Take Two (A psychological thriller)

‘It’s huge,’ she said. He joined her on the deck and took a set of keys from his pocket. They walked across a seating area with black leather bench seats protected from the elements by a white canvas awning.  There were racks of diving equipment including compressed air cylinders underneath the seats

‘There are plenty of bigger boats around,’ he said.  ‘But this is fine for me. There are two large suites down below and another four berths so it can sleep eight. But, like I said, I mainly use it for entertaining. I’ll take you for a run down the Thames one day, if you like. See the sights.’

‘Do you sail it?’

‘Drive,’ he said. ‘You drive a boat like this. And no, I have a captain who does the driving. You’ve got to know what you’re doing on the Thames.’ He unlocked the sliding door that led to the main cabin and switched on the lights. ‘Come on, I’ll give you the tour.’

Richards showed her around the boat and Carolyn had to admit it was pretty impressive.  The bathrooms wouldn’t be out of place in a five star hotel and the bedrooms were luxurious with polished teak floors and flat screen TVs. He took her coat from her when she got back to the main cabin and she dropped down onto a plush leather sofa. ‘I love it,’ she said. ‘It’s bigger than my first flat.’

Richards laughed. “I know what you mean,’ he said. ‘First place I lived in after I left home you couldn’t swing a cat in. I know because I tried.’ He went over to a built in bar. ‘Cocktail? Wine? What’s your poison?’

‘Wine would be great,’ said Carolyn. ‘Red, if you have it?’

Richards opened a cupboard and took out a bottle of claret. He showed it to her. Carolyn recognised the label. It was a very, very expensive bottle.

‘Are we celebrating?’

‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘Your first visit to the Alina. We can celebrate that.’

‘And you keep it in the fridge?’

Richards shrugged. ‘What can I say? I like chilled red wine. It’s not a capital offence, is it?’

Carolyn laughed. ‘I’d be interested to know your position on warm champagne.’

He used a chrome corkscrew and poured wine into two glasses. ‘So your first flat,’ he said. ‘Where was it?’

‘Clapham,’ she said. ‘I was trying to get started as an actress and I had to share with two other girls. There was only one bedroom so we took it in turns to sleep on the sofa.’ She patted the sofa she was sitting on. ‘And that was about half the size of this one.’

‘Funny how life works out,’ he said, carrying over the two glasses. ‘Back then, you’ve no idea how things are going to work out. It’s scary but at the same time it’s…’

‘Exhilarating?’

He nodded and handed her one of the glasses. ‘Yeah. It makes life worth living. Gives it that kick, you know?’  He sat down next to her and they clinked glasses. ‘To the good old days,’ he said.

They both drank.  Carolyn looked around the boat. ‘When you were in that flat swinging cats around, you probably never dreamed you’d end up with a boat like this.’

Richards grinned. ‘You know, even when I was a kid I knew I was destined for better things.  I knew what I wanted, and I knew if I worked hard I’d get it. And I did.’ He waved his hand around the boat. ‘This is the third boat I’ve owned and each was bigger than the last.’ That was when Carolyn saw the statue. It was a dolphin, in crystal. Her eyes widened as she stared at it. It was the statue that had crushed Cohen’s skull, she was sure of that. But what was it doing on the boat? She felt suddenly dizzy and put a hand up to her forehead.

‘Carolyn, are you okay?’

‘I feel a bit woozy.’

‘Try a bit more wine. It might settle your stomach.’

Carolyn did as he suggested but, as she sipped her wine, she realised that what he’d said didn’t make sense.

‘You’ve just been overworking,’ he said.

She nodded. ‘It’s been a rough few weeks, that’s true.’

‘You should take some time off.’ He clinked his glass against hers. ‘Tell you what, take two weeks off and we’ll go down to Spain. I’ve a place in Marbella. A villa overlooking the sea. It’s got a staff and everything. We’ll be waited on hand and foot.’

Carolyn laughed but her voice sounded distant, as if she was hearing it through water. ‘Sounds wonderful.’

‘Drink your wine.’

Carolyn took another swallow of wine and realised her glass was empty. She smiled at Richards but her lips felt numb. ‘I feel funny,’ she said.

‘Why don’t you lie down for a while?’ said Richards, taking the empty glass from her.

Carolyn tried to speak but she was finding it hard to keep her eyes open. She rested her head back and passed out.

CHAPTER 56