Kelly looked down at her hands, at the ruby ring Johnny had given her, and was taken back to her last Christmas with Wendy.

‘Hello.’ Matt waved across her face. ‘Earth to Kelly. I’m trying to get in and maybe clear up a few things, but you’re as cold as a dead body, Kell.’

‘Don’t call me Kell. I thought we were sharing a meal and throwing ideas around?’

He spread his hands. ‘I just want to get to know you again after what happened, that’s all. Come on. Open up a bit, you’re so serious.’

She smiled coldly and put her menu down.

‘I’m going to say this only once. You’re a twat and you sold me down the river to get promotion. The Coryn Boulder case was not my fault; you knew what I knew. I’ve moved on and I think you should too. There’s no way in. I’m not that person I was three years ago, and neither should you be.’

‘We almost got married.’

‘Thank God we didn’t!’

‘You’re so sexy when you’re mad.’

‘You’re lucky that I’m hungry or I’d walk out right now. And I need a beer.’ She raised the menu to cover her face and stared at the pictures of the prawn, salmon and avocado uramaki.

Chapter 21

Philip Tooting was catching up on the goings-on in the business world since he’d been away. He reclined comfortably in the back of the Mercedes S-Class saloon. It would drop him off at his favourite London club, where he’d checked in for one night only. His wife had no idea he was back in town.

The sun glowed orange on the great whitish-grey Portland stone facades so typical of the area. Colossal chunks of the stuff had been dragged from Dorset to construct most of Regency London. The car left the bustle of tourists outside the BAFTA and the Royal Academy and entered the quieter, more understated class of Mayfair. Tucked behind the exclusive clubs and fancy restaurants of Piccadilly, Berkeley Square was a haven of elegance, where even the air seemed fresher away from the rush and intensity of ordinary people pursuing regular business. Nothing about the square was common. The central garden was the largest of its kind in London, and Georgian architecture still dominated the quadrangle.