‘The Hollywood Arms. It’s just around the corner.’
‘What time?’
Emily checked her watch. ‘He suggested an afternoon cocktail at four o’clock.’
‘If he contacts you in the meantime, don’t let on you won’t be there, will you? I’d quite like to meet him.’
Emily’s eyes gleamed. ‘You have my permission to do your worst.’
47
Dan arrived early at the Hollywood Arms, taking up position at the far end of the bar where he had a clear view of the door. Already it was busy with affluent-looking thirty-somethings. Suits stood alongside jeans and sweatshirts drinking cocktails out of large balloon-like glasses. Stripped floorboards, velvet-covered chairs, friendly staff. Jenny would like the shabby chic, professional atmosphere if not the prices, but then it was in the heart of Chelsea, one of the most expensive areas in the world.
Dan nursed a sparkling mineral water, mulling over the conversation he’d had with Lucy on his way here. She’d sounded so strung out, he’d asked for her safety code again to make sure she hadn’t been kidnapped or worse. He didn’t like the fact he’d had to ask her for this twice in as many days. It meant that things were potentially thickening, getting dangerous.
‘I’m fine,’ she’d said. ‘I’m not being held or anything, promise. It’s just that I saw someone today. It’s personal, and it’s doing my head in.’
‘Want to tell me? I’m a good sounding board.’
‘I know you are.’
When she didn’t say anything more, he let it go. She’d tell him when she was ready.
Lucy filled him in on the BreatheZero factory and that she’d met the CEO, Amina Amari. ‘She’s Chris Malone. She gave Ricky that peanut butter sandwich.’
‘Ah.’ Things were beginning to hang together. Dan told her about Amina Amari using Isla as the face of BreatheZero. ‘Isla hasn’t signed a contract, but Amari’s exploiting her all the same.’
‘Nasty.’
‘Very.’
‘I’ve followed her to her house. I want to see where she lives. If she has a partner, children…’
Dan made a note of the address she gave him. ‘Be careful.’
‘That’s why I’m ringing. So you know where I am.’
‘You’ve told the SIO where you are?’
There was a pause, then she said, ‘No.’
‘I see.’
‘You’re the only person who knows where I am.’
‘Okay. If I don’t hear from you, say, in an hour–’
‘Call the cops.’
Dan took a sip of water, glad she’d told him her plan. However, he didn’t like the fact she was going off-grid and without the investigative team behind her. She’d better keep safe or Mac really would kill him this time. Tapping his foot against the wooden bar panel he checked his watch again, knowing he’d be on edge until Lucy next rang in. Meanwhile, he had Gerald Dunsfold to think about. He’d spent a long time looking into the man, his degree at the University of Oxford, his PhD, his professorship, and when Dunsfold arrived at the bar, Dan studied him, intrigued. He was a good-looking man, thick dark hair, shiny white teeth. Well dressed, confident. He was looking around for Emily, and when he didn’t see her he went to the bar, placed an order.
Dan watched Dunsfold sink his fancy cocktail and order another. The man kept looking at his watch, gazing around the ever-increasingly busy bar, checking his phone every other second and getting more irritated by the minute. When he’d nearly finished his second cocktail Dan casually moved to stand next to him where he ordered a whisky sour.
When the cocktail arrived, Dan asked the waitress if she’d seen a pretty dark-haired woman looking for him. ‘She’s my date. She was meant to be here a good half an hour ago.’
The waitress shook her head. ‘Sorry.’
Dan pasted a gloomy look on his face. He let his gaze drift to Dunsfold. When their eyes met, Dan raised his eyebrows in a vague query as if to say, Have you seen her, maybe?
Dunsfold grimaced. ‘Sorry, pal.’
Dan sighed. Turned back to the waitress. ‘I’ll have another, then. Just in case she’s running late.’
When Dunsfold gave a snort, Dan said, ‘What?’ He kept his expression open, non-confrontational.
‘It’s my bet she’s not running late.’ Dunsfold’s tone was dry.
Dan gave another sigh. Rested his elbows on the bar. Both men watched the waitress mix Dan’s drink. As she poured it into a glass, Dunsfold pushed his now empty glass towards her, saying, ‘Another Negroni, love.’ He glanced at Dan, obviously hacked off. ‘It looks as though we’re in the same boat, but mine was blonde.’
Dan smiled ruefully. ‘Women. Can’t live with them–’
‘Can’t live without them.’
When the Negroni arrived, they chinked glasses.
‘Here’s to our dates getting their comeuppance,’ Dunsfold said.
‘Hmm,’ Dan agreed neutrally.
‘I thought mine was a shoo-in,’ Dunsfold went on. ‘Little bitch, leading me on like that. You?’
‘Just someone I liked.’
Dunsfold pulled a face. ‘That’s when the trouble starts. Treat them as they’re meant to be treated. Then they know who’s boss.’
Keeping his dislike of the man hidden, Dan moved things into a general conversation. He learned Dunsfold was a science professor and in town to promote his company, BreatheZero. ‘You’ve heard of aerotoxicity, right?’
Dan said no, he hadn’t, prompting a lecture on the subject and another cocktail for both of them.
‘And what about you?’ Dunsfold eventually asked Dan. ‘What do you do?’
‘I don’t pretend I’m an Oxford graduate with a professorship in science.’ His gaze was flat.
‘What?’ Dunsfold’s eyes popped.
‘You could say I’m into research too. But my subject isn’t science, it’s people. You never went to Oxford, let alone got a professorship. Where did you go?’ Dan’s tone was conversational. ‘Oh, that’s right. Australia. Where they didn’t check your fake degrees.’
Dunsfold’s mouth opened and closed. His skin had taken on a sickly sheen. ‘What the… who are you?’
‘That’s for me to know and you to worry about.’ Dan tapped the side of his nose. ‘Have a nice evening.’
He walked outside into a soft drizzle. He was smiling. It wasn’t often he got revenge without bloodshed. Dunsfold wouldn’t be able to sleep now his secret was out. Emily would
