Brick by Brick

Part Ten

Chapter Ten

"What the fuck is that?" Joel had ducked into an alcove out of sight of Sammy and was hissing down the phone to Toby, his whole body shaking at the image he'd seen.

The answering sigh infuriated him, "that is a photo just emailed to me by our PI guy, Joanna Painter...name ring a bell?"

"The account..."

Toby laughed, "oh yup, the account is right. Your boy Marcus transferred a shit load of cash to her three months before he passed away."

"And the boy?" Joel held his breath dreading the truth.

"Registered as Scott Turner. Her three year old son."

"Shit..." the word was a sigh on his lips as he let that sink in. "You think...?"

He couldn't formulate his worst thoughts, so Toby spoke for him, "I think that this is definitely what you don't want to think it is. Your best mate and business partner paid off the mother of his child with YOUR money. When are you going to wise up to this? He fleeced you out of thousands, to pay off one lover and child, now you're buying his widow a million plus apartment cos he didn't provide for her either."

"It's not like that, I can't believe it..."

Toby groaned, "hate to sound like the voice of doom, but you need a reality check mate."

"The others?" He could only pray that the other names on the list he'd compiled of recipients of his money weren't other single parents with similar looking dark haired children.

"Still waiting on those. I'll get back to you."

The phone line went dead but it was several moments before Joel lowered the handset to his pocket. Stepping back in to the room he saw the forlorn picture of Sammy, stood across the room looking out of the dark window, half a glass of champagne in her hand. She'd been buoyant when they'd arrived, confident and happy. But she now cast a miserable image alone, abandoned.

Plastering on a smile he skipped across the room towards her reaching for a refill for them both as a waiter passed.

"Hey! No sad face. You were meant to be in control. Don't let them see you down."

Sammy smiled at the familiar voice, and turning she saw Joel step up to her a glass of champagne in each hand.

"I'm still full," she waved her flute in his direction as he shrugged and handed her a full one.

"They're paying," he nodded in the direction of Mr and Mrs Turner, "so do yourself a favour and fill your boots."

Lifting an eyebrow she studied him for a second, "really?"

He nodded, "really."

With a laugh she took the half filled glass to her lips, then tilting back her head drained it in one go.

"Wow!"

A third voice disturbed their quiet corner and she lowered the empty glass to see Daniel stood to her right.

She hadn't really taken any notice of Daniel before, not in a studious comparative kind of way. Looking at him she felt repulsed. He had all the features of Marcus, and that did unnerve her somewhat, the same colouring, the same nose, strong jaw, even the same hairline. But Marcus oozed happiness, he was warm. Looking at Daniel all she saw was anger, animosity barely simmering under the surface, and it was aimed at Joel. A man who stared back at him equally intensely, and despite the slight snarl of his lips, still emitted warmth and compassion.