The Grass is Greener (34 page)

Claudia wasn't too sure what to expect when she rocked up at The Quiet Gentleman that evening, but it certainly wasn't the sight that greeted her. Her friend, more than a little tipsy, at table number five with a bunch of empty glasses in front of her. Claudia quickly weaved her way through the furniture and sat down, giving Bronwyn a tight hug.

‘I'm so glad I found you. Are you okay?'

‘No.' Bronwyn's eyes filled with tears as she lay her head on Claudia's shoulder. She reeked of alcohol.

‘Bronwyn, are you drunk?'

‘Yes. No. Maybe a little.' She reached up, pinching thumb and forefinger. ‘Turns out I'm not very good at reconnaissance.'

‘What were you trying to do?'

‘I was going to question our lovely friend Frank over there,' Bronwyn slurred. ‘But every time I went up to the counter, I chickened out and just ordered a drink instead.'

Claudia's eyes roamed over the glasses on the table. ‘Seems like that amounted to quite a few times.'

‘I know!' Bronwyn groaned. ‘And to make matters worse, their house white is
shite
. If they weren't a bunch of
sick-minded criminals, I might be tempted to give them my Oak Hills business card.'

‘You have an Oak Hills business card now?'

‘Oh yes,' Bronwyn nodded brightly. ‘I got them made up for Jack and Horace too. All part of drumming up business.'

‘I see.'

‘You know,' Bronwyn slurred thoughtfully, ‘I
am
feeling much braver than I was when I first came in. Perhaps I should just try one last time.'

‘Oh no you don't.' Claudia firmly pushed her back into her chair. ‘It's too dangerous, Bron. You don't just go up to a criminal and ask them whether they stole your dogs.'

‘I wasn't going to ask him
that
.' Bronwyn swatted her hand. ‘I'm not that naive. I did have a bit of a plan.'

‘Really?' Claudia raised her eyebrows. ‘What?'

Bronwyn's eyes widened slightly at her own genius. ‘I was going to flirt with him a little. You know, like they do in Bond films and hope that maybe once we got to talking …'

‘He might take you off into a back room and assault you?' Claudia suggested.

Bronwyn frowned. ‘There's no need to be so negative. I thought he might confide in me something meaningful. After all, I'm much better at this whole seduction thing than I used to be.'

‘Seduction thing?'

‘Illicit affairs.' Bronwyn moved her hands as though she was magicking a puff of smoke.

‘Bron, I have no idea what you're talking about.'

‘Yes,' Bronwyn agreed sadly, ‘neither do I. It was something Jack said to me yesterday.'

‘Jack's a tosser.'

Bronwyn sighed. ‘Not all the time.'

‘He's here, you know.'

‘He's what?' Bronwyn perked up.

‘Came after you. I imagine he's at my place by now.'

‘Really?'

‘Really.' Claudia sighed. ‘Come on, let's get you out of here. Live to fight another day, eh?'

‘But Elsa, and Shiraz and Merlot and …' Bronwyn's eyes were filling with tears again.

‘Yes, yes. We will find them. You have my promise on that.' Claudia helped her up, glancing around surreptitiously to make sure no one was watching them too closely.

‘Sorry,' Bronwyn winced. ‘I need to go to the toilet.'

‘Okay,' Claudia agreed on a sigh. ‘We'll do that first.'

They headed out to the ladies room and while Bronwyn went in to relieve herself, Claudia happened to be well positioned to see what was going on in the back car park. And what was going on was very interesting indeed!

A couple of men had the shed open and were packing a small trailer with the lights and the fencing.

The hairs on the back of Claudia's neck rose to razor-sharp points.

Could it be … Was there a fight going down tonight? She got out her phone and snapped a quick photo of the men before Bronwyn came out of the bathroom.

When she did, she pulled her friend at a fast pace towards the front door. Bronwyn tripped unsteadily on her feet, knocking against Claudia's shoulder as she pulled her across the street.

‘What are you doing?' Bronwyn slurred. ‘I can't walk that fast, and come to think of it, I don't think I should be driving.'

‘Don't worry, I will,' said Claudia. ‘Where's your car? I took the bus over.'

‘It's just there.'

By lucky chance, it was conveniently placed just in front of the entrance to the side car park. From the front seat, they could see whoever was driving in or out of The Quiet Gentleman.

‘Great spot, Bron.'

‘I thought I did a terrible job of parking the car though,' Bronwyn giggled. ‘And that was
before
I was drunk.'

‘Don't sweat it. Nobody's good at parallel parking,' Claudia said distractedly as she focused her gaze on the car park.

Her palms were starting to perspire as she positioned herself in the driver's seat, wondering whether what she was about to do was really such a good idea.

Stuff it! This is the only way to catch them.

Bronwyn had sat back in her seat and closed her eyes, but when Claudia didn't start the engine, she opened them and looked over. ‘Is it just me, or are we not moving?'

‘We're waiting.' Claudia nervously licked her lips.

‘For what?'

‘For the trailer packed with equipment that's going to the dog fight to drive out of that car park.'

Bronwyn sat up straight. ‘What are you talking about?'

‘I'm going to show you how real reconnaissance is done, girl. Are you in?'

Bronwyn rubbed her temple. ‘I'm not sober enough for this.'

‘I could leave you behind.'

‘No way!' Bronwyn pursed her lips. ‘But shouldn't we tell someone?'

‘You're right.' Claudia whipped her phone out of her pocket and dialled the number of the only man she trusted.

‘Claudia, where are you?'

‘Seb, I think a dog fight is going down tonight. They are packing up a vehicle at the pub. I'm going to follow them.'

‘Claudia, under
no
circumstance are you to go on your own.'

‘I'm not on my own,' she smiled. ‘Bronwyn is with me.'

Bronwyn turned and gave her a clumsy-looking thumbs up. Cringing slightly, she gave the thumbs up back and focused her gaze ahead again. She didn't think it would be wise to mention that Bronwyn was drunk.

‘Bronwyn will need just as much protection as you,' Seb began.

Probably more.

‘You –'

‘Don't worry,' she interrupted him, ‘I'm not going to need it. I'm not even going to get out of the car. Trust me. Once I'm close enough to see where it is, I'll text you the address and you can get the police involved. I just thought I'd give you a heads-up so you're prepared.'

‘Claudia –'

‘Keep your phone on, okay?'

‘
Claudia –
'

‘Can't talk now. They're pulling out.'

She clicked her phone off and turned on the engine just as the ute and attached trailer bumped gently out the driveway of The Quiet Gentleman.

Bronwyn clapped her hands. ‘I feel like I'm in
NCIS
. Let's get these bastards!'

As Claudia turned the car out into the street, Bronwyn's body swayed with it and she hit her head on the window. ‘Ow!'

Claudia eyed her with misgiving. ‘Er … maybe you should just try to sit back and relax. Sober up a bit.'

‘I'm fine. In fact, I'm really quite pumped about this. It's a shame we don't have any weapons.'

‘Bronwyn,' Claudia said firmly, ‘we are not getting out of the car. This is purely recon.'

‘Of course,' Bronwyn smiled, ‘although I do have some hairspray in my handbag. Do you think that works as well as pepper spray?'

‘
Bronwyn.
'

‘Okay. No getting out of the car.'

Just as she finished speaking, Claudia's phone buzzed again. Bronwyn fished it out of the centre console. ‘It's Sebastian Rowlands.'

Claudia shook her head. ‘Don't answer it. He just wants to talk me out of this. Switch it off, will you.'

Bronwyn did so and put the phone back on the dash. ‘I just have one question.'

‘Yeah?'

‘Why did you call Sebastian Rowlands of all people? I thought you hated the guy.'

Uh-oh.

Claudia felt heat infuse her face. ‘Er … hate is a really strong word.'

‘I knew it!' Bronwyn flicked a finger at her. ‘You have the hots for him, don't you?'

‘I –'

‘Geez, Claudia. If you're not even going to admit it to me, then it must be serious.'

‘It's complicated.' Claudia frowned, making a right turn as the trailer two cars ahead of her did so. ‘For a number of reasons,' she winced, ‘particularly as I've started living with him as well.'

‘
You've what?
'

‘I didn't want to say anything,' she groaned, ‘but your apartment was broken into last week and Seb felt that if I stayed there I wouldn't be safe. So I moved into his place.'

‘Really?' Bronwyn's eyes widened. ‘Who suggested that?'

‘My uncle.' She lifted her hands briefly off the wheel to make quotation marks around ‘uncle'.

Bronwyn frowned. ‘Uncle Cyril didn't think it was inappropriate?'

‘It's only supposed to be temporary and Sebastian has a big house.'

‘So, how are you finding it?' Bronwyn prompted again, when she said no more. ‘The co-habitation, that is?'

‘It's hard.'

‘Because he's your boss?'

‘And because I think I'm falling in love with him.'

‘Well,' Bronwyn spread her hands reasonably, ‘if you're worried about seeing someone you work with, just change jobs.'

Claudia grimaced.

‘You're already in hot water at Hanks and Eddings with everyone thinking you're Cyril's niece. Why not make a fresh start somewhere else, where there won't be any stigma attached to you? We both know you can make it anywhere, Claud.'

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence. When this Leon McCall debacle is over, I might just do that,' Claudia agreed. ‘But it won't solve my problem with Seb.'

‘Which is?'

‘He's just not boyfriend material.'

‘How do you know?'

‘Because he
told me
.'

‘Oh.' Bronwyn was finally stumped.

‘He might as well have said, “Quit while you're ahead, sweetheart.”'

‘Then maybe you should. After all, there are stacks of good-looking, successful men out there.'

Claudia nodded reluctantly. She was absolutely right, of course. No point in putting her life on hold for something that was never going to happen.

‘Good point.'

The dog fighters made a left turn, this time on to the main freeway. It looked like they were heading south. Claudia tried to stay at least two cars behind. She had absolutely no idea about tailing technique but she figured out of plain sight was probably a good move.

‘So,' she said carefully, ‘I've been hearing some weird things from Jack.'

‘Like what?'

‘Like he said he's in love with you, and you're going to hurt him.'

Bronwyn's gaze swung to her and she shoved Claudia's shoulder, causing the wheel in her hands to jerk a little left. ‘Really, he said that?'

‘Hey! Careful!' Claudia laughed, swerving back. ‘We don't want to draw attention to ourselves.'

‘Right,' Bronwyn said dismissively. ‘But he
said that
?'

‘Yeah, he really did.' Claudia threw an amused glance at Bronwyn. ‘I take it these feelings are returned.'

Her friend's eyes were looking a little teary. ‘Yes, but I've just … I've just been so scared it's not real. Do I believe him, Claudia? I mean,
you know
Jack.'

‘Don't I ever!' Claudia nodded. ‘Stand by your guns, Bron, and if it's real, he'll definitely come to you.'

Just as she finished speaking, the vehicle they were following turned off the freeway and the scenery around them became less suburban and more semi-rural.

‘Take note of the freeway exit,' Claudia said to Bronwyn. ‘Cause we'll need to give that to the police.'

‘Yep,' her best friend nodded. Luckily, Bronwyn was starting to sober up a little now, or perhaps it was Claudia's own tenseness affecting her.

Suddenly the ute ahead slowed right down and pulled off onto a dirt track marked with a rusty old sign, Hero's Parade.

Claudia raised her eyebrows. ‘I hope that sign is talking about us.'

She pulled the car onto the shoulder of the road just before the turn-off. They watched the other car and trailer disappear through the trees. There was not a house or a residence in sight.

‘Should we follow now?' Claudia asked her best friend.

Bronwyn leaned forward in her seat, peering through the trees, trying to catch even a glimpse of the vehicle they'd been following. ‘I don't know. We don't know how far that road goes in, and then what if they see us? I think it's too risky.'

‘Yeah, you're right.' Claudia nodded. ‘Besides, I think we've pretty much arrived. They've got to be having the fight in that bushland right? It's the perfect place.'

Bronwyn mouth twisted. ‘Yeah, the perfect place.' She took Claudia's phone off the dash and passed it to her. ‘Call your boyfriend.'

‘He's not my boyfriend.' But Claudia took the phone off her anyway and switched it on to call Seb. However, when she found his number, the line would not connect. She pulled the phone from her ear and eyed the signal bars at the top of her screen.