Between the Vines (41 page)

“Probably looking for one of us,” Ed said.

Pete frowned. “She always rings me when she wants me and if she can't find me she writes the message in the book.”

Ed shrugged. “Ditto I guess but–”

“I've caught her listening in on conversations.” Noelene looked from Ed to Pete. “She's a nosy parker.”

“That doesn't make her a thief.” Ed puffed out his chest. “Nor does once having a crush on me make her one.”

Taylor looked at Ed. “I know you'll think I'm being paranoid but one night outside your place, I was sure I saw someone in the shadows. And the next day Felicity seemed to know a lot about our personal relationship.”

“You think she was peeping through the windows?” Ed snorted. “Listening at doors?”

Even Pete raised his eyebrows at her.

No matter what they said Taylor felt something wasn't right about Felicity. “What if she was doing her best to cause trouble?”

“What would that achieve?”

“I don't know. I was just thinking she might have been the one to take the message from Mr Cheng that you never got.”

“You know we have had a few orders go astray lately,” Pete said. “Things I've needed for the lab. Only minor but a nuisance. And our new barrels were late coming. She'd ordered them but when I rang they hadn't received the order.”

“We didn't get much summer rain either,” Ed said. “Surely we can't blame it all on Felicity.”

“Do either of you know a Mr Archer?”

Pete shook his head but Ed stared at Taylor. His eyes narrowed.

“I do,” he said. “How do you know him?”

“I don't. But he was in Felicity's office on Thursday. He was leaning in close and Felicity seemed flustered. She's not usually so–”

“What was he doing in the office?” Ed cut her off.

“I don't know. Looking for you? She said she'd leave you a message. Only I think he was one of the men I saw that day looking at the NS18 from the road. You remember, Pete? I told you about it. He was a big man with no hair.”

Ed gripped the counter. His face was pale.

“Who is this Archer bloke?” Pete asked.

Ed looked up at his brother. “The guy who was going to buy the NS18.”

Pete's arm tightened around Taylor's waist.

Noelene put a hand on Ed's shoulder. “What have you done, Edward?”

“Nothing.” He shook off her hand and leaned closer to Pete. “You picked the grapes and stashed them away. I had to call it off. I told him we could sell him some other grapes another time. I didn't know he'd called in the other day. Felicity certainly didn't…” His hand went to his head. “Felicity was in the office on Saturday. She said she'd left us a surprise. I assumed she'd meant Easter eggs but come to think of it I didn't notice any. Did you?” He looked at Pete.

“No, something's not right here, is it? We should tell the police.”

Taylor saw a car cruise to a stop in the car park. “You can tell them now. They're here.”

“Oh, look at the time,” Noelene yelped. “I haven't put the sign out yet.”

Taylor cooked them dinner that night at the quarters. Noelene stayed to eat with them and Antoine was there. Taylor could see that Pete, and Ed especially, were still shocked by the news the police had brought. Felicity had been the insider for the wine theft. The information they were able to give the police helped them tidy up the loose ends. Felicity had been taken to Mount Gambier police station and the Archer guy was being tracked down in Adelaide.

Everyone but Taylor, who was checking the roast, was sitting around the table.

Pete got up to hand out beers. “I can't believe this Archer bloke thought he could steal our wine and it wouldn't be noticed.”

“Thieves are usually the kind of people who think they'll get away with it.” Noelene popped the top on her can.

“He was under pressure from his employer to get a quality Coonawarra cab sauv,” Ed said. “He thought he had ours.”

“And when he didn't, he stole it.” Pete shook his head.

“So how did he connect with Felicity?” Antoine asked.

Noelene leaned in. “Margaret heard from someone who'd been speaking to the new policeman that they'd met some time before.”

“Here we go.” Ed pressed his fingers up and down against his thumb like a quacking duck.

“Need any help?” Pete was at Taylor's elbow as she stirred the gravy.

“All good, thanks.” She gave him a quick kiss. He kissed her back.

“Oh, can you two get a room,” Ed groaned.

“Leave them be, Edward.” Noelene said. “You'll find the right woman someday soon.”

“Yeah, well, I haven't been too good a judge, have I?”

“I can't believe the beautiful mademoiselle Felicity is a villain.” Antoine shook his head.

“She had you fooled as well.” Noelene gave a smug nod.

“I still don't really understand why,” Pete said. “She told the police Archer had been paying her for some time.”

“That would explain the expensive car and the flash clothes,” Noelene said.

“She didn't admit it,” Pete continued, “but they think she and Archer were lovers.”

Taylor shuddered at the thought of them together. It took all kinds. “What was he paying her for?” she asked.

“To feed him information.” Ed took up the story. “Evidently he wanted more than just a tank of wine.” Ed paused. “Archer got wind that we,” he glanced at Pete, “I might be selling. He had his eye on taking over our winery.”

“And Felicity was helping him,” Pete added. “I thought she liked us.”

“She did,” Noelene said. “In fact she loved Edward.”

“Funny way of showing it,” Ed grumbled.

“Her love wasn't reciprocated. Not in the way she'd hoped. I imagine she'd planned to be Mrs Edward Starr.”

“Really?” Ed shook his head. “She knew it was over between us.”

“You know what they say about a woman scorned.”

They all looked at each other. Taylor could easily picture the Felicity she knew scheming to get back at Ed.

“Archer must have come along at the right time and she saw a way to get back at you. To hurt you like she'd been hurt,” Noelene said.

They all sipped their drinks. Taylor turned back to the gravy, gave it a final stir then set it aside. She took another sip of the red Pete had poured for her. It slipped smoothly down her throat. She was starting to prefer it over beer. Especially now the weather was
cooler. Everyone was silent, no doubt contemplating the turn of events. Taylor tried to think of something to lighten the moment.

“I know it's probably not appropriate,” she said, “but I had a string of ‘F' words for Felicity and I've just thought of another.”

“No swearing.” Ed raised his eyebrows.

“Felonious Felicity.”

Ed's eyebrows went higher. Pete and Antoine smirked while Noelene laughed out loud.

“What were the others?” she asked.

“Let's see.” Taylor held up one thumb and tapped it with the finger of her other hand. “Frosty Felicity, Flirty Felicity.” She gave Ed a quirky grin. “Flaunty, Flustered and now Felonious.” Taylor held up her hand. “That's a different persona for every day of the working week.”

“It seems a bit harsh,” Pete said.

“You always were a softie,” Noelene said. “Take the blinkers off. Felicity tried to harm your business.”

“She was all those things.” Taylor looked directly at Pete. “I just put a name to them that's all.”

“I only ever saw Flirty and Flaunty Felicity,” Ed said.

“That'd be right,” Noelene said.

“What about Flashy?” They all looked at Pete. Noelene laughed.

“So does anyone know what will happen next with Felicity?” Antoine asked.

Ed opened another can of beer. “The police said they were charging her, she'll get bail and she'll have to appear in court later.”

“Will we?” Taylor asked. She didn't like the thought of it.

“Maybe Pete and I. I doubt they'll need anyone else.”

Taylor's phone rang. “Hi, Cass.”

She moved into the passage away from the noisy conversation. Cass was full of questions about the robbery. It took Taylor a while to fill her in. By the time she came back Noelene had taken charge of serving the meal.

“That was Cass,” Taylor said. “She heard about the wine theft on the news.”

“We're famous,” Ed said.

Pete raised his eyebrows. “Not the kind of fame we're looking for.”

“Any publicity is good publicity.” Ed helped Noelene hand out plates of food.

Taylor picked up her jug of gravy and offered it to Pete. “Evidently there was a picture of our cellar door and one of Felicity being bundled into a police car.”

“So it's still all about Felicity.” Ed shook his head.

“Let's change the subject.” Noelene joined them at the table. “I've had enough of Madam Felicity, or should I say Felonious Felicity?” There was a wicked twinkle in her eye. “What about we talk about the business plan?”

“No, Noelene,” Pete and Ed chorused as one.

* * *

Pete walked back to his cottage with his arm wrapped around Taylor. The night was cold. They walked quickly but in easy step with each other.

“I haven't had a chance to ask how your talk with Ed went this morning.” Taylor looked up at him. “Have you sorted anything out?”

“We washed the dishes together.”

“That's a good start.”

“To be honest I don't know.” Pete opened the door for her. “We were mates once but somehow we've drifted apart. We're chasing different dreams.”

Taylor turned to him as they reached the kitchen. “You're not really, you know. I believe what Ed wrote on his business plan was how he truly felt. You both want to be here at Wriggly Creek in five years' time with a solid wine list and good markets. There has to be a way to achieve that and in a way that suits you both.”

“So you'll keep working on it.”

“Of course. If I don't keep finding myself a job you might fire me and then I'd have to leave.”

He frowned. He didn't want her going anywhere. “We always need to eat.”

“Hey!” She gave him a playful poke in the chest. “I didn't mind cooking for vintage and being paid for it but I'm not turning into anyone's full-time cook.”

He laughed at her frowning face. She eyed him suspiciously.

“I can run an office you know.”

“Damn, yes, I hadn't thought of that. We'll need someone to cover Felicity.”

“Replace her, you mean.”

“Would you be interested in the position?”

“I might. Depends if there are any perks.”

Pete laughed again and wrapped his arms around her. “You're one very special woman, Taylor Rourke.”

She looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled and her skin glowed. “You're not so bad yourself, Peter Starr.”

“Anything I can get you?”

She shivered. “Some heat. It's freezing in here.”

“I didn't get around to lighting the fire today.” He leaned forward and nuzzled the soft skin on the side of her neck. His lips tracked upwards and found hers. Damn, she tasted good. “I've got another way to keep warm.”

“Really?”

She locked her gaze with his as he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

“I could get used to this,” she said. His lips found hers again and there was no more talking.

Taylor sat at Felicity's desk and looked around. Everything was neat and tidy. Her filing was up to date and in good order. So far Taylor couldn't fault the other woman's office management skills. Faultless Felicity. She smiled to herself. Perhaps not.

With little to do but answer the odd call, Taylor had checked out Wriggly Creek's Facebook page and their website. She hoped Pete and Ed would let her have a play with them. She was bursting with ideas for improvement. At the top of the list was to get some decent background photos and then to start a blog. She visualised a picture of Ed and Pete together – the Starr brothers of Wriggly Creek Wines.

She logged in to her email account.

The first email to drop into her box was from her parents. It wasn't the usual newsy email but a carefully worded message full of concern. Taylor's mood dampened. Her parents were so far away. They must hang out for her emails and she'd hardly sent any. Watching the tussle between Pete and Ed had made her think more about her family. Her parents might often be away but that didn't mean they didn't care about her and want to share her life. Perhaps she'd been the one to put up the barriers, relying on her friends more than her family for support.

Taylor sat up straight and hit the reply button. She began to type the usual beginning to the nondescript emails she sent her parents. She paused, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Then she continued.

I am having a wonderful time in Coonawarra. I've ended up finding work in a winery where I've done all kinds of things. It's been
a steep learning curve.

Once more she paused.

But the best thing is I've met this wonderful man. His name's Peter Starr and he owns Wriggly Creek Winery with his brother Edward.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

I know you're going to be surprised but I think he's the one! Let's organise a Skype session soon, maybe this weekend, so you can meet him.

Taylor finished the email and pressed send then she picked up her mobile phone.

“Hello, Gran. It's Taylor, how are you?”

Gran's reply was short and sharp as usual.

“That's good. And your visitors?”

Taylor listened to her gran's story on the shortcomings of her overseas friends. And evidently they were staying longer than expected.