Don't Call Me Baby

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

One Door Closes and Another Door Opens

The next few days went by in a blur. The Police insisted the Joe remain in Germany until the forensics had conclusive proof he didn't kill Pam and that it was suicide. He was released from hospital and we moved hotels.

Julian and Mrs. Lewis went back to London and we followed the next day. Joe was still suffering from some side effects of the drugging, but more than that he was clearly affected by the trauma of watching Pam cut her own throat and being unable to stop it from happening. His sleep was restless and although he didn't call out, he tossed and turned in his sleep, sometimes violently.

Joe asked if I would stay with him at his apartment for the time being and I agreed. We spent the next week subdued, going for walks, talking and watching movies. On the Wednesday Julian called me.

"Lola, I wanted to ask if you think Joe is up to meeting with Dan." I looked over at Joe who was staring out the window. He looked over at me and I mouthed Julian's name to him.

"He's doing ok," I said, "You can ask him yourself." I handed my phone over to Joe.

* * *

We left later that evening for Julian's apartment. Joe held my hand in the cab, and I could sense his nervousness. We both knew that this meeting should go ahead. Julian and Mrs. Lewis had not told Dan Lewis yet what they had discovered. We needed closure on this. Joe needed the closure most of all.

Mrs. Jones let us in and we entered the drawing room. Julian and Mrs. Lewis were there already. Apparently, Dan was on his way, he was staying at Browns Hotel not far away, obviously not welcome to stay in the apartment.

Mrs. Lewis had aged since Germany. She looked gaunt and pale. Julian was sombre, his mouth set in determination. Joe and I sat down and we all waited for Dan Lewis to arrive. I had never met him before, and I hope never to meet him again.

He was a powerfully built man in his early sixties; loud and brash, just as I had expected. He walked into the drawing room as though he was expecting a fight. His eyes, spotted Joe.

"Who's she?" he said pointing at me. Julian explained who I was.

"What's all this about then?" he sat down, as though he owned the place, well he probably did, I thought grudgingly. Mrs. Lewis began,

"Dan, we have found out the truth about Derek's death, which is what this is all about." He looked around at our faces in suspicion sensing this was going to be a hostile meeting.

"Derek had a girlfriend, a serious relationship," Mrs. Lewis began. "Did you know about it?"

"Yeah, he called me to tell me a couple of months before he died." We all looked at each other in surprise. We had thought that Derek had only confessed about the relationship when Pam had got pregnant.

"Did he tell you her name? Who she was?" Mrs. Lewis asked.

"Some, gold digging tart in the office, Sam or something? Then he called me shortly before he died to tell me she was pregnant and he wanted to marry her," he said angrily.

"Pamela Henderson," said Mrs. Lewis. "Her name was Pam. She was 25 years old. Dan, a young woman in the prime of her life just like Derek," she said her voice heavy with infinite sadness.

"Never met her," he said, and I could tell he was telling the truth. He had never even met his own daughter.

"I paid a visit earlier this week to Essex, to meet with her mother, Mrs. Henderson." Dan Lewis paled ever so slightly on being told that his wife had met with Pam's mother and he knew instantly that we knew.

"So? What's that got to do with Derek?" He bluffed, but he was growing nervous, tense.

"You know exactly who she is, you bastard," Julian was also tensed, fists clenched, ready to spring, and I could tell he was having a hard time controlling himself. Dan flashed him an angry glare, but didn't say anything. Mrs. Lewis continued,

"Last week, Pam, your daughter, the daughter you never met, killed herself." He sat in silence at first and we could see him calculate his response.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he was going for outright denial. Wrong choice. Julian had risen from his seat and Mrs. Lewis held up her hand to stop him.

"Do not lie any further Dan. We know. Just stop it, for Derek's sake," she told him sadly.

"Ok, so she was my daughter. It was a long time ago. I took care of it."

"You knew for two months before you found a way to put a stop to it. You sick fuck!" Julian shouted at him in anger. He rose from his chair and Mrs. Lewis didn't move to stop him this time. He struck Dan in the face, hard. He was about to hit him again when Joe stopped him.

"Julian, it's not worth it, man," he said restraining Julian's arms. I could see Julian struggling to get free. Just then Mrs. Jones entered the room. She took one look at the situation and backed out discretely. It was enough to sober Julian up and Joe let him go.

Dan Lewis took a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe the blood from his nose. He suddenly looked older.

"Get out of this apartment Dan, before I beg Bjarne to kill you," Mrs. Lewis hissed at him. "Get out of this apartment and get out of our lives. I never want to see you again as long as I live." He knew it would be dangerous to retort and he staggered out of the room. I held my breath and didn't exhale until I heard the front door close.

Mrs. Lewis broke down and sobbed.

* * *

Two days later Joe's doorbell rang. I went to answer it while Joe finished up cooking us pasta in the kitchen. We were both at a loose end now the case was finished, but were in no rush to sort out what we were going to do next. We were enjoying the opportunity to have a normal life of domesticity. It was Julian.

"Hi Lola, do you mind if I come in? I'd like to speak with you and Joe."

"Sure," I opened the door to him. Joe had come out of the kitchen to see who it was, he rarely had visitors. Joe invited Julian to join us for lunch and he accepted. Over dinner he told us that his aunt's lawyers had concluded the divorce negotiations. It went uncontested by Dan Lewis and he settled half of his wealth on her in an out of court settlement. It was an empty victory and we all felt it.

He told us she was also finishing up the purchase of Jasper's estate and trying to build her life back again. She would take possession of Australis as well as the apartment in Knightsbridge and several other businesses and properties around the world. She had asked Julian to run them, but he had declined.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Because, Lola, I like what I do," he said. "And that's really why I'm here." Joe and I looked at him curiously.

"Baxter and Makepeace, the firm where I work is also owned by my aunt now. I told her I wanted to continue in this business that it gave me a high level of satisfaction. Her idea is the firm would set up a branch specialising in more, shall I say, challenging investigations." Joe and I were intrigued. Julian continued,

"So, it would be an agency that would handle difficult and sensitive cases for customers who wanted discretion above all. One that would have access a lot of funding, but also access to the expertise of a company like Baxter and Makepeace if needed." Joe and I agreed that it sounded great.

"My aunt and I would like you both to work for it. Well, with me," he asked nervously.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously, man?" echoed Joe.

"Yes," he said smiling, "I think we work well as a team. What do you say?"

*** THE END ***