by Rachel Green
“I bet when you planned your hedonistic retirement you never imagined you’d be doing something like this.”
“Lying on a sun-lounger – yes. Spying on a gangster – no.”
When the time came for her to retire Margot doubted she would be happy spending her days on a sun lounger. Her boredom threshold was far too low; she would have to have something to do. When so much in life had already passed her by she was determined to make the most of every day that remained. She took a long draw on her cigarette.
“Do you miss being a cherry farmer?”
Raul flexed his shoulders, adjusting his position. “I miss the harvest. And doing things on the farm with my wife. What about you – do you miss being a lawyer?”
“No.”
He turned onto his front so that he could look back at her through the gap. “That was very succinct.”
“I was a lawyer in Paris for five years but it was never my ambition. I wanted to be a judge, like my father.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“I trained to be a barrister in London but I had a little setback.”
“What kind of setback?”
Margot gazed out to sea. A small flock of gulls was diving down into the water, feeding on something that was floating on the water. When she didn’t answer Raul went on,
“How many years did you spend training?”
“Three years for the law degree, a year for the Bar course, another year doing pupillage.”
He raised his eyebrows. “It must have been a pretty big set-back to give up on all of that.”
Margot inhaled a lungful of smoke and blew it slowly out through her nose. “I got pregnant halfway through my pupillage. But the baby died. A cot death.”
She turned back to Raul and watched his face go through a series of emotions, from stunned surprise to aching sympathy. He slowly drew himself up into a seated position. His Adam’s apple seemed to double in size when he tried to swallow. “Oh, Margot. That’s terrible.”
She nodded.
“Was it a boy or a girl?”
“A little boy. I was going to call him Ralph, after my grandfather.”
For a little while neither of them spoke. Margot tried to keep herself anchored in the present, concentrate on things close by: the table in front of her, the cushions beneath her, the sound of the water sloshing against the side of the hull, but her mind kept drifting. She stared into space as she thought back to those darker days. Some memories never lost their impact, no matter how deeply you tried to bury them.
“One morning I went over to his cot and there he was, just lying there. I picked him up, held him in my arms. The poor little thing looked so peaceful.”
“Oh, Margot.”
“It shouldn’t have been such a surprise. He’d been poorly from the start. He was born at thirty-one weeks. He’d only been out of the hospital for fourteen days.” Barely enough time to make a scratch on the world.
“I can’t begin to imagine how that must have felt. For you or Hugo.”
Margot’s eyes snapped back to his. “Hugo wasn’t the father.”
“Sorry. I just assumed—”
She shook her head. “It was a boy in chambers. We were very naïve. We thought we could have it all. I was going to have the baby, take a couple of months off work and then get on with my career. I thought I could take it all in my stride, but when the baby died everything changed.”
“We all think we’re invincible when we’re young.”
“I couldn’t face going back to chambers so I hopped on a train and went travelling in Europe instead. I walked from town to town a lot of the time. And then I had a little breakdown. It wasn’t pretty.” She opened her ashtray and collected the ash from her cigarette. “But I picked myself up. And then, about a year later, I was in a club in Montmartre and there was Hugo, sitting at the bar with one of his colleagues.” Margot smiled as she recalled the scene. “He had this twinkle in his eye when he looked at me.”
“I saw your wedding photographs. He was a handsome man.”
“It was love at first sight.”
Raul smiled.
She paused to take another draw on her cigarette. “Two weeks after that my money ran out. My only option was to go back to England. But then we stood on the platform at the Gard du Nord and he asked me to marry him.”
“How romantic.”
“Two months after that I moved into his apartment. Hugo had inherited some money and already paid off his mortgage so I didn’t need to work. Then ten years ago I re-trained in French law.”
“So all that education didn’t go to waste after all.”
She shrugged. “I worked as a lawyer in Paris for a few years but it didn’t work out. We were both so busy we rarely saw each other and that wasn’t what I wanted. Perhaps I was a little too reliant on him. I never thought how I’d cope on my own.”
Raul got up from the lounger and came to sit close by her side. His warm hand settled upon hers, and when she turned to look at him his pearly blue eyes were smiling fondly.
“You know, when I first saw you, I wouldn’t have put you down as either a housewife or a lawyer.”
Margot smiled, suddenly intrigued. She stubbed out her cigarette. “Really? So what did you have me down as?”
“An international jewel thief.”
She tossed back her head and laughed. “You’ve got a wild imagination.”
“Or a writer moving to the seaside in search of inspiration for her next great novel.”
“I wish.”
“An interior designer, bored with her life in Paris, looking to make a new start with a handsome widower who owns a sailboat.”
She laughed again. In a previous life maybe. “Anything else?”
He squeezed her hand and looked more deeply into her eyes. “A long-distance swimmer who’s lost her way?”
And just as abruptly her good humour evaporated. Margot pulled her hand free. How is it that some words can cut straight to the bone?
***
The hum and thwack of a powerboat moving at speed rudely disturbed the peace. Margot looked up from the bench where she’d been dozing and scanned out to sea. The boat was a few kilometres out, moving in an arcing trajectory, seemingly on course to join them in the bay. She alerted Raul who was snoozing on the sun lounger and then slid her feet into her sandals. The boat slowed as it neared the shore and promptly changed course, causing a wake to spread out. When the waves reached the bay, Carpe Diem rocked gently from side to side. Margot lowered herself in the seat, not wanting to be seen, but the powerboat didn’t seem interested and headed north at a more modest pace.
The sun disappeared behind some clouds so Raul put on his shirt and went below to make something to eat. While he was busy doing that, Margot went for a shower. On the way back, she nipped through the door opposite her cabin and had another look at the wetsuits. They were all very modern, and there was a nice sleeveless one that looked like it would fit. She held it up against herself, but then Raul called her name so she quickly went out.
They ate a goat cheese salad with fig and arugula and by the time they’d finished darkness was creeping in. An hour later the sun had completely gone down so they retraced their route back to the cove. Raul turned out all the lights and they motored cautiously across the dark sea, the landmass to their left now reduced to a series of shifting grey shapes. As they neared the entrance to Enzo’s cove Raul altered course and steered them further out to sea. Bright lights shone out from the house, making it look even more like a spaceship.
They dropped anchor around fifteen hundred metres offshore, the sea around them a featureless black void.
“I hope we’re not in any shipping lanes,” Margot said, for some reason feeling the need to lower her voice. On the horizon, beacons from distant ships were the only lights to prick the darkness.
“Hopefully they’ll honk before they hit us.”
The swell had increased in the past few hours and
Carpe Diem pitched and rolled uncomfortably. Raul fetched the binoculars and looked out from his seat at the console, but with the boat moving so much he struggled to keep a steady view.
“Can you see anything?” Margot asked eagerly.
He tutted. “Not really. There’s a light on by the jetty. And a boat moored up. I think it’s that powerboat we saw earlier.”
“Couldn’t we move a bit closer?”
“It’s too risky. If anyone sees us with our lights out they’ll know we’re up to no good.” He tore the binoculars away from his eyes and blinked deeply. “Now it’s making me feel sick.”
Margot sighed in frustration. “This is no good.”
“Just give me a minute.”
She shook her head. “No. We need to get closer.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
Margot drew in a breath. “Then I’ll just have to swim.”
“What?”
“I’m going to swim over to the house.”
Raul flinched. “Have you lost your mind?”
“It’s not that far. And you’ve got some wetsuits.”
He seemed at a loss. “And what are you going to do when you get there?”
Margot hesitated, swallowing hard. “Plant a listening device in his office.”
“A listening device. You mean a bug?”
She nodded.
Raul scoffed. “And how will you get it into his office – sneak in and hope no one notices?”
“Pretty much.”
He stepped away from the console and clapped a hand to his forehead, trying to keep a hold on his emotions. “Margot, this is insane.”
“No it’s not. I’ve thought it all through.”
“You can’t keep putting yourself in danger like this.”
“That’s for me to decide.”
He squared up to her and took hold of her by the shoulders. “Look. I get why you’re angry. Someone killed your husband, took away the life you loved, and now you want revenge. But it wasn’t Enzo who killed Hugo.”
“That’s not what this is about?”
“Isn’t it?”
Margot shook herself free. “You don’t understand me at all.”
Raul’s face hardened. “So this has been your plan all along, I take it?”
“More or less.”
“And you waited until now to tell me?”
“You wouldn’t have brought me otherwise.”
“Well, thank you for that vote of confidence.”
He turned away. Margot felt bad for hurting his feelings but she wasn’t backing down. The silence grew. When it turned into something uncomfortable she turned on her heel and went below.
***
It was too risky to switch on a light so Margot squeezed herself into the wetsuit by the light of a torch. It fit quite snugly. She packed her float bag with the bug, a penlight, a bottle of water and a quick-dry towel and then went back up. It was a relief to see that Raul had gone back to the surveillance, and the moment he noticed her he put down the binoculars and looked at her with calmer eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “What I said, that was out of line.”
Margot nodded. “And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” She put on her bathing cap and tucked in her hair.
“You’re sure you won’t reconsider?”
Margot shook her head. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll swim over to the beach and then hide in the garden until they’ve gone to bed.”
“How will you get in?”
“I was married to a policeman for twenty years. I know a few tricks.”
“The powerboat left a few minutes ago. I couldn’t see who was onboard.”
“Okay.”
“If there’s any sign of trouble you get the hell out of there.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
“I’ll keep an eye on you through the binoculars. As soon as I see you heading back I’ll throw out a buoy.”
“Good thinking.”
She handed him her phone. “Could you look after this for me, please? The bug sends files to an app and I don’t want to risk losing it.”
Raul put it in his pocket. “It will be safe with me.”
“Right.” She was all set to go but delayed a few moments. She didn’t like leaving with the thought he might still be angry with her. “Wish me luck.”
“At least wait a little longer. It’s barely ten o’clock. Gangsters never go to bed before midnight.”
Margot smiled. “Is that a fact?”
“It’s the first thing they teach you at police academy.”
He was so sweet. But Margot straightened her back, bucking herself up. “The moon will be up at eleven-o-three. I need to go now.”
“You’ve accounted for everything.”
“Perfect planning and all that. Plus, the swim will take me at least half an hour.” She put on her goggles and nose cap. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
He blew her a kiss.
She adjusted the strap on her float bag and went to the steps at the stern.
“Oh, Margot.”
She looked back. “Yes?”
“Take care.”
“I will.”
Margot loosened her shoulders, drew in a deep breath, and then jumped soundlessly into the water.
Chapter 26
Despite her show of bravado, Margot tensed rigid as her body rushed down through the water. She’d never swum in the sea at night and panic seized her the moment she resurfaced. She swam around to the bow of Carpe Diem and held onto the anchor chain for a while, regaining her bearings. In daytime it would have been an easy enough task, but the enveloping darkness was really quite disorientating. She focussed on the lights from Enzo’s house while she tried to steady her breathing. When her confidence came back, she took a deep breath and ducked under. She thought she heard Raul call out, but his words were lost in bubbles as she quickly got into her stroke.
But it was difficult to find a rhythm. The sea was a roiling dark monster, fighting her for every stroke, and the current seemed determined to push her off course. After ten minutes, Margot paused to tread water. Looking back, she was surprised to find that Carpe Diem had already been lost in the dark. Even if she wanted to go back it was too late now. In the opposite direction the coast was a band of blurry grey shapes, but the bright lights of the house at least gave her a target to aim for. She settled her nerves, took control of her breathing, and then got back into her stroke.
Slowly but surely the mouth of the cove came closer. Once past the cliffs, the water became calmer and her target seemed easily within reach. At the first touch of sand, Margot hauled herself to her feet and trundled up to the top of the beach, breathing in relief.
She tore off her goggles and bathing cap and sat down on the soft wet sand. The cove was pitch black and there was nothing to indicate the presence of Carpe Diem. At least that meant they wouldn’t have been seen from the house. Margot raised a hand to make an A-okay sign, just in case Raul was watching through the binoculars.
She tilted her head to the cliff, looming high above her. From this angle, nothing of the house could be seen other than a cloud of hazy white light reaching out from the terrace. She sucked thirstily from her water bottle and then dried her face with the towel. With the penlight gripped between her front teeth, she carefully extracted the bug from its box and then tucked it safely into a pocket. After one last look out to sea, Margot set off.
A short wooden ladder led up to a walkway. The wide timber boards were fixed to the rock with pitons and thick steel wire. Left went to the jetty, but she turned to the right and followed the walkway to the first of the wooden staircases. Miniature lanterns on bendy poles lit the way and Margot ascended the first few flights at speed, her bare feet making no sound on the smooth wooden treads. The staircases twisted and turned around crags in the rockface and she kept her head cranked upwards, on the lookout for trouble as she turned every corner. Fatigue began to creep in and her pace s
lowed, but she reminded herself there was no need to rush.
The staircases went on much further than she’d expected. She’d scaled at least ten individual flights before the first of the garden levels appeared, the sizzle of the sea now a long way below. An immaculate rectangular lawn stretched out before her, bounded by ornate green shrubs, and Margot’s feet sank into cool soft grass as she crossed to the next set of steps. Ten metres up, the air was glowing with white light spilling out from the terrace. Away to one side, a corner of the swimming pool jutted out into mid-air, a delicate glass box filled with so much water it boggled her mind. She ascended another flight of steps, these ones made out of stone, and then followed a short path to a viewpoint where a summer house crowned a small promontory. From there she could see the upper levels of the house. If anything, it seemed even larger now than it had from at sea.
Margot checked the time. It was 22:46. Her pulse was drumming in her ears, but she was confident no one was nearby. From the summer house, a path weaved through a shrubbery and then into the main part of the garden where the row of bronze rings was situated. Another rectangular lawn hosted a line of sun loungers, but the path led her up the side of the property and into another shrubbery, this one packed with semi-tropical plants, many of them taller than she was. A woody slope rose up to a bank of tall trees that extended around the front of the property. When the path finally emerged from the bushes, Margot found herself on the edge of the terrace, looking along its length to the swimming pool. Lights were on, but there were no signs of life.
She hunkered down in the cover of the shrubs. Most of the rear of the house was visible from here, but she spotted no cameras, counted only two lights on in rooms higher up. One set of doors was still open and through it she could see into the kitchen. Some low-level lights were on in there, but there didn’t seem to be anyone around. With the door wide open and the office almost in sight, Margot was tempted to sneak straight in, but she quickly dismissed that thought. It was far too risky.
Instead, she moved some of the foliage out of her way and sat down on a smooth flat rock, settling herself in for a wait.
***
One by one lights blinked off around the property. At 23:03, a man came into the kitchen, and although the interior was dimly-lit, the figure Margot saw was too tall to be Enzo. The glass doors started to slide shut and blinds came down, turning the wall to black. When the pool lights went out, all that remained was the row of tiny lanterns running along the edge of the terrace. Margot waited fifteen more minutes, and then came out from her hiding place.