The Plot Twist

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

A llie considered letting the call go to voicemail. She wasn’t in the habit of picking up to strangers and this number had called twice already that morning, not leaving a message either time. She was on her way to meet Martha for lunch, who had demanded an increase in their scheduled meet-ups, which Allie was convinced was Martha’s way of keeping an eye on her and making sure she wasn’t doing anything stupid. Which for Martha would cover pretty much most of Allie’s daily existence. And so, lacking anything better to do on the bus journey, she finally picked up her phone.

‘Hello?’

There was a long pause on the end of the line. ‘Hello?’ Allie tried again.

‘Allie, it’s Verity,’ came the whispered response.

‘Verity!’ Allie almost dropped her phone in excitement. She had been impatiently waiting for Verity to reply to her messages and now felt irritated with herself that she hadn’t picked up her phone earlier when this number had rung.

‘Shh!’ Verity hissed.

Allie looked over her shoulder. She didn’t know about Verity’s location but the 306 bus was empty, so she wasn’t going to be disturbing anyone with her phone call.

‘Verity, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you!’ she exclaimed.

‘I know, but shh. Here’s the thing. I’m not supposed to speak to you.’

Allie felt puzzled. ‘You’re not?’

‘No. Jake made it abundantly clear that I was not to contact any of my authors, that it would be a violation of my NDA and that he wouldn’t hesitate to seek legal redress if I did.’

‘Wait! Hang on, he made you sign an NDA?’

‘Yes, just before I left the building.’

‘Verity… Sorry,’ Allie apologised for using her name when she heard the intake of breath from the other end of the phone. Of course Verity couldn’t see her but she cupped her hand around her phone, attempting privacy of some sort. ‘Erm, I’m pretty sure he’s not allowed to make you sign one of those. And that if he did it’s not actually enforceable.’

‘I don’t know,’ Verity sounded miserable, ‘he was pretty persuasive.’

‘He’s such a shit,’ Allie said definitively.

‘Agreed. But he did. And I did sign it and now I really really shouldn’t be talking to you. Allie, you have to stop contacting me!’ Verity pleaded.

‘Wait, what? No!’ Allie protested. ‘I’m not going to stop contacting you. I don’t care what that awful Jake Matthews says. I need you! I can’t publish a book without you!’

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Allie was about to ask if Verity was still there and then remembered that she shouldn’t be using her name.

‘How’s the book coming along?’ Verity eventually asked.

‘Erm, it’s coming…’

There was a long sigh. ‘I see.’

‘Look, I really do need to talk to you about my book. Can we meet?’

‘No!’ Verity exploded. ‘Allie, I can’t! Imagine if someone sees us?’

Allie took a deep breath, it was obvious that Verity was not thinking straight. It was hardly likely that Jake was having her followed, although probably only because Brinkman’s didn’t have the necessary budget to facilitate twenty-four-hour surveillance of one of their former staff members. Briefly Allie wondered under what budget line such an outlay would be placed. But she did understand Verity’s nervousness about being spotted in public together.

‘What about if you came to mine?’

‘I don’t know, Allie,’ moaned Verity.

‘Ver… Sorry! Look, he’s not having you followed, is he?’ There was a long pause. ‘Have you noticed anyone suspicious? Cars parked outside your flat? People in trench coats? Binoculars?’ Allie stifled a giggle.

‘Ha bloody ha. I don’t think you’re taking this seriously.’

‘No, I am! I promise I am. And I understand not wanting to meet up. But I don’t think Jake will ever know if you come round to my flat.’

Allie held her breath. She almost started talking again, but she took another breath, waiting for Verity to feel comfortable.

‘OK,’ Verity exhaled. ‘When?’

‘I’m on my way out to meet my sister but I’ll be back by 3pm?’ Allie gave Verity the address and then hung up. She looked quickly over her shoulder to check that the bus was still empty; Verity’s nervousness was infectious.

* * *

As she opened the front door to her flat later that afternoon Allie half expected Verity to be in disguise and was a little disappointed when she wasn’t. Allie made a point of bundling her into the flat and then checking both sides of the street before she slammed and locked the door behind her. Allie put her back to the door and pretended to wipe her face in relief with her sleeve. ‘Phew,’ she gasped.

‘Very funny,’ Verity said, her mouth a thin line as she handed her coat over to Allie.

‘Sorry, childish I know.’ Allie was trying not to snigger as she hung Verity’s coat for her. ‘Come through.’

For all the years they had known each other, Verity had never once been to Allie’s flat. They always met at Brinkman’s. Or smart restaurants in town. Suddenly, Allie felt self-conscious of her little flat, which was perfect in her mind but seemed rather pedestrian now that Verity, with her seemingly impeccable taste and generations of pedigree, was stood in it. Still, Verity had made it quite clear that they couldn’t meet in public and Allie was fairly confident that Jake Matthews wouldn’t have any interest in staking out her home. She led the way down to the kitchen at the back of the flat. ‘Tea? Coffee? Something stronger?’ she offered. Now that she could get a good look at Verity in the light streaming through the patio doors, she noticed that she didn’t look good; she was thinner and more drawn than she had been the last time Allie had seen her. And probably in need of that stronger drink. Verity paused. It was obvious she too felt she needed something alcoholic but was being too polite to ask for it.

‘How about I open a bottle of wine?’ Allie suggested and Verity smiled at her gratefully. Allie led her to one of the chairs at the kitchen table, pushed her gently and Verity sank down, looking decidedly shaky.

‘I know you think I’m overreacting,’ Verity said, unwinding one of her floaty scarves and then winding it back up again, ‘but honestly, I did have to check over my shoulder several times on my way over here.’

Taking two glasses from the cupboard, Allie poured them both a large glass and put one down in front of Verity. ‘There, have a gulp of that. You look like you need it.’

‘Thank you.’ Allie watched in amazement as the usually demure Verity practically downed the glass of wine in one go.

‘You want another one?’ she asked.

Verity shook her head. ‘Maybe later. Drinking isn’t really helping me at the moment.’ She glanced down at her now almost empty glass and looked as if she was ready to fill it with tears. ‘I either get sobby and maudlin or angry and filled with rage at Jake and bloody Brinkman’s.’

Allie was fascinated to see Verity filled with rage, she had only ever known her composed and professional. Fleetingly, she thought it might be quite fun to witness and wondered if Verity’s rage could be weaponized to take down Jake Matthews before she remembered that her friend and editor was sat in front of her almost in tears and that this was the time to be moved to compassion.

‘Jake said you’d found a new job though?’ Allie asked optimistically, she decided that confronting Verity for abandoning her wasn’t appropriate right now.

Verity’s face twisted and she laughed hollowly. ‘Yeah, that’s what that shit would like you to believe.’

Allie grimaced, both at hearing Verity swear, which was beyond surprising, and also the duplicity of Jake. ‘But he made it sound like you’d left of your own accord?’ Allie asked, trying not to sound combative.

‘Hardly. I wasn’t given a choice in the matter. Told it was cost cutting. Made to sign an NDA. My electronics were confiscated and then I was marched out of the building. I left out of the back door about thirty seconds after you were taken through the front.’

Allie stared at Verity in horror. This was truly terrible. It was all very well her and Martin making up amusing ways of doing away with Jake Matthews but the truth was that he really was a monster.

‘But what about all those doctor’s appointments?’ Allie floundered for an alternative explanation.

‘What?’

‘I sort of presumed you were out for job interviews, because, you know, you seem pretty healthy to be having so many doctor’s appointments…’ Allie was beginning to regret this line of questioning and her voice tailed off accordingly.

‘There’s more than one type of doctor, Allie.’ Verity sighed. Allie said nothing, trying to piece together what it was Verity was getting at. ‘Therapy?’ Verity eventually offered. ‘I’ve been having therapy to deal with the stress of working for Jake. But hey, the good news is that now we’ve moved on to discussing my trauma surrounding losing my job.’

‘Oh Verity, I’m so sorry.’ Allie reached across and squeezed Verity’s hand. ‘Is there anything I can do?’

‘Do?’ Verity laughed hollowly. ‘There’s nothing any of us can do.’

‘But surely?—’

‘Allie, don’t you think I’ve thought about this?’ Verity’s beautiful lip curled in frustration and anger. ‘Don’t you think I’ve analysed every possible alternative scenario? There’s nothing I can do but suck it up and look for a new job.’

‘But…’

Verity glared at her ferociously and Allie held her tongue. They broke away and both stared at the table for a while in contemplative silence.

‘And I need to find one fast, because I have rent to pay.’

Allie didn’t know how to put this politely. She had always presumed that with a surname like Montagu-Forbes, Verity didn’t have to think about money. And from everything she knew about the industry, it was almost essential to come from money in order to survive in it.

‘Erm, couldn’t you ask your parents?’ she offered.

Verity laughed hollowly. ‘Ha! Yeah right. Like they have cash to spare.’

‘What does Richard think?’ Allie decided now was not the moment to ask any further questions about Verity’s parents’ cash reserves. But given how loved up Verity had been the last time Allie had seen her it would be just the icing on the cake of unravelling disasters for her to have split up with Richard.

Verity sighed. ‘He thinks the same as you,’ she looked at Allie mulishly, ‘that I should fight it.’

‘I never said that…’ Allie began to protest.

‘No, but you think I should.’ Verity dared Allie to challenge her assertion. ‘And I wish I could.’ Verity’s tone shifted suddenly, from stubbornly resistant to pleading. Allie felt her heartstrings tug and decided that although she sometimes found Verity frightening, she preferred that to this diminished version. ‘God, I do wish I could. I want to take down Jake Matthews and get my job back as much as you and Richard want me to. But I can’t, can I?’

Allie was grateful that Verity barely paused before continuing. She wasn’t sure what she would have said if Verity had left that last statement hanging in the air – Yes you can? Yes you should? Why on earth can ’ t you?

‘What you and Richard don’t seem to realise is that everyone in the industry thinks Jake Matthews is a shit. But nobody does anything about it. And so how can I? He’s protected. It’s a conspiracy of silence. And if I do say something he’ll retaliate. He’ll sue me over this stupid NDA, or make sure I never work in publishing again. Or both!’ Verity threw her hands up in frustration.

‘Can he do that?’ Allie asked dubiously. Jake Matthews did indeed seem like an insidious creep but the way Verity was describing him made him sound like he controlled the industry like a mafia cartel.

‘Yes, he can do that,’ spat Verity. ‘Publishing boys’ club. One word from him and all his “mates” at the other companies will close ranks, I’ll never work for a reputable company again!’ she wailed.

Allie wrinkled her nose. She really wasn’t sure that in this day and age companies could work like that but given the state Verity was in she didn’t think it would be constructive or supportive to challenge her. And really what did she know? Maybe Jake really was pulling the strings behind the scenes. It wasn’t like the precedent was lacking.

Ignoring Verity’s previous comments about alcohol, Allie stood and went to the fridge, returning with the bottle of wine. Not a word of protest passed Verity’s lips as Allie refilled both their glasses. Allie sat watching Verity. She was so far from the serene goddess that Allie had always known her as, the saviour of Allie’s writing dream, the one who had plucked her from nowhere and who had had the vision for her very first book. And it had been Verity who had always championed Allie’s books, plugging away at the sales team so that they tried harder, getting her book covers just right, and guiding Allie, seemingly effortlessly, from one success to the next. And now look at her. Allie hated to see how ground down she had become by Jake’s actions, how hollow and sad she seemed. Allie’s heart went out to her, to both of them, sat as they were, an editor with no job and an author with no book. She owed it to Verity to try and fix this.

‘I do wish there was something we could do,’ Verity said eventually. ‘Some way of taking him down.’ Simultaneously they reached for their glasses and took a sip of wine, both enjoying separate fantasies of destroying Jake Matthews.

‘Hey, I’ll tell you something funny though. That assistant of his – Tess? Teresa?’

‘Tessa,’ confirmed Verity gloomily.

‘Tessa, that’s right. I’m sure I heard her in the bathroom at the summer party doing coke.’

Verity sat bolt upright in her chair. ‘You did?’ she asked in a strained voice.

‘Er, well yeah. I mean I thought it was her voice. I didn’t see her or anything. And I mean, I only spoke to her once, when I came in the other week…’ Allie’s voice trailed off. There was a peculiar look on Verity’s face and Allie really didn’t know what to make of it.

‘You said you heard her voice?’

‘Yeees,’ Allie confirmed nervously.

‘In the bathroom?’

‘That’s right…’

‘She was talking to someone else in there? In the bathroom, I mean?’

‘Erm, yes?’ Allie really wasn’t sure where Verity was going with this.

‘So there was someone else in the bathroom doing coke with her?’

‘Well, like I said,’ Allie floundered, ‘I didn’t see any of this. I was in one of the cubicles. But the girl, Tessa, at least I think it might have been Tessa…’ Allie felt less and less sure of this the more interest that Verity took. ‘Anyway, whoever the girl was, it sounded like she’d been asked to bring the coke by the other person.’

‘Male or female?’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Male or female?’ Verity’s voice was icy cold. ‘Was the other person male or female?’

‘Male. Definitely. Verity, where are you going with this?’

Verity sat back in her seat and swirled her wine around in her glass. ‘Just thinking.’

There was a long pause. Allie wondered if she should be offering more wine, some snacks, maybe Verity’s blood sugar had plummeted and that was why she was being so antsy about a snippet of gossip that Allie had innocently thought would amuse her.

‘Any interest in sharing with me what you’re thinking?’ Allie asked eventually.

Verity leaned back in her chair, far enough that Allie considered warning her to be careful. Her kitchen chairs weren’t the most robust and Allie feared Verity was about to plunge backwards and she really didn’t have the time for a long wait in A&E.

‘Well, there are loads of rumours flying round about Jake. One being how he got to where he is now. Another being just what dirt he holds on people to allow him to get away with behaving in the way he does. But the one I’m thinking of, is the rumour about his monumental drug habit.’

Allie’s eyes went wide at Verity’s words. ‘You don’t think…?’

Verity nodded slowly and shifted in her seat, inching herself forward. Allie could sense the excitement and tension building in Verity. ‘Allie, think very carefully. The voice you heard in the bathroom with Tessa. Could it have been Jake’s voice?’

Allie cast her mind back to the night of the party. To the bathroom where she had gone to escape from the party. She remembered hearing the voices and initially thinking that she was about to interrupt an illicit tryst before quickly realising that she was overhearing something quite different. She hesitated. ‘I’m not sure … maybe? Yes? I think it could have been him?’

She looked up and saw Verity staring at her. ‘But even if it was, what good will it do us?’

Verity suddenly looked deflated. ‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted. ‘I guess I just had a crazy idea that if we could expose Jake’s drug habit then maybe I could get my job back, be your editor again.’

‘Er yeah, about that,’ Allie said awkwardly. ‘I’m not sure this is the right moment to confess this outright but as it stands, right at this moment,’ Allie flailed around trying to find the right words, ‘I don’t actually have a book for you to edit.’

Verity gave her a strong look of disappointment. ‘I had guessed that.’ Allie hung her head in shame, mortified that Verity had known all along. ‘And we’re going to fix that,’ she said briskly, ‘just like we are going to fix Jake Matthews.’ A smile started playing around Verity’s lips. ‘I’m beginning to get an idea…’

Allie took a deep breath, this was more like it, she was starting to see the old Verity in front of her, the real Verity. And god, how she had missed her.

‘OK, so, Jake first, what’s your plan?’ Allie asked.

‘Tessa must be what, twenty-two? Twenty-three?’ Verity mused. ‘Definitely no more than twenty-five right? And she’s Jake’s assistant?’ Allie nodded again. She trusted Verity to know this kind of thing. ‘Which makes what he is doing wrong on many different levels, right?’ Verity continued.

‘IF he is,’ Allie countered, nervous that Verity was going to go off on a wild goose chase based purely on hearsay from Allie.

Verity flapped her hand at Allie in a dismissive gesture. ‘Not only is he doing drugs at a work party, but he’s doing them with his assistant and, if what you’re saying is correct, he got Tessa, his assistant , to get those drugs for him!’

‘We can’t prove any of this!’ Allie protested.

‘No, we can’t. But I could ask Tessa about it.’ Verity’s eyes sparkled.

‘Hang on,’ Allie asked in confusion, ‘I thought you’d signed an NDA?’

‘Yes and?’

‘So, you can’t very well march up to Tessa and ask her if she’s been doing coke with her boss and if it was him that asked her to get him that coke.’

‘Actually,’ Verity grinned, ‘the NDA was quite specific. You see I can’t speak to you,’ she pointed at Allie, ‘or any other authors, but it makes no mention of other employees.’

‘Right,’ Allie folded her arms across her chest, ‘so you’re just going to come straight out with it and ask Tessa whether Jake Matthews is using her as a drugs mule?’

Verity’s face fell. ‘God, you’re right. I can’t, can I?’ She wrung her hands nervously, immediately making Allie feel terrible that she had banished confident, poised Verity and brought back cowed, broken Verity.

‘But maybe I could?’ Allie’s words surprised even herself. What on earth was she signing herself up to?

‘What?’ Verity’s head snapped back up.

‘Well, I need to be in touch with Tessa about my book. I guess I could see if I could befriend her, get her to confide in me?’ Allie really couldn’t believe what she was saying now. She was in a deep enough mess without attempting to uncover an underground publishing drugs ring. But saying these words and making these promises was worth it to see the eager look on Verity’s face.

‘You’d do that?’ Verity cried.

‘Well, I’m not making any promises,’ Allie faltered, ‘but yes, I guess I could see if I can.’

Verity stood up and flung her arms around Allie.

Allie fought for air and then when she got her breath again she laughed. ‘OK!’ she protested, pushing Verity off a little bit. ‘I said I’ll try. First I need to write something for her to read.’

‘Yes, about that.’ Verity sat back down in her chair immediately business like. ‘I can’t believe you were lying to me about your next book.’

‘I wasn’t lying!’ Allie quailed under Verity’s look. ‘I was just protecting you from some distressing information.’

Verity raised her eyebrow.

‘Ugh, OK. I admit it. I lost my mojo. Couldn’t write for ages. Had a long dark night of the soul moment and started wondering if I should turn to crime.’

Verity’s eyebrows shot higher.

‘I meant for my writing!’ explained Allie, but Verity’s eyebrows remained stubbornly aloft.

‘You want to write a crime novel?’ Verity asked in surprise.

‘No, not really. Well maybe. I mean, I considered it briefly.’ Allie stood, deciding that now really was the time to distract Verity with salty snacks. If she was being honest, the wine had completely gone to her head. She had already promised to help try to bring down Jake Matthews by befriending and abusing any trust she managed to gain with Tessa. She needed to eat something and fast, before her mouth made any more promises that her weak will and cowardice couldn’t fulfill. She rummaged through the cupboards, disappearing from Verity’s view as she did so.

‘Here.’ She reappeared again, clutching Doritos, Pringles and salted pistachios. Allie pulled some bowls out of another cupboard and dumped snacks out into them, carrying them over to the kitchen table where Verity was sitting. She was heartened to see Verity take a large handful of Pringles and eat them decidedly less than daintily.

‘Carry on,’ Verity said through a mouthful of crumbs.

Allie stalled, trying to remember what she had been saying before the interruption of the snack stop. ‘Oh right, yes, crime novels. Well, I came up with an idea about murdering bankers, you know, a serial killer with a grudge against the immorality of the banking industry, decides to pick them off one by one in a grisly way, as recompense for the sins of their business.’

Verity sniffed. ‘Not a bad premise,’ she said.

‘Thanks.’ Allie felt rather proud of herself. ‘Inspired by Dominic.’

‘What?’ Verity said in alarm.

‘Oh, yeah, I didn’t get round to telling you, what with your firing and then disappearance and all the rest. Dominic dumped me. The night of the summer party in fact. Left here,’ Allie gesticulated in the direction of the front door, ‘in the car of his new girlfriend. I mean, I presumed that’s who she was.’

Allie looked up to realise Verity’s eyes had filled with tears again. ‘Oh, no, it’s fine really!’ she said quickly. ‘I didn’t like him all that much anyway. I’ve got a feeling he was the reason I couldn’t write. Lack of romance you see…’

Verity didn’t look any less close to crying so Allie tried a different tack. ‘Honestly, it’s fine. I’ve already been on another date AND…’ She paused for dramatic effect. ‘I’ve started writing again. I mean, it’s not much, and I could really, really use your help if I’m honest.’

‘Crime?’ Verity asked. ‘I mean, is it the crime novel you’ve been working on?’

‘Oh no,’ Allie said hastily. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve parked that idea.’

Verity looked relieved to hear this.

‘I’ve given it to Martin.’

A look of utter confusion passed over Verity’s face. ‘Who?’

‘Martin Clark, the author?’

‘OK, I have a few questions.’ Verity placed her immaculately manicured hands down on the table. ‘Firstly, Martin Clark? The famous crime writer?’ Allie nodded. ‘The one who wrote In Darkness ? Total Eclipse ?’ Allie nodded again. ‘Secondly, how do you know him?’

‘Met him at the summer party,’ confirmed Allie.

‘Right, OK. So thirdly, WHY does he have your plot idea?’ Allie opened her mouth to respond but Verity held up a finger to silence her. ‘And finally, I don’t want to forget that we need to cover who you’ve been on a date with.’ A look crossed her face and her mouth dropped open. ‘Oh god… Not Martin Clark?’

‘Eugh, no!’ shouted Allie. ‘He’s old enough to be my father.’ Verity gave Allie a funny look, which Allie couldn’t get a read on. ‘But I mean he’s still very handsome,’ she continued, cheekily enjoying the look of horror that was spreading across Verity’s face. ‘If I were older,’ she eventually clarified, ‘or he was younger,’ she mused.

Verity pushed her now empty again wine glass towards Allie, indicating that if this was the direction that their conversation was going to take she was going to need more wine.

‘I’m not dating Martin.’ Allie laughed, deciding that despite her and Martin’s agreement, she owed it to Verity to explain. She poured another generous glass for Verity. ‘But he is helping me with my writing. Or at least he’s supposed to. But so far, it’s mainly been me helping him.’

It took two more glasses of wine before Allie had adequately explained the arrangement that she and Martin had reached and before Verity was suitably assured that Allie wasn’t about to run off with a man almost twice her age. By the time she left Allie’s flat, Verity still looked dubious but seemed to be more accepting of Allie’s life choices. Especially when they were backed up by promises that Allie would actually be writing again, and that between them they would track down Tessa and somehow persuade her to do the dirty on Jake.