Bend But Never Break

by Cheryl Phipps

  ‘That one there.’ She pointed to another, smaller one.

  Again and again, the scenario played out. Finally, Randall had had enough. He gestured to the trashed gallery. ‘I don’t believe these were all your company’s works. You’re mucking me around and it stops now. I appreciate that you place no value on your life, and it seems even the old criminal downstairs doesn’t invoke enough sympathy, but how would you feel if I had another chat with your friend Nick? I know where he lives when he’s not with you, and I do owe him for stuffing up my deal. So does that make any difference to you?’

  Talia could not take the chance. Not with anyone else’s life. It had been only about Chloe for so long but now more people were involved, and they didn’t deserve what she knew Randall was capable of dishing out.

  ‘Mr Graham’s wife passed away about a year ago. He had a photo of her that we had one of our up-and-coming artists copy into an oil painting. I believe it was the last delivery.’

  ‘That sounds perfect. Now where is it hanging?’

  ‘I have no idea. If you remember, because of you, I was not around at that precise time. You do remember the beating your goons gave me on your behalf? ’

  Randall took a menacing step towards her. ‘Don’t give me any more attitude or you will be very sorry.’

  ‘Perhaps we should try his bedroom?’ she said quickly.

  ‘Lead on, then.’ He gestured with the knife.

  She kept ahead of him but did not hurry. Sure enough, the portrait hung above the bed. It was a true likeness of the pleasantly plump lady Talia had met several times before her sudden death. The sentimentality she was feeling was lost on Randall, who leapt onto the bed and hoisted it off the wall. Placing it none to carefully on the duvet, he gave it the same treatment he’d given the others.

  ‘Gotcha,’ he yelled triumphantly. The hand he held high above his head had the key dangling from one finger.

  ‘How did you know it was there?’

  ‘For an old man, he wasn’t scared to die. He refused to say where the key was, only that it was in the back of a painting. He wouldn’t talk, no matter what Lloyd did to him. Unfortunately, I didn’t realise just how many pictures the old boy had.’

  Talia gagged at the thought of Bill being tortured. ‘How could you? He was a sweet old man and no harm to you.’

  ‘Blame yourself. If you had been a loving wife, then none of this would have happened.’

  ‘Rubbish! You had an agenda when you met me and it had nothing to do with love.’

  ‘Well, that is, of course, true. You know, I don’t believe I told you about how your family enjoyed their last boat trip, did I? We were all having such a good time until they realised I wanted everything they had, which included you. Like I’ve said before – I always get what I want.’

  Talia gasped. ‘It was you? All this time I believed it had been an accident.’ Her head felt like it would burst with the knowledge. It all fell in to place - why her family had died under strange circumstances. How had she let him talk her into accepting what he and the police had said? Because she’d been trusting and weak. She wasn’t that person anymore. A rage she’d never known flowed from her soul and she let it wash over her, welcomed it.

  ‘You killed them, you bastard!’ Talia launched herself at him and they fell over the bed onto the floor with her on his back. She pinned his arm behind him but he elbowed her in the stomach. Gasping, she looked up to see him standing over her. The knife had been lost in the scuffle, but now he held a gun at her head.

  ‘Now I’m bored with all of this. I’ve got things to do, so…’

  Talia’s eyes widened at a welcome yet infuriating realization.

  Randall had been watching her face, probably enjoying her shock and fear, but when he saw her sudden surprise, he followed her gaze. A red dot shimmered on his chest and he immediately recognised it for what is was. He’d already turned slightly towards the window, which had crashed in when the shot was fired. Randall clutched his chest and fell to the floor, a look of horror on his face.

  Nick pushed through the jagged glass and torn curtains. He kicked Randall’s gun across the room and checked for a pulse. ‘He’s dead,’ he said with satisfaction.

  Talia stood numbly for a moment, wanting to celebrate her freedom, but devastated that the one person who knew where Chloe was had been killed.

  ‘What will we do now? How will I ever find her?’ She whispered, but Nick didn’t appear to hear her. He tried to pull her into his arms

  ‘It’s going to be okay. He did exactly what we expected and now he’ll never hurt you again.’

  And that was when she realised Nick must have known what was going to happen today. He’d used her as bait.

  ‘What have you done? My daughter’s out there somewhere while you’ve been playing this game, and now that Randall’s dead… That’s it isn’t it? We’ve lost our last chance to find her.’ Tears ran down her face and even though Nick looked miserable, she couldn’t find it in her heart to forgive him.

  She heard a noise from the hall and turned to see Jack burst through the doorway but he stopped when he saw Randall’s lifeless body and put his gun back in his holster.

  ‘If you two are okay there’s someone downstairs, waiting to see you,’ he said gently.

  ‘Kirk!’ Talia suddenly remembered her friend, battered and bleeding. She raced down the stairs and found him in the entranceway on a cane sofa. He was crooning softly and when he lifted his head, she saw the most beautiful sight.

  ‘Chloe?’ Laughing and crying, she knelt and opened her arms to her child, praying Chloe would not be afraid of her mother. The little girl’s eyes were as big as saucers and she froze for a second, then squealed.

  ‘Mamma, mamma!’

  Talia gasped with relief. There had always been the irrational fear that her child would not recognise her after so long.

  Chloe jumped down from the big man’s lap, causing a wince as he held his bleeding leg, and then she was running to Talia, who pulled the quivering bundle into her arms.

  ‘I don’t know how to thank you, Kirk,’ she said over her daughter’s head. The poor man had clearly suffered at the hands of Randall and his men.

  Jack intervened. ‘Actually, Nick found her, but Emma and I had to wait for Randall to leave before we could get to her. She was dirty but healthy enough and she’s been cleared by a doctor already.’

  ‘How’s Emma? Did she get out okay?’ Nick asked.

  ‘I’m sorry Nick, she was shot. She didn’t make it.’

  Nick paled and sat on the floor, hands resting on his knees. ‘Is everyone else okay?’ he said shakily.

  Talia tuned their voices. She couldn’t take anymore even as tears threatened all she wanted was to check Chloe over for herself. Unable to stop hugging and just looking at her daughter, she struggled to accept it. She’d wanted to believe in this moment for many months, but now it was here, it felt surreal.

  Police and paramedics came and Talia shielded Chloe when they took Bill Grahams sheet covered body from his office. Eventually she sat in a chair, just holding her child and singing softly. Chloe yawned a few times, and then fell asleep, as if it was the most natural thing to do after all that happened. Talia’s mind whirled around what had happened. Her heart was bursting with love and happiness to have this precious bundle in her arms, and yet a part of it was sad. Because of Nick.

  ‘Are you okay, sweetheart?’ Nick crouched down beside them, looking tired and concerned.

  ‘Am I all right? I will be,’ she whispered, so as not to wake her daughter. ‘Everything that happened today is no coincidence, is it, Nick? You told me that someone would be looking out for me. That I was safe at my parents’ home. I trusted you and you used me. Emma said you would do anything to close a case and I guess this proves it.’

  ‘Talia, please listen. It isn’t like that at all.’ He touched her arm.

  ‘Don’t.’ She pushed him away. ‘It is like that. I’m so grateful to you
for getting Chloe back safely and I’ll never be able to thank you enough, but the lies and the subterfuge are more than I can bear. I know that you are a good man, but I need peace right now for Chloe and I. It’s always going to be about the job first with you.’ She had begun to shake.

  ‘I’m so sorry, my darling. We didn’t want to keep you in the dark but there was no choice. When we knew for sure that Randall had got away, I didn’t want you to be any more frightened and upset than you already were. We definitely had a mole, so the fewer people who knew about our plans, the better. When we became aware someone was watching you, I knew he would be in contact - it was just a matter of time. I admit it took longer than I expected, but Talia, we never had you out of our sight. One of us was always near.’

  ‘That’s supposed to make it okay? Do you have any idea how all this deception makes me feel? I thought we had something special and here you are gambling with our lives.’ She pulled Chloe closer. ‘We made love, for God’s sake! I suppose that was all part of it. I finally trusted you and I knew I never should have.’

  ‘Please don’t say that. You can trust me and I promise you it really is all over now. Randall is truly dead this time so you won’t ever have to be scared of him again and Jack has the other guy downstairs. It’s over apart from the court case, but that’s going to be a piece of cake after what you’ve been through.’

  ‘Actually, it’s all over now. I’ve finished with all of this and with all of you. If you want me to testify, you can damn well subpoena me. Goodbye, Nick. You have a great life - without me.’ She stood with Chloe, her head held high, and walked out of her old life for good.

  ***

  Nick sat at his local bar nursing a scotch and feeling sorry for himself. He missed her but he knew Talia had made the right decision on her part. His job was all about mistrust and she didn’t need someone like that in her life. Talia deserved a better life than she would have with him. There would always be bad guys; the fight would never end. He threw back the drink and ordered another.

  ‘You’re such an idiot, Nick.’ Jack pulled out another stool beside him. ‘I can’t believe you stuffed this up. What the hell did you say or not say to her to make her leave like that?’

  ‘Leave me alone. This is nothing to do with you, so bugger off and get back to your groupies. Don’t you think I feel bad enough?’

  ‘Probably not, if I can get under your skin so easily. Anyway, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what you’re going to do about Talia.’

  ‘Do? I’m not going to do anything. Or rather, I think I’ve done enough, so I’m going to do precisely what she asked and leave her alone.’ He nodded to the bartender for another drink.

  ‘That’s definitely the coward’s way out.’ He punched Nick on the arm. ‘For Pete’s sake, do you love her or not?’

  ‘Jack, with all due respect, you have no idea what you’re talking about, so kindly butt out and let me enjoy a bit of peace.’

  ‘We may not be partners anymore, but that doesn’t mean I can leave you to wallow in this pathetic self-pity, so answer the damn question. Do you love her?’

  ‘Yes, I do, but that’s not going to get me anywhere. She hates me and I can’t say I blame her.’

  ‘Crap. If you could see the way she looks at you, then you’d know she loves you as much as she loves her daughter. And if you love her, and you just said you did, then you have to fight for her.’

  ‘Fight who?’

  ‘You, her, the world, dummy. You go find Talia, make her listen and then tell her how much you love her.’

  ‘What if - ’

  ‘What if you don’t try? You may lose the best thing you ever had. Apart from me, that is.’ He tilted his head to one side and smiled. ‘For a hard-assed detective, you can be such a wimp. For God’s sake, just do it.’

  ‘Do you really think she loves me?’ Nick looked up hopefully. ‘She was pretty mad about everything.’

  ‘Trust me, she may not realise it yet but she does. Go get her, tiger.’ He pushed him towards the door. ‘Although, maybe some coffee first. And a shower wouldn’t go amiss.’

  Nick turned back. ‘Jack, did you know about Emma?’

  ‘Being Randall’s snitch? Not for sure but I feel I should have questioned some of the things she told me and asked me to do. I wanted her to come with me when she helped me rescue Chloe but she insisted she had a debt to pay and there was no time to argue. If she had left then she wouldn’t have been shot. ’

  ‘I think Emma felt trapped. She needed to make amends but she wasn’t thinking straight that day and probably for some time. She was taking drugs. They found out at the autopsy.’

  Jack shuffled his feet. ‘I had a suspicion she was. Sorry, Nick, I should have said something.’

  ‘She was your superior and I don’t hold you in any way responsible for the life she chose. I guess drugs come with the undercover territory, but it must have been the reason she changed sides, initially.’

  ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if that was Randall’s aim all along.’

  ‘To get to me?’

  Jack shrugged. ‘You know what he was like. Nothing was beyond him.’

  ‘True, but I have to confess I was worried you were the mole.’

  ‘Everyone was under suspicion. That’s how it goes.’

  ‘Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for being a great partner,’ Nick said sincerely. ‘I know I don’t always say when you do a good job, but what you did for this case was above and beyond.’

  Jack looked sheepishly at Nick. ‘I need to confess that Emma and I were in a relationship.’

  ‘I’m a detective, Jack. It was pretty obvious.’

  ‘Really? Just so you know, I don’t think she ever stopped loving you.’

  ‘I’m sorry about that. She was one mixed up woman, and you both deserved better.’

  ‘Shit, you’d better go before we end up hugging.’ Jack laughed awkwardly.

  Nick snorted but shook his hand firmly. What the hell, a hug wasn’t the end of the world. Besides, the look of shock on the kid’s face was worth it.

  ***

  It had taken time to get the paperwork sorted and to tie up all the loose ends so he could go to Talia with all the answers she would ever need. By the time Nick got to Talia’s house a couple of days later, she’d gone. He wasn’t really surprised; this house held so many memories for both of them. It was here she’d been able to enjoy life for a short while and now she thought what they’d had was based on a lie.

  Nick used his key, which he had been unable to bring himself to return, and wandered through the rooms that, although they still held furniture, had been seeped of all vitality. He felt that way, too. He had, by choice, been alone in the past, but he felt far lonelier now than before she’d come into his life. It felt as though a piece of himself was missing.

  He needed her and he had to show her she needed him. Where could she have gone? He searched her papers for a clue and was getting more frustrated when a thought occurred to him. Kirk would know. It should have been obvious to him and maybe if he’d been thinking straight, it would have come to him earlier.

  ***

  Talia sat at her easel and half-heartedly dabbed a bit of paint on the canvas. It was her first attempt at normality and since the day was bright, with a gentle breeze, it was perfect for being outdoors. Chloe was thriving here on Waiheke. The island agreed with both of them. Talia’s nightmares had lessened and the stress was gone so she should have been content. She should have been perfectly happy.

  The sound of birds and sea was soothing and masked the noise of anyone approaching, but Nick’s voice made her hand freeze in mid-air.

  ‘Please don’t send me away, Talia. I had to come. I need to tell you these things and I need you to listen. All my life I’ve pushed people away, until I met you. I knew in my heart you were the one, even though I tried to fight it. I love you and I’d do anything to have you in my life. Please try to forgive me. I can’t imagine neve
r seeing you again.’

  She turned slowly, her tears nearly blinding her. The look on his face was indescribable. The heartache and pain she, too, was experiencing, had etched itself into the worried lines on his forehead. She had missed him more than she cared to admit. Standing, she put a hand to his face, flattening the lines to make them disappear and watched the hope come alive in his eyes.

  ‘I’m sorry I was so harsh to you that day. You brought my daughter back and I didn’t thank you enough. It’s no excuse but I’d had enough of secrecy and lies, of drama and broken promises. This is what your job entails and Chloe and I can’t live like that, not after what we’ve been through.’ She tried to push past him, but he held her arm. ‘I need to check on Chloe.’

  ‘Chloe’s still asleep and Kirk’s keeping an eye on her. I’m glad you had him to turn to,’ he said sincerely.

  ‘He insisted and I don’t know what I would have done without him.’

  ‘You would have managed, you’re so strong and capable. You’ve come a long way from the timid woman Randall forced you in to being.’

  She smiled at his praise, it meant a lot that he thought like that about her.

  ‘Kirk told me about Emma and I’m really sorry she died helping Chloe.’

  ‘Thanks. She did the right thing in the end by leading us to her. I don’t know if we would have found his new hide-out otherwise. Anyway are you going to be alright?’

  ‘Randall never changed his will so everything he owned is mine. There’s no money but the land next door is worth a heap even without a house on it. I couldn’t live there but I think this place will do just fine. I don’t need much to make me happy, as long as I have Chloe.’

  Nick looked sad. ‘What about us? I can’t leave knowing there’s no hope. I love you, Talia. I need you.’

  Suddenly, he dropped to one knee and Talia’s heart missed a beat when he pulled out a small red box. He opened it to reveal a delicate diamond ring. It was exquisite.