Like Andrew had said, news of Jet’s attack was all over the media. Or at least Juliet Temple was.
Jet’s name change hadn’t been made official yet. The rebranding of the business was going to take some weeks to finalise. In the end, Jet had decided not to confuse her clients and planned to announce the changes all at once.
Reading about her attack in the paper, it was almost as if it had happened to someone else. She felt thankful her name change wasn’t common knowledge yet. Jet felt detached from Juliet’s identity and fiercely protective of her own—she didn’t want it tainted by anything from her old life.
She declined to comment to any reporters. Her standard response was she was recovering well and thanked them for their concern. Speculation was rife about the identity of her attackers. Most reports made the link between Alex’s upcoming trial and Jet’s involvement as a witness, although none were conclusive. With Jet and the police refusing to comment, Jet was hoping the interest would die down by the end of the week when other more interesting news stories came along.
Except it turned out the next interesting story was connected to Jet again.
Jet set the phone down, her hand shaking slightly. She was grateful her office door was currently closed because it had been Commissioner Roberts. Not stopping to think, she picked up the phone again and dialled Dan’s number.
‘Hey. This is a pleasant surprise. Miss me?’
Despite the way she gripped the handset tightly, Jet smiled. It was Wednesday morning, just after ten. Dan had stayed the rest of the weekend in Sydney and since Monday they had spoken every lunchtime and again after work each day.
‘I just had a call from the Commissioner.’
‘That sounds serious.’
‘It was.’ Jet took a deep breath and Dan, in his usual way, seemed to know to give her the time and space she needed to speak. ‘Alex has been cleared of all charges.’
There was a moment of silence on the other end. ‘What? How?’
‘The young girl he was alleged to have assaulted changed her story.’
Dan waited.
‘She claimed it was consensual,’ Jet finished.
‘But she’s underage. It’s still illegal.’
‘Actually, she’s not. She’s seventeen.’
‘How the hell did that get past the police?’
Jet rested her chin in her free hand because her head hurt from trying to make sense of her conversation with Commissioner Roberts. ‘She had a younger sister who died. They looked very alike and she was pretending to be her. But no one knew the sister was dead because they were living on the streets at the time.’
‘Alex Benedetti slept with a homeless girl?’
Dan’s disbelief matched Jet’s initial reaction. Alex was a lot of things, including a playboy and a womaniser, but he certainly wasn’t desperate for women. They were too busy throwing themselves at him.
‘This sister who survived later became a prostitute and she works in a high-class brothel,’ Jet told Dan.
‘So Alex paid her for sex, then?’
‘No. Here’s the thing. Taylor, this seventeen-year-old, picked him up in a bar. He had no idea who she was or what she did for a living. He claims she told him she was a high school drop out who was waitressing. When she reported it to the police, she came forward as Christina, the younger sister.’
‘But why?’
‘So she could set Alex up,’ Jet explained, which were the same words the Commissioner used. ‘She’s saying it was for the celebrity of being linked to someone famous like Alex. She hoped to make money out of interviews and to gain media attention.’
On the surface, it was plausible. And perhaps too close to home. Andrew’s extra-marital affair had been brought to light by a celebrity-seeking woman—albeit much older than this young girl.
‘But you’re not buying it,’ Dan said, interrupting Jet’s whirling thoughts.
‘No, I’m not.’
‘What does the Commissioner think?
‘They’re clearing Alex of the charges and the news will hit the papers today. Commissioner Roberts warned me that Alex would play up the victim angle.’
Dan sighed. ‘Of course he will. But where does this leave you?’
‘Well, I’m not being called as a witness anymore, so I can only hope those men will leave me alone.’
‘But,’ Dan said, echoing Jet’s thoughts.
‘We’re still no clearer on who killed Crystal at Alex’s party. It’s also possible someone put Taylor up to this whole thing, but she’s sticking to her story.’ The end result was Jet didn’t feel any safer than when this had all begun.
‘You mean, sticking to her current story,’ Dan said with a note of bitterness that was unlike him.
‘I know,’ Jet interrupted. ‘Some part of me wants to believe this will be the end of it—not that it helps the poor girl who died. The investigation is continuing and Commissioner Roberts has assured me his men will continue to keep watch over me.’
‘But for how long?’ Dan asked, mirroring her own fears. ‘And where were they Friday night? And what about Andrew? What did they say about him knowing who I was?’
It was Jet’s turn to sigh. ‘They can’t watch me all the time. Apparently their instructions were to keep watch on my apartment to take note of any unusual interest in my coming and goings. They didn’t deem my presence at work as a risk because I was around others. I should have listened to them and not left work so late when I was by myself. It’s my own fault.’
‘None of this is your fault, Jet.’ Dan’s voice sounded strained.
‘Bad choice of words. All I meant is given the circumstances, I should have been more aware. As for Andrew, I’ve been urged to keep my concerns to myself for now. Privately the Commissioner has taken everything I’ve said on board, but they have to be extra careful going down that line of investigation.’
Dan scoffed. ‘Because Andrew’s a rich and powerful arsehole? Give me a break.’
‘Well, he didn’t say it in those words,’ Jet replied with a wry grin.
‘What about the fact Andrew knew who I was?’
‘In the Commissioner’s words, concerning. He agreed it was completely out of line, but again I’m between a rock and a hard place. I can file a restraining order, but—’
‘But think of the headlines and the fallout in the media, which Andrew half controls. This is bullshit.’
Jet didn’t disagree, but she needed to be practical. ‘The police checked my phone. Somehow someone put an app on my phone I wasn’t aware of that could trace my calls. It had to be Andrew. I got a new phone just after I returned to Sydney because I was using the work phone you provided while I was staying at the estate. I suspect he snuck it on there the night he confronted me outside my apartment not long after I returned home—’
‘Wait,’ Dan interrupted. ‘What? He approached you before that day I met him?’
Jet sighed, not wanting to worry Dan any more than he was. ‘Yes. It was nothing,’ she lied. ‘Just him throwing his weight around as usual and I was stupid enough to let him in for a few minutes. Obviously I’ve got no proof of how it got there and Andrew will never admit to it. The Commissioner suggested I get a new phone, which I already have, and don’t let it out of my sight.’
‘And what about the fact your ex-husband doesn’t seem capable of letting you live your life now you’re divorced?’
‘Unless I have proof of something ...’
‘You can’t do a thing,’ Dan finished, exasperated. Then added, ‘I know what you can do. You can come and live up here with me.’
Jet laughed at his insistence. ‘A tempting thought, but—’
‘But you’re busy. I know, I know. You have an empire to run, I get it. And so do I, if I can keep my mind on the job.’
Jet toyed with the cord on her desk phone. ‘Actually, I was thinking of coming up for the weekend. If you’re open to it?’
‘Open to it? I’ll drive down there Friday night and come and pick you up myself.’
Jet laughed again. ‘Not necessary. I could do with a quiet drive. Something tells me by the end of this week with all the media fallout from Alex’s news, I’ll need it. You can do something else for me, though.’
‘Name it.’
‘Have dinner and a good bottle of wine ready for me when I arrive.’
‘Done. But I’m afraid there won’t be any dessert on the menu. I can’t wait through two courses for you, Jet.’
Jet’s pulse skipped a beat. She licked her lips and her heart rate increased in anticipation. ‘Well, I hope entrée hasn’t been decided yet.’ She smiled at his sharp intake of breath.
‘See, this is why I fell for you. You’re smart and beautiful.’
And come with a hell of a lot of baggage, she thought, but didn’t say it. Instead, she said, ‘Thank you. I can’t wait.’
Dan didn’t reply straight away and Jet wondered what he was thinking.
‘Do you really believe Andrew could have something to do with any of this?’ Dan finally asked. ‘I mean, I think the guy is a creep but I’m biased.’
Jet straightened in her seat at the change of subject. Dan was putting into words her thoughts over the last few days.
‘You know, until recently I never would have believed Andrew could be tied up in this mess, but then I didn’t think he’d invade my privacy the way he has either. I can’t imagine how he’d be tied up in Crystal’s death in any way—it’s too much of a leap and it doesn’t fit. But if he thinks Alex drugged me and he still has an unhealthy interest in me ...’
‘Be careful, Jet.’
Jet’s stomach twisted. ‘I am. More than ever after last week.’ She’d already had the locks changed on her front door and was yet to tell Edie. ‘I mean, what if Andrew had Alex set up to make him pay? It sounds so sick when I say it out loud.’
‘It’s possible, though. It’s pretty clear he hated having no idea where you were and with Alex out of the way, you were safe to come home.’
‘And then I came home and he started snooping on me. Now he knows exactly who you are. I feel horrible he knows about you and the estate. I’d hate to put any of you at risk.’
‘It’s more important you worry about yourself for now,’ Dan told her.
‘There’s one more thing I can’t get out of my mind.’ On the weekend, Jet had been too shell-shocked to make sense of anything. Now she’d had time to recover, her brain seemed to be going over everything and it felt good to share it with someone she could trust. ‘Those men said Alex was trying to protect Crystal. I can’t make sense of that either. What would he be trying to protect her from?’
‘I wish I knew. I guess we’re just going to have to hope the police can find some answers.’
‘I hope so. That poor girl deserved better.’
But how many cases went unsolved, Jet wondered. And would she always be left wondering who it was who had drugged her that night? Or if Andrew had been involved in setting Alex up?
They were questions that all deserved answers, but in the meantime one thing was certain. She was never going to trust her ex-husband again.