A Very Corporate Affair book 3 (The Corporate series) (16 page)

"I can get them brought up to your office, save you lugging them," he said, seeing me laden down like a pack pony.

"Would you? That would be great," I replied, handing him the bag. We went down in the lift, to find Nico waiting outside.

I had a relatively quiet day, the most exciting part being an extended lunch to pay a visit to a beauty salon to get my waxing and mani/pedi done for both Saturday night, and my holiday. I gave the Brazilian wax another go, and was relieved to find it wasn't so painful second time around. After work, I headed over to Guiseppe's salon for a trim and blowdry.

I'd just walked out, feeling fabulous, when I bumped into Paul. "Hello again. How's everything?" he asked, smiling widely.

"Good thanks. How's the search going for our new execs?"

"Identified a few already, and made contact. It hopefully won't take too long. You look like you just had your hair done."

"Yep. Do you like it? I'm going to an awards do on Saturday, so I wanted it freshly cut in case I wear it down."

"I'm sure you'll be the belle of the ball."

"I doubt it. I'm going with a friend, and she's the archetypal long legged blonde with impeccable breeding. I scrub up quite well, but I'm not in her league." I knew Lucy would look amazing, plus she was hoping to meet a nice barrister or corporate, so would no doubt make an effort.

"I don't think you need to worry. By the way, how are things with you and Ivan now? The other morning you both seemed terribly awkward with each other."

"Yeah, we're ok now thanks. I decided to stay at Pearson Hardwick, so sorry to have wasted your time, if you looked for a move for me."

"Not a problem. Just let me know when I need to look, although my guess is, that when the time comes, they'll be looking for you, not the other way round. There is something I did want to ask you though," he said, looking a little anxious.

"Go on."

"I have a ball coming up on the third of August, and need someone to accompany me. Would you be free that evening?"

"I'm not sure... Can I check my schedule tomorrow and let you know?"

"Certainly. It's the investment managers annual fundraiser. Great networking opportunities for both of us."
Oh you know how to dangle a carrot Paul.

"Ok, I'll email you tomorrow. I'd better go." We said our goodbyes, and I headed home. James had made a lasagne, which he popped into the oven as I walked in. "What you been up to today?" I asked.

"Pottering about, banked my paycheque from Apple, played on my playstation, that's about it. What about you?"

I told him about my day. When I got to the bit about Paul asking me to the fundraiser, he frowned. "Is that wise? I know he's a friend of Ivan's, but it seems he's trying to edge his way in. I'd be careful there if I was you. Make sure you discuss it with Ivan first."

"He is a client, so I need to tread a little carefully. Where's Janine?"

"Job interview at Retinski, they're looking for a receptionist."
At six in the evening?

"I thought they only employed Russian speakers."

"She speaks a bit of Russian. She did languages at uni, fluent in French and Italian, conversational in Russian and Polish." James looked extremely proud of her as he spoke, "she's no slouch you know."

"I never thought she was."

"So can you put in a word for her? I'd really like her to get a job locally, as she's going to be living here."

"So she's moving in?"

"Yeah."

"Hopefully I'll be moved out in about three weeks. Better that you have your privacy.

"Elle, I'm not pushing you out. I wouldn't do that to you. Stay here as long as you need to." I didn't reply, just taking my bag and phone, and heading into my bedroom to continue sorting clothes. Half hour later, I heard Janine return, sounding excited as she chattered to James. Five minutes later, Ivan called.

"Hi baby, what're you up to this evening?"

"Nothing much. What about you?"

"I'm waiting on a phone call, but that's all. Shall we eat out?"

"Great. You want to choose, or shall I call Quintessentially?"

"Give them a call. I'll pick you up in ten." I changed into a dress, and retouched my makeup, after a quick conversation with the concierge service.

As I headed out, James yelled "dinners nearly ready."

"Eating out tonight thanks." He looked annoyed, but didn't reply. Janine was perched on a stool, sipping a glass of wine, and looking pleased with herself. "Have a nice evening," I called out, before closing the front door.

Ivan was outside in the Bentley. "So where are we going?"

"Hakkasan tonight, over in Mayfair. Does that suit?"

"Great. I love Chinese."

Our meal was gorgeous, really top quality Chinese, with impeccable service. Ivan seemed relaxed and happy, even after taking the phone call he was expecting, jabbering in Russian to someone. I always found it hard to tell whether he was angry or not, when I listened to him speak in his mother tongue. He told me about his day, asked about mine, and said he liked my hair.

"Was Ranenkiov working late this evening?" I asked.

Ivan frowned, "no, why?"

"My flatmate's girlfriend had an interview at yours this evening for a receptionists job. It just seemed a bit late. She didn't get back till half six." 

"Not at my place. We're not looking for a receptionist, as far as I know, anyway, that kind of thing is done during the business day. I doubt if Ranenkiov would interview candidates though. The office manager would do it, and she went home at half five."

I frowned, "How odd. I don't trust her one bit to be honest. She seems...sly. I don't know, maybe because she ran off with James' best friend, I just expect her to be sneaky."

"Gut instincts are usually right. Make sure you keep your jewellery in your safe if she's around."

"I don't have a safe."

"Use mine then. I'll pick it up when I drop you home. You can always ask Oscar for a deposit box at his bank, and transfer it all there."

"Good idea. I'll sort it tomorrow. I need to get some Euros anyway, ready for France."

"About France...you and Oscar, you won't sleep with him will you?"

"No, of course not. He's just a dear friend nowadays. I'm just looking forward to lazing around, and catching up on some reading. As I said before, if I wanted to sleep with someone else, I'd break it off with you first. Oh, that reminds me. I bumped into Paul today. He's asked me to accompany him to some do, said it was a networking opportunity."

"I see." He looked cross. "What did you say?"

"I said I'd get back to him tomorrow, when I've checked my schedule. It's a shame you have something arranged that evening already, isn't it?"

He caught on, "I'm sure he'll be terribly disappointed. When is it?"

"August the third."

"I'm sure we'll be away somewhere that weekend."

I sniggered, "Poor Paul, he'll have to find out the hard way that you don't 'share nicely'."

"I don't share full stop, and I'm not totally comfortable about you being so close to Oscar, but I do know it was my own fault." He reached over to grasp my hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. "I know you can be trusted. I'd never doubt you."

We made our way home a little before ten, after a great evening. I loved being out with Ivan, he was fun, well mannered, and I loved watching other women go weak at the knees for him. We arrived back at the flat, and kissed all the way up in the lift.

I walked in to find James looking distraught. He was sitting at the island, with his head in his hands. "What on earth is wrong?" I asked, instantly concerned.

"I don't know. I think she's left me again. She was fine, and asked me to go to the shop for her. When I came back, she wasn't here. No note, nothing. She's not answering her phone either. I don't understand what's happened, we didn't have a row or anything."

I glanced at Ivan quickly, instantly sharing the same thought. I turned tail, and ran to my room. The door to my dressing room was open. My knicker drawer was hanging open, the money missing. Thankfully, I'd left the jewellery in the handbag that Ivan had stuffed it in, which was still intact. I flew back to the kitchen. "Did you tell her about that money? It's all gone."

"What about the jewellery?" Asked Ivan, looking remarkably calm.

"Still there, thankfully. That fucking bitch helped herself to the cash, and ran for it." I yelled. James looked like he was going to cry.

"Elle, I'm gonna call the police. I'm so, so very sorry. I'll replace it."

"Don't call the police. The money was murky. They're going to want to know why you had it, and where it's from. Let me make some calls." Ivan seemed very unruffled about the whole thing. He pulled out his phone, and called someone, speaking rapidly in Russian. He asked James for Janine's phone number, and relayed it to the person on the other end, followed by a photograph from James' mobile. Eventually he clicked off his phone. "Now, have you checked to see if anything else has been taken?" I had my cards and phone with me, so apart from the jewellery and laptop, which was on the island, I had nothing else of any value. James checked his study and bedroom.

"Nothing of mine. I'm so sorry Elle, I should've kept my mouth shut. I would never in a million years have thought she could do something like this."

"She left you for your best mate James, she's clearly a sneaky bitch, oh, and she wasn't at Retinski for an interview this evening. I don't know where she was, probably planning this with her next lover," I added, rather spitefully.

"Elle, come on, it's only a little cash. The poor man's lost his woman over it." Ivan said, with rather too much compassion for my liking. He walked around the island, and filled the kettle up. I sat and watched, as Ivan made three cups of tea, placing one in front of James, who looked like he was in shock.

"I don't understand why she didn't come to me, if she needed some money," he said, "I would've helped her. I already invited her to move in here, so she could get a job, and get back on her feet."

"Why did she leave her husband?" Ivan asked.

"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me, just said it had all gone wrong between them, and she'd realised she'd made a terrible mistake, you know, leaving me for him."

"Hmm. Well, we can probably get the money back. What happens from there is up to you." Ivan replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked, "and who did you call?"

"My security company. They'll find her, and if she still has the money, they'll retrieve it. It's what happens after that, whether you want her prosecuted, punished, or just to leave you alone. I suspect that James will want some answers, to get his own closure on this."

"I want to ask her a million questions," said James. "I want to know if this was a moment of madness, or whether she came back with the intention of robbing me. She knows I'm ok for money. Mind you, her husband wasn't skint."

"Most people who steal have an addiction or problem. Was she secretive in other ways?" I asked.

"Yeah, I suppose so. I was never allowed to touch her phone, and she always took her handbag everywhere, even into the bathroom. That's not really normal is it?" We all glanced at my bag laying open on the island with my phone poking out.

"No, not really," I said.

"So when they find her, you want to speak to her?" Ivan interjected.

"Yeah, if they find her. Who exactly is looking for her?"

"A private security company. They can find a needle in a haystack. They'll track her phone, scan CCTV, that type of thing. They're normally pretty quick, unless she had the nous to throw her phone away."

We all sipped our tea, and waited, James with his head in his hands. "You know, that was the first time in my entire life that I actually had any money." I said.

"I thought you had money to buy this flat?" Ivan asked, frowning.

"I meant money that wasn't earmarked, just for frittering," I said, quickly covering myself for my flippant comment.

"How much was there?" He asked.

"Two hundred thousand, plus or minus a few quid. I hope they get it back tonight. I need to get some Euros tomorrow."

"I'll get them for you, don't worry about that." James said.

We all jumped when Ivan's phone rang. He looked at the number, and answered in Russian. I tried to gauge what was happening from his facial expressions, but as usual, he looked impassive, as if he was discussing the weather. After a couple of minutes, he handed the phone to James. "Ask away." James took the phone into his bedroom. "They found her, and her male accomplice in London City airport, trying to buy a flight to Rome. Unfortunately for her, flights are infrequent, and she would have had to wait until the morning."

"What a bitch. I knew there was something shady about her. Poor James, he really did love her. I hope for his sake that he never sees her again."

"I would be devastated. When I think, you had full access to everything, and you didn't even look, let alone take as much as a fiver..." He trailed off.

"I'm not a thief, and I know that if I needed anything, I could ask. If anything, I feel a little embarrassed about all the gifts and things that have been showered on me. I love nice things as much as the next girl, but it does make me feel a bit greedy. Plus of course, this has happened, and I can't help thinking that if temptation hadn't been put in her way..."

"She would have stolen from James. She had an accomplice Elle, she meant to steal. Now, in some ways it's better it was you than James, because I can take care of it. James had to work hard for his money, we just found yours. It also gives you an insight as to why I have so much security. I can't bear to be stolen from."

"I've never really been a target before, well, mainly because I've never had anything worth nicking." Ivan smiled at me indulgently.

"I'm so pleased that at long last I've been able to fix something for you. It's been rather too much the other way round. I like looking after you."

"Bloody caveman," I teased. "I'm going to buy you a nice present when I'm away."

"So are you going on holiday with James now, or Oscar?"