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After my shift, I sit and have a drink with Christos and it’s quite late the next morning when I finally get around to checking my emails.
There, in my inbox is a new message. Nervously, I open it.
‘Dear Ms Williams,
I am pleased to say that I would like to offer you the position of being my ‘enthusiastic allrounder.’
I will be in touch.
Kindest regards,
Shaun Cobain.’
Yes! I read it again and then fist punch the air. Yes!
I’ve got it.
Things are finally working out for me. My dreams have come true. I’m going to New Zealand.
Chapter 10
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“What d’ya mean she left five days ago? She’s been posting up feckin’ piccies of herself with her buddies in Crete every day for the last week?”
Mac could hear Connor O’Dwyer’s voice rising as he sat back into the cream leather sofa seat on his yacht.
He’d reached his winter mooring in Lefkada, tucked anonymously away between the hundreds of other boats in this vast marina. In a week he’d be resting up in St Kitts where he’d be drinking rum punches until next spring.
He’d been putting off the call.
He knew how volatile Irish could be, and even though he was safely out of the way, he didn’t want to get on the wrong side of the Scousers, particularly Irish. And besides which, Mac quite liked his ears. How else would he keep his sunglasses on his head, he joked to himself.
“She had help.”
Mac tried to speak calmly as he filled O’Dwyer in.
“Her Greek boss ran my boy out of town and then they got her off the island. She’s probably in Athens or even out of the country by now.”
“Bollocks!”
Mac heard something smash.
“Sorry, Irish. She’s had a card with a number to call, and I proper put the frighteners on her.”
There was silence at the other end.
“Look, Connor, lad. I’ve been in this game long enough to know who’s a player, and who’s not. And she’s not one. Without a word of a lie, she went white as a sheet when I mentioned this Sion fella.”
Irish was still quiet. That wasn't good.
Mac started again.
“I think the slash to her neck did the trick. She’s on the run but she’s not running to him. Why else would she be doin’ a summer here?”
“Thanks, Mac.”
His voice was quiet, and much to Mac’s relief he sounded more level.
“We good, Irish?”
“Sure. I’ll be sending you a little something for your troubles.”
“That’s very much appreciated.”
“She’s a dead-end, Irish. I’m sure.”
???
The little Northland community way up on the Hokianga Peninsula was certainly feeling the sunny Sunday vibe as Shaun strolled along the beach.
There were a couple of youngsters out surfing in the bay, some kids were sand sledging in the dunes. Three men in singlet vests and shorts were fishing off the rocks and enjoying the sun, the fresh sea air and a couple of cold ones.
Still, even though there were people around, the place retained a wildness about it. Perhaps it was the lack of population up here, but there was something about the place that still felt untamed. Authentic. It fascinated him.
He’d been delaying going to the hostel for as long as he could. He’d kicked around the place, wandering along the beach and dunes for a good hour before he turned to head back to his car. The job had seemed like a good idea last week, but since then so much had happened.
Claire was coming.
That was all he’d been able to think about.
He’d sorted her tickets out for her and she was arriving on Wednesday. Celia and Frank had kindly offered to pick her up from the airport.
He’d spent the last few days frantically getting everything ready so that she’d be comfortable living in the lodge on her own.
He hadn’t told anyone that he knew Claire. It was better that way. As far as they were concerned she was employed via the internet as a house-sitter for him, getting the place ready for guests.
It felt right having her here.
Jason had filled him in on Claire’s brush with the Scousers again, and with Jason’s guidance (and airline staff discount code) he’d bought her three separate flights.
The first was to Singapore where she’d do an overnight layover. The next day she had a flight to Kuala Lumpur where she would change airlines and fly the last leg out to Auckland. Jason was confident, with those moves there was no easy way she’d be traced.
And once she got here, she’d be safe at the lake with him. He’d make sure of that.
Back in the car and unable to put it off any longer, Shaun made his way up to the car park by the side of the school hostel.
Grabbing his bag, he sauntered to the door where a huge Maori man in shorts and the biggest t-shirt Shaun had ever seen came out to greet him.
He was used to big, muscular men in the army, but this guy was on another level. He was literally a man mountain.
“Ari?”
Shaun held out his hand.
“Hey, Kia Ora, bro. Shaun, right?”
“Yeah.”
Ari took his hand and then surprised Shaun with a hug that only a bear could muster. Not many men could make Shaun feel tiny.
“Don’t be standin’ there, come on in.”
Shaun, taking his cue left his trainers by the row of footwear lining the porch and followed him inside the school hostel.
&
nbsp; Ari ushered Shaun into the large kitchen. In the centre was a table with eight wooden chairs, and off from the kitchen was a television room with sofas and colourful bean bags lying around. The last public room on the ground floor was lined with shelves of books, and along the far wall there was a fitted bench with desktop computers and a printer.
“Study area?” Shaun guessed.
Ari smiled.
“Not used as much as the television room.”
He pointed at the door beyond.
“Through there’s the staff dormitory. I’ll show you. They use it for teachers who move up here and don’t have accommodation. But at the moment it’s just you and me.”
Shaun went through and Ari opened one of the dormitory doors for him.
“This is a great resource for the school, it’s a shame they’re closing it. What you going to do?”
Ari shrugged.
“Don’t worry, it’s gonna be full-on for me with the baby.”
“I heard,” Shaun grinned. “Congratulations.”
“Yeah. And after Christmas, I’m starting my teaching course. I'm lovin’ workin’ with these guys and Mr Kara says he’ll give me a placement.”
“That’s awesome. What subject?”
“Maori studies.”
“So… are you the guy doing the big boat?”
“The waka? Yeah, man. Did you see it?”
“Did I see it? It’s awesome!”
“Ah yeah. It will be when it’s done.”
“Can I help?”
“Sure, bro. We can do with all the help we can get, eh.”
“Cool.”
A truck pulled up outside.
Ari glanced out of the window.
“Our first lodger back from the weekend. That’s Rawiri.”
Shaun saw the young man bolting from the truck with a sports bag and rucksack. The boy ducked his head as the female voice called after him from the car.
“Call me this week, yeah?”
Without turning, he gave her a farewell salute and headed straight into the house. Shaun heard the fourteen-year old’s footsteps drum up the wooden stairs, presumably into his room upstairs.
