Hero Duty (21 page)

‘Alex found Portia.’

‘Why?’ She didn’t ask who Alex was. She focussed on essentials.

‘Because Portia knows where the bodies are buried. Come here.’ He’d opened the email but his attention was on her. ‘Derek has a juvenile record.’

Her eyes widened.

‘Yeah. I figured he’d hid it. I’m betting Portia hid a lot for him. His blackmail attempt against you is too extreme for a novice. He’s been a bastard for a while. Now, I’m going to put the pressure on her to cough up the details.’

‘He’s her son.’

‘And you’re her meal ticket. He attacks you, she loses everything. No home, no money.’

‘Brodie — ’

He cut off her protest. ‘There are no civilians in this war, Jessica. They’re all combatants. Portia’s run off, but she’s not out of it. I’m going to remind her of that.’ He held her eyes till she nodded. ‘Right choice.’

She walked up and hugged him.

His thumb paused in dialling the number of the health spa where Portia was hiding out. He returned Jessica’s hug. ‘You good?’

She pushed her face into his throat so her voice emerged muffled. ‘You’re naked. You can’t threaten someone while you’re naked.’

‘Is that in some rulebook?’

‘Didn’t you read the army’s City Jungle Survival Guide?’

Cute. ‘If I put some pants on, will you go back to bed?’ She needed sleep. It was going to be a big day.

‘I couldn’t sleep.’

‘Try, hmm?’

She looked at him with big eyes, and then nodded.

He knew she understood when she closed the bedroom door behind her: he didn’t want her to hear him threaten Portia. Her life held enough ugly memories.

The person who answered at the health spa sounded understandably grumpy. It was a foul hour of the morning. It was also when people were most vulnerable; that’s why soldiers and cops timed their raids for it.

‘A family emergency,’ he explained. ‘And Portia doesn’t have her mobile turned on. Could you wake her, please? I’m her son, Derek.’ So he lied.

Portia didn’t sound sleepy. She sounded sharp and apprehensive. ‘Derek?’

‘Brodie, actually. We need to talk about Derek. If you hang up, you’ll never see another cent of Jessica’s money.’

***

‘Was it bad?’ Jessica asked as Brodie flung back the covers and crawled into bed beside her.

He drew the covers over them both as she cuddled close. He petted her hip. ‘Portia hadn’t heard of Derek’s latest plan to blackmail you.’

‘What did she say?’

‘She cried.’

Jessica sucked in a breath. ‘Real tears?’ She hated her own cynicism.

‘I think so. She sounded…defeated. It would be hard to have a son like Derek.’

‘She always seemed so proud of him.’

Brodie kissed her mouth, a kiss to comfort. ‘She could probably afford to be when everything went well for him. I expect the problems come when he’s thwarted.’

‘Did she…did she give you any information on him?’

‘She’s booking a helicopter to fly her back to Sydney,’ he said. ‘She’ll meet us at Numbat.’

‘What? Why?’

His muscles bunched. ‘She also said she’ll get Derek to the meeting.’

‘Joe won’t let him in the door,’ Jessica said.

‘We’ll make sure he does. This is settled, today.’

She wondered if she’d survive.

‘I’ll be there, Jessica.’ He rolled and tucked her beneath him.

‘I know. Just don’t expect me to be brave.’

***

Vera glanced up, eyes widening, as Jessica and Brodie walked in. ‘You’re early birds.’ She tucked her handbag in a drawer with a quick, fidgety movement. Undoubtedly she was used to having the chairman’s office to herself at half past seven on a rainy Monday morning.

‘Derek will be attending the meeting with Joe, along with Portia,’ Jessica said. ‘I’d like you to make sure they have no problems getting in.’

‘I’ll arrange it.’

‘Thank you.’ Jessica was too tense to be friendly. Besides, distance signalled that now was not the time to ask questions.

Brodie took her security card and opened the chairman’s door.

‘My lawyers will be arriving at eight o’clock,’ Jessica continued. Her personal lawyers, not the corporation’s. They hadn’t appreciated her extremely early phone call or her insistence that they travel to her office and not vice versa. On the other hand, it was Jessica who paid their hefty bills and she had enough on her mind without scurrying between legal offices and Joe’s meeting. ‘Please have them shown up immediately, and organise pastries to be served with the coffee and tea. I expect they’ll have skipped breakfast.’ As she would have if Brodie hadn’t insisted she eat.

‘Let Joe know that Jessica’s personal legal team will be represented at today’s meeting,’ Brodie said. ‘Along with Derek and Portia. It’s not negotiable.’

‘What’s happened?’ Vera asked starkly.

‘Derek went too far.’ Brodie put a gentle hand to the small of Jessica’s back, urging her into the office. He closed the door.

‘I should tell her,’ Jessica whispered. ‘She’s on our side.’

He rubbed a comforting circle between her shoulder blades. ‘If you like. Have Vera sit in with your lawyers. Then you don’t have to talk about Derek’s threat twice.’

‘Good idea.’ She hadn’t thought of taking Derek’s threat to her lawyers. He’d stunned her into inaction.

But Brodie was readying every weapon. Lawyers had injunctions and other legal means they could deploy. He’d also fed them information on Derek’s past — his friend Alex was proving either psychic or an incredible hacker — if Portia couldn’t stop her son.

Within minutes, the office filled with legal types, sharp conservative suits, briefcases and the aroma of espresso coffee. Jessica accepted a cup but didn’t drink.

Telling the lawyers wasn’t as difficult as she’d feared. Although professional, their sympathy was obvious, as obvious as their acceptance that Derek lied. And Brodie was there. He stepped in when she’d finished, and outlined his actions and plan of attack, huddling with her legal team.

Vera favoured more direct action. ‘Cut the weasel’s balls off.’

No doubt there about her sympathy and outrage.

Jessica gripped Vera’s hand and lowered her voice. ‘Brodie’s friend found other things. Did you ever hear of Dad hushing things up for Derek?’

‘No. But he was the golden boy here at Numbat. He would have moved carefully.’

‘That’s what Brodie thought. I discussed this with him. I think Joe has to know the threat Derek is trying to use against me. It shows that he’s without limits. But I don’t want anyone else to know. I don’t want…speculation.’

‘There won’t be.’ Vera squeezed her hand. ‘I’ll tell Joe that he can’t bring anyone to the meeting. Just him.’

‘You’ll tell Joe?’ Secretary to CEO?

‘Joe knows who ran things for your dad.’

‘The power behind the throne.’ Jessica smiled shakily.

‘We’ll deal with Derek,’ Vera promised. ‘Thank you for trusting me, Jessica.’ She stood and quietly exited the room.

Brodie watched her leave, then raised an eyebrow at Jessica.

She nodded that she was okay, which was both the truth and a lie. She was hanging in there. It wasn’t even nine o’clock Monday morning and she felt as if she was hurtling to an inescapable, dramatic explosion.

‘Two of us only at the meeting,’ her legal team decided. The senior partner and a very competent female junior-partner.

The meeting was at ten o’clock. The legal team withdrew to a small conference room to prepare. Vera closed the office door firmly behind them, giving Jessica and Brodie privacy.

He opened his arms and she walked into them. They stood like that with Jessica absorbing his silent promise of protection.

The door opened abruptly.

‘Joe.’ Vera pulled at his arm.

The CEO of Numbat walked into the office. His scowl could have frightened an entire juvenile detention centre into good behaviour. ‘Vera briefed me. I set this in motion and I’ll finish it.’

‘What?’ Brodie pulled free of Jessica and took a threatening step forward.

Joe turned his head. ‘Close the door, Vera.’

She closed it with her inside.

‘Numbat has a strong future,’ Joe said. ‘But not if Derek Amberly gets to play with it. There are crucial decisions to be made. Ones where I needed to be sure Jessica wouldn’t become tangled in old loyalties.’

‘Family ties.’ Jessica hugged Brodie’s arm, leaning into him.

‘Exactly.’ Joe rolled his shoulders. ‘On Thursday, I saw in this office the tension between you and Derek. I thought that if I put pressure on, but also gave him an avenue of escape, he’d take it — and in taking it, he’d put himself forever outside your loyalty. So I spoke to the head of Information Systems and we restored Ian’s security access to the system, but tweaked it so it accessed false data. When Derek used it, as we’d hoped, he acquired useless information.’

‘Which he’s sold to Bigger Yet,’ Brodie finished. ‘Burning both sides of his bridges. They won’t want to know him.’

A sliver of grim amusement curved Joe’s mouth. ‘They promised him a vice president position. He’s to deliver the information to them this morning. I expect he’s doing that now. Unlike him, they’re smart. It won’t take them long to discover they’ve been had. They’ll cut him loose and their chairman will follow up later. Raoul doesn’t like being taken for a fool.’

Jessica was struggling to process the story and its implications. ‘So you won’t try to convict Derek for theft?’

‘No point,’ Joe said. ‘He’s told the world about his cleverness. In a couple of hours they’ll learn he’s an idiot, a treacherous one. Reputation destroyed.’

‘But he’ll be mad, really mad.’ Jessica pursued her own concerns. ‘He’ll want to hurt me more than ever.’

Joe cursed. Brodie hugged her.

No one disputed the truth.

***

Portia wore a linen suit in a shade of glacial ice. It matched the pallor of her skin and the emotionless blue of her eyes. ‘I’m not here because of your threat,’ she told Brodie.

‘Does it matter?’ he asked.

‘I’m about to destroy my son. It matters that I’m not doing it for money.’ She ignored Joe and the two lawyers who sat at the boardroom table. She looked at Jessica. ‘We’re not family.’

Jessica flinched.

‘Walk away from us.’ Portia sat straight-backed in one of the executive chairs. The black leather provided a dramatic contrast to her fairness. On the wall behind her, framed photographs of Numbat’s biggest projects provided a visual overview of the corporation’s success and power. Opposite her, behind Jessica, massive windows displayed the beauty of Sydney Harbour. Portia closed her eyes. ‘When this is over, walk away.’

The boardroom door swung open.

Derek strolled in. His suit was a dark grey, one shade from black. His tie was red; triumphant and not caring who knew it. The tie matched his smirk. But his eyes shifted to his mother and there was caution there.

Vera closed the door and sat on a chair by the wall.

‘Everyone in this room knows your threat against Jessica,’ Brodie said.

She forced her breathing to stay steady and her chin up. Brodie’s hand on her knee helped.

‘Really? I don’t recall a threat.’ Derek drew out a chair two down from Portia’s.

‘Perhaps you recall stealing Numbat secrets and selling them to Bigger Yet?’ Joe turned from the window and took his position at the head of the table.

Derek’s teeth gleamed. ‘No, I definitely don’t recall that.’

‘Understandable,’ Joe said smoothly. ‘No one likes remembering their mistakes.’

‘I don’t make mistakes,’ Derek said.

Portia leaned forward fractionally.

If she meant to speak, Joe forestalled her. ‘I planted the fake project proposal you just transferred to Bigger Yet. You’re too dumb to see its implausibility, but Raoul isn’t. I expect you have an hour, perhaps two before he hunts you down. He’ll want his money back and the hit to his reputation taken out of your hide.’

‘You’re lying.’ Derek stared at him.

Portia put a hand to her mouth. It was shaking.

‘So that’s your business career sunk,’ Joe concluded. ‘No money. No prospects.’

‘You bastard. You set me up.’

‘I presented you with the rope. You hung yourself.’

Derek lurched up from the table. Where shock had slackened the muscles of his face, now they tightened in a snarl. ‘I’ll bring everyone down with me. Jessica — ’

‘Is innocent,’ Portia said. ‘This ends, now.’

‘Mum.’

Brodie strode around the table. Jessica sat forward. He was always so in control that the menacing power he exuded now shocked her. This was Sergeant Carlton, and he didn’t need a weapon or his army unit. Unlike Joe, he didn’t need to be devious or scheme. He was who he was: honest, protective and in full command of the room. ‘Listen to her.’

‘Or what?’ Derek glared at him. ‘You’ll hit me? There are witnesses. You hit me and I’ll bring charges. I’ll sue.’

‘I’ve made no threat. Unlike you. I’d like to destroy you for what you said to Jessica, for your disgusting threat. So this is your last chance to take the easy path. Listen to your mum. Maybe she can save you.’ Brodie folded his arms and stood by the wall midway between Derek and Portia’s chairs. Protecting her from her son. ‘But I doubt it.’

Derek subsided angrily into his chair. ‘Well, Mum? Are you going to appeal to my better side? Play good cop to the bodyguard’s bad one? Plead with me not to jeopardise your future as Jessica’s pensioner?’

‘You were my beautiful boy. The miracle from the hell your father put me through.’

Jessica stared at Portia’s composed expression. She’d never heard her speak of Derek’s father, or of any previous relationships.

‘Oh God.’ Jessica dug her fingers into the arms of her chair. She suddenly wanted to stop Portia, realisation arriving too late. Abuse could make a woman appear cold and detached. For Portia to break her silence now — but if she didn’t break it, would she forever live with the silent stranglehold of false shame?

No wonder her stepmother had broken when she’d understood the extent of Ian’s emotional abuse of Jessica. She’d known her own hell.

Around the room, everyone except Derek leaned forward a fraction. It wasn’t curiosity. Every face showed surprise and support, a softness Jessica had never seen anyone offer Portia, because Portia usually kept everyone at a self-defensive distance.