The Longest Time Without You (Gold Streaks Book 3) (5 page)

Chapter 9

“...And you'll be ready to meet after nine? Good. Great. I'll see you then.”

Lisa is sitting in the kitchen at Sue's house. It is evening. She is wrapped in the red-dark nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders. She has her mobile at her ear and is half-sitting on the table. The muted light from the lamps catches pale strands in her hair, and glows softly off the stone counter. The room is dark; the lights turned to their softest setting.

Lisa has been here all day. After three nights and four days imprisoned, she is still too weak to walk much, and standing for more than a few minutes tires her. She is far too exhausted and depleted to work. But nothing can stop her telephoning.

That morning, she spent nearly thirty minutes on the telephone to Mrs. Henderson in the front office at her firm; getting all the information about the case. Due to her absence, the hearing had been put forward a week, so it is still in two day's time.

Lisa feels her body stiffen with the fresh demands of that, and the excitement of it. Two days. Two days to put everything she knows together, to construct a case against these men.

So far, neither she nor Sue have given out the information that she is alive and safe at home. They think it is better if most people still assume her missing; although whoever it is who had her kidnapped must certainly know by now she is released.

The people at Lisa's work know, too.

“Good. Good. So don't get anything prepared before you've seen me. And don't let James do this case alone. Where is Althea?”

Lisa is exhausted, but she still finds delight in the joyous chaos of her legal practice.

“Right. Right. That's good. I'll see you tomorrow at nine.”

She hangs up; sighs deeply. Smiles.

She stands up slowly and wanders to the sitting-room, her legs still weak.

Sue is sitting on the white couch, Mozart on softly over the speakers in the far right corner.

Lisa smiles, just looking at her. Sue looks up; smiles back; the grub dazzling under ice-blue eyes.

“That's that, then.” Lisa starts, her voice warm with satisfaction. “I'll have to be there tomorrow. Althea's off; James has a case tomorrow...and there's the hearing I'll be readying for.”

Sue smiles, a frown of worry still somewhere, high on her unlined brow. Lisa is still weak.

“Long day?” She asks. “You'll be alright? Dr White said you shouldn't move around too much for the next week or so.”

Lisa grins, wryly. “We both know what we think of Dr White; except when he's useful.” Lisa smiles. “Besides, Ms Montmorency; I don't see you following his advice.”

Sue grins. She spent the morning at work, her energy renewed; and had a successful fight with the shareholders. Cedric Brinkman, she remembers suddenly, was there this morning.

“Well, his advice is just a recommendation, isn't it?”

Sue lifts her shoulder in a half-shrug; grinning. Their eyes meet.

“Recommendation indeed.”

Lisa smiles, lowers herself into the seat opposite. “Anything interesting at work?” She asks after a moment.

“Not so much,” Sue starts, “We made a very successful agreement with the shareholders...the starting price for shares in the new Bismuth mine area is going to be quite good.”

Sue's voice is warmly satisfied.

“Good.” Lisa smiles.

“And you?”

“Busy day.” Lisa rolls her eyes, and grins. “Spent an hour hearing from Titus; says the place went crazy, with the hearing scheduled and the lawyer missing...they decided to reschedule it for Thursday...in two day's time.”

“That's soon.” Sue looks up, forehead creased with concern. “You shouldn't be exerting yourself like that.”

“I'll be alright.” Lisa says, resolutely. “Just wish I could figure out some way of charging those two.”

“Raju Patel and Cedric Brinkman?”

Lisa nods.

She has explained to Sue what she thinks happened; telling her all the overheard conversations and the new information she managed to gain while she was imprisoned. She and Sue have both considered all the information, and they have a clear picture in their minds of what had happened; both coming up with the same common conclusion. Raju Patel must have approached the car company to be ready to be charged with malpractice; they must have agreed to lose the case, in return for some of Raju Patel's inheritance.

When it turned out that Lisa was the lawyer for the car-company, and that she was thinking things through and coming to the inevitable conclusion of foul play, they must have decided to remove her.

“We know they're in it together,” Sue agrees, looking up, her hands linked in her lap, her eyes unfocused as she thinks; “...but how can you show it so they have to listen in court? What proof can you find?”

“I don't know...that's just the trouble.” Lisa starts, grimly. Then pauses. “Unless...”

She thinks a little longer, mind racing.

“Sue!” She says after a while. “We know they meet at the old refinery hall, don't we?”

“Yes.” Sue nods. Lisa has told her that from what she heard.

“And we know that the guards expect them to meet again soon?”

“Yes.” Sue confirms again.

“How does this sound?” Lisa asks. She tells her the framework of an idea. Sue elaborates, pointing out some errors and refinements. The talk for a long time.

After about an hour, Lisa leans back; a half-smile warm on her warm-toned lips.

Sue is also smiling, a pale pink bow curved up in sheer delight.

“It's brilliant.” Lisa smiles.

“It is brilliant.” Sue agrees.

They nod.

“I'll go and find those things, then?” Sue asks it. She half-rises, ready to go down to the basement where the car is parked.

“Good. I'll call Steff. As her for what we need.”

“Good.”

The room is charged with excitement, plans of action, and hope. It is a brilliant plan.

Chapter 10

“How long do you think we should wait?”

“Not sure.” Sue says it. “We waited until ten-thirty yesterday.”

“Good. I'd say the same again, just to be sure?” Lisa asks it.

“Yes.”

Sue and Lisa are sitting in Lisa's dark-colored Volvo; the lights turned off and the engine silent. They are parked at the bottom of the hill, near where Lisa was kept in the disused storage house, but more to the East, where a cluster of disused buildings, pale and crumbling in the pale light of stars and the distant lights, is cast haphazardly across the lower hill.

They are watching the main building. Waiting for Raju Patel and the man from Brinkman Cars to arrive; if they are having a meeting tonight as they suspect; the night before the case. They waited until ten-thirty the day before and saw nothing. Today, surely, it is more likely someone will be coming here tonight?

Lisa and Sue wait. Lisa catches Sue's glance, and they both smile. Both of them are involved in this; excited and a little apprehensive; but looking forward to springing into action at any moment.

In the trunk of the car and on the back seats is a strange array of things; some Sue had at home in the garage, and some they fetched after work from Lisa's friend across town.

Now, they sit and watch the building opposite. They have been there since around eight-thirty.

Sue's hand is on Lisa's knee. Lisa leans towards Sue; her head resting against hers. Their fingers curl together. They wait, in easy peacefulness; still charged and ready just below the surface of their  pleasant calm.

Half an hour later, almost at ten o' clock.

“There?” Lisa points, asking a question.

“There.” Sue confirms. “I can see it too.”

Headlights. Coming slowly over the ridge along the higher road, towards the disused building.

They are tense, coiled inside with the need for action. Palms slick with excitement and nerves.

They wait. The car stops. In the distance, they hear the dull thud of a door closed.

They wait longer.

About fifteen minutes later, another car draws up; headlights wavering as it negotiates the rocky road across the ridge.

Lisa and Sue watch as it stops. Hear the slam of a door. Silence. In the almost-complete dark, they can just about make out a figure crossing the darker shade of the grass and entering the building. Light flows out in a brief pool on the grass, then the door closes. Silence.

Lisa and Sue wait ten minutes.

“Now?” Lisa asks it; a breath in the blanketing darkness.

“Now.” Sue agrees.

They open the doors; slide out. Shut them as silently as they can. Wait for the count of ten before they open the back door and the trunk; take out what they need. Close the doors again. Wait.

Ten seconds later, and they can move again. Slowly, so as not to stand out in the dark stillness of the   unoccupied land, they walk up the hill behind the building.

Ten minutes later, and they are on the hilltop, behind the building. They wait; grin at each other, a brief flash of bright, white teeth. Then they are still. Lisa signals to Sue to go round the front of the building. Sue nods.

Together, carrying the equipment that they have, Sue and Lisa move round to the front of the building; keeping to the shadows. The windows are large, and there is a light inside; a powerful torch of some sort. They would be silhouetted against the light if they moved in front of any of the windows. They keep to the shadow and try to bend down to pass the lower level of the wall without window.

Lisa tilts her head to the door. Sue nods. As yet, they have seen no guards posted anywhere. They can't risk someone seeing them and raising the alarm. They have to be quick.

Lisa slips around to the other side of the door, which is closed against letting the light show too much. Sue steps forward, so that she is on the other side of the door. They wait. Look at each other. Draw a breath. Looking into each other's eyes, and smiling, breathlessly, they count to three. Then, “Now!”

Lisa and Sue kick at the door; ready to pound it with the heavy objects they are carrying if they need to. Fortunately, it is not locked, and swings open easily.

Inside, two men spring to their feet. One is Raju Patel; the other an older, paler man they do not recognize. Raju Patel's hand goes to his hip pocket. This is what Lisa and Sue did not know; whether or not either man would be armed. Fortunately, they planned for that,

“Now!” The word comes from both of them, torn raggedly from their throats together,

Lisa lifts the cannister she carries; takes the pin out. Inside the room, the men cry out. Lift their hands to cover their eyes; cough and choke and sneeze and sniff and stumble. Tear gas.

Sue lifts the taller bundle she carries; holds it high; flicks a switch. Bright, clear florescent light floods the scene. An outdoor light for parties, held somewhere in the further reaches of Sue's garden, or the park; out of the range of lights.

The men are stumbling, choking, gasping. The light shows them clearly; the gas barely obscuring the two struggling forms.

Lisa lifts her camera as Sue angles the light. Takes clear pictures of the two of them together. Ones where you can see them clearly in the empty building; ones where you can clearly see each face.

“Got them?” Sue.             

“Got them.” Lisa nods. “Right.”

“Right.”

Then, just as the men inside the building start to straighten up, recovering, they run.

A shot rings out behind them as they sprint down the hill, breathless. Lisa slips the camera into her pocket. Sue pulls out the car-keys, unlocks the doors.

They slide into the seats, start the engine. Then they are away; and just in time. Behind them, they can hear shots being fired; see the brief flare of them on the hilltop, as the men rush out and down the hill.

Lisa and Sue turn to each other, breathless. They smile; the warmth tangible between them; the elation brightening the air between them.

Chapter 11

Outside the window of Sue's house, the sun is setting. The sky is oranges and yellows and white and pale, pale mauve.

Lisa and Sue are sitting in the warm, brightly lit kitchen, bowls of Thai noodles and fish steaming on the main table, scenting the air with ginger, coconut and spice.

The scent of ginger winds through the air, mingling with the fresh evening breeze and the sound of voices; warm and bright in the warmly-scented air.

“...And he was horrified. Their lawyer, I mean...” Lisa's voice, animated.

“...well; there's nothing he could do about that, is there?” Sue's voice. Warm and lively.

“No! No, there isn't.” Lisa smiles. “Cheers?”

“Cheers.”

They clink glasses. They are celebrating the court case of Patel and Brinkman; which has ended with a rather spectacular and unexpected turn of both involved parties being prosecuted for their involvement in the murder of Mrs. Patel. The rest of the courtroom was speechless. They were all surprised.

Lisa and Sue, of course, were unsurprised. They are both relieved to know the men will likely get a lengthy sentence – Raju Patel, that is, and Ron Langdon – the senior board member of Brinkman Cars directly implicated in the case.

Lisa and Sue smile at each other; drink champagne. The pale liquid glows against the background of the sunlit air; adding to the warmth of the room.

“So, Ms Montmorency?” Lisa smiles, eyebrows raised.

“So, Ms Marsden.” Sue grins, her voice warm; rolling with mischief, humor and excitement.

“Mmm.” Lisa smiles at her. They kiss.

Lisa's arms are around Sue's shoulders. Sue's arms wrap around Lisa's chest.

After a long while, they lean back out of the embrace; stand and go upstairs.

The room is a tapestry of orange, cream and pools of shadow as the light changes outside and Sue and Lisa undress. Their bodies slide over each other on the bed; Lisa over Sue, limbs wrapped round each other as they writhe together in a sheer ecstasy of closeness. They are blind to everything but the softness of skin in the dusk light; the gentle curve of a hip or shoulder; the warmth in each other's eyes.

Their hands caress each other; gently and then with more direction. Their lips find each other, and cling and part and pause and meet again. Lisa slides her fingers slowly between Sue's thighs, and they move together, lost in the aching, sweet rhythm of unbounded joy and love.

Hours later, when they are lying in each other's arms; Lisa's hand on Sue's stomach; Sue's resting on her hip and the fingers of the other hand wound in her hair; they talk, drowsily.

“Ms Montmorency?”

“Yes?” Sue's voice is warm; glowing.

“Ms Montmorency; would you consider changing to Ms Montmorency-Marsden?”

“
What
?” Sue's voice rises an octave; joy and surprise mixed. “Lisa?”

“Well?” Lisa's voice is warm; teasing. “I am a lawyer, you know, Ms Montmorency.” She adds. “I need things to be legal.”

They laugh. They embrace. When they roll away, both of their cheeks are traced with tears, wet; slivered tracks that shine. They are both laughing.

“Besides,” Lisa is continuing. “I rather think I love you.”

“Oh, Lisa!” Sue's voice cracks. She half sits; looks into Lisa's eyes. “I love you.”

Outside, the day cools to evening and the night falls, softly. The land settles to sleep and the stars rise; their slow setting marking hours unremarked-on by the lovers down below, lost in each other's gaze.