Half Moon Bay (24 page)

‘Nina bought this aircraft six years ago. It was going cheap and she was convinced we needed it. Tom said owning an aircraft was like ripping up hundred-dollar notes in the shower. Nina didn’t believe him. It did take a large slice of her income, but she loved the freedom it gave her. Me? I loved the flying, seeing the world from above – so different. The photographs we took were amazing.’

‘The ones in your presentation?’

‘Yep. Any taken from the air were done with Nina at the controls of our lady.’

‘Which made them even more powerful.’

‘To me, yes.’

‘No wonder this is so hard.’ His shoulder brushed hers as he shifted in his seat. ‘Walking past any of the buildings I worked on with my father always brings back memories I’d rather forget.’

Ellie nodded. With one little insight he’d become a man with a family and a past, a man with emotion. It made him more human, easier to talk to.

‘I haven’t flown the little lady since Nina died. I couldn’t face her last time I was home. I planned to sell her, but I couldn’t even make up my mind to do that. I miss Nina in so many ways: her humour, her arrogance, her drive. And now I’m angry with her for whatever disaster she got herself into, whatever mess I’m trying to clean up. Why did she lie to me?’

‘Maybe she was just economical with the truth?’

‘Maybe.’ She fell silent again and concentrated on flying the aircraft. They were approaching Coffs Harbour airspace. From here on in it was going to be busy.

Ellie woke, stretching her legs out in front of her, and groggily focused on the street outside her window. ‘We’re here already?’ She’d been more tired than she realised by the flight. By the time they were navigating their way down the corridors of airspace to Bankstown airport, she was hanging on by a thread. When they’d collected the hire car, Nick insisted on driving. She didn’t argue and fell asleep somewhere between leaving the airport and the first set of traffic lights.

‘You’ve been asleep for almost an hour,’ Nicholas replied as he opened his door. ‘Let’s see if Shadow can walk a little yet. He didn’t get far from the aircraft.’

Ellie undid her seatbelt and twisted around to peer into the back seat. Shadow’s soulful brown eyes were open and his tail wagged as Nick gathered him up in his arms. Unsteady still, the dog found his feet. ‘Come on, big fella, this way.’ Nick walked across the front footpath towards a low stone wall. Ellie hefted her bags from the back of the vehicle and followed, checking out the leafy street. It was a quiet part of Bondi with rows of semis sporting neat gardens and fresh coats of paint. New money had moved in as the old-aged pensioners moved out to retirement homes or on to their version of the hereafter.

She followed him up the short front stairs and into a hallway tiled in aged checkerboard black and white. That gave way to thick carpet which ended in wooden flooring in the kitchen. ‘Lovely home you’ve got,’ she said, looking about her at the soft honey-toned timbers that lined the walls. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t this.

‘Thanks. Interior design was almost as fascinating as engineering when I was studying, so I used a bit of my imagination here.’

‘Talent, I would say.’

He ignored her compliment, heading down the corridor. ‘This is your room.’ The high ceilings and the floor-length curtains framing the tall bay window, the small seat and desk made the room elegant. ‘Ensuite’s through there. I’ll just dig a couple of towels out for you. Otherwise it’s all there. Okay?’

She nodded and perched on the edge of the bed, running her hand over the fine linen. All she wanted to do was collapse backwards and sleep for a week. Somehow in the last forty-eight hours Nick had become a source of security and safety in the chaos. Her defences were down. But she had answers to dig up and hiding under the bedclothes wasn’t going to cut it.

He returned with a couple of towels and dropped them on the bed next to her. ‘There you go.’

Something in the way he left made her recognise he was uncomfortable having her here, even though it had been his idea in the first place. He was keeping a very clear distance between them.

The artwork in the room was modern to match the clean décor. She stood in front of a vibrant abstract, redolent of the ocean – bright swirls of colour that somehow seemed serene. An original by Sarianti, acrylic on board. She recognised the name of the rising star from North Queensland’s arts community. So many contradictions in Nicholas Lawson. She’d expected a sterile space in a bachelor pad. The ensuite was cleverly designed to maximise the small space. She eyed the shower longingly. She felt gritty after the flight.

‘Coffee or tea, Ellie?’ His voice drifted through from the kitchen and with a start she realised she was probably keeping him from work. She kicked off her shoes, the carpet lush under her toes.

‘Tea would be great,’ she called. ‘But I can get that myself,’ she added as she joined him in the kitchen.

His dark eyes swept over her, pausing on her bare feet and leaving a tingle in their wake. ‘No problem. Hopefully there’s a Tim Tam or two left in the fridge as well. The computers are upstairs in the loft. I’m on broadband, so don’t worry about the size of attachments or downloads. Work picks up the bill. The fax has its number on it for any returns you might need. You’ve got my mobile number and if you need anything, ring. I won’t be more than a couple of hours.’ He poured hot water into the cup. ‘Peppermint, right?’

‘How did you know that?’ Ellie was a little taken aback.

His smile was barely there. ‘I couldn’t help noticing the little green packets of Twinings in your cupboard when I was making coffee the other night.’

‘So you must drink it too.’ A corner of her brain was trying to remember if she’d left the tea out or whether he’d actually been searching in her house. Was that when he was busy winning over Shadow too?

‘Coffee is the only drink for me, but the best-stocked B&B caters for their guests’ needs. All yours.’ He gestured at the mug and skirted around her. ‘I need to change and head into work.’

In his home environment, Nick looked more relaxed, but the power oozed from him and it sent a tremor through her. It was too easy to let him take charge. He took his energy with him when he left the room.

‘What a foolish woman I am, Shadow,’ Ellie whispered to the dog who was lying on his mat by the glass bifold doors. She knelt beside him, tickling his tummy and looking out into the courtyard at the rear of the house. It was compact like so many in Sydney, but jasmine crept up the back fence, camouflaging the wooden slats. The gardenias in the side beds were just starting to bud. The old pavers looked to be hand made. She shook her head again at the many faces of Nicholas Lawson. Which one was the real Nick?

‘Something wrong?’ He moved so silently, she hadn’t heard him approaching.

She rocked back on her heels, intrigued again by yet another change of appearance. His hair was slicked down and the dark grey suit broadened his shoulders even further. The soft blue of the shirt, the knot in his tie and the highly polished boots smacked of military precision.

‘Admiring your garden. And you. Very snappy. You look like you should be on Wall Street.’ Her heart beat a little faster at her audacity.

One dark eyebrow slanted upwards and he pursed his lips. ‘I’m not sure that’s a compliment, but . . .’

‘It was.’

‘At least Shadow seems to be on the mend. I still can’t believe O’Sullivan thought he’d get away with it. Bad enough threatening you, but snatching the kids?’ He brushed his pants down with a lean hand and abruptly changed the subject. ‘I’ll bring takeaway home tonight. Thai okay?’

Ellie looked up. ‘You’re already organising dinner?’

‘Boy scout, remember?’ He looked like he wanted to smile but it didn’t quite happen.

‘Thai is fine.’

‘Ring if you need me.’ He left, his footsteps silent as usual. Now she knew where to look, the faint bulge on his ankle from the gun was comforting. But surely he couldn’t need that in suburban Sydney? Ellie got to her feet and picked up the cup of tea, cradling it in her hands. She really needed to track down Alex. He owed her an explanation.

She dialled his work number, walking round the lounge room and examining the artwork as she waited for an answer. He may well be at lunch and Alex was always a bugger for long lunches.

‘Oh, hello. Alex Creighton please . . . He is? Okay, no, I’ve got the number – I’ll give him a call there . . . Cheers.’ She tried both his other numbers. An answering machine and voicemail.

She hung up, frowning. Off work sick? Then why wasn’t he answering his private phones? Did the police suspect Alex of being involved in Teisha’s disappearance? Ellie left a message for a journalist she knew who covered the police beat. Maybe he could shed some light on it all.
I should go around to Alex’s house
, she thought, but with a headache starting to build behind her eyes, she didn’t have the energy for Sydney and its traffic just yet.

The house seemed empty without Nick’s physical presence. Tentatively, she pushed open the door to his bedroom. The twinge of guilt wasn’t strong enough to stop her snooping. Like the rest of the house, it had a peaceful Zen-like feel with its rich chocolate browns and caramel creams. The huge bed carved from solid timbers dominated the room and Ellie shivered at the memory of his powerful body crammed onto her couch in Half Moon Bay.

She poked her head into the ensuite bathroom and stopped in amazement. Even the double-headed shower was bigger than usual and the huge bathtub was just begging to be filled. Maybe tomorrow . . .

In the loft the desk matched the heavy cedar of his bed and looked like it too had been manufactured for a giant. She ran a hand over the smooth texture, admiring the wide monitor on the desktop computer. All was orderly and tidy.

Just a touch obsessive-compulsive? She leant back in the leather chair that dwarfed even her long legs and swivelled, perusing more artwork on the walls. She hadn’t picked him as a sensual man who surrounded himself with beauty. She examined the photo on his desk. Two women, cheeks pressed together and arms round each other’s shoulders, beamed at the camera. The younger one shared Nick’s dark good looks, the older lady was rounded, softer, and the welcoming light in her eyes shone even from a photograph. Ellie had to acknowledge the composition of the shot was perfect. Did Nick take photos as well?

As she waited for her laptop to find his internet connection she checked out the fax machine and answer phone. James Bond would be proud of the set-up. Was there a secret door that led to even more high-tech equipment? Every little detail reminded her that she knew so little about the man who seemed to have taken over her thoughts.

She forced herself to work steadily for the next couple of hours, grateful for the high-speed internet. Using photos, she drew up a map connecting everyone she suspected of being involved. It spread across the screen, with Nina at the middle. The way she saw it, Teisha and Lachlan belonged in one group, linked to Nina through Alex. O’Sullivan and his mates were connected to Afghanistan and Half Moon Bay. Nick had a foot in Afghanistan and Half Moon Bay as well but she had him in with the good guys now. She’d finally identified the Asian man as Phil Ah Tak, head of a triad in Hong Kong with a slew of casinos in his portfolio. Still no confirmed connections with Hamid Daulat, but she knew it was there.

With one hand she massaged the back of her neck. A headache had set up camp and she knew she’d have to take something for it or risk a migraine. Stress, that’s all it was. She glanced at the time on the computer. Six-thirty already? And still no word from Alex.

She scrolled through her phone numbers. One more try. The same response, recorded messages. Tomorrow she had a busy day lined up. First stop was the post office on Pitt Street to see if her memory was correct, then a visit to Alex’s house and office, a chat with a friend who covered the Asian crime syndicates, and she had an appointment with Citibank on Monday morning.

Shadow was still snoozing by the back door when she came downstairs. He cocked a lazy eye open at her and thumped his tail. The courtyard looked inviting and the chill of the night wasn’t enough to keep her indoors. Impulsively, she picked some of the gardenia buds that were just opening and a couple of sprays of jasmine. She rummaged through the kitchen cupboards and found a bowl she could float them in. Several candles were stashed away and she amused herself setting the table for two.

Standing admiring her work, she heard the garage door start to roll up and realised she’d been so preoccupied with her decorating skills that she hadn’t bothered about her own appearance. She was in need of a shower and a change of clothes. Damn. She pulled a face at Shadow. Too late now. The fitted jeans and loose shirt would have to do. Her hair was still caught in a ponytail. Her only concession was to shake it loose and run her hands through it. She laughed then. ‘You’re wasting your time, Ellie.’ But Nick Lawson brought out the woman in her. It had never happened before and it was hard to resist.

‘Ellie? I’m home.’ Nick dropped his keys next to the phone and stopped dead as he caught sight of the soft glow of candles from the courtyard. His senses rocketed to high alert. If she’d decided to seduce him, tonight was going to be hell. He’d survived interrogation training in the worst conditions the army could hand out, but this? After all they’d been through, he wasn’t sure he could stay detached. When she sat on the guest bed this morning, running her hand over the cover, his mouth had gone dry. He was an idiot suggesting she stay in his house. He was in danger of making a fool of himself.

‘Hi.’ She looked flustered as she came inside, pushing her hair back from her face. Shadow lumbered over to greet him. ‘Productive day?’ Even with dark shadows of fatigue smudged on her cheeks, or maybe because of them, her eyes caught the light, sparkling like navy pin fire opals.

‘I did. And you?’

‘Yep, that office of yours is the bee’s knees.’ Her smile lit up her face. ‘I dream of internet connections that run so fast.’

He wished his own dreams were so uncomplicated. ‘Find what you were looking for?’ He hoped not.

‘Some of it, yes, but I probably raised more questions than I answered. And you?’

‘The investigation is finished from ICAC’s perspective. O’Sullivan’s been arrested and charged with money laundering, official corruption, misappropriation of public funds – the list is rather long. They’ll probably release him on strict bail conditions. His son, Jason, has disappeared. He can’t have gone far with the roads still cut. I don’t have access to the other branches of the operation now, but it sounds like they’re being wrapped up too.’

‘And you can’t or won’t tell me what those investigations are?’

‘Can’t and won’t, Ellie. Not yet.’

‘Right.’ The suspicion he’d come to expect from her was missing tonight. What had she really found today? He knew the boundaries had shifted when they’d left Half Moon Bay. He broke the silence with an attempt at humour.

‘Takeaway is never going to do justice to that table, though. I would have brought champagne home if I’d realised it was a date. You did say candles were only for dates, didn’t you?’

He watched the blush bloom in her cheeks. ‘That wasn’t what I meant. I mean . . .’

‘Really?’ He didn’t try to hide his smile. There was definitely fun to be had in baiting the serious Ms Wilding. Still dressed in her jeans and baggy shirt, her hair a glorious riot of copper and gold, she had an allure that went far beyond her looks.

‘I just thought it’d be nice to eat outside.’ She shifted and wiped her hands down her denim-clad thighs.

‘It will. Just give me ten.’ It would give him time to go and stand under cold water and stop following every move she made with those hands. ‘Fix yourself a drink. There’s plenty in the bar fridge.’

He discarded his clothes carelessly on the bathroom floor and pulled a face at his reflection.
Body’s not gone to fat yet, but it takes a lot more work these days to maintain fitness,
he thought.
You’re not getting any younger either and maybe, just maybe, there is something more important than saving people from themselves or was the risk of rejection too great?
The thought of failure resurrected the ghost of Nina Wilding. For an instant he was back in front of the Board of Inquiry, defending his actions and those of his men.

Ramrod straight, in full dress uniform, he’d endured a barrage of questions about what he’d known, what he’d suspected and what he’d done to mitigate the risks. The three hard men from the top of Defence studied him over their glasses as though he was a rotting piece of detritus, but the lawyers, wielding words like scalpels, tore strips from his living flesh.

All the while he stonewalled. He didn’t tell them to shove their inquiry up their five-star arses and consider their men for a change instead of their careers. He refused to allow Geoff Trader’s name to be linked with the BBS drug-trafficking operation. Beyond Borders Strikeforce was known to cross the line frequently. If it suited Defence to use a private contractor for their own ends, then that was their problem. But he was not having one of his soldiers vilified in court for doing nothing more than show a journalist what was really going on in the poppy fields. Geoff’s wife and family had suffered enough.

‘Selective amnesia again?’ How many times did he hear that question sneered at him in court? How many times did he stare them down, knowing what he wouldn’t say was dismantling his career, a career he’d worked so hard to build? He couldn’t abide duplicity and he’d fought the double standards all the way through that bloody inquiry. And now?

‘You bastard,’ he whispered to his reflection. ‘You’re as bad as they are. Spinning the truth to justify your own actions. Just remember what happened in Kandahar.’ Until Ellie Wilding knew the whole truth, she had to be off limits. If there was even a glimmer of a chance that there could be a tomorrow with Ellie, it had to be based on truth and understanding. So far, all he’d done was lie to her.

Ellie examined the wine bottles, trying to ignore the inappropriate images bombarding her. The more she tried
not
to think of Nicholas Lawson standing naked in his shower with water cascading down those broad shoulders and muscled thighs, the hotter she became and the more erotic the images.

‘Find anything you like?’ He spoke from right behind her. She almost shrieked, the bottle nearly slipping from her suddenly weak fingers. He peered at the label. ‘This is a good one from the Hunter Valley. Be a shame to waste it.’

The warmth from his body reached out across the small space between them. Her memory recognised the faintest scent of his skin and her lids fluttered closed for an instant with the rush of desire.

‘Are you going to faint on me?’ His voice, tight with concern, was by her ear and she felt the brush of his breath as he leant towards her, his hand warm on her arm.

She shook her head and straightened up. ‘Sorry. Just hungry. I skipped lunch.’ She freed her arm and set off in mild panic to the kitchen, heart pounding. ‘So how did your boss take your sudden reappearance?’ She wished her voice didn’t sound quite so shaky.

‘Fine, thanks. Had most of his whinges off his chest in the first five minutes, then got down to business.’ He leant against the kitchen bench, the bottle hanging loosely from his fingers. ‘You sure you’re all right?’

‘Yep.’ She cleared her throat. ‘So the plates are?’

‘Why don’t we trade?’ He handed over the bottle of wine. ‘Here. The glasses are in that cupboard and I’ll look after the rest. Relax, Ellie. I know this situation is a little unusual for both of us, but you have my word as an aging boy scout that your honour is safe with me. You are a guest in my house.’ His face was suddenly serious in the downlights from the kitchen ceiling, the set of his jaw solid. ‘You’re safe here.’

‘Sorry.’ Her colour had risen and she could feel a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She was a fool to think he couldn’t read her thoughts. ‘I lost track of time and the yard looked so inviting. Don’t take it the wrong way.’

‘I won’t. Too much has happened in the last forty-eight hours and you need to feel safe. I even brought home a chick flick. Matthew McConaughey, starring with Reese Witherspoon.’

She was touched by his thoughtfulness. ‘What, no George Clooney?’

‘Didn’t realise you were into older men.’

‘I . . .’ Ellie stopped, knowing he was teasing her now.

‘Don’t worry, I won’t be offended, but the movie’s there if you want it.’

‘Thanks.’ She paused. ‘I’ll take the bottle outside, then, shall I?’ She left without waiting for an answer.

They ate in companionable silence, sharing the curries and rice he’d bought at the local Thai restaurant.

‘Good food. Almost as good as the real deal in Thailand. Mmm. That’s one thing Half Moon Bay lacks, decent Asian cooking.’

‘The family running my local have only been here two years. Came straight from Thailand. They barely spoke English when I first met them, but they’re improving. I was still working on the renovations of this place when they opened and I think I single-handedly paid their rent for the first month.’

‘You renovated this?’ Ellie looked surprised.

‘You doubt my skills?’

‘No, no. Not at all. I just didn’t figure you as a hands-on kind of guy.’

‘Really?’ He tried to sound hurt and it worked.

‘Okay, I’m sorry. That was rude.’

He had to laugh, raising his glass to her. ‘It’s okay, I’m joking. My dad was an engineer who believed that you learnt the business from the ground up, and he meant the ground up. I dug ditches, poured cement and worked on building sites from the day I turned fifteen and all the way through university. If I was going to inherit the business as the only son, then I was going to have earned it along the way.’ His words had a bitterness he couldn’t quite mask. ‘Starting from the ground up meant I learnt a lot of things I wouldn’t have if he’d been an easier taskmaster.’

‘Your dad passed away a couple of years ago, right?’

Her question hit a raw spot. ‘Passed away sounds so gentle. The reality was he fought cancer for ten months, never conceding the game was up.’ He looked down at his hands. ‘Defeat was never in his vocabulary. Just like “sorry” wasn’t either.’

‘He was a fair man, though?’ Ellie’s expression stayed neutral, but he knew she saw the anger in him. His usual control had deserted him.

‘Fair? Probably by his definition, yes. According to his family and friends? I would say more tunnel-visioned. Self-made men so often are.’ He glanced up and caught the frown on her face. ‘Doesn’t it sit comfortably that I may have respected my father, but not loved him?’

‘We can’t possibly live up to the expectations of those around us and nor should we try. Provided we can live up to our own expectations, then we’ve done the best we can.’ In the pale light, Ellie’s expression was half hidden. ‘I only really had one parent to love. Mum died when I was still so young. That made Dad and Nina so special. The three of us were inseparable.’

‘And now you’re the only one left fighting for the Bay.’

‘Dad will be back soon. When he hears what’s going on, I’d put money on him driving non-stop across Australia to get there.’ She sipped her wine and the slight shine from the liquid left her lips glistening and inviting. Nick looked away, the shaft of pure longing piercing his brain.

‘Doesn’t he have a mobile?’

‘Yeah, sure, but he’s old school; it’s for emergencies only. Even if it was turned on, it’d be buried under his gear and he’d never get to it in time. He picks up emails every week or two, so he should be in touch soon. I scanned your business card, the one you gave me when you called round looking for him, and emailed it to him. Will Tom remember you?’

Nick was silent for a moment. How could Tom forget him, the man with the ultimate responsibility for his older daughter’s death? Tom had understood the silent anguish in the younger man. He had recognised that as a commanding officer the loss of any member of his patrol was like losing family. To lose a civilian in his care, no matter the circumstances, was inexcusable.

‘Yeah, he’ll remember me.’ And Nick would never forget the composure and grace of a father who sat through weeks of Military Board of Inquiry evidence and could still shake the hand of the man who’d failed at the task of keeping his daughter safe. Tom was a man he would be proud to call father.

‘Was there bad blood between you two?’

Nicholas snorted. ‘Your father is a gentleman. I doubt he’d know the meaning of the term. I have enormous respect for him.’

‘Does he have dirt on you, then?’ Ellie was teasing now and it forced him to lighten up, banish his darkness, as she continued. ‘The three ex-wives and fourteen children I haven’t found out about yet? Or perhaps the armoured-vehicle heist you got away with that paid for all this.’ She gestured around the courtyard.

‘Hmm, I think he knows about the vehicle heist. The ex-wives and children? Do you reckon I’d be able to afford this if I was supporting a family the size of a football team?’

‘Okay, but where did you meet?’

‘In Sydney and you can ask him for the details when you see him.’ He pushed his chair back from the table. ‘So that movie looked good. Coming?’ He hadn’t worked out how he was going to explain what happened to Nina in Afghanistan. As a soldier he’d never entered battle without a plan of attack and he wasn’t about to start now.