Eve shook her head again, this time at Callie. Don’t support that idea, she vibed silently, but Blanche didn’t need any encouragement.
‘Not for a million, then.’ Blanche didn’t even blink. ‘Perhaps her hospital would send her for two?’
Holy crap. Now she was getting scared of this woman. Eve tried to keep the picture of a Sienna-tirade out of her mind but it wasn’t easy.
‘Please don’t do that. I’m not keen on living with an angry Sienna.’ Been there. Done that.
Blanche was supremely uninterested. ‘Babies are dying, or almost dying, out here and we still don’t know why.’
Callie watched helplessly as Blanche steamrolled them both. Bravely she tried to maintain some semblance of having a say. ‘It could have nothing to do with why the other babies died.’
Blanche ignored that and glanced around the room, almost grinding her teeth with frustration. ‘Let’s make sure, shall we. I’d hoped setting up the clinic would stop this from happening. We still need someone to find out if there is a reason behind it that we can do something about. You two do an excellent job but we can’t have another stillbirth.’
‘We’ve only been here a month,’ Callie said, her face pale.
Eve straightened. Whoa, there. She stared straight at Blanche. ‘Don’t you start apologising, Callie. We did an amazing job ensuring Molly’s baby got out of here in as good a condition as possible.’
Then to Eve’s dismay Blanche’s eyes misted with emotion. ‘I know you did. And everyone appreciates it. But I won’t let it happen again. You have a sister who is an experienced obstetrician with research qualifications. In the brief time I spoke to her she struck me as a very efficient woman. I like efficient women, and I don’t have time to search for another one. If I have to drag your Sienna screaming all the way to Red Sand to work this out, I will. I don’t care how much it costs or how upset she is, as long as she can tell me we are doing all we can for our babies. I need that to happen.’
Eve spared a brief thought for what Lex would say to another two million dollars. Actually, she wondered where Lex was hiding, considering Blanche had said he’d flown her in.
‘I have a friend in Melbourne,’ Blanche muttered darkly as she too glanced around. ‘Where’s Lex?’
Eve closed her eyes. Sienna would not be happy.
SEVENTEEN
That afternoon in Melbourne, Sienna was definitely not happy. ‘You’re sending me where?’
Sienna Wilson had never been a trusting soul, but recently, painfully, she’d become more sensitive to the aroma of rodent. To detecting when Sienna was being royally screwed. The idea of remaining calm got lost in the rush between her ears and the immaculately French-polished tips of her fingernails dug into Wallace Waters’ solid cedar desk, as if holding onto it would keep the dream alive. They couldn’t do this to her. It had to be about Mark.
‘Red Sand. Evocative, isn’t it?’ Wallace mused. Was he actually laughing at her? ‘And apparently there’s a Diamond Lake.’ Wallace, skin gloriously tanned from celebrating his seventieth birthday in the penthouse at the Waikiki Sheraton, smoothed the grey hair that had been combed skilfully over his balding scalp. He dropped the words with a certain satisfaction, because first and foremost he savoured the power.
No surprises there.
He followed with a measured pronouncement of her fate. ‘Very small town. In the corner of Channel Country, far west Queensland.’
‘I know the place. I was there earlier in the year,’ said Sienna through gritted teeth. She had every reason to hate the name of it. The first man to let her and her sister down had come from there. School of hard knocks. Don’t trust men. Use them.
Be seconded to a small town in the outback, stuck in a dust bowl full of rangy cattle and cowboys, while some male jerk with less experience spun in her Melbourne office chair? God, no. Sienna loved the city lifestyle. She abhorred the idea of everyone knowing her business, interfering in her life, talking about her behind her back.
She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’
Wallace looked up at her then turned away, walking a few paces to even their heights out. She knew what he was doing because his son did it. Small man syndrome.
‘Population 200,’ he said, ignoring her, ‘and there’s been a recent establishment of an antenatal-care centre that’s available to townsfolk —’ he rolled the word around his mouth as if it amused him ‘— plus families on cattle stations in a huge radius, though seeing patients is not your problem. Why their inhabitants have had a two times greater than state average premature birth rate over the past twenty-four months is your problem. It’s a fact-finding mission.’
She didn’t want to accept this mission. Couldn’t she burn the tape before listening, like Tom Cruise?
She could see a scaly patch of old sunburn on the top of Wallace’s scalp and glared at it from her extra inches. She wished she’d worn shoes twice as high. Little worm. She could barely look at him through the slits of her eyes, she was so wild. He’d promised.
Finally Wallace looked blandly at her and inclined his head for her comment.
‘I’ve finished my thesis and you led me to believe I had the director’s job here. We agreed.’
She paused, counted to three. She’d slaved for this job, everyone expected the announcement, but the moment called for big-girl pants, not a whining voice. She didn’t consider tears, not that she could remember the last time she’d cried. She had to win this. Would win this.
‘I’m scheduled to start next week,’ she went on calmly, trying to instil a subliminal sense of fait accompli.
Wallace walked back to his desk, framed by the skyscrapers of Melbourne out the window. ‘Your appointment is still viable, just put back for three months.’
And that was where it all really sucked. Because she knew then that he was lying. This was the first step of the plan to give her job to someone else. She’d seen him do it before but stupidly she’d thought she was safe. He looked past her shoulder and she wanted to scream, ‘Look at me!’
Then came the death knell. ‘It’s Blanche McKay’s hometown, and her family is our new major benefactor in research grants. It’s you she wants.’
‘I’ve only met the woman once.’
‘Our hospital has been offered a two-million-dollar research grant.’ He stopped and whistled incredulously. ‘Two million,’ he repeated, in case she hadn’t heard him. ‘If – if – you stay for the three months. Not bad at all. If you actually discover a way they can improve care, the amount goes to five million.’ He looked at her. ‘Do try for that.’
It was a double whammy: distance from Mark, and money. She had no hope.
She took her fingers from the desk, noted with disappointment the fine wood had been impervious to her horror, and straightened.
‘So you sold me for a donation.’
He stood, came around the desk towards her and stopped a foot away, his hands held out in supplication. What a con this guy was.
‘Twenty-four months of research funding in return for your esteemed presence in an outback town for three months.’ He flashed his fingers like a game-show host with a winning number. ‘I think that’s reasonable. Did I mention this town is reeling from a sudden increase in birth incidents they can’t explain?’
He said it as if it were her fault. ‘Yes. You did.’
Wallace rubbed his hands together: to his mind the matter was settled, and he was so glad she could see his reasoning. ‘So they need someone who can review the documentation of women’s pregnancies and gather enough stats to point them in the right direction. They need an obstetrician who is an experienced researcher with a nose for anything suspicious.’
Well, obviously she didn’t have that last requirement. She hadn’t been suspicious enough of either of the Waters men. But Sienna could inhale the powder of betrayal and it choked her like that thick red dust she dreaded.
‘Are you sure this is just about the money? Nothing about my re
lationship with Mark?’
Wallace replied blandly. ‘Nothing at all. I’m sure Mark will wait for you.’
Sienna turned away because she couldn’t stand the look of insincere sympathy on Wallace’s face. ‘It sounds like a demotion if you ask me. I’m a city girl. What the hell would I do in the outback?’
‘Learn to ride a horse? Or if you hate it that much, come back on weekends.’ The lack of interest stung. ‘You could fly in and out from Longreach. It’s four and a half hours’ drive from Red Sand, I believe. Brisbane is a two-hour flight from Longreach.’ He looked briefly amused. ‘Though you might want to leave your pretty little red sports car at home and get a four-wheel drive. Should be fun.’
His face changed, hardened. ‘Get over it, Sienna. You’ll be well paid and the hospital will be too. The decision has been made. Unless you wish to resign?’ He’d like that. He must have already chosen her successor. Wallace waved the problem away. He was finished. The discussion was over.
Sienna gazed past him out the window. She could see the trams, the shops, the restaurants below them, and the big ships steaming across Port Phillip Bay far out to the south. God, she loved all that. She loved her town’s streets, lined with cafes, designer clothes shops and Italian shoes – not scrubby trees and feral animals.
But the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach said there wasn’t a lot she could do about it unless she wanted to burn her bridges here. She stared at the grain in Wallace’s desk. Maybe she did. But she’d calm down before she decided to do that.
She would drive from Melbourne to Brisbane and out to Red Sand. It would take her at the very least a couple of days but no way was she going to be stuck without wheels in the back of beyond. And no way was she driving four and a half hours to an airport in some clunky off-road vehicle like the one Eve had made her travel in. She’d drive her own car. And she’d take a small suitcase so she had an excuse to come home.
‘When do I leave?’
Sienna threw open her office door, making her secretary jump. ‘Get my sister on the line, please.’
The phone rang while she was still staring out of her city-view window. ‘Eve?’
‘Sienna?’
‘What the hell happened? Are you responsible for my being seconded to Red Sand?’
‘God, no. You gave Blanche your card.’ Sienna could hear the vehemence in her sister’s voice and her ire settled a little.
Eve went on. ‘I told Blanche the last thing I wanted was an angry Sienna in a small town.’
To her own surprise, Sienna laughed. You could rely on Eve to call a spade a spade. ‘Okay. I believe you. Damn that woman and her money.’
‘Callie and I are not experienced at multi-level analysis.’
Sienna could feel the rise in her blood pressure. ‘Callie? Did she say bringing me in would be a good idea?’
‘Seriously not Callie’s fault. All Blanche. The woman is funding the whole health centre. She’s like an express train on steroids. You met her.’
‘Apparently she’s very rich.’
‘Owns half a diamond mine. And two stations.’
Sienna could well believe it. Five million dollars to a hospital over 2000 kilometres away was ridiculous. And it would be five million because of course she’d find a reason. That was her job. ‘Got a son?’
‘Two. Both good-looking.’
Something in Eve’s voice was intriguing. ‘Fancy them, do you?’
‘One’s a pretty playboy, and the other is way out of my league.’ Eve laughed but there was an unusual bitterness in her voice. Eve didn’t do bitter; that was Sienna’s forte.
Poor Eve. Sienna didn’t like the idea of some stupid man upsetting her sister. ‘Well, if he doesn’t like you, he’ll hate me.’ Her fury at being banished to the outback returned with full force. ‘Three months, Eve. You reckon I’ll last?’
‘Of course you will,’ Eve said heartily. Too heartily, maybe. But Eve went on before she could question it. ‘It’s a good cause. If anyone can solve this, you can, Sienna. All angst aside, I do believe that.’
Hell and damnation. ‘Well, I don’t have much choice.’ The sooner she started the sooner she’d be finished. ‘See if you can get permission from all the affected women to email their medical records through. I’ll look them over between now and the drive up.’
‘You’re driving?’ Eve squeaked. ‘In your car?’
That just made Sienna more determined. ‘I’ll take a few days. And Eve?’
‘Yes?’
She tapped her fingers on her desk. ‘See if you can find someone to wash it when I get there.’
Eve laughed. ‘I don’t think they wash cars out here, Sienna. Wouldn’t waste the water.’
Sienna’s fingers stilled. ‘We’ll see about that.’
‘What about accommodation? Did they say where you were staying? You could probably stay with Callie and Sylvia.’
‘Not a hope in Hades. I’ll look for a B&B.’
‘Oh.’ Sienna heard the hiccup of laughter and didn’t like the amusement in her sister’s voice but there was nothing she could do about it now.
‘See you next week.’
EIGHTEEN
Callie sat quietly behind her office desk and listened to the battle of wills. Every now and then she smiled as Eve directed Blanche back to reality regarding what Sienna would do and what she wouldn’t. The two other women were facing up to each other like two tall hens, though Eve leaned against the wall and watched Blanche pace.
It was Tuesday afternoon and Lex had flown Blanche back into town to discuss the new developments, but Callie was more interested in the fact that he’d asked Eve for a coffee afterwards. She would have been terrified but Eve seemed quite excited by the idea.
Blanche paused in her conversation as Lex entered, and even let the door close behind him before she spoke again.
‘Lex?’ She looked him up and down. ‘You’re very pale.’
He massaged the back of his head with some obvious distress. Eve must have agreed with Blanche because she went straight to the sink to pour him a glass of water. He seemed a little calmer once he’d taken a sip, whether it was from the water or just Eve’s being there Callie didn’t know. But she didn’t miss the look on Eve’s face as she spoke gently to Lex.
‘Are you all right?’
He blinked and looked at her vaguely as if through a mist. ‘No. I don’t think so. I’ve had some disturbing news.’
Blanche paled. ‘Is Henry all right?’
‘Henry’s fine.’ He looked around as if not sure this was the place to share the information. He must have decided they were safe. ‘It’s Kareena.’ He glanced at Eve. ‘My ex-wife.’ Looked back at his mother. ‘Kareena and her parents were all killed in a car crash this morning on the Gateway Bridge.’
Callie gasped. Blanche had gone a pasty white. Before Callie could stand, Eve had filled another glass with water.
‘Sit down, Blanche,’ Eve said as she pushed a chair over.
There was rare obedience from Blanche as she sank into the chair. ‘That’s dreadful.’ She took the glass with shaking fingers. ‘So much tragedy in the last few months. What is the world coming to?’ Belatedly she remembered Lex’s distress. ‘Are you okay?’
‘That’s terrible news,’ Callie said quietly, but looking at Lex’s face she realised there was more. She could have done with Bennet as support if it was going to get worse. Her own reserves for dealing with bad news were pretty low.
Lex was watching his mother. ‘There was a girl in the back of the car who survived. She’s seventeen. Her name is Lily.’ He took another sip of the water so that he could enunciate clearly. ‘Sergeant McCabe tells me I’m listed as her father.’
‘What?’ Blanche squeaked, and then coughed. ‘You’re what?’
‘You heard me, Mother. Lily is your granddaughter.’ He sighed. ‘Kareena has kept it a secret so I can only imagine she didn’t want Lily to grow up here.’
Callie heard th
e sudden surge of bitterness in his voice for those stolen years, and winced for the dead Kareena. Lex glanced apologetically at Eve and Callie for embroiling them in this, but something in his face said he was glad for their presence.
Before anyone could say anything else Blanche’s head came up and there was a glint of new purpose in her eyes. ‘Well. You’ll have to go and fetch her.’
‘If she’ll come,’ Lex said, a shadow of insecurity in his voice that wasn’t like him.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Of course she’ll come. Where else would she go?’
‘It’s better to be prepared.’ Eve spoke slowly, gently, as if to Lex’s frightened daughter, and Callie looked at her. Eve had that knack of picking up on people’s needs. She constantly amazed Callie with her perception. ‘She might be too heartbroken to leave everything she knows just yet. I imagine there must be some family left?’
Callie wasn’t really surprised Eve would come to the rescue. She’d begun to realise Eve was fearless when in protection mode and she could see Lex appreciated her input. He wasn’t a man who usually needed champions. But Lily would need champions as well.
‘Don’t be silly.’ Blanche wasn’t budging. ‘I assume you want to leave now? Go home so you can get to Brisbane!’
Lex was looking at Eve thoughtfully and then he nodded. He seemed to take her insight on board, and Callie wondered for the first time if perhaps these two were suited. ‘Lily is in hospital, not physically injured but apparently she hasn’t spoken since the accident,’ Lex said.
His mother stood up and nodded at Eve. ‘I haven’t finished this conversation. We’ll discuss it on the phone later this week.’
‘I look forward to it,’ Eve said dryly, and Callie wondered if she could see a small smile lurking at the back of Blanche’s penetrating look at Eve.
‘Hm.’ She glanced at her son. ‘Are we ready to go then, Lex?’
No coffee then, Callie thought, but there was no disappointment on Eve’s face, just concern for Lex.
Red Sand Sunrise Page 13
