Page 91 of Under A Sicilian Sky
She softened her voice. ‘Look, Val, I’m sorry for being so harsh. I’m just angry and I don’t understand any of it. I only came to tell you because I felt you should know, face to face, rather than over the phone. I’m guessing you don’t want to be associated with her, so I’m giving you a chance to get your things in order for when the police come, because they will no doubt want to interview you. But you’ll find another assistant. I’m sure you will.’
Valerie lifted her chin; her eyes were red, and the colour had drained from her cheeks. ‘Please, sit down. I need to tell you something.’ Her voice trembled.
Ruby frowned, wondering what on earth Valerie could possibly have to say that was more serious than the news she had imparted. ‘Okay. But I won’t be staying long. Philippe is waiting for me.’
Valerie stood and walked to the mahogany drinks cabinet in the corner of her grand office. ‘Can I get you one?’ she asked, gesturing to the bottle of amber liquid.
Ruby shook her head. ‘No, can you just say what you need to say?’
Valerie poured a large measure of the alcohol into a glass and gulped it down, then poured another and returned to her seat. ‘I really hoped this would… blow over.’ She said with a shake of her head.
‘So you said. But clearly it didn’t.’
Valerie closed her eyes briefly. ‘I had good reason for hoping it would.’
Ruby’s heart rate picked up as she became increasingly frustrated, a little worried even. ‘What are you talking about?’
Valerie lifted her head and fixed her gaze on Ruby. ‘I lost my daughter, you know. I mean… she’s still alive, but we don’t talk. Long story. But she won’t speak to me.’ She took another gulp of her drink. ‘She felt I abandoned her for the agency. Thatitwas more important to me than she was.’
Ruby scrunched her brow. ‘I’m sorry to hear that, Val. But how is this connected?’
‘Shelby was the one who convinced me things would blow over. She was the one who put me in touch with people who could “handle things”. But… she left one day and forgot to close down her computer. I went to shut it down and I saw the comments. This was after you’d gone to Palermo. I thought it was her, but I couldn’t let myself believe it.’
Ruby’s eyes widened, she felt her colour drain and her heart thudded once again. ‘What!’
Valerie stared at her desk. After a moment she said, ‘I guessed what she might have done, but I still figured I didn’t know enough, so maybe she was just checking in to see if the comments were still there. I don’t know.’ She shrugged. ‘I wanted to confront her, but she was still saying things that made me think I was wrong. Asking about you, if you were okay. I didn’t know why she would do such a thing, still don’t. But I couldn’t turn her in, Ruby.’
Anger and the sadness of yet another betrayal vied for dominance in Ruby’s mind. ‘Why the hell not? For goodness’ sake Valerie, I’m your client and your friend, or so I thought! I was here long before she was! Where the hell is your loyalty?’
‘She’s my granddaughter!’ Valerie blurted.
Ruby gasped but couldn’t speak. She flopped onto the nearest chair as dizziness washed over her.
Valerie continued through a veil of tears. ‘She got in contact with me after she finished college. She said she’d graduated in Literary Studies at Columbia. Showed me a certificate… I had no reason to doubt her. She needed a job. Said she had fought with her mom because of her life choices, things she’d done. People she’d mixed with. Her mom had asked her to leave.’ She shrugged. ‘She wanted a fresh start. I couldn’t abandon her like my daughter thought I had her, and I saw a chance to help, and maybe even someday to reconnect with my daughter through Shelby. So, I gave her a job. I didn’t tell anyone who she was because… well, nepotism is generally frowned upon, and she wasn’t exactly qualified… well, not in PR. And I didn’t want people treating her differently. I… I just wanted to give her a chance. I wasn’t aware of the audition she had arranged. But I found out after she’d been working here for a month that she wanted to be an actress. I think that’s the main reason she contacted me if I’m honest. I got the feeling she hoped that working for me would help. But… in all honesty, I watched her tape… she’s not good enough to make it. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve just told her straight that I couldn’t in all good conscience put her forward to have her hopes dashed. But I didn’t have the heart to do that to her. But then I saw what she’d apparently done.’ She closed her eyes and shook her head. ‘You’ve no idea how disappointed I was. How angry at the fact she had potentially put all our careers at risk. But I wasn’t one hundred per cent sure and I had no one to ask that wasn’t connected to her. But even with all that said, I couldn’t bear to confront her and risk losing her all over again.’
Ruby was flabbergasted. Regardless of Shelby’s relationship to Valerie, this was her business, her reputation. If word got out, Valerie would be ruined too. ‘You do realise she committed a criminal offence, don’t you? She deliberately ruined my career. I don’t care who she is, how could you stand by and watch that happen?’
Valerie shook her head. ‘Because she was family. And I just thought it would fizzle out like she had assured me it would. I didn’t realise how much trouble it would cause. I promise you I had no idea.’ She pleaded with her eyes.
Ruby struggled to find compassion. Any sympathy she had felt had suddenly evaporated. ‘And you sent her to Scotland with me. Knowing she had some vendetta against me. Why the hell did youdothat?’
Valerie held up her hands. ‘Like I said, I had no idea about the audition. She begged me to let her go, and she seemed to want to get to know you and to be there for you.’ Valerie was clearly under Shelby’s spell. ‘This is why things didn’t correlate. She seemed genuinely concerned about you and I hoped that either I had been sorely mistaken or that she was trying to make amends. I hoped that, if I was right about what she’d done, she had realised the error of her ways and I thought if the two of you became friends, things would work out okay. I thought she would realise you didn’t deserve to be treated that way and she’d maybe undo the damage somehow. And knowing how lovely you are, I figured that you’d forgive her if you were friends.’
Ruby stood and paced the room. ‘I cannot believe you were so naïve! I cannot believe you let her come to Skye tohelpme with the situationshebloody created! And that she only wanted to come to attend an audition. Seriously! Are you out of your mind?’
‘She’s a nice girl. She’s just… she’s troubled.’
Ruby scoffed. ‘Troubled? She’s a criminal! Don’t get me wrong, Val, I understand family loyalty. But I wouldn’t stand by and let one of them ruin an innocent person’s life with lies and unfounded vindictiveness! I don’t care how much I love them.’ She stopped and glared at her agent. ‘She didn’t know me, Val, I had done nothing to deserve it. I hadn’t wronged her in any way, but she set out to hurt me regardless.’ She jabbed her index finger in her agent’s direction. ‘And you knew! You knew about this from the start and you said nothing. You let my life fall apart, let people revile and threaten me. I hid away like some fugitive and I was terrified. I feared for my safety and that of my family. I didn’t deserve any of that, Val.’
Valerie’s eyes gave up more tears. ‘I know. And I’m so sorry. I really am.’
Ruby shook her head. ‘So am I. I’m sorry I trusted you.’ She swiped escaped tears of anger from her cheeks. ‘I cared for you. You were one of my dearest friends. And you were of the few people I thought I could trust.’
‘Please forgive me, Ruby. I’ll get her to apologise to you. I’ll get her to admit it on TV. You’re one of my best clients. Probably my only client when word gets out. I can’t afford to lose you.’
Ruby narrowed her eyes. ‘What did you just say? After everything you and your granddaughter have put me through, you’re worried about your client base? This all comes down to money for you?’
Valerie stood and walked around the desk towards her, palms together. ‘The agency will be ruined if you leave. Let me make it up to you.’
