Page 191 of The Pearl Sister
‘Thanks, Cee, but courtesy of the media, my reputation is beyond redemption, and I deserve it. I’m sure you’ve read about my past antics. Not that they had anything to do with what happened at the bank, but I seem to be the most hated man in Britain just now.’
‘The good news is, I’m dyslexic, remember? I can’t read properly.’
Finally, he gave the ghost of a smile. ‘Yeah, okay.’
‘Who’s Linda Potter?’
His eyes met mine for the first time. ‘What?’
I knew then that Star had found the right woman. ‘Linda Potter. You told me one night that she “knew”. So, what does she know?’
‘Nothing, she’s no one.’
‘Well, I know she’s someone, because she used to be PA to the CEO of Berners Bank.’
‘Just . . . don’t go there, CeCe, all right?’ he said through gritted teeth.
‘Does she know something? Ace, why won’t you let me help you?’
‘Listen,’ he said, leaning towards me, ‘what’s done is done, okay? Whatever happens, I’m going down. I did it, no one else.’
‘There must have been others that knew about it?’
‘I said, leave it.’
I watched as he lifted his hand to alert one of the prison officers, who had the type of physique you wouldn’t want to meet down an alley late at night. The man walked over to us.
‘I want to go back to my cell now,’ said Ace.
‘All right, mate. Time’s up, miss,’ the guard added to me.
Ace stood up. ‘Thanks for trying to help, Cee, but really, there’s nothing you can do, believe me.’
Outside the prison, waiting for the bus that would take me back into central London, I realised that Star was right. Even if it got Ace nowhere in the long run, I had to show him that at least someone cared.
I knew what it felt like to be a beaten dog.
35
The jet lag didn’t seem to want to leave me alone, so I was awake again early the next morning. Firstly, I called Ma and told her I would meet her off the plane from Geneva at Heathrow on Monday afternoon. Then, at nine o’clock sharp, I called the Berners Bank number Star had left for me.
‘Hello, can I speak to Linda Potter, please?’
‘I’m afraid she’s left,’ said a clipped female voice. ‘Are you the lady that called a couple of days ago?’
‘Yes, I was just . . .’ – I thought quickly – ‘trying to contact her because she’s meant to be coming to my birthday party tonight and I, um, haven’t heard from her.’
‘Well, you’d be best to try her at home.’
‘Yeah, but . . .’ I paused, searching my brain cells for every thriller I’d seen to tell me what to say. ‘I’m at the venue now and she isn’t answering her mobile. I don’t have her landline number with me – have you got it at your end?’
‘Yes, wait a minute.’
I held my breath.
‘It’s . . .’
‘Thanks so much,’ I said, as I wrote the number down. ‘It’s a really special birthday and it wouldn’t be the same without her.’
