Under Cover Of Dark

by Juanita Kees

  Mark shrugged. ‘Sure, why not?’ He might get a chance to talk to Luke. From the rigid set of the boy’s shoulders, he could tell whatever young Luke and Marty were discussing, it wasn’t football.

  ‘Come, Lily.’ TJ stepped forward to take her hand. ‘We’ll watch the boys from the veranda and enjoy a glass of wine. I think this situation calls for at least one glass. Red or white?’

  Mark watched as TJ led her away. At the top of the stairs, Lily turned and looked at him. With a tilt of her head, she smiled. He felt the impact of that smile all the way to the toes of his size fourteen feet.

  * * *

  Tranquillity surrounded her, as Lily sipped her glass of chilled Margaret River wine. The classic dry white and TJ’s laid-back company made it easy to relax, despite the horror of the day. That coupled with the sound of Marty and Luke’s chatter blending with the deeper male voices, had her letting down her guard a little. God bless these people — these strangers.

  She welcomed the distraction as a Band-Aid on the events of the day. How long had it been since she’d heard Luke laugh? Her son had become a stranger to her, retreating further into his shell the older he got. Occasionally, she saw a glimpse of the happy boy he’d once been. Until his father had drawn him into the hell-hole of drugs and murder. He’d robbed Luke of his childhood and now his involvement in the underworld trade had taken their home too.

  Losing the house didn’t matter. It was a prison, a reminder of years they’d spent at the mercy of a man who’d become a monster. They’d escaped with their lives…just. It was time for them to start living again. Here in the peaceful surroundings of the Perth hills, she could almost see a future for them. Almost.

  Lily shook off the gloomy thoughts and turned to TJ who sat relaxed in a chair with her feet up on the veranda rail. ‘Thank you for having us here at such short notice.’

  TJ smiled as she looked down at the creek where the boys challenged the men in a game of touch football. ‘No problem at all. Marty will be happy for the company and Scott gets on really well with the boys. He’ll make a great dad one day. Soon hopefully.’ She turned her head and grinned at Lily. ‘We’re still enjoying the practice.’

  Lily grinned back. TJ’s smile was infectious. ‘How did you and Scott meet?’

  ‘Ah, now there’s a story. More wine?’

  Lily nodded and held out her glass. ‘A good story, I hope.’ Golden liquid filled the glass. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘You’re welcome. It could have been a sad story. Scott fired me on his first day at M&M.’

  ‘No!’

  TJ laughed. ‘Oh yes, for breaking the safety rules and wearing stilettos in the workshop. My choice of shoes wasn’t intentional. You see, my car had broken down on the way to work and I had to walk a little way to M&M to organise a tow.’ She sighed. ‘Luckily though, he saw his mistake, apologised and the rest is history. We’ve had our hiccups though, like the time his ex-girlfriend showed up during the Apprentice Awards Ceremony. What a piece of work that bitch is — Snow by name and cold by nature.’

  Snow. The name echoed in Lily’s mind, drowning out the rest of TJ’s words as the wine curdled the contents of her stomach. Please God, no. ‘Snow?’ She forced the question from vocal chords strangled with dismay.

  ‘Yeah.’ TJ wrinkled her nose. ‘Serena Snow. She tried to frame Scott for laundering dirty drug money. It made the papers on the east coast and caused a bit of a scandal, so he came west. Boy, am I glad he did! I fell in love with him when he came with me to find Marty who’d played hooky from work. I’m glad he came along. We found Marty at the gang clubhouse. He’d overdosed on a mixture of LSD and Ice.’

  Lily’s heart hitched as dread trawled through her. Oh my God! She was afraid to ask, but she had to. ‘Was it only Marty there?’

  TJ shook her head. ‘Young Tiny Watts was with him. He was the supplier. We think there were two others there too, but they’d disappeared by the time we got there. Scott was great. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He held Marty while I tried to keep him calm until the ambulance arrived. I’ve seen kids under the influence of drug cocktails before, but that was the worst reaction to one I’ve experienced since working with these kids.’

  So Luke was there that day. It explained why he’d come home pale and scared. Lily shivered. LSD and Ice, the drugs that killed Tiny Watts while Luke was forced to watch. She swirled the wine in her glass and wished she could flush away the awful memories it held for her son. The revelation that Serena Snow was somehow connected to Scott Devin scared her even more. How safe were they really?

  TJ reached across to pat her hand. ‘Lily, we know Luke is one of the Tag Raiders. There’s a fourth boy, Connor. He’s the youngest and most vulnerable. Scott and I will do everything we can to help these boys stay safe and out of trouble.’

  ‘I’m his mother. I could have put a stop to it long ago but I didn’t even try.’

  ‘None of this is your fault. Look in the mirror and see beyond the bruises. You did what you thought was best, for your safety and Luke’s.’

  Lily wondered if TJ would still feel the same when she found out it was Gino who was behind the supply of the drugs she fought so hard to protect Marty from. ‘Yes, I did but it cost a child his life.’

  With a sigh, TJ relaxed in her chair and took a sip of her wine. ‘There was nothing you or anyone could have done to stop that. Scott is always telling me I can’t save them all, but I’m damned if I’ll stop trying. We can only do our best from now on, together. That’s what creating this centre was about — saving the kids one at a time. You’ve got us on your side now, Lily. Here comes Mark. If you’re not ready to trust us yet, there’s the man you can.’

  She watched as Mark made his way up the grassy slope towards them, a satisfied smile stretching his lips, dimpling his cheeks. Lily felt something quiver inside her. It was hard to ignore his presence. Strength and reliability emanated from him, all wrapped up in golden good looks made all the more attractive by his lack of ego.

  ‘He’s a nice package, isn’t he? All that solid muscle and good looks mixed with a killer personality,’ sighed TJ. ‘It’s just as well I adore Scott, otherwise I might be tempted.’

  Lily smiled. There wasn’t much she could say to that other than agree. Watching him walk confidently towards them settled her fears a little. TJ was right. She had to learn to trust him. He’d pulled her from her burning house, stood with her when it collapsed and now he held their future in his hands. She had to start somewhere. Why not with Mark Johnson, a man who’d shown integrity and had stood up to Nic Albero?

  He’d rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to reveal strong, corded forearms, pumped from tossing the football. His tie was stuffed carelessly in his pants pocket and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone to reveal a smooth, solid chest. That killer smile alone would have women on their knees.

  Attraction stirred and swirled within her. She shifted in her seat at the tingling sensations pooling in places untouched for too long, shocked she was feeling anything at all. Hero-worship, it had to be. It couldn’t be anything else.

  With a will of their own, her eyes followed the line of his buttons to the belt at his waist and she watched slim hips move with a rhythm that had heat surging through her. Her hand shook a little with the force of it, sloshing the wine over the side of the glass.

  TJ laughed. ‘Let me take your glass, Lily. If that look in his eye is anything to go by, I’d say he wants a word with you.’ She lifted the glass from Lily’s nervous fingers and placed it on the table between them. ‘I’ll take drinks down to the boys. Come on over when you’re done.’

  Lily’s voice couldn’t make its way past the dryness in her throat, so she nodded instead. She wanted to beg TJ to stay. Alone with Mark, he’d ask those questions she knew she couldn’t ignore. He stepped up onto the veranda and Lily’s breath hitched as his eyes searched hers. There it was again, that lightning strike that surged between them. The feeling he co
uld see the secrets and lies in her heart. What would happen if she told him the truth?

  Silence stretched as TJ handed him an ice cold beer before bounding down the stairs. He sat in the chair she’d vacated and drank, long and deep. He settled down with a contented sigh.

  Lily’s gaze followed the movement as he stretched out long legs and crossed them at the ankles. She clenched her hands in her skirt and wondered what it would be like to climb into his lap atop those muscular thighs and bury herself against the comforting warmth of his chest. The thought was far too tempting after years of a cruel, cold, painful and loveless marriage.

  ‘Why did you stay with him, Lily?’

  Mark’s intuitive question unsettled her. He could read her thoughts far too easily. What chance did she have of keeping her secret?

  ‘For Luke’s sake. I thought if he saw his son grow up, he might be more of a loving father. I hoped he might change, soften a little.’ Restless now, she stood and walked to the edge of the veranda. ‘Naïve and young, that’s what I really was. He’d never change and I did Luke more harm than good by staying. I blame myself. For not leaving him sooner, for not standing up to him, for letting him steal Luke’s innocence. I’d give anything to go back in time and change things.’

  Near the creek, Luke played a handball and whooped as Marty caught it and ducked out of TJ’s reach. Guilt sank heavily in her stomach. By staying, she’d put him in danger and destroyed them both emotionally. She’d denied him a happier childhood.

  ‘You can’t blame yourself, Lily. Gino was a bully, a manipulator who used his own family for gain.’

  ‘Yes, but I’m Luke’s mother, and I let it happen. Luke was such a happy child, always laughing, picking flowers for me on the way home from school. Then he hit those awful teenage years when they’re so vulnerable and easily misled, so determined to grow up, to find themself, to fit in with the crowd. I never thought for a moment Luke would get involved with drugs and gangs. Nor did I think it would be his father who got him there.’

  Lily heard the soft rustle as Mark sat up in the chair. She looked back to see his hands clasped around the beer bottle, watching the condensation drip onto his long fingers. A frown drew his eyebrows together as he processed her words.

  People in happy, balanced relationships couldn’t understand the chains of domestic violence that bound partners in intimidating relationships. They never saw the darker side of drug and alcohol abuse — the mood swings, the anger or the brutality it brought when turning a sound mind insane. Mark would have seen the damage it could do. He’d understand.

  ‘Did Gino ever try to get counselling?’

  ‘He would’ve had to admit to having a problem first. Gino came from a long line of abusive husbands. I wish I’d known that at nineteen.’ She turned to face him now, her back against the veranda railing.

  He looked up from peeling the label away from the bottle. ‘What do you know about a woman named Serena Snow?’

  Why did that name haunt her at every turn? What did she know about the silver-haired bombshell, other than that she was a cold, murderous bitch…and what she’d read in Luke’s diary? She’d appeared from the east coast out of the blue. Lily shivered at the revelation that she was connected to Scott Devin. Gino certainly hadn’t talked about her. He’d kept his business very private. The reasons for that were obvious now as his death raised more questions. On the rare occasions he’d discussed business with his wife it was only to brag about his successes. The failures never warranted discussion, only pain.

  ‘Only what I know from the media. I rarely attended the law firm functions.’

  ‘I don’t think he knew her through the law firm, love, unless he’d defended her at some stage.’ Mark stood and walked over to stand next to her. He placed his hands on the veranda rail and looked across at where TJ and Scott chatted to the boys. ‘Tiny Watts kept a diary. In it, he recorded dates and initials — which we suspect are drug deliveries — along with some interesting drawings we think might be clues. Do you know if Luke did the same?’

  Grey eyes pinned hers and Lily froze. Dear God. She dropped her gaze from his to look out over his shoulder at the bushland. Luke’s diary had the power to send her son straight to prison, to destroy his life for good. It would lay bare his soul and reveal everything she’d tried to protect him against. She lifted her eyes to his and felt the force of a look that dared her to lie as he continued.

  ‘Gangs have a way of keeping records in such a way that they need interpretation. Graffiti, sketches, coded messages in tattoos, even their language is riddled with code words.’ He reached out and touched her arm gently, his skin warm against the iciness of hers. ‘I want to help you…and Luke, but I need your help in return. We have reason to believe Tiny Watts was murdered and that your husband and Serena Snow were involved somehow. Help us find the missing pieces of this puzzle, Lily.’

  Lily leaned against the railing away from the comfort of his touch, her back stiff. He didn’t know the half of it. How much longer could they hide from the truth anyway? She wanted to trust this man. She liked his easy manner, the caring he showed, but that wouldn’t help Luke behind bars and at the mercy of other prisoners.

  Mark took a step forward, his hand outstretched, palm up. ‘Let me help you, Lily. If there is something — any evidence at all — that will take these monsters off the street, I need to know.’

  ‘I can’t! You don’t understand…’

  ‘I want to understand what it is that has you so afraid. I want to see you and Luke live normal, happy lives again. I want you to tell me the truth.’

  He stood almost toe to toe with her now. She felt the warmth of his body, the temptation to sink into the comfort it provided. Her body swayed towards him with the strength of the pull. Strong, warm fingers tipped up her chin gently. Dark grey eyes searched hers for the truth and promised a safe haven from harm.

  ‘My offer of witness protection is still on the table. Take it and let’s end this nightmare of yours.’

  Lily hesitated a moment longer, torn between telling the truth and protecting her son who had suffered so much at the hands of these criminals already. She’d borne this burden alone for too long. The strength to fight against it waned as the ache of her strained muscles surfaced.

  ‘Yes, he has a diary.’

  With a sigh, Mark pulled her into his arms and held her against the beat of his heart. Lily listened to the comforting tattoo for a moment, savoured the warmth of his arms and allowed herself to believe he meant what he said.

  * * *

  What on earth had possessed him to take her in his arms? Her breasts pressed against him, her ear to the erratic thumping of his heart and the crown of honey-gold hair within kissing distance. Throwing caution to the wind, he kissed the top of her head. She stiffened against him but didn’t move away. Perhaps she should have. While his instincts screamed for him to step away, his hands stroked her back with a soothing rhythm and he felt her relax against him.

  For a moment longer he held her, until his body stirred with need. Gently, he dropped his arms from around her and stepped away from temptation. Neither of them was ready to act on the attraction that buzzed between them. Neither of them would be until the truth no longer kept them apart and Lily’s inner scars had healed.

  ‘The others are making their way back.’ He sighed, not sure whether to feel relieved or annoyed. ‘Can we talk later? After you and Luke have settled in?’

  Lily nodded. ‘Sure.’

  ‘Mum, would it be okay if I stayed at the main house with Marty tonight?’ Luke was out of breath as he reached the stairs. His normally pale skin was flushed from the exercise and the long fringe that usually hid his face was tucked out of the way behind his ear. ‘Mum?’

  Mark knew the instant Luke became aware of the tension in the air. Fear replaced the excitement on his face and he cast a quick look in Mark’s direction.

  ‘Yes, that’s fine, Luke. If it’s okay with TJ,’ said Lily. Her reass
uring nod had the teenager’s shoulders relaxing again.

  ‘Fine by me.’ TJ stepped onto the veranda. ‘Are you going to stay for a barbeque, Mark?’

  ‘Thanks, TJ.’ It looked like he wasn’t going to get back to the station to retrieve Tiny’s diary tonight. A pity, he thought. It would be good to compare the two diaries for similarities in events. Providing of course, Lily consented to showing him Luke’s version. At least staying for dinner wouldn’t give her time for second thoughts.

  ‘Good, you can help Scott carry the supplies over to Lily’s cabin. The ladies at the second hand shop dropped off a donation of clothing we can go through later, Lily. I’m sure we can find something in there to tide you over until we go shopping.’

  He watched her walk inside with TJ and wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He’d been so tempted earlier with the warmth of her in his arms. Yet seeing how scared she was, he couldn’t afford those thoughts. Not yet. Not until the case was closed, Lily was stronger and whatever secret she was hiding no longer lay between them.

  Mark turned to see Luke watching him with wary eyes. His fringe covered his eyes again and a flush of excitement replaced Luke’s sullen expression. Should he try to talk to the boy? Even as he took a step forward, Luke backed away.

  ‘Hey, Marty. Why don’t you and Luke go fire up the barbeque out back. It needs a bit of a scrub,’ Scott ordered the boys.

  ‘Sure can, Scott,’ replied Marty. ‘Let’s go, mate.’

  As the boys walked off, Scott turned to Mark. ‘Don’t rush him. Let him settle a bit. Trust will take a while.’

  ‘Yeah, I know.’ Mark sighed. ‘Did you see much of Luke before Tiny’s death?’

  ‘No. He was too young for the apprenticeship program. He slipped through our fingers. Bennetti made sure of it.’

  ‘Did you know about Serena Snow’s connection with Bennetti and Albero during your relationship with her?’

  Scott’s ex-girlfriend was a nasty piece of work with even nastier connections. Mark wasn’t surprised to find she was also involved with drug trafficking. Blackmail, money laundering and falsifying contracts was another skill she’d added to her crime resume in the ongoing case against her. All they needed to do was to catch her.