Chapter 13

As the train carrying Marie pulled out of the station on its way south, Cassie was arriving home. She had a headache and had left early since she had no appointments that afternoon.

Zak was out at his new job. It was badly paid, but he had explained to her that he had been made redundant from his well paid job with a music agency, and that this was all he could find for the time being. Still, she thought, he can keep his self-respect.

She picked up the post and sorted it. Most of it was bills, but there was one large brown envelope which looked official she opened it and began to read. Then she sat down. It was from Pilkington and Sudbury Solicitors.

The letter said that Pilkington and Sudbury had been retained by Mr Gerald Smith in connection with an unauthorised use of one of Mr Smith's bank accounts. The account in question was one in his name alone and which paid all the outgoings in respect of the flat he had shared with her. In June the previous year an alteration had been made to this account without Mr Smith's knowledge or consent.

A Standing Order was placed with the bank which removed the exact amount Mr Smith paid in each month. It was removed the day after it arrived, and was to the value of three thousand pounds. As a result of this unauthorised withdrawal, none of the Direct Debit Payments were made from June onwards.

The consequence was that when Mr Smith returned from his world tour, he found that his furniture had been repossessed, and the apartment about to be sold off to pay the balance on the mortgage. Mr Smith had thus been deprived of a place to live.

The Standing Order which dispossessed Mr Smith of his property and his possessions was paid into Mrs Copthorne's own bank, and into an account in her name, the details of which were given.

Mr Smith had instructed Messrs Pilkington and Sudbury to recover the moneys which Mrs Copthorne had taken from Mr Smith's account, amounting to eighteen thousand pounds.

In addition, Mr Smith intended if necessary to sue Mrs Copthorne for the distress she had caused him, and the extra expenses incurred by the loss of his property, and he had been advised by them to claim a further twenty thousand pounds for his distress and inconvenience, if paid out of court, or double that amount with costs if taken through the legal process.

Messrs Pilkington and Sudbury were waiting on Mrs Copthorne for the amount of thirty eight thousand pounds, to be paid immediately. Should Mrs Copthorne dispute Mr Smith's right to recompense, the matter will be taken to court, where the damages claimed would be much higher, as instanced above.

Cassie sat dumbfounded. She had never touched Ged's account; she was grateful for his generosity that he paid it all when she was unable to contribute and had continued after she began work. She would never have done anything so spiteful and ungrateful. However, the account was in her name.

Ged must be behind this. He was trying to take revenge on her for marrying Zak. How had he managed to do it, though? He was a long way away in June. Then she realised he had access to the internet. He could have orchestrated this when he knew Zak and she were getting married. She was angry then and phoned Gus.

"Gus," she launched without any pleasantries. "What's Ged trying to pull? Suing me? This some sort of revenge for marrying Zak?"

"Hello, Cassie," said Gus with exaggerated politeness. "Surely you aren't trying to pin this on Ged? Listen, I was with him just after he arrived at the flat. He was totally at a loss. They stripped the place bare, Cassie. There was one filing cabinet and the computer without a keyboard or monitor.

He was angry; you should have heard him talking to the bank. Then he learned you had Zak there in his bed and his own flat; that was pretty low of you, Cassie. After that he wanted nothing to do with the place, and it was sold off."

"He could have arranged it to get revenge for me marrying Zak."

"Cassie, if he did that, you can find out what happened to the money. It should all be there in that account of yours. If it isn't, there'll be evidence of where the money has gone. It will show if Ged has taken it back somehow. All I can tell you is that he's mad at you. And why?

"First you promised him solemnly that you would talk with him before splitting up. You didn't. He was very upset that you wouldn't let him tell you what was really happening. You've made a big mistake there Cassie, and you devastated him beyond belief. And why? You wouldn't believe him or trust him enough to ask him what really happened.

"Secondly you married that lazy, shifty Zak. Well, you've burnt your boats now."

"Well, if he is so unhappy, why hasn't he come and told me the truth?"

"You don't really know him at all, do you?" Gus was getting testy. "After you saying you didn't want to hear his excuses? After refusing to answer any of his emails or phone calls? You expect him to come running to you after you've married someone else?

"But hear this: you know what he said to me when I suggested it? You were married to someone else now, and he didn't want to mess it up for you. Still thinking of you, you stupid woman.

"If you want to know what a mess you've made of his life and probably yours, you'll have to go and ask him yourself. He won't come and tell you, and he's sworn those of us who do know to secrecy. Now I have work to do."

She sat holding the phone. The whole thing was unreal. What had he said? Go and look at the accounts. She resolved to do that the next day. Now she had to get their dinner ready. She wondered why everyone had it in for Zak. He was a good man. Look how he had supported her when she found out about Ged.

That night, Zak went out with his mates, and Cassie was asleep when he returned. She was up before he was awake and went off to work.

In the destruction of Cassie's universe, the next event was truly a coincidence. Annette had no inkling of what Ged was doing; she had not seen him for weeks. Nevertheless, what had happened nagged at her until she could bear it no longer. She knew she had promised him not to acquaint Cassie with what had really happened, but she was going to break that promise. Everything about Ged's behaviour showed he was still in love with Cassie.

Cassie was speed reading yet another trashy novel that morning when the receptionist called her. Would she see two ladies who had a story to tell. She sighed and thought she needed a break. She could see two aspiring writers; anything to relieve the monotony of that novel.

"Ms Annette Fenster and Ms Susan Fenster," announced the receptionist, ushering them into he office.

Cassie looked up smiling. "What can I do for you?" she asked, thinking how unlike each other they were for sisters.

"You can listen to what I have to tell you. What you do after that I don't really care."

It was a strange beginning, but she was used to eccentric writers.

"Very well," she said primly, "I'm all ears."

"You haven't made the connection, have you?" the taller woman stated.

"Connection?"

"Annette," she said aggressively. "Ring any bells?"

Suddenly, Cassie knew. "You're Ged's..."

"Friend." Annette assented. "There are some things you need to know."

"He's sent you to lie for him? I know you two were lovers on the tour. I've got evidence."

"You don't," Annette snapped. "You know nothing but what you were meant to believe. You've been had, Miss Cassie Fenton."

"It's Copthorne," Cassie retorted angrily.

"Oh, yes," smiled Annette grimly. "You married the slimeball."

"Now look here..."

"No, you look here," Annette leant forward. "I was Ged's friend all during the tour, I stood by him when you trashed his life for nothing; when you made the biggest mistake of your stupid life."

"I know you were sleeping with him."

"You don't."

"Prove it."

"This," Annette said, "is my civil partner, Susan. When we entered our civil partnership, she took my name. Yes, you see it now, don't you? I am a lesbian. I have no interest in men, that way. Susan is in a rather delicate occupation and until I got back, we couldn't let it be known we were partners.

"Ged was true to his word, as he always is, and kept our secret, even from you. I think he did write that I had a partner at home and that's why he felt safe with me. There was never anything sexual between us -- he's not a woman. We are, though, very good friends and I can't go on letting him keep his innocence to himself. Why should you have your comfortable little life after you destroyed his life?"