Page 72 of Read Between The Lines

‘How do you explain this, then?’ I brought the SO Ox app up on my phone screen and found Brian James’s profile. ‘Look, here you are.’

I waved the phone in his face, hoping he didn’t spot the little symbol in the corner of the screen which indicated that it was still recording this conversation.

‘That guy looks nothing like me. And that isn’t even my name,’ he said, starting to laugh. ‘I think we must be at cross-purposes here. You’re mistaken.’

I took a deep intake of breath. I actually felt like slapping the man to get some sense out of him. How dare he sit there so blatantly denying all this and trying to make out that I was the one in the wrong? This was gaslighting at its very worst.

‘That’s the whole point. Of course, Brian James isn’t your name. It’s a pseudonym you use online when you’re trying to lure unsuspecting women into giving you money by toying with their emotions and manipulating them into falling in love with you.’

Blake put on a very realistic expression of horror.

‘That’s a terrible thing to do.’

‘Yes, it bloody well is. At least that’s one thing we can agree on. So why did you do it to me?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m really sorry that you seem to have fallen foul of this Brian James character but, hand on heart, I promise you he’s not me. The pictures are of someone else completely.’

‘I know that. And you’re not going to convince me that easily. You stole someone else’s pictures to help create distance between your online persona and your real life.’

‘There are safety measures on SO Ox. You’d never be able to get away with doing something like that,’ he pushed back.

‘And yet you did.’

‘No, I really didn’t. I admit I have a profile on SO Ox. Look, let me find it for you.’

I kept tight hold of my phone. There was no way I was going to let him stop the recording at this crucial moment.

He shrugged and got his own device out.

‘Here, see. That’s my handle, Actor Blake, and I’ve got my full name in the “about me” section.’

I wouldn’t have recognised him from the headshot he’d used as his profile image. He was right: itwasan old picture.

‘Just because you’re there in your own capacity, it doesn’t mean that you’re not also on there as Brian James,’ I pointed out. ‘You’re not in the clear yet.’

‘What happened to innocent until proven guilty?’ he asked indignantly.

‘That’s a principle used in the court system. And I’m very happy to march down to the police station with you now and see what they have to say about it.’

It was a bluff, but he fell for it.

‘Let’s not do anything too hasty. What else makes you think that I’ve been pretending to be this geezer called Brian James?’

‘Here’s my proof,’ I said, clicking on one of the voice notes that Brian had sent me. Thank goodness Leo had showed me a hack to make my phone play and record simultaneously.

‘Hello, my gorgeous one. It’s so good getting to know you properly. I love hearing about all your interests and funny quirks. I’m trying not to get too carried away, but I think we’re a match made in heaven.’

I cringed as the message played out, horrified all over again that I’d been gullible enough to fall for such a sickly-sweet playbook. But I felt even worse when Blake slash Brian started laughing.

‘You actually have the cheek to laugh? After everything you’ve put me through?’ I said. ‘You are the lowest of the low, a disgusting, creepy manipulator who should be thoroughly ashamed of himself.’

My words seemed to have a sobering effect on him. He dipped his head as if in submission.

‘I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s because I’m relieved. I was starting to believe what you were saying was the truth, and that I’d somehow been carrying out a scam without even knowing about it.’

‘But it is the truth,’ I retorted.

‘Sorry, I’m not explaining myself very clearly here. As you know, I’m an actor.’ Again, he did that self-conscious puffing up of his chest thing. ‘I don’t only appear on stage. In fact, I have a pretty broad portfolio.’

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