Yesterday's Sins

by Wine, Shirley

  "You've seen Nicolaides?"

  She nodded. "He fo1lowed me this morning, and we talked."

  "And?"

  For a moment Kate was tempted to pour out the whole story, but the reticence of years was a hard to overcome. "I despise Korda and want nothing more to do with him."

  "But what about your child?" Dave, a staunch family man was obviously dismayed.

  Kate dismissed the question with a shrug.

  "No wonder Korda was insistent the matter be dropped."

  "Naturally." Dave winced at her sarcasm. "Alex will never risk a confrontation with me. Can we forget the whole thing?"

  "That could prove difficult." Dave leaned back in his chair. "Korda wants us both to meet him at The Birches after lunch."

  Kate swallowed forcing down fear and trepidation. Why am I not surprised?

  "Just don't let on that you know about Sarah, Dave. I can cope with Korda."

  "I hope so." He stood up and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "If things get too much you are due for some time off. Take a holiday."

  Chapter Four

  Nerves beset Kate as she walked beside Dave across the weed infested gravel of the forecourt of The Birches. The old house looked forlorn, the autumn sun highlighting the neglect of years. Today she didn't spare a glance at its mellow charm, too keyed up at the prospect of facing Alex.

  She struggled to meet his gaze, heat flooded her cheeks as she crossed to where he waited.

  "I'm sorry, Alex. I should never have thrown those flowers. I hope Sarah wasn't too upset."

  "She got a fright." He looked past her to where Dave was watching them. "You have the keys?"

  "Of course." Dave unlocked the front door and Alex followed him without sparing her another glance.

  Kate walked behind desperately trying to ignore the hollow ache that opened up inside her.

  At the doorway Alex stood back waiting for her to enter.

  "It's always useful to have a woman's opinion of a house," he said as he followed them into the empty mansion.

  As if there's nothing else between us.

  "This is the main lounge." Kate was determined to remain professional. "The surveyor's report showed no sign of damp."

  "How old is the report?" Alex walked around the walls examining them with experienced eyes.

  "It was done last winter."

  "We can get a copy to your motel, Mr. Korda," Dave put in smoothly.

  "If I want to take it further I shall commission my own report."

  Kate bit down hard on her lip. She would not let her temper get away from her.

  "How would you visualize this room furnished, Ms. Audley?"

  She took the question at face value. Why let him know he was upsetting her? "For entertaining?"

  "That's why I want the house."

  "You won't be living here?"

  "Sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Audley. I want a home as well as a base for entertaining my New Zealand clients."

  "Of course." All her good intentions fled in the face of his sarcasm. "You have homes for every purpose. Do you still use your home on Maude Island for your retreats from responsibility?"

  The crack met with grim silence.

  Alex took a step towards her every line of his body taut and dangerous, eyes blazing. "You have grown into a tough, hard woman."

  "Surprise. Surprise. Have you conveniently forgotten I had an expert teacher? And I never was a slow learner."

  Kate was only peripherally aware of Dave slipping out the door and move out of earshot of their blistering quarrel.

  "A very swift learner."

  Heat seared her entire body in a rush of incandescent rage. "You unutterable swine."

  Her hand arced, hitting his face with a resounding crack.

  Horrified, her heart somersaulted as a red mark spread across his lean cheek. Shame scorched her. For the second time today, she'd allowed him to goad her to violence.

  "Don't do that again, Catriona," he said from between clenched teeth. "I may retaliate. Don't you ever feel guilty at abandoning a defenceless baby?"

  The words rubbed raw an excoriating wound and she ignored his radiating menace. "I never abandoned Sarah. You paid me to leave."

  He gripped her shoulders so hard she cried out.

  "How dare you?" he asked through clenched teeth. "How dare you imply that I paid you money for Sarah?"

  Kate faced him panting with outrage. How dare he deny it?

  "You had Nicolaides pay me off."

  She was freed so abruptly she nearly fell. He brushed his palms against his trousers.

  "I have no idea what you're talking about." He turned and walked to a dirty, fly stained window and stared out at the unkempt grounds.

  "Let me refresh your memory. You never had the guts to pay me off yourself. But that's your style, isn't it. Get your faithful henchman to do the dirty work.

  "It's far too late now, to pretend ignorance. Nicolaides gave me fifty thousand dollars to disappear from your life." She clicked her fingers in contempt. "That's how much your assurances were worth. So much for your protestations I would always have a place in Sarah's life. Cheapskate to the last."

  In two furious strides he was in front of her, a hand lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes. "You're lying."

  "As I lied when I denied killing Marcos?" He flinched at her accusation. "Why don't you ask Nicolaides?"

  "Catriona." He rubbed a hand over his haggard face, his eyes filled with torment. "Believe me; I know nothing about giving you money."

  "How very convenient." She turned her back, rubbing hands up and down her arms. "How did you think I escaped? Or didn't you care?"

  "Of course I cared. You were ill, grieving and alone. But you also disappeared off the face of the globe."

  "Did you expect Nicolaides to make arrangements that weren't fool-proof? You wouldn't employ him if he was inefficient."

  As she spoke, Kate prayed Alex would never discover where she'd gone after she left that Brisbane hospital. Or who had materialized out of nowhere and given her shelter, and then later, provided her with the means to disappear.

  "That's enough of your vile insinuations." He gripped her elbow so tightly it hurt. He hustled her out of the house. "Gregori will refute your fantastic claims."

  He pushed her into the front seat of his car and activated the steering lock. She fought to open the door turning on him as he slipped into the driver's seat.

  "You can't kidnap me again." Panicking, she tugged at the door handle. "Stop this car and let me out."

  "I'm not kidnapping you, be quiet while I'm driving."

  Kate subsided as the car sped off with a deep-throated roar. She fumbled with her seat belt, eyes closed, wondering if they would arrive at their destination.

  Hunched in her seat, shaking from head to toe and hands clenched, she said desperately, "For God's sake, Alex. Slow down. Are you intent on killing us both?"

  Suddenly the car eased to a more sedate speed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

  She wasn't prepared to touch that comment. She risked opening her eyes. "Where are we going?"

  "My temporary offices in Manukau City." He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "When did you talk to Gregori?"

  "He followed me this morning."

  "Why would he do that?"

  She gave a snort of disbelief. "To plead your case, what else?"

  He pulled into the parking lot outside an old warehouse, slammed on the brakes, and turned to face her.

  "Stop being a bitch, Catriona." On those acrimonious swords he alighted, strode around the car pulling her from her seat with unceremonious haste. "Let's get this over with."

  He frog marched her into rooms set up as temporary offices. Gregori looked up, eyes wide. Kate glared at him, bristling with hostility. He ignored her in favour of his cousin.

  "Come into my office," Alex rapped out, escorting her past occupied desks. Gregori laid down the paper he was perusing and strol
led across to Alex's office, closing the door on the avid eyes.

  "This is a pleasant surprise," Gregori said mildly.

  "Perhaps," Alex snapped. "Did you give Kate money and tell her to disappear from the hospital?"

  Shrewd dark eyes narrowed, one eyebrow rose in question, "Is that what she claims?"

  Kate's heart plunged. She might have guessed if the chips were down it was her word against Gregori's.

  "So you're a liar as well, Nicolaides. I might have known. Any man who can stoop to offering drugged coffee to an unsuspecting guest couldn't possibly tell the truth."

  Kate stood up, pride keeping her shoulders straight. What else had she expected? This whole close knit family protected each other, no matter how heinous the crime.

  "Don't bother to see me home. I'll get a taxi."

  "Are you always so hasty to jump to conclusions?" Gregori caught her arm pushing her back into her seat. "I didn't deny your accusations, only your interpretation of them."

  "You gave Catriona money to disappear?"

  "Not to disappear." Gregori faced Alex without showing a shadow of remorse. "I merely provided her with breathing space. As executor of her father's will, she could do nothing without your consent until she was twenty five. Catriona needed space and freedom."

  Unsure if she was hearing correctly she looked from one man to the other. "Daddy made you executor of his will? How in the name of heaven, did you wangle that?"

  A flare of anger darkened Alex's expression. "It was none of my doing. Every cent he left you has been invested in your name."

  Her derisive snort brought a flood of colour up under his tan.

  "And if you were unable to trace me, then your little daughter inherited. Very smooth, Korda, no wonder you paid me to disappear. With my father and twin dead and my daughter in your guardianship, you had it made. Korda takes all."

  Alex passed a hand over his hair glaring at Gregori. "We've done everything humanly possible to trace you. You chose to disappear. It's too late to complain now. I did what seemed in your best interests in your absence."

  "Ah but does the court know that you paid me to disappear? This is your last act of treachery. I'm going to engage a lawyer and claim what's legally mine."

  He stalked across to a locked cabinet beside his desk and pulled out a file slamming it on the desk with such force it rattled the jar of pens. He took a paper off the top and handed it to her.

  "You'll be the one that ends up with egg on your face. Yesterday, I discovered your whereabouts. Today, I notified Doug Carmichael and put in train handing over your inheritance, plus all interest owing."

  Kate scanned the piece of paper he thrust into her hand. It was a facsimile of his communication with Doug Carmichael, her father's lawyer in Narrabeen.

  As she read it, the once solid ground beneath Kate's feet suffered a seismic shift. The process of transferring her inheritance back into her control was already well advanced.

  "It's real easy to blame me for everything that's gone wrong in your life, Kate," he said with biting irony. "It's much harder to look at your own actions."

  "Is it?" she asked, more than a little unsettled. "You of course, are completely blameless."

  Kate didn't think it possible, but his expression grew even grimmer.

  "When have I ever said I'm blameless?" Alex pinned her with a harsh glare that sent another surge of heat sweeping through her. "Just so you know, you'll never gain access to Sarah."

  A knot of tension tightened in Kate's chest.

  "Stop it, both of you." Gregori stood between them. "If for no other reason, do it for Sarah's sake?"

  "Sarah's no concern of hers." Alex dismissed Gregori's peace-making. "She's my daughter. After you abandoned her, the Family Court granted me sole custody. As the absconding parent, you were disbarred from access or control in her upbringing. Had we been unable to find you to give you your measly inheritance, it would have gone to your cousin as next of kin. Sarah Korda is not even a connection of yours."

  Kate stared at him, tears welling from her lacerated heart.

  He was a cold, inhuman monster.

  Unable to bear even breathing the same air, she turned and ran, agony making her fleet.

  "Catriona! Wait!"

  Alex's anxious voice spurred her on. Intent only on escape, she slipped into his powerful car and drove away as he reached the bottom step, his coat tails flying.

  Blind instinct guided Kate to Paula.

  Kate knew her friend would provide the comfort and shelter she needed, more desperately than her next breath.

  Paula took one look at Kate and led her inside.

  Brett quickly shepherded the three boys from the lounge as Paula pushed Kate into a chair, removed the car keys from her hand and wrapped her in a hug, rubbing a soothing hand across her shoulder.

  "Steady, Kate, everything is going to be all right."

  Unable to talk or form a coherent thought, she burrowed her face into Paula's shoulder. Here was comfort and warmth.

  She heard Brett quietly walk back into the room but never lifted her head. Somewhere in the distance she heard the boys' boisterous laughter. Brett crouched in front of her holding a glass.

  "Drink this." He held a glass to her lips.

  Kate sipped. The bite of brandy warmed the cold in her belly and helped her regain a semblance of control.

  Brett watched her, troubled. "Kate, who's is that car?"

  "Oh God." She buried her face in her hands. "It's Alex's."

  "He's not going to cut up rough?"

  "No. But I'd better get it back." Seeing their concern, she dredged up a smile.

  Paula watched her frowning. "What's happened Kate?"

  She gave her a helpless look and shook her head. The wound too raw too touch.

  "Would you like me to return the car?"

  Kate nodded, only too willing to accept Brett's offer. For the first time in years she'd lost control. Her voice shook as she gave him directions.

  Brett took the keys. "Any messages?"

  She shook her head.

  "Just leave it at the reception. Brett," she hesitated a moment and then added pleadingly, "And please, don't tell him where I am."

  "I don't betray my friends, Kate." He touched her pale cheek with a gentle finger.

  After he had gone, Kate stared morosely into the empty brandy glass.

  "You look fagged to death," Paula said briskly. "Why not have a hot shower and I'll make you something to eat. Then, my dear, you're going to talk and get it all off your chest."

  Kate was standing under the shower in her friend's en suite bathroom before she had time to collect her shattered wits.

  "I've put a gown and wrapper on the bed. Come to the kitchen when you're finished. There's no hurry, Brett won't barge in."

  Kate let out a sad sigh. Hot water cascaded over her defeated head.

  Alex could be cruel.

  She knew that, better than most. But to be told she was no connection to her own child was a body blow she wouldn't readily recover from. Had he taken a knife and cut out her heart it couldn't have hurt more, and yet what had she expected?

  She'd known from the day he'd come to Maude Island that he wanted her child.

  And Alexandros Korda always achieved what he set out to do.

  Who he trod on in the process was immaterial. What had he told Sarah about her? That she was dead? That would neatly cover every angle.

  "Everything okay?" Paula pulled her out of her reverie.

  "Sure." Kate turned off the shower.

  Once she had dried and dressed in the caftan Paula had left for her, she felt marginally better. Surely, if she'd learned anything in the past, she'd learned she was always destined lose in a battle with Alex. Today was just another demonstration of his ruthlessness.

  Paula gave an approving smile as Kate emerged.

  "Now here's a coffee and something to eat."

  Kate knew from past experience that it was useless to argue with
Paula when she was in, what Brett termed, her mothering mode.

  She sat down and sipped the cappuccino she was given, relieved to hand over responsibility for a few short hours.