Sam: A Novel Of Suspense by Iain Rob Wright

her.  “I just want this situation dealt with, so we can all
go back to normal.”
    “Me
too, Frank.  I appreciate your loyalty this last year.  I couldn’t have coped
without you.”
    You
aren’t coping...
    “It’s
been my pleasure, Ms Raymeady.  I take it you will be joining us this evening?”
    Jessica
must have caught the disapproving look in his eyes because her reply was short
and clipped.  “I will be down shortly.”
    “Very
good, ma’am.”  Frank opened the door of the master bedroom and departed.  The
penthouse floor of the house was the most lavish of all and Frank hated it.  It
represented the dirty money of Black Remedy and the wealth of its late owner. 
Joseph may have been a better man than his father, but the opulence he
inherited was still stained with blood and corruption.  Now that Joseph was
dead, the Black Remedy Corporation would no doubt become an even bigger cesspit
of immoral greed.  Jessica would inherit half of the company, but Frank knew
that she was weak.  Her late husband’s business partner, Vincent Black, would
run rings around her until he was in complete control of the company.  By the
time little Sammie grew up, his mother would probably be left with nothing. 
From billionaire housewife to destitute widow in less than a decade; that was
how Black Remedy worked.  You were either a man-eating lion or you got eaten
alive.  Jessica was a wounded pony, doomed to visit the abattoir and her
suffering would only get worse. 
    Unfortunately,
he loved her.
    At
least for the time being, Frank could do his best to protect Jessica and
Sammie.  Whatever happened in the future he would have to deal with then, but
for now there were more pressing matters to attend to. 
    He
headed into Joseph’s former office at the east end of the penthouse and
unlocked it with his master keys.  Frank knew what he was looking for and
didn’t hesitate in going over to the wall-safe behind the broad, walnut desk taking
up half the room.  After keying in the combination and swinging open the hatch,
Frank fumbled between the various papers and wads of cash until he placed his
hand around a wooden grip handle.  He pulled the police-issue Glock 17 handgun
out of the safe and checked that it was loaded.  It was.  He slipped the weapon
into his trousers and pulled his suit jacket over the top to keep it hidden.
    I
don’t know what those two clowns are planning, but I’ll make sure they’ll think
twice before trying to take advantage of Jessica.  Any more of Sammie’s blood
hits the floor and I’ll make them sorry.
    Frank
closed up the safe and took a seat in Joseph’s high-backed leather chair.  He
pressed a button on his ex-boss’s computer and waited while the hard drive
whizzed to life, loading the operating system.  Frank felt small sitting at the
grand desk, surrounded by shelves full of books he could never hope to
understand. He wasn’t a big enough man to fill his boss’ shoes and he wondered
what Joseph Raymeady would have made of the feelings Frank had for his wife. 
Joseph was a fair man, but loyalty was important to him.  Frank knew that his
behaviour would have brought out the darker side of his employer.   Who would
blame him, though ?  Jessica might be a widow, but Frank still felt like he
was betraying her late husband.  He felt like Judas.
    You’re
not doing anything wrong, Frank told himself.  You’re
protecting the man’s family.  He would have wanted that.  The fact that she’s
one of the richest women in the world and as emotionally involved as you are is
just a bonus.
    The
computer screen lit up and Joseph’s desktop appeared on screen.  Why the
computer wasn’t password protected, Frank would never understand, but it had
made it much easier for him to look into his late boss’s activities.
    In
the months prior to his death, Joseph had been increasingly unnerved about
something.  Frank needed to find out what it was in case it presented a