by Maggie Brown
After another fruitless call to the police station, she headed for the garage with the envelope.
* * *
The Blue Peacock was humming with the Sunday luncheon crowd, a mixture of ethnic and alternate-lifestyle people. Winter circled a group waiting to be seated and made her way to the counter. A young African woman with colourfully braided hair was taking orders, while a Chris Hemsworth lookalike was the barista. The enticing aroma of roasted coffee beans wafted over her. Unable to resist, she ordered a cup.
“A skinny latte, please. Um…would Adriana be here?” she asked, wishing she could at least remember the singer’s last name.
It didn’t seem to matter. The woman barely gave her a second glance as she answered, “She’s busy out the back. Can I give her a message?”
“I don’t want to disturb her, but it’s really urgent. Could you tell her Winter Carlyle needs to see her at once.”
She had the woman’s attention now. “Of course. I’ll send someone to find her. Please take a seat.”
Adriana appeared before her coffee, which was no surprise. She would know about the raid and Pandora’s public arrest.
“Winter,” she said, her voice bitter. “You’re the last person I expected to turn up here. Come with me out the back so we can talk in private.”
Winter plucked her mug from the waiter’s tray. “Lead on.”
They entered a small dressing room filled with a mirror, a row of cosmetics and a rack of clothes. Two chairs and a small table were jammed in the corner.
Adriana waved to a chair and took the other. “What do you want?” From her tone it was clear she was furious.
“Firstly, I’d like to say I’ve told nobody I’ve come here. I came entirely off my own bat,” Winter said, keeping her voice calm. “I’m presuming you and Pandora work for the same organization. If I’m wrong, then I’ll apologise and go immediately. Do you?”
Adriana eyed her with dislike. “What’s this all about?”
“I won’t say unless you answer my question.”
Silence hung heavily in the air between them as doubt and concern flittered over Adriana’s face. Eventually, she simply nodded.
“And you work for some sort of government enforcement agency?” Winter watched her closely, trying to read her face.
“Yes. We’re the good guys.”
Even though she was sure that Pandora wouldn’t be mixed up with anything illegal, she let out the breath she was holding. She pulled the envelope from her bag. “This contains information relating to the criminal activities at the Silver Fox. I want you to give it to your superior. Pandora is being held in custody.”
“Don’t you think I damn well know that? It’s splattered all over the news. Why don’t you take it to the police yourself?”
Winter made a rueful face. “I shouldn’t be sharing this without a court order under the Freedom of Information Act. There isn’t time for that if I’m to help Pandora. I can’t deliver it myself and I thought you would have a person you could secretly slip it to.”
“What’s in it?” Adriana asked, her antagonism slipping to curiosity.
“Just facts and figures. A paper trail.”
Adriana looked at her incredulously. “To do with this case?”
“Yes. Now that’s all I can say.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure the right person gets it as soon as I can.” Then she pushed back in the chair and the antagonism flooded back into her voice. “What’s going on with you and Pandora?”
“We’ve been seeing each other.”
“You mean screwing, don’t you!”
Even though it was clearly meant as an accusation, Winter had to smile. “Why, yes. That too.”
Adriana seem to deflate at that. “Do you realize she’s in all this shit because of you? She was supposed to be gone. Holidaying on some tropical island, not locked up in a prison cell.”
“I know,” said Winter quietly. “But I can’t pretend to be sorry she stayed. I love her for it. She’s become special.” She leaned forward and touched Adriana gently on the arm. “It must hurt to see her find someone else. You love her, don’t you?”
Tears sparkled in the singer’s eyes. “I did. Desperately for years. I guess I still do a bit, but I’ve learnt to accept she’ll never feel the same way about me. It just hurts, you know, to see her finally find someone she cares enough about to want to stay with.”
“I need you to understand I never asked her to give up her job. It was her decision. But I sense, even without me, she was ready to move on. She still wants to see where her music can take her and she’s good enough to reach the top.”
Adriana nodded, offering a smile for the first time. “You’re right. She’s been restless for a while now, even if she couldn’t see it. You were simply the catalyst.” She glanced at her watch. “I was talking to the boss just before you came in. She’s due to be cross-examined shortly. If you hurry you can be there when she comes out.”
“Really?” Winter leapt to her feet and was already halfway out the door when she called out. “Thanks. Come over for a meal when everything settles down.”
* * *
Winter crossed the pavement to where the distinctive blue and white police sign indicated the public entrance of the watch house.
The woman behind the front desk appeared stern. But when she enquired after Pandora, she smiled and her face softened, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “She hasn’t come out yet. Would you like to take a seat and wait? She shouldn’t be too much longer. Most of the people have been processed.”
Winter nodded her thanks, plucked a magazine from the rack and settled in a chair in the corner. For an hour, people came and went. Finally the door opened and there she was. Winter stood up quickly. At the sound of the scraping of the chair, Pandora swivelled around and their eyes met. She looked dejected and washed out, but Winter hadn’t seen a more beautiful sight in her entire life.
The next thing she was in her arms, laughing and crying at the same time. “I’ve been waiting for ages. I thought they’d never let you go.”
Pandora clutched her tightly. “You came,” she murmured into her hair. “I…I badly wanted you to but didn’t like to ask.”
“Why on earth not?”
“I know how you hate public displays. I made a complete idiot of myself with Christine.”
Winter pulled back and cradled her face between her hands. “Are you kidding me? You’re my hero. It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone get the better of her. And,” she gave a snicker, “it’s gone viral. They’ve dubbed it Pantygate. It’s hilarious. She must be furious. I bet she takes time off from her show and goes into hiding.”
“Huh! I’ll have to as well. The press will be all over it.”
“Then you can hide out with me. The others can take over my workload…I haven’t had a decent break in years. My uncle owns a holiday house up the coast on the beach. It’s probably vacant at the moment. Would you like to go with me?”
“Just you and me?”
“Yep.”
“I’d love it.”
“Come on then. Let’s get you home.”
When they reached her car in the parking lot, Winter swept her eyes over Pandora. “What have you got on?”
With a laugh, Pandora gave a twirl. “New fashion statement, babe.”
“Gorgeous,” Winter said with a laugh. “Get in and you can tell me what happened on the way home. Do you want to pick anything up from your apartment?”
“No. We can do that tomorrow. I want a hot shower and just chill out with you.” As Winter drove home, Pandora related the events of the night. When she finished, Winter reached down and squeezed her thigh lightly. “They think Kurt was the mastermind of the operation?”
“Yes. Boris was the muscle, but Kurt had the financial nous.” Pandora let out a long breath. “I was sorry it turned out to be him. He was a really good friend.”
Winter pulled up at the red light and shot her a glance. �
��It wasn’t him.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I saw the news this morning, I was worried sick about you.” She waved a hand. “Not that argument with Chris if that’s what you’re thinking, but what she said about you and Yuri. I thought maybe they might try to tie you in with whatever the Russians were doing. Guilty by association. Then Gussie rang—mainly to gloat of course—but she did have some gossip. She’d heard from a friend, whose husband’s a judge, that the raid wasn’t about drugs but money laundering.”
“So much for secrecy,” said Pandora dryly.
Winter gave a snort. “You have no idea. Anyhow, normally I don’t listen, but this time I did. I remembered something you said. Something that had me puzzled at the time. I alluded to it that first night I came to the club. I was negotiating for a client to buy one of Lawrence Partridge’s companies. A multimillion-dollar sale. Partridge was unlucky he got me. We’re a busy firm, with heavy workloads. We always do checks, but I’m pedantic. I investigated much deeper. I won’t go into the finer details, but I discovered there were funds in one of Partridge’s company’s branches that couldn’t be accounted for. It was cleverly done, and surface checks wouldn’t have picked it up. Since we still had the files in our system, I went through them with a fine-tooth comb all morning. I found enough to prove he was laundering money through his companies. A lot of money.”
“Geez, Winter. The Feds have been working on this for a year. Partridge was investigated, though was never considered a front runner.”
“But he was always at the club.”
“Yeah. To see me. He made that pretty clear to everyone. The flowers, the attention.”
Winter laughed. “He really wasn’t pining after you. You were his smokescreen.”
Pandora let out a chuckle too. “I’ve been called worse. Bit of a blow to the ego though.” Then her voice lowered with concern. “These are really bad people, babe, the lowest form of humanity. They can’t find out it was you who found the evidence.”
“I know. The envelope only contains figures and bank accounts. They can’t trace it back to me and it’s really only a start. The police will subpoena all his finances and they’re sure to find a lot more. This was only one company he has a stake in. He has a finger in many pies: real estate, clubs, casinos, charities, you name it.”
“What did you do with the information?”
“I gave it to Adriana to take to your people.”
Pandora shot up straight in the seat. “You went to Adriana. Shit, Winter, how did you even know she was a colleague?”
“You said you’ve worked with her for years.”
“Huh…I guess I did, didn’t I. Um…how was she?”
By Pandora’s tone, it dawned on Winter that she hadn’t told her friend she was not leaving Brisbane. “Angry, bitter. Didn’t you tell her you weren’t going?”
“No. It’s my business what I do with my life. I didn’t want any drama about it. Adriana and I, we go back a long way. We’ve looked after each other in the field for years, and danger brings you really close to someone. Even more than sex. Your life depends on that person. She’s become possessive of me to the point it’s becomes stifling.”
Winter listened, amazed. Pandora was clueless about how Adriana felt about her. “She was fine by the end,” she said reassuringly. “When all this settles down, perhaps we can invite her over to dinner if she’s still here.”
“Thank you. She’s a good friend. Oh, and babe,” Pandora said with emotion resonating in her voice, “I like the way you said we can invite her.”
“Pandora, it is we now isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Then, sweetheart, isn’t it about time you told me your real name.”
“I guess it is. My name is Hope Collins and I’m very pleased to meet you, Winter Carlyle.”
Winter burst into laughter. “That figures. Pandora opens the box and Hope flutters out.”
Epilogue
Twenty months later
“Here. You carry these in,” Winter said, passing over a cheesecake and salad, “and I’ll get Matilda.”
Pandora took the dishes, smiling to herself as she remembered her first family dinner at the Carlyle’s. Winter had been annoyingly blasé about it, but it had been a big deal for her. It was the first time she had ever been taken home to meet the parents—well, technically speaking they had all met, but not as their daughter’s partner.
Having gained notoriety from the run-in with Christine, every one of Winter’s relations turned up that day to look her over in a new light. When she entered the house she was met with a wall of noise and been examined, quizzed, and dissected. A far scarier experience than any undercover work.
Now here they were, a married couple with a baby. How life had changed, and so much for the better.
Everyone here still called her Pandora, as did Winter who said she couldn’t imagine her as anything else. When she registered Pandora as her professional name with the recording studio, it seemed pointless to go back to Hope. She had been known as Colly for the last ten years anyhow. Then with the success of her first album, “Pandora” became permanent.
Joyce Carlyle met them at the door and immediately took Matilda from Winter’s arms. “How’s my little cherub,” she cooed, then beckoned them in.
“She’s smiling, Mum.”
“Wonderful. When is your mother arriving, Pandora?”
“Next week.”
“Bring her over for lunch one day,” Joyce said. “Now go on through to the garden and say hello to the birthday girl. Everyone’s here.”
When they stepped through the back door, Jessie appeared with a tray of champagne flutes. “This’ll put you into the mood, my friends.”
Pandora plucked one off, but Winter shook her head. “Can’t. Breastfeeding.”
“Where is the little one?”
“Mum’s claimed her. I’ll be lucky to get her back.”
“Is she smiling yet?”
“Yes, she is,” piped in Pandora proudly. “Seven weeks old and cute as a button.”
Jessie broke into a laugh. “Oh, you two are so freaking domesticated.”
Pandora threw her arm around Winter’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Yep,” she said with a satisfied smile. “I’m well and truly hooked. Sometimes I wonder how I ever got so lucky.”
“Me too,” murmured Winter, melting into her embrace.
Jessie looked amused. “Am I the only sane one around here?”
“You should try it, Jess,” Winter said, her voice losing a little of its light-heartedness.
“Well, girlfriend, while you have been out of circulation wallowing in home bliss and having babies, I’ve been taking out someone.”
“Really? Who?”
“Her name’s Meg. I’ve been treating her son.”
Winter’s lips twitched. “Jessie, you’re blushing.”
“Yeah…well…she’s nice. And she doesn’t take any shit from me, so there’s no need for you to be telling her any stories.”
“Oh, I’m sure someone has filled her in,” Winter said, chuckling. “Where is she?”
“Coming over now,” Jessie muttered.
The woman approaching was attractive in a girl-next-door sort of way. Average height, brown wavy hair, a pleasant face, big blue eyes, and a trim curvy figure. She was dressed in a pretty yellow dress with a high neckline and knee-high skirt. She looked to be in her early thirties.
“Hi,” she said shyly. “I’m guessing you’re Winter and Pandora. Jessie has told me so much about you.”
“Hey there,” said Pandora, eyeing her in wonder. So not Jessie’s usual type. But then again, she mused, knowing Jessie’s history, this was just the sort of woman who could make her happy. And a child would be a bonus. Jessie loved children.
“Jessie said you have a son, Meg,” said Winter happily. Pandora smiled to herself—since having Matilda, Winter embraced everything and everyone associated with motherhood.
“I have a girl as well. She’s just started preschool.”
“Really. How wonderful,” Winter said, looping her arm through hers. “Come on and introduce me to them. Then I’ll show you Matilda.”
Fondly, Pandora watched them wander off, then turned back to Jessie. “Meg’s very sweet.”
“Yes…she is. She gets me, if you know what I mean. We’ve only been going out for four months but I’m keen.” She gave a little cough. “And she is too.”
“You think you can handle two children?”
Jessie gazed at her intently. “I’ve never known how to have a relationship, never thought I’d be any good at one. But all I’ve ever wanted was a family. Meg is wonderful and so are her kids. It’s like I’ve been given a second miracle.”
Pandora put her hand on her shoulder. “Good for you, Jessie. You’ll make a great parent and partner.”
“Thanks, and I have to say I’ve never seen Winter looking so happy.”
“Motherhood suits her.”
Jessie smiled. “It does. And you too. Now I’ll have to continue taking these around or I’ll be in trouble. Gussie has her eye on me. I’ll see that little tyke of yours shortly. I bet she’s ruling the roost already.”
“We’ve had a few sleepless nights,” Pandora said with a laugh. “Where is Gussie?”
Jessie rolled her eyes. “Over there. You’ll be pleased to know you’re finally off the hook. Michael’s in love again.”
“Thank God. Who with?”
“The skinny babe in the Armani dress.” Jessie hooked her index fingers in the air. “Apparently her family is very wealthyyyy.”
“Huh! Good. Gussie won’t be thinking she’s after Michael’s money. Who’s the attractive young woman with them.”
Jessie gave a hearty chuckle. “That’s Tracey.”
“No kidding,” gasped Pandora. “Cripes! Dracula’s daughter has morphed into a butterfly. We have been out of circulation for too long.” She nodded toward the group in the garden. “I’ll catch up with you later. I’d better wish Grandma happy birthday.”
The yard was alive with the sound of laughter, buzz of conversations, and children squealing. Winter’s grandmother reclined back in one of the outdoor padded chairs, her body frail but mind still alert. She was enjoying the attentions of her family as they took turns to sit with her, and when she caught sight of Pandora, she patted the next chair. “Come and talk to me, dear.”
