Джеффри Арчер - This Was a Man

‘I have a flat in Peckham,’ said Richard, ‘quite near where I work.’

‘But we’re looking for something bigger,’ said Jessica.

‘To rent, or buy?’ asked Seb. ‘Because in current market conditions, I would recommend—’

‘I would recommend,’ said Samantha, ‘that they should be allowed to make up their own minds.’

‘Much more sensible to buy,’ said Seb, ignoring his wife, ‘and with my two thousand, you’d have enough to put down a deposit.’

‘Just ignore him,’ said Samantha.

‘I always do,’ said Jessica, standing up. ‘Must dash, Pops, we’re off to the ICA to see an exhibition of ceramics Richard thinks looks promising.’

‘And can still afford,’ added Richard. ‘But if you do have two thousand to invest, sir, I would recommend—’

Samantha laughed, but Richard looked as if he was already regretting his words.

‘Bye, Pops,’ said Jessica. She bent down, kissed her father on the forehead and slipped an envelope into his inside pocket, hoping Richard wouldn’t notice.

Richard thrust out his hand and said, ‘Goodbye, sir. It was nice to meet you.’

‘Goodbye, Richard. I hope you enjoy the exhibition.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said Richard as Samantha accompanied them both to the door.

While Seb waited for her to return, he took the envelope out of his pocket, opened it and extracted his own cheque for a thousand pounds. First time he’d ever been outbid by the underbidder.

‘I think I could have handled that better,’ suggested Seb when Samantha returned to the drawing room.

‘That’s an understatement, even by British standards. But I’m more interested in what you thought of Richard.’

‘Nice enough chap. But no one will ever be good enough for Jessie.’ He paused for a moment before adding, ‘I’ve been wondering what to give her for her twenty-first. Perhaps I ought to buy her a house?’

‘That’s the last thing you’re going to do.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it will simply remind Richard that he’s penniless and will only make him feel beholden to you. In any case, Jessica is every bit as stubborn as you are. She’d turn the offer down, just as she did your two thousand.’

Seb handed Samantha the cheque, which only made her laugh even louder, before suggesting, ‘Perhaps we should allow them to lead their own lives. We might even be surprised how well they get on without us.’

‘But I only meant—’

‘I know what you meant, my darling, but I’m afraid your daughter trumped you,’ she said as the phone began to ring.

‘Ah, I have a feeling that will be Richard wanting to know if I’d be willing to raise my offer to four thousand.’

‘More likely to be your mother. I told her we were meeting Jessica’s new boyfriend for the first time, so she’s bound to want to know what we think.’ She picked up the phone.

‘Good evening, Mrs Clifton. It’s John Ashley.’

‘Hello, John. Has the bank burnt down?’

‘Not yet, but I do need a word with Seb fairly urgently.’

‘The bank’s burnt down,’ said Samantha, handing the phone to her husband.

‘You wish. John, what can I do for you?’

‘Sorry to bother you this late, chairman, but you asked me to alert you if Miss Lombardo presented any more large cheques.’

‘How much this time?’

‘Forty-two thousand.’

‘Forty-two thousand pounds?’ Seb repeated. ‘Hold up the payment for now, and if Victor doesn’t turn up tomorrow, I’ll have to speak to our legal team. And, John, go home. As my wife keeps reminding me, it’s outside banking hours, so there’s nothing more you can do about it tonight.’

‘A problem, my darling?’ asked Samantha, sounding genuinely concerned.

‘Yes, I’m afraid so. Do you remember that woman we saw dining with Victor at the Caprice?’ he said, picking the phone back up and beginning to dial.

‘How could I possibly forget?’

‘Well, I think she’s taking him to the cleaners.’

‘Are you calling Victor?’

‘No, Arnold Hardcastle.’

‘That bad?’

‘That bad.’

‘Hi, Jessie, I’m glad you were able to make it,’ he said, giving her a hug.

‘There’s no way I would have missed it, Grayson.’

‘Congratulations on winning the Founder’s Prize,’ he said. ‘I bet it won’t be long before a West End gallery is showing your work.’

‘From your lips to God’s ears,’ said Jessica as the artist turned away to talk to another student.

‘What do you really think?’ whispered Richard, as they strolled around the gallery.

‘It’s a great show, even if I’m not sure about the teddy bear.’

‘I wasn’t talking about his teddy bear. How do you think the meeting with your parents went?’

‘As I told you, Mom thought you were dishy. You’re a lucky girl, were her exact words.’

‘I’m not sure your father felt the same way.’

‘No need to worry about Pops,’ said Jessica as she stared at a magnificent vase. ‘Once Mom starts to work on him, he’ll come round.’

‘I hope so, because it won’t be too long before we have to tell him.’

The chairman, the chief executive and the bank’s in-house lawyer were seated around an oval table in Sebastian’s office at eight o’clock the following morning.

‘Any sign of Victor?’ was Seb’s first question.

‘No one’s seen him since Friday night,’ said John Ashley. ‘He told his secretary he was going on a business trip but would be back in time for the board meeting.’

‘But that’s not for another ten days,’ said Seb. ‘Doesn’t Carol have any idea where he is?’

‘No, and he didn’t leave a contact number.’

‘That’s unlike Victor,’ said Seb.

‘Carol told me he’s never done it before.’

‘Curiouser and curiouser.’

‘Do you think the time has come to call in Barry Hammond?’ suggested Ashley. ‘I’m sure it wouldn’t take him long to track Victor down, and also to find out everything there is to know about Miss Candice Lombardo.’

‘No, we can’t have a private detective investigating the deputy chairman of the bank,’ said Seb. ‘Is that understood?’

‘Yes, chairman. But Miss Lombardo presented another cheque yesterday for immediate clearance,’ said Ashley as he opened her growing file.

‘How much this time?’ asked Arnold.

‘Forty-two thousand,’ said Ashley.

‘Do you have any idea what it’s for?’

‘No, chairman, I do not,’ replied Ashley.

Seb studied a balance sheet that had never been in the black and was about to utter a single word to let his inner team know exactly how he felt, but thought better of it.

‘What’s our legal position?’ he asked, turning to the bank’s in-house lawyer.

‘If the account is in funds, or the guarantor is good for that amount, we have no choice but to clear the cheque within forty-eight hours.’

‘Then let’s hope Victor returns soon, or at least contacts us in the next couple of days.’

‘Isn’t there a paper trail of any sort?’ asked Arnold. ‘Phone calls, credit cards, hotel bills, plane tickets, anything?’

‘Nothing so far,’ said Ashley. ‘His secretary has instructions to call me the moment she hears from him, but I’m not hopeful, because I have a feeling that if we do find Victor, Miss Lombardo won’t be far behind.’

‘There’s one other person who might know where he is,’ said Arnold.

‘Who?’ asked Seb.

‘His wife.’

‘Absolutely not,’ said Seb. ‘Ruth is the last person I want contacted under any circumstances.’

‘In which case, chairman,’ said Arnold, ‘we have no choice but to clear the latest cheque within forty-eight hours, unless you want me to report the whole matter to the Bank of England and ask if we can hold up any further payments until Victor returns.’