Tell Me No Lies

by Shirley Wine

  ‘Want me to read you a story, tiger?’

  ‘Cupboard love,’ she teased.

  ‘Hey, all kids need their poppa to spoil them a little.’ Caine winked at her. ‘Buzz your keeper and take a break while I entertain this little tyke.’

  She sighed and with real reluctance she obeyed. Although she no longer questioned the necessity, Victoria found it difficult to have a bodyguard shadowing her every move. It was the one intrusion on her privacy she positively resented.

  Holly Bannister walked in and Caine spoke to the woman before Victoria had a chance. ‘Victoria needs a break and a spell in the fresh air.’

  ‘Okay.’ Holly winked at her.

  Victoria waved to Connor as she walked out, but he was too engrossed in the jelly beans to notice her departure.

  ‘We’ve had a report of a male photographer lurking in the hospital corridors.’ The guard on the door briefed Holly as they left Connor’s room.

  ‘Thanks.’ Holly gave him a thumbs up.

  Too many people you don’t know are now privy to your identity.

  Keir had nailed the situation with an accuracy Victoria could no longer deny.

  ‘Where to?’ Holly asked. ‘The lake?’

  ‘Can we? I am so sick of this hospital and the grounds.’

  ‘The lake it is. We should be able to mingle without attracting undue attention.’

  Victoria nodded and in silence they walked to the lifts. Holly waited for an empty lift, and then punched the override button that took them directly to the car park. She checked that they weren’t being followed then escorted Victoria to her SUV.

  In the car, Holly handed her dark glasses, a baseball cap and a bulky windcheater, and inside two minutes they were parked by Lake Rotoroa. Situated as it was, less than a kilometre from Waikato Hospital and in the centre of Hamilton city, the lake and its beautiful gardens was a very popular destination.

  As she emerged from the SUV, Victoria stretched and inhaled lungfuls of crisp, bracing air that held the distinct tang of mouldering leaves, the peculiar musty smell of lake water and wildfowl. All the while she was aware of Holly scrutinising other pedestrians and their surrounds.

  Victoria was itching to run as far and as fast as she could to get away from this madness.

  ‘You look ready to bolt,’ Holly said with an amused smile.

  ‘I am.’

  Holly scanned the area then shook her head. ‘Too risky. There are too many people here for us to go too far away from the car.’

  ‘I had no idea it would get so down and dirty.’

  ‘Any leads on who broke into your flat and got those photos?’ Holly asked.

  They walked towards the lake’s edge and mingled with the other people out and about on this clear winter’s day. Little children in brightly coloured jackets threw bread to the ducks and swans. The birds squawked and flapped their wings as they splashed through the water in fierce competition for the handouts.

  ‘The police are investigating, but Sundowner Press is claiming a confidential source. As nothing is missing, they can’t do much.’ Victoria’s words mingled with the commotion of the birds and childish squeals of glee.

  ‘I’ll bet your man doesn’t like that!’

  Was Keir her man? Victoria had her doubts. They may be living in the same house, but they were far from forming any meaningful commitment to each other.

  ‘Look on the bright side, your photograph album was recovered and almost intact.’ Holly threw some pebbles in the water and the ducks quacked and scurried across the water, fooled into thinking it was more largesse.

  ‘And the few photos that are missing I had in cloud storage.’

  ‘What about the rest of your gear?’

  ‘I want to get packers in and put it all in storage.’

  ‘You don’t want to take it to Keir’s house?’

  Victoria was aware of Holly’s curiosity, but she wasn’t about to discuss the strain that existed between her and Keir. She didn’t suspect the woman’s integrity, but after this past week she’d had a crash course in caution. Victoria no longer talked freely to anyone.

  ‘Not unless I have no other option,’ she admitted, looking directly at her bodyguard.

  To store all her worldly possessions at Dunstan smacked of a permanence that she wasn’t sure she was ready to commit to.

  Her relationship with Keir left Victoria uneasy. Just when she thought they were making progress and could easily discuss their past, she came up against something so much deeper, something that was unconnected to her not immediately revealing the existence of his son, or to Keir’s messy break-up with Davina. This was deeper and she couldn’t begin to guess at its cause, and because of this, it was infinitely more dangerous. She was almost certain this invisible wall related in some way to his failed marriage.

  Suddenly, she was aware of whispers and pointed stares, before a too familiar sound jolted her to attention and she spun to face a camera-wielding man shooting off film. Instinct had her raising a hand to shield her face.

  In a blur of speed, Holly had the cameraman on the ground and the camera wrenched free of his grasp.

  ‘Hey, that’s my camera,’ the red-faced man spluttered as he scrambled to his feet and lunged for the camera.

  In one deft movement, Holly flipped the man over her shoulder. He landed on the grass, and with one foot firmly on his chest, Holly flipped open the camera and flicked out the memory card.

  ‘You can have your camera, bozo. Just not the photos of my client.’ She handed him the camera and as curious people pushed closer to see the action, Holly gripped Victoria’s arm. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

  Once they were inside the SUV and moving away, Victoria took a shaken breath. ‘Going there wasn’t the brightest idea. How did you toss that man on his keister?’

  ‘Training.’ Holly gave her a conspiratorial grin. ‘And lots of it. Men hate being flipped by a woman. Most think superior strength means they can shove a woman around.’

  ‘Ain’t that the truth. I’ll have to learn some of those moves.’

  Holly glanced at her, suddenly serious. ‘Self-defence lessons wouldn’t be a bad idea, for your own safety.’

  That night Victoria was jerked awake when the overhead light snapped on. Keir stood in the doorway wearing only his unfastened jeans. One look at his expression and her heart stalled then raced. ‘Connor?’

  ‘No! It’s not Connor.’ Keir was quick to reassure her. ‘The police called. Your apartment has been burgled.’

  ‘Oh God. What’s the damage?’

  ‘I don’t know, but the cops have asked us to come as quickly as we can.’

  Sick with apprehension, she slid out of bed and pulled on the clothes she’d worn earlier. She did not need this. It was cold and dark outside, and a gale lashed rain at the windows. She pulled on the fleecy jacket she’d packed to take to Darkhaven.

  ‘You okay?’

  She shrugged and accompanied him downstairs to the garage.

  What did he expect? That I’d be jumping for joy at this further intrusion in my private life?

  When they arrived, they found a police cordon already in place and a cluster of reporters behind the line.

  ‘They must listen to the police scanners,’ Keir muttered under his breath.

  ‘Vultures,’ she said bitterly, dreading seeing this splashed across the morning papers. ‘I’m so sick of this.’

  ‘Believe me, sweetheart, you’re not alone,’ he muttered in her ear.

  Their bodyguard got out and unfurled an umbrella, opened her door and used it to protect her from the rain, and also to provide an effective screen from the camera flashbulbs that lit up the dark.

  Keir’s arm was firm around her shoulders as they walked up the once familiar path, now eerily illuminated by the strobe of blue and red police lights.

  A policeman lifted the tape for them to walk under.

  Victoria stepped past the policeman at the door, and a plain-clothes detectiv
e flashed his identity card and let her inside.

  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and when they did, a shocked whimper leaked past the clenched fist that covered her mouth. Clothes were ripped and torn, cushions slashed and her furniture was overturned and smashed. Her mother’s precious Royal Doulton was smashed and fragments were embedded in the walls. Obscenities covered the walls and gobs of red paint ran down the walls like rivers of blood.

  Keir stiffened beside her. ‘Burgled? This looks more like a war zone.’

  ‘Who would do this?’ she asked, trembling from head to toe as she tried to take it all in.

  ‘That’s what we’re trying to ascertain,’ the detective said quietly. ‘We need to know if anything is missing.’

  ‘How the blazes do you expect Victoria to know if anything is missing?’ Keir asked savagely.

  She pulled free of Keir’s grip and scooped up a severed doll’s head splattered with red paint.

  ‘Don’t touch anything Ms Scanlan.’ The detective removed the broken doll from her hands.

  Keir caught her in a crushing hug, turning her face into his chest. ‘Does my fiancée have to witness this?’ His fierce question vibrated through the wall of his chest.

  ‘Can she tell us if anything is missing?’

  ‘Are you a complete idiot or just plain stupid?’ Keir cut the man off. ‘Looking at this carnage no-one could possibly know if any item is missing.’

  ‘We’re just doing our job, sir.’ The detective ran a hand through his hair.

  ‘Then I suggest you do it and I’ll take Victoria home. If any photos of this appear in the press, you’d better believe I’ll come after you, personally.’ Keir turned to their bodyguard. ‘When the police have finished, I want security guards posted here, okay?’

  Without another word, he turned Victoria towards the door and the waiting vultures. His menace was tangible as he shielded her from the press, but he couldn’t shut out the shrill questions that peppered them from all sides. Keir bundled her in the back seat, and the bodyguard drove off, leaving the yammering mob behind.

  Cradled in Keir’s arms, Victoria trembled, too upset for tears.

  ‘I’ve had Mandy for as long as I can remember,’ she said in a sad, dreary voice. ‘Why would anyone do that?’

  Keir hesitated then murmured quietly, his breath ruffling her hair, ‘It’s no use even trying to second-guess a pervert’s reasoning.’

  A shudder ripped from her. ‘What can I do about it?’

  ‘I’ll deal with it,’ he said decisively.

  ‘How?’ Her fingers clenched into claws, digging into Keir’s arms.

  ‘If it’s okay with you, I’ll get a team of cleaners and packers to salvage any personal possessions that can be saved.’

  Another shudder shook her. ‘Our clothes?’

  ‘Will be destroyed,’ he said grimly. ‘Clothes are easy to replace. Are you happy for me to go ahead and arrange it?’

  She nodded, acquiescing without protest.

  A shudder of disgust shook her, and her skin crawled at the very thought of putting a stitch of those clothes near her body ever again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Who could have guessed that the ice princess had enough red blood in her veins to have her father mount such a sustained attack? For the first time, Victoria truly appreciated the meaning of the old adage about a woman scorned. Restless and on edge, she paced the luxurious room Keir had assigned her, feeling trapped and hemmed in on all sides.

  She was bored and frustrated.

  An hour each morning spent liaising with Greta Beardsley, the woman she’d appointed to run Victorian Grace, wasn’t near enough to fill her day. And, with Greta’s tidy record keeping, and no other demands on her time, the necessary bookwork was soon finished.

  Keir was right. Victoria’s notoriety had increased trade.

  So much so that Greta needed to employ an apprentice and two school girls as part-timers. The woman was a top-notch florist and, as Chloe had promised, she was also the soul of discretion. The press very soon stopped pestering Greta for information on her boss.

  And this only added to Victoria’s frustration.

  Dunstan ran like well-oiled clockwork. Besides Mrs Teague, Keir employed several other staff and this left Victoria, unable to venture outside the gates, with far too much time on her hands.

  You work too hard … where’s your time …

  A mirthless laugh shook her. Three weeks ago she’d been working her tail off, moaning about there being not enough hours in the day. Now, she sat twiddling her thumbs. She knew darn well which situation she preferred. Only the time she spent with Connor relieved the tedium.

  Keir took the intrusion of the press in his stride, which only served to irritate Victoria even further.

  Every facet of her life—her eating habits, and God, even the style of underclothes she wore—came under scrutiny, and what the Strathmore hacks couldn’t find in hard fact, they invented with salacious disregard for the truth.

  Victoria had never realised how much she valued her privacy until it was mercilessly stripped away.

  ‘Is it getting you down?’

  She looked up to find Keir leaning against the doorjamb, his tie loosened and an amused smile softening his face.

  ‘It’s insane. Are we allowed no privacy?’

  ‘It’s no more than I expected.’ He straightened and crossed to her side. ‘It will eventually die down.’

  ‘And how long is eventually?’

  ‘Who can tell?’ He frowned at her, his eyes dark with turbulent thoughts. ‘I’ve just had a call from Connor’s doctor, and he’s happy to discharge Connor into our care.’

  ‘The doctor rang you?’ Her surge of joy was tempered by anger and wariness.

  Keir’s smile faded as he nodded.

  ‘Why didn’t he contact me?’ she asked in a dangerously soft voice. ‘I am Connor’s next of kin.’

  ‘And I’m his father.’

  ‘Technically, but that does not give the doctor the right to notify you instead of me.’

  ‘That’s nitpicking.’

  ‘No, it’s about you trampling over my rights as Connor’s next of kin and legal guardian.’

  ‘What about my rights, Victoria? Don’t they count?’ He gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Surely it’s Connor’s wellbeing that’s important here?’

  ‘It is. But that doesn’t mean I appreciate being railroaded into falling in line with what you unilaterally decide is the best course of action.’

  ‘I didn’t deliberately set out to trample your rights, Victoria, but when I put that embargo on information being released about Connor’s condition I was listed as the point of contact.’

  Keir’s quiet and oh-so-reasonable explanation did little to soothe her consternation. While she understood his motivation, and given the circumstances couldn’t fault his reasoning, she was too aware of the slow erosion of her autonomy and choices.

  Come or go, Victoria, it makes no odds to me … but Connor stays.

  ‘You want Connor to come to Dunstan?’

  Keir pushed his hands deep into his pockets as he looked at her, poker-faced. ‘You don’t seriously imagine you can keep him safe?’

  Victoria’s frustrated sigh echoed. ‘You know that’s not possible.’

  ‘It’s taken you long enough to accept this reality.’

  The bitter edge to his dry observation had her giving him a sharp look. ‘I’m not a fool, Keir. I’ve never disregarded my own safety, or Connor’s.’

  ‘And yet you went along with your father’s decision that you and Connor were better off without me in your lives. A sentiment you obviously share.’

  How had he made this quantum leap? Her tension found relief in a strained laugh. ‘When have I ever said you don’t fit in our lives?’

  ‘Why else won’t you marry me?’

  Victoria took a frustrated breath. ‘I refused your very offhand proposal; I did not say I didn’t want you in our lives
. Besides, I thought we had agreed it was better to wait and take time to consider?’

  ‘So it starts.’

  ‘What starts?’ Something about his smile made her pulse accelerate and she grew uneasy under his cynical regard.

  ‘Why, the demands you want satisfied in return for marriage and allowing me access to my children.’

  ‘Children?’ She spluttered out a laugh, shaking her head at his assumption that he’d managed to make her pregnant. ‘You’re freaking unbelievable, Keir. I’m not pregnant.’

  ‘You can guarantee that?’

  ‘No,’ she said, frustrated. ‘Are you suggesting that I expect you to buy access to Connor? You have to know I would never deny you access to Connor or, if I am pregnant, another baby.’

  ‘After the unscrupulous way you dumped Davina out of my life, you expect me to trust you?’

  The accusation was unanswerable, and she gripped her hands together to conceal their trembling. ‘I know I should have told you about Connor at Darkhaven, but that’s all that you can hold against me. I’m not accountable for some other woman’s sins.’

  His grim smile did little to ease her tension.

  ‘Not necessary, Victoria. You have enough sins of your own.’

  In his dark eyes she saw layers of suspicion, the legacy of years of broken trust. His strong, solid jaw was set at an uncompromising angle and made him look hard.

  No-one would ever mistake Keir for a pretty boy. He was a man forged and hardened by lies and betrayal. His suspicion was so ingrained that she wondered if it was possible to heal his scarred heart. Who had done this to him? Muriel, his mother or the ex-wife who’d accused him of rape?

  Victoria suddenly sensed the presence of all these women, and the bleak reality that she had an uphill battle to win Keir’s trust. He had learned from his cradle that it wasn’t safe to trust a woman with his heart or his emotions.

  Did she have the patience?

  She wiped damp palms down her skirt. ‘When can we collect Connor?’

  ‘Do you want me to bring him home so you don’t have to run the gauntlet of the media scrum?’