Luna Tango (29 page)

‘In town, getting supplies. She hadn't anticipated guests lobbing on her doorstep.'

Carlos laughed. ‘Perhaps not. What do you think? Is she like you remember?'

‘I don't ever recall her smoking. And she's more cynical. She doesn't trust anyone.'

‘Not even you?'

‘Well, she said she does but I think it's only to a point. Probably because I know—' Dani shut her mouth so fast her teeth smashed into each other.

‘Know what?'

‘It's not important.' Her left eye twitched and she donned her sunglasses. Carlos leant over and attempted to lift them but she gripped harder.

‘Daniela, you are doing the lying thing.' He crossed his arms, disappointment darkening his eyes. ‘What happened to honesty making us an excellent team?'

‘We are an excellent team.' She wrapped her fingers around his. ‘Iris needs my help but she wants me to keep quiet about it for now.'

‘You do not trust me?'

‘I do, Carlos, but Iris—'

‘Does not trust me, yes? She took the side of Cecilia, so why would she have faith in me?' His tone sounded bitter as his fingers gripped hers.

‘She wants to apologise for what she did to you.'

‘She will have her chance.' His grip loosened and the circulation in her fingers came back in a painful burst. Turning to face her, he stroked her hair and gave the private smile that made her stomach flip. ‘If you do not want to tell me, I will accept this.'

‘I want to tell you but we need to sort some things out, then you'll be the first to know.'

‘Maybe I could help.'

‘I wish you could, but ...' What? Recently Carlos had been caring, supportive and a gentleman, aside from the odd grumpy moment. Now she understood his history better, she could see why he'd acted the way he had when they'd first met. Why wouldn't he give journalists a hard time? And despite being badly hurt by a woman and the press, both of which Dani was, Carlos had opened up and trusted her.

‘Daniela?'

‘Please, give me a minute.'

He dropped his hand and leant back, face turned skywards, soaking up the rays. He could have kicked up a stink but didn't. Iris was wrong. Dani could trust him and she needed to talk to someone whose opinion she valued and so far, Iris hadn't given enough reasons for Dani to bare her soul. Carlos had.

‘It's the Canziani case.' The words fell on top of each other.

Carlos studied her with unnerving intensity. ‘Not again.'

‘It's complicated, and I know you don't want foreigners sticking their noses in but I have reason to. Iris has been researching it also.'

‘Do you not care what I think?'

‘Of course I do! I wouldn't get involved unless it was important.'

‘Is the Canziani case the reason you wanted to find Iris? Because you thought she was looking into it also? How could you know?'

‘You mentioned they were fighting over Canziani and the missing sheet music and—'

‘Are you saying you did not want to find your mother to make happy families? You told me this was the reason. Did you lead me here under the false pretences?'

‘I ... I ...' She let the words fall away, unsure if it was wise to say more.

Silence enveloped them and a light breeze rustled the trees and grass. Dani waited for what seemed an eternity, unable to meet his eyes.

She reached for his hand but he pulled away. He used the stone wall as support and, with effort, stood. Clasping his cane in one hand, he rubbed his leg with the other and looked down at her. ‘I was wrong. You are like all the other journalists. All you want is a story, even at the expense of people's emotions. How am I to believe anything you have told me? Am I right in thinking what we shared was also a lie?' Although he held an even tone and stony expression, his eyes told her she'd hurt him deeply.

‘Carlos, I'm sorry. It wasn't like—'

He put up his hand. ‘Save your words. I am annoyed you have ignored my request to leave the Canziani case alone but it is your dishonesty that has made me angry. What happened to honesty making us an excellent team?'

‘Carlos—'

‘This is getting too complicated, Daniela. I need space. A lot of space.' He turned and crunched across the gravel path leading to the house. Dani stood, mouth open, eyes wide. As much as she wanted to chase him, she had to respect his wishes. Lord knows she needed time to process things as well. She hated being branded a liar, but what hurt most was Carlos was right.

A car zoomed into the driveway and Dani hurried to the side of the house and peered around the corner. Iris got out, slammed the driver's door and kicked the tyre. She opened the door again, loaded her arms with grocery bags and cursed under her breath, blowing the fringe from her eyes as she climbed the veranda steps. As the scene unfolded, Dani waited for an emotional lightning bolt but she got nothing, not the faintest sizzle. All that nonsense about Dani being pulled towards her mother by an invisible umbilical cord floated away.

Dani bolted to the rear of the house, not wanting Iris to see her. Taking the steps two at a time, she ran through the kitchen and to the doorway of the living room, expecting to find Carlos brooding in a corner.

‘Carlos?' She stuck her head into the dark room in case he was out of her line of sight.

He wasn't there.

‘Crap!' Racing up the hallway, Dani wrenched open the door and found Iris standing on the veranda, still clutching the groceries as she watched Carlos's car speed along the driveway, stones flying in his wake.

‘Where's he going?'

‘He said he's had enough and is going to Buenos Aires and you and I needed more time alone. What the hell did you say to him?'

‘Not the right things, obviously.'

She watched the dust settle as a heaviness in her limbs gave her an overwhelming desire to sit before she fell. Dropping onto the steps, Dani wrapped her arms around her knees and let her head slump forwards, hot tears pricking her eyes. Speaking into her sleeve, she said, ‘He says I don't trust him.'

‘Do you?'

‘Yes.'

‘I told you not to.'

The arrogance in Iris's tone shot fury through Dani. Jumping up, she gripped the balustrade and narrowed her eyes. ‘What gives you the right to tell me what to do? You gave that option up when you left me!'

‘Daniela—'

‘It's Dani!'

‘Dani, he's like all the other men in Argentina. He only wants what suits him and if it comes in a pretty package like you, he'll take it. Thank your lucky stars it's over.'

‘Are you serious? Carlos is a better man than all my exes put together. I can't believe you'd talk about him like that, especially since you two were close.' She shook her head, ‘What would you say about me behind my back?'

‘I don't know you well enough.'

‘And I doubt you ever will.' Dani stormed up the stairs, anger spurring her into action. Grabbing her bag and pulling out the charger for her phone, she dashed onto the veranda where Iris stood, grocery bags at her feet. A bag lay on its side, ice-cream leaking across the floorboards. ‘This isn't going to work, Iris.'

‘What about Stella?'

‘She warned me finding you would only lead to heartache.'

Iris's jaw dropped and her eyes welled up with tears. ‘Your grandma is right. Look at me, Dani: I'm old, bitter and lonely. I've no family and no one to love me.' Dani went to speak but Iris held up her hand. ‘My life is full of regrets, and I'd hate yours to be the same.' She chewed her lip. ‘Maybe you should trust Carlos.'

‘I already do.' She frowned, then said, ‘He's being ridiculous.'

‘Of course he is,' said Iris, like she witnessed male hissy fits everyday. ‘He's Latino and artistic, not one of your New Yorkers. How did you expect him to react?'

‘With a bit of maturity? I'm not that keen on you using stereotypes.'

Iris shrugged. ‘Stereotypes were invented for a reason. Show me a Latin dancer and I'll show you a complicated, passionate being. If that's not what you're after, you've let the wrong man sign your dance card.'

Dani bit her lip while she tried to get her thoughts in order.

‘I think you need to go after him,' said Iris.

‘He said he wanted space.'

Iris heaved a sigh. ‘Haven't you learnt anything about tango? It's like chess. The male dancer makes a move and the woman decides which direction she will go. It's a constant negotiation with lots of pushing and pulling. Love is the same. You need to go after him. Come on.' Iris rustled in her bag for her keys and hurried to the car, signalling for Dani to follow. They jumped in and Dani moved to put on the seatbelt. ‘They're too worn to work. Forget it.'

Dani clutched the handbag to her chest while Iris shoved the key into the ignition. The car revved and Iris slammed the vehicle into reverse.

‘What about the food?' Dani eyed the sad collection of paper bags on their sides.

‘Forget that. Love is food for the soul.'

* * *

Iris swung the car into the driveway of Mendoza Airport and sped to the entrance, slamming on the brakes. Propelled forwards, Dani closed her eyes, threw out her arms for protection and waited for her head to smash against the windscreen. It didn't happen. Crashing back against the cracked leather seat, she watched a gaggle of security guards and attendants yell and gesture angrily as Iris leant over Dani and open the door.

‘I'm sorry it took so long. Damn bloody car.'

‘Lucky I know how to change tyres.' Dani smiled, despite her heavy heart.

‘Yes, now go.'

‘You're not coming? What about them?' She nodded towards the security guards.

‘I'll stay here and sort them out. Call me after you find him.' Iris handed her a thick card embossed in gold with her phone number and name. ‘He'll have cooled by the time he hits Buenos Aires. Typical artist, huh? We get all emotional and storm off when we should stay put and deal with our problems.'

‘I guess,' Dani said, doubting she'd ever fully understand those in the arts. She pecked her mother on the cheek, not sure if it was because she was used to this Latin American kissing thing or if it was done as a daughterly gesture. ‘Thanks.'

Dani wove between the half-dozen porters and officials yelling abuse at Iris and her car. She pulled the heavy door open and the last she heard was Iris using colourful
lunfardo
, the slang spoken by Porteños, the locals of Buenos Aires. Dashing into the departures hall, Dani scanned the screens.

Mendoza–Buenos Aires
—
Departed
.

Damn. If they hadn't got the movie-cliché flat tyre and Iris's car had been capable of travelling more than eighty kilometres an hour, Dani would have made it in time. It killed her that Carlos was somewhere in the heavens, stewing over their argument. She hated that he didn't trust her any more and detested giving him reason not to. All she could do was take the next flight, which left in three hours.

Shuffling over to the ticket counter, Dani stood in line to buy her passage.

‘I'm sorry you didn't make it.'

Dani spun and faced Iris, surprised by her arrival. ‘I thought you were going back to your place.'

‘I was but all I kept thinking about was you getting on the plane and I had to know if it happened.'

‘It didn't.'

‘I can see.' Iris placed her hand on Dani's shoulder. ‘I'm so sorry.'

‘You don't need to be. Carlos and I did the fighting, not you.' She closed her eyes briefly, replaying the argument.

‘But I pushed you. I told you not to trust him when you should have.'

‘I don't blame him for leaving. I should have listened to my gut and told him the truth.'

‘It's the curse of the tango on our family, I'm telling you.'

‘Oh for god's sake! I'm so tired of hearing that! You and Stella are as bad as each other.' The line moved and Dani stepped up to the counter, credit card at the ready. ‘Next flight to Buenos Aires, please.'

‘Make that two and put it on this.' Iris reached around Dani and placed her credit card on the counter.

‘What are you doing?' Dani asked.

‘Trying to make things right.'

* * *

Dani slid the key card into her hotel room lock and the light shone green as the door clicked open. Sighing, she kicked off her shoes and flopped onto the bed, grateful for the air-conditioning. She planned to enjoy it while she could, as her time on Tourism Argentina's dime was just about up. A flicker of guilt ran through her at not having done more work for them by now. Iris shuffled in and sat on the chair, placing her large handbag on the table. She unwrapped her scarf and sunglasses, finally revealing her face. The disguise had worked and no one had hassled her for an autograph during the flight.

‘Maybe you should call Stella again,' Iris said.

‘I will.' Dani placed her arm over tired eyes.

‘Maybe you should call Carlos, also.'

Had her mother always been this pushy? She sat up and looked Iris square in the eyes. ‘I appreciate your suggestions but I am a grown woman. I'll decide who I will call and when. Thanks.'

‘Yes, of course.' Hurt flickered across Iris's face.

‘Listen, I'm sorry, but this mother–daughter thing is new to me. There's a lot of stuff going on and we're both under pressure.' Pausing, Dani let a wry smile grace her lips. ‘Maybe you should call Diego.'

Iris let out a belly laugh then her expression turned serious. ‘No, I don't think so.'

‘I don't think you should, either.' At least they agreed on that. Dani tilted her head towards Iris's handbag. ‘That's a massive bag for someone so small.'

‘Yes, it is.' She patted it like it was a prized poodle. ‘It has the files in it.'