"Marie!" the voice on my phone said firmly. "Where's Pierce?"
"Beside me, driving the car," I replied, not too surprised that the person Pierce made me call knew he'd be with me, but considering the circumstances, I was surprised I could reason that out.
"Can I talk to him?" the guy asked.
"He's talking to Comms." Whoever Comms is.
"Where's Ben?"
Shit. I'd forgotten Ben was tailing us, and all of a sudden my stomach left me and sweat formed on my brow.
"I'm not sure," I said, feeling the weight of every word.
"Then tell me what's happening, Marie," the guy asked, his voice sounding calmer than it should have been, as though he'd flicked a switch and cut himself off from his emotions in order to deal with what was happening right now. "You've left your house?"
"Yeah, we're on K Road now, being chased by a Ford Territory and half the police force."
"OK," the guy said, tapping away on his keyboard and murmuring something to someone off the line. "Hang tight, sweetheart. And tell Pierce we've got Jason on the way to check on Ben."
I turned to Pierce, tears stinging my eyes at the reason why I had to convey this message.
"The guy says Jason is going to check on Ben," I said in a trembling voice.
Pierce nodded, and flashed me a small, understanding smile.
"He'll be fine," he whispered. But I wasn't sure if he was reassuring me or himself.
"Have you been hurt?" the guy on the phone asked.
"No," I said, as unbidden tears started trickling down my cheeks.
What if Ben was hurt? Like the uniformed policeman was obviously hurt. I hadn't see him, Pierce had made sure I didn't look as we passed his car. But if the cop was injured, and Ben was nowhere to be seen, was he hurt too?
I'd only just met the big, gruff Māori man and his woman, but I felt like they were friends already. Good people, nice people. Fun people. People I could come to love given time.
And what had Pierce said, "They'd lay down their lives, if need be."
Oh, God. Please let him be OK.
"Marie, you still with me?" the guy asked. I nodded, then realised he couldn't see me.
"Yep," I whispered, looking at a determined Pierce and then the world flashing by as we passed the motorway on-ramp at Symonds Street. I wondered why we didn't just get on there, take the chase away from the streets and innocent bystanders. But Pierce seemed to know what he was doing, still talking non-stop to Comms, which I gathered was short for Police Communications, where they'd coordinate their staff.
"My name's Eric," the guy on the phone said out of nowhere.
"Oh," I replied. "In ASI control."
"That's the one," he said, sounding like he was smiling. "My reputation precedes me then, I see."
A very small huff of laughter escaped me, which I tamped down considering the situation we were in and Ben's possible plight.
"Has that person found Ben yet?" I asked.
"Almost there, sweetheart," Eric said. "How are you holding up?"
Not good. The car was jerking from side to side, the Territory's tyres were squealing and engine roaring, as it sped up and tried to bump us again and again.
That driver just would not give up.
Then Pierce would dodge to the left, swing us out of the maniac's path, make my shoulder connect with the side pillar of the car, or my neck wrench painfully the wrong way. And every time my breath would get pushed out in a rush. Leaving me panting, and sweating, and freaking the fuck out. I felt overwhelmed and under-protected, and yet all I could think of was Ben.
"Please let him be OK," I whispered. "Please let him be OK."
"What's that, Marie?" Eric asked. I hadn't realised I'd said that aloud.
"Ben," I whispered again, and heard Eric suck in a surprised breath of air.
When he'd gotten himself under control, he said, "Where are you now?"
"New North Road," I answered automatically.
A fraction of a pause as he tapped on his keyboard.
Then suddenly, "Jason's made it on site." Eric sounded just as eager as I was to make sure Ben was OK.
How could I face Abi if he was not?
"HOLD ON!" Pierce shouted, breaking my train of thought, making me open my eyes abruptly at his volume and tone. I hadn't realised I'd shut them, praying for Ben to be all right.
But as our vehicle became airborne, and the world started to spin in a tumble drying wash of different colours. And my head connected surprisingly painfully with a side airbag, as the metal of the car groaned, and the loud pop and hiss of further airbags inflating sounded out all around us. I realised it shouldn't have just been for Ben that I prayed.
But also for us.
"They've found him," I heard Eric's strained voice say down the line, realising despite the car having made a complete three-sixty once already, I was still grasping my cellphone tightly to my ear.
I wanted to ask if Ben was OK. I wanted to understand the tone of panic I heard in Eric's voice. But all that came out was a scream, as Pierce threw himself over my body, wrapped his arms around my head and frame, and the world turned to utter chaos.
Loud.
Ear-splitting.
Chaos.
And then went completely dark.
Chapter 12
And All He'd Ever Get From Me
"Daisy, Daisy. Give me your answer, do."
Sirens. The creak and groan of bending metal. The scrape of gravel and the shattering of glass. The burning smell of rubber.
"I'm half crazy all for the love of you."
Loud shouts and the tick of a cooling engine. The thud of heavy boots and the feel of cool fingers against skin. Restriction. Too small a space. Tight.
Pain and a burst of light.
"It won't be a stylish marriage."
The shudder of machinery and the too close sound of a pneumatic type drill.
"I can't afford the carriage."
Movement. Voices. Hands everywhere. Sharp stabs of pain and a dull ache behind the eyes. The press of something hard and flat against the back. Suffocation. Can't reach the source at the neck.
"But you'll look sweet upon the seat."
More voices, flashes of light, cold air. Slamming doors. Movement.
"Stay with me, Marie. Hang in there."
Beeps, rushing noises, the squeak of a rubber soled shoe. Lights.
Darkness.
"Come on, Tiger. Come back!"
Darkness.
Darkness.
Darkness.
"Of a bicycle built for two."
Ryan's voice.
***
I woke with a start.
Daisy.
I blinked open my eyes, felt the too exuberant thud of my heart in my chest, and struggled for breath. It was only when the room coalesced around me, that my body's frantic reaction started to quieten. I was in bed, at Abi's. I'd expected to be at the hospital still. That's where the ambulance had taken me, I was sure. I remembered the crash. Pierce throwing himself over my body to protect me. The sounds of metal crumbling, gravel scraping, and glass shattering. The shouts from the emergency services as they secured the scene. The smells; petrol, burnt rubber, tarseal. Blood.
I know they had to cut us out of the vehicle. I shuddered at the recollection of the Fire Service using their 'jaws of life'. I know the paramedics put a neck brace on me and placed me on a hard backboard. I know there was electronic beeping at the hospital ward, but it was quieter than the crash site.
But I didn't know how I got here.
I looked around the room, noting the closed curtains which were lit behind by bright sunlight. And Genevieve from Sweet Seduction sitting in a chair.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, which pulled at something on my cheek. Reaching up, I noticed my hand shook, but whatever I'd tugged at was under gauze bandaging. I was going with stitches. Great.
"You're awake," Gen said, putting her book down and coming over to the side of
my bed. "Thirsty?"
I nodded, unsure if I could talk yet.
Gen helped me sit up and held a glass to my lips for me to drink. She fluffed the pillows afterwards, and helped lay me back down, slightly more elevated than before.
"Where's Daisy?" I asked, now that my throat wasn't as parched as before.
"Kelly's entertaining her. I think they're colouring in penguins in the spare room."
"She's OK?" Meaning, is she OK with her mother lying unconscious in the next room.
Gen nodded. "Freaked a little. But because she could come in and check on you whenever she felt the need, I think it settled some of those fears. Pierce told her you were just sleeping. That helped too."
I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure if the tightening in my belly was because I now knew Pierce was OK and I was relieved, or because I was angry he'd been talking to my daughter and I hadn't.
Gen studied me for a moment, her hand absently rubbing her lower stomach in a soothing circular motion. The silence stretched a little uncomfortably between us, then both of us started talking at once.
"How's Ben?" I asked as she said, "He sang to Daisy while they sat with you."
"What?" I asked, as she replied, "Beat up, pissed off, but fine."
I took a deep breath in. OK. The fact that it had been Pierce's voice singing Daisy Bell that I'd heard was irrelevant right now. Or at least, a little too much for me to contemplate right now. I needed to concentrate on the important issues.
"So, what happened to Ben?" I asked, sitting myself up a little further. I ached all over, but it wasn't excruciating. Just a stiffness from lying in bed and what looked like a day's worth of bruises.
"He was caught off guard," Gen said, returning to her seat and stretching her legs out. "Something Mr Ben Tamati is not particularly familiar with. One knock to the head and he was out. We're not sure if it was McLaren's man; the guy who tried to run you off the road, or if there's more than one player involved now."
I let a long breath of air out and ran a hand through my hair.
"Thank God he's OK," was all I could think of to say.
"Abi was pissed at Pierce," Gen offered, fingering the book on the table next to her distractedly.
I frowned. If she was pissed off at Pierce, she'd be pissed off at me.
I struggled to a sitting position, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
"Hey!" Gen chastised gently. "You should take it easy. Honestly, speaking from experience, that first step outta bed after a near fatal incident is hell on your equilibrium."
I swung my gaze back to the slim, super model blonde, wondering just what she'd been through to speak from experience.
"I'll take it slowly," I assured her.
"Do you want me to get Pierce?" she asked, stunning me immobile for a moment.
"Why the hell would I want you to do that?"
"Um," was all she managed to say at first. "Well, you know, he's your man, and all."
I blinked. Just how long had I been out and what had happened while I was?
I shook my head. Regretted the movement immediately. And said, "Ah, no. He's not."
Gen nibbled on her bottom lip delicately and stared at me for a second, then offered a small knowing smile.
"It took me a while to get it too," she admitted, but didn't make any sense at all. "I fought it, of course. I mean, how can they be so sure after so short an amount of time? It's the stuff of fantasy novels, isn't it? But eventually, with their determination and dogged pursuit, you start to see it. There'll be hurdles and crossroads, and all sorts of things springing up in your way, but although they'll tell you it's best to just go with the flow, I'm from the school of 'make 'em work for it.' Believe me when I say, it is so worth it in the end. And my mother always said, 'you've gotta make 'em work for it, Genevieve'." She laughed at herself, or her mother, I couldn't tell, and then added, "I sure as hell made Dominic work for it, anyway. You should make Pierce work for it too."
My mouth was hanging open a little, as I stared at the creature before me. What had she just said? Silence met the end of her speech, but I don't think Gen noticed it, or felt uncomfortable because of it. It was as though she was used to talking and having people stare at her in disbelief when she was done. She didn't looked fazed at all by my reaction. Just offered a shrug and a smile and started towards my side of the bed to help.
Before she made it, Kelly appeared in the doorway.
"Groovy. She lives." She took a look at my face, then flicked a glance to Gen's, then sighed. "You been running off at the mouth again, Genny-Benny?"
"Maybe," Gen said a little slowly. "You come to help?"
"Yeah. Everyone's in the kitchen and I thought I'd check on the invalid before dealing with the clusterfuck that's about to go down out there."
"Clusterfuck?" I asked.
Kelly rolled her eyes. "Abi's pissed off at Pierce. Ben's pissed off with everyone. Adam's trying to cool it all down. Nick's pissed off with Adam's attempt at civility. Pierce isn't saying a word, just standing there with beefy arms crossed over all that chest and scowling. Jason's stirring shit, because he's Jason. And Stone's just trying to eat all the doughnuts and finish his coffee before he's called back on the road."
I blinked, as Gen laughed uproariously. "Gotta love 'em."
"Yeah well," Kelly said, "now that Marie's awake, she can referee."
"Why would I referee?"
"Because your boy is about to be fed to the wolves, and by the way he's been looking after you and Daisy, and storming about like the world's about to come crashing down if you don't wake up any time soon, he deserves someone in his corner. And no one listens to me."
"Yeah they do," Gen said cajolingly.
Kelly snorted. "No. Marie, you have to get in there and save Pierce's arse."
"Why?"
Both women stared at me as if I was mad.
"Because he's yours, sweet pea," Kelly said. "Whether you know it yet or not."
They were all mental. But I did want to find out what was going on. At the very least, find out what Abi and Ben had to say. They were the ones directly affected by what had happened. I owed it to them to bear witness to their anger.
I also wanted to check on Daisy, to reassure her that I was all right. Plus I needed to get dressed into something else. I was still in a hospital gown, my teeth felt fuzzy and I needed a shower. The shower would have to wait, but I crossed carefully to the bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth, splashed water on my face, and went to the loo. Then returned to the bedroom, where Kelly and Gen were in quiet discussion, the words of which I couldn't quite hear.
They stopped talking when I walked in, Kelly pointing to some clean clothes at the end of the bed.
"Abs washed your gear from home. She thought, after what Pierce described, that you'd feel better knowing it had all been laundered."
I sucked in a startled breath and blinked repeatedly for fear Abi's kind actions would make me cry.
"How long was I out?" I asked to distract myself, as I began dressing, uncaring that I had an audience. I had too much to do to insist on privacy, and beside, I was kind of getting used to these women's constant need to be near, to help, to befriend. I was even beginning to like it.
"A few hours in the hospital, half a day here," Gen said.
"How did I get released from the hospital?" I was stunned they'd let me out so soon.
"Your tests all came back clear," Gen explained, but didn't go on.
"So?"
"Pierce," Kelly offered, not needing to say anything else.
"He thought I'd be safer here," I surmised.
"He knew Daisy needed to be near you, and moving her to the hospital was more dangerous than having you recuperate here under surveillance. The doctors were convinced you'd fully wake up soon anyway, you kinda did a couple of times, but Pierce still had to sign over your care, relinquishing them from liability."
Again I wasn't sure how to react to Pierce's behaviour. He'd used hi
s body to protect me in the crash. He'd sat with me, singing to Daisy, as I recovered. He was taking crap from his friends and colleagues, because of me, in the kitchen right now. And he'd made sure my daughter had her mother, even if her mother was out cold, at great professional and legal risk to himself.
I wanted to not feel anything other than gratitude for Pierce. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling more.
"Ready?" Kelly said, once I was dressed.
"Can I check on Daisy first?"
"Of course. Eva's with her," Gen announced.
"Eva?" Where did all these people come from?
"Nick's fiancée. My sister-in-law to be," Gen explained.
"Who's Nick again?" I asked, frowning to myself as I followed them out the door.
"Owns and runs ASI," Kelly supplied, making the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place.
We found Daisy and Eva in the penguin room. The mural was almost complete, I'd say just a few more touches and it would be done. Three penguins huddled together at one end, a floating behemoth iceberg and storm tossed sea in the centre, and the 'King' of King Penguins standing alone at the other end of the wall. It was quite simply fantastic.
Daisy and Eva both sat on canvas deck chairs, in the middle of the barren room. Daisy was in clothes from home, which Abi had obviously washed. Listening to a cowgirl singing while she strummed a guitar. The scene was so unexpected I stood stock still just inside the room and watched. Eva had noticed I'd walked in, but finished her Country song off with a flourish, before getting Daisy's attention, by nodding towards me.
At the sight of the beautiful beaming smile that met me, the tears fell. Silent and sweet. She launched herself out of her chair and flew into my outstretched arms. Her grip was so tight I felt it in every ache and bruise all over my body. But there was no way I'd ever let her know. I held her for a long, long time. Eyes closed, nose buried in her hair, two hearts beating in tandem.
"Daisy," I whispered, eventually.
Then she launched into an excited description of her past day. Which included painting, baking, watching TV and singing Country music with Eva; her new best friend. I offered a smile to the cowgirl, who tipped her hat and smiled back, absently strumming a few chords on her guitar.
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