TENDER DECEIT (Romantic Suspense Mystery Novel): First Love Series ~ Book 1 (21 page)

The voices faded away. Leah’s body relaxed, her muscles unclenching. She could feel beads of perspiration lining her back. She looked over at Toran. He still looked infuriatingly calm and collected.

“How much longer?” she asked.

“Two numbers left.”

Leah blew out a sigh and looked up at the ceiling, trying to ease the tension in her shoulders. They were almost there, she told herself. This was going to work.

Then a new voice in the hallway outside made her stiffen.

Deep. Confident. Australian.

“I’ll just check in my study, Nathan. I might have a couple stashed in there. You haven’t tried anything ’till you’ve tried a Cohiba cigar.”

Bentley Warne.

Leah opened the door a crack. Warne was still at the bend in the hallway, standing next to the guard. He was looking back towards the foyer, laughing and talking to someone there. Neither of them was looking this way.

Leah glanced back into the study. Toran was still bent over the safe, his brow furrowed in concentration. With the stethoscope in his ears, he hadn’t heard Warne yet. Leah bit her lip. She had to intercept Warne. Give Toran more time. Her heart thudding, she stepped quietly out into the hallway and shut the study door behind her. She couldn’t let Warne see her near the study, couldn’t afford to give him anything that might arouse his suspicions. Quickly, Leah darted down the remainder of the hallway, until she reached the small, inner lobby at the other end. She just managed to get there and spin around before Warne finished his conversation and turned to head to the study.

Leah lifted her chin and started walking towards him, pivoting on her heels slightly, as if she had just turned around the corner. She hoped that might give the illusion that she had just come from the back of the house. She saw Warne alert as he saw her, then slow his steps as she approached him. Recognition flared in his eyes and he stopped dead.

“Hello, Mr Warne,” said Leah, giving him a cool smile. “I’ve been looking all over the house for you. But then, I believe you’ve been looking for me too.”

He went very still, then said smoothly, “Miss… Fisher, isn’t it? David’s daughter. I see the resemblance.”

He had a deep baritone that would have been good for delivering sermons. In person, Warne was even more impressive than in his photographs—a big man with easy charisma. He didn’t seem to be in costume—he was wearing his usual pinstriped suit—unless he was going for the hospital board executive look, Leah thought wryly.

Warne moved forwards to take both her hands in his. “I’m truly sorry about your father. A terrible tragedy. He was a wonderful man and a fine friend.”

Leah tried not to show any emotion as she listened to the tremor of sorrow in Warne’s voice, but a wave of anger swept her. Oh, he was good. Anyone listening to him could almost believe that he was genuinely devastated by her father’s death. Well, two could play the game. She said, injecting a slight sob into her own voice, “Yes, it was a terrible shock.”

“I believe you’ve not been back to Singapore for a long time. Do you have any close friends or family still here?”

As if you don’t know
. Leah gave him a wide smile. “Only you.”

Warne blinked, then returned her smile. “Well, of course. David worked for me for so many years, he was almost like family. I hope you feel that you can come to me for anything you need. Anything at all.”

Leah nodded and gave him another meaningless smile, her mind racing. They were reaching an impasse. The social niceties over, she could see the wheels of Warne’s mind turning, trying to assess the situation, decide if she was a threat. She couldn’t let him start to think too much, to wonder why she had come to the party. Especially not here. They were standing too close to the study door. She knew that Toran could hear them. She hoped fervently that he wouldn’t do his chivalrous act now and come storming out to protect her. She needed him to focus on opening the safe and retrieving the keys, otherwise all the risks would be for nothing.

“Do you dance, Mr Warne? I haven’t been able to find a partner and I love the music your band is playing.” She gave Warne’s hand a playful tug, trying to move him back up the hallway, towards the main foyer. For Toran’s sake, she needed to get Warne away from the study. And for her own sake, she needed to get closer to other people.

Warne’s fingers tightened around hers and, for a panicked moment, Leah thought that he was going to resist—then he fell into step beside her as she led him back up the hallway.

“It would be a pleasure,” he said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “And please, do call me Bentley.”

“That’s an unusual name,” said Leah, as he led her into the main ballroom and swung her into his arms.

He laughed easily. “My mother. She chose it because she thought it was the only way our family could ever afford a Bentley.”

“She should have had more faith in you,” said Leah with a coy smile.

He inclined his leonine head. “Now she lives in a house with a garage big enough for six Bentleys. And you, Miss Fisher? Where do you call home?”

“London,” she said.

“No plans to come back and settle in Singapore, then?”

He was testing her, Leah realised. He still wasn’t quite sure what she wanted, what she was doing here, so he was playing for time. They swung near a group of guests in the corner of the ballroom and Leah caught sight of a familiar face. Detective Inspector Ravi. He was holding a glass of champagne and looking slightly at a loss, as his wife gossiped to another woman next to him. He glanced up as Leah twirled past and their eyes met. Then she was led away by Warne again as the music changed tempo.

“My life is in London now,” Leah said. “Although it’s been nice catching up with some old friends
from school, such as Julia.” She nodded across the room to her friend, who was standing by the French windows, talking and laughing with two other women. She wanted Warne to know that she wasn’t here alone, that someone would be looking for her if she conveniently “disappeared”.

“Ah, yes, Arnold Yap’s wife,” Warne murmured, swinging her through one of the open French windows and out onto the terrace.

It was warm outside and Leah was grateful for the breeze that whispered against her heated skin. The brilliant light from the chandeliers in the ballroom was muted out here on the terrace and the few people standing around were just hazy silhouettes. Some were swaying to the music, but most were talking and looking out onto the back gardens.

Warne guided her expertly in a figure of eight, and said, just as he completed the turn, “And your friend, Toran James?”

He nearly caught her off guard. Leah fought to keep her voice steady as he moved her in time to the music. “Toran? I… he… you mean, the Toran James who was killed in the yacht accident last week?” She licked her lips. “I heard about that. Terrible tragedy. But… um… he wasn’t really a close friend.”

Warne laughed softly, an unpleasant sound. “Come, come, Leah, I think the time for lying is long past, don’t you?”

Leah realised with alarm that they were down at the far end of the terrace now, deep in the shadows behind the giant Corinthian columns flanking the edges of the terrace. The music from the ballroom was very faint. Over Warne’s shoulder, she could see a few steps leading down to a back deck and an enormous pool. It was unlit and the surface of the black water shimmered slightly in the moonlight. She jerked out of Warne’s arms and turned to head back to the ballroom, but his hand snaked out and clamped on her wrist.

He yanked her around to face him, all traces of the smooth businessman gone. A vein stood out on the side of his temple and the expression on his face was ugly. “What the hell are you doing in my house, you little bitch?”

He doesn’t realise Toran is here with me,
thought Leah wildly.
He doesn’t know that Toran is in the study. I must keep him from finding out
. She tried to yank her wrist from his grasp, but he held firm, tightening his hold until his fingernails dug cruelly into her skin. Leah winced and stopped struggling. “I… I wanted to see you,” she said, trying to keep the fear from her voice. “I wanted to know why you had me kidnapped.”

“You know why,” said Warne. “You have something which belongs to me. I want it back.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Warne gave her a shove which sent her reeling down the steps. Leah stumbled and caught herself just at the edge of the pool. She regained her balance and opened her mouth to scream—and found Warne standing in front of her. Something cold and hard touched her throat.

“Scream and it will be the last sound you ever make,” he said.

Leah stared down at the gleaming silver blade of a
kris
dagger which was jammed against her throat. It was a different one from the gold dagger Warne used to carry. This one had an ivory handle inlaid with turquoise stones. She swallowed and felt the cold steel press deeper into the soft skin of her neck.

“People will still hear. How will you be able to explain away a dead woman’s body this time? You won’t have my father to help you,” said Leah breathlessly.

“I don’t need your father,” growled Warne. “This is my house. I could say that you got upset, hysterical, when I tried to comfort you about your father and grabbed my dagger from my belt. I was trying to wrestle it from you when it slipped and stabbed you fatally in the throat.”

“That’s such a lame story,” gasped Leah. “No one would believe you!”

“Ah, but who’s going to contradict me?” said Warne softly. “You’d be the only person who could say otherwise and… you’d be dead.”

Leah swallowed again. Her eyes darted around, looking for some kind of escape. She took another step back and realised that she was right at the edge of the pool. The memory of that Valentine’s Day in Eighth Grade flashed through her mind—going out into the school gardens to find Toran, backing up against the pond. He had pulled her back from the edge and saved her from nearly falling in. But he wasn’t here now.

As if he had read her mind, Warne leaned forwards and bared his teeth in a mocking smile. “I hope you’re not expecting your friend, Toran, to save you. I’m afraid he might be slightly occupied at the moment.” He laughed as Leah’s eyes widened. “Did you really think you could fool me with your little act? Yes, I thought he might be in my study. I gave a signal just now to one of my men who was out on the terrace. They’ve gone to take care of him. And now,” he said, coming closer still, so that she could smell the reek of brandy on his breath. “I think it’s time to take care of
you
.”

Just one more number.

Toran massaged the stiffness from his neck, then bent over the safe again. Slowly he turned the dial, his eyes closed in concentration. Or at least, trying to concentrate. But half of his mind was outside the room, wondering where Leah was, what she was doing, if she was safe.

It had taken all his self-control not to rush out when he had heard Warne’s voice outside. Instantly, Toran had realised that Leah was trying to bait Warne and draw him away. His stomach had clenched with fear for her, while something in his heart had warmed at her bravery. He knew that the best thing he could do was to make her risk worthwhile—to stay quiet and finish cracking the combination.

Besides, he’d told himself that she would be fine. Leah was obviously leading Warne back to the heart of the party where she would be surrounded by people. She’d be perfectly safe.

Still, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that had settled on him, like a damp towel around his neck, cold and clinging. He shook his head and forced his mind back to the safe in front of him. The sooner he was finished here, the sooner he’d be able to go find Leah.

Click…click…click…click…click…CLICK.

Toran sat back with a smile. He removed the stethoscope and carefully turned the handle of the safe. The heavy steel door swung open soundlessly. The safe was fairly full, filled with papers and boxes, but Toran immediately zeroed in on the bunch of keys lying in the corner. He fished them out, shut the safe again, and gave the dial a final twirl. Then he stood up, stretching and easing the cramps from his long legs.

Something sounded outside in the hallway.

Footsteps. Approaching.

Toran stiffened. He glanced around. He needed to hide the keys somewhere. Being caught with stolen property would turn
him
into a criminal, whereas he might still be able to talk his way out of here.

He picked up a packet of gum from Warne’s desk, removed several sticks and popped them into his mouth, chewing rapidly. Darting over to the study windows behind the desk, he opened them, then spat the gum out into his other hand. It was a big, sticky wad. He wrapped the gum carefully around the ring of keys, then stuck his head out of the window, looking down. The colonial design of the house meant that decorative grooves had been cut into the walls, running parallel to the window sill.

He lowered the wad of gum with the keys as low as he could reach and pressed it to the underside of one of the grooves. Now, it was hidden from sight from above. He didn’t know how long the gum would hold—it depended on how heavy the keys were—but it was a chance he would have to take. Quickly, he ducked back and shut the window.

When the door to the study opened, Toran was on the other side of the desk, pretending to examine a jade figurine displayed on one of the bookshelves. He forced himself to turn nonchalantly around.

Two of Warne’s men stood in the doorway. Toran recognised one of them as the man he had fought at the villa. The other man was Curtis, who was still sporting a black eye from their encounter the night he followed Leah to the cable car.

“Out,” Curtis growled.

Toran gave a lazy smile. “I was just admiring Mr Warne’s jade collection. I think I might have seen a similar piece at the Asian Civilisations Museum and—”

“This study is private and off limits,” said Curtis coldly. “I could have you arrested for trespassing.”

Toran laughed. “Oh, come on. Don’t be ridiculous. I thought Mr Warne had opened his house up to all his guests? Don’t tell me he’s going back on his generosity now? That’s not like Bentley.”

Curtis took a step into the room. Toran shrugged and sauntered over to the door. As he passed them, he felt rather than saw Curtis lunge towards him. Toran sidestepped and jerked his elbow up into the other man’s face, smashing his nose. Blood spurted and Curtis bellowed in pain, clutching his nose. The second man jumped for Toran, who spun around and delivered a punch to his jaw, followed by an uppercut that had him reeling back against Curtis. Both men crashed into the wall. Toran pushed past them and ran, back up the hallway, towards the foyer.

They were coming after him. Toran could hear them panting and shouting behind him, pushing guests out of the way as they tried to get through the crowd. The air filled with indignant yells of “Hey!” and “Watch it!” as guests were shoved aside.

Toran didn’t look back. He took a left turn into the ballroom, shouldering his way through a group of women with an apologetic smile
that had them parting eagerly for him. He stepped through and found himself at the edge of the dance floor. He looked frantically around, peering over the heads of the couples swinging past. He couldn’t see Leah anywhere. And he couldn’t see Warne either.

Fear gripped him again. But before he could rush across the room and out through the open terrace windows, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. It was Curtis. Toran scanned the room. Two more of Warne’s men were coming in from the terrace. He clenched his fists, his muscles tensing as he prepared to fight.

Then a cool, polite voice sounded above the hubbub of the crowd. “Is there a problem?”

Toran turned to see a short Indian man with an elegant moustache standing next to him. He felt Curtis’s hand ease off his shoulder.

“No, no problem, Inspector Ravi. We were… uh… just escorting this gentleman off the premises.”

“Leah,” said Toran urgently to the inspector. “Have you seen Leah? Leah Fisher? She’s the daughter of David Fisher who was—”

“Yes, I know Miss Fisher,” said Inspector Ravi. “I just saw her dancing with Mr Warne. I believe they went out on the terrace.”

“She’s in danger!” said Toran. “We’ve got to find her.” He turned to head towards the terrace. Curtis grabbed him again and Toran shook him off violently. Two other men jumped on Toran and held him tight.

“We caught this man in Mr Warne’s study, sir,” said Curtis, turning to the inspector. “You should arrest him.”

“Fine, arrest me,” said Toran impatiently. “But go out and find Leah! Please! I’m begging you—something could be happening to her!”

Inspector Ravi hesitated, then something in Toran’s face must have convinced him because he nodded curtly and said to Curtis, “Release him.”

“But, sir—”

“I’ll take responsibility for him,” said the inspector, motioning to the other men to step back.

Toran wasted no time explaining. He turned and dived towards the French windows, racing out onto the terrace.

“Leah? Leah?
LEAH!
”

The people on the terrace turned and stared at him in surprise. Other people had followed him out of the ballroom and were pointing and whispering. In the background, Toran heard Julia’s voice crying, “Oh my God, has something happened to Leah?” More people spilled out of the ballroom, following him as he ran across the terrace.

Toran looked wildly around, feeling like a hand was wrapped around his heart and squeezing it tight.

Inspector Ravi came up and touched his arm. “Perhaps we should—”

“There!” Toran spied a movement down at the other end of the terrace. He bolted across. He could hear people following behind him, talking excitedly, but all his senses were focused forwards, his eyes were straining ahead, searching, searching…

Was he too late?

“Leah?” He jerked to a stop at the top of the terrace steps. They were just two dark silhouettes, but he knew it was them. Leah was standing rigid at the edge of the pool and Warne was with her. He saw something flash in Warne’s hand as the Australian billionaire drew his arm away from Leah and slid it casually against his hip. Warne stepped back from Leah just as Toran ran down the steps, Inspector Ravi at his heels.

“Leah!”
She was in his arms. Toran could feel her trembling and he knew that his own heart was thundering in his chest. He claimed her mouth with his, desperate to reassure himself that she was fine. She clung to him so tight that, for a moment, he thought she was never going to let him go, then she relaxed her hold and gently pushed him back. 

“I-
I’m fine.” Her voice was not quite steady, but she stood back from him and took a deep, shuddering breath.

“How very touching,” came a mocking voice. They turned to see Warne clapping.

On the terrace above them, people had gathered in a crowd, all looking down at them, pointing and whispering. Inspector Ravi stood slightly apart, his eyes watchful.

“Okay, I’m afraid the show’s over, people,” said Warne, waving his arms with a genial smile, trying to encourage the guests back into the ballroom.

“No, it’s not,” said Leah loudly, stepping forwards. “Not until you explain to Inspector Ravi here why you had me drugged and kidnapped.”

Warne raised his eyebrows. “Kidnapped?” He laughed. “Miss Fisher, I think you’re getting a bit hysterical. Why on earth would I have you kidnapped?”

“Because you want to get evidence I had. Evidence that would implicate you in a murder.”

A ripple of shock went through the crowd. The murmurs and whispers got louder.

But Warne didn’t seem affected. He laughed again and said, “Now I know you really are hysterical. Me? Commit murder?” He guffawed. “And when am I supposed to have done this? Between dealing in some cocaine and robbing a bank?”

Chuckles came from the crowd. Warne’s words and attitude were having the intended effect. People were no longer taking Leah seriously. Toran glanced at the inspector. He was not laughing.

Toran stepped forwards. “No, between having your lawyer killed for trying to expose the murder… and blowing up a yacht to get rid of
me
for investigating further.”

An expectant hush settled over the crowd. Most people knew about the yacht explosion of last week and several were now looking curiously at Toran. Unlike Leah, he was well known enough locally to have some inherent credibility. Eyes turned back to Warne, waiting for his response.

The Australian tycoon laughed again, although it was beginning to sound a bit forced now. A vein bulged on the side of his forehead. “This just gets better and better. Maybe you can sell the movie rights to Hollywood! I know of a couple of directors—I can put you in touch, if you like.” He raised his eyebrows and smiled.

“You’re good,” said Leah suddenly, moving towards him. “You never miss a beat, do you? But you can’t cover up everything. The body that was found in the river? Her name was Sumalee and you murdered her.”

Gasps went up from the surrounding crowd. People began talking and whispering. A middle-aged woman in a pearl necklace and simple evening gown tried to go to Warne, but others held her back. Susan Warne. The tycoon’s wife. Toran glanced at Inspector Ravi again. The detective inspector was leaning forwards now, his eyes bright with interest.

Leah took another step closer to Warne and stared unflinchingly up at him, her eyes glittering in the moonlight. She looked beautiful and defiant—and Toran thought suddenly that her father would have been proud of her at that moment.

“We’ve got the video files,” Leah said to Warne. “The ones that Sumalee was going to blackmail you with. We’ll be turning them over to the police. We’ve also got Sumalee’s friend’s testimony, confirming that she was going to meet you the night she was murdered. And then there’s the weapon—the only weapon which could have made the wound on Sumalee’s body—your
kris
dagger. I’m sure a DNA test will show—”

“That’s enough!” Warne’s face flushed red. “Inspector, I want these two people arrested. I have tried to be patient, but this is beyond ridiculous now. I won’t be insulted like this in my own home.” He looked around and snapped. “Curtis! Where are you? Get these two—” 

Inspector Ravi cleared his throat and stepping forwards. “I’m sorry, sir, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to accompany me to the station, to answer some questions.”

More gasps came from the crowd, although this time they sounded more like sounds of titillation than horror. Bentley Warne’s face darkened, the vein bulging even more. He looked at the inspector incredulously. “Surely you don’t believe them? This girl is hysterical! She’s a liar—”

“Sir…” Inspector Ravi came forwards and tried to put a restraining hand on Warne’s elbow.

The Australian tycoon shook him off violently, taking a step back. “Get off me! I’m not going anywhere without my lawy—” He stopped, a look of chagrin crossing his face. Toran felt a moment of grim satisfaction. Always before, David Fisher had stepped in and saved Warne’s hide. But this time, the lawyer was not here to protect him and it was Warne’s own fault. He had killed off his own best weapon. Toran glanced at Leah and saw from the expression in her eyes that she was thinking the same thing. Her mouth hardened.

“Sir,” Inspector Ravi’s voice was sterner now. “If you don’t come of your own accord, I’ll be forced to place you under arrest.”

There was a faint shriek from the crowd and Susan Warne sagged into the arms of her friends. People surged forwards, mouths open, expressions eager. Warne took another step back, his face livid. He looked at Leah next to him and his eyes narrowed.

“The one you should be arresting is her! I don’t know where she is making up such crazy stories about me murdering a ladyboy, but—”