The Perfect Gentleman

A short story and a quick update

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I am busy editing book number two, following the release of my debut novel, which is receiving some fabulous reviews. Thank you from the bottom of my heart if you took the time and trouble to leave one. Here is one review, which blew me away:

“This is a highly entertaining and engaging murder mystery set in the heart of the English countryside. It explores the complex personal and social relationships within a small rural village. Each character has been meticulously described enabling the reader to conjure up a clear image of all the individuals we are introduced to. The story that unfolds is extremely clever and plausible. The author has created a plot which weaves and turns in unexpected directions providing lots of surprises and twists. It is a book that grips you from start to finish as you feel you are part of the quest to find out what happened to Marsha Boden the funeral director’s wife, who has suddenly gone missing. This book shows the author has a real knowledge of life within a small community and is a perceptive observer of people which ensures her characters are realistic. The book examines a range of relevant current issues and explores the complexities of relationships and how they change over time. It is a book that is easy to read and has a clever conclusion.”

Now available on Kindle if you prefer your books in digital format. The paperback version is currently reduced on Amazon and is also available at Waterstones, Foyles and WHSmith. I understand there have been some distribution glitches which I hope have now been resolved. Please let me know if you come across any issues and I will do everything I can to resolve them.

This week has been full-on with work commitments, promoting and marketing my book and an emotional family issue which, combined, have drained me. I hope you will forgive me, therefore, if I re-post a short story I wrote last year.

The Perfect Gentleman

Roger Altringham lived a comfortable life and could afford to go on obscenely expensive holidays.  He mostly went on luxury cruises and when he flew, he always travelled First Class.  He had never married but had had his fair share of women and was quite a charmer.  He particularly enjoyed chatting with ladies online.  Long into the night, he would have conversations with at least two women at the same time if not three, and sometimes, he even had four on the go, all at the same time.  He thought it was an innocent enough thing to do, but what he didn’t realise was that the ladies swooned over his every word. You see, Roger had a way with words.  He made women feel special.  He didn’t go out of his way to do it; it came naturally.  He had received more proposals of marriage than he cared to remember. 

There was Rosa from South Africa, Penny from Melbourne, Judy, a Brit living in the south of France, Annabelle from Kentucky, Eliza from Chicago and so the list went on.  He had built up quite a hareem and was very proud of his accomplishment to captivate ladies online and then capture their hearts with his words. He came across as the perfect gentleman to every one of them.

Judy was proving the most difficult to deal with. Roger never met his ladies in person and insisted on maintaining long-distance relationships.  He preferred chatting with them online and occasionally he would engage in a conversation.  Judy had insisted that they speak on the telephone and he knew he should never have agreed. He regretted his decision the moment he heard her voice.  It was like listening to warm, melted chocolate; sweet, smooth and dreamy.  It was as if she wanted to make sure he hung on her every word.  He found her utterly charming and even began to have stirrings of feelings for her, deep down inside.  They were very faint but they were there all the same.  He tried to tell himself not to get drawn in, to always remain on his guard and never let the ladies get the upper hand.  He had to be in control at all times. But Judy had somehow managed to wheedle her way into his affections.  She was calling him today to ask if he had made his reservation to fly down to meet her.  She had invited him to stay at her nine-bedroom chateau.  Roger’s curiosity was piqued and he was desperate to make the journey but if he did, he would be breaking every rule he had ever made. 

‘Roger, darling,’ she purred.  ‘How are you?’

‘Oh, sweetie, I’m fine thanks, but…’

‘But what, honey?  Is there something wrong?  Please don’t tell me you can’t come.  I’ve cancelled all my social engagements so that we can spend time together.  That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? I’ve gone to an awful lot of trouble, darling.’

‘Oh, you shouldn’t have, sweetie.  No, everything’s booked and all arranged but I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.  I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about but I need to get something checked out.’

‘Of course, darling.  You absolutely must,’ she crooned.  ‘I do hope it’s nothing serious.  You will keep me posted, won’t you?’

‘Yes, of course I will.’

Roger didn’t have a doctor’s appointment.  It was just his get-out clause if he needed it.  He didn’t like the fact that Judy was doing all the controlling.  He needed to rein her in so that he could regain his control over the situation.  He would fabricate a medical problem if and when it was needed.

‘Well then, do have a safe journey, Roger and I can’t wait to see you, to meet you in person.  I haven’t slept for days, I’ve been so excited.  I feel like a schoolgirl.  At my age.  Ridiculous isn’t it?’  And she laughed, a husky, sexy laugh that caught Roger completely off guard.

‘No, sweetheart, not at all. I feel the same way about you too,’ he lied.  The only reason he had agreed to meet her in person was because she was an extremely wealthy widow.  He wanted her money to be able to maintain his grand lifestyle for a long time to come.  The photographs she had sent him of the chateau were mind-boggling and Roger couldn’t believe his luck.  Judy had already transferred money for his flight and travel expenses to his offshore account.  The one that he set up especially in the name of a company so that (a) he could avoid paying tax and (b) if anything went wrong, the police would have great difficulty in tracing the account back to him. 

As soon as Roger realised how gullible, lonely and sad some women were, he started keeping notes in a book.  He had bought it especially; it was in the style of an old-fashioned address book with the letters of the alphabet as tabs.  He would use the lady’s first name, so Judy was under J.  He would note any tiny detail she had given about herself or her circumstances.  Very quickly, the pages filled up and he would open the book at the appropriate page when he was chatting online with his numerous lady friends around the world. He needed to make sure that he never got them mixed up, and always impressed them with the way that he remembered things they had told him.

After his brief conversation with Judy, he went upstairs to throw a few things into his Gucci holdall.  If he did go to Occitanie (which he had Googled and thought looked like his kind of place – very classy), it would only be for a couple of days.  He had the doctor’s appointment up his sleeve which he could use as his get-out-of-jail-free card if needed. 

To Judy’s surprise and delight, Roger sent her a brief text message, making sure to use his burner phone, to say that he was on his way.  She couldn’t believe it.  She was so thrilled to finally be meeting him in person. 

Rushing around finalising things in preparation for his visit, Judy kept her cool.  She knew that if she came across as too eager she could scare him off.  Instead of texting back a witty, sexy remark she simply wrote: ‘I’ll pick you up at the airport.  Which flight are you on?’

Roger couldn’t be too careful and smiled when he read her reply.

‘No need sweetie.  I’ll get a taxi.’

The reality was that Roger wanted to find out whether the chateau existed and if so, that Judy was the rightful owner, as she had told him.  He had no reason to be suspicious of her and was pretty confident that she was who she said she was. He had done some background research and checked her out online.  He couldn’t be too careful with his history of scamming women the world over for several decades.  He had no scruples about stealing from vulnerable women and got such a kick out of it, that he couldn’t help himself. 

When the taxi pulled up within sight of Chateau de Monique, Roger couldn’t believe his eyes.  Breathtakingly beautiful, it clung to the side of a craggy mountain like something out of a fairy tale.  It had several imposing spires and oozed character and charm.  Roger’s wheeze had worked a treat.  He had forewarned Judy via text that he thought he had the right place but if she could stand out on the enormous balustrade balcony and wave he would be within touching distance of her soon.  He always teased the ladies and kept them guessing as to his next move. 

Training his binoculars on the elegant silver-haired lady waving from the balcony, just as he had instructed, he felt a frisson of excitement.  She was wearing a vivid blue top and a huge straw sun hat.  Roger could tell that she was beautiful and his heart started to race.  He was excited at the prospect of carrying out one last mega scam.  He knew he had it in him.  Mister Respectability to the outside world, he was at the top of his game.

‘Roger, darling,’ Judy purred, her arms outstretched as Roger alighted from the taxi wearing a pale blue suit and a crisp white shirt, his Rolex just visible below his pristine cuff.  Her eyes were sparkling and when they embraced she breathed in his evocative aftershave.  She held him at arm’s length, taking in every contour, drinking him in.

‘I can’t believe you’re here!’ she gushed.  ‘You are a handsome creature, aren’t you?’

Roger kissed her on the cheek, brushing off her compliment.  He had made an extra special effort, splashing out on some expensive Oud because he knew that Judy liked it. If it wasn’t for his trusty notebook he would never have remembered. It seemed to have done the trick and he was feeling buoyed up and exceptionally pleased with himself. Despite his earlier reservations, he thought Judy was going to be a pushover. She clearly adored him.

The taxi driver was standing next to his vehicle with Roger’s expensive holdall in his hand. Judy produced a fifty euro note from her pocket and handed it to the driver as she took Roger’s holdall from him. 

‘Merci, Madam!’ the driver exclaimed, clambering back into his beaten-up Mercedes, a huge smile on his face.

‘Right, let’s get you settled in,’ she said, and Roger took the holdall from her. The perfect gentleman. His eyes darted this way and that trying to take in the opulent surroundings.  It was clear that Judy was uber-wealthy and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her riches, even if it meant that he might have to sleep with her. This was a golden opportunity.

‘I thought we’d start with champagne on the terrace,’ Judy enthused. 

‘Sounds wonderful,’ Roger responded in his clean-cut Surrey accent, trying not to make it too obvious that he was more interested in his surroundings than he was in her.

Judy led the way up the elegantly curved steps leading to the enormous front door which opened as if by magic, a butler materialising as soon as they reached it. Roger was so engrossed in taking in the magnificent hallway that he didn’t notice the look that passed between Judy and the butler and as soon as the door closed behind them a group of plain-clothed police officers suddenly appeared from various doorways and surrounded him.  Roger was handcuffed before he had a chance to register what was happening.

‘Roger Altringham, I am arresting you on suspicion of fraudulently obtaining money by deception.  You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.  Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

The look on Roger’s face was worth every minute of the months of planning that had gone into the sting.  Every police officer present, including Superintendent Judith Marshall, who had been hell-bent on catching this despicable low life, couldn’t believe their luck when Roger Altringham had finally agreed to meet her in person.

‘Great job, Ma’am,’ one of the officers beamed.

Judith Marshall removed her hat and sunglasses, stepped forward and looked Roger straight in the eye.  ‘You’re going down for a very long time,’ she said slowly, her voice steely and unrecognisable. She moved away because she couldn’t bear to be near him for a second longer than she had to.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great week.

Best wishes,