Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) (27 page)

''And you still full of the same old BS Jason Lopez.''

''How long now? I'm tired of waiting. I need
you,
babe
.''

''I told you. We still need to sign the insurance papers. I've got it covered. Don't worry my darling. We'll soon be sitting on a beach in Grand Cayman.'' She looked at the man she had loved at school but rejected. ''You know I was such a fool to let you all those years ago.''

''If I remember, you didn't have much choice. When your dad sent you to rehab I tried to get in touch with you, but it was impossible. You know we had the world at our feet. We were supplying the whole
school;
nobody was a rich as us at that time.''

''When I came out of rehab my dad kept me locked up like a prisoner. When he introduced me to Dan, I took the opportunity. I mean it was better than sitting at
home,
and I hadn't got a clue where you were. You know, Dan's not a bad guy, but he's
gotta
go.'' When she'd stopped laughing she looked at the tattoos on Jason's body and tried to figure out which one was new. ''I don't know why, but when I orgasm I always seem to need a line
afterward
,'' she added.

Jason got out of bed and reached into a drawer in the cabinet next to the window. He pulled out a pack of cocaine and handed it to her.

''That's my boy. You always give me what I want.''

*****

Janice looked at her watch. Where was Keke? It was gone
ten,
and she was never this late. When she heard a car pull up
outside,
she was relieved. ''My God Keke, you look awful are you alright?''

''Yes, I'll be
fine
. I'm just feeling a bit under the
weather;
that's all. Be an angel and make me some tea.''

Janice looked at her quizzically. ''But you never drink tea. How about a nice strong coffee to get you up and
running
.'' The mention of the word coffee
sent
Keke rushing to the toilet.

''You're not pregnant are you?'' Janice asked when Keke came back into the room holding a tissue. Keke looked at her. Twenty minutes later Janice was back at the office with a home pregnancy test. Keke went to the bathroom and shortly after Janice heard a scream.

After she had stared at the picture of Madam Tinubu for over an hour and wiped away more tears that she wanted to remember, she picked up the phone.

''Hi Dan, it's Keke.'' Dan was sitting in his office reading an email from Johannesburg in which the union boss had apologized for the inconvenience and instructed his members to return to work forthwith. Just the sound of her voice made all those feelings reappear. But her rejection had been sudden and
brutal,
and it had hurt him deeply.

''Keke, how's the investigation going? It's only three weeks to the
wedding,
and I'm getting nervous? Have you found what she's up to yet?'' he blurted the questions out one after another as quickly as he could.

''Dan, I'm....pregnant.''

''Is it mine?'' Jesus Christ, what a horrible thing to say, Dan thought. ''Sorry. I'm just a bit upset after you know..... and I'm shocked.''

''Dan, it's yours,
of course,
it is.''

There was a long silence. ''Well that's fantastic, really good news.
Of course,
I'll take care of your every
need,
and you'll never want for money, I'll make sure of that.'' What Dan wanted to say was: please let's be a family,' but he didn't want
anymore
hurt.

''Thank
you,
Dan. I'd hoped you would understand. Raising a child as a single
mom
won't be
easy,
so I'm grateful for you support.'' The words single
mom
made him feel lonely and excluded. ''Let's have a coffee sometime and we can finalize the details.'' Sounds like
a bloody
business deal, Dan thought. ''You asked me about Britney,'' Keke continued. ''I've been following her, but I've been sick quite a bit, so I've put Janice on the job. The only time Britney went anywhere unlikely, Janice lost her in the traffic somewhere near
Shelborne
Springs. Do you know anyone there?''

''No.'' Dan's mind was still thinking about the horrific prospect of Keke raising their child without him. ''It's got to be a secret.''

''What has?''

''Your pregnancy. If people
find
out, my future may be at risk.''

''Okay. I won't tell anyone. Dan? Dan?''

Dan had hung up.

*****

Britney was driving towards Shelborne Springs when her cell rang. ''Hi babe, it's me.''

''Dan.'' How very inconvenient, he never calls me during the day, she thought. And why did he call me babe? ''What's up?''

''Can you meet me in town, I want to talk to you?''

''Sure when?''

''An hour.''

A line of cocaine flashed across her mind. She gripped the steering wheel harder and tried to block the thought, but it was impossible. She needed
it
and the
thought
of having to turn back to Dallas and go
without
was overbearing. Only a few days, keep it together girl, she told herself.

Dan liked Mary's tea room. It was a copy of one of
those
old fashioned bakers shops, with a tea room at the back. Britney arrived at the same time as the waitress. Dan
ordered
a pot of tea and scones with cream.

Don't mess it up Britney, told herself as she approached the table. Give him a kiss, make sure he suspects nothing. She flashed a false smile and sat down opposite him.

Dan looked at her. He was right, she
really
was behaving
oddly,
and she looked as thought she needed to sleep. Enough
now,
though, both your parents think she's a great girl, the fun you had when you first started dating will come
back,
and sure, she's nervous.
After all,
she's marrying into a dynasty.

''Are you okay?'' she asked. not
really
caring if the answer was yes or not.

''Fine. Listen I've been a bit aloof lately. I just wanted to tell you I'll help you finalize the wedding. I'
haven't
been much help so far. I thought it was time I did my bit.''

Did you drag me away from a good screw and a line of cocaine to tell me that you mean son a bitch?
she
thought. ''Yes great. I'll brief you when we get home.''

''And one more thing. You mentioned the insurance papers. James Ridley will be here in a few minutes. Remember him? The broker from Allinson and Allinson. We'd better get all those
boring
little details sorted before the wedding. You never know, I might walk under a
bus,
and you'd be destitute otherwise.''

Britney beamed back at him. Finally, she thought.

*****

Janice yawned as she pulled up, a couple of hundred meters away from Britney's car. Get yourself a new job, she thought.
This is
boring as hell. She'd spent day after day, sitting in her car, either outside Dan and Britney's house or following her on another shopping trip. The only time she'd left central Dallas was to go to some God forsaken town and then Janice had lost her. Today would be like all the other days, she thought.

When Britney got out of the car, she headed into a clothes shop. Janice followed her at a discrete distance, her hand on the camera in her bag. Keke had told her to keep back and take photos' if Britney met anyone suspicious. Particularly men.

Janice watched as Britney walked around the store. Britney picked up the odd garment and looked at it before replacing it. When Britney looked at her watch and suddenly made for the door, Janice was alert. She followed her outside and across the road to the park. Britney sat down on a park
bench,
and Janice hid behind a tree. After a couple of minutes, Janice reached for the camera. Britney was talking to a very tall, thin man.

*****

Keke was just about to throw up
again
when Janice arrived looking hot and sweaty. ''I thought they called it morning
sickness
because it's supposed to happen in the morning,'' Keke complained. ''I've been ill all day.'' She looked at Janice and noticed her familiar guilty look. ''What's the matter?''

''I've messed up.''

Keke wasn't surprised. ''What?''

''She met a guy.'' Janice slumped into the
armchair
and looked at
Keke,
who'd
take
the secretary's place for the day.

''And?''

''And I tried to take a photo, but the camera.''

''The camera did what?''

''Well, that's the problem. It didn't do anything.''

''Why?''

''I forgot to charge the batteries last evening.''

''Janice, how many time are you going to......'' Keke got up and rushed to the bathroom. In the time she was away, she decided not to fire Janice. For now
anyway
. She'd give her one more chance. ''Do
you, at least,
have a description?'' she asked when she returned.

''Yes. Tall and quite thin with a full head of gray, black hair.''

''What was he wearing?''

''All black. Pants and shirt.''

''Shoes, boots, sandals?''

''Ah yes that's the interesting bit,'' Janice remembered. ''Cowboy boots. Very noticeable ones. Black with white flashes.''

Keke opened the window. Janice's car didn't have air
conditioning,
and she was not going to let Janice drive her car. ''Drive slowly Janice please,'' Keke pleaded. ''I've got six stores on the list. Lets' begin at San Antonio Street and work our way around the downtown area.'' Janice nodded and put her foot down. Keke felt nauseous but
managed
to hang on.

''One more and
we're done
. It a very long shot but this is a game of coincidences. You never know what's around the next corner,'' Keke said as Janice pulled up outside Wild Bills. When they went inside Keke whistled to
her self
. There were more
stetsons
that she'd ever seen in one place and hundreds of pairs of cowboy boots. When Janice yelled, Keke jumped in shock.

''These. These here.'' Janice held up a pair of black cowboy boots with white flashes.

''Are you sure?''

''Yes. One hundred percent.''

Keke took the boots off her and walked to the sales counter, where a young man was unpacking shirts. ''Are you okay?'' he asked her. ''You look
very hot
?'' His observation was confirmed when a trickle of sweat dropped from her forehead and landed on the counter. He disappeared and came back with a glass of ice water and a clean towel.

''My word, you are one
considerate
man. You'll make someone a great husband one day,'' Keke said, wiping her face
in
the soft towel.

“'I'm already married,'' he said proudly. ''To Martha.''

Doesn't look old enough, Keke thought. ''And what's it like being married?''

''Wonderful. I love her so
much;
everyday
is a fantastic experience. When I get home and see her, it's....it's like having the best Christmas present you could ever wish for,
everyday
.''

''Do you remember if a tall, thin man, probably dressed in black, bought a pair of these boots from your store.''

''That sounds like Steve. He's a good customer here.''

''Do you know where he lives?'' Keke wasn't hopeful.

''No but I can tell him you want to speak to
him
if you like. He's got some boots here for repair. I'll give him your number when he comes to collect them.''

''No it's okay. Don't worry.''

Keke sat in her office and thought about what the young man had said in Wild Bill's. He can't have been more than nineteen, yet he spoke with so much passion about the woman he loved. She looked at Madam Tinubu and felt racked with guilt and horror at what she had done. ''Okay, okay, I'm going to. Don't look at me like that,'' she said.

''Janice? Can you come
here,
please.'' When Janice
appeared,
she looked pleased with herself. Keke didn't know why. ''I want you to park yourself outside Wild Bill's
everyday
until you see that man appear. When you see him, I want you to follow him and find out where he lives. When you've done that I'll take over.''