Page 73 of Mayfair Madame

I handed my phone to Melinda so she could read the message.

“Who has your number?” She frowned and gave the phone back to me.

“Only close friends, Ellie, and the police. You know I don’t let everyone have it. All business dealings are done online. Even my regular clients don’t have this number.”

“You need to tell the police.”

“And tell them what? We both know who this is from. Clement doesn’t have the fucking balls to do something like this. This is Godfrey’s work, but where the fuck did he get my number?”

No way this was coincidental, and if the man was stupid enough to play fucking games, he found a worthy opponent.

I couldn’t even reply to him, but I’d find a way to let him know he couldn’t intimidate me.

“Maybe I should call Josh. He might know something.”

“You’re not going to call Ellie?”

“God, no. She has enough to deal with. What with her mom and all. She’s only just come out of hospital herself.”

I paced the floor, a tightness forming in my chest, my jaw clenched. That bastard would not get away with this. It was time to take him down.

“Josh. It’s Naomi Reeves.”

“Is Ellie okay?” Panic laced his voice.

“She’s fine. Visiting her mum and sister.”

“Good, that’s good. I know she hasn’t seen them in a while. But what can I do for you? Why the call?”

“I’ve received a message. I’ll forward it to you. It can only be from one of two people, and seeing how one of them isthe biggest fucking coward I’ve ever met, it can only be from Godfrey.”

I forwarded it to him and waited for him to read it.

“I thought you’d dropped the case. What does he want you to pay for?”

How did I explain what was going on without implicating Rupert?

“I can only guess that word got around about the assault. I have friends in high places.”

“I could bring him in and question him. Although there’s no proof this has come from him. Have you upset anyone else lately?”

“Not that I can think of.” But it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that somebody was pissed at me. “But you’re right. This could have come from anyone. Look, if I get any more, I’ll let you know, but let’s drop it for now.”

I hung up and threw the phone onto the table. Not one of my finest moments. I definitely hadn’t thought that one through.

“What did he say? What’s he going to do?” Melinda asked.

“There’s nothing he can do without proof, and I couldn’t drop Rupert in it by telling him what we had planned.”

“What do you have planned?”

“Probably best you don’t know either. We’ll wait and see what happens. If all they do is send threatening messages, I can put up with that.”

“Then let’s have another pastry and get on with the rest of the day.”

If it took my mind off the text message, pass me another.

Chapter Twenty One