“It’s apparent I’m easy to fool.”
“Lee knew their affair was gaining momentum from the number of phone calls, and from a change in Frankie, but he didn’t have concrete proof. The only thing he could go on was a hunch. That’s when he came up with the idea that I accept John’s job offer as wine rep. This way, Lee would have an ‘in’ because I would act as a private investigator without causing any suspicion.”
Jen nodded. “Clever.”
“Right? But for a long time, all I managed to dig up was that John was having regular sex with someone in his office in the cellar.”
Jen’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Sorry Jen, but I’m going to tell you everything, okay?”
Jen nodded.
Patty’s voice was softer, more compassionate. “It was impossible to hang around to find out who it was, because John was adamant that everyone leaves by seven at the latest. And the night I did stay later, that night I dropped in to visit you at the house, remember?”
“Yes,” Jen said. “You seemed lonely. I even asked you if you wanted to go to a movie with me.”
“Yes, you did. It was that night, on the way to my car, that I decided to do a quick snoop, and that’s when I heard him in the cellar.”
“Bastard!”
“I’m sorry.”
Jen looked at Patty. “Stop saying you’re sorry. And finish your story. I need to know everything. Every goddamn thing.”
“Okay.” Patty tried to squeeze her hand, but Jen jerked it away. She paused before continuing. “Meanwhile, John started harassing me. He was becoming very touchy-feely. One afternoon, he had me up against the cellar wall, his face close to mine.”
Jen could hear herself saying, “Oh my God!” repeatedly.
“I managed to free myself by kneeing him, and I thought that if he didn’t fire me then, I needed to find a way to leave, as it was becoming impossible to work under those conditions. The only problem was that I was working for Lee.”
“Come on! The Lee I know would have let you leave,” Jen said.
“Yes. He kept telling me to resign. But I told him that if I left, we would never have a chance to uncover the truth. That’s when I decided to become, er, creative. Lee knew nothing about this. In fact, it was never meant to go that far.”
Angie knocked gently on the boardroom door. She opened it and looked in. “Are you ladies all right? Can I get you anything to drink?”
They both asked for coffees, and when Angie had gone, Patty continued.
“I wasn’t sure how or even if it was going to work. I thought, naïvely, that if I could get some sort of jealous reaction from Frankie, something might unravel. I wasn’t sure what. I knew she didn’t like me. Maybe on some level, she knew how close Lee and I were, or that she felt I was a threat to her when it came to John, but I knew that if I flirted with John in front of her, something was bound to happen.”
Jen put her elbow on the table and leaned in towards Patty. “What about me? Did you not for one moment think what I may have done if you flirted with John in front of me?”
“I hadn’t given you much thought, I must admit,” confessed Patty. “Your absence from the party made what I had set out to do so much easier. I thought my plan had backfired on me. Instead of Frankie, it was you who caught me, which made Lee so angry and obviously upset me.”
Jen allowed her to touch her hand this time. “I really am so sorry about it. Worse, it seemed that Frankie just ended up protecting you.”
Jen nodded for her to go on.
“So, I thought I had blown it. I guess that’s not a good word to use?” Patty said ruefully.
“It certainly isn’t,” Jen said, with a slight grin.
“I mean, it seemed as if I’d ruined Lee’s chance of ever finding out the truth. It was Lee, by the way, who came up with the idea that I sue John. He saw it as compensation to you for the pain we caused you.”
Jen leaned back and crossed her arms again. “I don’t understand. How does suing John for money make me feel any better? Half of that money is mine by virtue of marriage.”
“Don’t you see, Jen? Lee organised for the money from John’s ceded insurance policy to go into your little nest egg, along with your mom’s undisclosed inheritance. He felt that it was the least he could do after what happened.”
Thirty-two
The sun had set, and silence finally descended on Frankie’s farm. It had been a long and tiring two days. Although the noise that had filled her house had been that of caring friends with good intentions, it had been too much for her, and the tranquillity was welcome.
After Pete and Grant had left, spurred on by a cocktail of anger, guilt and sadness, Frankie had managed to imbibe at least a quarter of a bottle of whisky, rendering her intoxicated. Her girlfriends, too busy clucking about like mother hens, hadn’t noticed.
Faith was the only one aware that Frankie had eaten nothing the entire day. She brought in her supper on a tray.
“Madam, you must eat. You have a long day tomorrow. Madam Shelley made her chicken pie for you, and I know you love it.”
“Faith, I can’t eat a thing,” Frankie slurred. “I just want to drink myself into a coma. Please, be a darling and pour me another,” she said as she lifted her glass to her helper.
“I think that’s enough for you, Mom. Thanks, Faith, for all your hard work today. I’m sure you could do with a rest. We’re going to need you tomorrow, that’s for sure.”
Frankie hadn’t noticed her son’s silent entry. Faith seemed reluctant to leave her side, but Frankie caught the insistent look Clive gave her, precipitating her exit.
He stretched out full length on the couch and stared at the ceiling without speaking. They were silent for a while, then he asked, “How are you doing, Mom? Are you okay?”
Frankie spat out, “Did you hear about Brigit’s inheritance? She put on a sad face, but I bet she couldn’t wait to get home to celebrate her windfall. Dad’s death is her jackpot.”
“Ya. Grant told me.”
“I’m furious,” she said.
“I’m not sure why it’s such an issue,” Clive said.
“Goddaughter, huh? She hardly spoke to her godfather. Why should she get anything? Why?”
Frankie was the most vocal she had been the whole day. She wanted Clive on her side. Maybe together they could fight this ridiculous bequest.
“Mom, don’t be like that. It’s a drop in the ocean.”
Frankie staggered to her feet. “Drop in the ocean? That apartment is worth a small fortune and lavish Lee throws it away. Fuck that! I won’t allow it.” She felt Clive’s hands on her shoulders as he gently guided her back into Lee’s chair.
“Come on, Ma. It’s what Dad wanted,” he said, slouching back onto the couch.
“What Dad wanted?” Frankie was furious. Why doesn’t he see through this bullshit!
“Dad was always a generous man, Ma. A good man. Stop it, please!”
“Lee, the saint. Let’s not forget to canonise him. This just confirms all those rumours about Brigit being his illegitimate child.”
Clive sat up abruptly.
“Now he’s got the whole fucking town talking and I look like a bloody idiot. He did this on purpose, to get back at me!” she shouted. She knew how drunk she sounded, but she went on, not allowing Clive to interrupt her. “He was like that, you know. He loved to punish me.” She looked up to the ceiling and yelled, “You’re a fucking bastard, aren’t you? You’re having a good old laugh at my expense!”