Excess All Areas (33 page)

He’d said he understood, on countless occasions, and he had shown tonight that he now truly realised the money could be used for so much more than buying flashiness.

But did he mean it? She wouldn’t want him to give up being an actor, because that was what he was. But in reality could he really separate himself from the celebrity lifestyle? Would he be happy eating out at a burger bar or a drive through? Would they ever be able to go to the mall or to the cinema without having Roger go with them?

And what was America like to live in? She had never been there and she didn’t even know whereabouts Nicholas lived.

And what about her business? It had taken all her guts and determination to build it up. It had taken a long time to acquire her good reputation and client base and, providing neither had been hampered by recent events, she didn’t know whether she wanted to start all over again somewhere else.

She focussed Claude at the city scene below and took another photograph.

Her mobile phone rang from inside her bag. Freya put Claude around her neck and reached into her bag to answer it. The display was flashing with an unknown number.

‘
Hello,’ Freya answered.

‘
Hello Jane.’

The sound of his voice sent chills right through her, paralysing her to the spot. It was Eric Lawson-Peck, her father.

Freya couldn’t bring herself to speak. She tried to get something out but her voice was lost, disabled.

‘
I’ve been watching you on the news at the party in Athens. I must say you’ve turned into quite the performer. Perhaps some of the social skills coaching paid off after all,’ Eric spoke.

‘
What do you want?’ Freya managed to say once she had caught her breath and swallowed the knot of nerves which had sprung up to her throat.

‘
What do you imagine I want Jane?’ he asked her.

‘
This is about the magazine article,’ Freya guessed.

‘
How perceptive of you. Yes, the magazine article and the various exerts of that article in every newspaper. The lies you told to this Russell Buchanan, whoever he might be,’ Eric continued.

‘
I haven’t told anyone any lies,’ Freya stated simply.

‘
I think you have Jane. You don’t really think I had the maid assaulted do you? Kind, sweet Gloria who always had time for you?’ Eric spoke.

‘
You paid one of your heavies to beat her up,’ Freya said bravely.

‘
You heard me sanction this did you? Heard me tell someone to hurt her?’ Eric questioned.

‘
You organised it. You made it happen and that’s as good as doing it yourself,’ Freya told him.

‘
And you have proof of this of course. I mean you wouldn’t be so stupid as to accuse someone of something so serious and not have anything to back you up,’ Eric continued.

‘
I’m not listening to any of this. You beat me, you hurt Gloria and you did countless vile and hideous things that I don’t want to think about,’ Freya told him.

‘
You will listen to this and you will listen well. Your behaviour has again been completely unacceptable to me and I will not stand for it,’ Eric began.

‘
What are you going to do? Send me back to prison?’ Freya asked him.

‘
You are going to print a retraction. You are going to say that this Russell character has misquoted you and you are going to set the record straight, exonerating me and telling everyone the truth. You will tell them that I was a perfect father, a fine moral role model and that your “breakdown” and prison episode was due to an upset when your boyfriend cruelly left you,’ Eric continued.

‘
You paid Jonathan to go away, just like you pay everyone to go away. I won’t do it,’ Freya responded firmly.

‘
I would think a little more carefully about your reply,’ Eric spoke.

‘
I won’t do it,’ Freya repeated, trying to sound unfazed by his threatening tone.

‘
Then you leave me with no choice. It’s a shame really; he’s actually quite a decent actor. I’ve seen a few of his films and I’ve also met that charming PA of his,’ Eric carried on.

‘
What are you talking about?’ Freya questioned.

‘
Your boyfriend, Nicholas Kaden. It would be a shame for him to topple from that pedestal the world seems to have him on, particularly in the light of this news of his cancer. Cancer’s a terrible disease, once you’ve had it it never really goes away,’ Eric continued.

‘
I have nothing left to say to you.’

‘
It wouldn’t take much to put a fly in the ointment. We are, as you know, a world obsessed by scandal. A rumour here, a rumour there - caught in possession of class A,’ Eric spoke.

‘
You don’t scare me,’ Freya responded bravely.

‘
Oh but I do Jane and I always have. That’s how it should be with father and daughter. You should have been in awe of me, you should have shown me the respect I deserved,’ Eric told her.

‘
You are sick,’ Freya said as her eyes filled with frightened tears.

‘
And you know what I am capable of,’ Eric stated coolly.

‘
What’s Nicholas done to deserve any of this?’ Freya wanted to know.

‘
It isn’t about him, it’s about you. I learnt a long time ago that the way to hurt you is to hurt those you care about. Perhaps I’ve chosen the wrong target, maybe I would do better focussing on Emma,’ Eric replied.

‘
You leave Emma alone,’ Freya hissed.

‘
Come on Jane, I don’t have time for this. What’s it to be? A retraction? Or perhaps I could get someone to do a “Gloria” on your boyfriend,’ Eric suggested.

‘
I’ve heard enough,’ Freya replied.

‘
I don’t think you’re listening to me you stupid little bitch! If you don’t print a retraction I will have him hurt, really hurt. You think that pathetic bodyguard of his will keep him safe? I know more people in more places that he’s had leading ladies. I will find him one night, on his own, and I will finish him,’ Eric stated viciously.

Freya didn’t reply. She knew he meant it and she knew he could do it.

‘
We’ve broken up,’ she said as matter of factly as she could.

‘
Oh Jane, I admire your attempt but I have eyes. I saw you on television with him, you were so close it made me want to vomit,’ Eric told her.

‘
It’s true; he’s been screwing his leading lady. I just found out,’ Freya stated.

‘
Fine, if that’s how you want to play it, then its Emma - makes no difference to me,’ Eric spoke.

‘
No! Not Emma! Look please, don’t do this,’ Freya begged in despair.

‘
A retraction Jane, by the end of next week,’ Eric ordered and he ended the call.

Freya was shaking as she looked at her mobile phone and realised what had happened. Her heart was racing, her head was spinning. There was only one option open to her now. She looked at her watch and decided it was time to go.

Freya got into the back of the car and shut the door behind her.

‘
Could you take me to the airport please?’ she requested of the driver.

Thirty Four

Freya certainly felt overdressed to be sat in Athens airport. Some people had pointed and stared at her earlier at the check-in desk but, now she was away from the main area, it was almost solitary. There was a flight to London at 2.30am and she was running away again.

It had been wonderful while it lasted, being close to someone who seemed to really care, feeling beautiful inside and out, but it wouldn’t have been like that forever. It had been a dream. A strange dream, some good bits some bad bits, but now she had woken up and it was time to return to her reality - her flat in Clapham and her business. Her things, the life she had built for herself.

Freya swallowed. Less than an hour ago she had had a choice, now she was being made to choose. What would she had chosen for herself? Perhaps she would never really know.

As she contemplated what she would have decided, her mobile phone began to ring. It was Nicholas.

She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know what to say to him but, after everything, in particular his bravery on stage tonight, she knew she couldn’t ignore him. He deserved more than that.

‘
Hello.’

‘
Freya! Where are you? The driver said he took you to the airport. What’s going on?’ he asked, almost frantically.

‘
I can’t live with you,’ Freya said, the words nearly choking her.

‘
Oh - I see - well OK, that’s fine, but we can talk about it can’t we? Why are you at the airport?’ Nicholas asked, trying hard to hide his disappointment.

‘
What is there to talk about?’ Freya asked him.

‘
Well, we need to talk about it. I mean we can work something out. I threw it at you, I know I did, and it was wrong. I was emotional, because of the night and I jumped in,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
Martha says I’ll ruin your reputation. She says you would be better off with someone like Hilary,’ Freya stated as she searched for excuses.

‘
Roger told me what she’s been doing. After tonight she’s history,’ Nicholas responded.

‘
But Roger can’t tell you what I said. He’s a wise monkey,’ Freya spoke.

‘
Roger knows exactly how I feel about you Freya. He had to tell,’ Nicholas said.

‘
It wouldn’t work. I can’t be the doll on your arm that you need,’ Freya continued, still struggling with excuses.

‘
Who says I need a doll on my arm? Martha? Gene and Bob? Hilary? I want
you
on my arm, no one else,’ Nicholas insisted.

‘
I can’t do it. People don’t want to see you with someone like me,’ Freya carried on.

‘
I don’t care about “people”. How many times do I have to tell you that? And what do you mean when you say “someone like you”? Someone bright, intelligent, funny and beautiful? Someone I really care about? That’s exactly the type of person everyone should be with,’ Nicholas spoke.

‘
I’m going home,’ Freya told him.

‘
You’re running away,’ Nicholas responded.

‘
I’m just going home. It’s where I belong,’ Freya spoke.

‘
You’re so used to running away you don’t know how to stop - even when you’ve nothing left to run away from,’ Nicholas stated.

‘
That’s not true,’ Freya insisted.

‘
Yes it is, you’re scared. Scared to trust me, frightened that if you start believing in us it might actually happen,’ Nicholas carried on.

‘
What you’re doing with the fundraising is fantastic. You don’t know how much I admired you tonight,’ Freya told him.

‘
You’re really ending this aren’t you? After all we’ve been through together, you’re ending it,’ Nicholas spoke.

‘
I don’t know what else to do,’ Freya admitted, the tears welling up in her eyes.

‘
Come back here and talk to me. I’ll have a car pick you up, or I’ll come there,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
No. My flight leaves in twenty minutes,’ Freya lied.

‘
Don’t leave Freya - please don’t leave,’ he begged her.

She could hear the emotion in his voice and it made her stomach contract with longing.

‘
Nick, I want you to know that I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re the only man that’s ever made me feel special and you’re such a good person. I just wish things were different,’ Freya began.

She stopped talking because she couldn’t go on. Tears were running down her face, her throat was dry and she couldn’t find the words she was looking for.

‘
Don’t do this Freya. Don’t turn your back on me,’ Nicholas pleaded with her, his voice failing him as he tried to swallow his emotion.

‘
I have to - for your sake. I’m sorry,’ Freya insisted and she ended the call.

She dropped her head to her knees and burying her face in her expensive dress she sobbed, soaking the material with her tears.

Thirty Five

Freya had played
Turncoat
almost daily since she had returned to England two months ago. She knew it was unhealthy, but she had wanted to see him to remember him.

She had eaten from every takeaway outlet in the area and had set up an account with Threshers. She had had few assignments. She had done four weddings (no funeral) and was in the middle of some promotional pictures for a new Friendly Shoppe that was opening soon.

The school photography had all but dried up. She could only assume that was down to the fact that everyone now knew she had a criminal record. She was clear on a CRB check now, but that wouldn’t matter to the parents. Although she had often felt like kicking a few of the children who insisted on picking their noses when she was ready to shoot, she would never have really harmed any of them, or set fire to them - not on a good day anyway.

It had taken a few weeks for the journalists to leave her alone. She had done an interview with
Shooting Stars
magazine saying that Russell had misquoted her. She knew better than to disobey her father and she truly feared for Emma. It had been the sensible thing to do. She wasn’t sure whether her father’s squeaky clean image had been tarnished at all by the ‘gossip’ but she only hoped it had. So now she was a wayward rich kid who had a criminal record and told lies. And once upon a time she had briefly dated a Hollywood actor. It was quite a life synopsis.