Death by Beauty

by Lord, Gabrielle

  ‘Gems, have you seen the headlines? Check out the lead story in the Telegraph. I’ll say no more.’

  ‘No, Angie. You tell me. I just don’t think I could handle any more bad news.’

  ‘Who said it was bad?’ chuckled Angie. ‘As to your raid on Sapphire Springs, get Lance to email me the results of the DNA comparison test on Bloomfield’s mozzie. He runs an accredited lab and with that sort of positive ID, it’s going to be easier to convince Gross that we need a search warrant. Speaking of the Grossmeister, I’ve opened up an interesting lead on a way to get him off your back. I’ll say no more over the phone.’

  Gemma then briefed Angie on Mrs van Leyden’s suspicions and on what she’d discovered in the files at the medical centre. ‘I’ve made copies and I’ll give them to Lance. They might tell us something about DiNAH.’ She sighed then went on, ‘I still don’t understand the connections between these women,’ she said. ‘And I don’t understand why Annabel Carr’s details are there.’

  ‘Annabel Carr? Remind me,’ said Angie.

  ‘The girl I interviewed at Bondi. She’d endured an initial vampire injury but never saw him again – unlike Brie, and presumably unlike the other two women who ended up dead.’

  ‘Right. If I can get a search warrant, we can seize everything there: paper files, computer records, the works.’

  ‘But I’ll miss out on all the fun,’ said Gemma. ‘I want to see it – I want to be there when the vampire goes down.’

  ‘I don’t think that can be arranged, Gems. Sorry. But first things first. I’ve got to get that warrant.’

  After the phone call, Kit and Gemma looked at the Telegraph site and immediately saw a photograph of Lorraine Litchfield, her face contorted with fury as she attempted to lash out at the newspaper’s photographer, above the headline: ‘Crime Boss Widow Retracts Corruption Allegations’.

  ‘Gems, what’s going on? I thought this woman was in jail.’

  Skimming the rest of the piece, Gemma gave Kit the barest rundown on Steve and Litchfield, carefully leaving herself out of the story. She knew what her sister would say if she found out.

  Litchfield had withdrawn her allegations of corruption against an undercover police officer, the article said. The Police Integrity Commission inquiry had been suspended, pending further investigations; it was likely she would be charged with a number of offences.

  A related article caught Gemma’s eye: ‘Early Release Deal Under Scrutiny’. Another journalist had turned up some information about Litchfield’s early release from prison and the quality of the information she had given in exchange for that release. An inquiry was pending. Thank God for a free press, Gemma thought. This was the best news she had had in a long time.

  ‘I’ve got to go, Kit. Can I leave Rafi with you this morning?’

  ‘Of course. We’ll do some baking together,’ she said. ‘Bye Gems, take care. You have a look in your eye that’s worrying me.’

  ‘I’ll be fine. See you later,’ she said as she kissed Rafi goodbye.

  Mike remained silent in his office, which told Gemma that he was still angry, so she decided to give him some space. She packed the copies of the medical files that she’d ‘borrowed’ from Sapphire Springs Spa in her briefcase and left for Paradigm Laboratories.

  Lance came out to the foyer to meet her and she handed over copies she’d made of the files.

  ‘These look like HLA tests,’ he said, leafing through the pages.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Human leucocyte antigen tests.’

  ‘Antigen tests?’ Gemma asked. ‘Antibodies? Something to do with infection control?’

  ‘More complicated than that,’ said Lance. ‘I’ll have to find someone else to have a look at these.’

  ‘It’s important, Lance.’

  ‘I’m really busy,’ he said, ‘but I’ll do what I can and get back to you.’

  And I need to get the originals of the medical records back to where they came from ASAP, Gemma thought, as she thanked him.

  Not far from the lab her mobile rang, so she pulled over and snatched it up.

  ‘Gemma! It’s me, Delphine.’

  ‘Where the hell are you? Are you all right? I’ve been really worried. Everything was still in your room at Beecham House – your toiletries, everything.’

  ‘First of all, I’m safe. I know I should have called earlier but so much has happened.’

  Gemma closed her eyes briefly, relieved. ‘You’d better tell me, Delphine.’

  ‘I was going out to do some shopping and as I stepped out of the lift at Beecham House I saw him – Angelo – coming into the hotel. He didn’t see me, thank God, and while he was at the reception desk I bolted out the door. The only place I could think to go to was my solicitor’s. So I landed there and filled him in on what had happened since he and I had last met.

  ‘The long and short of it is that I’ve left town and I’m renting a gorgeous house in Bowral. It belongs to one of the partners from my solicitor’s firm. I was down here in a couple of hours. It’s the first time I’ve been able to breathe in days. My solicitor’s calling the insurance company where Angelo’s taken out that big policy. Have you got the dirt on him yet?’

  ‘I’m working on it. Do you know anything about a company called Perestroika?

  ‘Perestroika? It’s a medical centre he’s invested in. That’s all I know. Why?’

  ‘I’ll keep you posted,’ Gemma said. ‘What about his connections with Sapphire Springs?’

  ‘Sapphire Springs Spa? He’s connected to that?’

  ‘Most definitely.’

  ‘Then thank goodness I decided not to take up their offer. God knows what he might have done to me! God! I wonder if he was behind that?’

  ‘It’s quite possible,’ Gemma said.

  ‘Looks like I’ve had a narrow escape!’

  ‘What do you know about his son?’

  ‘Son? He doesn’t have a son!’

  ‘Like he didn’t have a previous wife?’

  ‘I wonder what else I don’t know about him,’ said Delphine, her voice sad.

  ‘You probably don’t want to know, Delphine. How long are you going to be in Bowral?’

  ‘As long as I like. The rent is reasonable and the highlands air is doing me good.’

  ‘Where should I send my latest account?’ Gemma asked.

  She noted down the address, determined to add an extra fifteen per cent for the unnecessary stress she’d endured because of Delphine’s tardiness in contacting her.

  While she was stopped she decided to call Spinner.

  ‘Hey, boss, I was just about to call you. Guess you’ve seen the papers. That was a good job we did.’

  ‘It sure was. I couldn’t have done it without you.’

  Spinner snorted. ‘Of course you could. Has Steve seen it?’

  ‘I’m not sure. I hope so.’

  ‘You should drop by and make sure.’

  Driving off, she couldn’t get Spinner’s words out of her mind. She felt sure that Steve would know already – someone in the job would have called him. But what if no one had?

  CHAPTER 34

  Gemma picked up Rafi from Kit and by the time she’d driven to Steve’s place, he was sound asleep in his carseat. He barely woke when she lifted him out gently. Her heart was beating quickly as she carried him along the street, around the corner and up to the small apartment block.

  Steve opened the door as soon as she pressed the button and stood there, staring at her and then at Rafi, a drowsy cherub, his head against her shoulder, his lips slightly parted and his eyelids flickering in baby dreams.

  Steve couldn’t speak for a moment and neither could she. This was the little family Gemma had once dreamed about. Steve seemed younger and more boyish than when she’d last seen him, his hair falling over his forehead and a smile breaking out. A great weight lifted from him.

  ‘My son,’ he said, putting his hand out to touch the little, pearly fingers. ‘Rafi.
’

  Even in his sleep, Rafi’s fingers responded to Steve’s touch, gently budding open then closing again.

  There were tears in Steve’s eyes and he coughed to cover them, stepping back and speaking too quickly. ‘Come in, both of you. I was just thinking about you, Gems, and here you are, with – with Rafi.’

  ‘So, you’ve heard the news,’ she said.

  ‘I can’t tell you how good I feel. A mate rang early this morning. It’s like my life has been given back to me.’

  Once they were inside, Steve gingerly put his hand out again, softly touching Rafi’s rounded forehead and downy head. ‘G’day, little fella. Pleased to meet you.’

  Rafi opened his eyes and immediately delivered one of his radiant smiles. Gemma saw the effect on Steve as his face lit up like a kid’s on Christmas morning.

  ‘Hey! Did you see that? He smiled at me. He smiled at his dad!’

  Gemma bit her lip. Steve’s pleasure in his son made her want to cry. ‘Steve, he smiles at everyone.’

  ‘Not like that, he doesn’t. That was a special smile, wasn’t it, mate?’

  Rafi did it again, this time even wider, jigging with excitement in her arms.

  ‘Hey little fella, come here to Papa!’

  Responding with mysterious baby intuition, Rafi spread his arms out wide, reaching for his father. Gemma relinquished him and Steve took him, carrying him with assurance as if he did it every day.

  ‘We can go scuba diving, bungee jumping, fishing and rock climbing, Rafi. Abseiling. What do you think of that?’

  Rafi squealed with joy as his father showed him around the room, all the while suggesting a litany of other unsuitable activities. ‘What about hang-gliding? Base jumping?’

  Gemma’s heart ached. Why couldn’t he have been like this when she was pregnant? Why leave it until now, when it was all too late? This surprising and sudden fatherly euphoria was, she thought, the opposite reaction to the despair and hopelessness Steve had been enduring for weeks now. It was a huge emotional release. She smiled at the two of them, the dancing man, the laughing baby, thinking how quickly things had changed for Steve – from the depths of despair to this spontaneous joy.

  After a few minutes Gemma tenderly took Rafi from him, saying, ‘Don’t get him too wild, Steve. He can go from laughing to screaming very quickly when he’s just woken up.’

  She sat him down on the floor, positioning cushions around him to keep him somewhat corralled. It didn’t work. Within seconds he’d barged past them and was heading at full speed towards the narrow hallway that led down to the bedroom.

  Gemma brought Steve up to date with the different cases she’d been working on. She told him about the connections to Sapphire Springs Spa, explaining the mystery and possible menace that surrounded DiNAH therapy. In a little while, discussing the cases so easily, it felt as if they had never been apart. In a break in the conversation, Gemma became aware of the silence. She jumped up. ‘Uh oh. Rafi’s up to something. He’s too quiet. Where is he?’ She hurried down to the bedroom – and there was her son, on the floor playing with Steve’s work boots.

  She was aware of Steve coming up behind her and the two of them stood there a moment, gazing in wonderment at their boy. Gemma was surprised by sudden tears, which she stifled but Steve heard the sob. He pulled her hard against him, her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, grasping her hands in his, his face pushing down into the side of her neck.

  ‘This feels so right,’ he said quietly. ‘Holding you. You, me and our son.’

  Gemma swung away, breaking the spell of his familiar scent and skin, turning to face him. ‘Don’t do this, Steve! It’s too late. And you’re not being fair, talking like this now that I’ve made a life without you.’

  But he pulled her to him, kissing her hard. Gemma broke free, heart pounding, anger and desire melding in a confused surge of emotions.

  Her mobile chimed and she ran back into the lounge room and snatched it up, grateful for the interruption.

  ‘Yes?’ she said, trying to bring her breath under control.

  ‘Miss Lincoln? It’s April Evans from Sapphire Springs Spa. I need to speak with you – urgently.’

  The woman’s voice was strained. Something had happened. Gemma recalled the last time she had seen Dr Evans, distressed and upset, valiantly trying to smile professionally.

  ‘What is this about?’ Gemma asked, looking up as Steve appeared in the doorway from the hall.

  ‘I can’t really talk about it – not on the phone. Ms Lincoln, it’s extremely important. Please, can you come straight away? Look, if you’re concerned about that trespass business … it’s not about that.’

  ‘What is is about then?’

  ‘Please. I can’t speak about this on the phone. Just come.’

  Gemma could hear the desperate plea in the woman’s voice.

  ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can,’ she said, ringing off, her heart rate starting to return to normal. No sooner had she done this than her mobile rang again. Angie.

  ‘Things are moving fast,’ she said. ‘No,’ she pre-empted, ‘I haven’t got that search warrant organised yet but the DNA match will make it a whole lot easier.’

  ‘April Evans just called,’ said Gemma. ‘She wants to see me, urgently. She sounded very distressed. She could be ready to answer a few questions about DiNAH therapy.’

  ‘I’ll meet you out there,’ said Angie.

  ‘I’ll have to get someone to mind Rafi.’

  ‘I can do that,’ Steve interrupted the conversation. ‘Just tell me what I should give him to eat.’

  ‘That was Steve’s voice?’ Angie asked in disbelief. ‘What the hell are you up to?’

  ‘Let’s talk about it later,’ said Gemma. ‘I’ll see you at Sapphire Springs.’

  She rang off. Rafi might be happy now, playing with Steve, but she wondered how he would be when he realised she had gone.

  ‘Let me mind him. I’m his father, for God’s sake. He’s got to get to know me sooner or later.’

  ‘But I won’t be here if he needs anything. He doesn’t know you.’

  ‘Gemma, it’s time he did.’

  She stood, irresolute a few moments. Steve had a point: Rafi did need to get to know his father. Now was as good a time as any.

  Reluctantly, she went to her car and brought in Rafi’s bag. ‘There’s an emergency bottle of formula in the baby bag. You can warm it up for him. And he loves the apricot-and-rice that’s in there too.’

  Steve waved her off. ‘Go on. He’ll be fine. If for some reason he isn’t, I’ll call you and you can come straight back. Okay?’

  All the way down to Sapphire Springs, her mind replayed the scenes at Steve’s place. How was she going to deal with her wayward heart? Things had changed – she’d been there the moment Steve had fallen in love with his son and she knew he would want more than the distant, financial relationship he’d so far maintained. And what impact would this have on Mike, who was already sensitive about her relationship with him?

  Steve held a biological card that Mike could not trump.

  She parked, made sure the medical records were in her bag and hurried across the lawns to the reception area. There was no one at the desk but the door to Dr Evans’ office stood open and Gemma walked straight in, dropping the medical records on the desk. ‘Good evening, Dr Evans. These documents came into my possession,’ she said in a rush, ‘and I’m returning them.’

  Dr Evans rose from her seat behind her desk, lifting her eyes from the file she’d been reading, her skin starkly pale, her red lipstick a bloody splash, and her eyes dark with fear as she hastily closed the folder. She hardly glanced at the purloined medical records as she picked them up, adding them to the one she’d been reading.

  ‘Ms Lincoln, thank you for coming. I need to talk to you. There are things happening here that—’ Her voice broke off. ‘I don’t want the police involved at the moment.’

  ‘I’ll see if I c
an help you,’ Gemma said, putting down her bag. ‘What is going on?’

  ‘The other day when I was so upset, I’d just discovered something dreadful – that someone connected to this establishment had murdered Janet Chancy.’ Even though she’d suspected it, Gemma still felt shocked at Dr Evans’ revelation.

  ‘Who was it?’

  ‘I don’t know. But I overheard a conversation that leaves me in no doubt that Janet Chancy was murdered because of something she discovered here – something that isn’t right.’

  ‘Something about DiNAH therapy?’

  Dr Evans nodded. ‘I’m very worried. Really frightened. But as I said, before I involve the police I want to speak with you.’

  Dr Evans’ mobile rang. ‘Yes?’

  Gemma watched her face as whoever was on the other end of the line spoke. A moment later, Dr Evans rang off. ‘I have to drop off these files then go over to the medical supercentre. Come with me. We can talk.’

  A security guard glanced up and nodded to Dr Evans as she led Gemma into the building adjoining the supercentre.

  ‘It’s okay, Jason,’ she said. ‘My visitor has clearance here.’

  Gemma followed her down the corridor into the medical-records room that Gemma had been to before. Dr Evans closed the door behind them, and placed the folders together with the folder she’d been reading on a small table. She’s so preoccupied with what’s happened, thought Gemma, she’s not even going to ask me where or how I got hold of those folders.

  Dr Evans looked up from the table, speaking in a low voice. ‘Ms Lincoln, there’s something going on here that is not right. It’s already caused the murder of Janet Chancy. Dr Egmont and his surgical team are carrying out procedures that are not being correctly recorded. I understand that the Russian doctors are used to doing things in a different way, under different conditions – but there are certain protocols that are standard to medical practice and as a part owner in the Sapphire Springs Spa resort, I don’t want my reputation and the reputation of this establishment to become questionable. There will be a shocking scandal when the story breaks about the murder of the journalist and its connection to my spa. That’s why it’s imperative that I get to the bottom of this.’