The Alibi by Evie Hunter

Author:Evie Hunter [Evie Hunter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Thrillers, Crime, City Life, Feminist, Mashups, Noir, Psychological, Domestic, Suspense, Urban & Street Lit, Mystery & Detective, General
ISBN: 9781802803037
Google: 4kG8EAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Boldwood Books Ltd
Published: 2023-07-12T23:00:00+00:00

11

Steve had never seen Cleo look anything other than catwalk stunning so her haggard appearance when he met her in a local wine bar later that day took him by surprise. He hid his reaction, kissed her cheek and told her she looked good. Cleo waved the compliment aside, which worried Steve. She must really believe that she’d lost Farmer if she was that preoccupied. What did she know?

‘Let me get you a drink.’

Steve ordered champagne without asking what she wanted, and a beer for himself. Once they’d ensconced themselves in a quiet corner table in the modern, trendy bar and their drinks had been placed in front of them, Steve saw no reason to prevaricate and cut to the chase.

‘James and my wife…’

Cleo stuck out her lower lip. ‘I don’t know what to do about it, Steve. I’ve never seen him so infatuated before. I’m worried… worried that I’ll lose him. I keep telling myself that Stella would never embarrass her father by leaving you but…’

Thanks very much, Steve thought but didn’t say. It obviously hadn’t occurred to Cleo that Stella would stay with him because deep down, beneath her craving for constant excitement, she actually cared about him.

‘Well.’ Cleo sat forward, leaning her forearms on the table, her eyes glistening. ‘That directorship. You hadn’t been warned that it was going to James, had you?’

Steve knew that he would only get her full cooperation if he laid his cards on the table. What did he have to lose? They were both down but not out, at least not yet, and if they combined forces, they would be formidable. Cleo, he sensed, would do whatever it took to hold on to what she considered to be hers by right and if that required her to snoop or play dirty then so be it.

‘No. It was a shock, I won’t deny it.’

Cleo reached out a hand and patted his arm. ‘That wasn’t fair.’ She paused. ‘You think Stella arranged it?’

Steve shrugged. ‘I don’t see how else it could have happened.’

‘So she is serious about James.’ Cleo’s posture slumped. ‘I knew it!’

‘But I also think Bizham needs James.’

‘Why?’ Cleo looked becomingly blank, the ultimate dumb blonde, but Steve knew it was all an act. A sharp mind was hard at work inside that pretty head; a mama bear protecting her hunter-gatherer from all contenders. ‘They are already in business together.’

‘Ah, but what business? It has to be more than simply silk.’ Steve asserted, playing a hunch. ‘What is it that they’re up to that enables James to manipulate such a strong man and for Bizham to turn a blind eye to his association with his daughter?’

‘I don’t know precisely.’ Cleo screwed up her brow. ‘But they’ve been a lot closer recently. I don’t know what business meetings James has during the working day but he and I have been socialising with Bizham a lot over the past few months and they’ve taken two trips to India together recently. I didn’t think anything of it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.