‘This company was started by my father – William Ross. Perhaps you’ve heard of us.’ Marcus gave a sardonic grin. ‘The Ross Corporation?’
Jake rolled his eyes. The Ross Corporation may be on everybody’s lips from London to Chicago, but here, in Scotland?
‘Of course I’ve heard of you,’ Lawrence said nonchalantly, making Marcus’s chest puff out in pride, Jake noticed. Well, he had a lot to be proud of. William certainly was an amazing businessman; he was to construction what Soros was to the stock-market or Gates was to computers.
‘You’re building something on that land, where the old diner used to be.’
This was news to Jake. He recalled meeting Mr Addison in the clearing where it had stood before being pulled down, but he hadn’t mentioned the Ross Corporation. Although Jake recalled that he hadn’t asked the name of the company that the young man worked for.
Lawrence leaned forward and lowered his voice. ‘Can you tell an old man what it is? It’s the talk of the town, you know, but nobody can find out a thing – it’s all very hush-hush, isn’t it?’
Jake also recalled that Mr Addison hadn’t appeared to know what exactly was going to be built on that land either.
Jake looked at Marcus. He could tell by the look on his face that it was news to him too. He looked positively stunned. Nobody did anything without Marcus’s seal of approval. Although there were many projects simultaneously on the go all over the world, and Marcus couldn’t be in direct control of each one, he would certainly have been involved at the planning stage.
This meant only one thing; Marcus was losing his grip, and worse, somebody on the board of directors was aware of it. Theyhad gone over his head on this one, and Jake wasn’t surprised in the least. The way Marcus had been behaving in his personal life of late had been bound to spill over into his work sooner or later. Something needed to give, and it just had.
Jake watched Marcus fish in his jacket pocket and take out his mobile phone. He flicked the lid, and a look of consternation crossed his face. He held the mobile high in the air and turned full circle. ‘I’ll be outside.’ Holding the mobile out in front, he walked out of the door.
Jake resisted the urge to tell him it would be a long walk to get a phone signal. Jake wasn’t interested in the company’s present ventures, and he certainly wasn’t interested in hearing Marcus’s inevitable rant about this unwelcome piece of news. Jake hoped he was some considerable time in his quest for that elusive mobile reception.
All Jake wanted to do was see Aubrey’s sister. He had an idea. He took the envelopes out of his pocket and leafed through the photos until he had the one he was looking for. He put it on the counter and slid it face down towards Lawrence. ‘You said you always wondered what became of him.’ Jake lifted his hand to reveal the name,Ralph.
He looked at Jake. ‘What’s this?’
‘Take a look.’ Jake watched as he picked up the photo and turned it over.
‘Is it him?’
‘I think so,’ said Jake. ‘It’s in the eyes.’
They both agreed. There was no mistake.
‘Where is he now?’
‘I don’t know,’ Jake lied. This was as far he was going to go with this in order to get access to Aubrey’s sister. Aubrey’s reasons for keeping his identity a secret all these years were his and his alone, and were not for Jake to blow wide open just out of curiosity. But Jake could only marvel at hisown short-sightedness. It hadn’t occurred to Jake, when he’d shown Lawrence that photograph, that Aubrey had just lost his anonymity. Jake tried not to think about that.
Lawrence stood up. ‘You’d better come with me.’
Jake eyed him. ‘Where are we going?’ Jake could hear the waver in his voice. He didn’t fancy a tour of this place.
Lawrence turned to Jake, passing back the photo. ‘To see Ralph’s sister – Martha.’
Jake raised his eyebrows. He remembered what Lawrence had said about avoiding that part of the house unless it was an emergency, or a situation arose that warranted it. Jake guessed this was one of those situations.
Jake was about to follow Lawrence when he heard Marcus calling his name. He turned around to see Marcus rushing towards him, his face like thunder, and his mobile phone held high in the air. ‘I can’t get …’
‘I know,’ Jake cut in. ‘Look, I’m busy right now, so go wait in the car.’
‘Don’t you …’ Marcus pointed a finger at Jake, ‘order me around like I’m some kind of kid,’ he said petulantly. Then his eyes shifted to Lawrence, his interest aroused. ‘Where are you going?’
Jake sighed heavily and turned to Lawrence. ‘Can he come too?’ This wasn’t going the way he had planned it.
Lawrence seemed to be giving Marcus the once-over. Perhaps he was wondering whether there might be something in it for him – namely some information on that hush-hush project in the woods. He acquiesced.
‘Come on,’ said Jake, barely concealing his exasperation.
Jake followed Lawrence back down the hallway, past the other reception. Heavy footfalls behind signalled Marcus bringing up the rear. Jake stopped and turned, putting his finger to his lips for Marcus to tread quietly.
