Gemini Rain

by Lj McEvoy

  Having confronted him with the evidence three months before his death she sounded exasperated as she admitted, ‘Christ even my mother knew a long time before I did. I found out that the drugs were originally coming from Colombia, but arrived in Ireland with false documentation from other countries. It was a complicated but highly organised operation. Peter admitted all of course promising to break all connections and…’ she sighed, ‘I think he tried but two weeks later he was dead.’

  ‘Colombia! I’m going there well I think I am, in a couple of months time to make a film about drug trafficking. But who was Peter working with? Gangsters?’ David sounded shocked. Drugs were rampant in his line of business but thankfully he never succumbed to that particular temptation.

  ‘Are you? It’s a beautiful country and most of the people are so kind and generous. I’ve been there twice on holiday, the landscape is so varied and the beaches are magnificent. Or at least I thought it was a holiday, later I found out of course that for Peter they were business trips. But I’ve said too much David,’ Lauren felt exhausted.

  ‘But who? Was it gangsters or was he working alone, you’ve got to tell me,’ he was insistent.

  ‘I’m not certain,’ she lied, ‘maybe gangsters,’ but secretly she thought it was paramilitaries, using the drug business to support their so-called “Cause.” ‘Please don’t repeat this to anyone,’ she begged him, ‘not even your family. Christ what must you think of me,’ putting her hand to her forehead and rubbing it intensely.

  ‘What do you take me for!’ he was annoyed at her distrust, ‘of course I won’t, but,’ he hesitated attempting a bribe, ‘but only if you tell me who he was working with.’

  She stared at him, hesitant for a moment then reluctantly surrendering, ‘Terrorists.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ leaning towards her David easily pulled her towards him softly hugging her as they went silent for a while wrapped in their own thoughts. Then they continued to talk about other little things with Lauren explaining why she sold her side of the business back to her parents. How she couldn’t stand the gossip, the sympathetic and sometimes patronizing looks from friends and business associates, David felt he could relate to that. Eventually they both fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 16

  ‘Mammy, oh Ma-mmy!’

  Lauren could hear a little voice in the distance and somebody tugging at her, ‘What’s going on?’ Lauren opened her eyes to find her two children giggling. ‘What’s wrong? Is it time for school?’ trying to move, she found her arm was stuck. She turned her head finding David still asleep and lying on her arm, ‘Oh, Shi…Sugar!’ remembering her children were there, ‘What time is it?’ she felt groggy and couldn’t get her head together.

  ‘It’s alright,’ Emma acted out her motherly don’t panic act, ‘we’re dressed and waiting for breakfast, there’s plenty of time,’ turning away and heading for the kitchen Emma looked over her shoulder to Lauren, ‘Friends, huh?’

  ‘She’s getting too cheeky for her age,’ Lauren said aloud deciding it was time she and the little madam had a chat.

  Keith stared at David, ‘Is he our new daddy?’ turning to Lauren.

  ‘Oh no mister, he’s just a friend. We just fell asleep ‘cause we were talking ‘til very late,’ Lauren was struggling to get her arm from under David. ‘Can we talk about it later this evening? Is that okay?’ replying softly to him.

  Keith frowned, recognising his mood she gently suggested, ‘now you run into the kitchen and choose one of your favourite cereals, I’ll follow in a minute.’

  ‘How am I going to get around this one,’ she thought as she watched Keith leaving the room with a frown on his small forehead.

  ‘David,’ she nudged him, ‘David, your flight is leaving in a few hours, wake up.’

  His eyes opened with a big grin appearing on his face, ‘I’m awake and boy is it going to be awkward to play down our relationship now.’

  ‘Did anybody ever call you a pup?’ she said thinking it was a perfect description for him as she eventually pulled her arm out.

  David raised his eyebrows, ‘No, what does it mean?’ sounding surprised.

  ‘I’ll leave you thinking about it and maybe you can work it out for yourself. Now shift or we’ll be late for school.’

  As they left the house together, David started walking towards the farm but then he turned back. ‘Oh, what’s he forgotten now,’ Lauren rolled down the car window.

  Leaning in he looked at Emma and Keith speaking in French to them then he turned to Lauren looking straight into her eyes saying, ‘Thank you for everything, for the past two months, for … just for everything. You’ve given me a strength I haven’t felt in a long time, never leave our hilltop please. You’re a friend we don’t want to lose, ever and I speak for my family too not just me,’ stretching in he held her head and softly kissed her on the lips then on the forehead. He walked away, not looking back.

  ‘Ahh, he’s a dreamboat,’ Emma said dreamily.

  ‘Emma! You and I are going to have a long chat later, missy prim,’ Lauren played the shocked mother but couldn’t keep from smiling.

  Keith turned to his sister, ‘Don’t worry, I’m in for one of those long chats too.’

  ‘Where do you two get your cheekiness? It’s definitely not my side of the family,’ she stated snootily, laughing as she drove off.

  David entered by the back door; Gabrielle was putting on the kettle she looked at him disapprovingly, ‘Coffee?’ she asked bluntly.

  ‘No, thanks I’ve just had some,’ he rubbed his chin grinning at his mother’s huffed greeting, ‘Did you know Lauren gives her children cereals in the morning, ugh!’ David smirked but Gabrielle was not amused.

  ‘Oh La La! La La! La La!’ she grabbed her tea towel, ‘you promised, David. Jean-Pierre talk to your son!’ she laughingly shouted as she tried to hit David with it. She could never lose her temper with her children always leaving the punishment to Jean-Pierre.

  ‘Maman, honestly!’ David tried to catch the tea towel, ‘honestly, we fell asleep on the couch. Please … Ouch!’ as she caught his leg, ‘please believe me,’ he decided his best option was to grab her around the waist, ‘you’re the only woman for me,’ laughing as he kissed his mother’s cheek.

  Later as Jean-Pierre and David drove to the airport, David decided to ask Jean-Pierre did he ever hear expression of someone being called a pup, thinking it was a good way to bring up the subject of his friendship with Lauren. Jean-Pierre admitted no but had the feeling what was coming next, so he continued the conversation for David.

  ‘You like her don’t you,’ he stated.

  ‘We’re friends Papa, we both agreed it’s too early to see if our friendship will develop into anything more than that,’ David sounded disappointed.

  ‘Too early for Lauren, you mean,’ Jean-Pierre looked at him, he knew David recovered from the breakdown of his marriage a long time ago it was the combination of the breakdown, loss of his children, bad relationships and work pressure that affected him now.

  David looked serious for a change, ‘keep an eye on her for me, Papa. I’m worried for her.’

  ‘Why?’ Jean-Pierre was surprised.

  ‘Why,’ David thought about his next sentence carefully, ‘because you too can see the sadness is still there, I’m afraid she’ll never lose it.’ David turned to look out the window he could now see the airport, ‘do you know, we haven’t even kissed!’ he laughed but it wasn’t a jovial laugh.

  ‘It’s okay my son the family will be there for her,’ Jean-Pierre decided to add more hoping David would understand, ‘this time we’ll get it right, I promise. Do you?’

  David turned back to face his father fully comprehending what he was saying, ‘Yes, I promise too.’

  Chapter 17

  Dublin – Paul drove into the castle grounds, his BMW sports car glided over the gravel driveway. Feeling little tingles of anticipation in his stomach, he tried to reassure and calm himself, ‘t
his is just another meeting, Paul. All will go well you’ve met these people before.’ But then he remembered he hadn’t met the Colombian or Dutch Ambassadors so he lightly corrected himself, ‘well at least I know the American and English representatives, so I’m halfway there.’

  The meeting was hastily arranged via private telephone personally by An Taoiseach and all reluctantly agreed that only one bodyguard for each ambassador would be present, Paul didn’t even bring his own personal bodyguard, he hated the fact that he needed a shadow to watch his and others every move.

  The castle was owned by a former An Taoiseach with the 15-acre grounds protected by the government’s special task force. It was one of the many privileges given to retired politicians fortunate enough to be elected to that throne and rich and powerful enough to still have influence within Dail Eireann’s walls. Although Paul had the feeling that this ex-Taoiseach needed as many favours as possible, there were too many government tribunals on-going and starting up and this guy was not enjoying his retirement as much as he had hoped, his name seemed to pop up in every tribunal discussion.

  As he got out of his car, he was quickly ushered through the ancient grand entrance by one of the task force officers and directed to the left of the wide reception hall with its two marble staircases gaping wide on either side of the magnificent walls. From a previous visit to the castle on a dinner invite, he knew this room was the old library. Entering he noted with relief he was the last to arrive, he nodded acknowledgement to Dec. Insp. O’Reilly and his colleague Dec. Sgt. Farrell and warmly greeted the other guests with handshakes, thanking them sincerely for giving up their precious and busy time at such short notice.

  ‘Okay,’ American Ambassador Whitaker cheerfully perked up, ‘enough of the political niceties crap, Paul. What the hell’s going down and what would you like to drink while you’re telling us?’

  In the centre of the circular room with its smell of old leather bound books and wood was a long oak reading table, large enough for a dozen persons to sit comfortably and pour over whatever hidden treasure they found.

  Paul immediately sat down and ushered the two detectives to join him, ‘I’ll have a cognac.’ It wasn’t his usual drink but he felt he needed one now, then as he opened his briefcase, a beautiful familiar face stared out at him, ‘Oh Christ,’ he whispered to himself, remembering who’s favourite drink it was.

  Dec. Sgt. Farrell noticed Paul’s stunned expression following his minister’s hypnotized stare into the briefcase, ‘come on Paul don’t fall apart on us now we’re only at the beginning.’

  A smooth whooshing sound of the rolling library stairs disturbed both Paul’s and Farrell’s thoughts, a tall and lean older man with smartly combed back white hair jumped off the ladder.

  ‘Well thankfully its not terrorism,’ Sir Duncan Knightsworth, the British ambassador stated, he was holding an old small leather book in his hand and he placed it with honoured respect gently on the table as he sat opposite Paul, who in turn didn’t know what to say next.

  ‘Oh yeah and what makes you think that?’ Ambassador Whitaker gave a feigning nod and smile to the Colombian and Dutch Ambassadors now seated at the table.

  The gesture was nervously returned from the Colombian and ignored by the Dutch Ambassador, who was sitting erect in a military posture, he looked uncomfortable Paul noted. ‘Your eyes are dancing all around the room, calm down man,’ it gave Paul some confidence and the kick on the ankle from Farrell soon brought him direction. He introduced everybody affably then commenced with the reasons for this informal but, in the Irish government’s eyes, extremely important meeting.

  Finally his tale of woe and government plans finished, ‘Gentlemen, we’re looking for your co-operation and speedy response if the need arises.’ Everybody was looking at him, waiting. ‘Am I sounding pompous?’ he wondered.

  The Dutch ambassador decided to kill the silence, ‘If this gets out,’ he looked around the assembled and finally to Paul, ‘your government will crumble. Ireland is holding the presidency of the EU at the moment. Every excuse will be used to attack the Euro, it could collapse too.’

  ‘That’s where diplomacy comes to the fore,’ Paul interjected.

  Ambassador Knightsworth said in a subdued tone, ‘but it’s your diplomatic bags and cargo which are being used.’

  Paul kept his face resolute, ‘and yours,’ he then turned to each ambassador seated at the table, ‘and yours. Any diplomatic correspondence with the Irish government at the moment is legally obliged to be carried in diplomatic bags and courier by this company. Particularly as we are holding the presidency. ’

  ‘What do you want us to do and when?’ Every head turned to the South-American voice, which stated the most obvious question of them all.

  Paul gave the Colombian Ambassador a generous, thankful smile, ‘at last some co-operation.’

  Chapter 18

  Marseille - ‘Bon soir,’ Veronique answered the telephone but got silence at the other end. ‘Hallo is somebody there!’

  David was at the other end wondering if he dialled Joel’s number instead of Lauren’s.

  ‘Hallo!’ she repeated, Lauren should have warned her if she was getting hoax calls.

  ‘Sorry Veronique I thought I telephoned Lauren’s number. It’s David.’

  ‘Oh hello and you did! I’m babysitting for her,’ Veronique coyly smiled, this will get him thinking, ‘she’s gone out to dinner with three friends who are visiting from Ireland.’ There was silence at the other end so she mischievously decided to add more details, ‘A married couple and one of Lauren’s friends, an ex-boyfriend I’m sure she said. She was quite excited at the thought of seeing them again and when she asked me, I couldn’t refuse. I need to get the practice in,’ she laughed.

  David wasn’t amused but didn’t want Veronique to know so he quickly changed the subject asking how she was and if Joel was now doing all the housework. It was idle chat both of them knew it, but Veronique wasn’t giving up that easily, remembering earlier that evening how she, Lauren and the children watched The Entertainment Show on television, giving all the details on the film David was working on for that TV station. As was the norm for a gossip show, it was overemphasized how well he and the leading actress were enjoying each other’s company.

  ‘Would you like me to give Lauren a message? You’re coming home in a few weeks, aren’t you? She said she might be late home so I’m staying the night but I can always tell her in the morning,’ - got you now David Corvasieur, Veronique was delighted as she still felt David never learned his lesson, Lauren doesn’t deserve to be used by him she decided. David replied no and she noticed he sounded disappointed, ‘good,’ she thought.

  Saying goodbye, he hung up and Veronique felt extremely content as she put down the receiver, he’s not going to play on poor Lauren’s heartstrings. She and Lauren became very close over the past while, often meeting up in Marseille for lunch or just to go window shopping for baby clothes and nursery furniture. Veronique loved every story Lauren told her of Emma and Keith when they were babies but then was saddened to hear of when Lauren returned to work and how she missed their first steps, only experiencing the night time agony of teething, etc. How did she let herself get so engrossed in her work, it made Veronique decide to take a break from her job to enjoy the first years of her baby maybe returning part-time when he or she started school.

  But as for David and his plans of having, in his eyes, a little woman waiting here for him when he returned from his adventures, no way and Veronique was going to tell Lauren that. Hopefully with tonight’s dinner with an old boyfriend and the earlier programme on television perhaps Lauren would see the light.

  But then Veronique then started to have doubts as she thought more, it’s not as if Lauren gave the impression that she was counting the days until David’s return. She was getting on with her life, maybe it was her husband’s death that made her so independent of others. Veronique didn’t see any disappointment on Lauren’s
face while they watched David and the actress being interviewed.

  ‘Maybe I’ve read the situation wrong, if so then there was no harm done,’ Veronique tried to convince herself and finally deciding not to tell Lauren of the full details of her conversation with David.

  David hung up. ‘Bitch,’ he stated out loud as he knew exactly what Veronique was up to and continued talking aloud to himself, ‘what the hell did I do on her. So Lauren is gone out on a date, it was probably very innocent and after all we agreed to be just friends.’ But he started to get those niggling doubts, ‘what if she still has feelings for this ex-boyfriend, what if her friends try to persuade her to return to Ireland. What if she realises how much she misses her family and friends … Christ, stop it David, don’t be so reliant on other people, how many times did Lauren tell you that!’ But he did it again, depending on what she said to him, forever referring to their conversations and looking at situations wondering what Lauren would think, imagining they were having a conversation about it. Should he try her cell phone? ‘No, she’s obviously busy enjoying herself and I should do the same,’ deciding to join the crew on their night out.

  Chapter 19

  Lauren looked around the restaurant thoroughly enjoying the meal and the company she was sharing it with. Getting all the news from back home, she was delighted when her old friend Marie phoned her yesterday to invite her out for dinner. She was equally pleased with the venue; the Jean Roubin Restaurant in the 9 Arrondissement of Marseille, David mentioned it one time to her during one of his many attempts to get her to go out to dinner with him.

  Lauren knew Marie and her husband from when she dated Paul Morris, Marie was Paul’s younger sister with only fourteen months separating their age and both women kept their friendship alive even after Lauren split from Paul and they each got married. The call was out of the blue, ‘we’re touring the south of France,’ Marie informed her, ‘and we’ve decided to stay in Marseille for two nights, Paul is with us for a few days too.’