To Murder Matt (21 page)

Leaving London the next day, she felt worse. She had to wait for the results, and the waiting was the worst part. The ‘what ifs’ plagued her. It was all she could think about, and whilst she was waiting, the baby inside her was still growing, and was becoming more human. She was starting to show. Even though she was wearing looser clothing, she could feel her stomach muscles, tightening and hardening.

Her mobile rang, it was the doctor. She looked at it ringing and wondered whether to answer, or not. Would he leave a message?  Heart beating faster than ever, she answered.

“Yes?”

“Ms. Mellor?”

“Yes?”

“It’s Dr. Singh here.”

“Yes?”

“We have all the results back, and it appears you are having a perfectly healthy baby. We found no DNA errors, no significant diseases. No genetically inherited malformations. Everything seems fine. You, and your husband, can look forward to a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy little baby.”

“Thank you doctor.” Her hand trembled as she hung up.  Her heart was still beating fast and so she sat down. Her mouth was dry. She put her head into her hands and wept with relief, and fear, for the life she was carrying inside her.  At this point, she hadn’t decided whether to abort it, or not. That was before she knew it was ok, now it was no longer an ‘it,’ but a little person.

At home, she sat and stared at the wall. She didn’t know whether to be happy, or sad.  She was just starting a new life herself. She had a good job, but she was alone. Her future seemed so unsure. The only thing that was sure was that she was expecting a child. it was the only thing she knew for certain.  She didn’t know what to do, whom to turn to. Had she enough to cope, enough to bring up the child, her child, by herself?  She had been unable to touch some of her money, as it was in her real name and she didn’t want Matt to trace her. The money she had managed to take, had bought her house and that had left only a little for savings. She relied heavily on the salary she was now earning.  If she gave up work, she would struggle badly.  What if Dean sacked her? She believed and hoped that the baby was Nico’s, but chances are he wouldn’t believe her and she couldn’t exactly tell him. Besides they had only had sex the once and she wasn’t even really there mentally. He had just emptied himself into her. It was a stupid mistake, a really stupid one. Of all the things to happen, this was a mistake that she would have to live with for the rest of her life.  She seemed to have no future. Was this what pregnancy alone was about? She burst into unexpected tears; and with no control over her emotions, she buried her face in her hands and cried again.

Getting ready for work the next day, Veronique felt emotionally stronger. She felt the tiny lump, her hand cupping the small hard mound in her stomach.  Up against most women, she was very slim and so it wouldn’t notice just yet.  It felt odd, this lump beneath her palm. Under there was a little life breathing, growing and living.  She felt a sudden stab against her hand and moved her hand away quickly; a small fluttering inside caused her to gasp. She had felt it kick. Had it felt her hand there?  She didn’t know whether to laugh, or cry.

“You are so innocent little one. It is not your fault. Neither of us chose this.  We will have to make the best of it.” She picked up her briefcase and went to work.

Driving in, she tried to work out how to tell Dean. He had been so good to her and she had to be honest and let him know. If necessary, she would work out her notice.  She would have to ensure he never mentioned it to Matt, but having seen Dean’s reaction to Matt in the past, she didn’t think there was any love lost there.

Today was going to be an important day.

N
ico had gone directly to the address given to him in the London office.  It was a glorious villa set in to a hill overlooking the sea. Bougainvillea covered the front with bright flowers. It had a semi-circular drive and a mock Georgian porch consisting of two large and tall white columns.  Nico went straight to the front door and rang the bell. It was hot and he brushed an annoying fly away from his hair.  The door opened a few moments later by a woman in her sixties or so. She looked at him with barely concealed dislike.

“Hello I am here to see Mr. Mellor.” His accent was thick and she had obvious difficulty understanding his French. He repeated himself slowly. She said something quickly and then waved a cloth and closed the door in his face. Moments later the door opened again and an elderly gentleman stood looking at him.

“Oui?”

“Mr. Mellor?”

“Mr Mellor on holiday with new femme.”  He said in broken English.

“New femme?”

“Yes, marriage.”

“Oh. When back?” Nico pointed to the floor as he spoke. The old man opened his hands and gestured widely with his arms and shrugged his shoulders to say he didn’t know.

“Veronique? Here?” He pointed to the floor again.

“No.” He did the same, “I have no idea” gesture and shrugged his shoulders again.

“Address? London?”

“Oui, one moment.” He went inside and closed the door on Nico again who was sweating profusely in the hot French sun. The man returned a few moments later with a crumpled piece of paper, which he held out to Nico. He looked at the scribble on the page and thanked him before getting back in his hire car. Now he had to return to London.

Of all the numbers he had called from the crumpled up piece of paper the old man had given him, none of them had led him to Matt.  Each person had given him another number to try and another number to call. Nico felt like he was going round in circles.

“Hello I wonder if you can help me. I am looking for Matt Mellor?”

“Yes? Would you like me to connect you?

“Oh no, that’s fine. What is your address? I need to come to your offices for a meeting.”

“543 Ledbetter Street, Sir. Shall I tell him you called?”

“No, It’s ok. I will be there shortly.”

Nico slammed the phone down and grabbed his jacket. Finally he had a lead. Looking at his watch, he estimated he could be there in twenty minutes.

Ledbetter Street was bustling with lunchtime shoppers, a few tourists and some sightseers. He sat in a café opposite the number of the building the girl had given him. It was a matter of only a few hours before Matt came out of the building. Matt raised his arm and hailed a taxi.

Nico threw some money on the table and did the same.  A taxi stopped and he got in.

“Where to, Sir?”

“Follow that taxi!”

“Really?”

“Yes, hurry. We mustn’t lose it. Try not to be seen.”

“Oh, I have been waiting to hear that, all my life, Sir.” He stepped on the accelerator and they started weaving in and out of the traffic, a few cars behind the other taxi. “You an undercover policeman, on a case?”

“No.”

“A jealous husband?”

“No.”

“Oh.” The taxi driver stopped talking and carried on driving. The taxi in front eventually slowed and Matt got out. His own taxi pulled up a few doors down and the taxi driver turned to him for payment.

“Where are we?” Nico asked as he got out the taxi fare.

“Kensington, Mate.” Nico paid whilst still keeping an eye on Matt, and the taxi driver grinned as he saw how much he had been given as a tip. “My pleasure, Sir.” He doffed his cap at him. Nico turned and started walking a little behind Matt. He watched him enter a large building with tall columns and walked passed, then later came back and wrote down the address.

Nico had only met Matt the once, but he had seen him several times from a distance, the one time he had had the chance to meet him, he had disliked him immediately. He had seen how jealous and protective he was of Veronique. She was swanlike, graceful and blonde, whereas he was dark and brooding. He thought he was her boyfriend from the way he handled her possessively; his eyes never leaving her for more than a second and always ensuring she was under his control. Whilst the lust was evident in his eyes for her, he had seen only resignation in hers.  In his company, she had changed from a confident happy woman to a submissive unhappy docile woman and the change was striking enough for even Nico to notice.  Matt had taken her firmly by the elbow and steered her through the crowd of people. Nico had watched them from a distance and later he spoke to one of the crew, after they left the ship together.

“A relation?”

“Yeah her brother.”

“Oh.” Nico had felt momentary disbelief.  The lust he had seen in his eyes was not the look a brother should have for his sister. Nico thought if he
were
her brother, then he would not be a rival for her affections. He seemed familiar to him, but couldn’t remember where he had seen him before, but he was convinced he had met him somewhere else.

Even then, Nico had felt he should be doing something for Veronique, but not knowing her circumstances, he was not in a position to act upon his feelings,. However, thinking about it all again now Nico realised he should have stepped in. She had obviously needed protection from someone, and as the man who loved her, he could have said something, done something. Even months later, his feelings for her had not changed. Even though he had not seen Veronique since she was on the ship, his feelings were as strong as ever. If they weren’t he wouldn’t have been playing detective in London looking for her.

He loved her for who she was, not who she had been. He was looking only to love her in the present and the future.  He didn’t care about anything, but her. She was the only woman for him.

Nico waited for several hours outside, before he took the risk to go up to the door.  Above the doorbell was the name Mr. & Mrs. Mellor. He was very surprised that Matt was really married. He turned away as it was getting late. He would return the next day to meet the wife; maybe she could help.

In his hotel room, he went over every thing he had ever said to Veronique, everything she had said to him. He re-examined every conversation about her in minute detail. When she had said she had been attacked, he knew this had been a lie. She had disappeared shortly afterwards. What would cause her to run away, and why would she hide it if it were her brother who had attacked her? Why would he attack his sister? Why had she called out that he should not come inside her, that
he
was her brother? The thought still made him uncomfortable. Whenever he had seen Veronique with her brother, she had not appeared to be happy at all.  It had to be Matt who was in control, Matt who had driven her away.  If her brother had attacked her, he could only assume it was a tempestuous relationship, but even so it didn’t make sense.  All he knew was that when he had held her in his arms, and had been thrusting deep into her, she had called out for her brother. Maybe she had been having a terrible dream and her brother was just overly protective of her. He knew of some Greek men who would kill to protect their sister’s honour. He guessed Matt was one of these types; it wasn’t uncommon in Europe. The day that Nico had held Veronique, made love to her, he had thought it was the beginning for them. He needed her like he needed the air. In his hotel bed, he took the pillow and holding it close to him he turned over to sleep. His last thoughts before he slept were that he was holding Veronique in his arms and not the pillow.

The next day, Nico had been pacing up and down in the street, wondering whether to go and knock on the door. Matt had already left a few hours earlier. As he was thinking what to say, he saw a stunning woman come out of the house. She was unaware of her beauty which made her all the more attractive. She put her hand up to hail a taxi and he quickly ran across as she opened the door.

“Hello, please can we share this taxi? I have been trying for hours and I am in such a rush.”

“Oh yes I guess.” She seemed stunned.

“Where are you going?” he asked quickly.

“Victoria Station.”

“Excellent,” he said, “So am I.” He hopped in and sat by her.

“Where next?”

“Southampton.”

“Oh this is too strange! I am going there too.  I am a captain and have a job interview for a ship.” Nico had been bluffing; as soon as she mentioned Southampton he knew ships went from there.

“Oh my, it seems our fate to share this taxi then.” Ellen smiled graciously.

“So let me introduce myself formally. I am Captain Nico Vangelis.”  He held out his hand.

“Ellen Mellor.” They shook hands politely.

“I know this isn’t the British way of doing things, but I am not British so please make allowances.” She smiled. “Are you going far? You said you are going to Southampton?”

“Yes. I am visiting Hamble, very near to it.”

At the train station Ellen went to pay, but Nico insisted.  Ellen thanked him, stepped out and went into the station. Nico started looking around frantically for her then realised he hadn’t a train ticket and hurried along to buy one from one of the machines.  He got on one end of the train and started walking through the train carriages until he spotted Ellen seated by herself.

“Hello again, beautiful lady.” He smiled his best smile. “May I?” He gestured to the empty seat opposite her.

“Of course.”  Ellen continued reading as Nico tried to think of how to get her talking again.

“You know the shipping industry is very small.”

“It is.” Ellen said and returned to reading her book.

“I have a friend, Veronique, that I am hoping to work with again. I think she may be here in the UK. Do you know of her?”

“Captain Vangelis, I only know a few people in the industry and even then he is a yacht chandler, a very different size of boat I believe to the larger cruise ships you may be used to.”

“Ah well, you never know. I had nothing to lose.” He was disappointed. Being Matt’s sister, he was sure she would have sat up when he mentioned her name, but there was no reaction, which confused him.

“Would you like to meet my friend, Dean Montalban Smythe? Maybe he knows of her.  You never know, he may even need a captain for one of his yachts.  It never hurts to network.”

“Oh, that would be most kind, but I do not wish to impose.”

“No imposition at all. After all, we are both going in the same direction. He is bound to know everyone down there.”