‘I’ve made a copy for each of us. Please read it and see what you agree with and what you don’t. This is just a general agreement between us. I know it looks like it puts me in charge but it’s just a template for the real thing.’
They read it through. Harding was a little uneasy at signing anything, but she knew it would mean she’d fulfilled her brief all the way. She had to infiltrate the group of women and that was exactly what was happening.
‘Will he run when he sees that we are all here?’ Harding asked when Megan drew near.
‘I don’t think so. He always parks here at the front. He’ll see my car and that’s all. Once he’s inside, I’m going to lock the door.’
‘I’m really frightened.’ Paula shivered.
‘Don’t be,’ Megan said as she went over and put her arm around her. ‘We are going to come out of this a stronger group of people and we’re going to make sure we all get what we want.’
‘Which is what?’ asked Harding. ‘I mean, I see that those of us who have invested money in the Spanish Hacienda company want to have some kind of input, some managerial control, considering their money has been used, but what else do the rest of us want from Ellerman?’
‘Personally speaking…’ said Megan, ‘I want to hit him where it hurts – his pocket and his ego. I want him to look me in the eyes and admit he’s a twat. Say that he’s a pathetic loser who doesn’t deserve anything good in life.’
‘You want him to change?’ asked Harding. ‘You want to know him after tonight? Are you still hoping for a future with him?’
‘Personally? No, I don’t ever want to see him again after tonight.’
‘But we’re signing this to have control over the company. We will have to see him,’ said Paula as she read the agreement.
‘You will have to deal with the company, not him.’
‘He must never be allowed to forget what he’s done,’ said Emily.
‘I hope his wife leaves him,’ said Paula.
‘So do I,’ said Megan. ‘I hope she takes every last penny from him and he’s forced to live in a bedsit somewhere.’
Ellerman saw the lights of the village appear in the pitch-black as he approached. As he parked up in front of Megan’s house he saw the glow of candlelight coming from within. He knew the wood burner would be going, the Aga would be throwing out heat. There was no need to feel cut off. He parked up behind Megan’s estate car and his car door nearly blew off its hinges as he opened it. He sheltered as he lifted the boot and took out his bag. He picked up the bottle of vintage wine that he’d been given by a client a few years ago. He’d forgotten about it until he was sorting through the papers in his office.
He knocked at the door and waited, being buffeted by the gales.
‘Hello, gorgeous. Romantic… candlelight, just for us.’
‘Yes, perfect, isn’t it?’
He put his bottle up next to the other wine as he came in and put his bag down. ‘Ah… you had guests, I see.’
Megan closed the door behind him and locked it.
‘Not had – have.’
‘Huh?’
‘We have guests.’
Harding, Paula and Emily appeared in the archway that separated the kitchen from the sitting area and lounge.
‘Oh… I see,’ said Ellerman. ‘I get it now – what’s this, a lynch mob?’
‘More of a support group,’ said Megan.
‘I’m surprised to see you here, Jo,’ he said to Harding.
‘I couldn’t resist it.’ She smiled.
‘Well, forgive me if I don’t intend to play ball but I have better things to do with my time. Paula, I thought you and I had an understanding. Everything’s in place. You let yourself be dragged into this. It’s just mindless.’
‘You lied to us, JJ,’ Paula answered. ‘You lied about so many things. I can’t believe anything you say.’
He shook his head in disbelief. ‘Emily? You can’t be seriously expecting me to explain myself to you? Out of all the women here, I thought we knew one another. I’ve been a good friend to you – supportive – picked you up after your disastrous marriage ended. Now you turn on me?’
Emily didn’t answer.
‘You may as well sit down and have a glass of wine,’ said Megan. ‘We just want to talk. Every woman here deserves the right to speak her mind to you.’
‘Who says?’
‘We do.’
‘You’re speaking for everyone here now, are you?’
‘Yes, I believe so.’
‘What gives you the fucking right to do that?
‘Emily?’ Megan said. Ellerman was staring at her. She didn’t look at him.
‘Emily, could you show JJ the agreement, please?’ said Megan. Emily placed it on the table. Ellerman picked it up and speed-read it.
‘Huh…’ He threw it down in contempt. ‘I won’t sign this – even if I did, it would mean nothing.’
‘Not strictly true,’ said Harding. ‘We are all witnesses to it.’
‘Oh, shut the fuck up, you nasty bitch.’ He glared at her. ‘This has nothing to do with you. I don’t even know why you’re here. Pathetic – all of you. I won’t answer to a bunch of lonely, frustrated gold diggers who deserve everything they get. None of you mean anything to me. You can all go to hell.’ He went to open the door and couldn’t. ‘Open it…’ he hissed into Megan’s face. Harding stepped forward to support her and speak to Ellerman.
‘Sit down. You’re losing control. Sit down, for Christ’s sake. There is no harm in talking to us.’
‘Fuck off.’
He pushed Harding. She fell backwards and flinched as she hit the side of the kitchen table.
‘Who the fuck do you think you are? All of you?’ He turned and wrenched on the handle of the door. He caught hold of Megan by her arm. ‘Open the fucking door. Get me the key to this door or I swear someone will get hurt here.’
‘All right. Let her go,’ Harding said coldly and precisely as she walked to the shelf and got the key to the back door and gave it to him. Ellerman pushed Megan back out of the way. He put the key in the door and unlocked it before turning to them.
‘Never, I repeat, NEVER let me see your faces again. I am warning each one of you. I will come for you. You think you know me. You know nothing about me or what I’m capable of.’
He opened the door and left. Seconds later, they saw the lights of his car as he was reversing.
‘Fuck that,’ Harding said as she reached for her bag. ‘No one speaks to me like that. No one threatens me and gets away with it.’
‘Please – let him go.’ Megan was still looking dazed and frightened.
Harding didn’t wait to see who would join her as she went out of the door.
‘We can’t let her go on her own,’ said Megan. ‘We said we were all in this together. We have to make sure she’s all right. All of us.’ She opened a kitchen drawer and took out three torches. Paula and Emily looked at one another. ‘Okay…’ said Megan. ‘You two stay here. We’ll be back as soon as we can.’
She caught up with Harding at the back of the house and got into her car. Harding got to the top of the village and took a right. They saw Ellerman’s car at the side of the old granite tramline that led up to the quarry. It looked as if it had spun off the road.
The rain sprayed like gravel on their faces as they got out of the car.
‘Why isn’t he in his car?’ she said to Megan as they looked around in the dark for him.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Where does he think he’s going? Is he trying to get away from us on foot? Maybe his car has broken down?’
‘He’s going the wrong way. He’s going up onto the moor. He must think this is a lane. We have to follow him.’
Harding followed Megan as they made their way by the light of the moon. The clouds were chasing fast and the moon came in bursts of light, reflecting off the granite road.