand in greeting and she looked at it nervously so he kissed her cheek. She sat down abruptly.
“You are very forward which rather confirms you don’t come from this city. What do you want? Remember, I have told you I am married.”
“A drink?”
“Do you mean alcohol?”
“Order whatever you wish.”
Kate said coffee so Eliot ordered two white wines and as she opened her mouth to protest he said he’d ordered what he thought she really had wanted.
A little more relaxed after half a glass of wine and starting on her salmon salad, Kate said her name was Kate Mitchell and she was twenty-eight and lived on Parkland’s estate. Her husband Thomas was a long distance courier driver.
“So you’ll be lonely tonight?”
She smiled and said no, Thomas would be home around 7:30.
“What time do you finish work today?”
Kate continued chatting as if she’d not heard the question. She learned Eliot had come to Clouston City to become news editor at the Clouston Evening Clarion and would take up the position on Monday.
“I decided to come in early and find an attractive and intelligent local woman who could suggest where I should locate, what golf club and gym to join and tell me what she likes and dislikes about the city’s failing evening newspaper and short-list for me some of the youngish, attractive and eligible women around town.”
“Eligible as in marriage?”
“Well as a starting point in the sense of being available.”
“God, you have a nerve expecting to quickly locate a loud mouth and indiscriminate woman to perform that role.”
He replied slyly, “Yes, I suppose I am. Please be kind to me and tell me what I want to know.”
“I don’t play golf but I know the Marshlands Country Club operates the premier gold course in this region, the place to live if you are without pets or children and are well-heeled is at Twin Towers Apartments overlooking the Lakeside Marina. You’ll find unattached women galore at the restaurants fronting the marina and two of the most eligible women in the city – Gloria Fields and Rachel Somerset have penthouse apartments at Twin Towers. I have a friend Jenna Wynn who’s just ditched her under-performing guy. She owns European Lingerie at Clouston Mall but please don’t even hint that I recommended her to you.”
“Agreed. I won’t invite you to have more wine because you’ll be working with money and management may have rules about drinking liquor during work hours. What time are you due back?”
“Nine minutes from now.”
“Well then, finish your salad in peace. Thank you for that valuable information.”
They chatted about films and books until Kate pushed her plate away and dabbed at her mouth with the starched napkin and stood.
“Thank you for lunching with me, Kate. I found it a real pleasure.”
They kissed politely and as she turned to walk away Eliot said, “Your seams are remarkably straight.” She waved at him with a hand behind her back.
Ordering another glass of wine Eliot wondered in what sense had Jenna’s boyfriend had been ‘under-performing’. He thought the comment might relate to sexual performance or failing to win a salary rise but with a woman it could mean he had failed to propose marriage. And why had Kate specifically mentioned Jenna? Very interesting.
Eliot called for the number of European Lingerie and used it, asking to speak to the store owner.
A new voice came to the phone. “Jenna Wynn.”
“Ah, Miss Wynn. I am Eliot Nephew and have been referred to you by an acquaintance of yours who shall remain nameless. I am new to the city and begin my new job on Monday and invite you to join me for dine tonight at the restaurant of your choice. This invitation may sound presumptuous…”
“It certainly is. What reply do you expect?”
“An outright refusal. At worst a ‘No’ shouted into my ear and the connection cut.”
There was a pause and Eliot could hear the woman breathing, a little heavier than perhaps one would expect so knew he was in with a chance.
“And why am I not doing that Mr Nephew?”
Eliot breathed out, intending her to hear that and hopefully it might relax her somewhat.
“You sense I am genuine as nobody would make up Eliot Nephew as an alias. Your mind is bursting with curiosity about three things – why you and who is the person who gave me your name.”
“That’s two things.”
“Ah, that tells me you are sharp or intelligent or probably both Miss Wynn. It also tells you I am creative and interesting and already pose less of a threat to you than when this conversation started. You still remain vigilant wondering whether it’s worth a blind date or should you insulate yourself to remain safe from molestation in exchange for yet another boring evening and thus avoid being drawn into a relationship that could go just anywhere.”
“Let’s skip the psychology Mr Nephew and I don’t doubt that is your name. “What is the third thing?”
“Your instinct is to take up the challenge to find if this blind date totally out of the blue could end up turning into a good night out.”
“You have a nerve.”
Eliot smiled to help make his voice sound light and reassuring. “And that explains why I am calling Miss Wynn. I am confident about myself and assume that you being in business on your own account have a similar belief in yourself.”
“I know nothing about you Mr Nephew and as you have decided not to reveal the person who told you some things about me that gives you an edge.”
“My informant was asked to name any eligible youngish, attractive and available women and the names she gave me were Gloria Fields, Rachel Somerset and you.”
“By why me, those other two females are social high fliers?”
“My informant did not elaborate about them but did say you recently dumped your current boyfriend, so I immediately thought that suggests you might be available tonight to brief me about this city and its peculiarities.”
There was a long pause that ended with a sharp intake of breath. “Look Mr Nephew, you apparently know little about me which places us roughly on equal footing. This conversation could go on for an hour of more. You could be taking a risk yourself as you have no image of me.”
“Correct, but although I know little about lingerie business I have yet to see a short, fat and ugly woman in charge and I can say I am not short, fat and ugly. Please just agree to meet me at a restaurant and nominate the time.”
“Leonardo’s overlooking Lakeside Marina. It is late night for me so 9:30 would be fine. I’ll book.”
“That’s late dining. Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow.”
Jenna said that was very accommodating of him but no, 9:30 at Leonardo’s was fine. She then cut the call without further conversation.
While Eliot swam twenty laps in hotel pool before taking a nap, five miles away Jenna completed checking incoming stock against invoices and meanwhile had given up attempting to guess which one of her friends or acquaintances had irresponsibly given Eliot Nephew her name and private details. After listing five names out of first seven that came to mind, Jenna realized it was futile to continue because she had nothing to go on. Miss or Mrs Big Mouth would doubtless reveal herself eventually.
The 27-year-old brunette with straight hair and ragged cut fringe wondered if Mr Nephew was one of those guys who expected sex on the first date. She smiled and sighed. Men!
Reception buzzed Eliot at his requested wake-up time of 8:00 and he showered, shaved and dressed in a blue linen checked shirt, darker blue Italian cut suit and shiny black shoes, the socks two tones darker than his suit. He wanted to make a good impression even if Miss Wynn turned out to be forty-five and almost short, fat and ugly.
For a moment the maitre d’ looked at Eliot’s neck and Eliot thought there would be an issue over him not wearing a tie so he squared his shoulders and smiled and asked for Miss Wynn’s table.
She’d not booked.
Eliot said she may have booked under the name of Nephew and the maitre d’ nodded and smiled, taking Eliot to a premium table.
Three single women entered separately and the two blonde’s caught Eliot’s attention but were taken to other tables. The conversation noise died at he looked at the entrance to see the maitre d’ making rather a fuss over a brunette who appeared to be about six-two – almost as tall as Eliot. She was in a knee-length white dress with a bright red throat scarf and had a face and figure good enough to stop many diners from talking as they took in the arrival of this A-class babe. Eliot thought the look matched her voice so it had to be her.
He stood and she followed the maitre d’ and smiled at Eliot, he hoped that it was an approving smile. His hands curled into fists and then relaxed as he waited nervously.
* * *
Jenna arrived at the restaurant to be met by owner Leonardo Calvano who acted as maitre d’ because it allowed him to befriend regular customers and to keep his finger on virtually everything. Leonardo greeted Jenna, one of his favorite customers, kissing her on both cheeks. He’d known her since she was ten when her parents first came to his late father’s restaurant that he now owned.
“Your man awaits you,” he said in faultless English, having been born in America as where his parents.
“Ah yes, and how do you rate this one Leonardo?”
“This man rates highest on first impressions of any man you have been with in this restaurant outside of your family,” he answered. Jenna who’d long learned to value the restaurateur’s opinion raised an eyebrow and Leonardo smiled. He turned to lead her to the table and murmured, “See he is a couth man, and stands and waits for you, unlike that last cretin you brought here.”
Jenna was almost knocked out of her red velvet 4.5in sling-backs at the sight of Mr Nephew. Ohmigod, she thought, when a quick look revealed he came close to being her dream man – a well covered head of shaggy tight brown curls that were sun-bleached near the tips, wide shoulders and yet a lightly muscled frame at a guess. She then sighed recklessly, in a whisper not even Leonardo would hear, “Welcome to my boudoir Mr Nephew.”
Closer up Jenna confirmed he was indeed almost handsome with a firm jaw line and she then almost lost her footing when she could see the intense green of his smiling eyes. Her mind careered out of orbit and she imagined her nipples were already firming. Where was her mental discipline? God, she was aware she was half in love with him already and that’s without knowing if he possessed tenderness, could be trusted, knew how to talk to a woman and would stay beside her patiently when she shopped. And those points were only the starters from her wish list.
“Good evening Miss Wynn.”
“Good evening Mr Nephew.”
Then Leonardo had to butt in. “Oh no, please no, enough of such stilted formality in my restaurant when you two are destined to become known to each other.”
He pulled out Jenna’s chair and seated her. “Mr Nephew, this is my dear friend Jenna and you are…”
“Eliot.”
“There Jenna, say I am pleased to meet you Eliot, please call me Jenna.”
“Run along Leonardo,” Jenna laughed.
Leonardo pushed down both her shoulders. “Jenna, I must insist that…”
“Oh, all right. Welcome to Clouston Eliot. Please call me Jenna.”
Eliot said thank you and then eyed Leonardo. “I take it you are the Leonardo of this restaurant?”
“Yes and no. My late father established this restaurant as Leonardo’s and I was named after him and became sole owner on his death, buying out the interests of my mother and my two sisters.”
Eliot smiled and said, “Leonardo, my name is Eliot Nephew. Please call me Eliot. It is impressive to see a restaurateur take an upfront role in his establishment. Although I have yet to eat and drink here it gives me confidence at seeing you prominently in charge.”
Leonardo beamed and excused himself to service new arrivals.
Jenna waited like a cat ready to pounce but when Eliot just smiled at her she knew she was expected to speak next. “So you are not just charming to women?”
“When I am out formally I do try to be on my best behavior, more so when in the company of a beautiful woman.”
Jenna smiled through her blush, thinking this guy could prove to be quite a handful. She accepted the challenge to display some style herself. “You have done very well as a new arrival Eliot, dining in what is unquestionably the best Italian restaurant in this city and, as you suggest, dining with a beautiful woman.”
“You speak as eloquently as you dress, Jenna. I have difficulty accepting you can work a long day and come out to dine late and look as good as a freshly picked orchid. Even so, I look forward to seeing your rougher side as you have a touch of steel in your eyes and a strong looking back.”
“Oh my, is that bedroom talk?”
Her challenger smiled smoothly and said not at all. “You play tennis and are trained in self-defense possibly and are almost certainly to be one of the prettiest fitness center bunnies in this city.”
A waiter arrived and showed the label of a bottle of champagne to Eliot, stating it was with the compliments of Leonardo.
Jenna watched intently.
“That is most generous of him but this is a classy French wine with a international reputation. Do you think Leonardo would be offended if I exchanged this offer for an Italian wine, perhaps Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio/Verduzzo, providing my companion agrees?”
“Whatever you order will be fine by me,” Jenna smiled.
“Yes, and a glass each of the Masi Pinot Grigio and would you prepare a bottle of Masi Costasera if available?”
“Yes we have that sir.”
When the waiter left Jenna asked was Eliot aiming to get her drunk.
“Are you driving?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“Then I suggest you have the glass of white and two glasses of red and you should be okay unless you are a one-glass imbiber?”
She said three glasses sounded right but he should not allow her to have more. “Why did you turn down the champagne?”
“It was exceedingly generous of Leonardo, over valuing me but what price he puts on you I don’t know. I shall dine here frequently and so he’ll remember me as the guy who drinks Italian wine with Italian food.”
“That impresses me and suggests you are not an outright taker as so many people seem to be these days.”
Eliot tilted his head slightly, “Thank you for that compliment and I hope you never become disappointed in me.”
Jenna’s gray eyes held Eliot’s gaze. “Oh really, and why is that?”
Again he did not answer directly. “How often do you eat here?”
“At least once a week.”
“Then that explains my wish to have you look upon me favorably because I would like to dine here with you again. In fact I am eager to win your friendship so that you may be encouraged to do some things with me.”
Jenna’s expression tightened. “What kind of things?”
Eliot continued calmly. “The occasional movie, to meet at a bar now and then and for you to introduce me to your community, for example the art gallery, your fitness center.”
“Why me?”
“I only know two people in this city. Give me a break Jenna.”
She frowned and said of course and apologized for her rudeness. “But the other person you know is a friend of mine, a woman, and I am female. Why haven’t you sought a buddy?”
“Good question. The answer is I prefer to socialize with females and don’t believe I’m alone in that. At the moment the only two things you and I appear to have in common is we like this restaurant and we both are between a relationship so that’s sufficient for a great start to develop a friendship. So as a stranger in town I am very much in need of your goodwill.”
Jenna said deliberately. “I would be dishonest if I avoided saying there also appears to be deep down a suggestion of sexual attraction between us. I know because I feel it.”
“Then if that disturbs you let’s bury it.”
“No, there is no need to do that. What has brought you to our city?”
She saw Eliot hesitate and that deepened her interest in him.
“Can I trust you to keep the reason confidential?”
“I trusted you enough to meet you here this evening after the oddest phone call I have received since my teenage years.”
Eliot scratched behind his ear and said ouch, just as their entrees arrived.
When the server left them he said, “Do I have your assurance…?”
“Of confidentiality? Yes, absolutely.”
He looked around carefully and leaned forward. “I have been recruited by what I would describe as a bunch of reputable and very concerned people to fill a vacancy on the Clouston Evening Clarion as a potential whistle-blower on suspected corruption. The severity of that challenge must surely convince you of the trust I have placed in you to say nothing about this.”
If Eliot expected a banal response he was in for a surprise, In fact there was no reply because Jenna was looking at him, mouth open in disbelief. Her forehead exhibited a frown and she just stared at him intensely. Eliot shifted in his chair uncomfortably.
Recovering, Jenna asked, “Who were those people?”
Eliot looked around again and almost whispered. “There were five of them and I have instant recall of the names of the two principals – the company chairman Eloise Cruickshank and editor Brigit Wiseman. Do you know them?”
Jenna stiffened and fingered her neck scarf. “Yes and Eloise is my mother.”
Eliot’s face remained impassive and he showed no surprise, leaving Jenna thinking the guy was good.
He picked up his wine glass and looking at Jenna over its rim said, “So, your mother remarried?”
Jenna found herself admitting to that fact without restraint. “Yes, my father died in a small aircraft crash almost six years ago and mother quietly married their old friend Peter Cruickshank eighteen months later. My stepfather was executive editor at that time and soon after was appointed managing director, a position he still holds. Is he suspected of cheating the company?”
“I wouldn’t know. The situation is from Monday I’ll receive from your mother’s group a monthly payment equal to my gross monthly salary to look for evidence of misappropriation of money, goods and services. The contract is for six months with a review to be conducted at the end of three months with the Committee of Five having the right to abandon the arrangement at that point.”
“You mean a written contract?”
Eliot grinned and asked did she think her mother was that stupid.
Jenna flushed and said of course she didn’t think that. Eliot held out his left hand and she took it briefly and squeezed it and then withdrew her hand, giving him a shy smile. “So the criminal investigation branch of the police is not being called in to avoid harming my mother’s excellent reputation in this community?”
“I guess that’s part of it. What she did tell me was your stepfather is a very clever man with a ruthless streak. She can’t imagine him leaving easy tracks to follow, so she’s opted for a covert operation, hence me as whistle-blower being installed in a key position.”
“But how can that be, the position of news editor is confined to the newsgathering and process operation? I know because I worked for the company during breaks while studying for my business administration degree.”
That interested Eliot. “I too worked at a newspaper while completing a masters in financial management and on graduating became the deputy-editor of the newspaper’s financial and business news department. I was found to be effective on investigations and was promoted to the general newsroom as chief investigation journalist. For the past two years I served as news editor on that newspaper and then was approached by a private investigator engaged by your mother’s committee. The plan is for me to emerge as something of a financial genius and there will be a push for a review of the company’s operational activities. I’ll be editor Brigit Wiseman’s appointee to the five-person review committee chaired by your stepfather and that will provide me with unrestricted assess to all departments including of course corporate administration files.”
“My God, I knew my mother was bright but not quite that bright or should I say manipulative? Did she dream up that modus operandi?”
“Er, your mother and I spent an evening at a hotel discussing strategies.”
“Oh.”
“It was purely a business meeting – a very friendly encounter but purely business.”
“Oh I see,” Jenna said dryly, looking at him carefully.
Eliot said calmly, “She’d old enough to be my mother Jenna. I am about to turn thirty-one.”
Her gaze wavered and she mumbled yes of course.
“Does she have a bit of a reputation?”
Jenna looked Eliot, her cheeks a little pink. “We both tend to rather like men.” She braced as if expecting an embarrassing retort but instead was astonished when Eliot smiled and said their relationship was assured because he and her mother needed a trustworthy go-between rather than having to rely on risky phone calls or clandestine meetings.
He grinned. “I take it you are on your mother’s side?”
“Absolutely. Why don’t you arrange a clandestine meeting with her and ask mom if she trust’s me?”
Eliot showed no sign of discomfort said that was a great idea but rather inefficient. Jenna could brief her mother.
She flared, “My mother told you she had a daughter named Jenna Wynn and even gave you the name of my store, didn’t she. Go on, admit it.”
Eliot sampled the red wine offered by the waiter and nodded approval. “Either that or the alternative Jenna.”
“The alternative?”
“By sheer fluke my slightly aggressive method to quickly set myself up with a dateable woman has led me to link with you. I know it must seem highly improbable but if you trust your mother why don’t you ask if she told me anything about you?”
Gritting her teeth Jenna said the chances of a fluke linkage were one hundred million to one. “How did you find out?”
“If I tell you will you promise to take no reprisals?”
“On my loud-mouth friend? Oh, very well.”
Eliot said before accepting her mother’s proposal he’d investigated her mother and stepfather to check on authenticity of what he’d been told. He concluded what her mother had told him seemed highly likely. Through discreet enquiries he’d found Peter Raymond Cruickshank had no arrests record but he’d twice been questioned by the police over allegations of being involved in fraudulent activities and twice had been examined by tax investigators after they received allegations he possessed considerable undeclared income that would be subject to assessment for payment of tax.
“So where there’s smoke there’s fire?”
Eliot nodded and asked, “Has anything about your stepfather concerned you?”
“You could ask why don’t I live at home.”
“Why don’t you live at home?”
“Because of his harassment. I’d found him looking through my diary and know my laptop has been interfered with but I encrypt my very personal files. He also molested me twice and on the second time I told my mother and she urged me to move out and when she saw my choice of apartment she upgraded me and pays half of my monthly rent.”
“I see, in using that term molestation did you mean attempted rape?”
“No, the scumbag was too cunning for that. On both occasions he did not advance beyond the usually accepted bounds of passionate groping.”
“I see, and on both occasions you two were drunk?”
“Less than drunk – shall we say stimulated by alcohol? I warned him off but he persisted and I finally had to hit him before he backed off. It was partly my fault because I allowed him to grope a little before realizing it was going beyond mild flirtation. On the second occasion he had exposed his erection but please, that is not to be repeated. I did not tell mom about that aspect of his grope.”
“Okay and remember never to be alone with him again. What led me to you was a photograph I opened on a social web page when searching for graphics naming Eloise Cruickshank. I only looked at her briefly before sensing she was likely to be straight because I’d already uncovered enough of her husband to be suspicious of him. Obviously that was a mistake because had I gone farther I would have uncovered the fact she’d been previously married. The caption of the photo I turned up named Kate Mitchell and your mother. You were not identified, being almost out of the frame. It was only when you walked in here this evening I recognized you were the unnamed woman in that photograph. You will understand I failed to make any connection because to me you were Jenna Wynn and not Jenna Cruickshank?”
“Yes, I do now,” Jenna smiled, reaching for his hand and holding it. “It all fits perfectly into place and explains why you would approach Kate Mitchell and purely by chance the loudmouth, who worries about me not being attached, dropped my name on your lap. You thought Kate was unlikely to offer useful information and so decided to try me?”
“Exactly. Will you be my go-between?”
“Yes, but more than that. I wish to be dated by you and if that means being taken to bed, so be it.”
That caught Eliot by surprise and his face reddened. “Um, that is very daring of you.”
Jenna waited, twitching in her desire for a seductive proposal but he sat silent and their mains arrived.
More to Come
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