Evidence of Love

by Elisabeth Rose

  He made more noncommittal soothing promise noises until the chief rumbling and grumbling like a bear, disappeared back into his own lair to calm down.

  ‘Where did he see a media report?’ he asked Marie.

  ‘Internet,’ put in Rob.

  ‘Anything in it?’

  ‘No. Speculation and innuendo. Nothing else.’ She gave him the site. One of the lesser outlets. Just as she’d said. Nothing to give anyone an ulcer except the chief. And Susanna Djokovic. How likely was she to read that and how likely was it that a major network would pick it up? If nothing much was happening, maybe. But it was old news and of more interest in Melbourne.

  ‘I wonder who would want to smear Djokovic’s name.’

  Marie laughed. ‘I think he’s already done that himself.’

  ‘He’s trying to go straight and I believe him but I think his old mate Branko was trying to involve him in something he didn’t want to be involved in.’

  ‘Drugs?’

  ‘Yes, what else?’

  ‘Branko or Lucas could have talked I suppose,’ said Rob. ‘But I don’t know why.’

  ‘I don’t think Lucas would need much reason beyond being thwarted in the plans for world domination but Ivan said something last night when we were talking about the Garrett attack. He said, “Revenge is a very strong motive.” Maybe he’d told Branko to clear off once and for all.’

  ‘Hmm. Anyway. That’s all academic. They’re finished. We need to look elsewhere for our attackers.’ Rob drained his coffee and tossed the empty container into the bin.

  ‘Yes. What have you got? Start with relatives then boyfriends.’

  ‘Girl number two, Jenny Good, has two brothers. Very angry at the time, I remember, and they were with her when she came for the ID.’

  ‘Have you spoken to the brothers Good?’

  ‘They’re out of town. On holiday.’

  ‘Are they likely?’

  ‘Could be. They’d be just as angry as the rest of us when he was let out on bail. The first girl only has a mother living in Adelaide and the third girl has teenage sisters and one brother. Claire talked to them yesterday but all have alibis.’

  ‘Convenient holiday for the brothers Good. Especially if they have a bruise or two. Find them.’

  ‘They left a few days before the attack,’ Rob said.

  ‘Who says?’

  ‘Jenny.’

  ‘I think we need to have a chat. Where are they?’

  ‘Surfing up north.’

  ‘Get onto the local police and ask Jenny a few more questions of the probing variety.’

  When they’d left on their various missions Nick picked up the phone to call Lara, then thought he’d wait until lunchtime so he could phone her from somewhere more private. He still hadn’t rung Jim Kershaw about that undercover boyfriend of hers. He dialled swiftly while the office was empty. The man picked up almost immediately.

  ‘Kershaw,’ he barked.

  Nick did a quick introduction and outlined his query. Kershaw didn’t sound like a man who liked to foxtrot about with the courtesies.

  ‘Cam Rogers.’

  ‘Yes. I just need to know if he’s alive or dead.’

  ‘For a case you’re working on now?’

  ‘Yes. It’s more to do with Petrovic’s widow.’

  ‘Maja. She was a sad case, that one. Lass was in way over her head and treated like dirt. How is she?’

  ‘She’s doing well.’ Even better now that scum Lucas was locked up. ‘She changed her name and has a son she’s trying to bring up the right way. Succeeding too. She has this thing hanging over her, though. Rogers used her and he left without a word. She doesn’t know if her husband had him killed and it’s eating her up.’

  There was a lengthy silence and then Kershaw said. ‘He’s alive. He was pulled out on an anonymous tip-off.’

  ‘Petrovic had put a hit out on him.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Where is he now?’

  ‘No idea. I’m out of the loop. He was taken out of circulation though. He didn’t handle the case well at all. Fell for the wife and nearly got himself killed for nothing.’

  Nick swallowed. ‘For nothing?’ Fell for?

  ‘He didn’t learn anything from Petrovic or his gang. Too cocky and not focussed on the job. Distracted by the girl.’

  ‘Right. Okay thanks for the information.’ Did that describe himself? Look what he’d been up to last night for that girl. He was lucky Steve was so keen to nail Lucas that he was happy to turn a blind eye to Nick’s unofficial involvement.

  ‘Is that all you wanted to know?’

  ‘Unless you can give me his real name.’

  Another long pause. Nick was sure he was going to refuse but he said, ‘You didn’t get this from me. Adrian Temby.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Too late, Kershaw had rung off.

  Adrian Temby who had fallen for Lara as hard as she had fallen for him, to the point where it compromised his work. And who had given the anonymous tip-off? He’d have been interested in Kershaw’s guess. Could it have been Lara?

  Nick stared at his computer screen then punched a few keys and found the right programme. He typed the name into the database and waited. Temby might have left the force. Temby might have left the country. Temby could be anywhere.

  The results flashed onscreen. Temby was working in Geelong. Not far from where he’d started out in Melbourne. He wasn’t in the drug squad or special operations, he was on general duties. His ID photo showed a nondescript young man with brown hair and blue eyes. Twenty nine years old. What had Lara seen in that jerk? What did Lara see in himself? Was there anything they had in common? He stared at the face trying to find something, anything.

  And more to the point, was he going to tell Lara? If he did would she want to contact him? And if she did would they meet? And what then? They had an unrequited love affair. Ripped apart before anything was resolved.

  A wave of sickness rose up making him reach for his cold coffee to wash away the sour taste.

  He didn’t need to tell her anything at all. That thought lasted all of five seconds and then his own pompous sounding, self-righteous words resounded in his head. What sort of relationship is it when one person keeps secrets from the other?

  He made a note of the contact details and cleared the screen. Later. He needed to think about this. One thing he felt obliged to do was call Ivan and warn him of the possibility of a media flurry. He rang the mobile number.

  ‘Djokovic.’

  ‘Nick.’

  ‘How are you this morning? How’s the arm?’

  ‘Okay. It wasn’t a deep cut. But I’m a bit old for fighting.’

  ‘You did pretty well.’

  ‘Have you talked to Lara this morning? Did she stay with you?’

  ‘No, she wanted to go home. She was exhausted after giving that statement. Haven’t you talked to her yet?’

  ‘No, I…’ Why hadn’t he called this morning? She needed to come in and state exactly what happened last night or the kidnapping case would fall on its face. His involvement would have to come out. ‘I thought she’d need to sleep,’ he finished lamely.

  ‘Probably does.’

  ‘I felt I should warn you someone told the media about my visit to you last night and mentioned your relationship with Petrovic.’

  ‘Dammit! But I didn’t see anything in the paper.’

  ‘It’s on an online site. The only person I could think would or could do that is your mate Branko Simek. But he didn’t know I’d visited you there until later. What do you think?’

  ‘He was pretty annoyed that I brushed him off. He’d been in the night before but the timing’s wrong.’

  ‘Yep, anyway, someone at the club might have seen me there. It doesn’t really matter. But I hope your wife won’t see that report.’

  ‘Susanna very rarely reads the news online.’

  ‘Okay. With any luck it won’t go any further. You’re relatively old news.’

/>   ‘Thanks for calling. I appreciate it.’

  Nick hesitated a moment then said, ‘You should tell your wife, Ivan. Tell her who you are, about your past, otherwise this will sit there like a black cloud over your whole life together. The longer it goes on the harder it is to tell the truth.’

  Ivan laughed softly. ‘I’m beginning to think my sister might be right about you after all.’ He hung up.

  Nick smiled.

  ***

  A couple of hours later Marie returned. She dumped her bag on her chair.

  ‘Heard the news?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Massive earthquake in New Zealand’s south island again.’

  ‘Oh Christ!’

  ‘It’s all over the television and radio. Coffee?’

  ‘Please.’

  She headed for the door.

  No need to worry about the Petrovic thing. No-one would be interested in that now. Terrible but true. So that was one little problem solved albeit in a very unpleasant way. Ivan’s secret was safe from his wife for a little longer.

  But what about Nick’s secret, eating away at his soul? If Lara still felt something for this man she had to face him and find out, or he’d never be comfortable. Neither would she. Adrian Temby was his own black cloud.

  He snatched up the phone and rang the number he’d written down. A pleasant-sounding man’s voice asked him to leave a message. He said, ‘Please call me,’ and left his name and number, nothing else.

  Lara called at lunchtime, her voice tentative and fragile as though afraid he’d hang up on her. ‘Nick, are you busy?’

  ‘Hello. I was going to ring you but it’s been all shit and blisters here this morning.’ Guilt at not having phoned earlier made him overcompensate. ‘How are you and Petey?’

  ‘Petey’s fine. I have an attractive piece of sticking plaster on my neck. What about you? You were covered in blood.’ Her voice faltered.

  ‘Not as bad as it looked. I’m a bit bruised but otherwise okay.’

  Silence. Why was this awkward? Last night she’d been emotionally wrung out, falling into his arms, exhausted and relieved. Now? Was she regretting that collapse, that dependency? And he still didn’t know the real reason for Lucas to go after her. Was that why she was nervous? Because she was, he heard it in the way she spoke. Gone was that fearless, strong woman he’d first met.

  ‘Nick, I can never thank you enough for what you did for me.’

  ‘You don’t need to thank me I — ’

  ‘Don’t say you were just doing your job,’ she cut in.

  ‘Well…’ He was doing his job.

  ‘A policeman came and took a statement this morning,’ she said into the space. She didn’t elaborate. What exactly had she said? Would she lie, say she had no idea what motivated Lucas to kidnap her son? Say it was revenge, greed, a hangover from the old days, Lucas wanting what Tony had? Say she didn’t know?

  Too many questions needed proper answers before whatever was building between them had a chance of survival.

  ‘Lara, I need to see you. Can I come over tonight?’

  ‘Come for dinner.’ Now she sounded happier. His heart lightened. Maybe they could forge something together. A kind of trust. Would she tell him her secrets? If it came to the crunch would he tell her his and risk losing her?

  ‘Let me bring something this time.’

  ‘You don’t have to, I like cooking. I’ll do pasta.’

  ‘Thank you. I’ll bring dessert and wine.’

  ‘Lovely.’

  Chapter 22

  He was early this time. Petey was still finishing his dinner when Lara let Nick in.

  ‘Hello Petey.’

  ‘Hello.’ No outward signs of the trauma he’d endured.

  Nick set the wine on the bench and offered the dessert cake box to Lara.

  She peeked inside and smiled. Two small chocolate mousse tarts with strawberries. ‘How did you know I like chocolate?’

  Nick grinned, encouraged by the genuine warmth in her smile and the brief kiss she’d given him at the door. ‘I’m a detective.’

  ‘Finished.’ Petey slid off his chair. ‘Nick can read my tory. I’ll get the books. You come, Mummy.’

  ‘Do you mind?’ Lara said to Nick. He shook his head.

  ‘I’d love to. He seems okay. No after-effects?’

  ‘Teeth first, Petey,’ she called at the blue-clad blur racing out the door. ‘He hasn’t let me out of his sight much.’

  ‘Not surprising. I’ll open the wine while you do his teeth.’

  Nick found the wine glasses and poured. How was he going to tell her about Temby? He’d returned Nick’s call midafternoon with a cheerful ‘Hello’ and ‘How can I help?’ but when Nick stated the situation his manner underwent a dramatic change.

  ‘Maja,’ he breathed and didn’t speak for a full minute. Then, ‘Maja…how is she?’

  ‘She’s fine. She’s established a new life for herself and her son.’ Nick had kept his tone impersonal and professional but his heart sank deeper and deeper into despondency as the conversation progressed.

  ‘She was a beautiful woman but married to that monster…it was such a waste.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I wonder…could I see her, do you think?’

  ‘I’m not sure she’d want to see you.’ But would she? Did he have the right to say no on her behalf? He’d let this tiger loose, he had to deal with the consequences.

  Sitting opposite Lara, slurping pasta and drinking wine with Petey asleep after three stories, felt so right it almost hurt. If he didn’t let himself think about Temby and didn’t think about Ivan or the ramifications a permanent relationship with her might involve, Nick was the happiest he could ever imagine being. The idea that this could be a long-term situation was too frighteningly wonderful to contemplate, there were too many unknowns, the main one being Lara’s feelings about him as opposed to her feelings towards the dratted Temby. Would seeing the man again reawaken the lost love?

  He wanted to sit opposite her for dinner every day of the rest of his life, he wanted her in his bed when he woke in the morning and…

  ‘What are you thinking about that’s made you go so stern-looking?’ Lara’s eyes sparkled at him over the rim of her wine glass but the bandage on her neck was a constant reminder of last night’s nightmare events.

  ‘I was thinking how I’d like to have dinner every night like this — with you.’

  A pink tinge rose in her cheeks. ‘Oh. That’s…’

  He smiled quickly to cover the disappointment at her distinct lack of encouragement. ‘I know — you’re not up for anything permanent.’

  ‘When I am,’ she said slowly. ‘I think it would only be with you. Could only be with you.’ She bit softly at her bottom lip. ‘But not yet. I’m sorry. So much has happened.’ Her voice trailed away.

  He shook his head. ‘Don’t be sorry. I’d rather you were honest with me.’

  ‘I am.’ Her eyes opened wide.

  ‘I know and I’m glad you are. I can wait.’

  She smiled and ducked her head. But there was another matter to tidy away.

  ‘What did Lucas really want from you? What do you have that he’d kidnap Petey to get it?’

  The brown eyes fixed on his. ‘I have money and property. I sold that and bought this house. I’m comfortable.’

  ‘What did Tony leave you?’

  She hesitated just long enough for him to know he’d nailed it.

  ‘If I tell you I might be in trouble. Will you promise me I won’t be?’

  ‘You already were in trouble, Lara. Worse than I could dish out to you.’

  She didn’t blink. ‘Promise.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’ve done. I can’t promise.’

  ‘But you can choose whether or not to do anything with what I tell you.’

  ‘Lara, are you asking me to break the law? I’ve already bent the rules by doing what I did last night. Don’t make me promise something that
could end my career.’

  ‘Would you rather I went to prison?’

  ‘That’s ridiculous. Tell me what it is. Can’t you trust me yet?’

  She exhaled fiercely, biting at her lower lip. ‘Tony set up an offshore account for Petey before he was born. For his future.’

  ‘Okay.’ Not illegal in itself, plenty of people opened those accounts for all sorts of reasons. Tony Petrovic’s reasons wouldn’t be the most law-abiding though.

  ‘It’s in Petey’s name. He gave me access because he thought if he was killed I’d be able to manage it for Petey. He didn’t trust any of the others. He thought I was too dumb to understand anything about finances. He was right. I didn’t. I do now.’

  ‘So it wasn’t discovered when he died and it’s the proceeds of crime.’ And that was illegal. Big time.

  She nodded.

  ‘How much is in it?’

  ‘I don’t know. I haven’t touched it. He started it with two million dollars.’

  She said it so casually Nick gave an astonished gasp. ‘Wow.’

  ‘It’s for Petey’s future,’ she said.

  ‘It’s drug money. The proceeds of crime are illegal, you must know that.’

  Her mouth set in a stubborn line.

  ‘Do you want your son to live off the misery of thousands of people, a constant reminder of the vicious cruelty of Tony Petrovic — a man who terrified you, by the way — and people like bloody Lucas? Don’t you want him to be free of that stench?’ He sat back before he really got started. How could she even think for one minute of benefitting in any way from that money?

  Lara didn’t reply. She took a tiny sip of wine. ‘So now you know. What will you do?’

  ‘You have to give it up. I suggest you get a lawyer.’

  An expression very like the one she’d worn when he’d first met her dropped over her face like a curtain — resignation and disdain. ‘Are you going to arrest me?’

  He shook his head. ‘It’ll come out, Lara. How can you hide that when it’s obviously the money Lucas was after? Confess to what you told me and put him away for good. A lawyer will help you. You’ll probably be able to do a deal. Especially if you haven’t profited from the account. It’s not in your name. And Petey’s hardly liable.’