AN: Hello! A quick update with a flashback chapter. There's only one more flashback chapter left after this one. I've been writing like a madwoman in between working (although I did take some time out to finish reading the amazing Deviant by Planetblue)
Big thanks to my lovely pre-reader and beta SunflowerFran as always!
I do not own Twilight or any of the wonderful characters that Stephenie Meyer created to bewitch us all. I also do not own Jane Austen's Persuasion. I am merely her humble admirer, and in borrowing plot points from her final published work, I mean only to honour her memory. This story is rated M for language and lemons. Please do not read if you're offended by either of these.
Thank you muchly!
CC xxx
Chapter Twenty-Five
July 2005
"Any more boxes, Rosie?" Bella asked as she loaded up the boot of her car.
"That's the last of it," Rosalie sighed as she walked out of her soon to be ex-house, holding a babbling George on her hip and carrying Gemma in her basket. Bella glanced up just in time to see her sister's face crumple in misery.
"Oh Rosalie!" Bella rushed to her side.
"I'm OK! It's just that I loved this house so much! I got it perfect, and now we have to leave!" she sobbed. "And the new house is so small and ... ugh!"
They set down on the porch step and Bella put her arm around her sister, letting her cry it out.
"It's only temporary. Once Billy and the police find and prosecute Royce, you'll get your assets back and will be able to move to a better house," Bella tried to reassure her sister. "Why didn't you just move back in with Dad?"
"I did think about it, but it just felt wrong," Rosalie eventually replied. "I'm twenty-seven years old and have two children. I haven't lived at home for years and I just can't go back to living under his roof and not running my own household. Plus, he's stressed enough without having to worry about looking after us, and you know that he would. No, I'd only move back to Riverview Place as a last resort."
"I understand that. It's been weird moving back for the summer."
"Did you get your stuff through from St Andrews?"
"Yeah, I'm all set. My course begins on 19th September, with orientation the week before. I've got my accommodation lined up too."
"You know, Dad's still sore about not paying your course and accommodation fees."
"He'll just have to get over it. He can't really afford it right now and I've saved plenty. Besides, it's my third degree, and I'm nearly twenty-four, more than old enough to be paying my own way."
"Looks like we're both as stubborn as each other," Rosalie quipped. "Come on. Let's go move my crap into the dump."
Rosalie and Bella got into their cars, and drove to the new house, which was only about a mile away, where Charlie had just finished unloading his car.
"Have you got everything, tiger?"
"Yes we do. Are you all right? You look exhausted."
Both sisters had been worried about how much thinner and older Charlie looked in the three months since their lives were turned upside down, first by their financial woes and then by Renee's departure. He had spent the first week in a zombie-like state, only speaking when he picked up a phone to ring Renee, pleading with her to come home. It wasn't until Renee filed for divorce that her betrayal really and truly sank in. Thereafter, he managed to go back to work. He also managed to cope with the constant questions, statements and reports the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, led by Billy, needed from him with regards to tracking Royce and building a criminal case against him.
Charlie's role as Chief Crown Prosecutor meant that he earned a decent salary, but with no savings or pension fund, large tax bills pending, not to mention a big house to run and a mortgage, his monthly income was stretched. Plus there were now accountants' fees and other bills adding to his stress. He was trying to stave off taking out bank loans, but it was looking increasingly like such a course of action would be necessary.
At first, Rosalie was almost grateful that her mother had run away. It was easier to be angry with Renee than feel the hurt from Royce's betrayal. As time passed, she had a few days when she felt both pain and anger from both of them, around the same time as it became evident that she could not live in her beautiful, big house any longer, with two infants and virtually no income.
Renee's departure had left Bella with a whole new crisis of self confidence, upon realising just how shallow, selfish and callous her mother was. She was actually glad that she had gone, although she would never admit it. Bella found herself wondering, once again, why she had listened to Renee about Edward. When looking back, and forcing herself to relive the terrible day nearly five years earlier, when she and Edward broke up, it was clear that Renee had played on her own insecurities to keep her at home.
"Dad, Rosie's right. You look particularly tired today."
"I'm all right girls. I just didn't sleep very well." He pulled two envelopes out of his pocket. "These were waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. The first one is the first part of the divorce, the decree nisi." He tucked one envelope back into his pocket and turned the other, a stiff white one with glossy black printing, over in his hands. "And this one ..." he passed it to Bella to show her. "... is from your mother."
Bella swiftly opened it.
Save the Date
Renee Jane Higginbotham Swan and Philip David Dwyer
Are to be married on 24th December 2005
Invitations to follow
On the back of the card was a note in Renee's spidery scrawl.
Just thought you'd like to know, Charlie. Don't expect an invitation.
"Oh Dad, that's so cruel."
"I know. That's not the Renee I married; she's no longer the sweet, carefree girl who went wild swimming and volunteered to help the homeless. That Renee would never have been so heartless."
"But Dad," Rosalie began, "she wasn't the Renee who left. The Renee who left was a bitter, selfish harpy, who hated the fact that she was getting older."
"Rosalie ..."
"It's true. I know it's hard Dad, but you're going to have to move on. You gave her everything she wanted, everything she asked for and more, but what did she give you in return?"
"You girls. I'll always love her because I got my tiger and my little lamb."
"And you'll always have us," Bella promised.
"I know. The fact that you're still here despite us causing you such pain and heartbreak is testament to that."
Bella thought about telling them that Renee was the one who really twisted the knife in, but decided against it. They were hurting so much that she didn't want to make it worse.
"You're my family, always."
-cc-
Spending time with his daughters and grandchildren always made Charlie feel better. After a couple of hours helping Rosalie and Bella unpack, however, it was clear that he was tired and causing more hindrance than help by putting things in the wrong places. The twins had chosen the same time to become a little fussy, so Charlie offered to take them out in their buggy for a walk to the local park so Rosalie and Bella could sort out the new house.
He walked round the park for half an hour before settling on a bench by the duck pond. Gemma was content to just watch and point at the ducks from within the buggy, occasionally babbling to herself and pointing at the birds as they flapped around by the edge of the water. George, however liked to be picked up and held, so Charlie bounced him on his knee, causing the little boy to giggle in delight.
After Charlie gave the twins their snack of peach puree, they both fell asleep. Charlie lingered by the duck pond, contemplating his life. What's the point in carrying on? No wife, no money ... He glanced at George, peaceful in his arms, and quickly dismissed his line of thought. Family, his daughters and his grandchildren, they were his motivation. He hugged George to his chest before putting him in the buggy, and got up to leave.
It was at that moment that he heard a gentle sobbing. He walked away from the duck pond and round the hedge to see a dark haired woman sitting on another bench, hidden by the bushes, crying softly. Never one to be able to ignore a person in distress, Charlie tentatively approached.
"Excuse me, are you all right?"
The woman looked up sharply at the sound of her voice. She was in her late forties, a couple of years younger than him, with a light olive complexion and wide, dark eyes. Hers was a kind and pretty face that Charlie recognised, although he couldn't place it straight away.
"Oh!" she sniffed back tears. "Chief Prosecutor Swan!" When she said his name, Charlie remembered.
"It's Sue, isn't it? You're Billy's assistant? We've met a few times."
"Yes sir, Sue Clearwater."
"Please, call me Charlie. We're not in the office." He pointed to the spot on the bench by her. "May I?"
"Of course." She patted the wood. Charlie duly sat down, parking the twins next to him. They didn't stir.
"So, what's the matter? A beautiful woman shouldn't be crying by herself in a park."
"It's silly really. I feel so stupid but ..." she dissolved into fresh tears. Something about her was very endearing to Charlie and he put his arm around her shoulders. After a minute or two, she calmed down.
"It's not silly if it affects you this much." She looked up at him. "Sometimes it helps to tell someone not involved." When she hesitated further, he added, "I'm a lawyer. If you consider yourself my client, then lawyer-client confidentiality comes into play. I'll take it to my grave."
Sue relaxed a little.
"OK ..."
She told him of her marital difficulties. She and her husband Harry had been married for twenty-six years and had two children, Leah and Seth, who were twenty-four and eighteen. Harry had given up a career in the prison service the year before to open a pub, a long held dream of his. However, getting the business off the ground had taken up all his time, and he was hardly ever at home. When he was, he was preoccupied and irritable. They had placed all their life's savings into the pub, The Stag, and he was worried about it failing.
Meanwhile Leah, Sue's daughter, had gone travelling around the world after graduating and only made contact sporadically. Seth, her son, was her rock, but he was about to go away to university. A talented singer, he had toyed with the idea of a career in music, but after spending time in work experience in the Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service's offices, he had decided to do a law degree in Nottingham instead.
"I'm just so lonely, Chief ... I mean Charlie. And today's supposed to be my wedding anniversary, and Harry completely forgot! I feel really petty about getting upset about it, but it was just the icing on the cake."
"It's all right to get upset about it. You never know, maybe he'll surprise you when you get home."
"I doubt it!" she scoffed. "He's in the pub tonight until at least midnight."
"Oh."
"Yeah." Sue dried her eyes and looked at George and Gemma in their buggy. George was still asleep but Gemma was awake and entertaining herself with the toys attached to the hood of the buggy. "Who are these little angels?"
"My grandchildren, Gemma and George. My daughter Rosalie is moving house today. The twins and I were getting in her hair so I volunteered to take them to the park."
"I heard about what happened ... the case involving your son-in-law is virtually the only one on Mr Black's desk right now. I'm really sorry."
"Thanks. It was a real a shock, although not as much of a shock as my wife running away with one of my best friends as a result."
"I heard about that too ..."
"Yes, it seems my situation has provided enough gossip to fuel the department for years," Charlie remarked drily. Sue looked sheepish. "Don't worry about bringing it up, now."
"No?"
"I'd rather talk about it with someone sweet like you, than with all the pseudo-sympathetic sycophants at work."
"Thanks. It's been very freeing to talk about my problems with you too."
"Sue, if you ever want to talk again, please do get in touch."
"I'd like that. I have female friends, but they're all so busy and, well ... could we swap mobile numbers?"
"Of course, call me anytime."
"Likewise."
Sue called Charlie the next evening, and they soon started talking every night. Sue came round to Riverview Place for coffee a week later, and coffee turned into dinner. Two nights later, whilst Harry worked, Sue came round again. By the following week, she was coming round to Riverview Place almost every evening and it didn't take long before they admitted to each other their mutual attraction.
At first they agreed not to see each other at all, but within two days they both missed each other so much that they caved, and Sue was round at Riverview Place again, where they gave into their lust. They were under no illusions about the reasons why they had come together so passionately. Charlie missed his wife and Sue missed her husband. They were both lonely. But despite understanding this, they could not seem to give up their affair.
-cc-
August 2005
Billy Black had been trying to put together the case against Royce for over four months. They had confirmation that he had flown from London to Florida, but after that, they had lost him, leading them to suspect that he had gone to Mexico or the Caribbean, over land and sea. The money Royce had stolen from Charlie and his other clients had been dispersed into offshore accounts and then moved on again. Given that the theft ran into millions, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service had called in a civilian, forensic accountant, Mary Matthews, who specialised in financial crimes and securities, to trace the accounts further. They were also working with an Interpol officer, Caius Volterra, to try to trace Royce abroad.
While waiting for the reports to come through, he began tackling his growing list of other cases. His sector had started to fall behind with its process rate. Billy was usually on top of the sector's efficiency, but recently, between the Royce King case and his problems with back pain, he wasn't on top form. He was due to send his figures for the quarter to Charlie, and was desperately worried about the sector losing its good reputation.
One Wednesday towards the end of August, he was in his office late when he heard movement outside his office door. He crept towards the noise, and heard someone picking up the telephone and dialling a number. He stealthily opened his door an inch to see Sue standing over her desk, looking for something in a drawer.
"Hi, sorry, sorry, babe. I forgot my brother's birthday present in my desk drawer and I need to get it into the post tonight ... I've missed you too ... so much ..."
Billy smiled, thinking that it was nice that Sue still had a nice relationship with her husband. His wife Sarah had died fifteen years earlier.
"... no, I'm afraid not, Charlie. I can only stay until ten. Harry knows that my sister's out of town this week so I can't use visiting her as an excuse to stay late ... I know. I wish I could stay longer, but at least we'll have a little time together... OK, I'm on my way to Riverview Place ... bye for now!"
Billy watched as Sue hung up, grabbed a small parcel, shoved it in her handbag and quickly departed.
The next day, while Billy was trying to get his head around the fact that his sensible secretary and his staid, best friend were getting it on, he finally received some developments with regards to Royce King.
"Mr Black," Sue's voice came through over the intercom. "You have an email from Caius Volterra."
"Finally! Please, could you print out the email for me and bring it through?"
The truth was, Billy was a complete technophobe. He detested his computer and could barely navigate it. Sue handled all his emails.
"Of course, just give me two minutes."
Five minutes passed, and Billy was about to get up to find out what had happened to Sue when she came into his office, looking a little pale.
"Sue, are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she whispered before handing over the email. She promptly left again. Billy looked at her retreating form quizzically before looking at the email.
To: William Black CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE
From: Volterra, Caius INTERPOL
Subject: Case No: 1123581321 King, Royce Adam
Dear Mr Black
I have managed to locate Royce King. He travelled to Florida in April, flying into Miami before travelling across the USA and into Mexico. He spent a month in Cancun before travelling to the Cayman Islands.
He left the Cayman Islands in early July under a false passport in the name of Jack Houston and as a result it took us several weeks to track him to Monaco. From there he travelled to Germany and at the beginning of the week, also using his false passport, he travelled to the Channel Islands, namely Jersey. As Jersey is out of the jurisdiction of Interpol, we can investigate no further and suggest you contact the island's police force.
I'm sure that I don't need to remind you of Jersey's stringent extradition policy, which differs to that of the mainland United Kingdom. They will not authorise extradition without conclusive evidence of guilt. Suspicions are not enough. I understand that you have the forensic accountant Mary Matthews looking into the case. She's the best and I hope she comes through for you.
Yours sincerely
Caius Volterra
Interpol HQ, Lyon, France
Billy read it over and over again. Royce is in Jersey? Surely Jacob isn't involved in this? He realised that Sue must have had the same thought.
"Err... Sue?" He called her through the intercom. There was no answer. He stepped outside to see her desk empty, but just as he was about to venture into the main office she walked back in.
"Hey, are you all right?" she asked, although she didn't look it herself.
"Um, Caius Volterra threw up some interesting information." He noticed that she was carrying a wad of paper in her hand. "What's that?"
"While you were reading Mr Volterra's email, Mary Matthews phoned. She sent a fax report through but she wanted to make sure that nobody else saw it but you and me."
Sue's tone made it clear to Billy that she had read the report and that it wasn't good news.
"Bring it through."
Sue followed him back into his office, passed him the report as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk.
Billy slowly grew more and more horrified as he read Mary Matthews' report.
...Royce King appears to have been making numerous high-risk investments for two years…
...started siphoning money from his father-in-law's account in November 2004...
...quickly moved on to taking larger and larger amounts from his father-in-law and then from his other clients...
...moved money quickly through his UK accounts and into his account in the tax haven of Jersey, and also into the account of one Jacob Ephraim Black, who appears to be a close friend of his...
...money was then dispersed into numerous offshore accounts, mainly in the Middle East and the Cayman Islands...
...He and Jacob Black have been making profitable investments since his departure from the UK...
...he has returned to Jersey recently ... he and Jacob Black have illegally acquired assets to the tune of ten million pounds sterling each...
...did some digging into Jacob Black's background and it has transpired that he is your son...
...As I am a civilian contracted by the Crown Prosecution Service, I am under no obligation to report these findings to anybody but you as per the contract I signed, and therefore I will not inform the police or any other authorities. To do so is your responsibility and your duty, and I implore you to do the right thing.
Yours sincerely
Mary S Matthews
Seeing that her boss was in shock, Sue got up and poured him a glass of water.
"Here."
"Thanks." Billy gulped it down. "Fuck."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"I know but I'm still sorry."
Billy couldn't quite believe it.
Not my son.
Not my son!
Jacob had always been the apple of Billy's eye. He had twin daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, who were two years older, and he loved them, but Jacob was the son he always wanted, and from the beginning, they were very close. Fishing trips, camping, football, rugby ... all Billy's favourite things were Jacob's favourite things.
Billy always wanted Jacob to have the best in life. That included the best education, and even though it broke his heart a little, he made the decision to send his boy to boarding school in Gordonstoun. Jacob came back well groomed, well educated and well connected, but without any sense of responsibility or purpose. He started out in medical school, but decided that he didn't like dealing with sick people. He then trained to be an architect but couldn't cope with the discipline and the long hours when he was doing his training contract in Newcastle. He had been working in financial services on Jersey, but Billy could tell that he was becoming disillusioned with that too.
Still, Jacob was his son, and even though it looked like he had done wrong, Billy would do whatever it took to keep him out of trouble.
"We're the only two people who know about these reports, right?"
"Right, but..."
"So I don't care what he's done, Sue, he's my only son."
"He's been involved in the biggest fraud case this department's seen for five years! Billy, he might be your son but he's committed a crime against your best friend!"
"He's made mistakes and I intend to talk to him about it but..."
"Talk to him about it? Like he forgot to take the rubbish out or threw a ball through your neighbour's window? Billy, you have to tell the police! Move the case to another prosecutor!"
"No!"
"Well then I'm going to!" Sue got up.
"Sue! Don't!" Billy got up too and before she reached the door, yelled, "I know about you and Charlie!"
She stopped and turned around.
"W-what?"
"I know about your affair with Charlie Swan. And if you tell anyone about Jacob being involved in Royce's fraud, I will tell Harry and your kids."
"Y-you wouldn't."
"I would. Charlie will get over losing his money, but Jacob's whole future is dead in the water if he gets convicted. He'll go to prison for at least seven years, and then he'll never be able to get a job!"
Sue began to cry.
"You can't tell my family! I can't hurt them like that!"
"So we're agreed. You don't tell anybody about Jacob and Royce, and I don't tell anyone about your indiscretion. I'm going to bury this case, and you're going to help me. And you'll start by breaking things off with Charlie. You can't stay involved with him. You'll give something away. Not to mention the fact that you're married."
Tearfully, Sue nodded.
"Okay, but after I help you, you get me promoted to a different department."
"Done." Billy then proceeded to rip Mary Matthews' report into tiny pieces.
-cc-
"What do you mean, hopeless?!" shrieked Rosalie later that evening at Riverview Place. "Billy, you said that it would just be a matter of tracking Royce down and looking into his account activity!"
"Rosalie, Charlie, I'm sorry. We've had a forensic accountant on the case who states that he's done so many complicated transactions into offshore accounts that it's near impossible to trace. The likelihood is that he's moved the money on again. And as for the man himself, Interpol traced him to America but they think that he's gotten himself a false passport and changed his appearance. They're keeping an eye out but they can't devote the resources to a full manhunt anymore."
"So, what are we supposed to do now?" Rosalie cried. Bella put her arm around her sister's shoulder to comfort her. "How am I supposed to care for two babies and maintain an income? It's bad enough I've had to move into that tiny shithole of a house!"
"Rosalie, you and the babies could move in here," suggested Charlie.
"Dad, that's not going to work. You work, like, a hundred hours a week, so you'd never be able to help with childcare. As it is your salary's going to get swallowed up by the mortgage and your tax bill and everything else, without having to worry about having to feed me and the kids. Besides, I'm twenty-seven. I need to be independent."
"I guess..."
Bella had been her quiet self during the discussion, trying to come to terms with the devastating news. How can I go all the way to Scotland when my family needs me?
"Although how I'm going to get a job, I don't know. I haven't worked in years, not since I was in university ... and even if I do, how am I going to afford a nursery to look after the twins?"
Bella's sense of family duty shot through her once again.
"Rosie, we'll work something out between the three of us."
"How, Bellsie? Besides, you're going away to Scotland in a month and it'll just be me and Dad then."
"I'm not going to St Andrews. I couldn't possibly be so far away when you and Dad are going through all this."
"Isabella, no, you had your heart set on that course. You are going. Rosalie and I will be fine."
"Dad, it's not your decision, it's mine, and I'm staying. Rosalie, I'll move in with you. I'll get a job and so will you. I'll look after the babies whilst you're at work and vice versa."
Rosalie wiped away her tears and stood up.
"Bella, could we speak outside for a minute?"
"Of course, excuse us please." Bella followed her sister out of the room and into the kitchen.
"Bella, I don't understand why you're doing this."
"You need me," replied Bella simply.
"But why? I caused you such intolerable pain when I ruined things for you with Edward. I made you go out with idiot after idiot and just made you feel even worse ..." Rosalie started to cry again. "I've been such a bad sister. Why are you being so good to me? I'm so sorr..."
"Rosalie, stop. You've apologised enough. I'm doing this because you are my sister and I love you. My whole life, you've looked after and protected me. And that's what you thought you were doing when you ratted out my plans to Mum and Dad. Part of it was my fault. Perhaps if I'd told you about Edward you'd have understood the depths of my love for him ... I have so many regrets but if I go to Scotland now, I'll only add to them."
"But what about your course? I can't ask you to turn your back on your dream."
"You aren't asking, I'm offering. Think about it, Rosie. Full time childcare in Stratford for two children would eat up all your salary. If we don't do it this way, you're going to have to go on the dole."
Rosalie shuddered.
"No! There must be another way, other than accepting government handouts?"
"If you sit down and work out the figures, I assure you that the only options are that, or to let me move in with you."
There was a moment of silence as Rosalie absorbed the fact that of all her options, Bella's was the one that gave her the most autonomy and dignity.
"Where are you going to get a job?"
"I have a couple of ideas."
Half an hour later, Bella walked into The Stag. It had had a lick of paint since the last time she'd been there, when she worked as a barmaid the summer before going to Durham, but otherwise it looked the same. Being mid-afternoon, the place was quiet.
"Excuse me?" she asked the grey-haired, middle-aged man behind the bar. He looked up. "Please could I speak to Josh?"
"Sorry little lady. I'm Harry Clearwater. I bought this place off Josh about eighteen months ago. He's probably fishing down the river."
"Oh right." Bella sat down on one of the bar stools.
"What's the matter?"
"I was hoping he might be able to give me a job. I used to work here a few years ago." She looked up. "I don't suppose you're hiring?"
"Maybe in a month or two when my son goes to university, but we're covered for now."
"Right, thank you. Sorry to have bothered you." Bella got up and made a move to leave. As she did, the back door of the pub, which led to the office and the cellar, opened with a bang.
"Hey Dad, the Kingmaker's all changed up ... Bella?"
Bella turned round at the sound of her name being called, to see a tall, teenage boy of around eighteen, with a mop of dark, curly hair, in front of her, grinning.
"Yes?"
"It is you! Wow! I'm sure you don't remember me, I'm Seth. Seth Clearwater? You and your boyfriend helped me out of a jam at a music competition in Leamington a few years ago."
Seth was taller and broader, but when he grinned at her, she remembered him instantly.
"Of course! Wow, you sure have shot up. Still singing?"
"Yes, but just for fun. I'm off to university in September- I'm going to be a lawyer one day."
"Oh, that's brilliant. Well done, you."
"So what brings you here in the middle of the day? You okay?"
"Well, I'm on the hunt for a job and I used to work here, so I was kind of hoping ... but never mind ..."
"Wait!" Seth turned to his father. "Dad, surely we can find Bella a few shifts? And when I'm off to uni, you can take mine."
"I don't know ..."
"Dad, come on."
Harry looked at the pretty, young woman and at his son's imploring face. Seth had a great talent for reading people. If he didn't like someone, they usually turned out to be scum. But if he liked them, then 99% of the time, they were angels.
"I tell you what, pull me a decent pint and I'll agree to a trial run."
Five minutes and one perfectly, pulled pint of bitter later, and Bella had a job, although she hoped it would be temporary.
-cc-
AN: I'm back to my regular posting schedule, I think. The next update will be in a week's time, next Sunday.