Bend But Never Break

by Cheryl Phipps

  Nick pulled a digital camera from his trouser pocket and snapped several pictures of the house, van, and then of the driver, who was leaning on the van door, lazily smoking and humming to his radio. It didn’t look like anything vital was happening, so he climbed cautiously down, and creeping alongside the fence, he eventually found himself on the beach. The fence facing the water was even more imposing, with razor wire attached to the top. Steel gates were closed tightly above the owner’s boat ramp. People with nothing to hide did not live like this.

  It was quiet on both sides of the fence, and he already knew from his team that nothing would be happening here tonight. Rather than return to his car, he walked quickly along the tree line, just above the sand and in the opposite direction. As he went, he searched the grass verges for a track he’d memorised from photos.

  The land along here was prime real estate. Some of the old beach houses had been pulled down to make way for much grander residences, but there were still plenty of traditional bungalows. These were set back from the beach with sloping sections, gardens and the obligatory tyre swings hanging from gnarled pohutukawa trees, more ancient than the wooden homes.

  Searching along the shoreline, he found what he was looking for: a barely there path, leading through the empty lot which was large and angled. It leaned back towards the tree from which he had viewed the compound. The house on it had succumbed over time to the work of the seasons and extreme neglect. The only thing he could see was a broken down chimney rearing up through the weeds.

  This overgrown section provided a natural barrier between the house his team were setting up as a base, and the one under surveillance. The three properties were a good distance apart, so Nick was hopeful that their presence would go undetected.

  As night fell, he found an overgrown trail made darker by the trees canopied above. He came to a more open space and edged up the lawn, moving quietly towards a small cottage. Slowly he crept around its perimeter, listening for any noises from inside and around it. He tried both doors but they were locked.

  Thankfully, he found a window slightly ajar; he wouldn’t need to break in, after all. Peering through the pane, he was frustrated by the net curtains, which afforded him only a dim view of the interior. Quietly lifting the old-fashioned latch, Nick hoisted himself up and over the window ledge.

  A faint sound from across the room had him instantly dropping to his knees. As his eyes adjusted to the moonlit room, he managed to make out a body curled up on an old-fashioned four-poster bed. Watching closely, Nick stayed perfectly still, and was rewarded by the sound of the gentle rhythm of breathing from the sleeping figure. Waiting until he was certain that whomever it was would not waken, he inched his way to the door. He was almost there when a loose floorboard groaned loud enough to wake the dead.

  ‘Who’s there?’ A fearful female voice, edged with sleep, stopped him in his tracks.

  Damn, there would be no escape - not with his silhouette clearly defined against the wall. The woman was now sitting upright on the edge of the bed, looking right at him.

  ‘I’m very sorry to intrude, ma’am. I thought this place was empty,’ he said in his most polite voice whilst mentally berating himself and his team for such a pathetic blunder. The house was supposed to be empty. Heads were going to roll for this, he vowed.

  ‘So you thought you would rob an old woman just because she wasn’t home?’

  The anger and indignation had given her voice strength and suddenly she was leaping from the bed, wielding what was surely a table lamp straight at his head. Instincts long honed from years of training allowed him to easily deflect the lamp with his forearm whilst his other arm pulled the attacker close.

  Nick couldn’t help but notice the woman he held bore no physical resemblance to the old lady who was reportedly the owner of the property. Old ladies wouldn’t feel like this, with curves that were very much in all the right places. She fitted neatly under his chin and as she struggled, a delicate fragrance of soap and flowers wafted over him. It was a familiar smell.

  He should have known better than to daydream and paid the price when she kicked him in the shin. Even as he instinctively reacted to that assault, she followed through nicely with a knee to the groin. Tears sprang to his eyes and it took all his self-control to keep a hold on the squirming form while he groaned loudly. Sucking in deep breaths, he spun her around. With her back to him and her feet off the floor, she wouldn’t be able to inflict that kind of injury again.

  ‘Let me go, you creep,’ she cried, jerking her head from side to side and kicking behind her to connect with his shins a few more times.

  She flung herself back and her head came in contact, brutally, with his nose, causing intense pain to shoot through him once more. Having had more than enough of the hellcat, he flung her onto the bed. Exasperated, he straightened up, backed to the door and, fumbling along the wall, flicked on the light switch and looked at her.

  Who had a right to look this good when she had just been rudely awoken and involved in an intense scuffle? Her long blonde hair cascaded in soft waves about her face; her dress was rumpled from sleep and clung to her slender form. She was too thin, although he did remember how soft and rounded her breasts had felt on his arm as he’d held her. She was panting from the exertion and her green eyes were wild. Wait a minute - those eyes . . .

  ‘Well, I’ll be damned. What the hell are you doing here?’ he demanded through gritted teeth.

  Recognition had dawned for her, too.

  ‘You told Kirk nothing was happening for at least a week, so what are you doing here?’

  ‘Whatever I said to Kirk was confidential and you had no right to listen in.’

  ‘I had every right! If Randall’s here, then Chloe will be, too.’

  ‘And you think that by changing the clothes you wear and dying your hair, no one will recognise you?’

  ‘You didn’t.’

  She sure was a piece of work. ‘It didn’t take too long, and if I’d seen you in the light, I would have known it was you in an instant.’

  ‘And how do you know that?’

  ‘The way you walk, the way you speak, how you hold yourself. You forget, I knew you long before the time we first met. And a lot of Randall’s men have known you that long or longer.’

  ‘I’d be keeping a low profile,’ she said defensively.

  ‘It sounds to me like Kirk has been giving you some off-the-record pointers. I’ll deal with him later. So tell me, what exactly is your plan?’

  ‘I’m going to break in to Randall’s house and take my child home.’

  He wanted to shake her senseless. ‘You’re on an island, for God’s sake. How the hell would you get her off without Randall knowing?’

  ‘If he doesn’t know she’s gone, then he won’t be looking for me. Anyway, don’t change the subject. What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?’

  ‘All right, all right,’ Nick held up his hands in surrender. The last thing he wanted was to fight with her. And to talk her out of this crazy plan, he imagined, would take some lengthy negotiation. ‘I’m going to catch Randall red-handed and to do that, I needed a place close enough to keep an eye on him until the time is right. My team and I were led to believe this place would be unoccupied for a few months. I guess you had the same idea and the same information.’

  He was not at all happy with Kirk, although he could appreciate that her tenacity and passion for getting her daughter back, could wear a man down, even a man like Kirk.

  Talia moved warily from the bed towards the window, all the while keeping a healthy distance and watching him suspiciously. Did she think he would hurt her? Surely not after he saved her life? As she turned from him to lean out the window to peer into the night, he had a flashback of how her bottom had nestled so naturally against his thighs. In all the weeks he’d been visiting her, they had kept their distance, but Nick had wanted things to be different.

  ‘How many of you are coming here?’

 
She startled him with the question and he looked up guiltily into her narrowing eyes. Great, he thought—he’d been caught staring. ‘There will be two or three of us here at any one time but we also have a base in the village.’

  ‘How come no one was around when I got here?’

  ‘My partner should have been inside but when the doors were locked, I realised he’d been delayed, so I had to break in. Again, I’m sorry for that but I had no idea you were here and if it was that easy for me, it would be for Randall’s men. It’s too dangerous for you to stay, so how about I take you back to town?’

  ‘No way. I rented this place for a month and I’m not leaving. Now tell me what your plan entails.’

  He had no choice but to tell her a version of the truth. It could put her in added danger but he saw no choice unless he manhandled her onto the ferry, and that would hardly help the undercover nature of this case.

  ‘Let me call my partner Jack, who, like I said, should’ve been here with a key by now. We can discuss everything when he arrives and see if he has an update. How about a nice cup of tea while we’re waiting?’ Nick smiled pleasantly at her.

  ‘You have to be kidding me! Make the call, by all means, but if you want tea, then you can damn well make it yourself.’

  ‘That’s fine with me.’ There was clearly no point in trying to be friendly with her in this mood. ‘Where’s your phone and is it connected?’

  ‘I have no idea. I just got here, remember. Try the lounge and get the hell out of my bedroom.’ She ushered him out of the room and shut the door in his face.

  Boy, this was going to be a challenge. Nick moved into the lounge and found the phone resting on a small coffee table. He was about to make the call when he realised what an idiotic thing that would be. Talia had him turned around again, and he was definitely slipping if he thought a landline would ever be safe, given the proximity and tech savviness of Randall’s crew. Things had begun to unravel and he’d only just arrived; who knew if anything else had been compromised. Using his mobile phone, he was relieved when Jack answered on the first ring.

  ‘Hi Nick, what do you think of the place?’

  ‘Where the hell are you?’

  ‘I’m leaving soon. The new equipment arrived late so I was delayed with setting it up.’

  Jack sounded preoccupied but Nick wasn’t interested in excuses.

  ‘I don’t care what delayed you. We have a situation. I understood the cottage was unoccupied.’

  ‘What are you saying? There’s no-one there. I checked this morning.’

  ‘What do you think I’m saying? Someone’s living here and I’ve just scared the crap out of her by breaking in.’

  ‘Shit. That’s a big risk if she figures out what we’re doing there. We need to talk her in to moving on.’

  ‘Yes, I know but we’ll sort that out later. Let’s just get her to agree first.’

  ‘I don’t get it. Are you sure you’re at the right cottage?’

  ‘Of course I’m at the right place, unless you’ve stuffed that up too?’

  ‘Sorry, I’ll leave now.’

  ‘Okay, get here as soon as you can.’

  ‘What is there to sort out and what am I going to agree to?’

  Talia had come up quietly behind him, causing Nick to jump. Kirk was too good a teacher, it seemed. She’d used some good hand-to-hand techniques, shown how strong she’d become, and now stealth was high on her list of achievements. He’d need to be more vigilant while she was around. How much had she overheard? ‘Nothing you need to worry about.’

  ‘Of course I’m bloody worried. You said it was dangerous for us to stay here. How dangerous?’

  ‘On a scale of one to ten, I’d say about eleven, and there’s no ‘us’ in this. I’ll find a nice room for you in town or maybe on the other side of the island. Of course, I’d feel better if you went home, but that’s not likely, is it?’

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. ‘On a scale of one to ten, forget it! I came here for Chloe, not to get involved in cops and robbers, so you find somewhere else. They won't come near me if you’re not here, will they? ’

  He couldn’t leave. He was so close to cracking this case that it would be irresponsible to relocate, and the thought of her on the island unprotected made him more than a little crazy. Maybe a healthy dose of fear would change her mind.

  ‘I can’t promise you you’ll be safe here on your own. In fact, it would be just like Randall to continue to survey the surrounding area on a regular basis. After living and dealing with him, you, of all people, should know to what lengths he’ll go to guarantee his shipment. He’ll protect it at all costs, and our continuing good health won’t enter into it if he finds us.’

  She began to pace the room. ‘Why aren’t you arresting him if you’re so sure of your facts?’

  Her face had grown paler at the mention of Randall, but he wasn’t about to make it easier for her by making the situation seem better than it was.

  ‘To make the case stick, we have to track down everyone involved, and to shut down his operation permanently, we have to get the bastard supplying Randall. It has to be hard evidence - something that’s so watertight, the bastard won’t get away again.’

  ‘But you must have so much on him by now - you’ve been tailing him for a long time.’

  ‘I’ve already told you the situation. I have the word of my informer and my own gut instincts. I trust them both but it’s simply not enough. Talia, if he even suspects we’re around, he’ll try to get rid of us, and I do mean permanently. You’ve got to know Randall will feel like it’s a bonus if he finds you with us.’

  Talia looked at him uncertainly, as if she wanted to say something. Instead, she turned and walked away. What the hell was he going to do about her?

  ***

  Talia moved nervously to the kitchen to fill the kettle, more for something to keep her occupied while she thought and not to make Nick feel comfortable. She liked him - he’d been good to her - but he also had an agenda that possibly rivalled hers. It might be awkward to be around Nick when he obviously wanted her gone, but for her, there was no choice - she had to stay.

  Talia watched Nick move around the lounge, shutting curtains and generally making himself at home. She couldn’t deny it was comforting to have someone around, now that it was dark outside. Talia had previously noticed at Kirk’s place how athletic Nick was. For a tall man, he was almost graceful, his movements spare. There seemed to be no extra fat on his large frame, a fact confirmed as he stretched to close the curtains. The action pulled his t-shirt tightly across muscular biceps. She could attest to the strength of those biceps and the firmness of his chest from when he’d held her close a short time ago. Realizing her gaze was moving downward, she pulled herself back from the path her thoughts were taking. She was only interested in Chloe, not the way Nick looked.

  ‘How are you feeling?’

  He’d caught her watching him and she felt an unwelcome flush creep up her neck. ‘I’m okay. A bit tired but I had expected a decent night’s sleep.’ Satisfaction stole over her when Nick looked uncomfortable at the reminder of her rude awakening.

  ‘Yeah. Sorry again. It wasn’t my finest moment. I should congratulate Kirk on his training, though. You’ve come a long way from our first meeting.’

  ‘He was a good teacher but I’m sure I frustrated the hell out of him, especially in the beginning.’

  Nick laughed. ‘He’s one of the most impatient people I’ve ever met, but he wouldn’t have put in the time if he’d thought you weren’t up to it. I think he enjoyed the company, not that he’d ever admit it.’

  In spite of herself, she smiled at him. ‘It was hard to tell early on but he did thaw out a bit over the weeks. And every day with him, I felt safe.’

  ‘You were. No one knew you were there, just the three of us. You should have stayed there.’

  ‘If you don’t tell your team who I am, won’t I still be safe? Afterwards, I can tell the world
about Randall, but do they need to know about me right now?’

  Nick stared at her as if she had tricked him, and in a way, she had. He had the power to tell them or keep her secret. He didn’t owe her anything, but he did want her help down the track. It may be blackmail but she would use every weapon in her arsenal. Waiting for his answer, she jumped and swung to face the front door as someone knocked on it, then inserted a key.

  ‘Don’t worry. That’ll be Jack, my partner.’ Nick was visibly relieved at the interruption.

  ‘Oh, wonderful - another intruder,’ Talia said, annoyed that she was left hanging, not knowing how he would explain her to his partner.

  Before Nick could comment, a young man bustled in. He was nice looking and didn’t look old enough to be a detective. It would’ve been more appropriate to see him hosting a children’s program on television or perhaps in a boy band. His sandy hair flopped endearingly across his forehead, and his eyes twinkled.

  ‘Hello there. I’m Jack and if I can be of any service, just let me know.’

  He gave her a cheeky, infectious smile, taking hold of her hand, which he squeezed gently. Looking her over appraisingly, he wandered in to the kitchen as the kettle boiled, and checked the mugs.

  ‘What are we all having, then?’ he said, completely at ease.

  Strangely, Talia felt no animosity towards him. She was uncomfortable around most men but Jack reminded her of her late younger brother. He had an open and honest face and looked as though he would be happy anywhere - and would make it his mission to make you feel that way, too. The sort of person everyone loved to be around.

  ‘I’ll have tea if there is any, Jack. I‘m not sure what’s in the cupboards. My name’s Talia, by the way.’ What an idiot she was. Just because he was a cop didn’t mean she could trust him with her identity. Kirk would kick her butt when she told him. Strange that he hadn’t known Nick would be on the island too.