‘But what if it does? She’s cutting off her nose to spite her face.’
‘Don’t you understand anything?’ Justin’s voice rose. Long fingers brushed hair off his forehead. ‘We’re a thorn in Raoul’s side, that’s all. It’s just as Anne-Marie intended. Raoul brought her in to keep her quiet. She did exactly the opposite, which forced him to accept me as a fifty-fifty partner.’
‘Listen to me, Justin. Be careful. Raoul Dulac can play very rough and has no conscience whatsoever.’
He shook his head vigorously. ‘You’ve no proof. You’re just saying that.’
‘No I’m not. You’re mixed up in something that’s way out of your league. It’s not the Maguire treasure, it’s Raoul. You seem like a nice enough guy but you’re no match for the likes of him. At best, you can expect to be double-crossed.’ She had his attention. Holly felt sorry for him. He’d allowed a dream of untold wealth to cloud his judgment and was having serious difficulties with reality. Holly continued. ‘Stop this now, Justin. Before any real damage is done.’
‘It’s too late for that.’
‘Of course it isn’t. You can walk away right now if you’re strong enough.’
‘I can’t.’ He sounded close to despair. ‘It’s not just the treasure.’
‘The feud? Surely not!’
‘I’m honour-bound –’
‘Jesus!’ Holly exploded, suddenly disgusted with him. ‘That was bloody centuries ago.’
‘It makes no difference. That treasure belongs to my mother’s family.’
‘Does it? Are you quite sure of that, Justin?’
‘What do you mean?’
Holly shook her head. ‘Nothing. Just speculating.’ Connor Maguire had asked her to say nothing to Raoul about the journal. The same request would apply to Justin.
Justin checked his watch, frowning. Raoul Dulac was taking his time. He rose and crossed to the window, peering out impatiently, before returning to sit opposite her.
‘Enter Connor Maguire,’ Holly mused, breaking the silence. ‘That must have shaken you.’
‘I didn’t expect that,’ Justin admitted. ‘And that’s why you’re here. Your friend seems to know quite a lot more than Raoul and I. We simply want to find out how much.’
‘What makes you think I can help?’
‘What were you doing at Caverne Patate?’ Justin asked by way of a response.
‘Playing tourists.’
‘Don’t expect me to believe that.’
‘We had a guide and a bus load of other people with us, remember?’
‘Maguire was checking out the place.’
‘Didn’t seem like that to me.’
He glared at her. ‘You’d do well to tell me the truth.’
The truth! Holly had had enough. Justin was not the only one trying to ferret that out. ‘Well, let’s see what I can do. Connor Maguire is a selfish, pleasure-seeking playboy who revels in self-gratifying publicity stunts. He doesn’t actually give a shit whether or not there is any treasure. The idea of it appeals to him. And not being directly descended from either William or Kavanagh, the family argument doesn’t bother him. Your major competitor hasn’t a bloody clue where the treasure is hidden and he’s not exactly knocking himself out to find it. I’m on some wild goose chase with a man who doesn’t understand the concept of working for a living and I’m getting very pissed off at the waste of my time.’ She was unaware her voice was rising. ‘Now you come along with a heap of old family melodrama that’s of no interest to anybody. That’s your unabridged bloody truth. Now can we drop the subject? And please, I’d very much appreciate it if you could see your way clear to let me out of this place before I totally lose it.’
‘Very dramatic.’ A voice and slow handclap came from the open doorway.
Holly spun around in her chair. Raoul Dulac was smiling as he walked into the room. ‘Justin, dear boy, what have you been doing to this charming lady? She seems to be in quite a state.’ He directed his attention back to Holly. ‘I really must apologise for my partner’s high-handed behaviour. The lad panicked. You are free to go any time you like.’
‘Try now,’ Holly barked, preparing to rise.
The Frenchman shrugged elaborately. ‘A few questions first.’ He sat on the arm of her chair. ‘I gather from your outburst that Connor Maguire is no closer to finding the treasure than we are. Can you confirm that?’
Holly closed her eyes and rubbed fingers across them. A tension headache was threatening. ‘I have no idea,’ she said.
‘Answer the question please.’ A hard note had crept into Raoul’s voice.
She opened her eyes. ‘I can’t. I have no idea how close Maguire really is. Personally, I think he’ll find zilch but he plays things so close to his chest it’s impossible to say. I don’t know how close you are either. So, please or no please, how the hell can I answer your question?’
‘You were in English Bay earlier. Why?’
‘Apparently William Maguire lived there.’
‘How do you know that?’
I can’t say that Maguire’s drug contact told him. Sorry, Maguire. Time to confess. ‘Maguire has a journal . . .’
‘Ah!’ Raoul leaned back, satisfied. ‘The journal. So it really does exist. What else does it tell us?’
Holly saw no point in lying. ‘Not much. Random incidences. There’s a sort of inventory. An account of Kavanagh’s betrayal. A bit about Rodrigues and reference to a map which, incidentally, had been torn out. The journal doesn’t say whether William hid his treasure here or in Mauritius.’
Raoul watched her face carefully. ‘You tell the truth. Good. But you were consulting a map. Where did Maguire get it?’
Holly hesitated. Kathleen had stolen it back from Raoul’s house. She didn’t want to get the little nun into trouble. ‘I have no idea.’
Raoul shook his head. ‘Wrong answer.’
‘Tough.’
He spun in an instant and grabbed both her shoulders. ‘I said, wrong answer.’ His eyes dropped to the bulge in her shirt pocket and he reached for the tape recorder. ‘What have we here? Let’s see what you and Maguire find to discuss.’
Holly turned cold. She listened with horror as their voices exposed all that Connor would wish to keep secret:
How come you’re doing this yourself?
You know why I’m really here.
After all, Maguire, I’ve got to write something. Humour me. I’ll pretend it’s a real question and I’m interested in your answer.
When do you stop?
I don’t give a damn what you’re up to. My job is to make it look as though you’re chasing longlost treasure. Isn’t that what you want?
I’d have completed this assignment whether you slept with me or not.
And a little while later at the car: From tomorrow, you’ll be free to do whatever it is you are doing.
Raoul turned off the tape recorder. ‘Well, well. It seems some people would do anything for a story.’
Justin looked upset and Raoul was far from comforted by what he’d heard. ‘Let’s see now – “you know why I’m really here”. Please tell us what that means.’
Holly had to appear spontaneous. A good lie should be eighty per cent truth. ‘Connor Maguire is a very successful businessman. Mauritius has some very attractive tax-free concessions for investors. He’s setting up a joint venture.’ She tried to look conspiratorial. ‘I really shouldn’t say any more.’
Raoul wasn’t sure, she could tell by his face.
‘Out of Focus, as you may be aware, likes to publish the unusual. Maguire is practically a regular. That doesn’t mean their editorial policy is all frivolity. In this case there was a pretty good chance that his search for treasure was secondary to some kind of business interest. We knew that one attempted merger with a Mauritian company had failed.’ Holly mentally crossed everything. This was risky. ‘It seemed a safe bet that he’d try again. If we could get in on the treasure angle we’d be on the spot and first with a
ny joint venture story. The magazine works that way. They like to be ready with the news before it breaks. Maguire has a very high profile in Australia.’
Raoul shook his head. ‘Then why say “whatever it is you’re doing”?’
‘I know there have been several high-level meetings. It’s definitely a joint venture, though Maguire won’t tell me any more than that. It’s frustrating as hell. I’ve tried . . . everything. Yet he still insists on waiting until the day the deal is closed. That’s why we had the fight.’
The French-Mauritian appeared satisfied. ‘I’ve done business with Maguire. It tallies. He wouldn’t want a reporter nosing around secret negotiations. The man thrives on publicity, but only when he’s good and ready for it.’
Holly rose. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to leave.’ She jabbed a finger in Justin’s direction. ‘I’ve a bloody good mind to report you for assault.’
‘Just a moment.’ Raoul hadn’t finished. ‘You still haven’t told us how Maguire got hold of the original map?’
‘He didn’t say.’
‘Come, come, my dear. You’re a reporter. Surely you asked?’
‘Of course I bloody asked,’ Holly snapped. ‘He said it’s better I don’t know.’
‘Perhaps you could use your, how shall we put it, feminine charm to get the information out of him?’
Holly flushed. ‘Are you asking me to spy for you?’
‘Spy? Really, Miss Jones. A little investigative journalism. That should be right up your street.’
‘It can’t have escaped your attention that Maguire and I are not exactly friends.’
‘You looked cosy enough to me,’ Justin spoke up suddenly.
‘We’re both professionals but, if you must know, speaking frankly, I can’t wait for this assignment to end.’
Raoul stood up and handed her the tape recorder. ‘I’ll run you back to Cotton Bay. Justin, my friend, your enthusiasm is admirable, if a little misguided. Do try to keep it under control.’ There was no disguising the warning in his voice. He turned back to Holly. ‘I trust you won’t try to take this further, my dear. Justin acted without thinking. No doubt he’s regretting it now. Should you choose to report the incident I will, of course, take steps to protect my partner. The Dulac name is not without considerable influence in Mauritius and Rodrigues. You’ll find a complaint would lead nowhere.’
Holly walked to the door without speaking.
‘If Maguire does let anything slip . . . Well, I can be very generous.’
She spun around to face him. ‘This may be a little hard for you to swallow, Dulac, but I’ll say it anyway. I don’t like you. I don’t like him.’ She pointed at Justin. ‘I don’t like threats and I don’t take bribes. You can shove your generosity. Now, I’d like to go.’
She remained silent all the way to Cotton Bay, despite Raoul Dulac’s transparent attempts at conversation. Whatever Connor Maguire’s real agenda, Holly was certain he’d told her the truth for a change. It did have something to do with the French-Mauritian.
She ignored Raoul’s farewell, banging the car door hard and striding into reception. Connor’s room key was still in its pigeonhole. Holly had no idea how to let him know she was safe but presumed he’d return to the hotel at some stage.
The shower was only lukewarm but it helped. Unsure what to do next, an insistent knocking on the door cut into her confusion. ‘Holly, it’s me. Let me in.’
She was still angry, still frightened, and when he walked into the room with concern all over his face she did the only thing left. She burst into tears.
Without a word, he picked her up in his arms and laid her gently on the bed. Then he curled himself around her while she sobbed against his chest. The emotional seesaw was out of control. She cried for a very long time.
‘All done?’ he asked gently, when she had nothing left but the odd hiccup.
Holly nodded.
She felt his lips against her hair. ‘I nearly went mad with worry.’
‘It was Justin,’ she whispered against him.
‘I know.’
‘He taped my wrists.’
‘Did he hurt you?’
‘Not really. Just scared me half to death. He took me to a house above Port Mathurin. Then Raoul arrived.’
‘I know.’
She pulled back and looked at his face. ‘You know! How?’
‘I sat around for about thirty minutes waiting at the cafe. When you didn’t come back I went looking for you. It took a bit of time but your footprints clearly showed that someone else had been there. It had to be Justin. Then I found the key. Putting two and two together, I figured he’d taken you to Port Mathurin.’
‘Since you were so sure where I’d gone, what took you so long to arrive?’
‘The car had a puncture and the spare tyre turned out to be as flat as a pancake. There was no garage so a little money changed hands and the cafe owner miraculously came up with a good wheel to swap for one of ours. That took at least an hour. Luckily, my guess about the house was correct. I really enjoyed meeting your friend Justin, although the feeling may not have been mutual. It didn’t take much persuasion to tell me the whole story.’
‘Raoul said I’d be wasting my time if I reported it.’
His fingers played with her hair. ‘He’s right.’
‘How did you know about the house?’
‘It belongs to Raoul.’
Holly pulled back from him and sat up.
‘Now what?’ he asked with a degree of apprehension.
‘Tell me,’ she demanded.
‘What?’ Reluctant just about did it.
‘Tell me, damn it!’ she grated.
‘I made some enquiries.’
‘Bullshit, Maguire.’
‘Someone made them for me.’
‘The puncture didn’t happen, did it?’
‘No.’
‘Another of your famous little diversions. You don’t want me to ask who you contacted, do you? Fine, I won’t. But I could have been killed. Don’t you think I deserve some answers?’
‘Yes.’
His look told her she wouldn’t be getting them from him. Holly stared back, her feelings more mixed up than she’d ever known. He was devious, tender, hard, soft, funny, frustrating, a mystery, an open book and the most attractive, sexy, desirable, unreliable, despicable man she’d ever managed to get her hands on. Two fat tears rolled down her cheeks. ‘Go away,’ she whispered miserably. ‘Go away and leave me alone. I don’t need you in my life. I’ve never been so confused.’
Connor’s arms reached out and gently pulled her down, his eyes bored into hers for a long moment. ‘I’m falling in love with you, Holly,’ he said hoarsely. ‘And I’m scared for you.’
She stared at him, shaking her head. ‘No,’ she said, struggling against him. ‘No, not that old line. How dare you.’
She’d have said more but his lips found hers. Holly tried to hate him but her entire soul wanted to love this man. She responded and the desperation of her confusion transmitted itself to him. They made love urgently, passionately, and each thrust of his body was like a knife, wounding her with deceit yet bearing her away with intense longing for it never to end.
‘Holly,’ he breathed into her ear, over and over as he reached a shuddering climax to join hers.
They lay together, not speaking, for several minutes. Then she remembered the tape recorder. It was important and, as much as she didn’t want to spoil the moment, knew she had to tell him. He heard her out in silence.
‘Damn!’ Connor said quietly, when she’d finished.
‘I had to give him something.’
‘I know. You did the best thing possible. I’ve told you he’s devious. He’s also greedy. A whiff of money and he’ll do everything in his power to secure a slice of the action. The more I think about it, the more it seems unlikely he’s aware that I’ve been in negotiations with his mistress. But Mauritius is small, people talk. If Dulac so much as suspects I�
��m involved with Madame Liang he’ll know it means money and he’ll use her as leverage to horn in. That would cause delays. I don’t like delays, Holly. The longer something takes to set up, the more seems to go wrong. Damn that man! He’s getting in the way.’
‘Similar to myself,’ Holly said in a small voice. Was she still being used? He couldn’t possibly have faked the feeling in his voice.
His arms tightened around her. ‘Could you handle the God’s honest, swear on my mother’s grave truth?’
‘Your mother isn’t dead.’ She was pleased with that. It meant her brain hadn’t completely deserted her.
Connor smiled slightly and kissed her nose. ‘I know you aren’t sure if you can trust me,’ he said finally, ‘but I’ll work on that. You will eventually.’
‘Don’t count on it. You’ve come up with more lies than a politician.’
‘Only because I had to.’
‘How about, “take your bloody pictures then get the hell out of my life”?’
‘That was no lie. I want you out of here. I didn’t mean forever. Anyway, I was pretty pissed off with that one-night-stand crack of yours.’
Holly grinned wickedly. ‘That was good, wasn’t it.’
‘Real show-stopper.’ He nuzzled into her neck for a while.
Eventually, Holly dug him in the ribs with an elbow.
Connor came up for air and looked at her.
‘About that truth.’
His eyes locked with hers. ‘I am falling in love with you. I’m trying not to but I’m losing. That is the truth.’
Holly searched his eyes for insincerity. All she found in them was herself. Her fingers traced his lips. ‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted, ‘you keep sending conflicting signals.’
He rolled onto his back, burrowed an arm under her neck and drew her into him so she lay snuggled against his side. ‘That’s my inept way of trying to maintain some kind of distance between us. Trouble is, you keep creeping under the barrier.’ His free arm closed around her waist. ‘So I’ve decided to stop trying.’
‘Does that mean you’ll stop using me?’
‘No, it means I’ll stop fighting a battle I’ve got no hope of winning.’
‘So you admit you’re using me?’
The Forgotten Sea Page 27