Chapter 16: Chapter 16

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And I think, that is that….

Until, at six pm, just as I am about finish for the day, Ben marches in again. “Come on,” he says. “I want you to come with me.”

“Come with you? Where?”

“Up to Mike’s place.”

“What? You want me to go there? What for? I barely know them.”

“Mike’s not at home. He’s working late. I want to catch James and Charlotte in the act, and I want a witness, so the bastard, and the bitch can’t deny it when I confront them.”

“Ben, you can’t do this. And haven’t you forgotten something? James Alexanders is my boss. I could lose my job…”

He stands, arms akimbo. “Fuck you, then. I’m going anyway. If you won’t come with me, I’ll go by myself. I’ll take a camera.”

Jeez…. I’d better go with him. See if I can stop him doing anything too stupid….

“Alright. I’ll come with you. Let me get my stuff and clear up my desk.”

“Good. I’ll fetch the car and pick you up at the front in five minutes.”

As soon as he is out of sight, I stab buttons on the internal phone, trying to get an answer. First James.… No reply…. Then Charlotte…. No reply…. Francis maybe? Still no reply. It’s too late in the day. No-one’s here. And I have no idea how to contact Michael….

Ben pulls up at the front and I get in. Staring into traffic, my mouth dry, I give it another go: “Ben, this isn’t right. You can’t just barge into someone else’s house to check up on their personal arrangements.”

“Personal arrangements?” he snorts. “What are you talking about? We’re discussing a man fucking my brother’s wife. Of course, I’m entitled to check what’s going on.”

“I don’t think you are.”

Still driving, he twists to face me, his face flushing. “I suppose you think it’s okay for my her to make a fool of my brother?” Then he turns to face the traffic again, swerving to avoid another car.

He drives us out of the City and up the mountain. The views are amazing, but I can’t enjoy them, my stomach churning in anticipation of what’s coming.

We pull up by a spa hotel, ‘Life and Beauty’. It’s rather beautiful and very expensive looking.

“Mike’s place is around the back,” says Ben. “But I don’t want them to see me arrive. Follow me. It’s this way.”

He leads me around to the rear and through gardens which are a mixture of well-kept and maintained, and hopelessly overgrown. The whole has the look of ongoing restoration.

Further through, and there is a beautiful old house which also looks to be in mid-renovation, a mixture of old and new, dilapidated and restored. Standing over high meadows overlooking a lake, the position is incredible. In any other circumstances, I would just stand and Wow! the place, but right now….

“Look,” hisses Ben, pointing, “the bedroom curtains are drawn.”

“Ben, you can’t.” I try to hang back, but he ignores me, walking quietly to the front door and turning the handle….

Oh, please be locked….

…. which turns, and the door opens.

Ben enters, turning to me on the threshold. “Are you coming or not?”

I shake my head. “Not.”

He glowers at me. “I know where you stand, don’t I?” and he goes in.

I follow but only as far as the threshold, then from the window above me, I hear the unmistakable sounds of sex; a woman on the build to climax. Broken wails drift above me, gaining power with each breath.

A car turns in from around the front of the hotel. It’s Michael.

Thank God!

I rush up to the driver’s door as he lowers the window. “Kirstie?” he says, looking startled. “What are you doing here?”

I point at the house. “It’s Ben. He’s here. I tried, but I couldn’t stop him. He thinks James and Charlotte are….

What are the words I use here?

…. being unfaithful to you.”

He scrambles out of the car. “Ben’s here? What the fuck’s he playing at?”

“He wanted to catch them in the act, and….” I head-point upwards…. “I think he has.”

Michael charges into the house and this time, I follow. He runs through the hall and we reach the bottom of the stairs just in time to hear pandemonium break out upstairs.

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