Chapter 22
‘Where’s Gregory?’ Williams asks as we ride the lift to the twenty-eighth floor and my new office.
‘Truth or the business lie?’
‘Erm, truth?’ he says, playfully uncertain.
‘Beautifying and pruning this morning.’
Williams chuckles and rolls his eyes but something tells me he has similar appointments and it’s not only his perfectly manicured nails.
‘Then he has a brunch and I think he’s working from home after that.’
‘Can’t blame him, it’s rough being massaged and cleansed.’
The lift pings at twenty-eight and Williams leads me to my office, as instructed by Gregory, despite the fact I already know where it is.
‘You really don’t have to babysit me, Williams.’
‘Oh, I do. Trust me, it’s not worth my life.’
We’re both laughing when Williams opens the door to my new office.
‘Scarlett!’ Sue jumps from behind the desk. ‘I was just getting things ready for you.’
Someone has had far too much caffeine.
‘Thank you, Sue, the place looks great.’ I look around the large, bright space. She’s hung my certificates on the walls: undergraduate degree, legal practice course, masters. She’s set my Mont Blanc pen neatly to one side of my keyboard.
A large arrangement of two dozen roses decorates the table in the corner of the room. I smile before I open the card.
Welcome to Team Gregory. Have a great first day, baby. xxx
‘Scarlett, Sue is your PA now,’ Williams says, reclaiming my attention.
‘It’s a trial,’ Sue jumps in, suddenly making apparent why she’s so jittery. ‘If I do anything you don’t like, if you want me to do anything differently, just say so.’
‘We’ve left her role fairly fluid,’ Williams explains. ‘We thought it would be best if you tell Sue what support you need and what you expect from her.’
‘Okay, that sounds sensible. Perhaps we could go for lunch today, Sue – my treat. I’ll have had a look around the systems by then and we can discuss how we’ll work together. Sound good?’
‘Perfect. Excellent. Yes. Wonderful.’ She turns to leave the office, her skirt swishing as she moves.
‘Step number one is to convince her to drink less coffee,’ I tell Williams once Sue is firmly out of earshot.
‘Before you go, I’m going to throw Amanda a baby shower.
Not yet but I want to get a date in diaries.
Could you send me a list of any people from your side who I should invite?
I’m thinking afternoon tea at the Savoy. ’
‘You know her well. Expensive indulgence and an afternoon that revolves around Amanda. She’ll love it.’ There’s no malice in his words, just good humour. ‘I’ll think about it and drop you a message.’
‘Thanks, Williams, and thanks for this morning.’
* * *
My mind wanders far too often to Gregory, as if being in his glass tower somehow makes him ever-present. The jury is definitely out on whether this move is a good idea. What’s harder is knowing that he’s willing to have me in his office.
Concentrate.
I focus on the latest draft of the joint venture agreement with Shangzen Tek, which Shangzen’s lawyer emailed during the night. Between that, first-day IT hiccups, a stream of questions from Amanda in relation to Mr Ghurair, and a two-hour lunch with Sue, I already have a backlog of emails.
I’m sifting through confirmations from external counsel about the progress made in the challenges against Nick Henshaw when there’s a tap on my office door.
‘Come in.’
Sue appears. ‘I’m heading off now. Well, unless you need anything. Then I’m happy to stay.’
I turn to the two walls of windows forming an L-shape around me and realise the winter darkness is already set in and raindrops decorate the glass panes. In the reflection, I see Stuart, now standing in the doorway behind Sue.
‘No, I’m good, you head off.’
‘Thank you. Oh, and Mr Culliton has come to see you. Is it okay?’ I have to suppress my laugh as Stuart points to himself then the office floor as if to say, I’m already here.
‘Yes, fine, thank you, Sue. Have a lovely evening and I’ll see you tomorrow. Come in, Stuart. Take a seat.’
He sits into one of the chairs opposite mine with his coat and tie in his hand.
The top button of his shirt is undone and his hair is ruffled like it’s been a long day.
‘I just wanted to return the favour,’ he says.
‘You came to see how I was settling in and it was nice of you.’ He shrugs.
‘You were one of the few people who made me feel welcome, so I wanted to make sure I did the same for you.’ He smiles but his eyes remain a mystery.
‘Thank you. That’s sweet of you. It’s been a long day and I dare say I’ll be here for a while yet but I’m getting there. I think I’ve cracked the systems now.’
He nods and turns his head around the room, his eyes fixing momentarily on the bunch of roses then turning back to me. ‘Are they from Gregory?’
‘Ah, yes, they are.’
‘Do you think he’s a good man?’ he asks bizarrely.
I feel my brows furrow and there’s a wash of realisation on his face.
‘He is a good man. The best. He can seem a little uptight at work but give him a chance.’
Stuart nods again, seemingly contemplative. ‘Are you working on my game?’ He inclines his head to the open file of papers in front of me.
‘Er, yes, I am.’
‘So did you stop Nick using the game?’
My head snaps up to meet his.
‘Gregory told me,’ he adds quickly.
He did?
‘Yes. We did,’ I say, wondering when that conversation took place and hoping Gregory hasn’t taken out his temper over the whole thing on Stuart again. He swore on his mother’s life he knows nothing about the trouble.
Stuart takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for longer than a blink. ‘I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, Scarlett.’
‘I know. Don’t worry. We’ll fix it.’
He drags a hand through his hair and slowly rolls his body to stand, looking tired.
‘Have you got plans?’ I ask, in a bid to improve his mood.
‘No,’ he snaps, making me regret the effort. ‘I don’t really know anyone here,’ he adds in a softer tone. ‘Microwave meal and biltong for one.’
‘We’ll go out sometime. I can introduce you to some people.’
‘Thanks but you’re a little old for me, Scarlett.’
My jaw drops open but I’m laughing, happy because finally, he’s smiling. ‘Get out, right now!’
He pauses at the door and turns back to me. ‘Listen, Scarlett, if—’ He stares at his feet. ‘Have a good night.’
‘You, too.’
I dim the lights once Stuart leaves, the glare of my computer screen becoming too much against the darkness surrounding the glass office.
It’s deathly silent, the entire floor desolate.
Perfect for reading and drafting. I didn’t realise the door hadn’t closed behind Stuart until a dark shadow in my peripheral vision makes me jump and squeal.
‘Shit! Paul. You scared the life out of me.’
‘Sorry, Scarlett.’ He steps into the office in his janitor get-up. He looks bigger than he did just a few weeks ago. He’s eating. ‘I call in to see Gregory on Mondays, if he’s around. Just, you know, to check in. I like him to see I’m on track.’
‘It’s good to see you,’ I say as my heart rate returns to normal. ‘How’s everything going?’
‘Good. Really good. Great, in fact. I feel like I’ve been thrown a lifeline, you know, and I’m going to make the most of it.’
‘Good for you. Well, Gregory isn’t in the office today but I can let him know you called by and you’re not slacking.’ I throw him a smile.
‘On that note, there are floors to be mopped. I guess I’ll see you around now you’re working here?’
‘Sure will.’
I get back to my emails. A two-page rant has dropped into my inbox from Shangzen’s lawyer, trying to negotiate what I’ve already told him is a deal breaker for GJR. I’m immersed in the detail of a reply when my phone rings and this time when I jump, I crash my knee off the underside of my desk. Damn, that hurt.
I look at the screen, which is pointless because there aren’t any numbers programmed into the phone yet.
‘Scarlett Heath.’
‘Scarlett, it’s Stuart. I left my fob on my desk. Could you come down to the ground floor and let me in?’
‘Erm, yes, sure. I’ll be down in a minute.’
Urgh, I’ll never get anything done.
It’s dark and cold waiting for the lift and I wish I’d pulled on my suit jacket, my blouse and skirt doing nothing to fend off the overzealous air conditioning.
As I step into the lift, my phone rings again.
This time, I recognise the number as Gregory’s but my signal cuts out as the lift doors close.
By the time I reach the subdued lighting of the ground floor, I have a message announcing a voicemail.
Stuart is outside on the pavement on the other side of the glass doors, his shoulders hunched in the rain.
A black limousine is parked by the curb, which strikes me as odd – not uncommon in London but unusual for this part of the city.
My heels click on the marble floor as I wave to Paul, in full mopping mode, and hold my phone to my ear.
‘Scarlett.’ Gregory’s voice sounds panicked on the message. I step into the revolving door. ‘Stay at the office. I’m on my way. It’s Stuart. He’s involved.’
I drop the phone as I come face to face with Stuart.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says.
I’m yanked backwards.
A hand covers my mouth. Everything goes black.