Mickey, who was a freelance investigative journalist putting together an article for whoever would buy it, knew Cole had abused his first wife rather viciously for four years.
Mickey, whose own mother suffered at the hands of Mickey’s father in much the same way, knew Cole would pay for what he did to the women in his life.
The public would eat him alive at the very thought of his lifting his hand to Belle “The Tiny Dynamo” Abbot.
Much less him doing it repeatedly for four years.
And no woman in her right mind would ever get near him again.
Mickey would make absolutely certain of that.
This thought made Mickey smile to himself as he started his car to follow them.
Chapter Eight
All an Act
Jack
Jack strode swiftly up the path to the stables where Rachel had told him Belle was with her grandmother.
It was fair to say Jack was not very happy.
Indeed, one could even say he was incensed.
Three weeks ago Belle had, as she’d agreed, arranged for Jack to attend an appointment with her at her obstetrician.
This was not what made him angry.
Her obstetrician was quite qualified (Jack had checked) and seemed confident, knowledgeable and self-assured.
She had also told Jack that Belle’s continuing morning sickness, weight loss, pallor and head pain were all quite natural.
Jack didn’t believe her.
Two weeks ago, Belle had travelled all the way up to London with his mother in order that she could accompany him to a second opinion appointment with an eminent obstetrician in Harley Street.
During the second opinion with the eminent Harley Street obstetrician, Jack was told the precise same thing.
Jack didn’t like it but he believed him.
This, as well, was not what made him angry.
One week ago, Belle, her mother and her grandmother had, as promised, moved into his home.
Upon her arrival, he was pleased both to note and be told by Rachel that Belle was feeling much better. The head pain was gone as was the morning sickness.
Jack saw with his own eyes that the colour had come back to her face. She’d even seemed to gain weight and was beginning to form a small baby bump.
However, since she’d moved in, even though she was living under the same roof as him, Jack had barely seen her. Furthermore, the two weeks prior, he’d found it difficult to contact her.
Although he owned and ran two large conglomerates that necessitated him having a personal assistant, a personal secretary and a four-person administrative pool at his command, Belle was busier than he.
If she was not at her shop in St. Ives, she was in the workshop above her shop in St. Ives.
If she was not in her shop or workshop, she was off having coffee or shopping with her mother, grandmother or his mother or a combination of the three or, indeed, the whole lot of them.
If she was not in her shop or workshop or with any of the women, she was out on a walk and over the past week, she took Baron and Gretl.