Lisa has had a bath, and her hair is wetly dark; its curls spiralling as it dries. Sue is just across from her, wrapped in her white silk nightgown, after showering to clean away the grime and smoke and dust.
“..I don't know.” Sue is shaking her head, amazed. “I guess something just...told me you were there.”
Lisa tilts her head, grinning. They are both looking at each other, their gaze unable to leave; each detail of each other's faces a fresh miracle in a day of miraculous happenings.
“I...I can't believe it. Sue! I never would have imagined anything like this. That you, of all people, would do something like that...” She shakes her head in utter amazement.
“Me neither.” Sue is grinning, her pure elation shining out of her; completely unrepressed.
“...But then, I wouldn't have imagined you knocking someone out, either!”
Lisa smiles back. Takes Sue's hand and grips it. Sue grins; squeezes her hand back. They cannot stop smiling; stop looking at each other.
“It seems...impossible.” Lisa begins.
“It is. It isn't.” Sue is laughing, relief and love making tears spill as she does.
Lisa leans forward to embrace her. Their foreheads touch, damp with sweat and tears and water from fresh-washed hair.
They kiss; warm and sweet and long.
Both of them sit back after a minute, breathing heavily.
“Sue...”
“Lisa...”
They kiss again, slower now; warm with savored closeness.
“I love you, Sue.” Lisa says it first; her voice torn with sincerity.
“I love you, too.” Sue agrees, choked with emotion.
They embrace; bodies warm and close and solid in each other's arms.
After a long while, Lisa's hands caress Sue's shoulders. Sue feels her fingers brush along Lisa's spine, the twin ridge of muscle and the chain of bone between.
Lisa kisses her hair; her temple; her throat.
“Lisa?”
They look into each other's eyes; pale, iced blue meeting warm red-brown. They are both smiling.
They kiss again, and Sue slides slowly to her feet, lifting Lisa with her.
When they are standing, she tilts her head in the direction of the stairs, an enquiry in the tilt of it.
Lisa smiles; a slow, warm, beautiful thing. Sue feels her body warm to it, and returns it in equal measure. Lisa breathes in, Sue's icy beauty leaving her as breathless as it ever does.
“Yes.”
They climb the stairs.
In the bedroom, Sue has closed the blinds. The soft light is at its lowest setting; a pale gold glow that reflects softly off the cream-white cotton of the coverlet, the carpet, the paler white of the wall.
Sue sits on the bed. Lisa crosses the room to join her; her eyes taking in the soft, pale beauty of Sue sitting on the bed in the half-light of the room.
Sue's nightgown has slipped off her shoulder; the pale whiteness of it glowing like satin, as the gown slips lower, exposing the rising curve of her breast. The skin is lucent, pale-veined; precious. Lisa sinks down onto the bed beside her; kisses her shoulder, her ear, her throat. Moves lower.
Sue gasps and leans back. Her fingers run across Lisa's back – teasing, searching, exciting – as Lisa leans down, slowly, to take Sue's breast in her mouth. The skin is soft, pale; warm. Lisa gasps and the sound of her strained breathing matches Sue's as she runs her fingers down Sue's back and leans in to kiss her breasts.
They are lying on the bed now, Sue's nightgown undone. Lisa's body slides over hers, and Sue's fingers stroke down her chest; pushing aside the blood-dark satin so that, when they lie down, skin presses on skin.
Sue's fingers caress Lisa's back as she kisses her throat, and Lisa leans in to kiss her mouth. Their hair has tumbled loose now, clouds of pale red and pale blonde mingling together as their lips caress each other's. Their bodies sliding together as one
Lisa's thigh moves between Sue's, and she gasps.
Sue's hands caress Lisa's sides, her throat; her back, as Lisa's fingers lightly brush her thighs.
Sue gasps. Lisa's fingers slowly part her soaking folds and Lisa gasps too as she enters her.
Then all is lost in the white-out of pleasure as skin slides over skin and lips meet and part and breasts and hips and thighs and the slide of curves and the pounding, searing, flowing, growing rhythm rises within them and spins them both to a place of pleasure beyond consciousness.
It takes an age before either of them become aware again of the room around them; the cool night, the silence, the warm scented closeness of the room.
“Sue?”
“Mmm?”
Lisa rolls over; kisses Sue's temple. Goes drifting back to sleep.
Sue kisses her forehead, moves closer to her. They lie still for a while.
“I love you.” Lisa murmurs it.
“Love you, too.”
Chapter 9
“...And you'll be ready to meet after nine? Good. Great. I'll see you then.”
Lisa is sitting in the kitchen at Sue's house. It is evening. She is wrapped in the red-dark nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders. She has her mobile at her ear and is half-sitting on the table. The muted light from the lamps catches pale strands in her hair, and glows softly off the stone counter. The room is dark; the lights turned to their softest setting.
Lisa has been here all day. After three nights and four days imprisoned, she is still too weak to walk much, and standing for more than a few minutes tires her. She is far too exhausted and depleted to work. But nothing can stop her telephoning.
That morning, she spent nearly thirty minutes on the telephone to Mrs. Henderson in the front office at her firm; getting all the information about the case. Due to her absence, the hearing had been put forward a week, so it is still in two day's time.
Lisa feels her body stiffen with the fresh demands of that, and the excitement of it. Two days. Two days to put everything she knows together, to construct a case against these men.
So far, neither she nor Sue have given out the information that she is alive and safe at home. They think it is better if most people still assume her missing; although whoever it is who had her kidnapped must certainly know by now she is released.
The people at Lisa's work know, too.
“Good. Good. So don't get anything prepared before you've seen me. And don't let James do this case alone. Where is Althea?”
Lisa is exhausted, but she still finds delight in the joyous chaos of her legal practice.
“Right. Right. That's good. I'll see you tomorrow at nine.”
She hangs up; sighs deeply. Smiles.
She stands up slowly and wanders to the sitting-room, her legs still weak.
Sue is sitting on the white couch, Mozart on softly over the speakers in the far right corner.
Lisa smiles, just looking at her. Sue looks up; smiles back; the grub dazzling under ice-blue eyes.
“That's that, then.” Lisa starts, her voice warm with satisfaction. “I'll have to be there tomorrow. Althea's off; James has a case tomorrow...and there's the hearing I'll be readying for.”
Sue smiles, a frown of worry still somewhere, high on her unlined brow. Lisa is still weak.
“Long day?” She asks. “You'll be alright? Dr White said you shouldn't move around too much for the next week or so.”
Lisa grins, wryly. “We both know what we think of Dr White; except when he's useful.” Lisa smiles. “Besides, Ms Montmorency; I don't see you following his advice.”
Sue grins. She spent the morning at work, her energy renewed; and had a successful fight with the shareholders. Cedric Brinkman, she remembers suddenly, was there this morning.
“Well, his advice is just a recommendation, isn't it?”
Sue lifts her shoulder in a half-shrug; grinning. Their eyes meet.
“Recommendation indeed.”
Lisa smiles, lowers herself into the seat opposite. “Anything interesting at work?”
She asks after a moment.
“Not so much,” Sue starts, “We made a very successful agreement with the shareholders...the starting price for shares in the new Bismuth mine area is going to be quite good.”
Sue's voice is warmly satisfied.
“Good.” Lisa smiles.
“And you?”
“Busy day.” Lisa rolls her eyes, and grins. “Spent an hour hearing from Titus; says the place went crazy, with the hearing scheduled and the lawyer missing...they decided to reschedule it for Thursday...in two day's time.”
“That's soon.” Sue looks up, forehead creased with concern. “You shouldn't be exerting yourself like that.”
“I'll be alright.” Lisa says, resolutely. “Just wish I could figure out some way of charging those two.”
“Raju Patel and Cedric Brinkman?”
Lisa nods.
She has explained to Sue what she thinks happened; telling her all the overheard conversations and the new information she managed to gain while she was imprisoned. She and Sue have both considered all the information, and they have a clear picture in their minds of what had happened; both coming up with the same common conclusion. Raju Patel must have approached the car company to be ready to be charged with malpractice; they must have agreed to lose the case, in return for some of Raju Patel's inheritance.
When it turned out that Lisa was the lawyer for the car-company, and that she was thinking things through and coming to the inevitable conclusion of foul play, they must have decided to remove her.
“We know they're in it together,” Sue agrees, looking up, her hands linked in her lap, her eyes unfocused as she thinks; “...but how can you show it so they have to listen in court? What proof can you find?”
“I don't know...that's just the trouble.” Lisa starts, grimly. Then pauses. “Unless...”
She thinks a little longer, mind racing.
“Sue!” She says after a while. “We know they meet at the old refinery hall, don't we?”
“Yes.” Sue nods. Lisa has told her that from what she heard.
“And we know that the guards expect them to meet again soon?”
“Yes.” Sue confirms again.
“How does this sound?” Lisa asks. She tells her the framework of an idea. Sue elaborates, pointing out some errors and refinements. The talk for a long time.
After about an hour, Lisa leans back; a half-smile warm on her warm-toned lips.
Sue is also smiling, a pale pink bow curved up in sheer delight.
“It's brilliant.” Lisa smiles.
“It is brilliant.” Sue agrees.
They nod.
“I'll go and find those things, then?” Sue asks it. She half-rises, ready to go down to the basement where the car is parked.
“Good. I'll call Steff. As her for what we need.”
“Good.”
The room is charged with excitement, plans of action, and hope. It is a brilliant plan.
Chapter 10
“How long do you think we should wait?”
“Not sure.” Sue says it. “We waited until ten-thirty yesterday.”
“Good. I'd say the same again, just to be sure?” Lisa asks it.
“Yes.”
Sue and Lisa are sitting in Lisa's dark-colored Volvo; the lights turned off and the engine silent. They are parked at the bottom of the hill, near where Lisa was kept in the disused storage house, but more to the East, where a cluster of disused buildings, pale and crumbling in the pale light of stars and the distant lights, is cast haphazardly across the lower hill.
They are watching the main building. Waiting for Raju Patel and the man from Brinkman Cars to arrive; if they are having a meeting tonight as they suspect; the night before the case. They waited until ten-thirty the day before and saw nothing. Today, surely, it is more likely someone will be coming here tonight?
Lisa and Sue wait. Lisa catches Sue's glance, and they both smile. Both of them are involved in this; excited and a little apprehensive; but looking forward to springing into action at any moment.
In the trunk of the car and on the back seats is a strange array of things; some Sue had at home in the garage, and some they fetched after work from Lisa's friend across town.
Now, they sit and watch the building opposite. They have been there since around eight-thirty.
Sue's hand is on Lisa's knee. Lisa leans towards Sue; her head resting against hers. Their fingers curl together. They wait, in easy peacefulness; still charged and ready just below the surface of their pleasant calm.
Half an hour later, almost at ten o' clock.
“There?” Lisa points, asking a question.
“There.” Sue confirms. “I can see it too.”
Headlights. Coming slowly over the ridge along the higher road, towards the disused building.
They are tense, coiled inside with the need for action. Palms slick with excitement and nerves.
They wait. The car stops. In the distance, they hear the dull thud of a door closed.
They wait longer.
About fifteen minutes later, another car draws up; headlights wavering as it negotiates the rocky road across the ridge.
Lisa and Sue watch as it stops. Hear the slam of a door. Silence. In the almost-complete dark, they can just about make out a figure crossing the darker shade of the grass and entering the building. Light flows out in a brief pool on the grass, then the door closes. Silence.
Lisa and Sue wait ten minutes.
“Now?” Lisa asks it; a breath in the blanketing darkness.
“Now.” Sue agrees.
They open the doors; slide out. Shut them as silently as they can. Wait for the count of ten before they open the back door and the trunk; take out what they need. Close the doors again. Wait.
Ten seconds later, and they can move again. Slowly, so as not to stand out in the dark stillness of the unoccupied land, they walk up the hill behind the building.
Ten minutes later, and they are on the hilltop, behind the building. They wait; grin at each other, a brief flash of bright, white teeth. Then they are still. Lisa signals to Sue to go round the front of the building. Sue nods.
Together, carrying the equipment that they have, Sue and Lisa move round to the front of the building; keeping to the shadows. The windows are large, and there is a light inside; a powerful torch of some sort. They would be silhouetted against the light if they moved in front of any of the windows. They keep to the shadow and try to bend down to pass the lower level of the wall without window.
Lisa tilts her head to the door. Sue nods. As yet, they have seen no guards posted anywhere. They can't risk someone seeing them and raising the alarm. They have to be quick.
Lisa slips around to the other side of the door, which is closed against letting the light show too much. Sue steps forward, so that she is on the other side of the door. They wait. Look at each other. Draw a breath. Looking into each other's eyes, and smiling, breathlessly, they count to three. Then, “Now!”
Lisa and Sue kick at the door; ready to pound it with the heavy objects they are carrying if they need to. Fortunately, it is not locked, and swings open easily.
Inside, two men spring to their feet. One is Raju Patel; the other an older, paler man they do not recognize. Raju Patel's hand goes to his hip pocket. This is what Lisa and Sue did not know; whether or not either man would be armed. Fortunately, they planned for that,
“Now!” The word comes from both of them, torn raggedly from their throats together,
Lisa lifts the cannister she carries; takes the pin out. Inside the room, the men cry out. Lift their hands to cover their eyes; cough and choke and sneeze and sniff and stumble. Tear gas.
Sue lifts the taller bundle she carries; holds it high; flicks a switch. Bright, clear florescent light floods the scene. An outdoor light for parties, held somewhere in the further reaches of Sue's garden, or the park; out of the range of lights.
The men are stumbling, choking, gasping. The light shows them clear
ly; the gas barely obscuring the two struggling forms.
Lisa lifts her camera as Sue angles the light. Takes clear pictures of the two of them together. Ones where you can see them clearly in the empty building; ones where you can clearly see each face.
“Got them?” Sue.
“Got them.” Lisa nods. “Right.”
“Right.”
Then, just as the men inside the building start to straighten up, recovering, they run.
A shot rings out behind them as they sprint down the hill, breathless. Lisa slips the camera into her pocket. Sue pulls out the car-keys, unlocks the doors.
They slide into the seats, start the engine. Then they are away; and just in time. Behind them, they can hear shots being fired; see the brief flare of them on the hilltop, as the men rush out and down the hill.
Lisa and Sue turn to each other, breathless. They smile; the warmth tangible between them; the elation brightening the air between them.
Chapter 11
Outside the window of Sue's house, the sun is setting. The sky is oranges and yellows and white and pale, pale mauve.
The Longest Time Without You (Gold Streaks Book 3) Page 4