‘Look, we can theorise as much as we like, but what we need is evidence.’ Hailey had a determined glint in her eye. ‘We need to confront both of them – Matt and James – goad them into telling us more than they should, or even confessing, and make sure we’ve recorded the conversations. Even if it’s just a snippet when they’re off guard, hopefully that’ll be enough to go to the police and get this thing properly sorted.’
Sara blanched. ‘I can’t go to the police, can I? Not when I stole that money. I can’t risk it. We’ve got to sort this out without the authorities getting involved.’
Hailey’s jaw clenched, eyes closing for a moment. ‘I keep forgetting about that.’
‘Well, I don’t, because that’s what started this whole thing off. If I hadn’t been in debt to James, I wouldn’t have gone to that networking event and met that creep and then…’ She slapped her hands to her cheeks as a crystal-clear memory flew into her mind. The one that had been lurking on the edge, blurry and indistinct, avoiding being seen. Now it was so obvious, she wondered why she hadn’t seen it earlier. ‘The man with the ring! I do know who it was. Lewis. It was definitely bloody Lewis.’
Hailey looked confused. ‘Who’s Lewis?’
‘He was the organiser of the sales event. Sat opposite me on our table, kept staring at me.’
Her mind scurried around, gathering up all the little bits and pieces of memories and putting them together into a full picture. And when she looked at it afresh, she was drawn to a horrible conclusion.
‘What if the whole networking event was a sham, a front for something else? Bear with me if this sounds a bit off-the-wall, but it’s in my head now, so I’ve got to say it.’ She hesitated, hoping Hailey wouldn’t think she was being melodramatic.
‘Come on then, spit it out.’ Hailey frowned, impatient.
‘What if it was a showcase, for men to choose the women they wanted? Then arrangements were made to give them access, either on the night itself or at a future time?’ Her thoughts raced ahead. ‘James said the weekend away was a special offer to network members, that’s why there was no flexibility with dates.’ She met Hailey’s puzzled gaze. ‘It makes some sort of sense, doesn’t it?’
Hailey’s jaw dropped, her hand covering her mouth. ‘Oh my God, that would be horrendous if it’s true. But we can’t discount it, can we? We’ve got to leave it as a possibility.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Perhaps you could confront James with it. See how he reacts. And video any conversations you have with him, if you can. Then we’ll have facial expressions as well as his voice for evidence.’
Evidence? Sara shook her head, adamant. ‘No police,’ she said. ‘I already told you that.’
Hailey gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Look, I know it’s not ideal, but if you really want to get this sorted out once and for all, you’re going to need the police.’ Her expression softened. ‘I just don’t think it’s as big a deal as you imagine. We could go and talk to Fiona together if you like. Explain everything and beg for clemency. She’s your friend, isn’t she? I’m sure she’d understand.’
Would she? Sara wondered, her heart racing now as the implications of Hailey’s plan sank in. From her experience of working with Fiona, she’d proved to be quite strict as far as rules were concerned, and she took her responsibilities as board chairperson very seriously. ‘No, I can’t take the risk.’
Hailey stared at her for a moment, then her shoulders slumped in defeat. ‘Okay, well it’s your shout. We won’t think about getting the police involved just yet. We can speak to James and Matt, record the conversations should we need them as evidence in the future, then decide what happens next. Do it in stages.’
It seemed like the best approach, certainly more palatable than the alternative. ‘Speaking to James is pretty straightforward,’ Sara said. ‘I can do it at the community centre. Get him to come into the office, I’ll set up my phone to record our conversation and he won’t suspect a thing.’
‘Perfect. Sounds like a plan. The question is, who do we tackle first?’
Sara thought for a moment. ‘Let’s talk to Matt. We know exactly where he is, and we can do it together. I know this sounds pathetic, but after last time, I can’t face talking to him on my own.’
Her phone pinged and she had a quick look, thinking it was going to be a message from the girls, or even Matt, objecting to their last-minute holiday plans, but it wasn’t.
She frowned, glanced up at Hailey. ‘It’s James. He wants to meet me. Now. Says it’s urgent.’ Adrenaline fired through her veins, her heart racing. ‘He’s got information about the video.’
She checked the time. Ten o’clock.
‘It’s a bit late to be meeting, isn’t it?’ Hailey voiced Sara’s own thoughts.
‘Yeah, you’re right.’ She chewed at her lip, deliberating. ‘But what if he’s found out the truth? What if he knows who’s behind it all?’
Hailey stood and yawned, clearly exhausted after a difficult day. ‘Your decision. I’m way past being able to decide anything.’ She went to the fridge and pulled out another bottle of wine, unscrewed the cap and poured some into a glass. ‘I’ll stay with Ezra if you really want to go.’
Sara swallowed, nervous about the idea of meeting James, given all their theories. Her hands twisted together as she dithered. ‘Oh God, I don’t know. Is it a good idea?’
‘Where does he want to meet?’
‘In the car park on the moors. Says nobody will see us talking there.’
Hailey’s mouth dropped open in horror. ‘What? No, don’t be ridiculous! You can’t go up there on your own at this time of night. No way are you doing that.’
Sara tapped out a message on her phone, telling him no, glad that her sister had persuaded her against it. Stupid idea, she reassured herself, though a part of her still wanted to know what he’d found out. She stopped typing, looked at Hailey.
‘What if I call you when I get there and leave the line open, then you’ll be able to hear what’s going on and can get help if there’s a problem?’
Hailey looked at her like she’d grown a couple of horns and turned into a fantastical beast.
‘Sara, no. Think about it. There’s plenty of places you can meet where nobody will see you. And anyway, why does it have to be so secret? I really don’t understand that. Surely it would be safer to meet where people can see you?’
Sara got up and pulled on Hailey’s jacket, which had been draped over the back of a chair. She wasn’t sure if this was the most stupid thing she’d ever done in her life, but the desire to know what James had discovered was stronger than the desire to stay.
It was a cloudy night, pitch black in the car park when she pulled up, hands clammy and slippery on the steering wheel. James’s car wasn’t there, and as she waited for him to arrive, eyes nervously scanning the entrance to the parking area, she began to hope he’d changed his mind. Her phone pinged. Another message lit her screen.
I’m at the quarry.