58. Helen
HELEN
‘How long will you be away?’ Helen asked as she put the finishing touches to the cottage pie she was making for lunch.
Nigel put down his mug on the kitchen table. ‘Just over a week. I’m flying into JFK on Monday.’
‘I thought the deposition wasn’t until Thursday?’
‘Thursday morning. But I want to make sure I’m not jet lagged and hopefully I can persuade Sloane and Avery to let me take them for a meal at some point.’
Helen walked over to the table and put her arms around him. ‘I’m going to miss you.’
‘Not as much as I’m going to miss you.’ He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. ‘Why don’t you fly out on Thursday? We could drive to the lakes and watch the eclipse together then.’
‘I can’t - sorry.’
‘If it’s the cost that’s bothering you, I’ll pay.’
‘It’s not that. I’ve got to put the finishing touches to the treehouses. It’s the official opening on Thursday.’
‘Mark’s organised it for when everyone’s away?’
‘He forgot. Lucy’s not impressed, but it’s too late to change it now. He’s got several dignitaries and the press turning up. We’re having a family celebration when you all get back, apparently.’
Nigel’s phone rang. He glanced at it and frowned. ‘I’ll take this outside.’
She watched him head out into the garden.
Perhaps she could surprise him in New York. She might be able to fly out on Friday if everything went well with the launch, but she didn’t want to jinx things by saying she would. She’d have to work out how to get to Nancy’s holiday house on her own, though, and she hadn’t got a clue where it was.
Nigel had left his laptop on the table with his diary open on the screen. She could see from a distance that Friday was blocked out. He might have the address on the appointment.
She looked out of the kitchen window. He was still deep in conversation outside.
Helen walked over to the table and looked more closely at the laptop screen. Yes, the address was under “Family holiday”. She took a quick photo so she could research how to get there later.
She was about to turn away when her eyes were drawn to an appointment for Tuesday: 11 am to 1 pm B&CB investigation follow-up.
B&CB? That must be Barton & Co Brokers. But he’d finished with them months ago. Why hadn’t he mentioned it? And why did it say investigation?
She could hear his footsteps on the path.
Helen hurried back to the counter. As he walked back inside, she was putting the cottage pie in the oven, wondering how to get the conversation around to Tuesday.
Helen finished loading the cooking utensils into the dishwasher. ‘Nige?’
He looked up from his laptop. ‘Yeah?’
‘Do you have to go on Monday? Rocky needs to go to the vets for his annual checkup, and it would be easier if there were two of us.’
‘Can’t you reschedule that? I’ll be back by Wednesday 10th.’
‘Is it that important you fly on Monday?’
‘Are you ok?’
‘Yes, I just … Well, I’ll miss you.’
He walked over and hugged her. ‘I’ll be back before you know it.’
Her little ruse hadn’t worked. She was going to have to ask him directly. She looked into his eyes. ‘I was clearing away the breakfast things, and I noticed that you’d got an appointment in your calendar for Tuesday.’
‘Oh, that.’
Was that a flicker of hesitation?
‘That’s an old one. To do with my former job. I ought to delete it. How long before lunch is ready?’ He asked as he sat back down in front of his laptop and began typing.
‘About forty minutes.’
‘I’ve got time to pop into the village to post that parcel then.’
‘Yes, good idea.’
He got up, kissed her, then headed into the hall to put on his shoes and coat. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’
A few moments later, she heard Nigel’s car reverse onto the lane. His laptop was still on the table. She started walking towards it, but stopped. You are not a snooper, Helen Simpson.
But as soon as she was back by the sink, she changed her mind.
If she’d been more ruthless when she suspected Angus of doing something dodgy with their money, the boys would be financially much better off.
But this didn’t affect her boys. It affects you, though.
Should she look again? She hated herself, but she needed to know for sure.
The screen was unlocked. Fate was pushing her to check. She’d have a glance to set her mind at rest.
The appointment was still there. Shit! She’d hoped the typing had been Nigel deleting it. But that didn’t mean to say that what he said was untrue. You need to open it, Helen.
She nervously clicked on it. It was an invite from somebody called Rebecca Steinberg.
Nigel’s mail program was open too. She switched to its screen. There, in the centre, was an email from Rebecca, dated yesterday, with the subject “Following up as promised”. Rebecca wasn’t a cold caller then.
Nigel,
Following our call, I want to confirm next steps before your scheduled interview with the SEC on Tuesday. If anyone from Bartons approaches you directly about it, notify me immediately and do not engage with them.
I also need you to gather any personal financial records from December 2022 to November 2023, as the investigation team is likely to request them.
See you next week,
Rebecca
Helen sat back in the chair, aware that her heart was beating faster. It wasn’t an old appointment at all. He’d lied. He’d bloody lied to her.
Should she look for other emails? No, this one was incriminating enough.
What was it he’d said when she’d asked him what had happened with his job? “We were taken over by a bigger company, and my face didn’t fit any more.” She’d got a hunch why now, but it wasn’t cut and dried. She needed to do some more research, but she wasn’t going to use his laptop for that.
She photographed the screen and switched back to the calendar view, just the way he’d left it.
The timer for the cottage pie still had another 20 minutes to go. He’d be at least another ten minutes yet.
She picked up her iPad and began searching.
It didn’t take Helen long to establish that Rebecca specialised in fraud cases and the SEC was the stock market regulator. Helen put her head in her hands. Nigel, the one man in the world that she thought she could trust completely, was being investigated for fraud.