Maltese Steel
Page 48
‘So, is this a private party or you going to share?’ Moira Kent asked, holding out her glass.
Steel smiled and poured her a drink.
‘What are you doing out here, John, thought you aristocratic types loved these things?’
‘No, that was my father’s thing if you remember, I don’t do functions. Not anymore… not after….’ Steel looked down at his glass and smiled.
‘Yes. Of course,’ the ambassador said. ‘But she would have been proud of what you did here.’ the ambassador lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Steel smiled and nodded as he looked up at the brilliant display of stars.‘She loved the stars,’ Steel said softly.
‘She loved you more, never forget that,’ the ambassador replied.
‘I’m sorry about Helen,’ Steel said. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there for your daughter, Moira. I let you down, both of you,’ Steel said, wishing he could at least shed one tear, but those had been denied him since that day.
‘You were there for her, you were right there when she needed you most – at the end,’ the ambassador said, choking back the tears. ‘What you are now is because of that day. And what you have become, is what saved so many lives. And don’t you forget that, Earl Alexander John Leonidas Steel,’ she smiled. ‘And don’t you let them forget that either – ever,’ she said before clinking Steel’s glass and downing the scotch.
‘God I hate that she told you my full name,’ Steel groaned.
‘You should be proud, you have a name of warriors – of kings,’ Moira said. ‘Now, stop being a sour puss and get your ass inside, there’s a party going on.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Steel replied before finishing off his drink and picking up the bottle. As Steel returned to the building, he found Foster in the doorway, with a smile on his face.
‘What did the boss want with you?’ Foster asked.
‘She heard you’re a great cook – I told her it was a lie,’ Steel smiled.
‘Thanks, and thanks for finding out what happened to my little girl,’ Foster said, giving Steel a big hug.
‘You used me, Foster,’ Steel said. ‘You did it for revenge, not justice. You knew what I would probably do, you put me in a bad position,’ Steel said, his voice rang with hurt and betrayal.
‘Yes – I guess you’re right. I did, and I am sorry, but I’d do it again,’ Foster spoke with a thick tone.
‘Yeah, I know you would, and I’d still probably help you,’ Steel smiled and undid the top of the bottle. Foster tossed the champagne from his glass and offered it to Steel for filling.
‘Don’t mean you can share my booze though,’ Steel said laughing.
The night continued until the early morning, and the sun rose in blazing orange. Samara found Steel sat on one of the garden chairs.
‘Hey handsome, have you been avoiding me?’ Samara asked, feeling slightly hurt.
‘No, avoiding everyone really. I just wanted some quiet for once. It’s the first quiet time I’ve had since the prison cell on the island,’ Steel joked. Samara smiled and nodded in agreement.
‘I have to admit it had been a heck of a ride,’ Samara said. ‘So, John Steel, tell me. Are all your holidays like this?’
Steel thought for a moment, paused, then nodded with a quick shrug.
‘On the whole, pretty much, yes,’ Steel said.
Samara laughed, thinking he was joking. ‘You know they want to give you a medal, don’t you?’
‘A raise would be better,’ Steel joked. ‘Want to dance?’ He stood up. Samara followed close behind.
Steel’s flight to New York was early, with a long stop off in London. Foster and Steel had said their goodbyes at the party, they had talked about getting together again soon, but Steel knew that wouldn’t happen.
Samara drove Steel to the airport. Their final goodbyes were filled with promises to stay in touch. Deep down, Samara wanted to hear from him again, but she knew she wouldn’t. But somehow, it was OK. The time they had spent together was one she would never forget.
Steel waved as he entered the terminal and watched her car disappear. He smiled and took one last look, then passed through the gate. His thoughts lay a million miles away as he walked through the security and into the boarding lounge. Steel sat and reached into his pocket and pulled out a black notebook with a diagram of a horses head embossed in the leather cover. Steel smiled as he flicked through Price’s journal that he had taken from the boat, a little something to read before his flight.
Again, he was alone. But that was fine…he preferred it that way.
A Year Later
A crisp, refreshing breeze brushed across the hillside of the Azure Window. The early morning had seen a perfect sunrise in a clear sky. A woman stood on the top and looked out across the expanse of water and sky.
She could feel it was going to be a warm day later. She breathed in and closed her eyes. Letting the sounds of uninterrupted nature fill her ears. Soon the crowds would come and spoil the moment.
But she had waited.
And she had been rewarded with the silence of the moment.
The woman opened her eyes and softly let the breath leave her mouth. She turned to see a figure stood at the edge. She could have sworn he hadn’t been there before. He was tall, but his face was covered by the hood of his long coat. It was a strange design, with a wool body with leather arms. The bottom of the coat was carried up by the wind. Causing to flap like a flag in the breeze. She saw a pair of black trousers and some kind of military-style shoe.
The woman walked over to the figure.
‘Hello,’ she greeted the stranger.
‘Good morning,’ replied the stranger. The woman noticed the man was holding a bouquet of flowers with white lilies and blue roses. She drew closer and saw his eyes were covered by a pair of face-hugging sunglasses.
‘Meeting a girl, are we?’ the woman asked.
‘No – they’re for someone – someone I lost. A girl who died on here some time ago,’ the figure replied.
‘You don’t mean that poor girl who was found washed up in the Blue Hole do you, poor thing?’ the woman said. Shaking her head at the thought of the story. ‘She was murdered you know, they never did catch who did it though,’ the woman said, almost saddened there wasn’t more to tell about it.
The figure smelled the flowers, and then tossed them into the crashing waves below. Then the man turned and left.
The woman turned towards the man and watched him climb into a black Land Rover and drove off.
The woman looked down at the flowers being consumed by the waves. She smiled at the man’s gesture. Thinking how sweet it had been. She closed her eyes again. And went through the same ritual as before.
She breathed in and listened. But this time, instead of the sound of the wind, she thought she could hear something else…music. It was quiet, possibly distant or – small. It reminded her of an old music box her mother once had.
The woman opened her eyes in time to see a tall thin man climb into the back of a taxi –his features hidden underneath a large fedora. The woman shuddered, almost as if death had just walked passed.
She looked back over the ocean and watched as the sun loomed out of the horizon.
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