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“Just yours, Roxanne. Take it or leave it.”
I clench my fists, trying to dispel some of the anger, but it doesn’t help. “Fine, say I accept. What’s the price?”
“It’s very affordable, actually. I just need you to collaborate on this article with me. Answer some questions, give me some insider information, that kind of thing.”
I think about agreeing. It’s better than nothing, but still insulting, so I tell him a few more colorful curses before hanging up, dropping my phone on the cafe table and groaning. This was bad news. Really bad news.
Nothing makes sense at first, about how Kenneth found out about my relationship and connections to the Van Den Bosch family. I feel exposed, laid bare, and like there is nothing I can do about it. Someone is leaking information to the press, and I just don’t know if I’m up to solving the mystery.
“A girl on campus that went to the party told my sister she works for you,” I remember Andries commenting when he entered my office. Would it be that girl on campus that works for me and knows Elise that tipped the info to Kenneth?
It’s a long shot, but I call my personal assistant Poppy with a single possibility in mind.
“Poppy,” I say when she picks up. “We’ve got some girls working for us that also attend the University of Amsterdam, right?”
“Yes, we do. Quite a few of them, actually.”
“I’ll be back to the office after tomorrow. Can you compile a list of which girls go there for me?”
“Absolutely!”
I can easily picture one of my girls telling Elise about me as soon as they saw me in the arms of her brother at his birthday party and then thinking to tip a journalist in exchange for some extra money. Now I just need to figure out who.
I finish my scone, but don’t taste it much at all.
Back in the office on Monday, everything seems so normal and peaceful. The holiday weekend gave a lot of the girls time to rest and recharge, and everyone seems bright and chipper when I arrive.
I’d usually spend the first day back in the office working out schedules and events for the week, matching the right girls with the right clients, but I have one extra task today that has to be completed first.
On my desk is a neat list of all the girls that work for me and attend the University of Amsterdam, along with their phone numbers. Poppy works quickly, I have to give her that.
I like to consider myself a lenient boss, but the type of gossiping that could affect personal lives, mine included, is not acceptable. I hate making the calls I have to make, and it’s a huge relief each time one of them tells me that they didn’t even know Elise. I was getting close to the bottom of the list when I call an escort named Cassey, who, by the sound of her voice, already knows what I’m calling about.
I ask about Elise, and without hesitation, Cassey confirms she knows her.
“And did you tell Elise about me?”
She heaves a long sigh, a few beats of silence ensuing, before she finally tells me the truth. “Yeah, I told her. We’re friends, and I didn’t know your job was some shameful secret.” Cassey sounds offended and combative. “We aren’t doing anything illegal.”
“You know that this line of work can become dangerous and ruin lives if we are too loose lipped with clients, family, and friends. This time it was me that you got into hot water, but nexttime, what if you say something to the wrong person and one of your coworkers gets hurt by a jealous ex?”
Cassey remains silent, and my eyes flutter shut. Fine, if she wanted it this way, then so be it.
“You’re fired, Cassey. You can come pick up your check any time after Thursday.”
“Cool,” she bites out, bitter, and I can hear the tears in her voice. “Thanks for nothing, Roxanne.”
I don’t have anything else to say to her, so I let her hang up before pillowing my head on my arms that are folded on my desk in front of me. Cassey could have jeopardized my business, and has already ruined my relationship, and for what? The approval of Elise Van Den Bosch?
This whole issue was really causing me a lot of grief. Eventually, I was going to have to do something about it.
6
Amsterdam, January 10, 2022
Andries
“If I had knownI’d be the newest circus attraction, I’d have stayed back at the estate and done online classes,” I tell my sister as we get into one of the cafeterias for our lunch break.
