On some level, Mimi was on to me, and the next words out of her mouth proved it. “When you love someone you protect them from pain,” she said, rising to her feet. “You don’t become the cause of it.”
“I know that.”
With a stilted nod, she motioned behind me. “Then stop bringing the devil to his doorstep.”
I slowly turned, squinting through the darkness at the lone figure wandering toward us. I knew who it was even before I could see his face. The devil has a very distinctive swagger.
I spun back to Mimi. “This was all a ruse to get me down here?” I asked incredulously. “You set me up?”
“I had no choice.”
“He’s the man who hurt Mitchell,” I bitterly reminded her. “And you brought him here?”
“I had no choice,” she repeated.
There wasn’t time to speak again. When I turned back, Iron Mike was standing there, audaciously greeting me with a smile. He wasn’t as sociable when it came to the traitor beside me. All Mimi got was a rude dismissal. “Go,” he snapped.
I could hear her remaining stash of beads rattling in her pocket as she scurried away. I couldn’t blame her for the cowardly escape, but running wasn’t an option for me. I had no choice but to stay put and make it look like I had the confidence to be there.
“How did you get her to set this up?” I asked sourly. “Threats or bribes?”
“I threatened to burn her house down.”
“You are the most despicable person I’ve ever met.” The words raged out of me. “And you need to stay the hell away from me.”
“That’s not going to happen, Shiloh.” His voice was as dark as his heart. “I want information.”
“I’m giving you nothing.”
Mike cocked his head to the side. “That wouldn’t be the wisest decision.”
“What are you going to do?” I scoffed. “Burn my house down too?”
Giving him cheek wasn’t smart. If anything, it was probably a prelude to a smack in the mouth, but I stood firm. “I did everything you asked of me,” I said pointedly. “And while I was installing your GPS into Louis’ car, you were beating Mitchell half to death.”
“Stupid girl,” he muttered. “What do you want? An apology?”
“I want you to leave me alone,” I replied through gritted teeth.
“Perhaps you’ve forgotten the objective.”
“How can I?” I was reminded of it every waking minute and was sure I was slowly dying because of it. “I am completely on task.”
“If that were true, you’d realise you’re sleeping with the wrong man,” he replied. “You should be focusing on Louis. The bartender is nothing more than a hindrance.”
There was nothing I could say to adequately defend Mitchell. The man was my gravity. When the lies I had to tell were pulling me out of reality, he kept my feet touching the ground.
“Mitchell has nothing to do with any of this,” I snapped. “He didn’t deserve the hiding you dished out.”
Iron Mike dropped his head, chuckling down at the sand. “I was following orders,” he said. “I also followed the order to spare him. If I’d had my way, I would’ve finished the job properly.”
A strange strangled growl tumbled from my mouth. “You have no soul.”
“You can question my morality later,” he shrugged. “But for now, there’s work to be done.”
“I’m not doing a thing for you.”
As far as luck went, I’d pushed mine to the limit. Mike lurched forward and grabbed my arm. “When people are no longer useful, they become expendable.” His grip tightened, painfully biting into my flesh. “Much like your boyfriend.”
No amount of acting was going to convey indifference. I was so scared I could feel my heart thrashing against my ribcage. “What do you want from me?”
Mike loosened his grip but didn’t let go. “Some tools and heavy machinery were removed from the mine last week.”
“I know, I was there,” I replied. “It was all returned two nights ago.”
As it turns out, Louis’ crew were as deft at returning goods as they were at stealing them. Just like the initial theft, the dead-of-night operation had gone off quickly, quietly and without a hitch.
“Louis secured the contract for a construction project,” he explained, still gripping my arm. “His men spent four nights building a road.”
I shrugged, managing to free myself in the process. “Nothing of interest to me, then.”
“It’s not just a road, Shiloh,” he replied ominously. “It’s an airstrip.”
Now I was interested. “You think he’s going to use it to transport the diamonds out?”
“It’s possible,” he replied. “But there’s still nothing linking him to any diamonds.”
I abhorred him, but I couldn’t deny that Mike was a strong source of information. As much as it pained me I had no choice but to ride his coattails to stay in the game.
“He has to be involved,” I insisted, taking a much-needed step back. “He’s in it up to his neck.”
“Prove it.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Make yourself available,” he told me. “Let it be known that you want in on the deal.”
I nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Trying isn’t good enough any more.” As if a switch had been flicked, his vile, menacing tone was back. “You need tangible results. Don’t allow yourself to become expendable.”
Spending another minute in Iron Mike’s company would’ve been an exercise in futility. All information had been exchanged, which meant all I was going to get from here on in was more threats and nastiness. I began walking away.
“One more thing,” he said, calling me back. “I have a message from your aunt.”
I turned. “Excuse me?”
Mike took a few slow steps toward me. “A message from your aunt Grace.”
Speaking in riddles was both annoying and redundant. The conversation had been quite candid until that point, and I had no desire to protect Agent Grace’s position when he wasn’t doing a thing to protect mine.
“What is it?”
His smug smile was borderline cruel, and I knew something terrible was on the way. “She said to make sure that you’re in bed with the right people,” he recited. “And if you’re not, change beds.”
I refused to give credence to his words. I didn’t trust Mike as far as I could throw him. To think that the AFP had any measure of faith in the man was unfathomable.
“Thanks all the same, but you can let my aunt know that I’m quite happy with the current sleeping arrangements,” I replied.
“Your government trusts me,” he reminded me. “Perhaps you should too.” He leaned closer, lowering his tone. “Of course, if you manage to come across intelligence that you deem more reliable than mine, feel free to act on it.”
He’d done nothing to allay my fears, and the fifty new seeds of suspicion he’d just planted in my head seemed mighty intentional.
“You’re just one big mind wrench, aren’t you?”
“It’s a delicate game, Shiloh,” he replied. “I hope you live through it.”
Killer Bees
MITCHELL
Shiloh returned from the beach looking a little worse for wear. Mimi didn’t return at all, and for a short moment I wondered if Shiloh had done away with her. “Where’s Mimi?”
She shrugged, and that was close as she came to replying. She pulled up a stool and sat at the end of the bar, a slight frown etched on her face.
“Is everything okay?”
“Perfect.” Her small smile was only half believable. “Can we get out of here soon?”
“Had enough excitement for one night, huh?”
Again she didn’t reply, and I decided not to press the issue. Chances were, Mimi had said something to upset her, and I valued my life too much to get involved. “Another hour and we’re out of here, okay?”
Shiloh leaned across the bar. “Are you
going to take me away from this place, Mitchell?” Her voice was pure silk. “That was the deal if I remember correctly.”
I flipped the lid off a bottle and slid it toward her. “I’m going to take you away from the whole world, baby.”
***
When you’re cursed with the mischievous streak of a twelve-year-old boy, a country with little to no rules is a good place to be. Showing Shiloh absolute peace and quiet was only half my plan. The other half involved blowing it to smithereens, and to do that I needed the help of someone shadier than me.
Kenny Traore fitted the bill. The miniature entrepreneur would do almost anything for a buck, which was worrying for his mother but handy for me. It only took a few phone calls to organise the late night entertainment I wanted, and when the pub closed at midnight, we drove out to Mimi’s house to collect it.
Kenny didn’t even try hiding it from his mother. As soon as I stepped onto the rickety porch he handed me a large box. Mimi stood behind him, looking unconcerned by the exchange. Her focus was on Shiloh, who’d elected to wait in the car.
“Is the girl alright?”
“She’s fine.” I glanced back at the Jeep. “Why? Did you say something to upset her?”
Mimi stiffly shook her head. “No.”
Questioning her would be a waste of time, so I turned my attention back to Kenny. “Is everything in here?”
“Yes. Even the killer bees.” His grin was huge. “Your girl will be impressed.”
I gave the box a shake. “You’re a champion, Kenny.”
“But I don’t come cheap,” he replied, holding out his hand.
The boy had more brass than most men, but I could help being impressed by his tenacity. I slapped a wad of small bills into his palm. “You’re going to go far, kid.”
With a blinding smile, he motioned to the box. “So are those killer bees.”
***
It was the perfect night for a little orchestrated magic. Not even the choking exhaust fumes that wafted into the Jeep could put a dampener on things. We drove for miles. Every passing minute took us further away from town and closer to nowhere. When the last of the lights disappeared in the rear vision mirror, life off the grid took on new meaning. We were now invisible.
Shiloh had already checked out. She hadn’t said a word since we left Mimi’s place, so I felt compelled to ask if she was still conscious.
“Of course.” She softly laughed. “I think I’m immune to the fumes now.”
“You haven’t asked where we’re going.” I reached for her hand and brought it to my lap. “Aren’t you curious?”
“I trust you,” she replied, turning her attention back to the window. “As long as you know where we’re going, we’re good.”
“Any guesses?”
“The desert?”
Considering we were surrounded by endless sand, it wasn’t a very imaginative guess. “Let’s hope I don’t get us lost,” I teased. “I’d hate to have to rely on you to get us home.”
“I could do it,” she blithely replied. “I’m an excellent navigator.”
I looked at the star-shot sky through the windscreen. “Guided by the light of the moon or the stars?”
A smartarse question usually calls for a smartarse answer, but in true Shiloh style, she schooled me instead. “If the situation were life or death, I’d probably look to the stars,” she began. “But sand can be just as telling.”
I slowed the car, giving her my full attention.
“Sand dunes form at ninety degrees to the prevailing wind,” she explained. “So if the winds prevail from the east, the dunes will run north to south. It’s a simple way of getting your bearings.”
I didn’t find it simple. It sounded like a theory straight out of the MacGyver handbook – and it wasn’t the first time she’d dazzled me with her knowledge of random lifehacks.
“I’m beginning to think you’re some kind of rebel survivalist or something.”
“No, I just paid attention in school.”
“Well, I turned up to school every single day, and not once did someone teach me how to pick a lock or decipher sand patterns.”
After a long silence, she volunteered a different answer. “My dad’s a locksmith.”
I talked about my sisters all the time – mainly because it’s hard to keep quiet about a pair of divas who eat glitter for breakfast. Shiloh wasn’t as forthcoming. Until then she’d never mentioned her family.
I winked at her. “Well, I guess picking locks trumps growing grapes.”
It should’ve been a light topic of conversation but judging by her tight expression, it was causing her some measure of grief.
We hadn’t driven as far as I would’ve liked, but a diversion was in order. I pulled the car to a stop, steering clear of the loose sandy edge.
Shiloh straightened up, taking a long look in all directions. “This is it?” she asked. “We’re here?”
I opened the car door. “If I drive any further we’ll end up in Portugal.”
“Not likely,” she replied, grinning. “You drove east.”
I leaned across and undid her seatbelt. “Get out of the car, MacGyver.”
***
I couldn’t have set a better scene if I’d called the heavens and tailored my order. There wasn’t a wisp of wind, which meant the sands were completely still, and a full moon made the night exceptionally bright.
Leaving our shoes at the roadside, we trudged through the dunes until the car was just out of sight.
“Here will do,” I said, lowering my box of Kenny contraband to the ground. I grabbed the blanket off the top, fanned it out over the sand and ordered Shiloh to sit.
“What’s in the box?” she asked, peering across. It was the first spark of curiosity she’d shown since we left Mimi’s. Mercifully, whatever had been troubling her had been left in the car.
I sat beside her, gently pushing her on to her back by covering her body with mine. “Killer bees,” I murmured against her mouth. “But they’re the grand finale, not the main event.”
Her long leg wrapped around my waist, pulling me in impossibly closer. “Is this the main event?”
Resolve was crumbling, but I somehow managed to untangle myself and roll onto my back. “Close your eyes,” I instructed, reaching for her hand.
Letting out a long sigh, Shiloh shuffled closer until her shoulder pressed against mine.
“What do you hear?” I whispered.
After a long moment of deliberation, she gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “Nothing,” she whispered back.
Absolute silence is something that most people never get to experience. With no breaking waves, no traffic and no people, all that’s left is peace. And no one needed it more than Shiloh.
I raised her hand to my mouth and kissed her fingers. “Total peace and quiet,” I murmured. “That’s the main event.”
Last Defence
SHILOH
Life in Kaimte was constantly set on fast forward. Everything was ramped-up and amplified, tonight more than ever.
Hanging out in the desert at two in the morning brought a solace that I’d never felt before. Just as Mitchell had promised, the whole world was gone.
We lay side by side on the blanket for hours, speaking only when something important needed to be said.
“I love it out here,” I whispered.
“You can be anyone you want to in the desert.” He kissed my cheek. “Even yourself.”
I allowed the tiniest hint of panic to trickle through my mind before abruptly putting a stop to it. It wasn’t a veiled dig at me. It was innocent words from a man who recognised that I needed a break from myself.
“I couldn’t live here without you,” I told him.
“Well, that’s a coincidence.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “Because I don’t think I could live at home without you.”
If not for me, moving back to Australia would never have even crossed Mitchell’s mind. Just thinking about it made me fe
el wretched. No matter which direction the story went, I already knew the ending.
“We have so much to work out, Mitchell.” Namely, how I was going to avoid smashing him to pieces when I disappeared from his life without warning. “It’s all so complicated.”
“No it’s not,” he replied. “You go home and sort out whatever you need to, and then come and live with me on the beach.”
My body shook with silent chuckles. “You think it’s that simple?”
“It has to play out that way,” he explained. “How else are we supposed to fall madly in love?”
But we were already half way there. Historically, strong love isn’t built on the foundations of a six-week long relationship. In the real world we would’ve both been baulking, but we were on fast forward mode in the desert – in a place where love was our last defence.
“You might feel different once you get home,” I hinted.
“About you?” He traced a finger down my cheek. “I doubt it.”
A kinder woman would’ve been working toward letting him go, but I was too selfish to even try.
“Whatever happens, I just want you to be happy,” I whispered. “Whether I fit into your world or not.”
He laughed hard, once. “No one fits into small town life in Tasmania. That’s why we all spend our childhoods plotting to escape. We don’t have to stay there. We can go anywhere you want.”
I propped myself up on my elbow. “I want you to promise that you’ll stay for a while. Spend some time with your family.”
It wasn’t my place to demand anything of him, but I knew the disconnection he felt had been troubling him for a long time. He wanted to be closer to them and had told me so a hundred times. I also had the foresight to see that his family were probably going to be the ones picking up the pieces after I was through smashing him up.
His eyes shone in the night. “Do you like kids?” he asked randomly.
“Why?” I asked. “Are you offering to give me a few?”
“No.” He laughed. “It’s just that my sister has a whole bunch of them, and I suspect that they’re terrors. I’m not sure how I’ll handle them.”