The Finest Line (2 page)

“When do I get out of here?”

“Young woman, I don’t know how
much you remember of the events under which you were brought here,
but outside the room are some people who have been waiting to talk
to you.”

“What people?”

“The police,” The doctor’s
bedside manner had lost its charm. “Since you are quite alert, I
will inform them that you are now able to answer their questions.
Good day Miss Kavanagh.”

He strode from the room with the
nurse following and Mairead felt a little remorse for her rudeness.
Now she had no one on her side.

What did the police want? Were
they going to charge her with doing drugs? Where was Josh? Had he
been arrested?

What haunted her most was why
her father had not come to her rescue. She knew he was angry at her
but that had never stopped him from being there when she needed
him. Without him she had no idea what she should do.

His fury had been evident when
he had learned of her expulsion from the Australian Gymnastics
team. The national newspapers had labelled her a Kiwi brat. The New
Zealand media was harsher, calling her an embarrassment to the
country. None of it had bothered her until her father had rung.

She had barely said, “Hello
Daddy,” when she was cut off by his furious response.

“You fucking little bitch...”
were his first four words that launched her on a week of non
sobriety. His words had cut deep and made her angry. He would have
said more if she hadn’t thrown her cell phone into a swimming
pool.

Profanity and insults from her
peers were something Mairead had come to accept. She was beautiful,
talented and gregarious, a combination that attracted jealousy and
criticism. Her temper was volatile, she admitted, but it was only
sparked when people acted like morons.

She was also the daughter of
Sean Kavanagh, a New Zealand government minister whose daily life
was wrought with derision from the media. He had always been
sympathetic whenever her name had appeared in the papers.

Mairead had never had to sort
anything out on her own. She wouldn’t even know where to begin. It
had been hard enough being alone in another country for the past
few months and she wished that she had never accepted the offer of
training with the Australians. She would have turned it down if her
father hadn’t been so excited.

This was his fault and she was
angry. He should be there with her.

Her anger wilted when the police
entered. Sinking down into her bed, she pulled the covers tightly
around her.

She watched as two uniformed
officers and a suited man approached her bed. One officer walked
casually around to the other side of her bed and Mairead felt her
heart accelerate. The uniforms were intimidating and she looked to
the suited man who was studying a folder in his hand.

“Mairead Kavanagh,” He still
stared at the folder and then looked up at her expectantly. Mairead
nodded.

“I’m Senior Detective Brown.” He
introduced the other officers but Mairead didn’t want to look at
them. “Miss Kavanagh, I’d like you to give us an account of the
events that took place at the Alyssum Apartment Complex...”

“Where?”

“The venue of the party you
attended.”

“I don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember being
there?”

“I’m not sure.”

Brown sighed. “Miss Kavanagh.
Your blood results have already revealed a number of illegal
substances that you consumed at that time. Whilst another division
of the police are very interested in that, I’m more interested in
the events surrounding Joshua Mason.”

“Josh?” Mairead sat up a little,
her lip beginning to tremble. “Where’s Josh?”

Brown stared at her and glanced
at the officer on the other side of the bed. When he looked at
Mairead again, she suddenly felt very cold.

“Miss Kavanagh. Joshua Mason
fell to his death from the balcony you were found on.”

CHAPTER TWO

The nurse strode towards the
officers who were gathered at a vending machine drinking
coffee.

“The doctor has given her a
sedative and feels that she is able to talk to you.” She stared
hard at Brown. “You should really keep this brief as possible.”

Brown threw his cup into a bin
and walked past her.

Mairead was sitting up in her
bed reclined against some pillows. She watched them enter through
half open eyes. “Leave me the fuck alone.” A tear ran down the side
of her face.

Ignoring her, the men took up
their previous positions in her room. Brown opened his folder.
“Miss Kavanagh, it was reported that you arrived at the party with
Joshua Mason.”

Mairead’s tears erupted and she
screamed at him, “Go away. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Miss Kavanagh, if you won’t
talk to us now,” Brown’s tone became harsh. “I’m sure the doctor
will arrange for you to be released to us where you can answer our
questions at the station.”

Someone had entered the room and
stood behind Brown, “Miss Kavanagh has made quite clear that she
has no wish to talk to you.”

Everyone turned to the speaker.
Mairead’s view was blocked by Brown but her tears flowed as she
recognised the deep timbre of the voice with its refined British
accent. She had never felt happier to hear it.

Brown narrowed his eyes at the
two men that had entered. The speaker was several inches taller and
dressed in a dark tailored suit. Everything from his black hair to
his polished shoes was neat and styled. His dark eyes stared at
Brown from a hard but attractive face.

Next to him was an older man in
a crumpled suit. He barely reached his companions shoulder and his
grey hair was overdue for a haircut.

He shuffled towards Brown with a
grin on his face. “Scary, isn’t he,” He took a card from his coat
pocket. “I’m Ray Sanders, barrister, representing Miss Kavanagh.”
He smiled pleasantly. “I’m sure you understand that I would like to
speak to my client before she speaks to you.”

Brown grunted and sighed, “She
hasn’t been charged with anything.”

“And I’d like to keep it that
way.” Sanders kept smiling. “Let’s get this little girl all better
shall we, and I’ll bring her in personally and we can all have a
great chat.”

Brown looked up at the other man
who was still staring directly at him. “And you are?”

A wisp of a smile dimpled the
chiselled face. “I’m the chauffeur.”

Brown raised an eyebrow as he
tried to match the gaze. Eventually he sighed and motioned to his
officers “Let’s go.”

When they were gone Sanders
approached the bed and smiled at Mairead. “Hello Dear, I’ll
introduce myself to you very soon. I just need to chase up that
doctor of yours but I’ll be right back.” He winked at her and
whispered. “Will you be safe with him?”

Mairead smiled, “Very safe.”

When he was gone she looked at
the man left behind. “Hello James.”

James wandered closer. “Hello
Miss Kavanagh.”

“I think I fucked up again,” she
tried to grin but anguish overwhelmed her. She cried bitterly,
hugging her knees and burying her face so that he couldn’t look at
her.

She wanted him to comfort her
but she knew it would be against his boundaries. James was just the
chauffeur and the occasional bodyguard. Holding her in his arms was
not part of his job description.

When she eventually looked up,
his expression was unchanged, but he had arranged a bowl of
steaming water, a towel and a face cloth upon a mobile table.

As usual, just his presence had
a calming effect upon her. Mairead sat up and began to wash her
face. She smiled quietly as she watched him replace the bowl with a
bag from which he produced a variety of cosmetics, a mirror and a
hairbrush. “I trust these are the correct items?”

Mairead’s smile widened. “You
never get it wrong James.”

Picking up the mirror, Mairead
gasped as she saw her reflection. Dark shadows hung under bloodshot
eyes. Her skin was pale and her hair was a tangled mess. The sight
brought a fresh onslaught of tears.

Tossing the mirror across the
room, she glared up at James. “You did that on purpose.”

James said nothing as he went to
pick up the broken pieces.

Mairead pouted. “Why didn’t
Daddy come? Is he so mad at me that he doesn’t care whether I live
or die?”

James put the broken pieces onto
the frame and took them to the bin. “Mr. Kavanagh has been in
constant contact with the hospital.”

Returning to her side, James
pushed the button behind the bed and then turned his attention to
Mairead, his dark eyes boring into hers. “He only learnt of your
residence in the hospital after you were already out of danger.”
His tone became sterner. “He was extremely upset about your
condition.”

Mairead shifted and turned away
as she detected some anger in his voice. Her stomach tightened and
she blushed as she felt that terrible tingle in her bottom, which
always came when James made her nervous.

The door opened and the smiling
nurse was back. “Did you ring dear?”

James turned to her and the
smile ran away from her face as she wilted under his presence.
Mairead sighed having seen the same effect on other people around
him.

“Miss Kavanagh will need to be
showered and dressed. There is a case with fresh clothes.” James
pointed to the corner of the room. “There is also some glass that
will need to be cleaned up at some stage.”

The nurse nodded and blushed
slightly, “Of course.”

Mairead was glad she wasn’t the
only one James intimidated. It was so annoying. “I’m quite capable
of showering and dressing myself thank you.”

James turned sharply to her.
“According to your chart, Miss Kavanagh, you’ve just been
administered a sedative. The nurse will shower and dress you.”

The little courage Mairead had
mustered dissolved instantly, “Fine! When is Daddy coming?”

“Mr. Kavanagh’s schedule has
become quite industrious of recent. He feels that I will serve
sufficiently in bringing you home.” His tone left no room for
argument though she dearly wanted to.

It reminded her of the first
time her father had betrayed her, five years before. Back then,
James had only been driving for them for six months and did as he
was told. She had the upper hand and it didn’t matter how big and
scary he looked.

Having just turned fifteen,
Mairead had liked James Vaughn, the young man from Britain with his
toffy accent and exceptional good looks. He never would tell her
his age when she tried to get it out of him but she guessed that he
might have several years on her.

She flirted with him at every
instant but never got any response other than his boring poker
face. It annoyed her that he was the only male who wasn’t
distracted by her and ready to obey her every command.

Her father spoke highly of him
and she had often seen the two of them deep in conversation. With
her, James gave polite answers and nothing more.

The fateful day came when
Mairead had just endured an exhausting regime of gymnastic training
and a balling out from her trainer. Angry and sweaty, Mairead had
marched to the waiting car where James was holding the door opened.
Throwing her bag inside, she climbed in and put her feet up on the
seat.

James started the car and looked
back at her via the rear view mirror, “Seatbelt Miss Kavanagh.”

“Bite me James.” Mairead folded
her arms.

James turned the engine off and
sat silently waiting.

Mairead exploded, “Oh for fuck’s
sake,” She wrenched the belt across her and clicked it into place,
“Right! Are you happy now? Just drive the fucking car.”

James started the car and eased
it onto the road. Mairead stewed in the back.

“I’m not going to back to
gymnastics. I’m going to tell Dad that he can stick it up his
arse.” She looked at James in the rear view mirror but his eyes
were on the road. “Just because I missed two practice sessions. I
mean, what’s the big fucking deal. I’m better than everyone in my
grade anyway. Why go off at me in front of everyone?”

James kept driving silently and
it only served to enflame her temper.

“Those fucking bitches in my
class have been whinging again.” She kicked the back of the seat.
“The whole lot of them are just a bunch of fucking cunts.”

The car suddenly swung off to
the side of the road and stopped abruptly. Mairead sat up. “What
the fuck happened?”

She watched in astonishment as
James opened his door, got out and began to walk around to the
passenger side. Opening the door he slid onto the seat beside her
and slammed the door shut. Mairead was bewildered and a little
nervous. James had never been so physically close and his presence
seemed immense. She could smell his cologne and the starch of his
shirt. She looked up at him warily but he did not look at her.

“What are you doing James?

There was only silence but when
he spoke his voice was eerily calm.

“If I hear one more disgusting
word come out of your mouth, I will take you over my knee, take
your pants down and spank your bare bottom to the colour of a ripe
cherry.”

Mairead felt her face flush and
a little shudder ripple through her body. When she tried to speak
her words were barely a whisper. “You wouldn’t dare.”

James turned his face to hers.
“Try me.”

Mairead could not hold the stare
of his furious eyes. Her defiance shattered and she shook her head
timidly. James stared at her a moment longer before getting out of
the car and returning to the driver’s seat. He started the car and
returned to the road. It was a long silent drive home to her North
Shore estate.

Upon arrival, Mairead was out of
the car the moment it stopped, and running to the safety of her
home. The large wooden front door swung open and Mairead thrilled
at the smiling face of Joanne, her father’s secretary and
housekeeper.