In the Shade of the Blossom Tree

by Joanna Rees

  ‘But we can’t. I’m . . . there’s the business . . . everything . . . everything’s changed.’

  But his lips were moving towards hers.

  ‘Will anyone really care, Savvy? When we have to be together. Does anything really matter, apart from this? Apart from us?’

  And then his lips were on hers in the moonlight.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Banyan’s Boatyard in Shanghai’s oldest quarter was a stunningly preserved piece of colonial heritage. More recently it had been a private members’ club and hotel, and its splendid bookcases, solid billiard table, giant ostrich-feather lampshades and brass and wooden fans harked back to a bygone era. The décor seemed to stir up faint echoes of the nineteen-thirties gin-slinging set that had once made this destination infamous and desirable in equal measure, throughout the Far East.

  The carved wooden bar was stacked with antique gin bottles and a waiter in white gloves stood polishing the crystal glasses, watching the blurred scene of the harbour beyond through the rippled glass of the old French doors. Motes of dust twirled peacefully in the shafts of late afternoon light that patterned the black and white chequered tiles with blues and greens from the overhead stained-glass dome.

  In the corner, a man in polished brogues sat on a studded leather reading chair beside the newspaper stand. He selected a broadsheet which had been ironed and folded into a wooden baton and pulled it open.

  In the centre of the room, near the bottom of the wide marble staircase which swept up to the first-floor terrace, Lois Chan sat by the fireplace in a pretty lavender and white tea-dress, sipping tea from the bone china cup set out on the low ottoman in front of her. The scene looked tranquil enough, but Lois’s senses were on red alert. And now here it was. The moment she’d been waiting for.

  In the gleaming brass trumpet of the old gramophone Lois saw the reflection of Mike Hannan entering through the main doors with his wife, Jeanie.

  He was wearing a straw trilby and a light brushed-cotton fawn suit. Lois stood up as he approached.

  ‘Mike!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Lois,’ he said. ‘What a surprise.’

  She went forward and kissed his cheek. ‘Well, actually I’ve been waiting for you,’ she said, smiling brightly at Jeanie. ‘I’m here on business, and I happened to see your name on the register. I’m so glad we got to bump into each other.’

  ‘You remember Jeanie, don’t you?’ Mike said.

  ‘Of course.’ Lois stretched out her hand to shake Jeanie’s, remembering the last time they’d met. She noticed that her hand was different. Two prosthetic fingers had been fitted. ‘How lovely to see you,’ Lois said, remembering how emotional Jeanie had seemed the last time they met. And how much more sense that made now.

  ‘You know, Mike, I was wondering, do you have a moment?’ Lois asked, gesturing to her table. ‘I hope it isn’t inconvenient, but I could really do with asking your advice on something.’

  ‘I’ll be up in the room,’ Jeanie said. ‘I hope we’ll get to have a drink together later.’

  ‘Me too,’ Lois said with a bright smile, as Jeanie departed for the stairs.

  Mike joined Lois on the sofa by the fireplace.

  ‘So, this is an unexpected pleasure. How can I help you, Lois?’ Mike asked.

  ‘Something has come to light,’ she said. The smile had gone from her face.

  ‘Oh?’ he asked.

  She reached into the bag by her feet and pulled out the picture that Mario had given her.

  Mike Hannan stared at the photo for a very long time. Finally he looked at Lois.

  ‘Who else knows about this?’ he whispered.

  ‘What if I told you no one?’ she asked. ‘Would you shoot me again?’

  He was silent for a long moment. They both stared at the photograph. Even further enhanced now than when Lois had first seen it, the image showed Mike Hannan aiming the gun into the arena, with the supposed gunman, Benzir, dead – murdered – at his feet.

  She saw that Mike was using his peripheral vision to scan the room for ways out.

  ‘There’s no point in running. All the exits are covered. The guy behind the bar is DEA. The building is completely surrounded.’

  He glanced up the stairs.

  ‘Someone will be with Jeanie by now,’ she said.

  The disappointment and bewilderment that had swamped her since Mario had shown her that photo didn’t diminish. She’d been hoping it would, but the photograph said it all. Mike Hannan wasn’t even denying it. He had tried to shoot Fernandez in the arena. And instead he’d shot her.

  All of the pain, all of the heartache she’d suffered, was because of this man right here beside her.

  ‘Why have they sent you to get me?’ he asked.

  ‘Because they were worried that you’d try and do something rash. Like run. Or fight your way out. And because we’re friends. Because I thought you might listen to me. Because you owe me that.’

  He sighed and half smiled. ‘In all of this, Lois, I never factored in how good you’d be at your job. I never expected you to make it to Fernandez before I did. I . . . well, I thought I’d killed you.’

  ‘That’s why you visited the hospital so many times? Guilt?’

  He nodded.

  ‘But you killed a man. Murdered Benzir.’

  ‘He was a murderer himself, Lois. A professional hitman. Someone the CIA already had a death warrant out on. I just hired him unofficially and did their job for them.’

  Death. Murder. The way he spoke about it was like it was just business. The thought made Lois sick.

  Mike seemed to deflate right there in front of her. He looked away from the door and back at the photograph in his hands.

  ‘So what do you want to know?’ he said.

  ‘Why did you try and kill the senator?’

  ‘Oh Lois. I didn’t really want to kill him. I just had to make it look like I’d tried.’

  ‘Had to?’

  ‘Three days before the fight, LA Triads affiliated to Jai Shijai kidnapped Jeanie.’

  So Aidan’s hunch had been right. When Lois had first shown him the photograph, he’d immediately thought that Jai Shijai was behind the hit. Partly because it explained Mike Hannan’s presence at the Hong Kong races that day, where Aidan had later seen him talking to Angela Ho. But mainly because Jai Shijai had always been the one who stood to gain most from Senator Fernandez’s death.

  ‘They told me that unless I killed the senator, they’d kill her. They tortured her to make me play ball. They FedExed her fingers to my home. There never was an elevator accident.’

  ‘Oh God. Oh Mike . . . no,’ Lois said. She recoiled, horrified. No wonder Jeanie had reacted like she had at the races. Her experience must have been horrendous. Lois felt bile rise in her throat, imagining her own fingers being severed. And horror at the thought that someone had done that to Jeanie. It only went to prove how ruthless Jai Shijai was. And what a dangerous world both she and Mike had unwittingly become involved in.

  ‘But why would Jai Shijai want Fernandez dead?’

  ‘Because he’d heard through one of his sources that Fernandez would be setting up a DEA task force to break the chain on heroin imports from China. It was only a matter of time before they linked the main supply back to Jai Shijai. He needed to buy time to cover his tracks. Having Fernandez out of the way would give him a window to move his operation. He wanted to invest in the new casinos out in Shangri-La. He planned to use the Good Fortune initially to launder his money and make it legitimate. Then to get out of the drugs game altogether. He liked to think he was following an old Vegas plan. All those guys used drugs money to build the casinos. Jai Shijai thinks he can do the same again, only here in China.’

  ‘So why didn’t you walk away, Mike? Or blow the whistle? Or tell Fernandez?’

  ‘Because once I’d fired the gun, I was on Jai Shijai’s payroll. He had someone film the shooting too. He could have handed me over to the cops whenever he liked. He summ
ons me to report to him every two months. That’s what we were doing in Hong Kong when you saw us there. And here. I met him two days ago.’

  No wonder Aidan’s task force had been having such trouble. Mike knew what Fernandez knew. And in turn gave the details to Jai Shijai, so he could always stay one step ahead.

  ‘So what are they going to do? Lock me up and throw away the key? Or take me outside and shoot me?’ he asked. ‘That’s what I deserve. Let me tell you, being Jai’s kept man is a living hell.’

  ‘No, they need your help to nail Jai Shijai. You remember my friend Aidan Bailey?’ she said.

  Mike nodded. His eyes were raw as they looked up at her.

  ‘Well, that DEA task force the senator set up? Aidan’s bossing it. Take his offer, Mike. If they can prove you were coerced . . . and if you help them now . . . then this might not be so bad for you after all.’

  ‘Jai is a dangerous man,’ he said. ‘If he suspects that you know . . .’

  ‘I know,’ she said. ‘That’s why you’re going to help me. Because otherwise he’ll get to me, too. I’m giving you a last chance to do the right thing, Mike. Take it.’

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  It was eleven thirty at night and Luc and Savannah’s surprise engagement party at the White House was winding down. Most of the guests – mostly La Paris employees – had returned to work. The rest were in the kitchen. But for Savvy, the place that had once been the heart of the house wasn’t the same without Martha.

  Savvy watched Belinda, Martha’s replacement, topping up some glasses with champagne and felt a momentary pang of sadness in the midst of all the celebrating. Martha would have been so happy to be here today, and Hud too.

  And Elodie . . . ?

  Savvy couldn’t think about Elodie. Not now. She felt too guilty that her confession had brought about her reconciliation with Luc in Monte Carlo. And these heady, whirlwind days since.

  Being with Luc, being engaged to Luc, made it almost impossible to think about the past. She looked down at the enormous square-cut diamond on her ring finger, feeling the back of it with her thumb. It was every bit as big and glamorous as she’d always dreamed her engagement ring would be. But it felt strange on her finger. Overwhelming. A constant reminder that everything had changed overnight.

  It was just after Luc had kissed her in the moonlight in Monte Carlo that he’d popped the question. It had been so natural. So emotional. And when she’d whispered yes, they’d kissed again, until Savvy had felt blissfully and completely lost.

  But as Luc was sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her towards the bed, he’d told her that he wanted to wait until their wedding night to make love. To make it proper. To be old-fashioned. To make even more sure they’d remember it for the rest of their lives. They’d both been so emotional that it had seemed the right thing to do at the time and, overwhelmed by his gentlemanly and romantic gesture, Savvy had fallen into a deep sleep in his arms.

  But now she wished that they had at least cemented their feelings physically too. She knew she should feel confident and strong, but she needed his touch now more than ever. She needed confirmation that what was happening – what she’d always secretly dreamed of happening – was real.

  And now, as Paige grinned at her, Savvy felt even more insecure. How could she explain to Paige that her over-the-top enthusiasm was very endearing, but it wasn’t what Savvy needed. She needed time and privacy with Luc. All this . . . this sudden exposure was too much.

  Savvy glanced at the clock on the wall. She’d been watching it all evening. Counting the minutes until she had to say goodbye to Luc. In less than two hours he’d be gone. And she’d be alone.

  ‘Quite a party,’ Savvy told Paige.

  ‘It was only an impromptu thing, but we couldn’t go back to Shangri-La without celebrating.’

  Luc suddenly appeared and slipped his arms around Savvy from behind and nuzzled into her neck.

  ‘You two lovebirds,’ Paige said, laughing. ‘We’ve got a flight to catch soon,’ she reminded him.

  Luc needed to be back in Shangri-La and he’d asked Paige to go with him to help. It made sense, he’d told Savvy. Paige knew the project backwards and Savvy needed to be in Vegas to represent the Hudson Corp at the industry awards. They couldn’t all go and even though Savvy had wanted to desperately, she’d had to play it cool. She was, after all, the boss. She had to be in charge.

  ‘I can’t wait to tell everyone over there,’ Paige said. ‘There’ll be a few broken hearts when people find out Luc’s no longer a free man.’

  ‘Paige,’ Luc scolded.

  ‘It’s true. You’re the Shangri-La pin-up. You must know that.’

  ‘Well, not any more,’ Savvy said firmly.

  She didn’t like Paige teasing her and Luc about their relationship, or thinking it was public property. It was too new. ‘Listen, Paige, please don’t make a big fuss. I don’t see why everyone has to know every detail.’

  ‘Are you kidding me?’ Paige said. ‘The phones have been ringing off the hook. “The romance of the century,” they’re calling it. You’re marrying Elodie’s fiancé, but Luc was the love of your life all along. It’s . . . hot.’

  ‘How did they know that?’ Savvy asked.

  Paige glanced at Luc. ‘He filled me in.’

  ‘No secrets,’ Luc said, smiling down at Savvy. ‘Not any more.’

  Savvy smiled back nervously. She wasn’t sure she wanted such personal details exposed so soon. But she was in no position to complain now. She was a Hudson – the head of the Hudson Corporation. What she did was a public affair, whether she liked it or not.

  ‘In fact, we’ve had an amazing idea,’ Paige said.

  Savvy laughed in spite of herself. She’d never seen Paige this animated, or happy. ‘Another one? Go on then . . . tell me.’

  ‘I know you said you wanted to get married here in Vegas . . .’

  Savvy frowned. She saw Paige glance at Luc, then grin back at her.

  ‘But I . . . we . . . had a brainwave.’

  ‘Enlighten me.’

  ‘We’re going to get married in El Palazzo. On launch night,’ Luc said.

  Paige was jumping up and down. ‘Isn’t that just the best idea? I’ve thought it all through. We’ll turn the meeting room into the chapel. You know it’s got screens down the whole of one end wall? Well, we can project a backdrop of an English country garden or a beach and—’

  ‘Hang on. Married? In Shangri-La?’ Savvy interrupted.

  ‘Oh, please say yes, Savvy,’ Paige said. ‘It makes perfect sense. Everyone will be there. And if you’re getting married, then the world’s press will be there too. We’ll spin out the story. “El Palazzo is the hottest venue in Asia to get married.” Think of the business! And you said yourself that you wanted to upstage the Good Fortune on the night of their baccarat championship. Well, this is the perfect way to do it.’

  ‘But it’s less than six weeks away.’

  And besides, Savvy wanted to shout, this is about me and Luc. Not the business. Not the press. And what about their special wedding night? It couldn’t be special if they were hosting launch night at El Palazzo at the same time. Why did the two biggest nights of her life suddenly have to be combined?

  ‘I’d marry you right now if I could,’ Luc said, grinning at her. He put his arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her. ‘But Paige is right. Launch night would be perfect. The beginning of a new adventure. The start of the rest of our lives.’

  Paige clasped her hands together and cooed. ‘I’m just so happy, I don’t know what to do with myself,’ she said.

  Savvy looked between them. Her eyes settled on Luc. The confidence . . . the sheer joy on his face . . . It swept her doubts aside.

  Why not? she thought. Why not make it happen as quickly as possible? He was right. Why put their lives on hold when they could be moving forward right now?

  ‘OK, OK,’ she said, laughing. ‘But how are we going to get organized? I
mean, I haven’t even got a dress.’

  Paige grinned triumphantly. She picked up a clipboard and handed it to Savvy. ‘Your schedule, ma’am,’ she said with a flourish. ‘It’s all planned out. Tomorrow morning, starting at nine, I’ve got all the best designers coming to present their dresses and bring samples.’

  Luc leaned down and kissed Savvy again. ‘After we’re married, I promise, after we’re open and launched, I’m going to take you on the most amazing, romantic honeymoon you could ever imagine. The best hotels, the finest wine . . .’

  Yes, Savvy thought, holding his hand tightly now. And no business. Just the two of us. Somewhere as beautiful as Peace River Lodge. Somewhere we can be ourselves . . .

  She couldn’t wait.

  It wasn’t until the party was over and Luc and Paige had left for the airfield that Marcus arrived. Savvy had been about to go to bed when he screeched up in his Ferrari to the White House doors. He’d come straight from work and looked healthier than Savvy had seen him look for months.

  ‘I heard what happened at the Good Fortune,’ he said. ‘Babe, are you OK?’

  Savvy smiled, touched that Marcus still presumed to call her ‘babe’. She liked the fact that, even though she was his boss, in private conversations he still treated her like he always had.

  ‘I guess that’s another of my nine lives I’ve used up.’

  There was an awkward pause.

  ‘Is it true?’ he asked. ‘You and Luc . . . ?’

  Savvy waggled the sparkly engagement ring towards him. But Marcus didn’t smile.

  ‘You just missed the party,’ she said.

  Marcus stared at her. His face was serious, his green eyes searching out hers.

  ‘This is your cue to congratulate me,’ Savvy continued, unnerved by his silence. ‘Especially seeing as you didn’t make my party.’

  ‘Jesus, Savvy.’ Marcus walked away from her and ran his hand over his dark hair.

  The smile dropped from her face. She’d never seen Marcus look so upset.

  ‘What’s the matter?’