‘I made a promise. He is the boy in the photo.’
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, not those photos again. I thought you gave them back?’
‘Not exactly.’
‘You know, you really should get your priorities straight.’
‘Oh, you’re a fine one to talk; you’re only going to London to sort out your business affairs.’
‘Life goes on, Jake; life, work – you know that.’ There was no malice in Marcus’s voice.
‘How many times have you been to see her?’ Jake wasn’t a betting man, but he expected he would be able to count off the number of times on one hand.
Marcus went very quiet.
‘You haven’t been?’ Jake said, astonished.
Marcus shook his head.
‘Not once?’
Again, Marcus shook his head. ‘Not once,’ he whispered. ‘I thought you …’
Jake shook his head, staring at Marcus. ‘Me neither.’ His voice was small.
Their eyes locked in mutual understanding; they had both assumed the other had been to see her. And they had both been wrong. And what of William? They knew he had flown out to America not long after the accident and hadn’t been back since. The golf courses were much nicer over there, apparently. And what of Grace, Eleanor’s mother? Would she have visited her daughter?
‘Christ – what must she think of us?’ Marcus’s expression was pained.
‘Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? She won’t think. She probably won’t even know. Let’s face it, she’s not really with us in any real …’
‘Oh stop, Jake! For god’s sake will you just … stop.’
They sat in deafening silence. Deafened by the sound of their own memories: for Marcus, of a sister; for Jake, of a friend, lover, wife – and for a short while, the mother of their unborn child.
‘I need to see her,’ said Marcus finally. ‘Please come with me. I can’t do this alone.’
‘No,’ said Jake firmly. He started the car, and set off for the airport.
Marcus disappointment was palpable.
‘But I’ll join you in London in a few days. That will give me a chance to try and fulfil a dying woman’s last wish, and see if I bump into the man impersonating Arnold Wright, and get to the bottom of that.’ Jake glanced at Marcus. ‘By which time you will have had a chance to sort out that thing.’ Jake was referring to the clearing in the woods and who in the Ross Corporation had given the go-ahead for something to be built there.
‘I don’t care about the business.’
‘Don’t give me that crap,’ Jake said sharply. ‘Of course you do. It’s your life, and you know it.’
Marcus’s mouth twitched in a knowing smile.
Jake pulled into the airport car park, switched off the engine, and turned to Marcus.
‘If you want to stay in control of the company from here on out, you need to get in control of yourself, Marcus. I know what you’re on. You need to stop – right now.’
Marcus frowned. ‘I don’t think I can. Besides, it’s no big deal. Do you know how many execs are users in the city, to cope with the long hours and demands of their jobs?’
Jake wasn’t interested in excuses. He folded his arms.
Marcus sighed. ‘Honestly, I don’t know any other way to keep myself going.’
