Evidence of Love

by Elisabeth Rose

  ‘Can I have a gewaffe?’

  She grinned. ‘What about a kitten instead?’

  He nodded enthusiastically. ‘A black one. Can we have a kitten?’

  ‘I think we probably can.’

  ‘Can we get one today?’

  ‘Not today. We have to find out where we can get one first and we might have to ask Ellie to take us in her car.’

  ‘Ellie can have a kitten too.’

  ‘She might like a kitten. Want to do some drawing?’

  Lara collected the paper and pencils from the drawer. Her sketch of Petey lay on top. Nick thought she had talent but he was probably being polite. He wouldn’t know the first thing about art. She didn’t know much either beyond that she loved to draw, but she did know she lacked the skills to go beyond a certain level. Her art training had stopped when she left high school. Maybe she should take an art course.

  She gave Petey a fresh piece of paper and the coloured pencils. ‘Let’s draw a kitten,’ she said.

  The screen door opened with a scrape of metal on frame. Two sets of feet or one?

  Brooke appeared, closely followed by Nick. Petey looked up. ‘Do you want apple juice? We’re having apple juice.’

  ‘That would be lovely, Petey, thank you. Would you like some juice, Detective?’

  ‘No thanks. I should be getting back.’ His eyes sought Lara’s briefly then flicked away, professional and cool, but in the moment of contact something else lurked she’d never seen before. Suspicion. Doubt.

  ‘Can we finish the tory, Booke?’

  ‘Of course. I’ll get my drink first then we can start again at the beginning.’ Brooke went to the fridge.

  Lara stood up. ‘I’ll see you out,’ she said to Nick.

  ‘It’s all right, I know the way.’ Already heading for the door. But she followed him anyway. Didn’t she have a right to know if progress was being made? She had a stake in this business.

  ‘Did you discover anything new?’ she asked his back as he strode along the corridor.

  He stopped but didn’t turn. ‘Maybe.’

  She exhaled noisily. Did he have to be so cagey? He drew in a breath then stepped forward and opened the front door. A wave of overheated air crammed into the hallway.

  Annoyance boiled over. ‘Why won’t you tell me anything?’ She added in a furious undertone, ‘That’s so typical.’

  He faced her then, anger tightening his jaw. ‘I’ll tell you one thing, Lara. Brooke told me someone came to see her in hospital. She didn’t know who it was of course but you do, don’t you?’

  Surprise jolted her head back. Her eyes clashed with his. ‘Me? Why would I know? I thought you monitored everyone who saw her.’

  ‘This man was a patient too and he said he was your brother.’

  Ivan! How the hell did he find out…even as she thought it the answer came to her. Branko. He knew Lara was helping the police, he knew it was about a girl who’d been attacked and it wouldn’t take them long to find Brooke in the same hospital. They were masters of eliciting information. Probably had contacts in the hospital, people they could pressure for information.

  It would take Nick two seconds to make that connection. Lara — Branko — Brooke.

  Lara swallowed, kept her voice steady with superhuman control. She was giving nothing to this man. The expression on his face was all too familiar. ‘I haven’t seen any of my family for more than two years.’

  ‘So you’re telling me you don’t know anything about this person claiming to be your brother?’ His eyes searched hers. He didn’t believe her. Cops never did believe. Suspicion was their default position.

  She held his gaze, shook her head. She was expert at this. Trained from birth. Keep your mouth shut. Stonewalling Nick wouldn’t help though. Not now. She’d let him get too close, too personal, and this suspicion hurt on an unexpected level.

  ‘Would he have anything to do with your friend Branko?’

  ‘I don’t see why or how.’

  ‘How else would anyone know your connection with Brooke? It seems rather a coincidence.’

  ‘Branko didn’t know her name but lots of people do know,’ she said. ‘Nurses, doctors…police.’ Her lip curled on the last word.

  ‘I doubt any of them were involved with passing on information.’

  ‘Why?’ She stared into his face, daring him to answer with the obvious response. Those professions were above suspicion whereas she and her slimy friend Branko… ‘You can’t keep tabs on everyone in a hospital.’

  ‘Why would he claim to be your brother?’

  She shrugged.

  Nick’s lips tightened, a muscle twitched in his cheek.

  ‘Maybe he was the attacker pretending to be a patient.’ She let the suggestion lie on the floor between them. He ignored it. His eyes bored into hers.

  ‘I don’t want Brooke involved in any of your problems.’

  What sort of irresponsible monster did he think she was? Indignation melded with her simmering anger but she forced a semblance of civility. ‘Neither do I. Did she describe him?’

  ‘Dark hair, dark eyes, tall.’ He added grudgingly, ‘Good-looking.’

  ‘Not Branko then,’ she murmured spontaneously. He didn’t give the slightest hint of a smile. Definitely Ivan. All the looks and charm of Dorian Gray disguising the same rotten soul. How long would it take him to find out where she lived? ‘Do they know my address at the hospital?’

  ‘Not unless you’ve told someone.’

  ‘No.’

  Nick stepped out onto the porch letting the outer door close behind him. He hesitated then turned, his expression obscured by the flyscreen. ‘My offer still stands, Lara. Any sign of trouble, call me.’ The annoyance hadn’t left his voice, nor the suspicion, despite the softer tone. He made her sound like a problem, someone he had to offer to assist when he’d rather not be bothered.

  ‘There won’t be.’

  She closed the front door against the heat and Nick, and leaned against it, whole body trembling, light-headed with fear and adrenalin. My God! Ivan would find her and her new safe, clean life as Lara Moore would be over. He’d drag her back into that horrible world he inhabited and manipulate her into assisting him in whatever filthy dealings he had going on here in Sydney. Her parents would lay claim to Petey as their grandson and expose him to the same twisted upbringing they’d given her and her brothers.

  But! There was always the slimmest of slim chances he didn’t know where she lived. Lara pushed herself upright and marched to the kitchen to discover exactly what Brooke had told her brother.

  The story reading was back in action on the rug in the garden. Lara slumped onto one of her two outdoor chairs, leaned back and closed her eyes while she waited. Brooke’s voice was soothing; Petey was rapt, not uttering a word. She’d found the way to his heart, that was for sure.

  Nick was so quick to suspect her, all based on that encounter with Branko. He didn’t trust her, that was the bottom line. Guilty by association as usual. Damn Branko, and damn Ivan for deliberately poking his nose where it had no business. Why would he want to contact her now after years of silence? He’d never paid any attention to her well-being before. Not when she really needed his interference. He must have known Tony bashed her and he didn’t care. Probably thought she deserved it. He’d abandoned her as had they all.

  And now Nick, a man she had begun to think was a little bit more reliable and honest than the average cop turns out not to be after all. All the kind gestures and pleasantries were superficial. Just him doing his job. Using her to try to get information from Brooke and now he’d be trying to use her to get at Ivan.

  The story ended.

  ‘Again,’ ordered Petey.

  ‘What about a different one? We’ve had this three times.’

  Only three? Lara smiled, eyes still closed. She didn’t need to look to see the earnest little face and know his response.

  ‘It’s my bestest one.’

  ‘Bring some mo
re books, Petey. I want to see which is my bestest one.’

  ‘I’ll get lots.’

  Her eyes flicked open and to Lara’s astonishment Petey jumped to his feet and scampered inside.

  ‘Gosh, that was impressive,’ she said. ‘I read that book seven times straight once.’

  ‘He’s such a darling.’ A tiny smile played on her lips as she watched him running across the grass.

  ‘Yes, he is. Brooke, why didn’t you tell me about your visitor? The man who said he was my brother?’

  The smile died. ‘Oh! I’m sorry. I forgot all about him until just now talking to the detective. It was yesterday evening. He only stayed a few minutes and then the doctor came in. He left and I was distracted. I forget things easily.’ She hooked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He said a friend of his told him his sister had helped me — you’d met him —Branko?’ Lara nodded. ‘— a few days ago by chance in the foyer and had coffee.’ How innocently jolly Ivan made that sound. ‘He said he was bored but he wasn’t allowed home yet so he went for a walk and decided to visit me and say hello and see how I was doing.’ A tentative smile wobbled on her mouth. ‘Was that wrong? Isn’t he your brother? He seemed very nice. He looks like you. You have the same eyes.’

  Lara shook her head. ‘Not a problem, Brooke. Did he tell you his name? I have three brothers.’

  ‘John.’

  ‘Right.’ One of Ivan’s range of handy aliases. No last name offered, of course. ‘I haven’t seen any of my family for years. We had a falling out when I got married.’

  ‘Didn’t they want you to marry?’

  ‘It’s more complicated than that. Did you tell him anything about me?’

  ‘No. Only that you were very kind and I was grateful to you for saving my life. He said the family had always been proud of you.’ Anxiety was creeping into the tone, the blue eyes widening in apprehension of some inadvertent wrongdoing.

  ‘You didn’t tell him where I live?’ What a lying bastard.

  ‘No. I didn’t know where you lived until you brought me here.’

  The back door banged and Petey struggled out with two arms full of slipping, sliding books.

  ‘Wait a minute, sweetie.’ Lara went to help him before he or his bundle crashed down the steps. It sounded as though they were safe for the time being unless Ivan persisted with his search. If he did she had no doubt he’d track her down. As it was he may have been doing what he said — filling in time because he was bored, with no intention of following up. Idle curiosity about his less than interesting little sister.

  The stifling weight of dread lessened slightly.

  ***

  After dinner Lara sat with Brooke In the family room. The back door was open and the windows pushed wide to let in the cooler evening air. Petey had finally succumbed to sleep an hour later than usual due to a combination of excitement over their visitor and the stuffiness of his bedroom.

  ‘You must be tired,’ said Lara.

  ‘A bit but it’ll be difficult to sleep in this heat. It’s early isn’t it, to be so hot? We’ve three weeks of spring left.’

  ‘Yes. The weather’s crazy lately. I hope your bedroom is okay. I haven’t slept up there. The stairs aren’t good with Petey.’

  ‘It’s lovely. Don’t worry.’

  ‘Could you remember anything new for Detective Lawson?’

  Brooke frowned. ‘He said they think I was internet dating.’

  ‘Do you?’ Surely she’d know if that were the case.

  ‘I don’t know. I could have been but I don’t have a computer so they can’t track anything. I use my iPhone and that’s disappeared.’

  ‘He must have taken it.’

  ‘But can’t you remember setting up a date?’

  ‘No. Everything about that day after I left work in the afternoon is hazy.’

  ‘You’d remember you were going out that night if you remember the morning. I suppose you could have fixed up a date only a few hours beforehand.’

  ‘That’s what they think but I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Jasmine, and I would have told her.’

  ‘Do you remember her now?’

  ‘Yes. She’s not a close friend but we talk about dates and men and stuff at work.’

  Lara nodded. Was Brooke telling the truth about all this or was she covering up an act of supreme stupidity on her part by meeting a stranger alone in a bar and not telling anyone where she was going? It all sounded peculiar and the loss of memory rather conveniently precise.

  ‘Do you have any other friends in Sydney?’

  ‘Not really. It’s hard to meet people in the city. I just go to work and home again.’

  ‘I suppose you have to join some sort of club or something to meet people. Or take a course. I’m thinking of doing an art course.’

  ‘Are you?’

  Spoken out loud it immediately became fact. ‘Yes. I’ve always liked drawing but never had the opportunity to do more study after I left school.’

  The truth was it hadn’t occurred to her she could until Nick suggested it. She’d never thought she could do anything about improving her mind or herself beyond physically pounding along the waterfront. Nick took it for granted that she could do anything she liked or wanted. He took it for granted she had the intelligence and the ability. No-one had ever thought that about her before, not even she herself.

  ‘Do you have any drawings I can see?’

  ‘Oh…um.’ Heat which had nothing to do with the ambient temperature, crept up Lara’s neck. ‘I really only draw with Petey. Nothing serious.’

  ‘Please.’

  Lara went to the basket where the pencils and scrap paper were stored. ‘We drew kittens.’

  She handed Brooke the pile of artworks and went to the kitchen for a glass of chilled water while she perused them. How silly to be nervous. Brooke was eighteen and knew nothing about art. Deep down though, the fact was Brooke and Nick were the only people to see her artistic attempts which made them her first critics. Anyone viewing her drawings immediately became a critic. It was like having someone scrutinise her soul.

  ‘Wow, these are great! I love this one.’ She held up a piece of paper.

  ‘Really?’ Lara took a step closer, heart suddenly thumping harder at the admiration in Brooke’s voice. Then she laughed. Brooke was holding up one of Petey’s pictures. A black scribble with four wild, stick like legs and a long tail.

  ‘I don’t think I’ve got to yours yet.’ She shuffled more pages. ‘Aha! Kittens. So cute. They’re very good.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Oh my!’ This time she held up the drawing of Petey Nick had admired. ‘This really is fantastic. You’ve captured his little face perfectly. His innocence. Wow, Lara! You’re really, really good.’

  ‘Do you think so?’

  ‘Yes.’

  The decisiveness in her reply was like a soothing hand on a hot brow. No matter Brooke was an innocent teenager from a country town and not an art aficionado, she liked what she saw. Lara couldn’t prevent the smile stretching her mouth.

  ‘Nick — Detective Lawson liked it too.’

  Brooke’s head snapped from the drawing to Lara. ‘Nick?’ A slow, sly smile spread across her face. ‘And when did Nick have the privilege of viewing your art?’ She emphasised the name just enough to make her point.

  Lara stiffened and said in an ultra casual manner, ‘We’d been drawing when he came to ask me some questions.’

  ‘Nick?’ Brooke tilted her head, not letting up.

  ‘That’s his name.’

  ‘Do you like him?’

  ‘As much as I like any police.’ Lara plonked the glass on the counter and turned her back. She straightened the toaster and wiped it down with the green sponge from the sink.

  Brooke came and leant on the bench. ‘Why don’t you like the police?’

  ‘In my experience they can’t be trusted.’ She swiped the sponge across
the clean bench top.

  ‘Really?’ Innocent and naïve, Brooke’s voice rose in surprise.

  Lara replaced the sponge, licked her lips and faced her. ‘Nick seems okay though.’ No response beyond a small, puzzled frown. She tried again. ‘He’s genuinely trying to catch this man.’

  ‘Of course, he is. Why wouldn’t he be? That’s what the police are for. To catch criminals.’ Brooke shook her head. ‘I don’t understand what — ’

  Lara flapped a hand dismissively. ‘I’m sorry, don’t worry about it. It’s my problem, nothing to do with you.’ She pasted on a bright smile. ‘Time for bed. Petey gets up at dawn these days.’

  ‘Oh my goodness. I haven’t been up at dawn since I was about twelve at a school camp.’

  ‘I don’t remember sleeping much at all at school camp, but I’ve seen more dawns since I had Petey than in my whole life before that.’

  ‘Didn’t he sleep as a baby?’

  ‘Not much. He’s fine now though. Anyway you won’t hear us while you’re upstairs. Come down in the morning when you’re ready.’

  Lara locked the back door and secured the windows. Brooke headed for the stairs but when Lara turned out the kitchen lights on the way to her bedroom she was waiting on the bottom step.

  ‘Goodnight. And thanks again.’ She hesitated biting her lip. ‘I’m glad I’m not alone at night…’ The wide-eyed look she sent Lara was full of fear. ‘I have nightmares. I hope I don’t wake you… ’

  ‘Don’t worry if you do. I’m used to getting up with Petey.’ Lara squeezed the hand resting on the stair rail. ‘Sleep well.’

  But Lara lay awake for hours with all manner of things tumbling through her head, from Nick to Brooke and her problems to Branko and Ivan to Nick to how hot it was and back to Nick and why he was so distant. How she liked his smile and the way he looked at her when he didn’t think she’d notice. At those times his expression was almost one of wonder, awe, although why that should be she had no idea. There was nothing awe-inspiring about her at all.

  He barely knew her and vice versa but sometimes his eyes hooked onto hers and lingered with a puzzling depth, delving into her mind. There wasn’t much there, she could tell him that for a fact. But at other times, today, he looked at her as though he wondered if she were trustworthy, as though she were a complete stranger. She could thank Ivan for that.