‘But Grace—’
‘No, Jade. I’ve made up my mind. I think it’s time you moved on.’
Jade dropped her office phone back onto its base, momentarily confused after speaking to the bank manager. But after the trauma of her meeting with Grace it was no wonder she couldn’t think straight.
Somehow she’d negotiated the traffic and driven herself to the clinic, and somehow she had to get through today without thinking about everything that was falling to pieces around her.
But first she had to hold her raw nerves together and deal with a new problem. She’d had the bank manager repeat the figure three times. She’d heard him right. The foundation’s bank balance was lower—much lower—than what she’d expected after the last trustees’ meeting, and the six-hundred-thousand-dollar figure told her one thing for certain—no way had Loukas deposited the promised funds.
In scorching anger she reached for her phone again. Right this minute it didn’t matter that he’d deceived her. It didn’t matter that they’d parted on such terms. And it didn’t mean a thing that her argument with Grace might mean she wouldn’t be around to see the money put to good use. The most important thing right now was that scores of children would be denied the help of the foundation because Loukas had lied to her.
Damned if she’d let him cheat those children!
He answered on the second ring.
‘We had a deal,’ she snapped.
A heavy silence followed her statement.
Then, ‘What of it?’
Her fury increased tenfold. ‘I expected you to follow through with your end of the bargain, regardless of anything that happened between us. That’s “what of it”.’
‘You’re talking about the money?’
‘Of course I’m talking about the money! You promised one million dollars for the foundation!’
‘And I take it you believe I didn’t follow through on my promise?’
‘I know you didn’t.’
Another moment’s silence. ‘I see.’
‘Is that all you have to say? “I see”?’
‘Well, from your tone I take it you wouldn’t be likely to believe me anyway if I told you I delivered the cheque to your legal people myself?’
‘Don’t give me that. The money should be there. It’s clearly not.’
‘Then…might I suggest there may well be another reason why the funds have gone missing?’
‘Don’t you dare start that again! I heard enough of your lies and accusations last night. You’re not getting out of your commitment that easily.’
‘I assume that means Grace has denied all knowledge of what’s happened to the funds. That’s if you’ve even consulted Grace.’
‘Grace has nothing to do with your failure to deposit the money.’
‘So you haven’t asked her? You should. She might have something very enlightening to say.’
Jade shook her head, more at herself than at the arrogant voice on the other end. No way was she going to be swayed by his lies and diversions.
‘This is about you,’ she said into the receiver, ‘not Grace. And you made a promise—one million dollars for the foundation if I had dinner with you. I kept my end of the bargain.’ With interest, she thought bitterly, resenting herself for the way she’d fallen so readily into his bed, but determined not to let her stupidity deter her from what she had to do. ‘Now I expect you to keep yours.’
‘I’ll sort it out.’
‘Make sure you do—today!’
She broke the connection, her hands trembling, all of her shaking, as she gave herself up to the aftermath of the phone call.
Damn the man!
The clock on the wall told her she had less than thirty minutes to get herself under control before her first patient. She searched her desk for her schedule, trying to replace the chaos of her mind with order. Her eyes found the list, registering the first name with a sense of creeping unease.
Pia Kovac.
Why, today of all days, did she have to be scheduled for laser surgery?
Reluctantly she reached for the file.
CHAPTER NINE
SOMETHING was wrong. There was a disturbance coming from inside the surgical rooms. Jade heard a clatter, a crash, and then a theatre sister pushed out through the doors, the expression on her face a mixture of fear and panic.