feel about it all. I mean, obviously there wouldn’t be any pictures – the magazine would use models for that – and I wouldn’t give away any tricks of the trade. What do you reckon? I think it could make for an interesting piece.’
Harry didn’t answer straight away. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the request, but past experience had taught him to be cautious when it came to Jess. Somehow things never turned out as expected. Although he liked her – she was smart and witty and independent – he was wary of her too.
‘And it would be good publicity,’ she continued. ‘The mag I’m thinking of has a circulation of half a million; that’s a lot of would-be clients.’
‘Except what our clients expect is discretion.’
‘I’m not going to be indiscreet. No real names, no real faces, just an in-depth look at what motivates women to use your service. I mean, it’s all to do with trust, isn’t it? Or rather the lack of it. And I’d like the point of view of the girls at the sharp end. How they feel about what they do, why they do it, their opinions on the men they tempt.’ Jess placed her elbows on the desk and cradled her chin in her hands. ‘So what do you reckon?’
‘I’ll have to think about it.’
‘Lorna says she’s happy for me to go ahead.’
‘Lorna doesn’t run this business.’
‘She runs the honeytrap side of it.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Doesn’t she?’
Harry couldn’t really deny it. Lorna was the one who recruited the honeys and who usually decided which of them were suitable for which assignment. ‘If it’s already been agreed, why are you even asking me?’
‘Nothing has been agreed. Do you think I’d go ahead if you weren’t comfortable with it?’
‘Do you want an honest answer to that?’
Jess widened her eyes in mock amazement. ‘Harry Lind! You know me better than that.’
‘I know you usually get what you want.’
‘That’s because I try harder than most people.’
‘You’re certainly more trying than most people.’
Jess smiled triumphantly. ‘So is that a yes, then?’
Harry waved a hand, knowing that he’d give in at some point so he might as well do it now. ‘If we don’t get more clients, I’ll sue you for breach of promise.’
‘You don’t need to worry on that score. They’ll be queuing up when they see the results you get.’ Jess pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. ‘Thanks, you’re a star. I really appreciate it.’
Harry pulled a face. ‘So that’s it, is it?’ he asked dryly. ‘You’ve got what you want and now you’re just pushing off. What about the small talk? What about
Let’s have dinner some time
or
I’ll give you a call
? I have got feelings, you know.’
Jess laughed. ‘What’s the matter? You feeling insecure in your old age?’
‘I’m in my prime, in case you hadn’t noticed.’
‘You’re in your forties, hon. Since when did that count as your prime?’
‘Now you’re just being needlessly cruel.’
Jess put a hand on her hip and feigned impatience. ‘Okay, spill. What’s it going to cost me? How about lunch tomorrow? I’ll be in Kellston, anyway. Sylvie said she’d come and talk to me – if you agreed, of course.’
‘When you say lunch, do you mean a proper restaurant or the local chippie?’
‘We’re not all made of money. How about the Fox? I’ll stand you a pie and a pint. How does that sound?’
Harry scratched his chin and pondered on it. ‘If that’s your best offer.’
‘It’s my only offer. I’ll see you about one, yeah?’
‘I’ll look forward to it.’
Jess gave a snort. ‘Try not to sound too enthusiastic.’
‘I’m saving myself for tomorrow.’
Harry watched her go, a frown deepening the lines in his forehead. His thoughts, although less lecherous than when Sylvie had left, were troubled in a different way. He shifted some papers around on his desk, opened a file and closed it again. It was straightforward enough, wasn’t it?
Harry didn’t answer straight away. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the request, but past experience had taught him to be cautious when it came to Jess. Somehow things never turned out as expected. Although he liked her – she was smart and witty and independent – he was wary of her too.
‘And it would be good publicity,’ she continued. ‘The mag I’m thinking of has a circulation of half a million; that’s a lot of would-be clients.’
‘Except what our clients expect is discretion.’
‘I’m not going to be indiscreet. No real names, no real faces, just an in-depth look at what motivates women to use your service. I mean, it’s all to do with trust, isn’t it? Or rather the lack of it. And I’d like the point of view of the girls at the sharp end. How they feel about what they do, why they do it, their opinions on the men they tempt.’ Jess placed her elbows on the desk and cradled her chin in her hands. ‘So what do you reckon?’
‘I’ll have to think about it.’
‘Lorna says she’s happy for me to go ahead.’
‘Lorna doesn’t run this business.’
‘She runs the honeytrap side of it.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Doesn’t she?’
Harry couldn’t really deny it. Lorna was the one who recruited the honeys and who usually decided which of them were suitable for which assignment. ‘If it’s already been agreed, why are you even asking me?’
‘Nothing has been agreed. Do you think I’d go ahead if you weren’t comfortable with it?’
‘Do you want an honest answer to that?’
Jess widened her eyes in mock amazement. ‘Harry Lind! You know me better than that.’
‘I know you usually get what you want.’
‘That’s because I try harder than most people.’
‘You’re certainly more trying than most people.’
Jess smiled triumphantly. ‘So is that a yes, then?’
Harry waved a hand, knowing that he’d give in at some point so he might as well do it now. ‘If we don’t get more clients, I’ll sue you for breach of promise.’
‘You don’t need to worry on that score. They’ll be queuing up when they see the results you get.’ Jess pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. ‘Thanks, you’re a star. I really appreciate it.’
Harry pulled a face. ‘So that’s it, is it?’ he asked dryly. ‘You’ve got what you want and now you’re just pushing off. What about the small talk? What about
Let’s have dinner some time
or
I’ll give you a call
? I have got feelings, you know.’
Jess laughed. ‘What’s the matter? You feeling insecure in your old age?’
‘I’m in my prime, in case you hadn’t noticed.’
‘You’re in your forties, hon. Since when did that count as your prime?’
‘Now you’re just being needlessly cruel.’
Jess put a hand on her hip and feigned impatience. ‘Okay, spill. What’s it going to cost me? How about lunch tomorrow? I’ll be in Kellston, anyway. Sylvie said she’d come and talk to me – if you agreed, of course.’
‘When you say lunch, do you mean a proper restaurant or the local chippie?’
‘We’re not all made of money. How about the Fox? I’ll stand you a pie and a pint. How does that sound?’
Harry scratched his chin and pondered on it. ‘If that’s your best offer.’
‘It’s my only offer. I’ll see you about one, yeah?’
‘I’ll look forward to it.’
Jess gave a snort. ‘Try not to sound too enthusiastic.’
‘I’m saving myself for tomorrow.’
Harry watched her go, a frown deepening the lines in his forehead. His thoughts, although less lecherous than when Sylvie had left, were troubled in a different way. He shifted some papers around on his desk, opened a file and closed it again. It was straightforward enough, wasn’t it?
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