‘But life goes on.’
Ruby looked up at him challengingly. ‘Does it?’
‘Yeah, Ruby. It does.’
‘Even if you don’t want it to?’ she asked.
He almost smiled. ‘Even then.’
Ruby sat back and sipped her wine.
‘How’s your boy coping?’
‘Kit?’ Now I should lie, thought Ruby. Now I should tell him that everything’s fine, that Kit’s coping magnificently. ‘Not well,’ she said instead.
‘Oh? How’s that?’ He eyed her curiously.
‘He drank a lot after Michael’s death,’ she admitted.
‘I heard he’d upset the Danieri boys. That’s not a good idea.’
‘A misunderstanding,’ said Ruby.
He was staring at her, gauging her reactions. ‘I heard he could have done the hit on Tito. That the two of them fell out over a woman.’
Ruby’s face was blank. ‘I didn’t hear that.’
‘You didn’t? That’s odd. Everyone else did.’
‘He’s very vulnerable at the moment,’ said Ruby, choosing her words carefully.
‘You can say that again.’
‘You and Michael were closely associated, I hear,’ said Ruby, her eyes holding his. ‘I’m hoping you will continue that association, that level of cooperation, with Kit.’
Thomas sat back and there was that smile again, very brief. ‘So that’s it. You’re rallying the troops. In case he hits trouble.’
Ruby nodded. ‘He’s going to hit trouble. I can see that. The more people he has behind him, the better.’
‘He’s a sound man, they tell me. And I know Mike valued him very highly. You must be proud.’
‘Do you have children, Mr Knox?’
He shook his head.
‘Then you’ve no idea what it’s like. The fear for them – it never leaves you.’
He was silent for a moment. Then he said: ‘All right. I’ll keep an eye out for your boy.’
Ruby heaved a sigh of pure relief. ‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘But what do I get out of this deal?’ he asked.
‘What?’
‘You get my boys and me helping out if we can, that’s fine.’
‘Could you find Gabe Ward?’ said Ruby suddenly.
‘That toerag son of Mike’s? I heard he was in stir.’
‘He’s out. And it looks like he’s gunning for Kit. Kit’s been trying to trace him to an address, but so far no luck.’ Ruby took a breath. ‘He stopped my daughter when she was leaving the store the other night. It frightened her badly. I’m not happy about that.’
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ said Thomas. ‘But, Ruby, a deal’s a two-way thing.’
‘What deal did you have in mind?’ she asked.
The fierce eyes bored into hers. ‘You and me.’
Ruby stared back at him, unblinking. ‘You don’t even know me,’ she said, feeling her mouth turn dry, feeling her heart start to pound hard and fast.
‘I’ve been watching you for a long, long time,’ he said in reply.
That was disconcerting. He’d been watching her – where? When she was with Michael? Watching her, coveting her, like she was a Ming vase or something? She’d seen the way he’d stared at her at the funeral. She had felt his eyes on her that day, several times. The remembrance made her uncomfortable.
‘I’m not for sale, Mr Knox,’ she said.
‘Who said anything about that? We’re doing a deal here.’
This was what she’d been afraid of. Dip a toe into the waters these sharks inhabited, and pretty soon you were up to your neck and wondering how the hell that happened. She’d brushed up against all this before. Did she really want to do it again?
‘I’m afraid the sort of deal you have in mind is totally out of the question,’ she said coldly.
He sat back in his chair, studying her.
‘And if I find Gabe?’ he asked.
Ruby swallowed hard. ‘Then I’ll be very grateful,’ she said.
‘How grateful?’
Damn, what am I getting myself into here? she wondered. She was going to have to handle this very, very carefully. She had underestimated the ruthlessness of Thomas Knox, but if she handled the situation the way she handled any other business negotiation, then perhaps she could come through unscathed. And she was doing this for Kit, she reminded herself. It was worth stepping onto the edge, taking a risk, to do that – even if he didn’t appreciate it, even if he went on hating her. Even if that never changed, she still wanted to help him. He was her son.
Ruby drained her drink and stood up. She looked down at Knox.
‘Why don’t you find him first?’ she said. ‘Then we’ll talk about gratitude.’
‘I’ve seen him,’ said Ruby.
‘Who?’ said Vi at the other end of the phone. She wasn’t at her London place, but back at the ancestral pile in Oxfordshire. Aged Anthony, her husband, spent most of his time there; he had no interest in city life, whereas Vi was a good-time girl right down to her expensive Italian shoes.
‘Him. Thomas Knox.’
‘Oh! Tell me more,’ prompted Vi.
Ruby had not long returned from her meeting with Knox. Unable to settle, she’d given up any idea of going to bed and instead phoned Vi. Now, what to say?
‘He’s… scary,’ she said finally.
‘Who is that?’ demanded a querulous male voice – Anthony’s, she thought – in the background.
‘It’s Ruby. You remember?’ said Vi.
‘Oh.’
‘Memory like a sieve, poor old darling,’ said Vi into the phone. ‘Probably hasn’t a clue who you are. But never mind that, tell me more about this Knox person.’
‘He’s got this aura about him,’ said Ruby.
‘Like what?’
Ruby remembered those hard blue eyes staring into hers. ‘Like… power, I suppose.’
‘And he wants to get closer to you. How thrilling.’ Vi sighed. ‘Lucky girl.’
‘But I’m not sure I want to get closer to him,’ said Ruby. ‘On the other hand, he’s saying that he’ll look out for Kit, so… maybe I should play him along a little.’
‘That sounds risky. Kit’s all right, isn’t he?’
‘I wish I knew the answer to that. He’s into such dangerous things these days, plus he’s obsessed with finding out who killed Michael. I’m frightened he might churn up something beyond his control.’
‘He ought to just let it go.’
‘I’ve told him.’
‘What difference would knowing make? Michael will still be dead.’
‘I’ve told him that, too.’ But he’d never, ever listen to me.
‘He’ll drive himself crazy with this,’ said Vi.
‘Hm.’
‘So – are you planning to see this fabulous man again?’ asked Vi.
‘I don’t know,’ said Ruby. ‘I want to help Kit…’
‘But it might cost you,’ finished Vi.
‘And how is life in Oxfordshire?’ asked Ruby, desperate to change the subject.
‘Too dull for words. Anthony took me out on the boat. We went fishing on the lake yesterday, he was trying to catch carp and I was catching a cold. I now know more about boilies than I ever wished to.’
‘Boilies?’
‘Ground bait, darling. Apparently the carp love them. I thought I might expire with boredom.’
After Ruby said goodnight to Vi and put the phone down, she sat there wondering what she was getting herself into. To keep Kit protected, she might have to go against her better judgement and see Thomas Knox again. To keep Kit protected, she’d do it. For that, she’d do anything.
59
Bianca had been doing some research. She felt calm, dead calm, now that she had absorbed the awful shock of what Kit Miller had done to her. How he must have laughed at her! She was only surprised that he hadn’t yet grabbed the opportunity to mock Vittore with it, the fact that he’d deceived and screwed the fearsome Vittore Danieri’s sister.