The Landlord's Protégé Pt. 03

Then anger. He'd been playing Susan along, playing the kind friend. To think she'd begun to fall in love with him! He'd been messing with her mind. All his loving kindness a sham! What an evil sod!

Would he have fucked her and then gone after Gail? She felt cold when she thought of all the times when he had been alone with the children. He'd tucked them in. God, he'd bathed Gail! She'd been sitting on his knee! Her mind was running out of control in a blind panic, and it had erased the knowledge that she was always there as well. She became aware that Seth was talking and getting ready to leave.

"...see to it he doesn't come back here. Either that or you leave here. Can you find another flat?"

She thought about it. "Well, it's possible," she said, "but this is a better place -- I can keep an eye on things better here. I'll talk to George and see if he can persuade him to leave. Mind you, he owns his own flat; he's not a tenant. But you're right, either he goes or I do."

Seth smiled. "Good," he said gently. "Sorry to upset you, Suzy, but I only want to keep Gail and Carl safe."

She nodded, and when he leant in for a kiss, she kissed him back.

After he had gone she felt abandoned. Seth was a good man and she'd driven him out, and now he was protecting her and his children. He had another woman now and though she got on well with her she felt lonely without Seth.

That evening, five minutes after the children were safely in bed, the phone rang. She knew who it was without answering it and left it to ring to the answer-phone. It was strange that she always knew when he rang that it was Victor.

"Susan, it's Victor. Something terrible has happened, and I need to talk to you. Please ring me back as soon as you can; I will not be coming back to the flat in the foreseeable future. Please ring."

"Like Hell!" she said, and broke down in tears.

----

Chapter Fourteen

For Victor, Monday came and went and there was no news about the case or from Susan. The five people in the house seemed to be in a strange unreal world. Gary and Jeanette went shopping for supplies: it was not deemed safe for Victor to be seen in public, people are judged to be guilty if arrested.

On Tuesday evening something happened which lightened Victor's life considerably. The group took it in turns to watch the CCTV pictures of the front gate and the long path to the front door. Everyone was scattered through the house passing the time. Victor was in the bathroom passing more than time. Jeanette was on duty and her shout rang out throughout the house.

"Stranger on the drive!"

There was an immediate flurry of activity as the other three bodyguards converged on the screen.

"Woman," said Terry.

"Well observed!" said Judy sarcastically.

"Good looking," said Gary.

"Hey folks!" shouted Jeanette, "She could be a reporter, or the police."

"Or a suicide bomber!" laughed Terry, "though the bomb isn't under that dress!"

"In her bag?" said Gary, though without conviction.

By this time the doorbell rang.

"Where's Victor?" asked Jeanette.

"In the can!" said Terry. "We'd better go and sort her out."

They dispersed according to a well rehearsed plan, the two men going round the outside of the house to come up silently behind the woman, while Jeanette, with Judy behind her, went to the front door. Jeanette shouted through the closed door.

"Yes?"

"I'm looking for Victor Freeman," came the reply.

"Take four steps back and put your bag down on the path."

The woman looked puzzled, but did as she was asked.

"Now come forward again, leaving the bag there."

She obeyed again. Jeanette opened the door as Victor arrived behind her and the two men came up behind the woman.

"Angela!" shouted Victor, a big smile lighting up his face. Angela darted forward dodging Jeanette who had half turned on hearing Victor, and the two began a prolonged hug.

"I suppose that means we don't get to search her for weapons?" said Terry disconsolately, and the others laughed.

Gary picked up Angela's bag and brought it indoors and the four then melted away.

"Why?" stammered Victor. "I mean -- how?"

"Your fame reached the Scottish news," Angela replied, the smile leaving her face. "I couldn't believe what they were saying and I knew it couldn't be true. I thought you might need a friend, but it seems..." She glanced over at the door.

"Those four are from my old unit in the army. It looks as if there might be threats against my life and they're helping out. I'm so glad you came. I still don't understand how you found me -- you only had my flat's address."

"That's a long story," she said, the smile returning and lighting up her face. "Any chance of a cup of tea?"

Victor apologised for being thoughtless and led her to the kitchen, where he sat her down at the table and set about making tea for everyone.

Once he had taken the mugs round to the others, he returned and sat opposite Angela at the table and looked at her with admiration. She was prettier than he remembered and he felt happy for the first time since the police had broken into his flat the Wednesday before.

"I went to the concierge," began Angela without preamble, "and asked after you. She wasn't very obliging -- asked what I'd want with a pedophile. I told her I knew you well and there was no chance you were interested in children in that way.

"She shrugged and said she didn't know where you were. I asked her for a good local hotel, and she gave me a few names. I gave her my mobile number and asked her if she would find out where you were for me. She took it, but said nothing.

"Luckily the name of the managing firm was on the wall outside and I went to their offices. The manager asked me how I knew you and I told him about the holiday -- not too much, mind you," she grinned at Victor, "so he gave me the address and here I am."

"So Susan is convinced I'm guilty," Victor said sadly.

"Yes," agreed Angela, "but I think you should go and see her and put her right."

"She won't see me," said Victor morosely, "or answer her phone to me. How did she seem?"

"Not happy," said Angela. "Seemed depressed. I mean I saw on the news that the police have released you on bail. She won't have any information."

"She doesn't know enough," agreed Victor doggedly, "but there'll be a time to go and see her. I don't need to go back to the flat anyway."

The evening passed quietly. Victor introduced his 'keepers', and they all played cards until bedtime.

Victor showed Angela to his own bedroom, and began to gather his things to go to his office where there was a z-bed.

"What are you doing Victor?" she asked.

"I'll use another bedroom," he said a little shamefaced, "You have my room, it has its own bathroom."

"You'll do no such thing!" countered Angela. "I didn't come all this way to a lover like you to sleep in separate beds. I'm going to 'comfort' you!"

A smile spread over Victor's face. He went to her and took her in his arms and they kissed. It was not a kiss of greeting but of passion, and after rapidly stripping each other they took their passion to bed.

"God!" gasped Angela, as his fingers found and stroked secret crevices, and penetrated apertures, and caressed hillocks and peaks, his mouth nibbling at ears and the nape and sides of her long neck.

"I've been longing for this since my anniversary party with you," she managed to groan as her body twitched and angled to gain more pleasure for her straining body.

Then she paid him back in kind, concluding her tour of his body with her lips on his rigid cock, which she worshipped a while with her tongue before taking him in her mouth. Now it was his turn to gasp and pant, until he was close, and pulled her up on him to find her lips, while turning her so he was on top. As they nibbled and tongued each other she found him and put him to her.

"Please, Victor, do it," she cried. "I've longed for this for weeks."

So he did, hard. It was loud and rhythmical, and more than audible to the three of the four companions who came out of their bedrooms and listened on the landing, grinning at each other (Terry being on duty at the monitors).

"Not lost his touch then!" said Gary, as Angela began to moan and cry out her first orgasm and suppressing their laughter, they returned to their rooms.

Victor remained inside her while she came down a little then began again, bringing her to another peak as he reached his own. He rolled off her and immediately fell into a deep sleep. Angela smiled.

When she had arrived, she could tell how much strain he was under and was glad she could give him relief and release, while enjoying her own. She cuddled against him and fell asleep in her turn.

----

Chapter Fifteen

Victor came to consciousness early that Wednesday morning, but felt more rested than he had been since he returned from his holiday. He then realised there was a woman in his bed, and fleetingly wondered which of Jeanette or Judy it was, before remembering it was Angela.

She was naked and partially uncovered by the duvet, and he leant on his elbow as he gazed at her lovely body, the sinuous back and curve of her breast as she lay with her back to him. He felt a deep sense of gratitude to her for coming to him, and wondered about her job and how she'd got the time off.

His thoughts turned to his chaotic life, and to Susan. Victor was realistic. He suspected that after the news coverage Susan would know about his arrest and for what he had been arrested. So he had not expected a reply when he had made the phone call, and he had received none.

He still felt dejected, however. He had always valued her friendship and loved her children and he knew they loved him; they had been the nearest to home that he could remember. Now it seemed irredeemable.

Yes he knew, had always known, that as a love interest, Susan was too young for him. She was a good deal nearer the beginning of her life than he was, and she needed someone of her own age.

However.

Angela had ensnared him. He knew he loved her and wanted her even though they hardly knew each other, and if his love would never be fully reciprocated, they had made love and he felt close to her. He sighed, depressed. She was not that much older than Susan! But she was older. He held that thought!

He left the bed and Angela sleeping, and made his way downstairs. Jeanette was on watch, and offered to make him some tea, saying she needed to stretch her legs.

He covered for her gratefully, and while she was in the kitchen he saw a solitary policeman walking up the drive. Victor went to the door before he could ring the bell and wake the house. The man had a summons to attend the police station to be questioned in an hour. Victor phoned Gordon who said he would pick Victor up.

Victor sat down and must have looked worried, for as Jeanette passed behind his chair, she trailed her fingers over his shoulders in a gesture of sympathy, but she said nothing and asked no questions. He assumed she had heard the conversation with the policeman or with Gordon.

Faced with another interrogation by the police, Victor suddenly felt a need to phone Susan again, and tried. It went to answer phone. He tried to keep the begging tone out of his voice but failed.

"Susan, please. Don't believe what people might be saying. Someone has set me up. Please ring me."

He waited by the phone. Susan would be up, so would have received the call, but again there was no response. Eventually he got up and went to dress, taking Angela some tea on his way. She was awake but sleepy and smiled at him. He bent and kissed her and she pulled him onto her. She felt very warm and so soft, but he told her of his forthcoming appointment and she frowned.

"The team will look after you," he told her. "Get some breakfast. I hope I'll be back soon."

She pulled him down again, and they kissed at some length, before he had to disentangle himself reluctantly from her embrace.

As Gordon and Victor sat before the two police officers, Victor noticed they looked confident and wondered why. However, after the debacle in the magistrates' court, they were more circumspect, though the early questions were the same.

When had he downloaded the photos? He hadn't. Did any of the key holders have a grudge against him? No. Any other keys? Not that he knew. Then it must be Victor. No, it wasn't.

At this one of the interrogators once again took out the series of photos found in the flat. Did Victor get off on seeing photos like these? No. Then why did he keep them in his bedroom? He didn't, he knew nothing of the photos. They laid out the photos in front of him. Did the photos excite him? No, they revolted him. Then why did he keep them? He hadn't.

They went back over the fact that no one had access to the flat, and therefore he must have printed the photos. No he hadn't. Didn't he understand that a jury would easily convict him on that evidence, why not make it easy on himself and confess? He said nothing to that.

At this point, one of the interrogators changed tack.

"Where were you between ten pm and two am on the 28th October?" he asked. There was a predatory smile.

Victor thought, then smiled in his turn. "On holiday in Scotland."

The officer looked shocked. "Can anyone verify that?"

"The owners of the hotel where I was staying."

They asked for the name of the Hotel and its location, and one of the interrogators left the room.

Gordon looked casually at the photos. "There's a date and time on these printouts, Victor. Whoever did this was an amateur. You're in the clear."

Both Victor and Gordon already knew this, but he said it for the benefit of the remaining detective and the tape recorder. When the first policeman returned there was a whispered conversation between the two.

"Do you remember what you did on the 28th?" asked the detective who had been out of the room.

"Was it a Friday?"

"Yes."

"I can tell you exactly." He went on to chronicle in detail the day he had spent with Angela, explaining about her anniversary. He did not cavil at telling them he spent the night in her room either. He pointed out that she was staying at his house at present and they could easily check with her.

Gordon spoke. "Surely it can't have escaped you that Mr Freeman could not possibly have printed off those photos. Three hundred miles just to print off some porn? And then to hide it in a wardrobe, before driving three hundred miles back again? In any case there was no time to make even one of those journeys. It's ludicrous.

"And since someone else must have got into that flat to print them at all, you've got to assume that they were trying to frame my client, and if that's the case, they were the ones who also downloaded the photos into the laptop from the Internet as well.

"I'm prepared to bet that the only downloads on that computer were on that same night and no other time. That in itself is suspicious. There should be downloads spread over a long period of time, months or even years.

"I hope forensics are examining the keyboard and these photos very carefully for someone else."

"We'll keep an open mind," said the officer, keeping a bland face.

"Isn't it obvious that there is a concerted attempt to incriminate Mr Freeman?" Gordon said. "You know you have no evidence against him now that would satisfy the CPS. [Crown Prosecution Service]"

The interview was terminated and the two officers left the room. Shortly afterwards they returned.

"D'you know of anyone who might have it in for you?" one of them asked. "Someone with a grudge?"

"Not off hand," replied Victor.

"What's your relationship with Mr Corrigan?"

"We're old friends; he manages my flats."

"Any disagreements?"

"No. As I say we're friends from way back. I trust him completely."

"How well do you know Susan Clemson?"

"Until recently we were good friends. She cleaned my flat. We met for dinner a couple of times a week -- with the children. I helped her out looking after the children if she had an emergency at the flats.

"Your flats?"

"Yes, she's overall manager of four more blocks, as well as the two where I live."

"And that's all you were -- just friends? No more than that?"

"That's right. Look, I'm in my forties and she's only twenty odd. She's not going to look at an old man like me, is she? I'm quite content to be her friend."

"We will ask her."

"Go ahead," Victor said. "She doesn't know I own the flats -- as far as she knows I'm just a resident. I'd prefer it to keep it that way."

"OK, we don't need to tell her that," they said. "You're free to go. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Gordon drove Victor past the ever present reporters, who always seemed to know when he would be coming and going from the station. The two men went back to the house

The evening news would carry the story that Mr Victor Freeman had been interviewed by the police and had been released without charge. He was no longer a suspect in the inquiry.

As the car drew up, Angela emerged from the front door looking worried.

"It's OK," said Victor, hugging her, "I'm completely in the clear."

Her relief was obvious, she draped herself on Victor giving him a good kissing! Gordon waited patiently until they disentangled, and Victor introduced them. He then invited Gordon inside for breakfast, which the lawyer accepted. He wanted to talk about how and why all this had happened.

As Victor busied himself grilling some bacon, poaching eggs and toasting bread, Gordon made conversation with Angela, asking how she knew Victor. Victor smiled as she told him how helpful he'd been in her bereavement anniversary in Scotland, but then she went on to say something which arrested Victor.

"I left the hotel full of optimism thanks to Victor, but it all evaporated when I got home and couldn't get into my house. Somewhere I'd lost my keys. Then I remembered my brother had a spare set -- he'd been staying with me and while I was at work he got a spare set cut. You've no idea how easy it is to get keys cut -- no one checks to see if you're a burglar."

Victor was dishing up the food. He stopped as the truth of her statement hit him. Then he carried on and brought the food to the table. Angela had eaten, so the two men ate, while she poured the tea and prepared the toast.

"Gordon," he said between mouthfuls. "I've just realised something."

Gordon made a noise of encouragement, since his mouth was full.

"It's what Angela just said about the keys," he went on. "The police and we have only been looking at the three key holders, but what if someone had a spare set cut? And who is most likely to be able to cut a spare set? Not me. Not George."

"Susan?"

"Not her, she's already got a key."

Gordon stopped eating. He saw the connection immediately. "Someone who was living with Susan? Someone who's jealous of your relationship with Susan and bears a grudge because you had him kicked out of the flat?"

"Exactly!"

Gordon had been too busy defending Victor to think beyond his innocence to consider possible aggressors. Now it seemed blindingly obvious to both of them. In retrospect it seemed there was no one else who could have done it. He had motive and opportunity. Seth.

"Angela," Victor said smilingly, "I'm so glad you came!"

----

"You won't believe this," exclaimed Seth as he came into the living room. "The fuzz have let that Freeman go!"

"Why?" Susan asked abstractedly; she was feeding Carl and he was taking most of her attention. "I thought you said they had evidence."

"They have evidence!" Seth rejoined. "And it's clear evidence. I can't understand why they're letting him out. He's a danger to children! They're bloody stupid!"

"How d'you know the evidence is so good?" she asked, becoming interested. "You haven't seen it, have you?"