Roses Are Red - Miranda Rijks Page 0,79

but Lydia, I’ve done nothing wrong! I didn’t touch Adam. I’m sorry your husband died, but not for one moment have you considered that I’m also a victim here. My wife was cheating on me. And Adam was a friend of mine. Don’t you think I feel betrayed too? It’s horrible what we’ve all been through. But you and me, we were doing ok, managing the business, back on an equilibrium. That was until Patrick came along and started fueling your suspicions!’

‘No, that’s not true. Patrick has nothing to do with it. He’s just looking out for me. It’s because the police are suspicious of you, because I think you’re undermining me and the business. And you have a criminal record, which you conveniently never told me about.’

‘This is nonsense!’ His voice is raised now and he starts pacing, his hands deep in his coat pockets. ‘Let me in, Lydia.’

‘No,’ I say weakly. It feels as if my knees are going to give way. I haven’t felt this ill in years. ‘I’m going back to bed now.’ I shut the front door on Ajay, but a moment later, he is banging on it. If it wasn’t such a sturdy, ancient oak door, I would be scared he might break it down.

‘Bloody let me in!’ He thumps the door again.

‘If you don’t go away, Ajay, I’m going to call the police.’

I back away and walk into the kitchen to grab the phone. I remember Patrick telling me I must call the police if I’m scared of Ajay. I wait out of view. He bangs the door another couple of times, but then an envelope is slipped through the letter box and lands on the doormat. I tiptoe into the living room and peek around the side of the curtains. To my relief, I see Ajay getting into his Mercedes saloon. He drives away at speed.

After picking the envelope up, I feel totally drained, and it takes every ounce of my remaining strength to pull my weary, aching body up the stairs. I collapse into bed.

I am dozing when, an hour later, the phone rings.

‘Hello,’ I whisper. My voice is barely there.

‘If you won’t talk face to face, we’ll talk on the phone,’ Ajay says. ‘Have you studied my offer?’

‘No, not yet.’

‘Right. I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m coming back and we are going to sort this mess out.’

‘No–’ I say, but he’s hung up on me.

With trembling hands, I open the envelope. It’s as I expected, valuing the company at about fifty percent less than I would have expected. I don’t need an accountant to tell me that this is a lousy offer. I need Ajay to go away and stay away.

I call Patrick. His phone rings and rings and then his voicemail kicks in. ‘Can you call me, please? It’s urgent,’ I say, in a hoarse whisper. I need him now. Ajay is frightening me. And then the doorbell rings again. I can’t deal with this. So I do what Patrick told me to do and I call DI Cornish for the second time in as many days.

A woman answers. ‘I’m sorry, DI Cornish isn’t available. Can I help?’

I explain who I am and how I’m concerned about Ajay’s behaviour.

‘And what exactly has he done to you that is threatening?’

‘He was insisting on coming inside the house. I sent him away and now he’s coming back again, and I’m scared.’

‘Has he caused you any bodily harm?’

‘No, no. He hasn’t touched me.’

‘And has he caused any damage to your property?’

‘No,’ I whisper. I know where this conversation is going.

‘So other than ringing your doorbell, what exactly are you accusing Mr Arya of doing?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ I concede. Perhaps I’m overreacting because I’m feeling so ill. ‘I’m sorry to have bothered you.’ I hang up.

The doorbell chimes again, and I just can’t stand it. I need Patrick. Now. He needs to come home and tell Ajay to leave me alone in peace. I try his mobile once again, but it still goes straight to voicemail. Where did Patrick say he was going today? I search my pounding, cotton-wool brain. Guildford. It was a fire extinguisher manufacturer, but I can’t remember the name. I grab my phone and do an online search. It’s the first on the list. Began Fire Extinguishers. I’m sure that’s what he said. I hope he won’t mind me disturbing him, but I have to do this.

‘Hello, I understand you have a consultant visiting your offices today.