Bend But Never Break

by Cheryl Phipps

  ‘I think you mistake my concern over the case as dislike, when, in fact, I have no thoughts on her one way or the other except a deep mistrust for the way she’s manipulated you.’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about? I’m not being manipulated and I sincerely doubt Talia is capable of such a thing.’

  Emma shook her head. ‘There you go again. Don’t be an idiot, Nick. All women are capable of it. Some are just better at concealing it than others.’

  ‘I guess you would know more about that than me,’ he teased her, trying to lighten the mood.

  ‘Are you implying I manipulated you when we were together?’

  ‘Are you going to deny it?’

  Emma was angry now. ‘If trying to get on cases with your workaholic husband just so you can spend a bit of time with him is manipulating, then yes, I openly admit it, but you didn’t agree and we know who won there.’

  Nick was immediately sorry he’d tried to make a joke about their failed relationship. He put an arm around her shoulders. ‘No one won. It was never a competition for me. I don’t know precisely where it went wrong, but I’m positive it wasn’t your fault. I didn’t mean for it to end the way it did and as I’ve said a thousand times, I’m deeply sorry.’ He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. ‘You have to know you’ll always be important to me.’

  They didn’t notice that Talia was in the doorway, and she made a hasty retreat before they saw her. Going back to her room, she closed the door and threw herself on the bed. God, for one crazy moment on the beach, wrapped in his embrace, she had been tempted to surrender to the passion he evoked in her. She had felt herself drowning in that wonderful kiss and her body had turned to liquid in the heat of his embrace.

  She’d wanted to believe, against her better judgment, that he felt the same way about her and although she wasn’t ready for a romance, she’d felt safe enough to tell Nick about her life with Randall. She hadn’t expected to catch those two with their arms around each other. So much for them being over! She hadn’t heard the entire conversation, but knowing they were talking about her was a slap in the face. She felt betrayed that he’d chosen to discuss her with Emma, of all people. Was she ever going to learn not to trust people?

  ***

  After showering, Talia sat at the window, contemplating the decision she’d made earlier. She would take that trip in to town now. She’d contact Kirk and check if he was okay with her staying with him because she couldn’t stay here. Not when she couldn’t trust herself to stay away from a man who made her lose her focus so easily, a man who wasn’t free. Her mind made up, she jumped up and grabbed her handbag.

  Damn! She’d left her sandals on the beach and that was where they’d have to stay indefinitely. She had no intention of coming across any of the others and be forced to explain what she intended to do. Fortunately, she had a pair of sneakers, which would have to do.

  Nick and Emma were nowhere in sight as she left the house and ran up the driveway to the road. The bus stop wasn’t too far away and was hidden by the next curve in the road. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to wait too long. Pacing nervously while she waited, Talia tensed every time a car came from either direction. It was a relief to eventually board and sink low into her seat, her cap covering part of her face.

  The ride into town was just long enough for her to calm herself and feel nearly normal again. Although, as Nick had said, what anyone’s idea of being normal was these days, God only knew. She was, however, pretty certain it was nothing like the relationship he wanted to have with her. Three was definitely a crowd.

  To make her feel worse, she knew Randall would have loved the idea. He’d not only fooled around on her, scarcely caring whether she knew or not, but had made suggestions that had sickened her. Nick and she didn’t even have a proper relationship, and yet he was still fooling around with his ex.

  None of which should matter and she needed to get off this seesaw of thoughts before it drove her crazy. Her agenda was set and she wouldn’t think of Nick unless it was in the sense of him doing his job as a detective working to solve a crime.

  After strolling down the pretty main street, casually glancing in the windows of the shops to make sure she wasn’t being followed, her steps led her to a quiet side road.

  Kirk pulled open the door at her first knock, looking mad as hell.

  ‘What the hell are you doing here, Talia? Randall arrived on the island this morning,’ he whispered as he pulled her inside, shut the door and locked it.

  ‘Is Chloe with him?’ she asked excitedly.

  ‘I’m waiting to have it confirmed, but it doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.’

  ‘I had to come. I don’t feel safe there.’

  ‘You’re not safe anywhere if Randall knows you’re on the island.’

  ‘Not him - the detectives.’

  ‘What have they said?’

  ‘Nothing much but they want me gone. They’re focusing on their case and I don’t know if that’s going to conflict with me getting Chloe back.’

  ‘Talia, they’ll be doing the best they can.’

  ‘I think I should get another place. Whatever is going down out there is happening very soon and I should get my daughter out before it does.’

  ‘That’ll ruin their chances of nailing Randall. Is that what you want?’

  She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. ‘I don’t care about that - at least, not as much as I do about Chloe.’

  ‘But if they get him, then Chloe would also be safe.’

  ‘You don’t know that, Kirk. Not for certain. He’s capable of anything, in custody or not. ’

  ‘There aren’t any certainties with any of this, as I’ve tried to explain. But it sounds like you’ve made up your mind, so I think you should move in here and we’ll look at getting her out in the next day or two.’

  ‘What about the detectives? We don’t want them looking for me.’

  ‘Go back there today and tell them you’ve had a change of heart. Say you’ll be staying in town and you’ll be out of their way.’

  ‘All right, but I’ll be back here tonight.’

  ‘Talia, one more thing?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I know Nick but who else is on the case and what do they look like?’

  Talia gave him a description of each but as she described Emma, Kirk looked unusually ruffled.

  ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘I hadn’t expected Emma to be here. She’s not who I’d choose, especially being Nick’s ex.’

  ‘Tell me about it. She’s not fond of me and the feeling is mutual.’

  ‘Another reason to get you out of there.’

  Talia, nodded with relief. She understood how hard this was on Kirk, who owed his loyalty to Nick, but had decided to help her as well. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve it, but she was grateful.

  ‘When I get Chloe, you’ll help Nick, won’t you?’

  ‘Does it matter to you?’

  ‘Yes. I feel bad about deceiving him and I know you do too. Also, Nick didn’t say anything about me being married to Randall and therefore being involved with all the illegalities. It was as if he knew I wasn’t that sort of person.’

  ‘Sounds as if you like the man.’

  ‘I do,’ she admitted reluctantly, ‘and if he wasn’t involved with his ex, I’d have more respect for him.’

  ‘He’s a good man. I’ve had a bit to do with him over the years and I’m certain there’s no way he’s involved with Emma. That woman’s got some big issues I suspect Nick has no idea about. You could do a lot worse than a man like him, if everything turns out okay.’

  ‘Are you saying if everything goes according to both plans, there might be a chance we could work something out?’ She couldn’t keep the sarcasm and disbelief from her voice. ‘You sound like Nick.’

  He patted her hand awkwardly. ‘Optimism is a good place to start. You’re a smart, strong woman who’s endured a coup
le of years from hell. You’re young enough to still have a wonderful life, so don’t cut yourself off from the possibilities.’

  A weight lifted off her shoulders at his words. Kirk might be an ex-con who had trouble showing his emotions, but he was the most honest person she’d ever met. When he’d understood what losing her daughter had cost her he’d forced her to wean herself off the painkillers. Then he developed and badgered her through a rigorous training schedule and taught her martial arts so she would be ready in mind and body to fight Randall for the one thing that mattered to her. Hell, he’d saved her life and made sure she had the best of care and he hadn’t even known her.

  He’d been a stranger who had the misfortune to owe a cop a favour and who’d been her lifeline back to good health and sanity. It had been hard at first to open up about her past, and it had taken several weeks before she’d told him everything. He, on the other hand, was a closed book. ‘I’ve never heard you talk so much. Don’t tell me you’re going soft?’

  ‘I’m just a retired crook with too much time on his hands.’ He smiled fondly at her. ‘You’d better go before they miss you and send out a search party.’

  Talia gave him a hug, which, this time, he returned awkwardly. She then left him to his plans, walking quickly back to the main road and to the bus stop. Unfortunately, she failed to observe the man at the bar across the street studying her.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Nick was cleaning his gun when Jack arrived back from town after dropping off Emma. His partner stood in the doorway, nervously looking around.

  ‘If you’re looking for Talia, she’s in her room.’

  ‘No, it’s you I need to talk to.’ He took a deep breath. ‘I realise you’re taking the responsibility for Talia personally, but there’s something not right here.’

  ‘I gather you’ve been discussing this with Emma.’

  ‘It was unavoidable but Emma has her own concerns. Mine are far more to do with Talia’s mental stability than anything else.’

  ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘Don’t play games with me. I’d have to be deaf not to have heard her at night. Those screams could wake the dead.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it. She says she’s getting help and I believe her.’

  ‘Tell my why you believe her when you would run a check on anyone else, and I know for certain you’ve done no such thing with her.’

  ‘Are you questioning my ability to act impartially? I’m in charge here, Jack, and if you have a problem with that, I can easily get you reassigned.’

  ‘You wouldn’t do that. Whatever you think about me personally, you have to admit we always work well together. I’ve been with you from the beginning and you won’t get anyone else who knows as much about this case as I do, so cut me a bit of slack here.’

  Nick wished for the hundredth time that he hadn’t given up smoking two years ago. He could have committed murder for one cigarette right about now. Jack was making complete sense, but he didn’t have to like it.

  ‘Okay, you do have a right to know everything, and I think you’ll appreciate the sensitive nature of what you’ll find out. I’ve done a lot of digging into Talia’s past, prior to her turning up here. Her file will be couriered to the base, but you need to keep it under wraps.’

  ‘Naturally. Is Emma allowed to be privy to the file?’

  ‘You and Emma are quite close these days, aren’t you?’

  Jack blushed. ‘We have spent a lot of time together on this case.’

  ‘Right, that’s the only reason. All right, let Emma read the file. Now get lost before I change my mind.’

  Jack left and now Nick was alone in the house again, with Talia. He should have made Jack stay, but he’d had enough of him and Emma second-guessing him. It had been hard being the only one apart from Kirk knowing everything about Talia, and he was glad he would have no more secrets from his partners, but someone was leaking information otherwise Randall wouldn’t be able to keep eluding them, and although he trusted those two, who knew if someone would be careless and let something slip.

  Thank goodness Talia was staying in her room. She wouldn’t meet his eyes and he knew there was nothing he could say, at this stage, to make her change her mind about him and he couldn’t stand it. He’d killed people, he was calm under pressure, he led teams and he was bloody good at his job. But it all counted for nothing when she was near, and it was driving him to distraction.

  ***

  As she got off the bus, Talia was deep in thought about how she was going to explain things to Nick, but she was aware of a car pulling in as soon as the bus left. She stole a quick glance over her shoulder. Something about the tinted windows struck a chord and her heart began to race. She hefted her bag over her shoulder and walked swiftly along the kerb; the island only had footpaths in the township.

  A car door opened and then she heard the crunch of gravel close behind her. There was no time for flight, so she turned to face whoever it was, a sinking feeling clutching at her stomach.

  ‘Good afternoon, Talia. You had me confused for a while with the dyed hair and the baseball cap. Lucky we had a good description. Otherwise, I would never have followed you, especially since you’re supposed to be dead. A gentleman friend of yours would like you to pay him a visit, if you don’t mind.’ Marco reached out to grab her, grinning stupidly at his attempt at a joke.

  ‘Get away from me, you creep.’ She swung the bag at Randall’s number one guy, connecting with the side of his face - he hadn’t anticipated any sort of refusal. It gave her immense satisfaction, in spite of her heart hammering away, since he’d been one of her attackers. ‘Firstly, Randall is no gentleman, and secondly, he’s no friend of mine.’ Again she swung the bag, but this time Marco let a muscular forearm take the brunt, and then he snatched the bag from her.

  ‘Perhaps I’ve led you to believe you actually have a choice, and I guess you do. There’s the easy way or the hard way, but make no mistake, you are definitely coming with us.’ He flung the bag to the side, closing the gap between them with one step.

  Us? So there was more than one of them. She saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye and opened her mouth to scream, but before she could utter a sound, a whack on the back of her head sent her sprawling to the ground.

  ***

  ‘Hello, my darling wife. It’s been quite a while and it looks like we have plenty to catch up on.’

  Pain, so dense across her neck, clouded her thinking. She must be imagining things. She knew that voice, but it couldn’t possibly be. Talia forced her eyelids open, destroying her hopes that this was another one of her nightmares. The face she never wished to see again in this lifetime hovered over her. The lips moved into that familiar smile that never reached the cold grey eyes. She could feel bile rise up as she realised that she’d gambled and lost. She struggled to get up until she realised her hands were tied behind her back.

  ‘I hear you’ve been looking for me. Now, the million dollar question is why?’ He ran a finger down the scar that stretched from her hairline to her eye, as if fascinated. ‘Perhaps it’s that you’ve missed me so much. You always loved the more intimate side of our lives. Our lovemaking was rather special, wasn’t it?’ He laughed sadistically at her as he ripped the tape from her mouth.

  ‘Lovemaking. Is that what you call it? We never made love, you bastard, and you know it.’ Her voice was dry and she croaked in her outrage.

  ‘Such language. It seems you’ve changed in more ways than just looks. We both know that sex wasn’t always bad between us. I seem to recall that you were so grateful someone actually wanted you that you would do anything I asked, in and out of the bedroom. Yes, you were quite the pleaser, if you remember. Shall we go somewhere more private and discuss it further?’ He walked to a doorway and nodded to a bear of a man standing guard.

  Talia recognized him as the same man who had confronted her on the beach. Is that the reason they’d found her? And if so, did they know where she’d
been hiding out? Had she led them to Nick and the others? What had she done?

  The man came across the room, untied her feet and dragged her upright. Her head pounded, the room started to swim and she began to retch.

  ‘You better not make a mess,’ Randall growled in her ear as he dragged her to the doorway, where a set of stairs led down into the basement level.

  It was an effort to keep from falling as he propelled her down them, and at the bottom, he thrust her through yet another door and forced her into a chair. Her wrists burned with the strain of the ropes that tied them.

  The door slammed shut and the room became darker. As her eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, she frantically scanned the interior. Just as she suspected, there was a blackened window that had thick bars across it. Even if she could untie these ropes, there would be no escape.

  ‘Now let’s find out what you have been up to, shall we?’ Randall pulled another chair towards her and sat close enough that his breath fanned her face. ‘Why are you here on this particular island, at this particular time?’

  Her stomach lurched with his nearness. ‘There’s no hidden agenda, I can assure you, Randall. How could I have possibly known you would be here? I decided to get away and I found a place on the internet to rent. After what you did to me, I was incapable of working.’

  ‘You poor thing. My heart bleeds,’ he sneered. ‘Due to your misguided view of what’s right, I nearly lost everything. Fortunately, I never put all my eggs in one basket and here I am back in the game. However, that deal, which, by the way, took months to bring to fruition, turned sour when you were unavailable to sign off on the last shipment. It cost me a pretty penny and caused a lot of ill feeling, not just with my clients. My boys were especially gutted when they found out you were still alive. They’d like to get their hands on you - to do what I can only guess. You should be very grateful I don’t let them express their anger once more.’