After the Fire (16 page)

“Hush, woman.” He teased her in the old familiar way. “I follow orders, the same as you. I wouldn’t tell him why you needed to know. He started asking all kinds of questions about why you’d need to know about Carn Finance when your only case is the Constantine one.”

“What did you say?”

“I told him it came up in a random line of enquiry. He seemed to accept it, but still wouldn’t authorize it. So I contacted Patsy and asked her to send me some files from the server by secure email. I gave her a whole list. Actually, I asked her to send the entire contents of a couple of folders. I haven’t had a chance to read all of them yet as I asked her to send half to my email and half to yours. I’m just hoping you didn’t delete the emails before we have a chance to retrieve them. No one opens attachments they’re not expecting.”

“That was very sneaky.” Freddie logged into her email and downloaded the files to the desktop. She twisted the laptop back to Jason. “There you go. Won’t there be a record on her computer though and on the server?”

“Yes, but that’s taken care of.” Jason tapped on the keyboard and brought up the other files. “Patsy has cleared it on her end and I can deal with the server from here. I intend to reformat this laptop when I get home.” He turned it back to face her. “Just don’t delete anything until I’ve read it.”

“Of course not.” Freddie studied the file, her eyes widening and her stomach turning as she read. “
What
...wait a minute.”

“What have you found?” Jason put down his cup and leaned in, trying to see over her shoulder.

“Says here that Carn Finance did the investigation into a money laundering scam?”

“Yeah. Occasionally we help out other businesses, doing contract accountancy work, that kind of thing. Carn Finance handles all that.”

“There’s your link. Well, one of them.”

“Show me.”

Freddie traced the words on the screen with her finger. “Company involved in the scam was Waterston Inc. They owned a dozen or so oil rigs until one of the big oil conglomerates took them over. Then they went into deep-sea fishing. Only it wasn’t fishing so much as investing and laundering funds. Guess who one of the silent partners was?”

“I don’t want to guess. Tell me instead. You’re the one reading the file.”

“Call yourself a PI? Guessing is half the fun.” She peered over the top of her glasses.

“Enough of the teasing, Freddie. I told you I haven’t read half this stuff, yet. I’ve been too busy visiting someone in hospital. Besides, I deal in facts, not guesswork.”

“Sorry.” She read him the list of names.

“Nick Steele. No surprise there.”

“No.” She read a bit more, and then broke off. Ice wrapped around her heart.
No, please, no.

She closed her eyes tight, hoping that the words would change. Maybe if she wished hard enough they’d vanish clean off the page when she checked again. They didn’t. The cup fell from her hands and hit the floor with a dull thud.

“Freddie, what’s wrong?” Jason touched her face. “You’ve gone pale. Are you feeling all right?”

Freddie struggled to get her voice to work past the lump in her throat. “Jace...Read the small print on that document...the list of company directors.”

Jason froze as he read at the screen. He raised his head, the shock on his face mirroring the feelings rippling through her.

“What do we do, Jace? Where do we go from here? We’ve no back up or anything. We’re on our own.”

His hands gripped hers. “We’re not alone. We pray. We put everything into God’s hands and trust Him to handle this and show us what to do.”

16

Freddie stood in front of the mirror towel-drying her hair. She didn’t want to go downstairs and eat. Shock and dismay upset her stomach. Tell Jason how much she really knew? But could she trust him?

Wish I had Jason’s faith. He just prays and feels better instantly. God, it’s not that I can’t trust You, I’m just, maybe I’m still mad or not ready, I don’t know. But one thing I do know, it’s not fair to recommit to You if I can’t put everything into it.

She tossed the towel to the floor and glanced at her watch.
I’ll go and hurry him up. Last thing I want is to be late for the meal. Even if I do sit and watch him eat
.

She grabbed her bag, making sure her inhaler was inside. She crossed the hallway to Jason’s room and knocked on the door. No answer.

“Jason?”

There was movement inside. She knocked again, the door giving under her hand. She pushed the door wide.

Jason stood by the window, razor in his hand, shirt on the bed.

Freddie admired the taut, lean figure, then moved over to him, and dropped a hand onto his shoulder. “Jason?”

Jason jumped.

“Did I scare you?” Freddie laughed.

“You know darn well you did. I was deep in thought.” Jason moved to shut the door.

“Were you expecting someone else?”

“No I wasn’t. I didn’t hear you.” He pointed at her. “You are in trouble, now.”

“So what’s my punishment going to be?” She laughed again.

“You get cheese salad for dinner.” Jason rubbed his chin. He gazed at his fingers as they came away bloodied. “Great.”

“Sorry.” Freddie pulled a pack of tissues from her bag and handed him one.

“Please, don’t sneak up on me again. And yes, you are still having the salad, without the salad dressing.”

“No, not that... Please I’ll do anything.”

“Yes—the infamous no salad dressing torture.” His eyes glinted with hidden laughter as he opened aftershave, wincing as he splashed it on his face.

“I’m really sorry. I knocked and called, but you didn’t answer, and I could hear someone in here and I thought...”

“I was miles away, thinking about things. I’m sorry.” He buttoned his shirt and tucked it into his trousers. Then he hugged her. “You’re forgiven. But you still get the salad.”

She hugged him back. He smelt so good, fresh and clean. “Love that cologne.”

“Thanks.”

“You used to wear a different one, it had a heavier scent.”

Jason quickly combed his hair. “Maybe once upon a time. Guess I mellowed in my old age.”

“I swear you take longer than me to get changed. We’ll be late and get clapped again at this rate.”

“You’re that desperate for salad without the dressing, huh? Sure we can go now.” He laughed, grabbed his wallet and clipped the phone to his belt.

“Is the phone necessary?”

“I’m waiting on a call. ‘Sides, if we broke down in the middle of nowhere, we’d need the phone.”

“Hmmm, I wouldn’t call the dining room the middle of nowhere, but if you insist.”

Jason locked the door and they walked side by side to the dining room. As they entered the room, everyone stopped eating and started applauding.

“This is becoming a habit.”

Jason pulled the chair out for her. “Take a seat and don’t forget—it’s salad, no dressing.”

She poked her tongue out at him as she sat down. “Thanks for reminding me. You should get the same for making us late.”

“I don’t think so.” He looked up at Mrs. Bowman. “Good evening. How are you?”

“I’m good. Are you better, Miss Price?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Good. What can I get you tonight? We have shepherd’s pie or salad.”

“One salad, with no dressing of any kind, please.” He grinned at Freddie. “What would you like?”

Freddie had forgotten what a joker he could be at times. “I’ll have the shepherd’s pie please.” As Mrs. Bowman left she looked at him curiously. “I thought you liked salad dressing.”

“Salad is best on its own. What Mum would call plain and unadulterated.”

Freddie ran her fingers around the top of her glass.
Why did things have to get so complicated again? Did he remember the like you, love you, hate you game they used to play when things were simpler? When all that mattered was the two of them and nothing else.

“You honestly thought I’d order you the salad?”

“No, but I had forgotten what a tease you are.” She glanced away for a moment and then looked at him straight faced. “You could do with the salad, anyway, as you get so out of breath when you carry the bags up the stairs. It’s good for the figure and would shave inches off your waistline.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your figure, but I didn’t think middle aged spread had done that much damage to mine. Guess I have to hit the gym a bit more often.”

“I’m teasing. But what’s Jim done to you to deserve you hitting him?” She purposely misunderstood his reference.

“I didn’t like the way he looked at me. You’re lucky I like you.” Jason laughed as he held up his thumb and forefinger with a tiny space no more than half a centimeter between them. “Today I like you this much.”

Oh, he does remember
.

Freddie put the glass down and immediately made a bigger gap between hers. “Like you more.” Warmth spread through her as he grabbed her other hand and rubbed her fingers.

“Only that much? Maybe if I work on it today it’ll be this much tomorrow.” He made a huge gap.

“Don’t push your luck.” Freddie tried not to laugh.

The food arrived and she inhaled deeply. The smell of shepherd’s pie took her right back to her childhood. She glanced up at Jason. He had his eyes closed, and she knew he was saying grace, the same way he did before every meal. “Say grace for both of us?”

The smile on his face as he thanked God for the food made her heart sing. She picked up the fork, pushing it into the potato.
What do I do? Even complicated cases, I find easy. But this one isn’t just complicated. I’m walking in the fog, blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back
.

Jason started to eat. He took several bites and looked up. “You haven’t touched yours, except to play with it. You need to eat.”

“I’m fine.”

“You won’t be if you don’t eat. You’ll end up back in hospital on an IV.” He winked at her. “I could always play trains with it to get you to eat like Mike does with Davy.”

“No, it’s fine. Thanks for the offer, though.” She half smiled as she stabbed the potato, sending three peas sliding onto the table. She put them in her mouth. “How can you just sit there and eat like nothing happened?”

“I feel like I’ve had the entire carpet pulled out from under me. But we have to deal and keep going. And that means eating and solving this case. Until we know for sure those files are right, I don’t intend to give up.”

“All right, that’s fine. And don’t eat with your mouth full.”

“I always eat with my mouth full.”

“I mean talk...oh, you know what I mean.”

“And this from someone who spoke with a mouthful of peas a minute ago.”

“Do what I say, not do what I do.”

“You know, Debs gave me the same lecture yesterday.”

“On the evils of talking with your mouth full—or practicing what you preach?”

“Neither of those, just on eating properly in general. You have to keep your strength up. We both do.” His eyes twinkled. He reached across the table, putting his hand over hers. “Eat your dinner, and I’ll take you out. We still have three hours of daylight left. I want to think about something else for a bit.”

“That would be nice.” It also put off a certain conversation they needed to have, which was a good thing.

“We’ll go to the beach and watch the sun set.” He squeezed her hand before going back to his own dinner.

Freddie tipped ketchup on her dinner and started eating. She was halfway done before she realized. “He’s watching me.”

“Who is?”

“Our mutual friend.” She paused, the sound of clinking cutlery and plates filling the air. “He’s probably wondering why we’re still here. After all, we did say we were going on Monday, and it’s now Wednesday.”

“Yeah, well, we didn’t say which Monday.” He nodded and smiled at the Steeles, waving his fingers over his fork.

“You’re incorrigible, Jason.”

“That’s me. I’ll give him another five minutes before he says something.”

“You’re on.” Freddie sipped her drink and looked at her watch. “Less than five minutes and we stay on the beach until the moon rises.”

“Deal.” He smiled. “I see you found your appetite.”

“Yeah, it was actually under those peas I spilled on the tablecloth.” She turned back to her meal, glancing periodically at her watch. Four minutes and fifteen seconds later she won the bet.

“We wondered if you’d gone home.” Nick Steele’s lilting voice broke into her thoughts.

“No. I haven’t been well. I was in hospital for a couple of days.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” His gaze held hers, his posture stiff. “I hope you’re feeling better now.”

No, you’re not sorry at all. Your eyes and body language say differently
. “I’m fine. The doctor wants me to take things easy for a few days.”

“I see. Well, I’m glad you’re better.”

“Jason’s going to take me out for a short walk in a bit. He thinks the fresh air will help.” Freddie tried not to yelp as Jason kicked her hard under the table. She slid her foot out of her shoe and rubbed it against her shin.

“Perhaps it will.” Nick straightened. “Well if you’ll excuse us, we have tickets to the show on the pier tonight.”

“Have fun.” Jason watched them leave then turned his steel gaze on Freddie, his voice low and harsh. “Why tell him we’re going out?”

“Why’d you think? Same reason he made a point of telling us where he was going to be all evening, perhaps? Just do me a favor and put the holdall and laptop in the boot of your car before we leave.”

****

Twenty minutes later, Freddie stood, feet sinking into the still warm sand. Jason was pulling off his shoes and socks and rolling his trousers up. He’d managed to find a parking space right next to the beach. She handed her flip flops to him to put in the car.

Would Nick Steele take the bait? Or am I wrong about him like I was about...

“So, are you going in the water since you’re wearing shorts?” Jason’s voice cut into her thoughts.

“I might go paddling, it depends.” She moved down the beach to the water’s edge, putting one foot in. She rubbed her arms and went back to him. “No. It’s too cold to go in.”