Tedd and Todd's secret (33 page)

"Where's my little stud?" Ann said playfully. She was looking for her husband under the tangle of sheets and blankets on the bed and in one sharp movement she pulled the lot off and finally discovered the nude body of her husband Colin. "At last I've found you."

"You're a shameless hussy," Colin joked, pretending to be embarrassed, covering his genitals with a towel. "A decent woman doesn't harass a man like this."

"Shut up!" she ordered, throwing herself upon him. But Colin dodged her quickly and gained the upper hand, holding her down beneath him. Ann couldn't stop laughing. "For once you're behaving like you should–"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as Colin bit her on the neck and started down her back, leaving a trail of kisses, licks and nibbles that sent shivers of pleasure racing up her spine. She purred through the foreplay, letting herself be carried away by her husband's expert hands.

This was the morning after a wild night and they were still at it. It seemed they couldn't get enough of each other, twice through the night and again now was proof enough of that. When they'd finished, they lay in bed smoking, staring up at the ceiling absently.

This was the third time that Collin had invited her to a hotel in the last two years. And the third time she'd been amazed by him breaking all the rules that he so carefully adhered to at home. On the first occasion he'd called her and invited her to come to a hotel in the centre of London. She was very nervous when she arrived and had no idea what this change in their routine meant. She found the room bathed in candlelight when she went upstairs, and her husband soaking in a bubble bath, waiting for her. There had never been a night like that before, neither the first time they'd made love or the wedding night itself, or on any other occasion could she remember anything to compare with that night in the hotel. It was almost as if Colin had done a course in Kama Sutra and had passed with honours and wanted to share his new-found knowledge.

While Ann relived this scene in her memory, she remembered how surprising his behaviour had been for her. He had been completely different, dominant, aggressive, almost brutal. But what stunned her even more after that night in the hotel was that he went back to being the same man that he'd always been the next day. The fights returned and life got back to being the same boring grind as before. She never forgot what had happened in the hotel, but never dared to ask him why just the same.

The second time had occurred four months earlier. It had been a different hotel but the purpose was the same. Her heart had skipped a beat when she received his message on her mobile phone. She'd thought it would never happen again and that even the first time had been a product of her imagination. She went to a hairdresser, put on the sexiest dress she had and got to the room ready to relive the first experience. There were variations to the original script, peppered with improvisations and twists that didn't disappoint her in the least. But the next day the same thing as before happened and they withdrew into their customary shells.

This was now the third time and Ann had no doubt about what was coming when she received the name of the hotel and the room number. Surprisingly, it was one of London's most expensive hotels and she was curious to know what the price was, but decided that that was a question she could leave for later.

"That's why you left yesterday without saying anything when we were painting?" Ann asked, suddenly putting the cigarette out.

"Yes. Yes. You've got it," Colin answered her more quickly than normal. "I had to check that everything was in order. It's a special occasion and I didn't want anything to ruin it."

"What I don't understand is how you changed clothes so quickly. One minute you were in overalls and the very next you were in an elegant white suit."

"That's a secret. One has to maintain a veil of mystery, don't you think? If you knew everything there'd be no surprises like this one."

"That's true," she said, snuggling into his chest. "What I don't understand is why we argue so much at home when everything's perfect here."

"Living together's not easy. This is like going on holiday." He paused. "Hey, wait a moment. We agreed not to talk about this. You don't want the magic to disappear, do you?"

"You're right, darling. It's only a little detail, but the colour of the room… You'll change that, won't you?" she asked, thinking back to the argument the day before. "I was really looking forward to having salmon-coloured walls."

"As you wish." Colin kissed her and left the bed. "But promise me you'll remind me when we get home. You know how forgetful I am."

"OK. Are you going now? It's always the same story, isn't it? It'd be nice to stay one more day. Please."

Colin sighed. "I wish we could. But you know I have to go early. Don't complain. After all, I've brought you to one of London's finest hotels."

"Of course not. It's only that I'm sad that it's all over. We spend all our time arguing at home. It's not fair that this can't last longer."

"We can't change it," her husband said, buttoning up his shirt. "What can we do? Life stinks."

Aidan Zack hurried along the corridors of Wilfred's mansion as if he was on a mission. He was furious with the old man and had to keep repeating his promise to Carol to avoid the pleasant vision of his hands around Wilfred's neck, strangling him slowly. The old bastard had pretended he was going to help him, but failed to mention knowing Tedd and Todd, who it appeared were key players in the whole deal with the Blacks and Whites. Maybe the old blighter didn't have cancer? Aidan simply couldn't understand why Wilfred had concealed his knowing them from him.

"Stop!" the bodyguard at the entrance to Wilfred's room said. "You can't enter."

Aidan twisted the hand that was pointing at him, forced the guard to the floor and then kneed him in the head, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Then he kicked the door open and closed it behind him.

Wilfred Gord stirred in the bed on seeing him. "Aidan! I was just about to call you. You're not going to believe it."

"I'm not interested in anything you've got to say," Aidan said, striding to the bed and leaning over the frail old man. "I want to know right now why you didn't tell me about Tedd and Todd."

"What are you talking about?" the old man said, trying to sit up straighter in the bed. "Who are they?"

"Mind what you say, old man. Your life depends on your next few sentences. I think you know what I'm capable of doing."

"Aidan, I promise you, I don't know what you're talking about." Wilfred was clearly frightened. His eyes had a glint of panic in them. It was obvious that he took Aidan's threat seriously. Knowing that Aidan had thrown Bradley in the river, it seemed he was capable of doing anything. "I've never heard those names in my whole life. What would I gain by lying to you? Think about it. I'm condemned to stay in this damn bed. I need you. Why would I hide something from you if you're the key to everything?"

Wilfred's argument calmed Aidan down. He sounded sincere. His tone of voice and body language suggested he was telling the truth. And if he was, where did that leave Aidan? The thought flashed through his mind that it was Tedd and Todd who had lied when they said Wilfred had sent them. He'd jumped to one conclusion too many, and too fast, by the look of it. He'd been an inch away from throttling old Wilfred. Lance's death had clouded his judgement. He had to calm down, and fast.

"You honestly don't know anything about them?" he asked incredulously.

It was the type of question that could only be answered one way. Even in the case that Wilfred knew something, he was going to deny it, especially lying in a bed with a mad policeman threatening to kill him.

"I know absolutely nothing about them," Wilfred repeated. "In fact, now I've got an indescribable curiosity to know who they are and what made you think that I knew them. Have I given you any reason to doubt me up to now? I'm going to die, Aidan. Nobody wants to solve all of this more than I do."

"I… I'm sorry. Lance's death has knocked me for six."

"I understand. I'm sorry about your friend. And I don't want to pressure you, but we've got to get a move on. Big Ben has stopped working. It's been breaking down so often lately that they've given up trying to fix it. Those responsible for its maintenance haven't got the least idea what the cause of the problem is. Time's stopped. Tell me what you know about these two individuals."

Aidan nodded and pulled a chair up close to the bed. He told Wilfred what Carol had found out about Tedd and Todd. The fact that their business was founded the day Big Ben started chiming, along with all the other curious facts. And while he was talking, he noticed the deterioration in Wilfred. The cancer was doing its work quickly. His eyes were sunken and there was hardly a trace of life in them. His hands moved slowly as he listened to Aidan's summing up.

"We've found them, then," Wilfred said triumphantly. "They're the ones responsible for everything. Listen, Aidan, I don't know why, but they want something from you. They got you out of jail. That is what I was going to tell you when you arrived. Aston Lowel, the lawyer who was going to process your case, died this morning. The scaffolding collapsed in front of the building in which he worked, trapping him underneath. And Bradley Kenton escaped from the hospital and has disappeared. The witnesses who were going to testify against you have changed their minds. The three main witnesses have received large sums of money in their accounts. I'm investigating the whole deal, but it looks to me like Tedd and Todd are protecting you."

"Why? What do they want from me?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is you couldn't have done it locked up in jail."

"Damn. I've got no idea what it could be," Aidan snarled, punching the chair. "But I think that your father wanted you to meet them. Dylan Blair had some sort of deal with them that's made him rich. Your father did too. And it looks like he's been drinking from the fountain of youth. If I was looking for a cure for cancer I'd check it out with them first."

"You're right," Wilfred agreed. "And that's why Ethan said that you were the key. But there are still a lot of things that don't make sense. All this business with the Blacks and Whites, for a start, along with this mysterious woman in the wheelchair."

"I think I can clear everything up as soon as I get hold of Tedd and Todd."

"How do you propose to do that?"

"I still don't know, but something will turn up. I'll go to the station and start a fracas with a couple of sergeants that I don't like."

"And that's going to help?"

"If I'm that important to Tedd and Todd, they'll get me out again."

"You never cease to surprise me," Wilfred said. "If I'd met you before all of this, I would've put you in charge of one of my businesses. I like your idea. But I'd keep it as Plan B."

"So how do you propose I get hold of Tedd and Todd?"

"Through James White. I'm sure he knows where they are. I've still got him under surveillance. He spent the night in a hotel with the wife of one of the other Whites. One who's identical to him. If I'm not mistaken, he pretended he was her husband."

Aidan seemed surprised. "He's not as dumb as I thought."

"When he left the hotel, Dylan Blair was waiting for him. I'm sure James knows all there is to know about everything," Wilfred pointed out. "There are two problems with your plan. One is that it needs too much time. And I don't believe we've got that. The other is that Tedd and Todd could get you out of jail without needing to talk to you. I'd go with James first, but if it fails, you can always go back to your plan."

"I guess you're right. Besides, there are still a few things I need to clear up with him," Aidan paused. "But I'll need another car, something a little less flashy."

"No problem."

"Thanks, Wilfred. I don't know how all of this is going to work out, but without your help…"

"Don't worry about that. Remember, I didn't do all of this out of altruism. Both of us have got our own interests at heart. If, by some sort of miracle, I get to beat cancer, then you can ask me for anything you want."

Aidan shook Wilfred's weak, wrinkled hand and, looking into his eyes, asked himself how their relationship might have been under different circumstances. Surely a detective and a multimillionaire wouldn't have had much in common. But despite that, he didn't feel more attached to any other person in the world than Wilfred. Carol was close, but the intensity was different with Wilfred. It came down to a question of living or dying. And that made their relationship special. Aidan just hoped the fairytale would come true and Wilfred would get his health back again.

His phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Aidan, I've got something to tell you." Carol sounded excited. "Where are you?"

"With Wilfred."

"Has he told you about Tedd and Todd?"

"No, they don't work for him. I made a mistake. Have you found anything out?"

"Something that I don't think you're going to take very well," she said. "I want to be with you when you hear, but at the same time I want to tell you as soon as possible in case you meet Tedd and Todd."