The Unreal Boyfriend Read online

  Bernadette placed a comforting hand on Derek’s arm.

  “I’ve waited four years to find Man and His Secrets,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I thought finding it would finally prove that my dad didn’t die from an accident—that his own brother-in-law had wanted him gone. So it’s not over yet. I still don’t know who really killed my father.”

  Bernadette took him in an embrace, giving him comfort.

  Derek breathed in a deep sigh, tightening his arms around her.

  “Your uncle would talk now, though, wouldn’t he?” Bernadette said, pulling back to look at him.

  Derek kept his arms around her. “Yes, only if the authorities promised him protection. Ross said no one has been able to touch the puppetmaster for over two decades. He’s too smart and powerful; everyone’s afraid of him. And I’m damned scared he’ll literally get away with my father’s murder.”

  “Derek,” she sharply, remembering something. “Mum said she’d seen someone else in Ross’s office, seemingly working on Man and His Secrets while it was laid down on the desk.”

  “Did she know who it was?”

  Bernadette shook her head. “But she said he looked somewhat familiar.”

  Derek led her towards the detectives, who were readying to leave with Ross. “Detectives! May we have a word?”

  Detective Swanson approached them, and Bernadette relayed her mother’s story regarding the stranger in Ross’s office.

  “We’ll contact you if we need to speak to your mother,” Swanson said.

  Bernadette nodded and gave the detective her phone number and address.

  They watched as the unmarked police car drove away with a dejected Ross in the backseat.

  “We have to talk to Mum and Dad,” Holly said to Xavier.

  “I know,” Xavier said. “Let’s do it tonight.”

  “I’ll call them now to say we want to have dinner with them,” Holly said, walking a few steps away.

  Derek faced Bernadette, taking her hands. “Thank you for remembering about that man.”

  She smiled. “It wasn’t much in the whole scheme of things.”

  “It could help a lot.”

  “I certainly hope so,” she said with a sigh.

  “I love you.”

  Her heart skipped. “What?”

  Derek smiled. “I love you, Bern.”

  Bernadette glanced at Holly. Fortunately, Derek’s current girlfriend was still on the phone to her parents.

  “Holly and I have been pretending for four years,” Derek said, “because that’s the only way I could help look for Man and His Secrets. Holly and Xavier know that Ross is not the upstanding man that people see him as. In fact, it was to Xavier that my dad had given the information about Man and His Secrets. Xavier and Holly both knew that if Ross continued to get away with his crimes, their parents could lose everything, including their reputations, possibly even their lives. I’ve been lucky to have them as friends who have stuck with me for four years as we looked for the painting.”

  She gawked at Derek. “You’ve only been pretending to go out with Holly for all that time?”

  “Yes, and I’ve never told anyone. For me, the stakes were too high. Getting justice for Dad is a priority, as well as keeping all my loved ones safe from smart criminals like my uncle.”

  Bernadette touched Derek’s face with both hands. She couldn’t even imagine what he must have gone through since his father’s death. “I’m here for you.”

  Derek pulled her close. “The last four years of my life have been a lonely hell. But a bright spot appeared two years ago. You. Even when I couldn’t act on my attraction for you, you still made my day whenever you were around. Will you forgive me for all the hurt I caused you?” Derek asked earnestly.

  She smiled. “Only if you stop keeping things from me to protect me. I want to be able to help you with things that are important to you—just like Holly has been doing.”

  “Okay,” Derek breathed.

  “So… you and Holly were never ever together?”

  “No. The chemistry was never there for us. We’re just very good friends.”

  Bernadette looked into Derek’s eyes with all the sincerity she could muster. “I love you.”

  A grin broke on Derek’s face. “I love you, too, sweetheart. Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to ask you out before and I couldn’t?”

  “What about me? I’ve had a crush on you since the first time I met you.”

  Derek laughed.

  “It’s not funny,” she said with a frown.

  “I know. I’m just happy. Really happy. Despite the lack of a full resolution today, I can’t help but feel happy. I’m free to tell the world I love you.”

  Bernadette breathed in deeply before pulling Derek’s head down to hers for a passionate kiss.

  “Heya, lovebirds,” a male voice said jovially.

  “Go away, Xavier,” Derek said against Bernadette’s lips. “I finally get to kiss my girl in full view of everyone.”

  “Yeah, I’m watching,” Xavier said cheekily.

  Bernadette broke the kiss, chuckling and blushing.

  Derek wrapped her tightly in his arms as he spoke to Xavier. “Okay, I’m all ears, Mr. Partner-in-Crime.”

  Xavier shrugged. “I have nothing to say. Like I said, I was just watching.”

  “Piss off, then,” Derek said lightheartedly. “Or listen to your sister talk to her real boyfriend.”

  Xavier chortled, turning away from them.

  “You know what?” Bernadette said to Derek. “Holly can now attend our get-togethers with the gang. She sounded like she really enjoyed our company.”

  “She did. Because of her profile, she’d grown distant from some of her old friends. A few of them used their friendship with her for one thing or another.”

  “That’s sad,” she murmured. “Xavier seems nice, too. We should bring him into the group, since we’ve run out of bachelors for our Captured by Love game. He’s single, right?”

  Derek laughed. “Yes. And I’m sure Marilyn would be thrilled.”

  Bernadette dipped her head on Derek’s shoulder. What a day.

  But even though things were looking up, there were still plenty of unanswered questions.

  Chapter 19

  Derek sat quietly as he watched June pore over a series of photographs at Bernadette’s dining table.

  June had already flipped through about ninety percent of the thick book supplied by the police, trying to identify the man she’d seen working on Man and His Secrets in Ross’s office.

  “I’m not seeing him,” June said with frustration.

  “There’s a few more shots you haven’t looked at yet,” Detective Swanson said gently. “And if he’s not one of those men, then that’s okay.”

  “I know I’ll remember him when I see him,” June said. “I thought he looked familiar. Didn’t I say that to you, Bernadette?”

  “Yes, you did mention that,” Bernadette said.

  June turned over to the next page and gasped. “This is him!”

  Derek sprung up from his seat and stood behind June.

  “Are you sure?” Swanson asked.

  June nodded vigorously. “I know I’ve seen him somewhere else before, I just can’t remember where.”

  Swanson leaned back on her seat, pleased with the result. “Thank you, June. You’re a great help.”

  “This seems to confirm my uncle’s claim that this man is the puppetmaster,” Derek said.

  Swanson nodded.

  “Where would I have seen him? Who is he?” June asked.

  “I suspect you saw him on the news, either on TV or in the papers,” said Swanson. “His name is Eugene Barker and the police has been looking for him for a very long time. He is the suspected leader of various criminal syndicates dealing with money laundering, white collar crimes and illicit trafficking of art. Even Interpol has put out a red notice for him, which is their highest level of alert.”

  �
�I remember seeing him on the news,” Bernadette said. “The police thought they got him, but he somehow escaped while being transferred to the maximum-security prison.”

  “Yes, that man’s slippery,” Swanson said.

  “And well-connected,” Derek said dryly. “His escape had to be an inside job, right?”

  “It appeared to be,” Swanson said reluctantly.

  Derek sank back on a chair. That meant finding the man responsible for his father’s death might take many, many more years.

  Bernadette found his hand under the table and squeezed it.

  He gave her a smile, his heart expanding from that little gesture.

  “Have you found Lawrence?” June asked, spine suddenly straight.

  “Yes. We arrested him and Boyd last night. They were driving up north. They’re both talking as long as we keep them protected from Eugene Barker.”

  June sighed. “I suppose Lawrence is going to jail.”

  “He’ll have his chance to state his case,” Swanson said. “But according to Ross, Lawrence was the one who carried out most of the thefts on his orders.”

  “But why did that other man try to kidnap my daughter?”

  “Boyd is Eugene Barker’s man, assigned to watch Ross to ensure he doesn’t betray Barker. Last week, Boyd suspected that Ross had started telling Derek the truth regarding the writings at the back of Man and His Secrets. Boyd knows it’s his job to protect Barker, so he decided to kidnap Bernadette to force Derek to keep his mouth shut about whatever Ross was saying to him about Barker. But Lawrence foiled his impromptu plan. Luckily, Lawrence had started acting as Ross’s secret bodyguard because Ross was getting paranoid about Boyd. Lawrence was hanging around outside last week on Ross’s request because Boyd was visiting. When Lawrence saw Boyd with Bernadette, he said he acted on impulse. He wouldn’t normally have interfered with Boyd, especially without specific instructions from Ross.”

  Derek inhaled deeply, grateful to Lawrence.

  “That’s good to know,” June murmured. “I’m thankful he saved Bernadette. But he was just using me, right?”

  “Oh, Mum.” Bernadette placed a comforting arm around her mother’s shoulders.

  “What exactly did he want from me?” June asked the detective.

  “Well,” Swanson said, “Ross Anton wanted to get to Bernadette through you. He started to suspect that Holly and Derek weren’t really in love when Bernadette came into the picture, and it occurred to him that Derek and Holly might be looking for Man and His Secrets because he caught them snooping around his houses a couple of times. He’s always feared that Richard McCarthy had accidentally seen the writings behind the painting, and he became convinced that Richard had told Derek. Otherwise, why else were Derek and Holly pretending to be a couple just to be able to sneak around his properties?”

  Derek smirked. He’d always thought no one had noticed.

  “So,” Swanson continued, looking at June, “Ross started thinking about steps he could take to save himself. He didn’t want to call the cops on Eugene Barker because he was absolutely scared of the man, especially with Boyd always watching him, but he also didn’t want to be lumped with multiple charges of murder if Man and His Secrets was suddenly found. His idea was for Derek and Holly to find Man and His Secrets on their own so Boyd wouldn’t think that Ross was trying to betray Barker. That was why Ross was allowing Derek and Holly free rein in his houses during his events. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything more because of his strong fear of Boyd smelling something fishy. That was also why he invited you and Bernadette into his office to sign the NDAs. He wanted Bernadette to see Man and His Secrets in the hopes that Derek has shared with her that he was looking for it. And he was pushing Bernadette and Derek back together, because as far as Ross knew, Bernadette was the only person who could tell Derek where Man and His Secrets was.”

  “But how could us finding Man and His Secrets help Ross when all the evidence pointed to him?” Derek asked.

  “Well, first, the writing at the back was Eugene Barker’s way of ensuring Ross kept quiet about everything he knows about Barker’s operations. So Barker engineered it so the evidence for the murders of all those people named at the back of Man and His Secrets pointed to Ross. Basically, Ross got himself involved with one of the world’s most wanted criminals and felt he had no choice but to suck up everything Eugene dished out to him. But Ross started getting nervous as the list grew and grew, and he came up with the idea of writing the crimes he did commit—the thefts—on the back of another painting. He thought the handwriting differences would act as proof that it wasn’t him who’s been writing at the back of Man and His Secrets—and therefore didn’t commit the murders. He needed the police to believe him quick enough to investigate further before Barker managed to get to him.”

  “But why did Barker use Man and His Secrets?” Derek asked. “Why did he use invisible ink? Why didn’t Barker frame Ross in another way?”

  Swanson hesitated. “When your dad was becoming popular, Barker wanted Man and His Secrets, but Ross refused to give it to him. Barker clearly has a sick sense of humour because, to show Ross who was the boss, Barker started writing the crimes he wanted to pin on Ross at the back of Man and His Secrets. Apparently, Boyd had a gun pointed at Ross when Barker first did it. Not only did it ensure Ross can’t sell the largest Richard McCarthy painting he has, it also guaranteed Ross kept his mouth shut about Barker. To further prove his point, Barker had your father killed because Ross saw him as a way to keep making money by forcing your dad to hand him more of his paintings. Since then, Ross obeyed Barker like a puppy—until he got too scared that he might be hanged for all the murders.”

  Tears rushed to Derek’s eyes, and he looked down at the floor.

  Bernadette put her arms around him.

  He sank into her embrace, taking comfort from her love and presence. At least now he knew the truth.

  “Did Ross say what happened to the items he’d stolen?” he asked.

  Swanson nodded. “Ross wrote down where he’d sold or kept each of the items. We’ll let you know when we’ve recovered your mother’s necklace.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Are we all safe from the puppetmaster?” June asked.

  “We’re going to keep your identity as a witness a secret,” Swanson promised. “We have plenty on Eugene Barker, so hopefully we won’t need for you to testify at all regarding this. What’s more, nothing will come out of the department indicating that we know Barker is involved in Ross’s, Boyd’s or Lawrence’s case. While we’re getting those three to talk, we’re also keen to protect them as important witnesses. The relevant personnel handling their cases will work out what kind of information will be released. So none of you have to worry, as long as you all never utter the name Eugene Barker to anyone. That’s the best way to stay safe, understand?”

  They all nodded.

  June pouted. “Well, I guess there’s no point in me holding on to Lawrence. Much as I really like him, I don’t think I’ll feel safe enough being with him. Besides, if he goes to jail, we can’t have sex for weeks on end.”

  “Mum!” Bernadette said with a laugh.

  June shrugged, although the sadness in her eyes was apparent. “You should help me set up a profile on one of those online dating sites, Bernadette. I’m not gonna sit here moaning about Lawrence, the User.”

  “Okay,” Bernadette said, glancing at Derek with relief in her features.

  He smiled at her, and noticed something different about the way he was feeling. What was it?

  Then it hit him. They hadn’t yet caught the man who’d killed his father, but that dark pool in his heart had stopped churning madly. It was still there, but it was a lot calmer.

  Perhaps it was from knowing the true identity of his dad’s murderer. And, perhaps, it was from knowing he’d done his utmost to get justice for him.

  Finding Eugene Barker would be a lifelong battle. But he was willing to hand the matter over to t
he authorities. This was much, much bigger than he could handle.

  His dad would be okay with that, right? He wouldn’t mind if Derek let go of his mission to bring justice to his killer so that Derek could live his life to the fullest with the woman he loved?

  His father’s words as he sat for Man and His Secrets floated in his mind.

  You’d never want to look back over your shoulder in regret, Derek. Always take the path towards your dreams, even if it’s not what other people expect of you. It’s your life, not theirs.

  Derek smiled. No, Richard McCarthy wouldn’t mind at all.

  Chapter 20

  FOUR MONTHS LATER…

  Derek opened the passenger door of his car and escorted Bernadette out. He smiled at her serious expression. “There’s no need to be nervous, babe.”

  “I’m not nervous,” Bernadette said. “I’m just trying to remember the names of your other relatives from the pictures your mum showed me last time, since I’ll be meeting them soon.”

  Derek smiled, touched that his Bernie was so thoughtful and considerate. He couldn’t wait to introduce her to everyone who’d be attending his mother’s sixtieth birthday party tonight.

  Fortunately, his mother had agreed to hold a celebration. She’d been terribly upset at discovering that her own brother had hidden the truth about the death of her husband. Learning that was like her husband dying again for the first time.

  Fortunately, his mother was a resilient woman. Four months after Ross’s arrest, she was back to being her energetic self, focusing on her pet projects, especially those involving the development of young artists. The name Ross Anton, though, was now banned from being uttered in front of Sally McCarthy, and Derek had made sure he’d relayed that message to all of their relatives and friends.

  “Just don’t let anyone push you into talking about Ross, okay?” he asked.

  Bernadette hugged him to her. “Of course not. Do you think there’ll be some who’ll be too curious?”

  “There’s always the odd one or two,” he said dryly, thinking of her mum’s cousins.