Hot Lawyers: The Lee Christine Collection

by Lee Christine

  She passed Bondi Icebergs, a swimming club and restaurant, popular with the well to do eastern suburbs crowd. Grace and Poole had given her a membership as part of her salary package, but she’d never found the time, or inclination, to go.

  Maybe when all this was over.

  Allegra pulled into the curb, fighting to bring her heart rate down as she stared at the long sweep of beach through the windscreen. Even in the dark, the golden arc of sand and white topped breakers were visible in the reflected light from the strip.

  Her mobile buzzed.

  Fishing it from her jacket pocket, she checked the caller ID.

  Unknown.

  Swiping a shaking thumb across the screen, she scanned the passing crowd for anyone in a dark hoodie. “Hello?”

  “Allegra?” A male voice came down the line. “It’s Brian Morag, Groves Hill.”

  Allegra slumped in her seat, fears for her own wellbeing dissipating as she braced herself for bad news. Groves Hill Aged Care only rang when there was problem with her mother.

  “Yes?”

  There was a pause.

  “Is everything all right, Allegra?”

  God, did she sound that shaken?

  She loosened her white knuckled grip on the steering wheel. “I’m fine. How’s Mum?”

  “She’s well. I’m sorry if I alarmed you.”

  Alarm didn’t begin to describe how she was feeling right now.

  “She thought you were coming in after work. She asked me to ring and check you were okay.”

  Allegra leaned forward and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. Her mother was often confused—but obviously not today.

  “I’m fine,” she lied, wondering how many shocks her body could withstand in one day. “Something unexpected came up, that’s all. Will you apologise for me?”

  The kindly volunteer chuckled and for the umpteenth time, Allegra thanked her lucky stars she’d been able to find her mother such a wonderful facility. Any concern, no matter how small, and they were on it right away.

  “No worries. She thought she had things muddled up.”

  Allegra cleared her throat, guilty for worrying her mother, unintentional though it was. “No, she’s right. I had planned on being there. I’ll call in day after next.”

  “Okay, I’ll let her know. You have a good night Allegra.”

  “You too Brian.”

  Allegra ended the call. A good night? Things would have to improve exponentially before it came anywhere close to being ‘good’.

  Gritting her teeth, she slid the phone into her pocket, silently vowing to ring her mother later that evening. She checked over her shoulder and pulled into the line of traffic. No use sitting here wondering what she’d find when she got to her apartment.

  She had to go back.

  A few minutes later she was nosing the Golf into one of the visitor’s parking bays. It could stay there all night as far as she was concerned, right outside the main entrance. No way was she going into that cavern of a car park again.

  Before she lost her nerve, she hopped out of the car and locked it behind her. Still in her stockinged feet, she ran to the entrance, strode across the empty lobby and up the single flight of stairs to her apartment.

  Pausing to unlock the door, she listened for the sound of someone following her.

  Nothing.

  Breath coming hard and fast, she sifted through her keys and slid the silver one into the lock. She let herself in, securing the deadlock and slipping the chain into place before dumping the satchel on the floor and gazing down at the small, white dog waiting to greet her.

  “Astro, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  She scooped him up in her arms and hugged his warm body close, a glacial chill creeping over her as she stared at the retro looking deed packet lying on the carpet. Identical to the one she’d taken to Luke’s office this afternoon, someone had slipped it under the door.

  He Knows Where You Live!

  Allegra’s heart resumed its painful throb in her chest as she gazed over Astro’s head at what she could see of the apartment. Tempting as it was to open the packet, she had to check the photographs first.

  She set off down the hall on shaky legs, Astro squirming in her too tight grip. A quick check of the rooms assured her that the small apartment was quiet, orderly, exactly the way she’d left it this morning.

  “All good,” she whispered averting her face as the West Highland terrier tried to lick her chin. “One more thing.”

  In the living room, she set Astro down and moved to the tall wooden bookcase, crammed with texts from her student days. Trailing her fingertips across the spines, she scanned the titles on the top shelf, trying to remember the last time she’d looked at the photographs. It didn’t take long to find the thin, black folio hidden amongst the volumes of legal tomes.

  With hands that trembled slightly, she lifted it down and opened the flap, not bothering to sit as she counted each individually wrapped photograph.

  Fifteen—all accounted for.

  Exactly as she’d left them.

  She put the folio back in its spot beside the Criminal Law Review, every follicle in her scalp prickling as she walked back into the hallway and flattened her palms against the door. Pressing her eye to the peephole, she checked the landing was deserted before turning to stare at the envelope again.

  Come on girl. Man up!

  Bending, she grasped it by a corner and held it up to the light. Unlike the one delivered to Grace and Poole this morning, it displayed no addressee. Using only her nails, she pressed the brass pin together, opened the flap and withdrew a sheet of paper. Centred in the middle of the A4 page were two lines of print.

  The prettiest people do the ugliest things

  Pay attention…or else!

  Allegra clapped a hand over her mouth, the blood in her veins turning to ice.

  What the…?

  Who the hell was he—or she, this faceless person behind the scare campaign? Only now, it felt more like a threat.

  Chris Noble?

  There was no doubt he was Luke’s prime suspect, but try as she might, she couldn’t see the gentle photographer with the British accent deriving pleasure from ruining her.

  And yet, he’d broken his promise. The master copies were still out there.

  Forcing her frozen muscles to move, she dug in her pocket for her phone, anger brewing in her stomach as Astro whimpered at her feet.

  For years she’d worked her butt off to stay at the top of her game, supporting her tiny family and hurting no-one. No way was she going to allow some vindictive screw-up to take that from her.

  The arsehole!

  The arsehole had walked right up to her front door and left this crazy note for her to find.

  Worse, he’d left her without a choice. Because she simply didn’t have the resources to handle it on her own. Years ago, she would have called her brother—practical, reliable Martin. He would have been over here like a shot and flattened the creep if he’d come within an arm’s length of her.

  But she was alone, and for the first time in her life, forced to depend on someone else.

  Sucking in a long, slow breath, she scrolled through her list of contacts, and rang Luke Neilson.

  Twenty minutes later he was outside her door, minus the tie, top two buttons of his shirt undone.

  “You okay?” He brushed past her, all grey eyes and fair hair, mouth set in a hard line.

  “I’m fine.” Allegra closed the door, Astro tucked under one arm. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

  He gave a curt nod, glancing at her sweats and trainers. “Where is it?”

  “On the hallstand beside you. I barely touched it.”

  He turned around and stared at the note, hands resting easily on his hips, tall frame filling the hallway.

  Allegra set the dog on the floor, trying to curb her edginess as she watched for Luke’s reaction. There was little doubt the phrase referred to the photographs, though she
’d never considered what she’d done back then ‘ugly’. Desperate certainly, and very foolish. But never ugly. Ugly was what she dealt with in Court every day.

  Ugly was this.

  She moved closer, watching a muscle clench in his cheek. “Is he referring to the photographs when he says ‘pay attention’, and the ‘or else’ means he’ll expose me?”

  He gave no indication that he’d heard, just continued staring at the note the same way he’d stared out his office window this afternoon.

  Then finally, “Could mean, ‘pay attention to me, or else…’?”

  Allegra felt the blood drain from her face and a pulse flutter in her throat. How could she pay attention to him when she had no idea who he was? She swallowed in a dry mouth. “What about the first line?”

  “Rapper lyrics.”

  She blinked. She hadn’t expected that.

  God, this whole thing was totally bizarre.

  “Really? I was going to Google them.”

  He turned, stirring the air so she caught the aroma of his pure woollen suit and some enticing cologne. It made her want to breathe more deeply.

  “No need. It’s Kanye West.”

  She slowly raised her eyebrows, amazed by his eclectic knowledge, and if she were honest with herself, relieved he was here. “And you know this—how?”

  One corner of his mouth turned up, and his eyes twinkled as he set off down the hallway. “You mentioned an incident in the garage. Talk to me.”

  She trailed after him, trying not to trip over Astro as Luke checked every window and door in the place. As concisely as she could, she told him about the sensor light, the rubbish and the strange ute.

  It was when she recounted her flight from the man in the dark hoodie that his expression darkened.

  “Did you recognise the ring tone?”

  “No. I suppose it could have been rap.”

  “Why didn’t you call me before you got out of the car?” he asked, opening the French doors in the living room and stepping out onto the balcony.

  Allegra frowned at his back, watching from the doorway as he spread his hands on the railing and looked around. He was all broad shoulders and narrow hips. Zero bum. Well, not quite zero—just right.

  He turned and stepped back inside, pinning her with a hard stare. “Well?”

  Heat warmed her face and neck, but she kept a level tone and answered in her best legal voice. “I sensed danger, but—I kept telling myself not to panic. At that point, I wasn’t sure it was connected, you know, relevant. You said to call if the photographs had been disturb—”

  “Your intuition is your internal sat nav system,” he snapped. “Don’t over think it. And I’ll decide what’s relevant.”

  Allegra opened her mouth to say something, took one look at his uncompromising expression, and closed it again.

  He’s former SAS, not the touchy feely type. And you need him. Don’t say anything you might regret.

  Still, his ‘I’ll decide what’s relevant’ rankled, made her feel like she didn’t own a brain.

  “Yes, Commander.”

  He stilled, cool grey eyes meshing with hers as she waited for another icy comment, but it didn’t come. Instead, his expression changed to one of cool amusement. “Do I detect sarcasm, Ms. Greenwood?”

  So, they were back to surnames.

  “I almost saluted, Mr. Neilson.”

  He smiled, and the scar on his cheek moved. “I haven’t been a Commander in a very long time.”

  Still smarting from the rebuke, she refused to break eye contact. “Then you’ll be pleased to know you haven’t lost your touch.”

  A shadow crossed his face and he turned away and locked the French doors. When he spoke, his voice was lower, softer.

  “I know I said to ring if there was a problem with the photographs, but you can ring me anytime. And don’t take everything I say so literally.”

  She was wondering how she was going to differentiate between him being literal or not, when cool fingers brushed hers as he handed her the key. “Don’t leave that in the door. Glass is easy to smash and puts the key within reach.”

  Ignoring the tingling in her fingertips, Allegra put the key on the coffee table. “I forgot that was even there.”

  He gave another curt nod and moved back into the hallway. “I’ll go speak to the neighbours.”

  Allegra waved a hand in the direction of the adjoining apartment. “The lady next door isn’t home. I know she has dinner every Monday with her son.”

  “Righto.” He inclined his head towards the front door, eyes watchful. “Want me to take the dog out for a spell while I’m at it?”

  Allegra’s lips parted in surprise at his unexpected offer. She’d been dreading having to take Astro out in the dark.

  “Thanks.” She gave him an appreciative smile, all residue of her annoyance washed away. Would she ever get a handle on this guy? “That would be great.”

  She took the lead from where it hung on the hallstand and gave it to him, watching as he bent and clipped it onto Astro’s collar. Then feeling like she ought to be doing something, she moved past him and opened the door.

  He clicked his fingers and Astro bolted ahead of him into the foyer. Halfway out the door, Luke stopped and looked at her. “Don’t forget, I want a list of people who’ve visited this apartment, and you can add to that anyone you’ve ever had a run in with.”

  Half an hour later he was back, carrying a powerful Maglite, her shoes, and a plastic evidence bag. “The guy with the ute’s a nephew visiting from the country. When I knocked on the door he was eating pizza and watching rugby. I checked his keys and I.D.”

  Allegra clenched her hands at her sides. “Was he in the garage around seven thirty?”

  Luke shook his head. “According to him, he’s been in the apartment since lunch time, though I’ll run a thorough check on him tomorrow. The elderly guy next door confirmed the gardener was here today though.”

  Allegra watched him bag the envelope and seal it. “What did you tell them?”

  “That you’ve involved in a bad case and received threats.”

  When she didn’t say anything, he went on. “Somebody definitely did some damage though.” He held up the Maglite. “There’s glass on the floor.”

  Allegra’s heart plummeted. “Wouldn’t the gardener have noticed the mess when he locked up?” she asked, thinking out loud. “Unless—the person hid inside until he left.”

  A muscle tensed in Luke’s jaw. “That thought did cross my mind. The gardener could have seen something though.”

  “I’ll get you his number.” She led the way into the kitchen and took a flower shaped magnet off the fridge door.

  “I’ll ask him to cut back that golden wattle that overhangs your balcony,” he said, holding the pink flower in one large hand and plugging the number into his phone with the other. “That’s where you’re most vulnerable.”

  He said it like there wasn’t a doubt in the world the gardener would only be too happy to jump to his bidding.

  “By the way, your neighbour came home.” He stuck the flower back on the fridge. “She said to go next door if you’re worried.”

  Oh no.

  Allegra moved to the sink, took down a glass from the shelf and filled it with tap water. She couldn’t explain that above all else, she treasured her privacy, needed the solitary nights and weekends away from the public spotlight, so when she did emerge, she was prepared and able to perform at her best.

  That she was, in effect, two people.

  She took a sip of water and thought how he’d taken Astro outside for her. Luke Neilson didn’t miss much, and he’d guess. It wouldn’t take him long to work out how hard it was for her, even to have him here. And she didn’t want that. She was extremely grateful for his help.

  “That’s nice of her, but it’s not necessary,” she said eventually.

  “Why don’t you stay with a friend or book into a hotel?”

  A pain pierced her hear
t as she thought of Martin again. What she’d give to be able to call on her brother now.

  She lifted the glass to her lips and took another sip. Since moving to Sydney, she’d only associated with people from work. People who could never know about this.

  “Allegra?” Luke pressed, his tone puzzled.

  Gees! He wasn’t going to let this go. At least he hadn’t called her ‘Ms. Greenwood’.

  She tipped the remainder of the water down the sink and turned to face him. There was just no other way to say this. “Thanks, but I’d prefer to be on my own.”

  She brushed past him and led the way to the front door. “Thank you for thinking of me, but I’ve got a bail hearing tomorrow and a list to prepare for you. I need all the time I can get tonight.”

  “Thank you for thinking of me?” He spaced out the words, so close up behind her she could feel his breath in her hair. “What is that? Of course I’m thinking of you, you’re my client, and you’re in trouble.”

  At the front door, she turned, adopting her impartial court face. “You said yourself the apartment’s secure. And—I have Astro.”

  He stared at her as if she were parked in a parallel universe.

  She raised her eyebrows, silently daring him to comment. Even to her, Astro looked like a bit of a wind up fluff ball.

  “You win this round Ms. Greenwood,” he said, pulling the door open with a jerk, though she didn’t miss the faint smirk on his face as he turned away.

  “Put the chain on,” he said in that bossy tone. “I’ll be back at daybreak to install surveillance cameras.”

  Allegra sat up on the lounge, her sudden movement startling Astro and bringing him to his feet.

  Disoriented, heart pounding like a triathlete, she took her phone from beneath the pillow. Four thirty am.

  Clammy and exhausted, she flopped back on the lounge, scratching Astro’s head as she stared at the pressed metal ceiling.

  She’d been dreaming. Fitful fragments in black and white.

  Martin. Young. Laughing at the beach. She was there, taking photographs with a cheap, disposable camera. Then, older. A photographer’s blinding light. Martin in uniform. Reporters, crowding her, lenses in her face. Luke—smiling, like he had the night on the terrace. Standing in court, unable to find her voice. All eyes on her.