by Joanna Rees
‘So what do you think?’ Aidan shouted, above the constant roar of the crowd.
From his broad grin, it was obvious that he’d already read the excitement on her face.
‘Miraculous.’ She could think of no other way to put it. She laughed and said, ‘It’s like Central Park . . . with hooves.’
Aidan knew the stadium well. He led her on an efficient dance through a maze of corridors and automatic doors, flashing the gold-braided enclosure passes at the various flunkies they encountered, until they finally reached Hong Kong racecourse’s inner sanctum, the private members’ enclosure.
Gold-framed photos of previous winning owners, horses and jockeys crowded the walls. Champagne corks popped. The brightly lit room was loud with excited, drunken chatter.
Lois was glad she’d dressed for the occasion. She was part of the scene in the gorgeous burnt-orange dress that Aidan had magically provided. The designer chiffon and silk fitted her perfectly, but then, as he’d said himself, he’d had time to study her body in detail last night.
Last night. Flashes of it kept coming back. Neither of them had mentioned it yet. But now, having kissed nearly every inch of Aidan’s body and abandoned herself completely to him, it was proving more difficult than she’d anticipated to stick to her resolution that they were just friends.
Just as well then – before she made a complete fool of herself or complicated things even further – that Aidan had brought her to the one place where contemplation was almost impossible.
It was electric up here. Through the UV-protected window, the racetrack below was a perfect green oval. The windows were soundproofed, but speakers in the ceiling conveyed the cacophony of the swelling crowd of race-goers below.
The horses paced in loops in the owners’ enclosure with their jockeys in their bright vests. Amidst all the noise, most of them seemed calm and focused; only a few horses broke rank and they were quickly controlled.
She’d never have dreamed of coming here on her own, even though she knew that Hong Kong’s obsession with horses was the biggest part of the city’s obsession with gambling. But gambling like this, away from the sleek lights of the casino, made it all the more understandable and attractive. Seeing all the guys huddled excitedly over the race forms, talking animatedly, reminded her of sitting at a bar as a small child in a smoke-filled room late at night with her father and his friends. But it was the camaraderie, the bonding experience of participating in something together, that she remembered most clearly. The sense of belonging. And she felt it here too.
And yes, now that she was here, she knew that whatever this was, it was in her blood. She’d spent so long controlling the gambling in the Enzo, skirting around the peripheries like a non-smoker who liked being around smoke, that dipping a toe in the water like this felt deliciously dangerous.
Being here with Aidan doubled the kick.
‘There’s nothing like it,’ Aidan said, sighing happily and rubbing his hands together. He clearly couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
She saw his eyes scanning the track, concentrating. Aidan wasn’t here as a tourist. He was here because this was his thing. The thing that gave him the biggest buzz.
And that’s when it hit Lois. She was wrong to fall for this place, wrong to allow herself to be seduced. Just because something was in her blood didn’t mean she had to give into it at all.
She had a sense of déjà-vu she couldn’t escape. It was a feeling of exclusion. The same feeling she’d had as a kid, when she’d tried to distract her father from gambling and he’d taken no notice of her.
Yes, the smell of this place. The atmosphere. The babble of voices. It was making it all come back.
She tried desperately not to think of her father. The unpaid bills. The broken whisky bottles. The bruises on her mother’s face.
But the ghosts wouldn’t leave her alone. Wasn’t Aidan doomed to end up like her father? Weren’t all gamblers destined to end up that way? And whoever was with them, wouldn’t they be dragged down and destroyed too?
She shifted uncomfortably in her dress. She didn’t fit in here with this crowd, no matter how much she looked the part. She was police, not a gambler. She couldn’t get her kicks from this like Aidan and all the other people here. She felt like a fraud. A killjoy. And entirely out of her comfort zone.
‘What’s the matter?’ Aidan asked.
‘Nothing.’ Lois forced a smile. You’re his guest, she thought. You shouldn’t have come here, but you did. And he’s made such an effort. The very least you can do is pretend you’re having fun.
‘So, what do we do now?’ she asked.
‘Now? Oh, that’s easy. Now we pick a horse.’
Aidan bought a race programme and together they studied the runners for the next race.
‘Hey, look at this one,’ she said. ‘Orchid Sunrise. It says the owner is Angela Ho. Do you think it could be the same Angela Ho that we met at Jai Shijai’s place? If she pushes her jockeys as hard as her staff . . .’
‘Good point.’ Aidan laughed. ‘But you’d better keep your thoughts to yourself because over there is the lady herself.’
Lois turned to see Angela Ho gazing steadily back at them. She was several metres away, at the centre of a group of businessmen. She raised a champagne glass to them and Lois followed Aidan’s lead in returning the gesture.
‘It’s her we’ve got to thank for our enclosure passes,’ Aidan said.
So she was the favour he’d called in to get them here. Wherever she turned, Jai Shijai’s influence twisted through her life like a creeper.
Aidan ducked away and placed a bet by phone and then they edged through the champagne-swilling throng towards the window.
A pistol cracked. The crowd roared. The horses shot out of the gates and the race began.
Lois tried not to pay attention, tried to distance herself and not get involved. But something – the will of the crowd, Aidan’s excited shouts – kept her eyes glued on the track. Within seconds, she’d picked out the distinctive yellow and blue polka dot of Orchid Sunrise’s jockey. It was halfway back in the field as the horses rounded the first bend.
The sporadic shouting around them evolved into a roar, a wall of noise. Aidan began pumping his fist. The horses were coming back into view now, rounding the final bend before hitting the home straight.
And there . . . Lois couldn’t believe it. Aidan’s horse was still in the running, up there lying in third, no, moving into second . . . now closing on the lead . . .
Lois was amazed at how much adrenalin she felt. No wonder so many people got off on this, she thought.
‘Go on, boy,’ Aidan bellowed.
His arm was around her, squeezing her tight. But Lois didn’t care. She was fixated on the track.
Orchid Sunrise had drawn neck and neck with the leader. There was less than ten yards to go.
‘Come on,’ she shouted as well, finally losing control.
It was impossible, of course. But it was like the horse had heard her. Because the exact moment she cried out, the sleek bay beast’s stride seemed to lengthen . . . its slender neck stretched out . . .
One stride, two strides, three . . .
The jockey was up in the stirrups, slapping the bay’s neck, saluting the crowd. Orchid Sunrise had done it. He’d won by a length.
Aidan picked up Lois and spun her round and kissed her full on the lips. Then he put her down and they both backed away, startled. Here in the crowd, in front of all these people . . . it had taken them both by surprise. But worse than that, it had somehow felt wrong. Like it was to do with the race, and nothing to do with them.
‘You won!’ he said, with an awkward grin.
‘I won?’
‘Sure. The bet I placed. It was for you. All you had to do was pick the horse.’
‘How much was it?’
‘Enough for another one of those dresses.’
‘Give it to charity instead,’ Lois said.
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes. Of course I am.’
Aidan didn’t seem to believe her. He pulled an amused face and rubbed his hands together. ‘How about another bet?’
‘No.’
‘Come on, you might be on a roll.’
‘I said no.’ It came out more harshly than she’d intended.
But she’d had enough. She was annoyed with him. For putting her in this situation. And annoyed with herself. For having got pulled into the race. For having got fired up, when she’d been determined not to lose her cool.
But before the conversation could go any further, she saw a familiar face. A man, just over Aidan’s shoulder, was staring at her with a look of complete surprise.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
‘Mike!’ Lois said, breaking away from Aidan. It had been nearly two years since she’d seen Mike Hannan, but he’d hardly changed at all.
‘Lois,’ he said, still looking shocked, then more warmly, ‘Lois.’ There was an awkward moment when they didn’t know how to greet each other, then Mike stepped towards Lois and hugged her and they both laughed.
‘How you doing?’ he asked. ‘You look terrific.’
A woman was standing next to him. She had a fragile, elegant air about her. Her eyes were a beautiful grey that sparkled like wet slate.
‘This is my wife, Jeanie,’ Mike said.
Lois put her hand out to shake Jeanie’s hand and saw her flinch. She wondered what she’d done, but as she looked down she saw that Jeanie was missing two fingers on her right hand.
‘I had an accident in an elevator a couple of years ago,’ Jeanie explained.
Lois stared at her mutilated hand.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
‘Don’t be. It’s amazing how you adapt. And besides . . . I’m getting prosthetic fingers soon. It’ll stop me feeling so self-conscious about it, I hope.’
‘Yeah, well, there’s no need to feel like that in front of Lois, honey,’ Mike said. ‘It’s Lois here who took a bullet that night in Vegas with me. So she’s been through the wars herself.’
‘It’s an honour to meet you at last, Lois,’ Jeanie said. Without warning, she stepped forward and kissed Lois on the cheek. ‘Mike told me how wonderful you were. I’m so sorry you had to go through what you did.’ She looked like she was going to cry.
Lois smiled, embarrassed by the attention and unexpected intimacy.
‘I was just doing my job. No different to Mike.’
She became aware of Aidan standing by her side. ‘This is my . . . um . . . friend.’
Aidan’s expression surprised her. He was smiling pleasantly enough as he politely introduced himself, but Lois noticed a hardness to his eyes.
She quickly explained her connection to Mike, saying he’d been the true hero at the Enzo Vegas.
Aidan remained polite but seemed completely uninterested in the man who’d saved her life. Was he jealous? Was that it? It made no sense.
‘So, how have you been? You know . . . since?’ Lois asked.
Since . . . Since you shot that man dead . . . Since you saved the senator’s life . . . Since we last spoke when you visited me in hospital . . . when my face was plastered across the nation’s newspapers and websites . . . while yours had been kept secret . . . shielded from the public eye.
Since . . . The word conveyed so much of their silent history together. History that they’d probably never discuss. History that would never be recorded.
‘Oh fine. Fine,’ he said. ‘I still look after your pal, Fernandez.’ He laughed. ‘He’s just as difficult to keep up with.’
‘So what brings you to Hong Kong?’ Lois asked Jeanie.
‘We’re on vacation. You know, soaking up the atmosphere. The guidebook said this place was a must.’
‘You must have a good travel agent,’ Lois said. ‘Aidan was telling me that tickets for this place were like gold dust.’
‘Yeah, we sure lucked out there,’ Jeanie said.
‘We sure did,’ Mike agreed. ‘But listen, Lois. We’re just leaving.’
‘Leaving? But there’s loads more races to go,’ Lois said.
‘I know, but there’s a lot to do on this island and we’ve only got twenty-four hours left.’ He leaned in and lowered his voice. ‘Gambling’s not really my thing.’
‘Nor mine,’ Lois told him, suddenly wishing they would take her with them.
But almost as if sensing her desire to flee, Aidan put his arm around her.
‘Trust me,’ he told Mike. ‘You’re not going to find anything as exciting as this.’
Mike shrugged. He tapped his watch. A gold Rolex, Lois noted. He’d probably been promoted after the Vegas affair, she thought. Deserved it too.
‘We’re out of here,’ Mike said. He smiled warmly at Lois as he kissed her on the cheek. ‘But I’m glad we bumped into each other.’
‘Me too,’ Lois said with a smile.
She meant it. Even if they hadn’t had much of a chance to talk, it was good to meet Mike in a non-work situation. It made Fight Night seem even more like something they’d all left behind.
Mike and Aidan nodded at each other and stiffly shook hands.
Then Jeanie stepped towards Lois and took both her hands. Again, Lois saw the tears in her eyes. Maybe this meeting hadn’t been so good for her. Maybe it had been an altogether too real reminder of what her husband did in the line of duty.
‘I’m so glad you’re all right,’ she said. ‘I hope you have a wonderful life.’
Mike smiled awkwardly, clearly embarrassed.
‘Come on, honey,’ he said, gently placing a hand on Jeanie’s shoulder. ‘We really do have to go.’
Lois watched Mike and Jeanie fade into the crowd.
‘Lunch?’ Aidan said brightly, as if nothing had happened. ‘We’ve got half an hour before the next race starts.’
Lois sat at the crowded seafood bar beside Aidan, picking at her lobster salad. It looked and tasted great, but she’d lost her appetite. Her glass of champagne stood untouched at the side of her plate. She felt more churned up than she could account for.
Aidan was doing his best to be charming, but for her, the day had lost its magic. It was the TV screens showing the betting, the drunken laughter, the platinum cards and endless cash being flashed around. This wasn’t fun for her any more. It felt too much like Vegas. Too much like work.
Seeing Mike had brought her reality and responsibilities crashing back. She remembered all at once why she was here in Hong Kong. She shouldn’t be here gambling with Aidan Bailey. She should be back at the hotel, checking her messages and preparing for her meeting with Roberto.
‘What are you thinking about?’ Aidan asked. ‘You seem distracted.’
‘Work,’ she said.
‘Ah, and the mystery project with Roberto Enzo,’ Aidan said.
Lois remembered now that she’d told him about it last night. But for the second time, something in his tone unnerved her.
‘Where’s your work taking you next, Aidan?’ she asked him. She hadn’t meant to sound so direct. There was no denying that it was a challenge.
‘I’m not sure yet,’ he said distractedly. More like he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say.
Lois held her breath for a moment, beating down an unfamiliar emotion. It had been so good pretending that they were a normal couple having fun. But they weren’t normal. They hardly knew one another. And she was way out of her depth.
Her cell beeped. She got it out of her bag and saw that there was a message from Cara.
Like the earrings. When r u coming home?
‘So,’ Aidan said. ‘Time for the next race.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Lois lied. ‘One of my meetings . . . it’s been brought forward. I’m going to have to bail, I’m afraid.’
‘But . . . we’re having so much fun,’ he said.
‘I know, but this is business. I’ve got no choice.’
She put her phone away quickly and stood up. Now she’d made the decision,
she wanted to get out of there before Aidan realized that she was a liar. Or that she was deliberately running away.
But how could she explain to him that her emotions towards him were too complicated, especially after last night? She needed time to work it all out.
Still, she had no idea how to say goodbye. To shake his hand would be ridiculous, so awkwardly she reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
‘Thanks for . . . you know . . . well, everything. It was great bumping into you,’ she said. The words immediately embarrassed her. Too graphic. Too callous.
It was too late to take them back.
‘You too,’ he said and nodded. There was a small beat as they stared at one another. ‘Can I see you again?’ he asked.
She’d known that the question was coming, but it still shocked her to hear him say it. She wanted so much to say yes, because she liked him. She’d liked him so much last night, just the two of them, away from all this.
But she had to protect herself. Aidan was too big a risk. So instead she sighed and said as gently as she could, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
His face clouded with disappointment, but before he could say anything Lois saw Angela Ho extricating herself from her companions and beginning to weave through the crowd towards them. Jai Shijai’s eyes and ears was the last person Lois wanted to talk to right now. Especially before she’d found out from Roberto why she was here. And it would be far too embarrassing to try to explain how she and Aidan came to be together.
‘Don’t think I haven’t had a good time. I have. It’s just that your life is complicated,’ she said, feeling more emotional than she’d expected. ‘And mine is too.’
‘I’m sorry you feel that way,’ he said.
Oh God, she thought. Now it’s gone too far the other way. It’s like we’re not even friends any more. Like last night never happened.
But it was too late to fix it.