Coral Sea Affair

by Drew Lindsay

‘He’s not with the Police Department anymore!’

  ‘What!’

  ‘They wouldn’t tell me anything other than he has taken an indefinite leave of absence.’

  ‘So where does he live?’

  ‘Yeah, right. They are going to tell me that, especially over the phone. Wake up Brenda.’

  ‘Well let’s send him an email. We have his email address, right?’

  ‘We almost never send back emails to fans, other than the generic ones.’

  Brenda ran long slender fingers through her hair and slumped back onto a very luxurious leather chair in the Park Hyatt Hotel overlooking Sydney Harbour. She watched hundreds of sailing boats moving back and forth. The tiled sails of the Opera House were brilliantly white. Ferries and charter cruise boats competed with each other for landing space at Circular Quay to the right of her panoramic view. People were everywhere; walking, jogging, watching the view, eating, playing with kids, taking photographs.

  Elizabeth walked to the window and looked out over the sparkling harbour. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful city,’ she said softly.

  ‘It’s amazing,’ returned Brenda. ‘I’m sorry we had just one day here.’

  ‘We fly on a private jet to Cairns in Far North Queensland tomorrow and then by coach to Port Douglas. You’re going to be working your ring off from then baby.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. From the photos the place looks amazing.’

  ‘The security team are flying with us tomorrow so we can get acquainted.’

  Brenda threw her legs over the upholstered side of the huge chair. ‘Everywhere we go we have this security thing. I’ve got you. Isn’t that enough?’

  ‘Not enough for Derek and Sandra. They run this show darling. This is location shooting so the extra muscle is not such a bad idea, as long as they don’t get in the way.’

  ‘Are they Americans?’

  ‘I have no idea who they are. We meet them tomorrow at the airport but we aren’t at the main terminal so it shouldn’t be a repeat of the media fiasco we walked into this morning.

  Brenda was quiet for a few minutes but she was fidgeting with a magazine on her lap; turning pages but absorbing nothing.

  Elizabeth dropped into a chair beside her companion. ‘You want to watch the news? You will be all over it.’

  ‘Na. I looked like shit.’

  ‘You couldn’t look like shit if you tried honey,’ said Elizabeth, laughing. ‘I, on the other hand, looked like shit.’

  ‘You looked hot,’ said Brenda. ‘You always look hot.’

  ‘OK enough about me. Where would you like to eat tonight?’

  Brenda frowned. ‘You know we’re locked up here.’

  ‘Just teasing. They have a private room downstairs but photographers will be around as we move into that area.’

  ‘Can’t we order room service?’

  ‘Certainly not. I want to strut my hot stuff.’

  ‘Then I may have to leave you behind tonight.’

  ‘Like hell you will. I have my orders. You’re not getting out of my sight.’

  ‘And the Detective?’

  Elizabeth was quiet.

  ‘Liz?’

  ‘He was a bad idea from the start. Forget him.’

  ‘Yeah, he was drunk.’

  ‘Yes he was. Let’s forget him, OK?’

  ‘You sure?’

  ‘I’m sure Brenda.’ Elizabeth’s tone was firm.

  ‘OK.’