Chapter 58
Jonathan was in the office early, he had business to sort out. Billie arrived to see him punching noisily at his keyboard. “Everything alright?” He asked as he took a seat.
“We’re releasing Nathalie and her team from the project.” Jonathan stated bluntly. “Get on to it for us Billie.” In true Jonathan style, he did not bother to greet him.
Billie stared at him as if he had gone utterly mad. “We can’t just release them Jon. There will be legal implications, we have a contract. Do you mind telling me what this is all about? Yesterday they were the best thing that ever happened to us!”
“Well today they’re not! Sort the details, pay them what we need to and let’s find someone else. I have reconsidered, plain and simple.” Jonathan’s tone was testy.
“Just like that. You click your fingers Jon and we all have to run around and do exactly what you say. I think you may recall I already explained to you, that we are not financially afloat. You do recall that right?” He answered with sarcasm.
“I am sure you can sort it out Billie.” He paused and looked at him. He looked drained. It was not in Jonathan’s nature to ask how he was doing; their friendship had become so strained that he knew neither one of them really wanted to be doing business together anymore. Nevertheless, like Billie said, they were not exactly floating right now, and they had to stick it out until the build project was bringing them revenue in.
“Where do you think I’m going to find the money to settle this, Jon? There is not anything. We’ve thrown literally everything at it!” Billie was trying to remain calm. Jonathan glared at him, his eyes ice cold.
“We have insurance money Billie, sort it out!” He got up and made his way to the door.
“Are you suggesting what I think you are?” Billie asked incredulously, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, his face and neck flushed. “Because if you are, you have got to be kidding.”
“I don’t care how you do it just do it. I’ve got things to take care of!” He left abruptly slamming the door behind him.
“Jesus effing Christ!” Billie shot out. It was not even nine in the morning and he felt the urge for a stiff Whisky. He needed to get to the bottom of what exactly was going on; he knew it was all related to Clare. His anger mounted out of frustration. Why can’t you just leave her alone?
The other part of him worried about Clare, wherever she was, someone had to tell her she was far too close for comfort. “No one wins in this situation except Jonathan.” He muttered.
His mind wandered to his brief conversation with Nathalie yesterday, he had absolutely no idea why Jonathan wanted to get out of this deal, and as he stared at the bottle of Whisky he had tucked away in his bottom drawer, his mobile rang