Honeytrap: Part 1 Read Online Free PDF

‘I keep it simple. Find something flattering to say, get into conversation and focus all my attention on them. Guys enjoy this – to feel like the centre of things, to feel important. But I never stay too long. Always I tell them I have somewhere else to go, somewhere I must be. I give them my number and leave it up to them.’
    ‘And what happens if they call?’
    ‘The number goes straight through to the office and all they get is voicemail.
My
voice, of course, but the target’s message is recorded for the client. Sometimes they suggest meeting up, sometimes not. Then it’s down to the client as to what they want to do next. Usually, it’s enough that the man has actually called, but some women want more. The office may have to send a text, pretending to be me, and see what happens next.’
    ‘So what’s the percentage?’ Jess asked. ‘I mean, out of a hundred how many men try to make contact with you again?’
    ‘Oh, I’m not sure. Once I’ve done what I have to do …’ Sylvie gave another of her shrugs. ‘You will have to ask Harry.’
    Jess suspected that the answer was most of them. She doubted there were many men who wouldn’t chance their hand. Sylvie was attractive, charming and good company. She thought of her own boyfriend, Neil, and briefly wondered whether he’d give in to temptation. It didn’t help that he was currently working up in Liverpool. Not wanting to dwell on this, she quickly moved on. ‘So have you ever been attracted to someone you’ve met?’
    Sylvie shook her head. ‘This is work, not my personal life. The two are separate.’
    ‘But sometimes these things can happen by chance.’
    ‘
Non
,’ Sylvie insisted. ‘Never. The man is already with someone else. I know this, yes? So I could never be interested. If he cheats on the woman he’s with, he’ll cheat on me too.’
    ‘Do you ever feel bad about what you do?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    Jess tried to rephrase it. ‘I mean, do you ever feel guilty that you could be responsible for splitting up a couple?’
    ‘Of course not. Why should I feel bad? It’s the man who has the responsibility, not me. If he makes a move, it’s down to him. Nobody is twisting his arm.’
    ‘But you’re putting temptation in his path.’
    ‘There’s temptation everywhere,’ Sylvie replied, ‘at work or a party or a bar or a restaurant. You can’t ever escape it. If he’s the type that can’t say no, then … Well, that’s just how it is.’
    Jess noticed Sylvie glancing at her watch and knew that her time was almost up. They’d been talking for half an hour. ‘I won’t keep you much longer, I promise. I just wondered, finally, whether you actually enjoy what you do.’
    Sylvie took a moment to think before giving a small smile. ‘It’s easy money, and mostly I work in the evenings. It fits in with my college course. There are worse jobs. I don’t mind it.’ She stood up and put on her jacket. ‘Sorry, but I have to go. Actually, I have a job booked in for tonight. Why don’t you come with me? I usually take someone, a girlfriend, but you could come instead. What do you think? It’s only round the corner. A bar called Wilder’s. You can see for yourself how it works.’
    Jess jumped at the opportunity. ‘Yes, that would be great. Thanks. Where shall we meet?’
    ‘I’ll see you in here at about half seven.’
    ‘Okay, and thanks for talking to me.’
    ‘No problem.’ Sylvie gave her a wave and left. ‘See you later.’
    Jess watched her walk towards the door, noting how the crowd of men at the bar separated to let her through. No one could deny that Sylvia Durand had presence. It would be fascinating to see her in action tonight.
    Once she was out of sight, Jess reached out and turned off the recording machine. While she waited for Harry, she jotted down some impressions of Sylvie in her notebook. There was another question she had wanted to ask, like how her partner felt about the job she did – you would