The Naked Room (14 page)

CHAPTER 22

Illusions

Ally

Wednesday: before dawn.

The sand is hot, but in the shadow of the Wild Pony, it’s cool and damp. I can hear the waves slashing the beach below us. Smell the salt air … why didn’t I let Briece make love to me before? Coward…wasting time…

Ooh, that’s so good…his hands are stroking, kneading gently, pressing in all the right places, sliding up…and down …and around …the sun forms a halo around his head.

Heat slithers through my body, flooding my senses. My breath comes in short gasps. He is leaning over me, cupping my breasts. I can smell sweat. He must have been running.

My nipples harden as he tweaks and soothes, then his hands slowly slide over my stomach, slip between my legs, which part to allow him access to my innermost parts.

My body writhes with hot pleasure.

I try to look up at him, but cannot open my eyes
.

He moves around me..

Cool air wafts over my hot, bare breasts.

I can feel his weight pressing on me
.

I try to reach for him, but my arms are lifeless
.

He scoops up my breasts, presses them together and suckles first one nipple then the other. His tongue slides around, licking my breasts all over, then back to my nipples to feast greedily. A long way off, someone is moaning.

Oh hurry, hurry…I want you…I’ve waited too long.

My head lashes from side to side, as I thrust my hips into his erection, urging him to take me, now…now!

I can feel his hot knob ramming against my crotch as he tries to thrust past the leg of my panties.

No! Wait—wait—it hurts!

I struggle, but his body is pressing me into the wet sand.

Wait! This is all wrong, it shouldn’t be like this!

I try to push him away, but my arms are scattered on the sand like washed-up seaweed.

A strangled sound forces its way out of my throat.

He giggles. He giggles?

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get off her!’ A woman’s voice cuts across the moment.

Help me…help me.

He stops moving; I feel the muscles of his body stiffen. He heaves himself off me. My swollen breasts are hot and wet.

I try desperately to open my eyes, but I can’t. I try again. Bright flitters of light pierce my eyes, then flash past to illuminate a muscular man with the face of an angel, smooth olive skin, curly black hair and huge dark eyes, who is looking down at me, smirking as he zips up his jeans.

I know him. Scarpia.

The Cow stands beside him, face suffused with rage, the light from the torch she carries flashes off the walls.

‘Don’t touch her, she’s vermin,’ she snarls. Hatred turns her eyes to volcanic, black stones.

I can’t stay awake any longer.

Blessed darkness.

CHAPTER 23

The Numbers Game

Eloise

Wednesday: 4.00am.

Ally’s screams send me hurtling along the pathway to the side of the house. A man and a woman are tearing at her clothes. I leap onto the back of the man, plunging my hands into his hair, pulling as hard as I can. He roars, bucks me off and turns. It’s Georgie! Her face is swollen and green. Patches of skin fall around me like confetti. I scream and bat at the bits with my fists. The smell of death closes over me and I vomit mightily. I can’t stop even when my intestines start to come out of my mouth, great gobs of blood and pus spilling over the ground…the parts coming up are those of a cow…

‘Eloise, Wake up, you’re having a nightmare!’

The light from coffee table lamp blinded me.

‘Let me go! Ally. I’ve got to save her—’

‘No, no, it’s me, James. It’s all right, it’s all right, you’re safe.’

I could hear and feel his heart beating against my cheek. He held me tightly until I recovered enough to recount the details of my nightmare. After I stopped gasping and snorting into his sweater, I realised I had fallen asleep in the study.

My heart pounded against his broad chest; the male smell of him filled my nostrils. Memories swept through my mind of his hot flesh pressing mine, our bodies locked together, gasping with passion as we brought each other to frenzied climax. Without thinking, I pressed closer. He rocked me for a moment, before holding me away from him to gaze into my face, his expression inscrutable.

‘Do you feel as though you can stay here while I get you a cup of something from the kitchen?’

I was embarrassed. Had I shown my burgeoning feelings for him? But I was scared witless and not staying upstairs on my own. ‘No, no! I’m coming too.’

‘No, Eloise. Lie back, it’s cold out in the kitchen. I’ll only be a few minutes.’

After James had opened the gold-wrapped box, I fainted and when I came to, found myself on the sofa. We’d tried to talk our predicament through, but the heat from the fire and the comfort of the sofa had lulled me to sleep. Had he sat in his chair since then, watching over me?

Perspiration trickled down my throat as I pulled myself into a sitting position, so stressed I could hardly breathe. I pulled my sweater off; the room was suffocatingly hot.

Where was James?
My heart leapt with fear, but before I panicked, he returned carrying a large tray which he placed on the coffee table.

‘Are you feeling a bit better?’ He handed me wet face-cloth to wipe my face and hands and a handtowel to dry off. Two cups of steaming coffee stood on the side table.

‘Yes, thank you.’ I smiled shakily, and slowly smoothed the warm, wet, cloth over my hot cheeks. ‘I seem to have lost control completely.’

‘It’s hardly surprising. I couldn’t imagine how it must feel to have a child kidnapped before this, now I’m beginning to understand. The stress is horrendous for you.’ He handed me a cup of coffee which I sipped gratefully.

I sighed. ‘Sometimes I don’t know how I can bear a second more of it. I want to scream and yell and break things. When are you going to start with—’

‘I got the item numbers. This morning I’ll set up the account and see what’s what.’

‘I want to do it with you.’

‘Well, yes, you can, if it doesn’t upset you too much.’ He looked at me doubtfully. ‘We won’t be receiving anything though, thank God.’

Inexplicably, the last time I heard from Ally, jumped into my mind.

‘Mum, would you please send me the green dress with the pleats? It’s hanging in the wardrobe under something else.’

‘Yes, I’ll get it in the mail tomorrow.’

‘Thanks millions, mum. Talk to you soon!’

Was that to be the last conversation I would have with my daughter? About a dress? No. It couldn’t be… terrifying images chased through my mind, threatening to overwhelm me. Before I could let go again, James put his cup down and took my hands in his. ‘Tell me about Ally as a baby.’

‘What?’ For a moment, I couldn’t work out what he was saying.

‘Ally, Eloise. What she was like when she was a baby. Tell me about her. Please.’

Was he hoping to distract me? Delighted that at last he was expressing interest, I reached for the holdall which I brought with me, opened the side pocket and took out the folders of photographs.

He gazed wistfully at images of Ally as a baby and later, playing with the animals, wearing her pet rats on her shoulder like epaulets, clowning with friends, receiving awards for her music. Regret for what might have been swept through me again. The unthinkable forced its way to the forefront of my mind, in spite of my efforts to quell it.
She may never know her father.

After he looked at the photos, it was as though at last we had touched common ground through our daughter, as though our lives had finally intersected. Perhaps we would establish a friendship, but more than that I didn’t dare hope for, though my heart was sending me signals that it would like to take up from where it had been left, twenty-six years ago.

The night sky was giving way to daylight, the huge house silent, almost menacing, when we went to the kitchen. In spite of him turning the lights on as we walked through the long, high-ceilinged hallway, I felt as though demons lurked in the shadows as I passed.

The cold, black and white kitchen was an uncomfortable place to be, a sharp contrast to my homely cottage with its shabby cupboards and dog-scuffed doors. I dismissed an involuntary image of James, enormous in my small house. In spite of his caring behaviour, I had no reason to believe he might want to embark on a relationship with me after Ally was found. If…don’t even think it. But my wayward thoughts persisted. The man I had loved and hated all these years was actually standing only a metre away.
This is Ally’s dad, father of my child. Surreal.

Ever competent and talented, basically James hadn’t changed. But what of his inner self? The musician and incongruously, the businessman? He was never soft, but somewhere there lurked a sweet core, a willingness to care for those weaker than himself. And he was trying to save Ally.

My mind almost flipped out again. I had to know. ‘Where did you put the…?’ Golden box.

‘Um…’ He was unable to prevent the merest flicker of his eyes toward the freezer. He saw me shudder. ‘I know how you feel, but there was nothing else I could do with it because,’ he paused, ‘it’s evidence.’

‘I think this is getting too dangerous and we should tell the police. I know Georgie could have been killed for some other reason than to do with us, but I can’t help feeling it’s not a coincidence.’ My leg muscles clenched so tight with tension that my knees literally jiggled under the table.

It was James’s turn to disagree. ‘We have to keep quiet. It was my idea to go to them before, but since this… gift box, I realise you were right. If we keep quiet, they will continue to trust us. Maybe they won’t touch her again.’ He hesitated and then continued, ‘at least they didn’t cut off one of her fingers.’

I choked. Coffee sprayed all over the table, coming out of my mouth, nose, and running back into my throat. Tears poured down my face. James leapt to his feet, grabbing a tea towel with which he proceeded to mop up. I couldn’t stop coughing as I tried to suck oxygen.

‘I didn’t mean to upset you, Eloise. Oh
damn!’

Gradually getting control of myself, I flopped back on the chair. ‘I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. At least it wasn’t that.’ My voice wobbled.

Of all the terrible things they could do to Ally, maiming her hands would surely be the worst, apart from killing her. For a moment he looked uncertain and then he reached out to touch my hand.

‘Eloise, I think you should come and stay here with me at the house, at least until this is all over. Will you do that? No one knows I’m Ally’s father, so the media won’t find you here. Believe me, if you stay where you are, they will hunt you down and hound you and Pam.’ He looked at me, anxiously.

Poor Pam. I felt guilty leaving her to deal with the media when it got out she was a friend of Ally. She didn’t need the hassle of having shrieking journalists and rampant photographers following her every move. Nor did I. ‘You’ll regret it if you don’t,’ I told myself and accepted, crossing mental fingers that Pam wouldn’t feel abandoned.

We went up to James’ bedroom where I lay down to rest, while James gathered some fresh clothes and headed for the shower. The doona’s comforting softness envelop my tired muscles.

My daughter.
Mutilated.
Please God, they’d drugged her when they cut off the lobe of her ear. Or was she fully conscious? No, stop it! Think positively. Plastic surgery can do anything now.
Oh God, no.

I forced my thoughts to Masters Island. Georgie, my best friend was dead, murdered. But who hated her enough to kill her? She drank too much sometimes and occasionally was very abrupt, which upset some people. What could she have possibly done to get stabbed? Was this related to Ally’s kidnapping? Had she told someone who Ally’s father was? Was that person afraid she would connect him or her with it?

James, Pam and I talked over everything which had happened since Ally disappeared. We women feared they would treat her badly, perhaps not feed her properly, but James assured us they wouldn’t want to damage the merchandise. I thought what they’d done so far was more than enough. Perhaps they didn’t care, because they planned to—
don’t go there.

He emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed. I climbed wearily off the bed. ‘There are clean towels there for you, Eloise. Can you manage on your own for a short time now? I want to go and set up this account.’ The corners of his mouth turned down with distaste.

I could tell from his expression that he was champing at the bit to get on with it. As I heard myself answer “fine” the incongruity of the answer struck me. We humans fall over, hit our heads and have blood pouring out, or we trip, land flat on our faces and feel we’ll never get up again—but still say “Fine, thank you,” when asked if we’re all right.

‘Come to the study as soon as you’re ready. I’m cancelling a couple of appointments so I don’t have to leave here. James looked at me, thoughtfully. ‘You need a car and I’d like to get you one so you can be independent.’

I was astonished. ‘I have a perfectly good car at home!’

‘I know you do, but you need a car to get around in while you’re up here. You’re reliant on Pam or myself for transport. Let me hire one for you, Eloise, please?’ He gave me one of his rare smiles, so like Ally’s.

‘All right,’ I capitulated, ‘but only a jam tin on cotton reels, thank you.’

His lips twitched as he punched some numbers into the phone, spoke for a few minutes, hung up and then turned back to me.

‘I don’t think for a minute they expect to get three million out of us, Eloise. Using eBay is an easy way to get maybe a few hundred thousand at the outside, because it’s essentially a quick “get in, get out” exercise and amateurish. But keeps us busy and in a constant state of panic. As far as I can see, it’s the only explanation for such a bizarre way of getting extra money.’ The muscles in his jaw clenched. He was keeping himself tightly under control, but the strain showed around his eyes and mouth.

Downstairs, the dog barked. The housekeeper, Mrs Fox, had arrived.

‘A Lexus will be delivered at 9am,’ said James, as he went to the door.

‘A Lexus? That’s hardly a little car, James!’ I protested.

He looked at me in surprise. ‘You need something decent to drive.’ An understatement indeed. ‘Right. And I’ll get started with this stuff, then we had better eat something.’

I must have made a small sound, because he looked down at me sternly. ‘You have to eat, Eloise. You aren’t helping anyone, least of all Ally if you don’t keep healthy.’

He visibly braced himself and picked up the list, mouth tight, eyes bleak. Greatly daring, I reached behind him, my right breast brushing his arm as I rubbed the small of his back with slow circular strokes. He looked up again, startled.

‘You used to do that when I was stressed over exams. It always calmed me,’ he said quietly. We looked at each other for a long moment. A flash of tangled limbs and heat, slid into my mind. I could see the pulse at the base of his throat throbbing; he drew in a sharp breath. ‘When this is over and Ally is safe, we’ll go away and have time together,’ he said, thrusting his hand into his pocket to jingle his keys and coin.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. ‘My God, it has to be someone who’s been here!’

I gazed at him, speechless.

‘I’m stupid. I knew there was something I was missing. The letter box key is always kept on the hook where you saw me get it last night. Either someone broke in or it was a tradesman who was here.’

His face twisted.

‘Maybe a member of the orchestra, or it could even be one of my friends.’