The Escort (25 page)

Max knocked on her door. "Robin, can I come in?"

"I'm asleep."

Max smiled, and pushed the door open. "I understand you don't want to talk." They had known each a long time, Max knew the signs Robin needed space. "I only wanted to see if you were OK, and whether you needed anything."

"A personality transplant."

Max went and sat down on the edge of her bed. "That is one thing you don't need. It's not like you to let a man get you down."

"I think I'm making a fool of myself, but can't seem to stop. I'm like a train wreck in slow motion. I get jealous over the stupidest of things, and then today I got drunk to hide my feelings. I'm messed up."

"Sounds like you're in love Robin."

She laughed. "I don't do love. But he gets under my skin, you know."

"Oh yes I know. Did you ever find out the connection between you two?" Max asked.

"No. I think that's what bugs me. He doesn't let anything slip." She groaned. "Let's talk about you. How did the tea party go? I see you've changed out of your posh frock, does that mean it's stained with dirty finger prints, or that you undressed for your man?"

"That obvious?"

"He can't take his eyes off you. I'm sorry if I spoiled your evening by coming home."

"You didn't. And this is your home, you don't have to stay away for me."

"So how was his sister? Is she going to accept your money?"

"Nope."

"And you OK with that?"

"Yes, and no. It's her choice, but I can't let it go. There must be a way for her to keep the house. If she won’t take my money, perhaps I could organise a low-interest loan from the bank."

"That's a good idea, that way she won't be beholden to you, or be uncomfortable paying you back."

"Yes. Maybe I'll go over and discuss it with her in the morning. Although I don't want to be pushy. Her business is her own, it's not as though I'm part of the family."

"Yet."

"That is a long way off."

"Ahhh. I need to sleep. Goodnight Max."

"Goodnight, Robin." She hugged her friend and then got up to leave. "Don't ever change, you hear?"

"Night Max,” Robin said miserably.

He wondered why Max had asked him to meet her at Helen's. It seemed odd she had driven over there herself. Although he wanted them to get to know each other, he thought it strange she went to visit without Dan to break the ice. He should be pleased, but something sat uneasy with him. All he hoped was that Max hadn’t gone to pressure Helen about the loan. Helen had made herself quite clear, and pushing her would cause trouble. Trouble he would rather avoid. But he wasn't the kind of man to shy away from difficult situations, so he had showered and changed quickly before driving over to his sister's house.

Knocking on the door he stood back, waiting to see what exactly was going on. All appeared quiet, that must mean they weren’t arguing. He only wished he knew Max well enough to have some clue to what she was up to.

"Hi, Dan. Thanks for coming straight over. Max is in the kitchen, the girls are watching TV."

"What's this about, Helen. Is everything OK?"

Helen smiled, looking the happiest she had for weeks. "Yes. Max seems to have come up with a solution to my problems. Well my financial ones anyway. The asshole I used to call my husband is beyond her skills."

"A solution, you mean you're going to take the loan from Max?" Dan asked, he would rather have given her the money clear and free, if he had got it together himself. But this would at least save them from losing the house.

"No."

"No?” He knew there was no way she could come up with the cash from anywhere else. Not legally anyway. He began to worry about what was going on behind his back. “Then what? I don’t understand."

"Hi Dan.” Max said as he walked into the kitchen. “Sorry I haven’t had chance to speak to you before, but I had to put this in motion fast, and so I came to see Helen myself. Plus I'm not sure you'll approve."

"Now I am worried." He tried to keep it from his voice, but he was also a little annoyed. Helen was his sister, and Max should have spoken to him first about anything to do with her. She was in a serious position, both financially and emotionally, and he worried something would push her over the edge.

"What she means is that if she had asked you first you'd have told her to forget it. I love you, but you are very over protective, especially now I'm on my own."

"What have you done Max?"

"Nothing. At least I've only spoken to Helen briefly. She thought you should know what was going on before she made her mind up."

"Made up her mind about what?” He looked from one to the other, his frustration at being kept in the dark increasing. “Stop skirting the issue, and tell me."

"We've narrowed the embezzler down to three people. But we can't tell who it is beyond a shadow of a doubt. So I came up with a plan. This morning I drove over to Bob's house, and talked it over with him,and we think we can make it work."

“And what does this have to do with Helen?” Although he was beginning to have an idea. And they were right, he probably wasn’t going to like it. Helen did not need any more stress or pressure in her life.

“We need someone to pose as a client. Someone we can trust and who has nothing to do with the bank, or any of it’s employees.”

“So you thought of Helen?”

“Yes.”

“You thought you would put my sister, a single parent with two daughters in danger.”

“Dan, calm down,” Helen chimed in. “I think you’re over reacting.”

“Really. You want me to be happy that you will be put in the way of danger? The person you’re trying to frame is the same person who set fire to the building.”

“She won't be in any danger Dan. We are sure we know what’s happening, we just need someone who fits the criteria to go in and try to get a loan. We then wait and see what happens. The rooms will be monitored, and then we wait and see.”

“Monitored by whom? I don’t believe for one moment you’re planning on involving the police in this?”

“Not yet.”

“So Helen will have to go to court too?”

“Not necessarily. No one will know she was part of a set up. The person responsible will just think they got caught by accident. We’ll have our hard evidence, bank account numbers that lead back to our thief.”

“And you’re willing to go along with this?”

Helen nodded. “Yes, Dan.”

“Why? Why put yourself in danger?”

“Because Mr Pierceson is willing to pay me.”

“Oh. I see.” No that he liked it, not one bit. “Congratulations, Max. One way or another you’ve bought my sister.”

He watched her face fall, and she blinked back tears. Dan knew exactly how unfair he was being, but he couldn't help himself. He hated that he hadn’t been able to help Helen, that he hadn’t been strong enough to simply take Max’s money. Instead he had been weak, allowing his feelings to rule his mind, and now Helen was going to put herself in harms way.

“Dan, you’re over reacting.” Helen tried to calm him down, but he wouldn’t listen.

“I should have simply taken your money, Max, shouldn’t I? Instead I’ve let you interfere in my family’s life. Helen, I’m asking you not to do this.”

“I’m sorry, Dan, but I need this. The offer is too good to let go. I’ll be able to pay off my arrears, and possibly take the girls on their first proper holiday.”

“You’d already made up your mind, I don’t see why you bothered to ask me over. There’s nothing I can say to change your mind.” He stalked out of the kitchen, heading for the front door.

“Dan, please. Wait,” Max called, running to catch him up.

He kept going, too upset to talk to Max. But she was behind him, her hand on his arm. He tried to shake her off, but she was persistent.

“Let me go, Max. I have nothing to say to you. I have made my feelings clear, you should have told me your idea first.”

“That’s not fair. You're not your sisters keeper. She had every right to make this decision on her own. She wanted your support that’s all. I don’t see why you’re being so pig headed.”

“Is it pig headed to want to keep them safe?”

“There is no danger.”

“You wouldn’t understand, I see now that you really don’t know what it's like to be part of a family, to care about other people.”

He watched her face crumple, hating himself for destroying her like this. But she didn’t understand, couldn’t understand how much they meant to him.

“That’s not fair. I only suggested it to Helen because it would mean her earning the money she needed to keep the house. Do you know how much that means to her?”

“Don’t lecture me on what Helen needs?”

“Why? I know you think you know her better, but perhaps I know things too, like how sometimes you need to stand on your own two feet, to take control of your life.”

“What instead of being daddy’s little girl?” His words were bitter. He had never realised just how inferior he felt. If he had taken more exams, got a better job, he would have been able to help Helen, and support Max. Instead he was simply a firefighter.

“Dan, don’t be like this please. I’m sorry you don’t like it, and I wish you would listen and see how much you’re over reacting.”

“Over reacting?” He pulled the door open and stepped outside. “Goodbye Max, can you tell Helen I’ll speak to her later in the week.”

And then he got into his truck and drove away.

Max simply stood watching the truck disappear, numb with shock. He had gone. Left.

“Max, are you OK?” Helen came up behind her, and placed her hand on Max’s shoulder.

"I'm not sure what just happened." Max had turned pale, and she felt sick. Did he just break up with her?

"Don't worry, he'll calm down. If it'll help we'll call the whole thing off."

"No. Not if you want to go ahead. I love Dan, I really do. But I am not willing to be held to ransom where our relationship is concerned."

"Max, he loves you too. I know he does. He'll calm down, he's just a bit touchy about money and things. He told you about his ex, Angie, she ran off with a man who earned more than Dan ever will. It cut him deep."

"But I'm not Angie, and this isn't even about me and money, it’s about me interfering."

"That’s what he said, but I’m telling you that’s not the root of it. What did he mean about taking your money? Is there more to this than the bits I know?"

"It's not for me to say."

"I've guessed a bit of it. For a start I know you two haven't been dating for months."

"What? How?"

"I know my brother, he's fallen for you hard, there's no way he could have kept you a secret for that long, he can't hide things, he's too honest."

"He lied for me the other day you know. In fact the more I think about it the more I'm convinced he might be better off without me."

"No, Max. You might tell yourself that because it's easier than working through what's going on here, but that's not what's best for either of you."

Max went back to the kitchen and retrieved her purse. "I'll call you later to finalise the arrangements. It will give you time to talk to Dan if you want, and to pull out if you think that's best. No hard feelings, we'll find another way to do this. Your family is too precious for me to help you rip it apart."

"Max, I'm not going to change my mind, you said I wasn't in any danger."

"I give you my word. The only time this will come out in the open is if it goes to court. But you will be one in amongst many people who were loaned money by the bank. Once we know who it is, the paper trail will be easier to follow. It won't come down to your word against theirs."

"Then I want to go ahead with it. I'll sign the contract, give you my word this will never hit the papers or anything. In return I get a hefty sum of money. We all win."

Except me and Dan, Max thought sadly. "I'll speak to you later, say goodbye to the girls for me."

Max went out to her car, she wearily climbed in, slamming the door to. Then she sat with her head on the steering wheel, trying to muster the strength to go home. Eventually she turned the key in the ignition, and drove home, hoping Robin would be there so she could pour her heart out to her. What was left of it anyway, because at this moment it was in pieces. How could Dan over react so badly? Or had she been wrong? Perhaps it would have been better to leave Helen out of this, but she needed the money, and she would be compensated very well, and there was no way she could be in danger.

All the way home, Dan's words rattled around her head. He was right, she had no idea how it felt to be part of a real family. She sighed, at least she would be off the hook with her promise to contact her parents. Or was she? She had made a promise to him, and whether he liked it or not she had helped his sister. Maybe a family reunion was the thing she needed to put the ghosts of her past to bed. Let's face it she might just as well do it now when she was feeling so down anyway.

Somehow she got home, parked the car and walked numbly up to the door of her apartment. Walking in she checked to see if Robin was home, hoping she hadn't got her mysterious man there. Before this morning she had been intrigued by the person who had captured Robin's attention, now she wanted to warn all women to never give their heart to a man.

"Hey, Max. I wasn't expecting you home so quickly." Robin was in the kitchen, cooking.

"Dan and I have broken up."

The phrase took a moment to sink in, Robin simply stared at her, and then shook her head. "What happened? You two are perfect for each other."

"Obviously not as perfect as I thought. He over reacted to my idea about Helen getting paid to help flush out our embezzler."

"Oh. I did wonder how he would like it."

"Do you think it's a bad idea?"

"No. But them I'm not the big man with big muscles who is used to saving the day."

"You make him sound like a male chauvinist."

"He's not, well not in a bad way. But he saves damsels in distress for a living, imagine not being able to save your flesh and blood from doing something you consider dangerous."