Chapter 37
Thirty-Seven
Ada was there when I woke up. She sat in a chair by the window, wrapped up in a light cardigan, her crochet hook moving at lightning speed. She smiled when she saw me and lifted up her work.
“Blankets for the local nursing home. I know you can buy them but I’ve always thought this was a more personal thing to do.”
“I didn’t know you crocheted. My gran used to do that. I still have her afghans.”
I tried to move and winced. Somehow, I was in more pain than yesterday. She hurried over and helped me sit up.
When we arrived at Harrington last night, I’d refused all offers of food or a bath. I couldn’t cry and I couldn’t be comforted either. All I could do was sleep.
Ada walked me to the bathroom and gave me some privacy while I relieved myself.
I dared to look in the mirror and immediately wished I hadn’t.
One side of my face was badly bruised and swollen.
My hair was a dirty mess. I brushed and braided it, not sure what else to do with it.
With the laceration on my scalp, I wasn’t ready to deal with washing it.
I was still bleeding and managed to change my pad out for a fresh one without any help. I cleaned myself quickly, not able to stand the sight of the blood.
These things happen.
I hobbled back out into my bedroom where Ada was waiting to help me into bed.
“Is there any news about Maia yet?”
“Alfie said you’d ask as soon as you woke up.
She’s stable, that’s all I know. I’m sure Alfie will tell you the rest.” She fussed, getting the blankets just right around me.
In the middle of summer it felt too hot for blankets but I didn’t complain.
“He told me to give you this when you woke up.” She handed me a letter and I opened it eagerly.
Lola,
I wrote a note as I presumed you wouldn’t be ready to check your phone yet.
Please stay in bed and rest. I’m handling everything.
I’ve spoken to Natalie and Keira and assured them both that you’re fine.
I haven’t mentioned the loss, only that you were in a car accident.
The news is reporting on what happened, that there was a shooting and an attempted kidnapping.
I’ve told them it was blown out of proportion.
Natalie believed me, Keira didn’t, of course, but she accepted my word that you’re safe.
I’ve arranged security for Natalie and Ryan until this is over. They have no idea about it as I didn’t want to worry them. Please know I intend to keep all of them safe, I won’t fail them as I’ve failed you.
I’m sure you’ve asked Ada already but Maia is doing well. She’s recovering in hospital, I believe Eli is with her. I’m not sure what to make of that.
Finally, please let Ada look after you.
Know that I love you and I’m here for you.
If you need me just call, I’ll come running.
Alfie.
P.S. The glass is new but I didn’t have the chain replaced, only mended, so it’s still the one your mother gave you.
I opened the box and let out a sob. My necklace was inside, the clasp and glass both good as new.
Before the waves could come crashing, I pushed them back.
I wasn’t ready for grief crying yet. My body hurt too much to allow it.
I asked Ada for help fastening the necklace and immediately, I felt better with it in place.
My mother’s spirit settled around me like a warm blanket.
“You need a good breakfast,” Ada said. “Porridge and tea. Can I trust you to stay in bed while I fetch it?”
“Where’s Alfie?” I asked. He was what I really needed.
“He’s in a meeting right now. I’ll let him know you’re awake.”
“What meeting?” Was it to do with the men that had done this to me? Had he caught who was behind the photos?
“Just work.”
I frowned at her. Alfie wouldn’t be working right now. “You’re lying, Ada.”
She sighed softly. “I believe he’s speaking with his sister.”
“Grace is here? Why?”
“I expect she just came to check up on you.”
“Then I should go and see her? If she just came to check up on me. Which doesn’t make any sense by the way. Why would she travel hours to check up on someone she’s only met once?”
“Lola, you need to rest.”
“I need to find out what was going on. Now, you can help me or…” I left the rest to her imagination.
“You and Alfie are just as stubborn as each other,” she muttered under her breath.
She helped me into a cardigan that Natalie had knitted for me and insisted on me at least taking some painkillers first. Not bothering to change out of my pyjamas I went to find Alfie.
I’d scoffed at the wheelchair when she suggested it but after a few steps, I gave in.
I couldn’t go traipsing all over Harrington with broken ribs.
Ada wheeled me along. Luckily, Alfie’s office was on the same floor. It wasn’t the same one he’d used years ago. This one looked more like a library, with couches and a fireplace accompanying the vast desk set before arched windows.
Alfie sat in a highbacked chair by the unlit fireplace, Grace sat on the couch and Elliot between them as if he’d been playing mediator. Or referee.
Alfie glared when he saw me, turning that steel on Ada.
“Don’t you dare glare at her,” I told him sharply. “Hi, Grace. It’s nice to see you.”
She gave me a tearful smile. A pink arrowhead syngonium was clutched between her perfectly manicured hands. She offered it to me. “Hi Lola, you look well.”
I pretended to sniff the air. “That smells like bullshit.”
She laughed, her hands twisting. This was not the same woman I’d met two weeks ago.
Alfie came and crouched in front of me. “You’re supposed to be in bed.” He lifted one of my hands and kissed it. His sister looked at him in shock.
“I heard Grace was here, I wanted to know why.”
“I just wanted to check on you after the accident.”
“More bullshit. I thought rich people were supposed to be good at lying.” I looked at Alfie. “What’s going on?”
“Lo,” he spoke softly, as if trying to shut out the other people in the room, “I don’t want you to deal with anything but resting and recovering. Please let me protect you from the world right now.”
“No. We face things together.”
“Fine, but you’re staying in that chair and I need you to attempt breakfast. Ada, fetch some tea please and the muffins I sent out for.
” Ada hurried out the room and Alfie wheeled me over to his chair so we could sit together.
I wanted to ask about the men who had attacked me, the photographs, but I wasn’t sure how much Grace knew.
“Thank you for the necklace and the letter.”
“You’re welcome.” He held my hand. It was still sore from the cannula but I didn’t mind. It felt like a lifetime since Alfie and I had been together. “Elliot tells me your family is fine, no trouble there.”
“That’s right,” Elliot said. “I doubt the Donal’s will bother them anyway, especially now, but it doesn’t hurt to take a precaution.”
I glanced at Grace, wondering how much she knew. “I filled her in already,” Alfie said. “What she needs to know anyway.” He hadn’t told her about the baby, is what he was trying to say.
“I’m so sorry, Lola.”
“It’s not your fault my father got mixed up with drug traffickers.” I let out a laugh. It was all so surreal. Grace didn’t laugh though, she was too busy frowning at Alfie. “What’s going on? Why are you really here?”
She didn’t answer me, neither did Elliot.
“I asked her to come,” Alfie answered me finally. “I know the last few weeks have been hard. You feel like I’ve kept you in the dark—”
“You have,” I cut in.
“I know but with good reason. I wanted to keep you out of the way until I had answers to every question. You found out a week ago that someone had stolen a large sum of money from me. What I didn’t want to tell you was that the account that money was transferred to was under your name.”
A cold sweat broke out over my skin. “No! No, Alfie, I didn’t—”
“I know. You wouldn’t. But whoever thought you would believe that I’d cheat on you with Angie, obviously thought I’d believe you’d steal from me.”
I frowned. “I don’t get it. Why? If they want money they obviously have access so why not just take it?”
“For the same reason they didn’t blackmail us over those photos.
They don’t want money, they want us separated.
They want us hurt.” Alfie took a breath.
“Elliot has managed to trace it to my mother. It wasn’t difficult.
She was unnecessarily sloppy.” He seemed embarrassed that a Tell would be so ham-fisted.
“Not sloppy, she just failed to read the room,” Elliot spoke up.
“There’s a hundred million in that account, Lola.
All yours under your name.” I stared at him.
A hundred million. Grace’s eyes were fixed on me, studying my reaction.
Alfie didn’t even look at me. He didn’t need his x-ray eyes to figure out how little I cared about the money.
“I expect she thought you’d just take it without argument and Alfie wouldn’t question it, that he’d hate you and ruin you over it, branding you a thief and a liar.
She didn’t expect him to see through it, she didn’t expect you not to take it, didn’t think he’d bother to look into who had really moved it. ”
“She really hates me this much?”
“She’s threatened by you,” Alfie said, “and she doesn’t want me to be happy.”
She blamed him. Deep down she knew what he’d done to Joseph and Charles and she blamed him. She wanted him to suffer forever.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was trying to protect you. I feared her taking more steps that might hurt or embarrass you. I thought if it seemed as though I was distancing myself from you, she would stop. At least until I had enough evidence it was her and had decided what to do about it.”