Absolute Betrayal Read online

  Carly bit her lower lip and took a step towards the door. “If that’s all, I have to get on with the clean-up downstairs.”

  “You bitch!” Naomi screamed as she was pulled roughly out of the room. “Jenny knew what was going on here. She approved and helped me run the whole operation!”

  With great strides Stella crossed the room and stood toe-to-toe with Naomi. Her fist curled into a tight ball, and with the speed that Mohammed Ali would be proud of, she punched Naomi squarely on the nose. Her knuckles burned from the impact and reddened immediately. Don’t react to the pain…don’t give her the satisfaction of seeing how much that hurt.

  “How dare you talk about my wife like that? Jen was an angel compared to you, and she would never have condoned any of this.” She tilted her chin towards the door, an indication for Claudia to get Naomi out of the room. “Get her locked up safely.”

  When the door closed behind them, Stella shook her hand, flexed her fingers, and rubbed her tender knuckles. She fell back into the chair and stared transfixed at the powder arches left across the desk. Jen can’t have been mixed up in this shit…there’s no way she’d ever do that.

  An hour later, Stella and Claudia had turned the office upside down and found more large packets of white powder taped to the underside of the file cabinet drawers. The last place to check was the desk drawers. Claudia reached it before Stella and rifled through them.

  Stella saw her open the large one at the bottom that acted as a small filing cabinet and watched as her hand halted in mid-air. “What is it?”

  Claudia slammed it shut and steered Stella away. “It’s best you don’t know until the police get here.”

  “We arrived just in time I see.” A tall brunette wearing a blue combat uniform and a bullet-proof vest stepped into view in the doorway.

  “Bev, it’s good to see you again.” Claudia greeted her friend with a hug and then introduced Stella. “We’ve found several large bags of narcotics in here you’ll need to deal with. But there’s also something else I want you to see. Stella, you need to look at this, too.”

  Her arms crossed along the back of the chair as she stood behind it and leaned over to see what Claudia was going to reveal. With the top end of a pen, Claudia hooked it under the lip of the drawer and pulled.

  Stella gasped then covered her mouth. “What that fuck are they doing in my club?”

  Bev reached in and lifted a small black handgun out. “Holy crap, this is a Ruger LCRx .38 special. It’s super light-weight and easy to conceal.” Looking back into the drawer her eyes widened. “There’s a small arsenal in here. Without touching anything else, I can see a Baretta M9, and an old British service revolver, the Webley MK VI. The Webley fires a large .455 cartridge, and is one of the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced.”

  The Ruger was returned carefully to the drawer. The glint of something silver caught her eye, and she reached out for it and pulled it out

  “What the hell was this woman into?” Bev pulled the combat knife from its sheath.

  “Jesus, where did that come from?” Stella’s eyes widened as the glinting sharp edge of the blade reflected the ceiling lights.

  “That’s what I’d like to know. This is a black Tanto Ka-Bar. It’s US military grade.” Testing the weight of it in her hand, she sighed. “Very light, and probably made of steel. The blade is possibly seven or eight inches long.”

  Claudia took Stella’s arm when she noticed her friend’s grey complexion and led her to the sofa. “Bev, just get them out of here. The rest of the club needs to be checked. You might want to bring in a drug dog or two to sweep it. CCTV will tell you exactly what we’ve done since we arrived.”

  The next two hours passed in a blur as they sat and watched things being bagged and tagged throughout the building. Several members of staff had been arrested along with Naomi, and the club was being torn apart by search teams and forensics. Two police vans had already been filled with evidence, and they were now working on a third.

  Stella stood on the gangway and watched the action unfolding below her. Her eye caught slight movement at the bar, and she glanced to her right, Carly was leant back with her elbows on the large oak polished surface, and observed the police officers’ every move.

  “Your friend seems to be clean.”

  Claudia appeared at her side. “Carly’s a good woman and would never knowingly get mixed up in any of this shit. She graduated university last year with degrees in economics, business administration, and mathematics. She aced every course and left with a two one in each subject. I think she’s been awaiting the right managerial position before moving on to greener pastures.”

  Stella’s eyes widened. “Exactly how old is she?”

  Claudia laughed as she led them back into the office. “She’s twenty-eight.”

  She walked to the phone, lifted the receiver, and ordered more coffee for them.

  Stella rubbed her face tiredly with both hands and blew out an explosive breath. “So what are we going to do now?”

  “I’ve organised for a forensic accountant to check the books for all your clubs, starting with this one.”

  A knock at the door stopped her from saying anything else.

  Carly entered with another tray and placed it on the desk. “The police are finished downstairs. Is there anything else you need me to do, or can I go home?

  Stella’s gaze locked on Carly, the green eyes drew her in, causing her breath to hitch and her stomach to roll pleasantly. A sensation she hadn’t felt for years bubbled deep inside her. Lust.

  Swallowing against her incredibly dry throat, she managed a smile for the pretty redhead. “No, you can leave. We’re going to be here for a while, and I’m sure one of us can figure out how to work the coffee machine.”

  “Thank you.” Carly walked out of the room but surprised both the other women when she stopped in the doorway. “If there’s anything you and Claudia need help with, I’m only a phone call away. Claudia has my number.”

  Stella looked deep into her eyes, and tried to judge how sincere the offer was. When she saw no change in Carly’s body language, the right side of her mouth curled upwards. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Stella waited until they were alone in the office and turned her attention back to Claudia. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed wearily.

  “What a massive clusterfuck of a mess this is! Can you call all the other staff members who work here and tell them there will be a mandatory meeting at the club tomorrow morning? If they can’t make it for any reason, then they’re to speak to me directly.”

  “I can do that, and if I have any other information from the forensic accountant tonight, I’ll contact you straightaway.”

  Sagging back into the chair, Stella closed her eyes to combat the newly formed stress headache. Managing two businesses was becoming too much. You should’ve hired a manger when Jen died. Her inner voice of reason, but logic, had always been a curse.

  “All we can do now is wait.”

  ***

  An hour later, Carly entered her flat and kicked her shoes off, which sent them flying into the cream hallway wall. She cringed at the black mark they left.

  What a day! she thought a she sauntered into the kitchen, retrieved a beer from the fridge, and then flopped down into her worn leather recliner. Her degrees hung on the walls around her. When she looked at them every day, it was like a slap in the face that she wasn’t using them to their full ability. I can’t help it that the right job hasn’t come along.

  Her thoughts returned to the night’s events. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to see her illustrious friend Claudia Miller in a Misfits nightclub, especially with the owner. The two women were obviously close but not close in a biblical sense. The looks they shared seemed sisterly, and the easy banter between them indicated they’d been friends for a long time.

  She couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going on in the club―well, apart from the drugs. That was obvious
from the number of bags removed and the fact she’d seen Naomi and a few other staff members dealing in the past.

  Poor Stella, perhaps I should talk to Claudia about the other rumours I’ve heard. But they’re only that…rumours. Still, I think Stella has a right to know what Naomi’s been doing right under her nose.

  Chapter Three

  The gentle breeze coming through the window blew softly over Stella’s face—she welcomed the sensation. Sat at her desk with her small reading glasses perched on the end of her nose, she was deeply absorbed in the financial report for her real estate company. Overall, it was flourishing, and now that she had more international offices and competent staff to run them, her investments were growing nicely.

  The gravel stones on the driveway crunched as a vehicle approached the house. Glancing at her watch, she noticed it was late. Who the hell could that be? She stood and stretched over the large pine desk and peeked out the window. Claudia’s midnight blue, BMW M6 convertible ground to a stop, and she watched as her friend climbed from her car. Instant nausea filled her as she saw Claudia hesitate, take a deep breath, and scrub her face with both hands.

  It had been nearly two weeks since she’d seen her, which was rare. Claudia made a conscious effort to visit them at least once a week so she could spend time with her godson. However, the reports she’d been compiling for Stella had taken precedence over everything.

  Her arm reached out, and she swung the window wide open. “Are you coming in or turning into a new statue for my garden?”

  Claudia flinched and jumped two steps back. “Jesus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

  Stella chuckled to herself as she pulled the window closed and made her way downstairs. Halfway to the bottom, she heard another car. Jesus, who else is here? She yanked the door open and discovered her mother. This can’t be good. They gang up on me whenever someone has bad news.

  As they entered the house, Stella kissed them on the cheek and motioned with her head for them to go into the kitchen. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of a joint visit?”

  After filling the kettle, she turned to see a strange glance pass between them.

  “How have you been, Claudia? It’s been a couple of weeks.”

  “Busy, I’ve been working through the files I took from the club. I’ve also had to deal with the forensic accountant. It’s been hectic.”

  The pot of tea was made as fast as possible. Once it was ready, Stella carried a fresh pot and three cups to the table. “Okay, that explains why mum is here. I assume there’s bad news to tell me.”

  Claudia fiddled with her cup. “I hardly know where to start.”

  Helen reached over and patted her hand reassuringly. “At the beginning, love.” She turned in her chair to face her daughter. “Claudia called and asked for my support, and that you might need me here when she talks to you. She hasn’t shared any details with me.”

  Stella massaged her temples with her fingers. “Okay, let’s get it over with.”

  Claudia shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “This isn’t going to be easy for you to hear, and I’m so deeply sorry.” She took a deep breath and expelled it quickly. “Right, first of all, I found credit card statements in the files from the club. You’d never have seen them as they were sent straight there and were all in Jen’s name. The cards were all near their limit, so I called the bank―”

  Waving a hand in the air, Stella stopped her. “Cards… as in plural?”

  “Erm…yeah.”

  “How many?”

  “Six.”

  “What the fuck!” Stella stood and paced the kitchen. “How did she manage to keep this from me?”

  “There’s more, I’m sorry.” Claudia reached out grabbed her arm to stop her. “Each card is registered to a different person.”

  The chair wobbled as Stella slumped back into it. She ran her hands roughly through her ebony hair. “Has she assimilated other identities as well or do these people actually exist?”

  Claudia pulled a sheaf of papers from her briefcase. “They’re real. I hope you don’t mind, but I had to go back to the club to see if I could gather any other information.”

  She needed to stall the conversation to get her thoughts together and took sip of her tea. It burned the roof of her mouth and scorched her lips.

  “Ah, shit!” Her hand shot up, and she spat the tea back into the cup.

  Helen ran to the sink and returned with a glass of cold water, in which Claudia plunged her tongue straight into.

  Stella tapped her fingers impatiently on the table top. “Jesus, how many times do I have to tell you to be careful what you put in your mouth. It’s the gherkin and jalapeño mix up all over again! Now stop stalling and tell me the fucking rest of your news.”

  Claudia removed the glass as Helen’s robust laughter filled the house. “Okay, I didn’t need to be reminded of the embarrassment and shame I left in the pizza restaurant.”

  The glass of water came in handy as she took a sip. Another deep breath and her eyes locked on Stella’s.

  “Jen’s email account is still active on the club network. I had a friend hack past her passwords so I could access all her files. Each of the names on the cards appears in her email address book. They’re managers of some of the nightclubs.” Bile rose in her throat as she saw the anger in her friend’s eyes. “Naomi also had a card.”

  “Jesus! Was she completely out of her bloody mind?” Stella’s face flushed with fury, her fists clenched, and she struck out at the top of the table.

  “Stella!” Helen jumped to her feet and grabbed hold of Stella before she could wear a groove into the floor. She glanced at Claudia who was still shuffling the papers around. “Sit down and listen to what else Claudia has to say. We can all blow up at the end. You’re prancing around like a caged animal isn’t helping.”

  Stella placed both hands on the table and leaned over towards Claudia. “Okay, tell me everything. However, I don’t know how I’m going to handle the rest. Copious amounts of alcohol may be required afterwards.”

  Claudia sighed and took a piece of paper from the sheaf and slid it towards her. “I found another bank account. One I’m certain you didn’t know anything about. Jen was squirreling money away. There’s two million in there, and I know where she was skimming it from.” She flipped through the wad of papers in her hand and handed a thick sheaf over. “That’s the report from the forensic accountant. He can’t balance the books for the London club. It’s down by nearly one hundred thousand. If we have him investigate the other clubs, I suspect we’d find other discrepancies, too.”

  As she scanned the first page, Stella’s body sunk in disappointment.

  “I feel like such a fool. How could she do this under my nose?” Her attention turned back to Claudia, and the change she saw was unbelievable. Claudia’s lips were a thin white line, and her eyes held a touch of fire and hatred. “Okay, what is it?”

  “This is the last, I promise. It’s not going to be easy for you to hear, but you’ve a right to know. The names of the managers that corresponded to the cards had also been sending Jen emails. I checked the email history on them, and what I saw made me sick to my stomach. They were all of a sexual nature, and very explicit, some were down right pornographic.” Stella opened her mouth to reply, but Claudia held a hand up. “I checked the replies. It wasn’t one sided. There was even a folder on her desktop with pictures of them together. Some were innocent, some not.”

  Stella felt like she’s been punched in the stomach. She curled in on herself and hugged her arms to her stomach. The bile rose in her throat and caused her to gag. She ran to the sink and lost her last meal.

  A hand on her back rubbed soothing circles. Her head was filled with thoughts of Jennifer and the other women. Something always seemed off. She spent far too many weekends away from home. It’s bad enough she was embezzling, but to cheat on her with even one woman was unforgiveable…but six! Her head spun, which caused her to wobble precariously,
her hands slapped onto the sideboard to stop herself from falling. I don’t think I ever really knew who Jen was.

  Claudia slipped under Stella’s arm and held it across her shoulder as she supported her and led her back to the table. She whispered over and over how sorry she was. Her words came out in choked sobs as she cried with her friend. “If I could’ve done this another way, I would’ve. You’re like a sister to me, and I’d never want to hurt you.”

  “I know that, and I suppose that in the end it would’ve come out anyway. The thing that hurts the most is that she cheated on me. I’m angry about the money, but the other news makes me feel like my soul and heart have been smashed into shards.”

  Helen joined them in the hug and stroked both of their backs comfortingly. Her anger was evident in her body language. She stood tall, her cheeks were flushed, and she gritted her teeth together.

  Stella pulled away from them both and stood straighter. “Right, they’re not getting away with this. Claudia, please have the accountant go into all of the clubs. Start with the ones these women run. He should be able to access their records from the server. The least they know about this the better.”

  “Stella, don’t do anything rash. Sit and think about what you’re doing,” Helen pleaded with her.

  Anything rash? Is she fucking kidding me!

  “I want the London club re-opened on Friday. Arrange for me to meet with the staff at ten o’clock that morning. If Naomi is out on bail, I want her there, too. I have a few choice words for that skank!”

  Claudia and Helen stepped back from her as she paced the kitchen, grumbling about the things she was going to see to herself. With a sudden thought, she pivoted and pinned them both with a penetrating stare. “I don’t want any of this mentioned in front of George.”

  Claudia stepped up and grasped her forearms, stopping her in her tracks. “What have you got planned?”

  A sadistic smile, not unlike Cruella DeVille’s, lit up her face, and the air around her fizzled and crackled with anger. “I’m going to make them wish they’d never slept with my wife or pissed me off. Fuck!”