Scheherazade strolled over to greet them and then she proceeded to introduce Carlton to everyone. Still in shock, Carlton shook hands numbly with Leonard and India Shang, who were dressed to the nines and gave Carlton's hiking attire a rather disapproving once-over. Then the unavoidable moment came when he was face-to-face with Lucien and Colette. She looked different. Her hair was pulled into an elegant ballerina's knot at the nape of her neck and she wore far less makeup than he remembered, but he was surprised at how all his anger toward her suddenly came flooding back. The last time they had seen each other, he had accused her of trying to poison his sister.
"Hello, Carlton," Colette said, perfectly composed.
"Colette," Carlton murmured back, trying valiantly to stay calm.
"Oh, you two know each other?" India Shang said in surprise. "But of course, you lived in Shanghai for a period."
"For a period," Colette said.
"Well then, you must stay for dinner," India insisted.
"Yes, do stay," Colette said sweetly.
Carlton forced a smile at his hostess. "It would be a pleasure to join you for dinner, Mrs. Shang."
Soon they were all seated around the table in a dining room enjoying a twelve-course tasting menu prepared by Marcus Sim, the Shangs' personal chef. Carlton looked around at the exquisite minimalist paintings surrounding them and commented, "Are these works by Agnes Martin?"
"Indeed they are," Leonard Shang replied, impressed that Carlton recognized the artist.
"Do you collect?" India asked.
"Not really, no," Carlton replied.
"Carlton collects cars," Colette said, with a gleam in her eye.
"Oh really? What sort? I'm restoring an MG Midget at the moment," Lucien said.
"I do love MGs, but I actually have a car import business in China. We specialize in exotics like McLarens, Bugattis, and Koenigseggs."
"My goodness, those are awfully fast cars, aren't they?" India commented.
"They are incredibly engineered automobiles-works of art, really-and yes, they are built for speed," Carlton answered calmly.
"Carlton likes to go very fast. He used to race." Colette took a bite of her grilled octopus and gave him an innocent look across the table.
Scheherazade glanced at Carlton, noticing the tension on his face.
"Oh dear. Have you ever been in an accident?" India asked, making up her mind right then that Scheherazade should never ride in this young man's car again.
"Actually, I have," Carlton replied.
"What happened? Hope you didn't wreck one of those million-dollar sports cars." Lucien laughed.
"It was a very unfortunate accident. But it taught me to be extremely careful. I don't race anymore," Carlton said.
"I'm glad you're okay," Scheherazade said with a little smile.
"Well," Colette interjected with a glint in her eye, "when you kill one girl and paralyze another from the waist down, it's probably best not to, isn't it?"
While Leonard Shang choked on his chardonnay and his wife froze as if she had just been turned into a pillar of salt, Colette flashed a smile at Carlton. It was a smile he knew only too well, and at that moment he realized that Colette Bing might call herself the Countess of Palliser these days, but she hadn't changed one fucking bit.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE PEAK, HONG KONG
Chloe made the call from her bathroom, with the shower turned on full blast. "Dad, you said to call … you know … if Mum was ever acting weird again."
Charlie felt his gut tighten. "What happened? Are you and Delphine okay?"
"Um, we're fine. But maybe you should come over."
Charlie looked at his watch. It was just past eleven at night. "I'm leaving my office right this second. Be there in fifteen minutes! Do me a favor, honey. Stay with your mother?"
"Um, okay."
Charlie could hear the fear in her voice. He raced to the house in his Porsche 911, the sports car careening dangerously along the hairpin curves and steep hills all the way up to The Peak. He speed-dialed Isabel's lead security officer, Jonny Fung, from his Bluetooth but it went straight to voice mail. All the while, his heart was beating a mile a minute as he dreaded what he would find when he arrived at the house. Isabel had been doing so well. Was this really another breakdown, or did she stop taking her meds again?
A few blocks from the house, Charlie got caught in a traffic jam as cars waited bumper to bumper. He leaned on his horn anxiously, and then decided, fuck it, he would cut onto the oncoming traffic lane. He raced past the line of cars and discovered that they were all trying to go to the same place-Isabel's house. There was a cluster of people in front of the gates as Charlie pulled up. He jumped out of the car and approached the security guards stationed by the gate. "What the hell is happening?"