“Looks like her stubbornness paid off.”
“No.” Greta shook her head. “If I go to her, I put her in terrible danger. Please, you tell her that I’m alright and she must return to Ukraine.”
“She’s not going to accept that.”
“Tell her… tell her I have no wish to see her, that I am happier without her.”
“No,” Mairead replied. “You’re going to have to do that yourself, but you should really have a good think before you say something you’ll regret.”
Greta smirked bitterly. “It’s too late for regrets. They will find me and kill me, and I don’t want her to know that.”
“Not if I can help it,” Mairead went to write something on the back of the flyer, but paused. “What I’m about to give you exposes two girls who are no different from you, Greta. They have both suffered horrendously at the hands of perverted men. They’re frightened and they’re in hiding, but it’s somewhere you would be safe, if I knew…”
“You want to ask me if I’ll endanger that.”
Mairead nodded slowly. “I don’t know who to trust. I’ve never been in this type of situation before. I’ve known some bad ones, but I’ve always had the sense that someone was watching my back, but not this time. I’ve never felt more alone.”
“When I attacked that man, when my nails were drawing blood from his eyes, I felt something that I hadn’t felt in a long time. My stepfather, he was a good man, and he fought for what he believed in. I watched him die for his beliefs. My mother was always a pacifist, and her way wasn’t wrong either, but when you are faced with evil, there is a time to fight. That night, I was fighting for my life and it felt incredible.”
Mairead gazed at her and smiled. “Even when the odds are stacked against you and you probably have no hope of succeeding?”
“Yes,” Greta nodded. “The first words of English I learned, was from something my Papa used to say to me often. He said that they were great words, but they didn’t translate as well in Ukrainian. Evil prevails, when good men do nothing. He learned that from someone he very much admired and he lived by it. So will I, and I will not betray you or your friends.”
Mairead told her the address. “Safer not to write it down. If you go there, just be certain no one is following you and tell them that I sent you. If Esther is wary of you, just tell her…” She grinned. “Tell her that I said that Dylan is an arrogant prick. She’ll get a laugh out of that.”
“Will you not be there?”
“I will, in a day or two. Now, this other prick, Leo…”
“Leo Ashrukov.” Greta spelled it for her. “There is a bar in the city, The Emerald. He owns it and occasionally a young girl will go there and be made to feel very welcome. The doorman might give her a wink if she is underage and let her go in anyway, because he is already aware she fits the criteria, and her being there has been set up weeks in advance. They ply her with alcohol, and listen to how horrible her family is, or that she’s in the foster system and just another runaway that won’t be missed. In the morning she will wake, feeling very ill and find herself naked and chained, having no idea how her life is about to get much worse.”
Mairead nodded solemnly. “My girls have mentioned The Emerald, that it’s a place to stay away from. I guess I know why now.”
Greta suddenly threw her arms around Mairead and embraced her tightly. Eventually Mairead had to release herself and get up.
“I have to go.”
As she turned away, Greta grabbed her hand. “Mairead, where will you be?”
“Around. I have something that has to be done first.” She smiled. “Just get to Esther. Good luck, Greta.”
With that, she hurried out, pulling the hood of her jersey over her head and tugging it down low about her face. As she returned to the main street, a chill went through her.
It was as if all the parallels of the past were narrowing in on her, reminding her of every mistake she had ever made, every betrayal she had been subjected to. James had always been around somewhere, watching over her, coming to her rescue, comforting her or administering some much needed discipline.
This time she was truly alone, except for the life residing within her. In a matter of hours she would know if she was making the wrong decision for both of them.
* * * * *
“Don’t look at me like that,” Cooper grinned as Collins came through her front door. “It’s only correct procedure to go through my superior.”
“What the hell is going on, Lizzie?” He kept his voice low, but gave her the full brunt of his glare. “I’m not supposed to be here. You’re determined to have me pulled over the coals with you, aren’t you?”
“Not at all.” Her face became solemn. “I’m am at a loss of knowing what the hell I should be doing.”
“Just tell me what it’s about.”
“I will, but before I do that, I should tell you who is sitting in my lounge room at this moment. Simon Hughes is one of them.”
“Hughes?” Collins frowned at her. “As in the barrister, Queen’s counsel?”
“The very same,” she nodded. “And his client is none other than Adele Easton.”
His mouth dropped. “My god…”
“She’s a little worse for wear, but doing remarkably well. Off the record, she’s been here since yesterday, and before you say anything, hear me out. She’s confessed to the attempted murder on Mairead, blackmailing Justine with threats to the welfare of her daughter and contracting Barry Underhill. And there’s been confessions to offshore accounts, worth a substantial fortune, for which not a cent of tax has been paid.”
“She’s been coerced,” Collins put forward. “Or traumatised…”
“No. Hughes is already arranging a full psychiatric evaluation, and counselling her not to go ahead with any predetermined course of action. Adele is very politely refusing him.”
“What does she want to do?”
“For a start, she wants Internal Affairs brought in to do a full investigation into some seriously heavy allegations.”
“Surprise me.”
“She believes Bevan Miller is responsible for the murder of her parents and as of two hours ago, she now has some weighty evidence to back her up.”
“Jesus, what evidence.”
“The security footage from her home, on the very night.”
“The cameras were destroyed. All the footage was lost.”
“But not by the person hacking into them at the time. It was Bevan Miller at the door, and then others with ski masks, walking right past him, one with a sawed off shotgun.”
Collins shook his head slowly. “Fuck.”
“Yeah,” Cooper nodded. “Adele survived because Dylan Tyler broke in and rescued her.”
“The guy she was trying to burn?”
“And the one who has cared for her for the last month, and who’s had my fucking phone blue-jacked. Apparently he’s be listening to all of my conversations and reading my messages, but he’s also sent me the security footage. I haven’t showed it to Adele yet. Only to Hughes. I’d say we’ve got a bit of situation on our hands, Sir.”
“So what’s this course of action Adele wants to go down?”
“A full news conference, indicting herself, setting the record straight and giving reporters open season on any question they have for her. She wants James Vaughn’s immediate release, citing that his incarceration is invalid under a questionable legislation that hadn’t undergone the rigours of Parliamentary procedure. In other words, his arrest was illegal and his confession was made under threat and duress. I can vouch for that, having seen what Miller did to his wife.”
“I suppose with what Adele’s facing, she’s hardly going to be worried about the laws she’ll be breaking by having this conference, but is she ready for what it will do to her?”
“That’s the creepy part. She’s calm, unemotional and rational. She seems to understand everything and even looks better than she looked the last time I spoke to her.”
“And this Dylan Tyler? Where the fuck will he be when all this goes down?”
“I asked her something similar and her she just smiled and said that she had no idea, but wherever he was, she knew he would be thinking of her.”
* * * * *
“You’re quiet.” Sophie took her hand from the steering wheel to reach for Vanessa’s. “Are you alright?”
Vanessa smiled. “Yes, just too much on my mind, this meeting today with Mairead in particular, if she shows up.”
“You think she won’t?”
“I don’t know. I wanted to question the girls, whether any of them had seen her, but by doing that, I am giving away that I’ve been in contact with her. They’re fretting enough without me raising their hopes she’ll be back anytime soon.”
“But it is a possibility that one of them might know something?”
“Of course,” Vanessa grinned sadly. “They would do anything for her and then there’s Amiri who worships her.”
“And she has not been in contact with you since Friday?”
“No. I haven’t heard from her. There’s been nothing in the papers. How does this happen? Yesterday, I was on the phone to James’ parents for two hours. They’re arriving tomorrow and will stay with Mairead’s father and his wife in the city. Despite the court order, Sean is seeking legal representation to challenge the gag order and he’s ready to tell them all to go to hell and approach the media. I tend to agree with him.”
“Maybe you will get answers today when you see Mairead.”
Vanessa smiled and squeezed Sophie’s hand. “Thank you. I don’t know how I would have got through this without you. Are you certain that you are comfortable for this meeting to take place at your apartment?”
“Of course,” Sophie insisted. “I want her safe too.”
“Your patience with me is appreciated. I won’t forget this.”
“I am here to support you, Vanessa.”
“And that should work both ways, but I’ve been far too caught up in my own problems. I didn’t even ask you about your conference.”
“It was boring. I spent the whole time wishing I was with you.”
“Boring? A helicopter flight to the coast can hardly be considered boring.”
“We talked about physical fitness, the latest news in health products and sportswear. It is hardly riveting conversation.”
“I’m always looking for a good investment,” Vanessa said. “A fitness centre was one of the options that James and I considered, long before we purchased Silver Dreams, and perhaps, now that he’s married…”
She stopped and looked out of the window. Sophie frowned and glanced at her. “Vanessa?”
Vanessa leaned forward and took a tissue packet from the glove box. She snatched one out and dabbed at her eyes.
“It’s alright.”
“Talk to me,” Sophie pleaded. “I hate seeing you hurting. I understand that you can’t tell me everything, but you can share your concerns, what you’re feeling.”
“It’s just that I don’t think I’ve ever been this frightened of losing them. It was hell talking to James’ parents, trying to keep positive, when all I want to do is hit someone. Mairead has got herself into situations before, but this is different, and I’ve usually been right beside James supporting him…” Vanessa grinned. “Or convincing him why he shouldn’t throttle her, but now James is in prison and no-one is telling us anything, and that other bastard…”
“Which other bastard?”
“Dylan fucking Tyler. This is all centres on him, and I know that James and Mairead think he’s a friend, but…”
“Who is he, Vanessa? How is he even involved in their lives?”
“The first I was aware of him was when James rang me when I was still in England.” she smirked. “Mairead had got herself into some deep trouble, and Tyler came to her rescue. James wouldn’t reveal much, except that he was strange, and I think I detected a hint of jealousy.”
“So you feel there was an attraction between Mairead and Tyler?”
“No, not really.” Vanessa frowned thoughtfully. “Mairead and James are madly in love with each other.” She chuckled. “It’s been the romance from hell for some of us, I can tell you, but those two are inseparable. Mairead has always had compassion for the underdog. She despises duplicity and has an uncanny knack at spotting it, as she did with Adele. I think she sees something beyond the narcissistic airs that Tyler puts on and basically feels sorry for him.”
Sophie scoffed. “Her pity is wasted. While they’re suffering, what is he doing to help them?”
“Well, he could be doing a lot for all I know, but…”
“The papers,” Sophie remarked. “They say that he is being sought for questioning over the murder of some old man that worked for him, but it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry, my darling,” Vanessa smiled at her. “I wish I could tell you more, and maybe I’ll be able to, once I’ve spoken with Mairead. Until then, can you forgive me?”
“I’m not trying to pry, but it seems this man should be facing up to his responsibilities. Perhaps if you were to go see him yourself…”
“I wouldn’t know the first place to look for him. I just hope he’s not getting any ideas about Mairead.”
“So she’s with him?”
“Apparently, or so she said.”
“And you think he might have feelings for her?”
Vanessa scowled. “She wouldn’t be the first young girl he took advantage of, and with James out of the picture…” She groaned. “Good lord, what am I saying? It’s not like that at all.”
“But Mairead is submissive,” Sophie said, making Vanessa laugh.
“Hardly. Mairead likes to be dominated, but submissive she isn’t. Her tastes are more masochistic, and she will even inflict pain on herself when she can’t deal with a situation. It brings her comfort and security, as much as a hug will bring for most other people. She desires rules and structure, but can only submit to them if they are accompanied by strict discipline. And she doesn’t want to be comforted, until after she’s been punished. Only thing now, is…”
“Is what?”
Vanessa looked at her. “Mairead is pregnant.”
Sophie gaped at her. “Wow.”
“Good lord, I shouldn’t be telling you all this,” Vanessa admitted. “But, then again, you’re the one who has had to suffer my moods and constant whinging. You’ve been dragged out in the night while I’ve had to deal with my friends and now you’re letting me use your apartment. Besides, I don’t want to keep anything from you.”
Sophie smiled. “Trust is something that is earned. Right now, you need my support, and I love being there for you.”
“I know you do.” Vanessa moved closer to her and combed her fingers through Sophie’s hair. “And when we get to your apartment, I want to show you how much you’re appreciated.”
“Will we have time?” Sophie grinned.
“The meeting is still three hours away, and that’s more than enough time to have you tied down and spread for me, and completely at my mercy.”
Sophie breathed out slowly. “I look forward to your attention, Mistress.”
* * * * *
A busy city street was a dangerous place to deal with so much fury. Eddie sat on the low wall of the pool surrounding the Buckets and tried to understand what he was so worked up about. Lena was just a woman and there were plenty of them, younger and prettier, with firmer breasts and much more petite bodies. Back at Leo’s house, he could have several in his bed in a matter of hours, with no other agenda than to ascertain his pleasure. It was the ultimate fantasy for men his age having something so young, but Eddie felt sickened by it.
The fear he had seen in the face of Leo’s latest girl wasn’t easily forgotten. He didn’t want to think what Leo had done to her, but mostly, he didn’t want to remember that he had stood by and done nothing to help her. He might have saved her from a beating, but n
ot from the violations she would have suffered that night.
There was no convincing himself that there was nothing he could do. That defence had worn out thirty years before, when he’d buried his wife. He had seen what could be done, while he’d stood by being the heartless coward Lena had called him. She was right, but so was he when he’d told her he didn’t deserve her.
Lena was all that was honourable about desiring a woman and respecting himself as a man, wanting more than just a physical sensation. It was the intimacy of being with her, yearning to give her all the pleasure and warmth she gave out so innocently. With Lena, there was no violence or fear, just the softness and exquisite taste of her body, the scent of her arousal and a primal need for one another.
He smiled, thinking of her naughtiness, and the way she had teased him. Lena was a woman who knew what she wanted, and yet still possessed the innocence of a young, naïve girl. It had been something fun and new to have a naughty, bare-bottomed girl over his knee for a spanking, though he’d sensed his attempt at playing Daddy, had been seriously flawed. How he wished he might have been given another chance.
After a long night alone and away from her, only anger and self-pity remained. All expectations of his future were gone. His outlook was no different to what it had been in prison. That youthful excitement of seeing her again had dried up and left him feeling his age.
Behind him, someone had begun splashing the water about and Eddie felt the spray hit his jacket. Getting up, he spun about to abuse them, only to see two little girls giggling as they madly slapped the water.
A woman smiled at him apologetically. “Sorry, they get carried away.”
Eddie smiled and shrugged, before quickly walking away. He could almost hear Lena laughing at him, and wasn’t surprised when he found himself outside the bakery.
Staring at the window, he resisted the urge to go in to say goodbye to her one last time. He knew the moment he saw her again, he would want so much more, and he no longer trusted himself. During the night, he had momentarily imagined Lena staring up at him, terrified and confused, as he held her down and thrust his cock into her.
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