Forgotten

by Neven Carr

  The little girl, clearly mystified, asked why.

  Her father squeezed her even closer. “For the power, of course, my darling, for the absolute power.”

  Chapter 29

  Claudia

  December 27, 2010

  8:15 pm

  I DROVE TO Annie’s house.

  Surprisingly, there was no argument from Saul. I suspected he was in considerable pain by the concentrated way he gripped his injured arm. Once we left the gravelly road and onto the less bumpy highway, he had noticeably relaxed. I had no knowledge of who Annie was, but Saul assured me she would know what to do.

  During the trip, Saul asked what I needed to talk to him about. I noticed his growing pallor, the darkening circles beneath his eyes. “Let’s get you mended, first.” Again, there was no argument.

  Annie lived in a picturesque fishing village about a half hour north of Nankari called Karalee. I knew of it. Its population was small and like its residents, the dwellings were a blend of old with the new.

  As soon as I pulled up at Annie’s house, I saw it to be one of the old, situated directly on the water. Judging by first impressions, its renovations maintained some of its original old world charm. A graceful woman with wheaten hair and slate grey eyes met us. Introductions aside, she led us indoors and into one of the guest bedrooms.

  Saul sat on the edge of the bed and removed his bloodstained shirt. He then slumped against the many pillows. I couldn’t help but take in Saul’s broad shoulders, his taut chest. But any wanton thoughts I had, quickly dissolved when Annie released the bandage. Both the swelling and the bruising had worsened. I briefly explained to Annie what had happened, including the mammoth’s vicious beating.

  Annie wasted no time. With the crucial equipment laid out beside her, she set to work. She first injected a strong painkiller into him. One that would coincide with Saul’s natural exhaustion and induce him to sleep.

  Saul settled further into the pillows, but not before brushing his crooked finger beneath my chin. “See you in a little while.” I found it hard to hide my anxiety. “And stop worrying. I’m in good hands.” In less than a minute, he drifted off.

  Annie worked silently, carefully, unhurried. I sensed a familiarity to her touch with him, or maybe I imagined it. “Do you need me to do anything?” I was crouched beside Saul, my hands wrapped around his.

  Annie stared as if just noticing me for the first time. She then glanced at my hands. Her expression was straight, unreadable. “For now, just do what you’re doing.”

  Her voice made me picture silky gossamer floating amongst a soft, leisurely breeze. But then everything about Annie exuded this natural, welcoming quietude. As did her home with its soft, rustic furnishings, its calming, lavender scents, and the tranquil sound of the ocean waves nipping the shorelines.

  Once Annie had the wound cleansed, stitched and dressed, she administered an antibiotic shot. “Is he going to be okay?” I asked, watching the restful rhythm of Saul’s steady breathing.

  “It’s just a graze,” Annie said. “Only needed a few stitches; he’ll be fine. Besides, it takes a lot more than that to get this man down. He just needs to rest for a bit.” Annie returned to the paraphernalia beside her. “Help me clean this mess. And then it’s time for you to have some care.”

  Me? I didn’t need caring, but I helped clean all the same.

  Afterwards, Annie steered me into the bathroom. It had an old style basin, an equally old style bath regally perched on curled feet, and profuse, green ferns tumbling from ceramic pots.

  Annie ran the bath water and then sparked life into the nearby candles. She poured a few drops from a brownish capsule into the water. It immediately set off a bubble frenzy and a very enticing vanilla scent. “Rest,” she said. “You’ll feel so much better for it.”

  How could I resist? I was aching with weariness.

  “Did you bring anything to change into?”

  Once Ethan had given the all clear, Saul and I left with some urgency. All I had was my green beaded bag.

  “We look to be a similar size even though you’re much taller,” she said, once I explained that to her. “I’m sure I can find something for you.”

  Annie left. I undressed and slipped into the sweet scented water. My battered body loosened immediately. I closed my eyes and basked in the many, wondrous sensations. At one stage, Annie entered and just as silently departed. And for a short moment, I dozed off. When I awoke, the water had cooled but I felt more refreshed than I had for some time.

  With much reluctance, I stepped from the bath, toweled myself dry and slipped on the clothing Annie had left, a pair of brand new knickers and a turquoise mini-dress. The dress’s fabric was soft and light. I pulled the ties at the back and secured them. It was so pretty; I felt pretty in it.

  I tidied my hair with an available brush and then collected my phone from my bag. A mountain of missed calls and text messages signaled. Unbelievably, including one from Milo. I immediately clicked on it.

  It read:

  So sorry for everything, Clauds. If I knew then what I know now, I’d never had given Alice the code for Zephyr. But she wanted to talk to you about something important. I never knew she’d be killed because of it. I’m sorry I didn’t meet you in your unit today. I just have to go away for a while. Keep yourself safe, until it’s all sorted.

  PS – I wasn’t the one responsible for what happened… believe me.

  I re-read the text several times. Afterwards, I pulled out the major points.

  Milo had given Alice my code.

  This could only mean that Milo did know Alice. But how, and for how long?

  Alice had something important to tell me.

  Was this why she decided to break her silence? And what was this important something?

  Milo alluded that this ‘something’ was why Alice was killed.

  Was he right? And more significantly, was this why Iacovelli and Souza were killed? Did they know also? Worse still, did Milo know?

  Have to go away for a while.

  Why? Because he feared for his safety?

  I felt cold and rubbed my arms. The thought of my own life in danger was scary enough; now to include Milo and my Papa in that equation was damn terrifying.

  I text Milo back.

  Come home. I know, whatever you’ve done, it’s only with my best interests. We can sort this out together. I have a good man helping me. Please, just come home. And of course, I believe you.

  I concluded with:

  Luv Claudia.

  I stared at the phone for a ridiculous amount of time, as if telepathy would force an immediate response. But of course, nothing happened. I waited a little longer and then rang his phone. It went to message bank as I expected. I left a similar message as the text.

  It was all I could do, that and wait.

  I checked my other messages. I disregarded the less important ones and instead focused on Mel and Nate. I informed them that I was okay - well, as okay as one could be in my situation. I also let Nate know that I had heard from Milo, and that he was fine. It was in part a lie. I knew that, but a necessary one. My family didn’t need to be saddled with extra worry.

  I found Saul in the same position, peacefully asleep. I hugged the doorway and stared at his beautiful body, at his ugly wound. I replayed Annie’s guarantee that Saul would be okay. And then I left him, alone.

  I found Annie in the kitchen. She was now dressed in a long, halter-necked dress, her hair loosely bunched with a wooden clip. She moved with such grace, such fluidity.

  “That’s better,” she said when she saw me enter. “I hope the dress is okay.”

  “I love it. You may not get it back.”

  Laughter trickled from her. “Come and help me,” she sang, handing over some carrots and shallots.

  I found a nearby board and began chopping.

  “It’s a chicken stir fry,” Annie explained as she seared the pieces of chicken in a low pan, “and the chicken is free ran
ge, of course.” There was a distinctive glimmer in her eye. “I have my sources from a wealth of people in the area who raise their own. I couldn’t even imagine eating store bought meat now. We barter, you know, my vegies, their eggs, or in this case, some chicken.”

  “Sounds perfect,” I said. The carrot made incredibly fresh crunching noises as I sliced through it. “Even your house, it’s so restful.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  We ate on the sea-front porch, on padded swinging seats. Ahead the star-lit ocean rumbled. Throughout it all, Annie and I talked about many topics. I found the more time I spent with her the more I liked her.

  I learnt that Annie was a qualified nurse and had worked for numerous years at the large public hospital on the coast. She had become disillusioned with political agendas that, in her opinion, often weren’t in the best interests of the patients. So she left. Now, she worked in a clinic that offered alternative therapies.

  She blew a few, curly wisps from her brow. “I’ve never regretted the move,” she stated. “Where I work now, it’s about the betterment of all patients and it’s so wonderfully uplifting.”

  She placed her empty plate next to her sandal-clad feet. That’s when I noticed a striking tattoo on her ankle. I commented on it.

  She ran her small, slim fingers across it. “I love it. I love how it signifies the land and the sea. It’s so me, don’t you think?” Sleek, grey vines, spiraled from a white seashell, spreading to bold, scarlet rosebuds and emerald green leaves. It was definitely her.

  At one point, I asked her how long she had known Saul. She went quiet and simply stared ahead. I stared with her, noticing a small, intermittent light flashing along the darkened horizon. And I wondered why the odd silence?

  I thought of what Ethan had said earlier, on the hillside, questioning Saul about going to Annie’s in the first place. I thought of my own impression that Annie’s touch with Saul was a little too familiar. Something green began coloring my judgment. But about what exactly? That Saul and Annie could have once been together? Or that Annie’s karma free personality would suit Saul better than my flighty, anxious, emotionally reactive one?

  My feet began tapping.

  Annie looked at them, looked at me. “Five years,” she said, in a soulful, gracious way. “Saul and I have a remarkable friendship and that’s all it’s ever been, one I would be lost without.”

  She sounded completely genuine. I scolded my overactive imagination. “I think today has shown he’d be lost without you.”

  So engrossed was I with our conversation, that I didn’t notice how much time had passed. Not until Saul appeared, freshly dressed. I bolted to his side.

  “Mmmm,” he mumbled, as he buried his face in my hair, “you smell nice.”

  “It’s hard not to, here.” But then, so did he. “Shouldn’t you be resting?” Some color tinged his cheeks, but the dark shadows beneath his eyes were still there.

  “What I’ve been doing. Thanks to Annie’s own little blend of magic.”

  “The only way to still your mind, Saul,” Annie said, “even if just for a short while. And I guess wearing a sling….”

  “Is totally unnecessary,” Saul answered.

  “Of course, it is. What was I thinking?” Annie began collecting our plates. “By the way, Ethan rang a couple of hours ago.”

  “And?”

  “He’ll be here around two.” She grinned as she balanced the plates on one arm. “And something about whether, if he accidentally, on purpose, failed to tell Shirley that it was unsafe to stay in her home tonight and something actually happened to her, could that be misconstrued as murder?”

  Saul dropped his head as did I. Ethan was truly irredeemable.

  “I can see things haven’t changed.” Annie laughed as she stepped indoors.

  “Some days I don’t know what to do with him,” Saul said.

  I drew myself closer to him, took in the wondrous scents of Annie’s candlelit bathroom on him. “You seem better.”

  “Only because of you.” His voice got lost somewhere between my shoulder blades and the smoking skin of my breasts. Aware that Annie was somewhere near, I grudgingly pulled away. “Aren’t you hungry?”

  He laughed. “You’re not serious with that question, are you?”

  Was that lust in his voice?

  Saul grabbed my hand. “Come on, we shouldn’t be sitting here on such a brilliant night with the beach just yards away.”

  “You and Ethan aren’t planning on working tonight?”

  “Yes, we are,” he said as he led me onto the beach. We settled on the fine, cool sand, bathing in the light of the near full moon. “Ethan and I work best while things are fresh in our minds.”

  “I’ll help.”

  “I like that you want to.”

  “Hey,” I said pointing seawards, “look at that.”

  Scores of tiny waves, capturing the reflection of the fiery-colored moonlight rose. As they did, a rapid succession of flames burst alight upon their crests, extinguishing just as swiftly as the waves broke.

  “Don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.” Saul seemed similarly fascinated. He turned to me. “Come here,” he said. His eyes had hooded and something dangerous appeared in them. “For a moment… this moment, I just want a bit of you.”

  His words shot searing arrows through me. I coiled around to face him, balancing on my knees. “Are you sure? Your arm….”

  But he simply grinned and cupped my chin. And then his mouth found mine, softly at first but with each degree, it became more intense, more predatory, rousing every sexual nerve I had. My fingers gripped his hair and wrenched him closer, careful to avoid bumping his injured arm. The unexpected sound of his moan, deep and sensual, caused the spot between my thighs to constrict in slow, maddening rhythms.

  His hand caressed my face, stroked my neck until it reached my breast, the thin dress fabric barely a shield against his fingers. He massaged, he rubbed until he caught my hardened nipple between thumb and finger and squeezed. I whimpered out aloud. Crazy, hot sensations exploded in me causing the pulsations below to strengthen.

  Everything was throbbing in me now, pounding, clenching, unclenching and it was all so delicious, and all so mad.

  My moans went wild; I felt wild… fiery, wet and wild.

  Holy shit.

  Saul may have wanted a bit of me, but I now wanted the lot. I drew back, fumbled with the buttons on Saul’s shirt and yanked it open. To touch his chest, feel it ripple beneath my fingers, sent fresh swells of excitement through me. Saul used his good arm to support himself as he leaned back. I kissed him, then began slowly skating my mouth downwards, lapping the salty taste of him… his rich, masculine flavors. His heart was riotous, seriously erratic and I loved that it was.

  It made me feel powerful, unusually bold.

  My mouth slid on until they reached the top of his jeans and there my tongue slipped into slow motion, teasingly slow, as it moved along the inside of the jeans’ band. Saul groaned a long, muffled groan. I propped up a little, unfastened the button, began to pull on the zip. His good hand shot to my thigh as he straightened, grabbed the hem of the dress and yanked it to my waist. A million hungry cells shrieked in anticipation of his next move.

  And just as his fingers hooked themselves into the band of my knickers, just as I felt them slip inside, he froze.

  Shit.

  What was he doing?

  “Don’t, stop,” I struggled to say. He dropped his forehead against my own, his breath still steamy. “Saul….” I could barely hear my voice from the thunderous hammering in my ears. His hand was back on my cheek holding it a little stronger than normal, his head still resting on mine, his breathing still frenzied.

  Eventually, it slowed until it was almost back to its original pace.

  Mine, however, was not. “I want this,” I gasped.

  Saul lifted his head. “So do I.” He was so soft, I could barely make out the words.

  “I
s it your arm; have I hurt you?”

  “My arm is fine.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Not here, and not like this.”

  Why not, for heaven’s sake?

  He closed his eyes as if still readjusting. Once he reopened them, I asked him.

  He tilted his face, looking a little lost for words. “I don’t know. I just get the feeling it needs to be a little less imperfect than this. Not with me winged, you looking exhausted, and Ethan about to turn up.”

  I wondered if a part of this had to do with Annie, but I shoved the irrational thought from my head. Perhaps he was right. Tonight would be hurried, uncomfortable. Yet, in my uncontrolled blitz of passion, I was willing to sacrifice any such awkwardness. He wasn’t. “Are you for real?”

  “Probably more crazy, but yes, for real.” He bent his head, neared his lips to my ears, and murmured, “I want it to be somewhere special, somewhere perfect, for it to be perfect… like you.”

  Me? Perfect? Was he blind as well as crazy?

  “And I want all the time in the world to get to know every beautiful inch of your beautiful body… slowly.”

  Shit. Talk like that wasn’t about to settle my frenzied cravings any time soon. My heart brimmed with a different kind of emotion. To him, it was about the place, a place far from this madness, a place of our own, on our own with, much to my delight, plenty of time.

  My two hands cupped his concerned face. “You’re so beautiful. How on earth did I get so lucky?” I kissed him once more and then nestled up to him, trying to subdue the fires still burning within me. “However, Saul Reardon, your incredible self-discipline, wherever you get it from, well… it’s not normal.”

  Saul chuckled. When he spoke again, it was in a low, serious tone. “Besides, Claudia, not on our first date.”

  What?

  “Thought you’d have more respect for me.”

  Was he fricking serious? I looked up at him.

  A sly, wicked grin spread across his face, answering my question. I thumped him, fortunately for him, on his good arm. “And I would hardly call this a date,” I said.