Kissed a sad goodbye - Deborah Crombie [132]
Lowell nodded but didn’t apologize. Reg had opened his mouth as if he meant to defend himself, when his father cut him off. “Reg, you and Teresa are both under consideration for this position. You may vote your shares now, but you’re aware your percentages are too insignificant to affect the outcome—”
“Then why bother?” Reg’s face was still pinched with anger.
“As you wish,” Sir Peter said smoothly. “But in that case, I think it would be best if you both left the room until we can come to a decision. Why don’t you wait for us in your office.”
Teresa stood up, catching sight of the grief and shock etched on William’s face as she did so. A wave of weakness invaded her knees, and she suddenly realized how desperately she wanted out of the room, away from emotions so raw they seemed to rip the air.
Straightening her spine, she crossed the office with deliberate steps; at the door she turned and waited for Reg.
He took one last look round the room, as if defying anyone else to speak, then he turned and joined her.
They walked down the catwalk to his office in silence, and as he shut the door behind them, he said, “It’s a bloody farce—may the best man win and all that. I’m fucked without this job, well and truly fucked—did you know that, darling Teresa?”
“I don’t want—I never meant to take anything from you,” she said hotly, angry tears smarting behind her eyelids. “You—”
“Then why wouldn’t you talk to me? You had bloody Fiona ring me to tell me they meant to crucify me—”
“That had nothing to do with this. It was you—you lied to me about what happened with you and Annabelle that last night. You were furious with her because you found out what she’d done with those other men—and then with me.… You used me to pay her back, didn’t you? Even though she was dead.”
Reg stared at her blankly. “What are you talking about?”
“You … you made love to me because you knew Annabelle cheated on you, and I was the first thing that came along after …”
“That’s daft, Teresa. It never even crossed my mind. I wanted you. I wanted someone who wouldn’t turn away—but you did.” Moving a step closer, he said, “You believe them, too, don’t you? You think I killed her.”
“No, I—”
Reg grabbed her, his thumbs digging painfully into the soft flesh of her arms. “Don’t bloody lie, Teresa. I can see it on your face. You—”
The door swung open and Jo exclaimed, “What the—”
Slowly, Reg let Teresa go. “What’s the verdict, then?” he demanded. “Banishment from the kingdom?”
“Reg, I’m sorry.” Jo shook her head. “We’re asking Teresa to step in as acting director.”
He gave a strangled laugh that was almost a sob. “Not you, too, Jo?”
“I’m sorry,” Jo repeated. “It’s not because I think you murdered Annabelle—I don’t believe that. But I think it’s the best thing for the company. You’re out of control, Reg. You need—”
“All you Hammonds can go to hell, so just shut up, Jo. Don’t you dare tell me what I need.” He turned away from her, back to Teresa, and his eyes were bright with tears. “They’re right, you know. If anyone can salvage what Annabelle sowed, it’s you—but don’t say I didn’t warn you about the consequences of throwing your lot in with the Hammonds. They’ve a bloody talent for betrayal.”
JANICE LOOKED UP FROM HER DESK at Kincaid and Gemma conferring in the corridor. There was a tension between them this morning, subtle but evident if one was aware of the signs. If Gemma was trying to juggle the personal and the professional, as Janice now strongly suspected, she didn’t envy her the task—although she supposed that even if Kincaid was a bit of a prat sometimes, he was not bad as far as men went.
Of course, everyone’s frustration level was running high—it had been six days since they’d found Annabelle Hammond’s body, and they weren’t much further forward. So far, forensics had not turned up anything of significance in either Annabelle’s flat or her car, and they were still processing the samples from the warehouse.
Kincaid had had another meeting