Betrayal (52 page)

It had been a long, nerve-racking walk. Time and time again she'd been certain that there were footsteps following her, and whenever a car slowed she'd had to fight down a desire to run, forcing herself to continue at a brisk but not ridiculous pace.

The house was almost bare of furniture and totally silent. On a small, hand-made shelf in the hall stood a modern telephone, and when she looked in the tiny front room she saw an old, badly scratched wooden table and two incongruously modern kitchen chairs. In the kitchen itself there was nothing except a kettle, a teapot and an opened box of tea bags. Several used bags were lying in the old sink , causing ugly brown stains, and there was mildew round the plughole.

A desolate, unused house, frightening in its impersonality. There was no hint of Renato Bellini here. No reminder that he would soon be bringing her the children. No indication that he'd ever been there. It could all so easily be a trap, she thought in panic, but caught back a sob. This was no moment to become hysterical. If she'd made a mistake she'd know soon enough. She picked up the phone as instructed, but nothing happened. After a few minutes she got the single, high-pitched note of a phone left off the hook. Slamming the receiver back she realised that Renato hadn't given her any number to call and suddenly she was convinced that the entire venture was a trap, set by either Bishop or Neal himself , and that Bellini had simply been helping them. Realising how stupid she'd been she suddenly had to rush to the bathroom where she brought back her entire dinner.

As she came down from the antique bathroom the telephone started to ring. She remained frozen on the stairs, unable to move even though she knew that the caller couldn't see her, and her heart beat sounded louder in her ears than the ringing itself.

At last it stopped but she still couldn't move as her mind raced round and round, trying to imagine who could have been at the other end of the line. If it was Renato checking to make sure she was safe then he'd now be worrying. But if it had been Neal, already aware of the address, then hopefully she'd diverted his attention elsewhere. When she'd finally convinced herself that it was some random caller who'd misdialed a digit she decided to make a cup of tea, but as she started to run the water, which came out a dingy yellow, the ringing began again.

This time she stood by the sink with her hands over her ears and waited for it to stop, her stomach tightening in apprehension when it continued far longer than before. Ridiculously it also sounded more aggressive, as though the caller was losing patience, and the fact that this could only be the product of her imagination didn't affect her conviction that it was Neal.

When she was drinking the bitter, black tea the bell rang yet again and her nerve broke. Sobbing aloud this time, she retreated to a small cupboard beneath the stairs, pulled the door as near closed as she could and huddled in the darkness, waiting for whoever it was finally to come to the house in person.

At the exact moment that she was retreating into the cupboard, Neal Gueras came smiling out of the Grosvenor House Hotel and walked briskly to his waiting car. Mike was already standing with the passenger door open, his face solemn. 'Not coming down with this 'flu, Mike?' he queried pleasantly, looking forward to a night in the flat with his wife.

'I've lost her,' muttered Mike, keeping his eyes down.

Neal stopped half-way in to the car. 'What the hell do you mean, you've lost her?'

'She felt ill and needed air. I stopped the car to let her out and when I next looked she'd vanished.'

'Into thin air? You can do better than that! What the bloody hell were you thinking of, letting her out of the car? If she needed air you should have opened all the windows. And if she was so bad she had to get out of the car, you should have got out too.'

'I'm sorry, I never thought… '

'Oh yes you did,' said Neal slowly. 'You thought about it very carefully and decided to let her go, isn’t that right?'

Mike raised his eyes to his employer and they were totally innocent. 'Why should I "let her go" as you put it? She wasn't a prisoner, she was your wife. It never crossed my mind that she might be going to run off. Why should it? I thought you were both… '

'Get me back to the flat,' snarled Neal as he brushed the young man to one side. Mike obeyed, trying to work out if he had any chance at all of saving himself before Neal could move against him. When the car finally drew to a halt his employer hurried out, gesturing for Mike to follow. He started to obey and then as Neal turned his back on him, spun the wheel hard to the right, did a U-turn in the middle of the road and with a dramatic screaming of tyres was away, heading for the centre of London where he could ditch the car and try to hide among the unquestioning people who lived rough in the capital every night. Beneath a pile of newspapers one person looked very much like another, and if he could get through the next couple of days then it might be safe for him to contact Bellini. At least he was going to try.

After two hours, Lisa began to think it was all a nightmare. For the past hour the phone had remained silent. A circular had been pushed through the letterbox but apart from that everything was quiet. Even so, she didn't dare emerge from her hiding place and as she cowered there waiting for some unknown horror she wondered if this was how Jessica felt all the time. If she did, it wasn't surprising that she hid in corners and kept her head averted . Lisa too felt safer shut away.

When her small, diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe watch showed 4 a.m. she heard the sound she'd been expecting, a key turning slowly in the front door. The hinges were well oiled, making it impossible to hear the door itself open, and only the gentle click of the latch told her that someone was now in the house with her.

She moved further back until she was touching the wall, trying to make her breathing shallow and silent. Until she actually heard Renato's voice she wasn't going to move. It was still possible that he and Neal were together and she'd finish up being murdered right here. 'Lisa?' Renato's voice was deep but tentative. 'Are you there? I tried to ring but the phone must have been out of order.'

She longed to move, wanting desperately to believe in him, but terror locked her limbs and her brain felt numb. Suddenly certain that he was the enemy as well, she gave a moan of fear, quickly stifled by her hand, but it was enough for the Italian. He spun round on his heel and dived for the cupboard, convinced that she was injured or being held against her will. As he flung the door open and stood with a gun held firmly in both hands, ready to shoot anyone who was harming her, she looked up, saw the weapon and knew that she'd been right. He was there to kill her. She began to scream.

Quickly he reached inside the cupboard and pulled her out, ignoring her cries as he checked with hands and eyes for recent injuries. Then, finding none, he simply wrapped his arms round her and held her closely against him, realising what a shock the sight of his gun must have been and also aware that the weeks of strain had finally caught up with her.

Lisa wasn't really aware of what was happening. All she knew was that he hadn't fired his gun and that she was at last being held by someone who seemed to understand that what she needed was a refuge. Simple, human contact unconnected with sexual feelings, so that she could relax and let herself cry until the tears finally dried up and she was sniffing and hiccuping in a most unattractive manner but feeling such an incredible release of tension that the dull headache that had plagued her for weeks was finally banished.

When the worst was over, Renato led her into the kitchen and produced a fold-down chair from the broom cupboard. He sat Lisa on this before making two mugs of strong, sweet coffee. She wrapped her fingers round the large, stained mug feeling tired but relaxed. She also felt rather foolish. 'I thought you were going to kill me,' she admitted at last. 'I'd been here so long with that wretched phone ringing and ringing and I'd finally convinced myself it was all some complicated plot that you and Neal had rigged up between you, so when I saw a gun pointed straight at me I just lost control!'

'I was ringing you! I wanted to be sure you were safely here.'

'I hoped it was you but I knew that if it wasn't and I picked up the phone, I'd have given myself away to Neal.'

'You were sensible,' he agreed. 'Stupidly I'd forgotten to give you my private number. Your gown is ruined,' he added, noticing a tear in the skirt and dirty marks down the sides and round the hem.

'That doesn't matter. I couldn't wear it again.' 'How are your arms?'

'Better than they were.' 'Still bandaged?'

'Not all the time, only for this evening. I didn't want my dress rubbing against the scabs.'

'We have to wait a while now until your children join us. There is nothing to fear, this house is unknown to your husband.'

'Are you sure?'

Renato wished he could do something to help her, to demonstrate that she had nothing to fear from him, but she was as jumpy and on edge as if he were keeping her a prisoner. His first instinct was to hold her again but wisely he kept his distance, talking instead of trivial things while her eyes continually moved to her watch as she waited for the children.

'Tell me about the dogs,' he said at last. 'The dogs?'

'Yes. Who set them on you? What were you doing when it happened?'

'I don't want to talk about any of that,' she said firmly.

'If you do not it will grow bigger and bigger in your mind until even a tiny terrier will be enough to frighten you.'

'I don't know if I can.'

'We have plenty of time,' he assured her. 'It does not matter how long you take.'

Very slowly she told him what had happened, and only the tightening of his lips and involuntary gestures of disgust gave any indication of the overwhelming rage he was experiencing.

When she'd finished she felt exhausted. 'What happens when the children get here?' she asked quietly.

'We move to Giovanni Muti's house. It is well protected, with security cameras and guards in the grounds. You will all be safe there.' He didn't mention the dogs patrolling the grounds.

'But once Neal knows I'm gone, he isn't going to let you keep me away from him.'

'I have made my long-term plans, you must not worry about such things. It will all work out well, but as you rightly ay your husband will make a great fuss and this will have to be dealt with before I can take you back to Italy with me. All of which will be accomplished in the fullness of time.'

'Back to Italy with you?'

His sudden smile was exactly like Luciano's when he showed Lisa his remote controlled car. 'But yes, we will spend the rest of our lives together, will we not?'

She wished it could be that easy but was aware of the fact that he didn't really know very much about her. He was attracted to her and liked her, but how long would that last after he'd taken her to his bed? One look at him was enough to confirm the stories she'd heard. He had the easy assurance of a man who'd known a lot of women, and by comparison with them she'd be a total disaster.

'I don't think that's a very good idea,' she said regretfully. 'I think it's an excellent idea; Luciano thinks so too.' 'Don't bring him into it, that isn't playing fair.'

He frowned. 'What do you mean? Surely you want to be my wife? I have not imagined the feelings that there are between us? You find me attractive and I find you attractive, yes?'

'Yes, I suppose so, but… '

'I also admire you. You are a woman of spirit and a caring and compassionate mother. Together we will continue to heal Jessica, build up my little Luciano's confidence and raise our own children. All this part of your life will be as though it never existed. We will be happy together.'

'I'd disappoint you. I told you before… ' 'What?

She heard the sound of a car outside, quickly followed by the unmistakable noise of Jessica yelling. Jumping off the chair, Lisa ran to the front door, only to find Renato there before her, his hand on the catch. 'I will go first. We have to be sure.'

'I want to see my children. Let me out!'

He grabbed her wrist then closed his eyes as she cried out in agony, doubling up and moving away from him as her injuries sent pain shooting up her arm. There was no time for Renato to apologise because immediately there was a knocking on the door and he slid it open on the chain, saw Janice standing there with Alexi in her arms and a demented Jessica at her side, and swiftly let them in.

Jessica made a mad dash for the stairs and then rushed up them, banging her shoes on the uncarpeted steps and giggling at the noise echoing round the house. Alexi, his eyes alert but perfectly placid, gazed around him silently, but Lisa was still recovering from the pain in her wrist and couldn't welcome either of them properly.

'The children are safe!' exclaimed the nurse, putting her arms round Lisa. She nodded, trying to stand up as the pain slowly diminished.

'Were there any problems?' she asked anxiously.

'None at all. Bishop got called away and as soon as he'd gone, one of Mr Bellini's young men arrived. We piled the children and their clothes into the car and drove away.'

'When was all this arranged? '

'Several days ago. Mr Bellini thought it better that you didn't know.'

Still appalled by what he'd done, the tall Italian shrugged apologetically. 'It was safest. Suppose you'd been taken and questioned about the children? This way you had nothing to tell.'

'It's all right, you did marvellously. Where's Jessica gone?' 'Upstairs, clumping around enjoying all the noise. I'm sorry about your wrist, I forgot and…'

'It doesn't matter! You've brought the children to me, and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that.'

'There is one thing,' said the nurse slowly. Renato and Lisa looked anxiously at her. 'That nice young driver, Mike, he's disappeared.'

The Italian muttered a quick prayer. 'We must hurry to Giovanni's house,' he said urgently. 'Come, we go out the back way. I have a Jaguar waiting there. Lisa, get Jessica and bring her with you. Janice and I will manage everything else.'