Follow Your Star (17 page)

She returned Jean-Claude’s gentle kiss quickly. ‘We’ve been expecting you for ages,’ she said.

‘Luc needed to talk,’ Jean-Claude answered. ‘I’ll tell you about it later. Where’s Mathieu?’ he asked anxiously. ‘Not disappeared again?’

‘Don’t worry. I’m in the sitting-room,’ Mathieu called out. ‘Ready to talk to you.’

‘It’s about time,’ Jean-Claude said, looking at Mathieu expectantly.

‘You know I’ve always kept in touch with Mama’s relatives,’ Mathieu said. ‘Do you remember Uncle Sebastian?’

Jean-Claude nodded. ‘Your mama’s big brother. Had a restaurant in the centre of Paris for a long time. Didn’t he retire a couple of years ago?’

‘It was more a case of selling up while he still had something to sell,’ Mathieu responded quietly. ‘He was being targeted by a protection gang and he simply didn’t have the strength to fight Boris Takyanov and his thugs any longer.’

There was a short pause before Mathieu continued ‘When Boris turned up in Monaco I knew it wouldn’t be too long before he started his criminal activities down here. Anyway, I went to the police to put them in the picture about Takyanov in case the Parisian police hadn’t passed on his details. I also offered my help in putting a stop to him.’

Mathieu looked at his father. ‘I thought I owed Uncle Sebastian that at least. But the police declined my help – until a few months ago. It was the main reason I couldn’t do what Vanessa wanted and look after the twins in the UK,’ Mathieu added, turning to Nanette. ‘I had to stay here to become a part of the entourage that surrounds Takyanov.’

‘The day I arrived and you’d been arrested – was that all part of the plan?’ Nanette asked.

Mathieu nodded. ‘The police were anxious for me to look like a criminal whom Takyanov would think could be useful to him, so they arrested me on some trumped-up charges. Paying my bail ensured that I had a reason to be grateful to him. His plan, as I suspected, was to muscle in on the local businesses and to run his international operations from here.’

‘Luc told me this morning that Boris approached him initially when he first arrived in Monaco, wanting to invest in his business. He was angry when Luc refused,’ Jean-Claude said. ‘Somehow this year he got wind of the fact that Luc had cash-flow problems and offered to help. Luc says accepting his help was the stupidest decision he has ever made.’

‘The parcel Evie delivered to
Pole Position
and Nanette brought here, was the last of several errands that Boris pressured Luc into running for him. He’d decided the only way out of Boris’s clutches was to sell up and cease trading – rather like Uncle Sebastian by the sound of it,’ Jean-Claude said, looking at Mathieu.

‘Did Evie know what she was delivering?’ Mathieu asked.

‘
Non
. Neither did Luc. When Evie told him Nanette had been there to take the package he was worried that she was involved with Boris. The meeting this morning was to warn me.’

‘Do you know how Zac got involved?’ Nanette asked. ‘He wouldn’t have needed a business loan.’

Mathieu shook his head. ‘You know Zac and I have been friends for – for ever really. When all this started I had no idea he was caught up in it. I found it very difficult to spy on him. I kept hoping that he’d sort himself out and get free of it, but he’s in too deep I’m afraid. I’m sorry,’ Mathieu said to Nanette.

She shrugged. ‘Zac and I have some personal unfinished business to sort out but he’s no longer a part of my life.’

‘Why didn’t you confide in me before?’ Jean-Claude asked quietly.

Mathieu sighed. ‘Partly because I didn’t want to involve you in case things got nasty, and’ – Mathieu hesitated, before adding quietly – ‘also because I know how wary you are about Mama’s relatives. You’d probably have blamed Uncle Sebastian for getting me involved.’

Jean-Claude shook his head in protest. ‘
Non
.’

‘Anyway, as I told you before, the police urged me to confide in no one,’ Mathieu said. ‘It was easier that way.’

‘Does Takyanov still think you’re a fellow criminal?’ Jean-Claude asked. ‘Even though you haven’t been arrested this time?’

‘
Oui
. And Zac, too, trusts me – both as his friend and as a fellow conspirator. When he returns for the French Grand Prix I have a feeling he intends to invite me to become more involved in his money-laundering sideline.’ Mathieu bit his lip. ‘The police have suspected a link between him and Takyanov for a long time but now we have the proof he’s involved in the diamond smuggling. Surrendering my friend to the police is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done.’

‘Incidentally, what happened to the shampoo last night?’ Jean-Claude asked, looking around as if he expected to see it still on the table. ‘I meant to take it and keep it hidden until we decided what to do, but unfortunately your appearance drove it completely out of my mind.’

‘I packed it up again,’ Nanette answered quietly. ‘It’s in my room.’

‘I think it’s too dangerous for you to keep it here,’ Jean-Claude said. ‘The implications of you being found with it in your possession don’t bear thinking about. Perhaps the time has come to hand it over to the authorities?’ he continued.

Mathieu shook his head. ‘I’d rather not just yet. With Zac out of the country it would only serve to complicate things. Best to keep it hidden until Zac returns and we can confront him with it. If you want me to look after it I will,’ he offered.

There was a short silence as Nanette looked from Jean-Claude to Mathieu.

‘Personally I think the best place for it is on board
Pole Position
. I really don’t know what made me remove it,’ she said quietly, shaking her head. ‘At least if it’s in the safe when Zac gets back, he doesn’t need to know that I didn’t do as he asked.’

She took a deep breath and cut short both Jean-Claude and Mathieu’s protestations.

‘As I’m the one who took it and the only one who knows where the safe is, as well as the combination to open it, the responsibility to return it is mine.’

Vanessa wiped her sleeve across her face in the forlorn hope of mopping up some of the perspiration that was making her face itch. Her hair under her hat was wet and sweat was
beginning to drip down her neck.

It was three hours now since they’d said goodbye to the villagers and Luigi their guide had led them into the jungle to begin their long trek back to civilization.

The last thirty-six hours had been hard. Not only was their stay in the village coming to an end with Ralph unable to complete his film the way he wanted, it now seemed the friendships they’d forged with the villagers were about to be torn apart by some superstition.

Summoned to the village council, they’d apprehensively followed Angela to the main hut on the evening of what should have been their last night in the village.

As far as Vanessa could see every villager from the smallest newborn baby to the oldest native, were waiting for them, grim-faced. The hunters had returned early from a food foraging expedition and were now grouped around the head shaman, still clutching their spears, staring intently at Vanessa and Ralph.

Vanessa shivered. Did they really believe she and Ralph had put the ‘evil eye’ on their gold? Memories of a terrifying visit as a young girl to a museum exhibition of cannibalism and shrunken heads suddenly sprang unbidden into her mind. Those practices might have been outlawed but what if other macabre rituals had taken their place?

Swallowing hard to stop the bile in her throat rising, Vanessa looked fearfully at the natives she’d treated as friends for several weeks.

There was a stranger, his skin glistening with sweat, his spears and machete strapped in place on his back, talking and gesturing with the head shaman. Vanessa glanced at him curiously.

‘He’s one of the native runners who keep all the villages in touch. Apparently he’s brought some urgent news,’ Ralph told her, after a quick consultation with Angela.

Luigi, who with Nick the cameraman, was acting as interpreter, moved forward and listened intently to what the man was saying. Vanessa clutched at Ralph’s hand nervously as silence descended in the hut and the head shaman turned and beckoned them forward.

‘We have news that Maksim, the outsider, has been detained. His word has been broken. It is not you who have cast the evil eye.’ He paused. ‘We are free to trade with you.’

Vanessa felt her whole body shudder in relief. But then she looked at Nick and Luigi aghast. The villagers had clearly misunderstood what she was offering to do.

‘Nick, Luigi, before this goes any further, you must make them understand the Fruits of the Forest co-operative would be their responsibility. I’m not buying their produce, only helping them to get organized to sell it.’

Once she was convinced that the villagers, and the head shaman in particular, understood exactly what she was proposing, Vanessa felt the tension leave her body and she quickly began to outline again all the things the villagers would need to do to get the co-operative up and running.

‘I just wish we weren’t leaving tomorrow,’ she said. ‘There’s so much to explain and put into action.’

‘We can stay one more day if you like,’ Ralph offered. ‘No longer though, Nick and Harry have work commitments to get back for.’

Vanessa and Ralph worked into the small hours trying to sort out a basic businesslike plan of campaign to get the cooperative off the ground. In the morning they held their own
village council meeting to tell the head shaman and the villagers the things they needed to do.

The extra day had been a busy one with so many things to organize, not least packing up some samples of the native medicines, including several pots of the Sangre de Grado ointment that had helped Ralph’s injuries to heal so well.

‘If only we’d thought of this when we first arrived,’ Vanessa said. ‘I could have done so much more before having to leave them to get on with it.’ She sighed and looked at Ralph. ‘There is one thing that still worries me though. What happens if this Maksim comes back and tries to muscle in on the co-operative? Angela did say the men knew there were dangers in upsetting him.’

‘Don’t worry. Once we get back to civilization we can alert the authorities to what we are doing. We need to organise sponsors and then we can appoint an overseer to come out here to supervise things in your absence. Make sure there are no disruptions. You’ll be amazed at the progress on your next visit, you’ll see,’ Ralph said confidently.

Hugging Angela goodbye the following morning, Vanessa was surprised to find herself fighting back the tears. ‘I’ll miss you,’ she said. ‘But I will be back.’

‘Goodbye, Pacchumama. May the spirits be with you on your journey,’ Angela said, returning the hug.

Now, as she tiredly followed Luigi and the porters along the muddy track, Vanessa’s mind was still racing, trying to sort out the logistics of the co-operative and wondering who she’d be able to find willing to sponsor Fruits of the Forest for at least its first year in business.

Darkness had descended as they reached the native camp where they were to spend their last night in the jungle proper.
Tiredly Vanessa stumbled into their sleeping hut.

Tomorrow they would travel by small canoe up the feeder river to the Amazon itself and then a larger boat would take them to the town of Manaus. Their journey home had begun.

‘Right you two. Dry yourselves off, get dressed and go to the games room while I have a quick swim. Papa Jean-Claude will be here soon and then we’ll have some supper before we go home.’

Nanette had taken the twins up to the villa after school for their usual afternoon swim. To her disappointment there had been no sign of Jean-Claude. His housekeeper had merely told her, ‘
Monsieur
had to go out for a couple of hours.’

Lazily floating on her back after completing a couple of energetic laps, Nanette found herself thinking about Mathieu’s revelations and the package currently concealed under her bed.

Somehow she had to find the right moment to go inconspicuously to
Pole Position
and put it in the safe.

She heard the twins calling out ‘
Bonjour, Papa Jean-Claude
,’ and quickly swam to the steps and got out of the pool. Before she could pick up her towel Jean-Claude appeared and took her in his arms.

‘I’ll make you all wet,’ Nanette protested weakly, before she surrendered herself to his embrace.

Several minutes passed before Nanette sighed and drew away. ‘I think you’d better let me get dressed before the twins come demanding to be fed,’ she said regretfully, giving Jean-Claude one last lingering kiss.

It was early evening when Nanette left to take the twins back to the apartment. Olivia and Pierre had already kissed
their grandfather goodbye and were waiting for Nanette out on the terrace when Jean-Claude said to Nanette, ‘I’ve been thinking about the package. If you are determined to replace it – and I agree that would probably be for the best – I will come with you. I think tomorrow morning after the twins go to school
n’est pas
? I will wait on the quay, while you go on board.’

Nanette hesitated before saying, ‘Perhaps Mathieu ought to come with me instead. The police have involved him officially, whereas you.…’ Her voice trailed off.

‘
Non
. I’m coming with you.’

Nanette smiled, before kissing him gently.

‘OK. Thanks. Now, I’m going home to get the twins to bed and I think I might have an early night myself. I’ll see you in the morning.’

But when Nanette did go to bed, soon after the twins, she tossed and turned restlessly. She had been convinced she was so tired she would have no problems sleeping but the hot midsummer night air was stifling. Even the ceiling fan silently whirring away above her head was failing to keep her cool.

It wasn’t just the heat keeping her awake. Her mind was tossing and turning, too. All day Mathieu’s words ‘it isn’t over yet’ had been playing on her mind.

She knew Boris was still in jail having been refused bail and the latest rumour flying around Monaco was that Interpol had arrested his son. More arrests were expected to be made soon. Was that going to include Zac Ewart?