I couldn’t possibly think like that anymore. I started this game, so I had to finish it. It was just Tyler’s magical voodoo powers dragging me under again. She always did have a way of casting me under her spell. And what a fucking spell it was.
In the last few weeks, Jimmy had been watching Tyler as she went about her day. He was watching her now because I couldn’t. I was stuck here, waiting for a phone call from one of my business associates in the U.S. I was merging and taking full advantage of the overseas economic downturn. Properties were being repossessed, and people were picking them up for next to nothing. Scott Cooper was someone I came into contact with a few months ago while on vacation in Miami. I must admit, it was more of a scouting operation than a holiday. He was someone with whom Humphrey had put me into contact. Scott was in real estate working for this well-known agency. He had saved a little and wanted to go alone, but he didn’t have enough. Humphrey told him I was looking to expand in the U.S. and, of course, Scott was very keen to meet up with me. I met him, he talked, I like his ideas, and gave him half the money. I think he knew he was signing with the devil, but never made any hints I was anything more than a businessman. The fact that I told him if he ever fucked this up, I would cut his balls off and ram them down his throat had nothing to do with it.
So, I sat and waited for Scott’s call, and my lawyer in Miami was probably waiting for his instructions, too. Signing over power of attorney made things a lot easier.
The only other thing that emerged in the last few weeks was what Tyler was doing at that hospital. I bought Jimmy a mask, telling him to suck it up and just get in there. Money was riding on it and he knew I would be all over his ass if he fucked up again. I found out Tyler had been visiting this kid named Jeremy. I looked into him and found out the poor kid, who had been in and out of hospitals and foster homes all his life, was a leukaemia patient there. It saddened me that he had been dealt a rough hand through his short life. But what I didn’t get was what this had to do with Tyler. Suffice it to say, I dug some more and came up with something rather interesting about how Tyler and Jeremy met. Something very interesting.
I was so carried away with my thoughts, I didn’t even notice that Humphrey was in the room. “Dean, umm… How should I say this? Mrs. Carmichael is at the door and she wants to speak with you.” Looking up from my desk, I saw Humphrey staring at me, a perplexed look on his face.
“Show her into the lounge, offer her a drink, and I will be there in a minute. Could you monitor my calls and let me know if Scott rings? I’ll speak with him after Mrs. Carmichael has left. I’m assuming this is just a passing visit?”
Humphrey shrugged, but nodded and left. I didn’t need this right now. I had too many other things with which to deal. I had to admit, I was intrigued to know what on earth she was visiting me for. I had only ever seen her with Aidan and their kids, so this was completely out of the ordinary. Closing my laptop, I rose from my seat and walked towards the lounge. As I opened the door, Mrs. Carmichael was sitting down on the sofa, the same one her husband fondled a prostitute on, nursing a glass of bourdon.
Looking up, she politely smiled and I took a seat opposite her. “Dean, thank you for seeing me.”
I nodded gracefully. “No problem at all, Mrs. Carmichael. What seems to be the problem? I’m guessing there must be a reason for this visit.”
Mrs. Carmichael timidly looked towards the ground and shifted in her seat a little. “To tell you the truth, I feel a little uncomfortable about coming to you with this.”
I shook my head. “There’s no need to be. I’m just as much as friend to you as I am to your husband.”
Cynthia smiled, showing me her perfect white teeth. She was in her forties and was quite attractive for someone married to a man like Aidan. After getting married, it would seem he became complacent and let himself go. Cynthia had always maintained her figure and always made sure she wore the finest clothes. Her blonde hair was always perfectly shaped, and her make-up never blemished. To top that all off, she loved her husband and doted on their children.
Aidan, you silly fucking twat!
“It’s silly, really, but I just needed to ask something. Aidan’s been a little more distant than usual and I keep trying to figure out why. I know it’s stupid of me to come here, but I’m just so lost. I thought, because you see each other on occasion, maybe you might know what’s wrong.”
Then it hit me. Aidan wasn’t the only one who was a stupid fucking twat. I was. For my own selfish reasons, I encouraged him to sleep with my two girls that night. It didn’t matter he didn’t need much encouragement. I still played a part in hurting this poor woman.