Chapter 20
By the time dawn had arrived, word of Ebony's attack and Martin Preston's arrest had spread through the seaside town's close-knit community. Many of the residents were shocked that something so terrible had happened to 'such a nice girl'; while others thought she had got what was due to her.
There were a select few, who thought that Martin was innocent and that it had really been Lex Kennedy who had raped the young reporter. Lex however, had received a teary phone call from Salene in the early hours of the morning; and in his semi-sober state had ordered her to call Jay and have him pick him up.
Less than thirty minutes later, after a quick shower, Lex stood at his front door waiting for the blonde life guard to pull up in his navy blue Buick Le Sabre, which was already bursting at the seams with Amber, Jack and Danni. Lex had been forced to squeeze into the back with a cinnamon and rose scented Amber and an agitated Jack. Danni had obviously gotten first dibs on the front seat, much to Jack's annoyance.
After making sure that Ebony was okay, Lex had called her parents in Christchurch, letting them know what was happening. Ebony's parents had been shocked to say the least, but Lex had insisted that he would keep her safe. There was no way in hell that she would be going back to the beach house.
/
"So it turns out that Martin has a split personality." Amber placed her hand over Lex's, hoping to calm him down. It was almost noon and Amber had turned up at Lex's apartment complex, carrying a bagful of Ebony's clothes. It had been decided that she would spend a few days at Lex's once she was released from the hospital. "He has no recollection of the events after he and Ebony left The Monsoon." Amber shook her head. "He seemed so normal y'know."
Lex nodded silently. His mind reeling still. He'd known Martin Preston all his life, had hung with him as a teenager, although that was only because he was Caleb's best friend, while he had Ebony and Ryan. In actual fact, Lex had only ever tolerated Martin.
"It's my fault. It's all my fault." Lex stared blankly at the blonde, who was almost on the verge of tears herself.
Amber stared at him strangely. She hardly knew Lex and yet it felt like she'd known the gentle man all her life. "Lex." Amber stated firmly. "You can't blame yourself. Bad things happen all the time. I realized that myself not so long ago."
"I should have protected her. I wasn't there when she needed me. If I were her, I'd never speak to me again." A single tear rolled down Lex's cheek, landing with a splash on his hand.
"Ebony loves you Lex. She knows that it's not your fault." Amber gave the hand that she was still holding a reassuring squeeze. "She trusted Martin, we all did. Neither you or her knew that he had a split personality called Zoot, who was a raving loony."
Lex knew she was right. But he couldn't admit it to himself. For her years, she was mature and wise, but somewhere in her eyes, she could see a small glimmer of naivety. "If I hadn't have gone to meet Miss Zulu Knots on the beach last night and realized that the girl I'd fallen in love with over the Internet wasn't who she said she was; I wouldn't have gone to the club, I wouldn't have got drunk and this whole mess wouldn't have happened." Lex's words tumbled out with ease, unaware that he was making himself out to be a pathetic loser with no life.
Amber couldn't believe Lex's words. Surely there couldn't be two Miss Zulu Knots looking for Tycoon. It wasn't he that she'd met on the beach the night before. Jay had been the one with the rose. "Erm Lex." Amber fought to keep an even tone in her voice. "Where did this Miss Zulu Knots come from?"
Lex looked up, making eye contact with the beautiful girl in front of him. "Eketahuna. Why?"
"No reason." Amber tugged her hand away from Lex's and picked up her bag. "I've got to go. I'll be back later."
Lex nodded and watched as the blonde girl hurried out of the front door. From the corner of his eye, Lex noticed a small digital camera that he had never seen before, sitting on the coffee table. Intrigued to what was on it, he reached out for the electrical device. Hitting the play back button and watching the images on the small-attached screen, he made out the figures of two very familiar people and a very familiar bedroom.
/
"What do you mean you've lost it?" Tai-San Lui screamed across the room. "How could you have lost it?" She had removed herself from the bed a few moments earlier and had crossed the room to were a large wooden dresser stood. She picked up her cigarettes and removed one.
Josh Ram shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I had it at Kennedy's place last night and when I woke up in your bed, it was gone."
"Is it at Lex's?" Tai-San frowned, her heart beating faster with fear. Her hand shook as she lit her cigarette and took a long drag, before placing the lighter back onto the dresser.
"It could be. We weren't exactly careful now were we?" Ram's lips curled into a smirk. "Lex could be watching it at this very moment. Couldn't you just die?"
Couldn't she just? At this rate, she wouldn't be sharing her bed with Lex any time soon. If Lex had found it, she was sure that it would put the final nail in the coffin.
"Y'know you never did tell me why you wanted that footage." Josh raised an eyebrow, quizzing the Oriental girl with the look.
"I'm sure I did." Tai-San retorted. "But if you must know again. Lex is involved with that blonde bimbo who has just moved to town. Met her over the Internet or something. I wanted the pictures to use against him. I owe it to Zandra."
"Zandra! Huh!" Josh exclaimed at Tai-San's cliff notes. "You mean that you want Lex for yourself. Always have. Always will."
Tai-San threw herself down onto a huge pile of scatter cushions. She was sick of pacing around the room, especially since Josh was mentally undressing her from his position on the bed. She reached for the glass ashtray which was propped precariously on the small glass coffee table next to her. She took another drag of her Marlboro Light and then flicked the ash into the ashtray.
"That's not going to happen now." She sighed as she examined her nails. "If you want this sordid little thing to continue, you'd better get that camera back. I don't care how you do it. Now get out of my apartment."
Josh pushed back the bed covers and dressed quickly. Though she wouldn't let on to him, she watched him as he covered his lean naked form. He blew a kiss in Tai-San's direction before hurrying down stairs and slamming the door behind him, leaving Tai-San cursing to herself.
/
Amber pushed open the door to the beach house. At first glance it looked like no one was home, until she saw Jack and Danni curled up on the floor and sofa respectively, hard fast asleep. She didn't want to wake them, so she crept up the stairs as quietly as she possibly could. She needed some time to think about Tycoon, Lex and Jay.
Amber stopped momentarily outside of Jay's room, raising her had to knock; she thought better of it and carried on walking towards her room. The house seemed deathly silent, although there were people sleeping throughout. It made the tense atmosphere eerier than it was.
"Amber." Amber turned around, her heart beating wildly in her chest, to find Jay emerging from his room. "I thought I heard the door."
"I've just come from Lex's." Amber mumbled. "To take some of Ebony's things. She'll be home Monday by the way."
Jay nodded reluctantly. "I don't trust him. Not after Zandra. I really don't want Ebony going there. She should come back here, where she knows she can trust us."
"Trust." Amber half laughed. "Pretty strong for a five lettered word, don't you think. It's just a shame that someone I thought I trusted has abused it and me."
"Are we still talking about Lex?" Jay asked, confused to where the conversation was going. If he had known that he and Amber were going to speak in tongues, he'd have prepared something.
"Yes. Lex is a good man, he tells me the truth." Amber's tone turned bitter. "Unlike someone I know."
"Bray, right?" Jay took a step towards the blonde, a concerned look crossing his handsome features, but she took one step back.
"Not Bray, you." Amber snapped. "You made me believe that you were Tycoon. When you weren't. Didn't you?"
Jay looked down, staring at the hardwood flooring; a slight blush had begun to creep along his neck and up his cheeks. He hadn't meant to make Amber believe that he was her Tycoon, he'd tried to explain to her the night before, but she didn't want to listen.
"I thought so." Tears had begun to fall from Amber's eyes, leaving hot, wet streaks on her cheeks. "You betrayed me, just like Bray. I don't think I can ever forgive you."
Amber turned back and hurried along the rest of the corridor, to her and Ebony's room. Slamming the door behind her, she made her way over to her lap top and logged on to her favourite chat room. She was going to meet the real Tycoon tonight, come hell or high water.