Page 60 of My Lord
We were interrupted by a phone call. I glanced at my mobile. “It’s Gabriella,” I said, whispering as if she could hear us.
“Hello, how are you?” I asked when I answered. She went on to explain about her morning and that she was tired and heading home. She wanted me to know in case I was trying to contact her. A thought popped into my head. “Can you remember what work documents you had in your bag when it was snatched?”
“That’s rather random, Alex. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, it really has just popped into my head.”
“A boring Health and Safety policy for the factory floor. I wanted it updated. Honestly, Alex, I can’t tell you what a sweatshop that place was. I keep meaning to talk to Mackenzie about it, get rid of it. I don’t think it's a company we want on board anymore.”
“Okay, how about I call you a little later?” We said goodbye and left it at that. I turned to Mackenzie. “That factory has nothing to do with Trymast, does it?”
“It’s where they manufacturer some of the components for antennas, why?” Mackenzie answered.
“What if someone snatched her bag assuming they’d find some interesting documents in there?”
“Wouldn’t they just break into the office? Why assume a woman walking up the street would have classified information in her handbag?” he said.
“Not just any old woman,ourwoman leaving a company tied to Trymast.”
Mackenzie laughed. “You have been watching way too much television. Let’s just concentrate on why Harry was floating in the Thames and why the police think we might be connected to it for now. In the meantime, maybe use yourold boynetwork to ask some more questions.”
“I know we’re having a chuckle about this, but I am worried. I’d like to be able to call Ellenor, Harry’s wife, but I don’t have her number.”
“Let’s just see how it pans out. They haven’t contacted me yet, and let’s see what we can find out about Stanton. We know we can discredit him in any way we need to. If this blows up more, we’ll just leak some photographs. Have you seen them?” he asked.
“No, maybe we should take a trip over and look,” I suggested. Mackenzie nodded his head slowly. I added, “Also, take my girlfriend out on a date, she’s missing you.”
He nodded as if it was the most normal statement to make but if anyone heard us, I’m sure we would have received strange looks.
* * *
“Holy shit,” I said, as Veronica laid photographs on the table.
Spread across the polished wooden desk were images of a woman that had been beaten black and blue. Both eyes were virtually closed, she had hand marks around her neck, blood ran from her nose and from a busted lip.
There was a handwritten statement with a typed version signed by the woman and Veronica. In addition, there was a videotape, copies of which had been made, of Stanton beating her during sex and until security rushed into the room and pulled him off her. There were also images of Stanton and Daughton in compromising positions with many other women.
“Did she press charges?” I asked.
Veronica nodded. “She tried, surprisingly. I thought she might balk at the idea. Of course, it wasn’t investigated properly, and he wasn’t charged with anything. He said that it was consensual violent sex!”
“Consensual?” I asked, astounded.
She nodded and then gently shook her head. “He scarred her for life, Alex. As much as I hated using her, and she gave me permission to ruin him when possible, those items have been invaluable.”
“Why is he allowed here?” Mackenzie asked. The anger in his voice was electric, his jaw was rigid, and his eyes had darkened.
“He isn’t now. But I don’t know. I liked having that little bit of control over him, I guess. He’s ruined so many lives, Mackenzie, caused so much pain to both Alex’s family and mine. Keeping him close was a reminder that I had something on him.”
“And could have gotten you floating on the Thames too,” he said, practically growling the words. She recoiled and her face paled as she nodded slowly. Mackenzie held out his hand. “Give them to me, Veronica. I don’t want them here where you can be harmed. I’ll make sure it’s known that I have them.”
She gathered up all the documents, replaced them in the ziplock folder and handed it over. “I’m not stupid. Those items aren’t left lying around. I think it highly likely anyone could steal them from me,” she said, quietly. Shepeekedup at him.
I frowned at her. Where were her balls? And then it dawned on me. ThevisitsI knew were sexual, of course, but she was his sub and she was trying to challenge him.
“In the meantime, you get tortured. We’ll take them,” I said.
Mackenzie and I left; he hadn’t said a word to her although I had kissed her goodbye.
