Still Image

by Allie Parker

  They walked hand in hand up the straw path between the mounds and Byron winked at Meg as she lifted an eyebrow at him. Avery breezed through the remaining plants, in her own world, while Meg and Byron grunted as their muscles groaned with tension and fatigue. By the time every plant was in the ground, the sun was starting to fade and the breeze had stopped completely.

  Beer and strawberry cider flowed freely as John and Trevor thanked everyone for their time and effort. Eight people remained on the veranda of the farmhouse with Avery and Flynn, as the sunset cast strawberry red hews through the clouds. There was much laughter and friendly teasing as they attempted to count how many seedlings they had planted each. As Avery stood to get some cheese and crackers which were sitting on the railing, she announced that her bottom would be the highest and tightest it had been in years, if she could actually walk the following day.

  She was pleasantly surprised at how well Flynn got along with her friends. They had only been together outside the Madden building a couple of times, and only once in a social setting, at the vineyard. She liked the fact that she didn’t need to babysit him or keep conversations flowing for him. Most of the time, they engaged in different conversations with different people but always stayed aware of each other. It gave her hope that once the Madden building was launched and they no longer saw each other for work that their friendship would remain. Even though they had shared one drunken kiss, she still hadn’t been entirely sure of Flynn’s intentions until he’d kissed her today. She knew the kiss, along with holding her hand in front of her friends, were meaningful gestures for Flynn because he was a man who prided himself on his independence and masculinity. Connecting with Avery in such a way was a definite and deliberate choice.

  Back at Byron’s house, Meg’s legs and back ached in a satisfying way that made her feel alive and that she’d accomplished something physical and tangible. Sinking into the warmth of the spa, with Byron massaging her shoulders she felt the hard work of the day gradually disappear with the bubbles. Conversation was light and easy.

  ‘I’ve never done anything like that before. I feel like I’ve really contributed to a worthy and selfless cause, does that sound weird,’ Byron reflected.

  ‘Not at all. I don’t do anywhere near as much community work as I used to. But even when I did, I’d take my camera along and get some gritty shots for my stock collection. So I can’t say it was entirely selfless. ‘

  ‘Why don’t you do much anymore?’ Byron mentally kicked himself after the question was out there. The last thing he wanted was to upset Meg talking about Patrick.

  Meg only paused for a moment. ‘I’ve realised that I’ve been a bit withdrawn. I haven’t had much to do with my old friends because I was embarrassed and ashamed of what happened. I even got paranoid at one stage that other people were in on Patrick’s scam. And also I felt I should have noticed something wasn’t right and seen some sort of sign.’

  Byron noticed Meg was talking evenly, almost offhand. She wasn’t uncomfortable or self-conscious talking about it anymore. ‘I guess that’s why they call them professional con-artists; it’s their job to be fluent in lies and deception.’

  ‘Yeah, I suppose. Another reason is I didn’t have any money, so I stopped socialising and going out for anything other than paying jobs. After a while, everyone except Avery stopped asking me to things because I always said no. In the end, it was just easier to accept my new life.’

  ‘Do you still feel that way,’ Byron asked softly.

  ‘No’. Meg turned to face Byron. ‘I don’t know exactly when that changed, but with you, Simon and Grace, I feel totally at ease. And I guess the fact that you know everything that’s going on, and you trust me enough to help me, makes a huge difference. The whole mess hasn’t changed anything between us personally and you still want to work with me professionally. I guess I was expecting what was left of my world to come crashing down if I opened up, but it hasn’t. So I’m stronger for it.’

  ‘Good to hear. We all support you one hundred percent.’ Byron didn’t mention the damage the potential bad press would do to them all if the story went public before the end of the Madden job. He didn’t care anyway. He liked Meg a lot and wouldn’t let her slip back into her reclusive ways. They’d handle it together. He wondered when it had stopped being him and her and started being us.

  ‘The police investigation just keeps going on and on. Originally I wanted to stay low until I got officially cleared of money laundering. I didn’t think it would take this long. I even started to doubt my own innocence there for awhile, that maybe Patrick told me things I should have remembered. But since he broke into my house, I realise how twisted the whole mess is. It’s a lot bigger than just me.’

  ‘Well, hopefully it’s coming to an end now. The break-in has given the police a new lead which is good. Plus we’ve got Nigel on the case.’ Byron lightened the mood. ‘Worth his weight in gold that man. He’s got Simon out of a jam on more than one occasion.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘I remember once not long after dad died, Simon went on a bender and ended up being arrested for disturbing the peace.’

  ‘Doing what?’

  ‘He was showing off to this chick that was part of a green movement. She was protesting in some sit-in or demonstration that went on for days. Anyway, Simon rocks up hoping to talk her into having a break from the demonstration so they could party together. But she was pretty invested in the cause, so Simon joined in. But as he was drunk already, had been for days, he ended up being a bit too vocal, getting everyone revved up and the whole lot got done for the noise and property destruction. All lead by Simon. That’s when Nigel really started earning his money.’

  ‘It’s actually not that hard for me to imagine. I can see Simon doing just about anything to impress a girl and have a bit of fun.’

  ‘It certainly wasn’t the first or last time that he’s over done it. I guess by comparison, I’m quite conservative. I think I’m more like mum whereas Simon’s got dad’s cheekiness about him.’ They talked more about Byron and Simon’s parents and Meg told Byron about her parents and explained that she only saw them twice a year.

  Despite the earlier topic of conversation, Meg found the end-of-the-day banter very relaxing and comfortable. She liked that they had hardly talked about work all day; that they had more to share and chat about.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Flynn woke up Sunday morning, fully clothed with Avery’s hair in his face. He was immediately aware that they were spooning on the futon in Avery’s lounge room. He closed his eyes again and breathed in the scent of her hair for a moment. His hand was resting on the rise of Avery’s hip and he slowly moved his pelvis back, very aware of himself pressed up against her. The movement stirred Avery and he rubbed his hand along her side to remind her that he was there.

  He searched his mind to remember the night before. They’d had quite a few drinks at the farm and very little to eat. A friend from the gallery dropped them back to Avery’s house and they sat up talking and laughing for hours. Flynn recalled making scrambled eggs and toast at midnight and Avery told him about Meg’s predicament with the money laundering investigation and recent events as they sat on the veranda in funny mismatched armchairs. His stomach tightened now as he recalled the candle light that surrounded them, making Avery’s hair glow like a halo.

  Avery had asked Flynn where he was going to go after the building launch and Flynn didn’t know how to answer her question. So he’d pulled her onto his lap and kissed her instead. Through avoiding one question, he hoped that he’d answered another. He still believed that he needed to get his shit together, but he also knew he wanted to be with Avery. She made him happier than he’d been in a long time.

  After they’d had breakfast, Avery didn’t want Flynn to feel like he had to leave. She’d enjoyed their evening together and had learned a lot about him. He was more relaxed in her company now and the mixture of a fun day and the alcohol they’d consumed ha
d loosened him up. Although he hadn’t said anything directly, she knew that he didn’t want to go back to the emptiness of the Madden building. She had talked about her feeling of sadness that the project was coming to an end. After working so intensely and completely devoted to something for so long, she was feeling a sense of loss knowing that the murals wouldn’t be a part of her daily life anymore. She had realised, as she chatted away about her paintings, that Flynn wasn’t just finishing a job. He was losing the roof over his head too. Although he hadn’t said anything, she could see in his eyes that it worried him. And when she’d asked him directly, he had kissed her soul to avoid answering her.

  She knew she couldn’t let him go back there alone, nor did she want him to. As they drank their coffee, Avery suggested a trip to the markets to see how her oil paintings were selling. She explained that Art of East advertised its wares at the local market and made a modest trade in the process. They caught a taxi to collect their cars and swung past the building for Flynn to shower and change. Avery noticed he hadn’t bothered to shave and loved the unperturbed edge it gave him. Not for the first time, she regarded Flynn as a very handsome man with a rugged sexual appeal that he didn’t even know he had. Which made it even sexier.

  They made their way to the market and strolled along looking at each stall. Usually markets didn’t appeal to Flynn, but he would have gladly gone to fifty markets if it meant he could walk hand in hand with Avery all day. They shared a bag of caramel popcorn and homemade lemonade, and then Avery introduced Flynn to Dave, the Art on East gallery owner. They chatted for awhile then moved on, walking past the market boundaries and along the boardwalk. There was a university football match in play on the oval at the end of the boardwalk so Flynn and Avery sat and watched while they ate overpriced pies. By the time they made their way back to the car the sun was hanging low in the sky.

  When Flynn suggested going out for dinner, Avery said, ‘how about we get some take away and find somewhere nice to watch the sun set?’ Flynn couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do.

  They ordered fish and chips and Flynn found a peaceful spot that Avery had never been to before. The view was beautiful, surrounded by vacant land with no one else around.

  After eating in silence for awhile, Flynn started talking. ‘About three years ago, I moved in with a girlfriend and her daughter, we rented a small two bedroom villa unit just out of town. It wasn’t much, but it was all we needed. When the relationship ended, I left so she could keep the unit. I put all my stuff in storage and James let me crash at a hotel I was helping him renovate. I learnt a lot about what was needed for this project by working and living at that hotel.’ Flynn paused and Avery kept the silence between them, not wanting to rush him. ‘I didn’t want to find another place to rent, wasting dead money. I wanted to build my own house. Custom to the way I wanted it. Living on site has let me stash some cash away. Almost enough, but I just can’t seem to get the plans right. Every time I get the drawings out, there’s something I want changed or elements that don’t feel right. Hell, I haven’t even bought the land yet.’

  Avery was suddenly aware of the significance of where they were parked. Next to vacant blocks of land. She left his last sentence hanging between them, asking Flynn the question without uttering a word.

  ‘Maybe it’s time I pulled those plans out and took another look. I’m a builder for Christ sake. I can make changes on the fly, even after the place is finished if I wanted to. This land won’t be for sale for long, not in this prime spot.’ Flynn stopped and looked at Avery, who was looking back at him smiling. He’d said out loud all the things he thought Avery would say to him. And he meant them.

  Avery lent forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth. Flynn felt another piece inside him click into place.

  She offered him the futon at her house but he realised he needed to get his shit together and to do that he needed some alone time to sort things out and make up his mind how he was going to achieve his next step. By the time he was due to meet James Madden the following day, he had a plan.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Working with Cassidy Designs turned out to be a salvation for Meg, emerging from her depression to enjoy her work and new friends more than she had thought possible. When the police knocked on the studio door at 7:30am, Meg suddenly realised just how far she’d come. With Byron and Simon by her side, she stood tall and strong as the detective told her she was not only in the clear, but that she had inadvertently helped solve the case.

  ‘We had assumed Heathcliff long gone until he approached you and accessed your computer again. That was his undoing. The files you thought to be photography filters, were actually hardcoded with accounts and information linking to dozens of holding and shell companies.’

  ‘Shell companies,’ Byron asked.

  ‘Shell companies are a front for criminals to push dirty money, in this case from drugs and other illegal gain, through a seemingly legitimate business to clean the cash.’

  ‘Drugs?’ Meg was shocked at the thought. Was she so blind?

  ‘In most cases like this, the white-collar criminal doesn’t have anything to do with the initial crime, they are simply cleaning the money to obscure the origin of the criminal activity and the identity of those involved, to gain a cut in the process. In this instance, thanks to the computer files, we uncovered false accounting practices as well as Heathcliff’s fake design jobs billed directly through your business.

  ‘He couldn’t leave the area because he had hardcoded these accounting files deep in one of your external hard drives. One that, for some reason, we didn’t confiscate at the beginning of the investigation.’ He didn’t say it as an accusation, but Meg still felt compelled to defend her actions.

  ‘I’d lent it to Avery to copy some images she wanted to paint. I didn’t even think of it at the time.’

  ‘It appears Heathcliff didn’t think of it at the time either. But once he realised he hadn’t retrieved everything he’d hidden over the two years he was with you, he broke into your home on a number of occasions to try and recover the files. But he had to wait until you got your computer equipment back from us. Then he had to make sure you weren’t under surveillance, which you were for the first few months.’

  Meg chocked out a cough of surprise but was quickly reassured that surveillance would have helped clear her of any involvement.

  ‘We now know the first time he broke in was to get the files off your hard drive, about three months ago. In order to get them off, due to the security of your hard drive, he needed to download the files onto your computer first, and then extract them to his own device. But you interrupted him as the files were downloading from the external hard drive, so he had to leave, with the files left on your main computer. You then stumbled across them the following day and deleted them, and not just into your recycling bin, before he had time to return and retrieve them.’

  Meg shuddered at the memory of coming home that rainy night after taking landscape shots all day. To a home that had been violated. Missing Patrick by a matter of minutes.

  ‘On his next attempt, when he realised you’d wiped the files, he didn’t know how to recover the data. He also thought you were onto him, so he laid low for a couple of months, biding his time, thinking the house might be under surveillance again. After he paid you a visit in your car, and when he was satisfied that you hadn’t informed us about the files, he returned to steal your PC. Since he’d shown himself to you, and suspected you’d contact us, he didn’t bother trying to be discreet to conceal his location. But before he could take your computer he was spooked by your friend Avery, and he had to flee yet again, cracking your laundry window in his hasty retreat.’

  ‘How do you know all this,’ Meg’s brain was reeling. She felt ecstatic to be cleared finally. But also bitterly betrayed, again. Her home had been compromised on a number of occasions and she didn’t even realise. But instead of feeling vulnerable and depressed, she felt angry and capable. Her mind wa
s already racing, making a list; call insurance company, get the financial claim finalised now that she was free and clear; call security company, upgrade locks on doors and windows; back up and upgrade all computer hardware, tossing anything he might have touched. She was so busy planning ahead that she almost missed the detective’s answer to her question.

  ‘After you contacted us regarding the break-in, we placed your house under surveillance again. Heathcliff was caught trying to enter your home at 2:15 this morning.’

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Meg stayed with Byron for the next few days as her house was turned into a virtual Fort Knox. Which wasn’t a hardship given the feelings of comfort and security he gave her. Even though the threat had been extinguished and Meg felt strong and confident, she still wanted to take matters into her own hands, so that she could feel positive and secure in her home once more. She also planned to scrub from top to bottom and redecorate to make sure anything Patrick had touched was gone.