Swindled (13 page)

Chapter 24

Beth took a deep breath and stared at her phone. He was calling her. After the disastrous call and being woken up by the police it seemed inconceivable. She thought he would have gone running for cover. The phone gave a second ring. Her whole body felt warm and her heart started to beat wildly at the thought of speaking to him again.

“Err, Hello?” She asked sounding like someone with her mouth full of marbles. It was just hard to speak with every cell in her body buzzing. After one short phone conversation and a delicious night in bed, Beth had found a man she couldn’t get out of her system. Maybe once she started talking to him it would wear off... or not.

“Nice phone etiquette there,” David’s voice came across the line. Searing heat spread like lightening across Beth’s stomach and through her body. This man had one of the sexiest voices. And he was calling her. After everything he was really calling her.

“You called me to complain about how I answer the phone?” she asked teasingly, hoping that she wasn’t glowing like a massive red beacon. That’s all she needed. More weaponry for her so-called friends to crucify her with. They were never going to let her forget how she handled the last phone conversation with David. If she could keep this one relatively normal, she could get brownie points for regaining control. There was a vague hope.

In the background Karin asked, “Who is it Beth?” All three of her friends were eyeing her with interested expressions on their faces. The level of their drinks were sinking slowly as the watched the story unfold in front of them. No hope for it, Beth concluded, as she felt her face turn an interesting shade of puce. There was no doubt they knew exactly who she was speaking to. Beth resolved to put them out of her mind and listen to the man on the other end of the phone. If this was the last time she got to speak to him she wanted to savour each word.

“Isn’t it incredibly rude when someone speaks on the phone while she’s out to lunch with friends?” Charlotte said loudly to Bee and Karin who laughed in response. Oh goody, they were starting in on her already Beth thought and groaned.

“Is that the same lot from before? Are your friends physically attached to you in some way that I missed?” David asked sounding amused. Obviously he could hear them over the phone. Beth stared out into the street. She was jinxed she decided. There was nothing she could do about it. Fate was out to get her.

“I’m having lunch with them,” she replied. “Which is a much more fun prospect then waiting for you to ring me,” she hoped she sound sophisticated and aloof. Around the restaurant there was a general hubbub which was getting louder as the drinks and conversations wore on. Her friends were gasping for breath they were laughing so hard. Beth’s face was obviously priceless.

“So you wanted me to call you again,” David stated sounding smug. Beth stuttered for a second. What could she say to that? He was right. Before Beth could think of a suitable reply, Charlotte neatly removed the phone from her hand.

“Hey!” she said stunned by the quick grab of the phone. She couldn’t believe it. With one quick retort David had managed to disarm her and if she was honest about it, charm her. So much for sophisticated and aloof. She wanted to talk to him again. She reached out for the phone. “Hey.”

“Hello there, oh rugby man. When are you going to introduce yourself to us in person?” Charlotte was saying into the phone waving Beth’s reaching hands away. There was a pause and she continued, “Yes, it’s me again… How are you?” Another pause. “Yes she is still here and looking mighty fetching I might add,” Charlotte laughed while Karin and Bee attempted to keep straight faces. Beth tried harder to get the mobile phone away from her former friend.

“Yes well she isn’t looking to happy with me at the moment,” Charlotte continued into the phone watching Beth’s thunderous face. She glanced at the others around the table, gave a quick grin and said, “Oh hang on, Bee wants to say hello.” The mobile was handed over and Bee started chatting to David. There was no way Beth was going to get the phone back until they were good and ready she realised.

Beth turned to stare pointedly at Karin who shrugged back and said, “It would be rude not to at least say hello.” Beth wondered if it was possible to divorce friends.

Bee handed the phone over and Karin started chatting. Beth made retching faces. They were all as bad as school girls the way they flirted with him. Okay if she were honest they were probably about as bad as Beth herself. She wanted to talk to David without the audience. She couldn’t believe how jealous she was feeling just because her friends were able to talk to him and she couldn’t get the phone from them. It was a shock. In all their years together, she had never felt like that about anyone. Sure they had coveted and even, in some cases, dated the same guys. It had never bothered Beth before in the slightest. She tried to figure out what she was feeling but all she could come up with was the simple fact that David, in her mind, was hers. Before she did something completely out of character like turn into a raging lunatic the phone was handed back and David was back on the line.

“Hello,” she said quietly after taking a deep breath. Charlotte, Bee and Karin had focused rapt attention on her as if waiting for the first screening of the latest season of their favourite television show. Beth fingered the knife at her plate setting. Nope not sharp enough to slit her wrists with. No other option but to talk to him with three far too interested parties watching. They were probably going to take notes on everything she said. She could probably expect a critic of her performance after it was all over.

“Quite a group of friends you have there,” David sounded like he was laughing. So he had a sense of humour. It just kept getting better and better.

“I know and I am going to kill them all as soon as we finish this conversation,” she said mock glaring at Bee, Karin and Charlotte in turn. Now that she had David on the phone again she felt much better. She knew in her rational mind that they were only interested in him for her but she wanted to the chance to get to know him on her own.

“I’ll bear that in mind if Detective Serrate comes to visit me again,” he replied laughing. Beth smiled in reaction. He had a wonderful laugh.

“Don’t even suggest it,” she asked laughing with him. “How are you? Vickie said there was something important you wanted to talk to me about. Is everything okay?” she asked. Maybe there was a particular reason he called. Was he okay? Beth felt panic set in but realised that he sounded very relaxed on the phone so it was likely not to be something dire.

“Actually I was just hoping to have a normal straight forward conversation with you,” he admitted sheepishly.

“A normal conversation. That’s what you consider ultra important?” Beth was stunned. Had she heard him correctly? She turned and looked at the phone before putting it back to her ear.

“We haven’t had one of those yet. I thought it might be quite an interesting thing to try out,” he said drolly. “And I didn’t say it was important that I had to speak to you, Just important that I get your mobile number.” He was grinning. Beth could tell even if he was at the other end of the phone.

“Uh huh.” Beth replied not believing him for a second. She started laughing again.

“Well, getting the number of a woman I want to have a normal conversation with is important,” David explained. Beth could practically hear him shrug. For such a big guy he had an endearing quality about him. She felt soothed just speaking to him. A handsome guy, with a very sexy voice, a sense of humour and it seemed like a great personality.

“Somehow I don’t think this conversation is going to qualify.” Beth said rubbing a hand over her face, giggling quietly. Inside her body felt like it was melting.

“No, this one isn’t going to qualify,” he agreed with a laugh.

“I’m sorry,” she was actually sorry. She liked speaking to him and her nerves just loved hearing the sound of that sexy voice. She couldn’t think of a way to prolong the conversation. Beth realised that she didn’t want him to go.

“Don’t be. It gives me something to look forward to when I call you next time,” his voice dropped his octave as he spoke to her. Beth felt a shiver of delight travel down her spine. Yum.

“So you’re going to call me again,” Beth felt her own voice getting husky in response. She felt breathless and light-headed.

“Oh yeah I’m calling you again. Let’s say tomorrow,” he agreed trying to sound nonchalant. “Are you going to be waiting by the phone by any chance?” Yes Beth thought she was going to glue herself to it…

“Not likely,” she snorted back at him. It was never good to let a guy know just how much you like him she decided. Deep down she knew that David was well aware of the effect he had on her. She also knew something about her made him keep calling. Reluctantly they said good byes gently and hung up. Beth took another breath. She really felt light-headed. Speaking to David had made her feel as thought she was wrapped up in a warm blanket on a cold night. Toasty warm and safe and cherished.

“Oh ugh,” Beth said as she settled down to eat with her three friends. Her face was a dark red and she tried to pick up as if David never phoned. Not a chance.

“Uh huh,” Karin said nodding in solemn agreement. Bee couldn’t stop herself from chuckling. Charlotte on the other hand was giving Beth a pitying look. Obviously Beth had once again managed to let down sophisticated women everywhere. Charlotte couldn’t understand having a problem speaking to a man. Men had trouble speaking to her.

“My brain just turns to mush when I hear his voice okay?” Beth tried to explain with a pitiful shrug at her more competent friend.

“I think its sweet,” Bee said putting an understanding hand on Beth’s arm. Karin just laughed and shook her head at Bath. There was no hope for it, Beth decided. Her friends knew she was a complete mess when she spoke to David. Why even try to hide it? Of all the people in her life these were the ones who appreciated her despite her faults. Needless to say, her friends spent the rest of the meal teasing Beth mercilessly. Beth realised that sometime in the last 24 hours they had decided unanimously that she should keep him. She knew this because they blatantly told her so.

“Look I haven’t even had a full conversation with the guy. Keeping him is not an option,” Beth tried to explain. Looking at the three faces at the table she could tell she wasn’t convincing anyone. Including herself.

“Ha,” Karin replied reiterating Beth’s very thought. There was mischief in her eyes as she watched Beth squirm.

“Double Ha,” said Charlotte agreed taking another sip of her drink with a knowing wink.

“I have to agree with them on the ‘ha’,” Bee said softly watching Beth’s face. “You like him don’t you?” she said later to Beth as they were leaving the restaurant. They had somehow managed to stay for most of the afternoon and the evening was darkening around them. Pulling her jacket more tightly around her Beth met her friend’s eyes. She smiled. David might be out of her league but she did like him. As she walked home Beth felt a lingering warmth fill her spirit. He was going to call her tomorrow. Well at least that’s what he said.

*

David quietly laughed to himself. She had done it to him again. He just couldn’t believe it. It was stimulating speaking to her and he couldn’t help himself he just wanted to find out what made her tick. David stood up and walked over to get himself a drink. He couldn’t believe that she had him so tied up.

David couldn’t stop thinking about Beth. She was such a soft, special dynamic powerful woman. He had the urge to sweep her off her feet. Was that normal? David had never thought like that about anyone. He wondered if it was because he was romanticising her in some way. Tomorrow, when he called her, David decided he was asking her out. They had to see one another again. That was the only way to tell. David stood looking out the hotel room window. He would call her tomorrow afternoon. Didn’t want to come across as too eager by calling first thing.

*

Chapter 25

The phone rang the next morning as Beth was eating her toast. She had woken up early and pulled on a pair of black cords with a fleecy cherry red pullover. Scott and Vickie weren’t up yet so Beth was luxuriating on her own. She was feeling very relaxed but a bit frustrated. Having a last waking thought about David had led to some very erotic dreams and some not so restful sleep. Beth smiled to herself and answered the phone.

“So how is the suspect?” It was as if she had conjured him. It was David sounding husky and amused. A familiar heat filled her body.

“Oh nice greeting... How is the big poor injured alibi?” Beth said with a laugh “Didn’t your mother teach you any phone manners?” she teased, sitting back to make herself comfortable.

“Of course she taught me phone manners,” he said with mock hurt in his voice. Beth giggled. It felt like she had known him forever. It was so easy to speak to him and she looked forward to actually getting to know him a bit more.

“Um-hum,” she replied laughing. “I believe you. Thousands wouldn’t but I believe you.” He chuckled back. Beth found it easy to sink into a conversation with him. He sounded interested in what she was talking about. More importantly he was interesting. They talked about the mundane things and funny things. They talked about life.

Beth found herself telling him everything, even about her parents, “My mother bought the house that my sister and I live in. Our mother,” she explained, “turned the house into a B&B. She was about 30 at the time so considered positively on the shelf. A modernised woman, a hippy with a twist. Her neighbour had been this grouchy old man. He was not impressed by the B&B of a woman 15 years his junior. That grumpy man became my father,” Beth told David. “It took my mother 3 months to convince him that they were meant to be together.”

“Slow movers weren’t they?” David asked with a laugh. “So what happened?”

“When they died in the car crash, our brother inherited the house next door, our dad’s place, while Vickie and I got the B&B. We were 19 and promised each other to keep the house come hell or high-water. So far we’ve managed to keep the promise to ourselves!”

“It sounds like you and Vickie are a lot like your mother. You know what you want and you go out and get it,” he said

“and you, who do you take after?” Beth asked intrigued.

“I’m like my dad,’ David admitted sounding sheepish and Beth laughed encouraging him to say more. “My parents appear to be completely staid and normal when you first see them,” David assured Beth. “But give them a few minutes and there is pandemonium. My father, although well in his seventies, likes to travel. As in put on a backpack and fly off to some country,” he explained.

“For instance?” Beth asked prompting him again.

“Last month he white water rafted down a river in South America,” David said quietly. Beth just shook her head in utter amazement. “He likes to prove that he can do anything he sets his mind to. My mother just watches from the sidelines cheering him on. She’s usually knee deep in the politics at the local university,” David continued.

An hour into their conversation the doorbell rang. Beth walked with the phone to the door and asked David to hold on while she saw who was there. It was so frustrating to be distracted. She felt like she was really getting to know David and she liked him. It was just her luck that just as they had a normal conversation someone tries to interrupt. She opened the front door.

Oh no. Beth couldn’t believe it. Standing on her doorstep were Joseph Serrate and his partner. The two detectives were dressed in the same style clothes they were wearing the day before. Beth felt like the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. They may not be the one night stand police but they were a damper on any relationship when it came to Beth’s potential love life. She held the phone back to her ear and said,

“Um David could I call you back?” She loathed the fact that her voice sounded weak. She had managed to forget briefly that the police considered her a suspect, had even managed to laugh it off. Now standing in front of her were two rather irritating reminders that she was still in the firing line.

“You okay?” David sounded worried. Beth suddenly wished he was there with her. It would make it so much easier to face what was no doubt ahead.

“Yes,” she said quietly staring at the two detectives. Both were patiently waiting for her with bored expressions on their faces. This was not going to be good.

“Is there someone there?” David asked trying to find out what was going on.

“Yes, you could say that,” she was sounding pitiful but the two detectives on her doorstep were not instilling confidence. She knew she had nothing to do with Brian’s death but did they? Beth figured she should look at the positives. They weren’t dragging her away in handcuffs. That was a positive wasn’t it?

“It’s the detective again isn’t it” David said with a sigh. He sounded resigned and slightly amused.

“Um what makes you say that?” Beth asked curious. How had he figured it out so quickly? Did he think that she was guilty and just assumed that the detectives would be back? Beth hoped it wasn’t that. She was determined to prove to the detectives were wrong in their assumptions but hoped that she wouldn’t have to prove her innocents to anyone else.

“You’re replying in monosyllables and you sound worried,” David said replying to her question. “Joseph Serrate also has an unfortunate habit of turning up,” he added with a dry chuckle.

“Well in this case you just might be right,” Beth said sounding very faint. The detectives were looking less patient and Joseph looked pointedly at his watch. Behind her she heard, Scott and Vickie come down the stairs and turned to look at them. They didn’t look very happy to see the detectives either. At least these guys could be sure of the type of welcome they would get when they arrived anywhere. It seemed pretty unanimous from where Beth was standing that no-one was particularly pleased to see them.

“Am I going to be visiting you in a jail cell soon?” David asked bringing her attention back to him. It sounded like he was laughing quietly as he said it. At least he was making jokes about it Beth thought. It could be worse. Then again, she thought for a minute, should it worry her that he just wasn’t bothered that he might have slept with a murderer? Or maybe just maybe he might believe she was innocent. They had spent enough time on the phone for him to get to know her well enough Beth thought. Surely he could tell she was a pretty normal average person rather then a raging psycho with a bend to killing family members. Either way he seemed amused by the turn of events. She heard an audible snicker across the phone.

“Are you laughing?” Beth asked incredulously. “This isn’t funny,” she muttered looking back at the two detectives. Scott and Vickie had waved them in toward the living room while Beth shut the door. It looked like her luck had not changed overnight.

“You and I both know that you didn’t do it,” David said drawing her back into the conversation. Beth suddenly felt warm. He really believed that she had nothing to do with it. David believed in her. She felt relief flood her and had to stifle an urge to dance for joy. He continued, “I’ve had the pleasure of talking to you and your numerous friends. You couldn’t even have planned this. You’re a good person Beth.” Beth gave a laugh which surprised her in the face of the impending doom waiting in the living room. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She might just stand a chance of facing off with the two quietly waiting policemen.

“Thank you,” she said gently. It warmed her just knowing that he truly believed in her.

“Are you going to be okay? Can I help or do you need to go?” He asked sounding concerned despite lightening the mood.

“I better go,” Beth replied feeling calmer and ready to face whatever questions came her way. “Um should I call you back?” she asked as her nerves began to tingle. As the worry faded her body felt like it was coming alive. She wanted to speak to him again. She wanted to see him again. She liked this man.

“Don’t worry I’ll call you,” he laughed. “You can rest assured.”

“Why?” Beth asked just as they were both about to hang up. It puzzled her that disaster after disaster he was still calling her and from the sounds of it determined to call her again.

“Because this is all far too interesting to walk away from,” David answered gently. She could feel him smile over the phone as they said goodbye. Taking a deep breath Beth walked into the living room after the detectives. She could face their questions she decided. Her family, her friends and David all believed in her. Not one of them doubted for an instant that she wasn’t innocent. Beth squared her shoulders. It was about time the detectives figured out she was innocent as well.