Swindled (20 page)

Anne had been very surprised to hear that they had retrieved the paperwork themselves and sounded very distracted when Vickie explained the story. Still knowing how efficient Anne was, Beth had no doubt that she would organise a reception for the material before the hour was out.

Beth then made a call to Joseph but got his passive associate instead. She explained what they were doing and asked if the detectives could be so kind to pick up the papers if someone hadn’t beaten him to the punch. If the box was still there then all he had to do was pick it up Beth suggested. If someone had taken it they would have to get rid of the paperwork somehow so perhaps keeping a watch might help? Not that she was telling them how to do their job of course but maybe, she suggested, they might find a lead. There was so little response on the other end of the phone that Beth wasn’t sure what she had said had actually sunk in. By the time he thanked her and hung up Beth was sure he hadn’t been too impressed with her amateur sleuthing. She took heart though. He had agreed to ‘look into the matter’ as he so quietly put it before he hung up. Well it was worth a try she figured. It really couldn’t hurt.

Chapter 35

“You made it!” Beth exclaimed, hugging Bee and her fiancé Ken as they arrived. The two grinned happily back at her with the glow of soon to be newly weds. Thanks to Beth and David’s early disappearance at Brian’s funeral no one had got around to celebrating the demise of the twin’s company. Instead, less then a day later, the friends arranged to meet in order to celebrate the unofficial start of the new lingerie line. In usual chaotic fashion they agreed to eat at a local Chinese restaurant where their merriment was less likely to be frowned upon. There was a great deal to celebrate. With the first orders for the lingerie in, the bank had pronounced itself satisfied that the payment would be made against the loan and were willing to wait for the money to credit the account before collecting. It was just the news the twins had needed to hear and they along with everyone else decided to celebrate in style.

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Ken said as Bee gave a beaming smile next to him. Ken was a slight man who was keenly intelligent and had a quiet way about him that made it easy to have him around. As always he was unfailingly polite and watched Bee with adoring eyes. Beth liked him. She couldn’t wait to watch the two of them finally tie the knot. The wedding was just days away Beth realised shaking her head and they were here for dinner. It just seemed unbelievable but then Bee was always calm and collected. Not even her own upcoming wedding was fazing her.

Bee tugged off her jacket and Beth burst into laughter. David looked up from where he was chatting with his friend and smiled in response. It looked like Beth wasn’t the only one who had decided that it was the most appropriate occasion to wear one of their creations. Bee had put on a sheer white top that made the black crisscross bra she was wearing stand out for all its glory.

“Greetings everyone!” Charlotte called as she came sweeping into the restaurant followed closely by a nervous looking fellow with thinning brown hair. Beth and Bee turned in unison and hugged the latest arrival. Charlotte had arrived sporting a similar dress sense and as she shed her jacket, Beth realised that the restaurant wasn’t going to know what hit it. Underneath all the arriving sensible scarves and jackets were breasts framed in colours and textures overflowing every which way from plunging tops and chiffon numbers. Everyone had come out in style.

“It looks like Chinese New Year has come early,” David murmured in her ear as he came up behind her and Beth could feel him smile against her ear. They watched the waitresses giggling as they ushered in each newcomer.

“It’s a feast for the eyes isn’t it?” Beth said with a delighted laugh. “One the men in particular seemed to appreciate.” Looking around at their friends there were smiles everywhere as everyone complimented one another on their outfits. David gave a deep laugh, he was obviously enjoying it as much as she was and together they turned their attention to saying hello to Charlotte’s date.

Beth was surprised, to be honest, that Charlotte had brought her latest date along. This long into a relationship, a week or so, Charlotte would normally be grinding her teeth and treating all the friends to a detailed description of the man’s faults. Beth couldn’t believe it had lasted this long as the guy didn’t seem to be that inspiring. She raised an eyebrow at Charlotte and had to restrain herself from hooting out loud. Given the look in Charlotte’s eye there was no way the relationship such as it was would last much longer. Charlotte caught her look and shrugged with a grin. She was never going to change. Beth smiled.

“Let’s sit,” Beth said ushering everyone toward the table to settle in. Karin wasn’t there yet but without a doubt she would turn up. David’s friends had all arrived on time and were making a real effort to get to know everyone else there. Beth looked around as she sat down and realised that they formed a jolly group of people. As a whole they were drawing smiles from the tables near them and the staff were still wide eyed and grinning at the variety of outfits. Everyone was in good spirits and Beth settled in to have fun. There was a general chatter as everyone else got comfortable as well and a buzz filled the air.

David sat down on Beth’s right. She could feel the warmth of him and wanted to roll herself in it. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to get rid of him now that he had settled into her life so well. What was more is that she really wasn’t sure she would ever want to get rid of him. It was a new experience for Beth. She was use to getting frustrated in relationships. David was different. She couldn’t imagine life without him even though she had only known him for a week. She turned and smiled at David who was watching her with a small grin on his face. It was a deep heartfelt look.

“So you’ve known David for a long time I gather,” she said with a questioning lilt to her voice, looking around David to one of his close friends and business partners. She had asked David to invite them because if she was really honest she was curious to see what his friends were like.

Pete gave a grin back and threw a glance toward David. “Indeed I have that honour and I can tell you all sorts of sordid details about him,’ he said. The three of them started to laugh as David brushed a hand across his forehead looking slightly embarrassed.

“Oh really? Do tell!” Beth drawled back and shared a wink with the woman on Pete’s left. Pete, a tall man with a sparkle in his eye and an unfazed expression, had come with his wife. She was a bubbly redhead who had in the spirit of the evening unbuttoned her top low enough to reveal a black satin bra. She assured Beth, when she first arrived, that had she known of the particular dress requirements she would have been much more daring. Beth liked her instantly and they already had plans to get all the girls together for lunch later in the week.

David groaned good naturally as Pete launched into a description of one of David’s more embarrassing moments at university. He told the story with wit and humour which soon had all of them teasing David unmercifully. Their laughter brought the attention of the others at the table and Thomas, David’s other business partner and good friend, helpfully added in a few details that Pete had forgotten to mention.

“I can’t believe you remembered that,” David said with an exaggerated glare in Thomas’s direction. Thomas snickered in return with a look that promised that he remembered a great deal more details from university days. Even Pete was looking slightly worried.

“We’ve unleashed a monster,” he muttered to David as the two of them eyed their friend. Beth looked over at Thomas who was ribbing David and Pete. He, like Pete, was a treat. Beth liked his dry humour and quick smile. Obviously the charmer of the three, although David and Pete could certainly hold their own she admitted to herself. It was a pleasure to have him, Pete and Pete’s wife around.

“You started it,” David replied reaching out to give Beth’s hand a squeeze under the table. He liked this, Beth realised. Being together with friends who knew him so well and who were dredging up all sorts of mortifying tales. With all the travelling she guessed that he hadn’t had a lot of time to spend with friends and as a consequence was more then happy to take anything they threw his way as long as they were all together having fun. Beth was pleased that he had such a good group of friends around him and even happier to find that she hit it off with them instantly. She enjoyed watching the camaraderie the three shared together. It was like watching her with Charlotte, Karin and Bee.

In direct contrast to the others however, Thomas’s current squeeze was particularly uptight. She barely concealed her boredom as the men told a particularly amusing tale about how they first met one another. Having taken one look at the feathers, lace and beads, surrounding her, the woman had nearly sneered. What was her name again Beth thought? Oh yes, Meredith. Meredith was a woman whose spine was so utterly rigid and unbending that Beth was afraid that she would shatter if anyone breathed heavily in her direction.

Beth shook her head laughing as David muttered ‘and another one about to bite the dust’ under his breath just as she had that last thought. She wasn’t the only one to notice Meredith’s displeasure. David was right, it was so not going to last. Beth would lay a bet that Thomas would be ready to throttle his companion by the end of the evening. In fact he looked close to that even now.

Thomas noticing her looking his way and changing the subject completely asked, “So your parents were really into the whole royal family were they?”

“What makes you ask that?” Beth replied wondering what Thomas was up to.

“Well Elizabeth and Victoria? I figured that naming you after two great Queens either suggested a huge admiration for the royals or perhaps a scandal?” Thomas looked like he was going to start rubbing his hands together. “Are you somehow descended from some illegitimate child who seeks to reclaim your rightful place on the throne?” he asked with a gleeful expression. He had leaned forward looking enthralled at the concept that maybe just maybe he was on the right track. Pete and his wife dissolved into giggles as they watched Thomas move in for the kill.

“Nothing so exciting I promise,” Beth replied laughing. Victoria who was sitting on the other side of the table started to giggle. “They figured that since we were going to be treated like princesses all our lives and rule any house we lived in that we may as well have the names to go with all the power!” Everyone joined in laughing as it was indisputable that Beth’s parents had been right.

Just as the second round of drinks was being placed onto the table and Beth was relaxing into what promised to be a fun evening, the restaurant door opened. With a blast of crisp autumn air Joseph Serrate walk in.

Beth felt her stomach drop. This couldn’t be happening. David tensed beside her as he caught sight of the detective while Vickie and Scott flashed worried looks her way. Was Beth under arrest? Had they decided she had killed Brian regardless of the evidence? The whole party seemed to realise that something significant was happening as conversation died away. Thomas and Pete shared a puzzled look watching David’s far from happy response to the new arrival.

As the detective reached the table looking incredibly awkward, Beth’s nerves reached panic stations. The door behind him flung open again and Karin walked in the door fashionably late as ever and beaming a smile. Her cheeks were flushed from the cool air and her eyes were dancing.

“Oh I’m glad you made it,” she called across the restaurant to Joseph as she made her way over. Walking up next to him, she put a hand on his arm and kissed him on the cheek. “I wasn’t sure if you’d turn up,” she continued turning to the table and linking arms with Joseph she introduced him around.

Beth’s jaw dropped. Karin had invited Beth’s nemesis to dinner? Hold on, Beth thought, Karin was DATING her nemesis? She could feel David start shaking with laughter next to her. Happening to anyone else Beth had to admit it was mildly amusing but it was happening to her! She turned and sent outraged looks to Charlotte and Bee. There was no way that Karin would have been able to keep this that quiet, Beth thought, without a little help. Charlotte and Bee quickly immersed themselves in their menus under her murderous stare. No doubt about it, they had known. Beth could just see their lips turning up in hard to repress smiles. Not only had they known, they were enjoying this as much as David was.

Karin was flushed a light pink as she caught the look in Beth’s eye and made short work of getting herself and Joseph settled at the table. She gave Beth a quirky smile and a faint shrug. Beth tried to glare back but couldn’t help herself, she started laughing. This was just too good, even if it was happening to her.

Conversation filled their corner of the restaurant and the evening was a huge success. They ate, they talked and the friends told embarrassing tales about one another. Joseph fit in easily having shed his responsibilities for the evening and even Thomas’s date relaxed enough to exchange a few pleasantries. Beth felt exhilarated. She was happy she realised. She was surrounded by the best life had to offer. She had some of the most fantastic friends a person could have. Her sister and brother-in-law were relaxed and happily expecting their first baby. The business was off the ground. Maybe not hugely successful yet but Beth had her hopes. Next to her was a man that she really connected with; a man that was as intrigued by her as she was by him. The only shadow over things was Brian and now Tina’s death.

Beth glanced over at Joseph. The detective didn’t look as drawn in casual clothes. In fact he looked fairly enthralled by Karin.

“He looks besotted,” David muttered as he watched Karin and Joseph. Beth smiled. Her friends were all wonderful and it was a pleasure to watch one work her magic on an unsuspecting man. She turned back to the man beside her and flashed him a quick grin.

“He doesn’t stand a chance does he?” David asked looking back at Beth with a gentle smile on his face.

“Nope,” Beth agreed. They both glanced back at the couple. Karin was waving her hands in the air telling Joseph something and he looked mesmerised. Looking at Joseph Beth wondered how he was getting on in the case. Was there a lead? Had the box lead to any new clues? Would they find the murder? Beth hoped that it stayed out of the dinner conversation but wanted to know what happened.

Beth’s fears were unfounded. The only reference made to Brian or the case was near the end of dinner.

“I wanted to apologise for missing the funeral,” Joseph said to Beth as everyone stood up to have an after dinner drink. It was an easy way to give them all a chance to mingle and talk to people they hadn’t had a chance to talk to during the meal. David was staying firmly at Beth’s side with Scott and her sister. Joseph continued almost at a loss for words, “Will Brian be buried at the local cemetery?”

“He was cremated,” Scott explained as the twins and David shared a grin. “With so many ex-wives wanting a piece of him, we decided it was the easiest way to distribute him evenly.” Everyone laughed and Beth was surprised to see that Joseph laughed harder then the rest of them.