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Eyes staring straight ahead, and holding Mai’s hand, she made it into the dentist’s building without a comment from the bodyguard. Things could get nasty and she needed a plan B. She pulled out the credit card and turned it in her hands. All the agents she’d known had some type of an exit strategy or a get-out-of-jail-free card, and she’d made plans ahead of time, but executing them could be the last nail in her coffin. She glanced down at Mai. “I’m out of options.”
Once inside the dentist’s office, she apologized for having a headache and made another appointment to appease them. After taking the back stairs, she slipped out the side exit and into the bank on the next block. She asked to see the manager and, as the Carlos Winery was one of the bank’s biggest customers, a woman ushered her into his office. She noticed his glance shifting to Mai and she smiled. “I’m caring for her.” She cleared her throat. “I need to make a substantial transfer and require the balance of my account.”
“It’s a joint account, as you know.” The manager smiled. “One of many you have at our branch.” He gave her a figure that made her jaw drop.
Avril grabbed a pen and wrote down the number of an offshore bank account she’d set up with a small amount of cash to use if everything went to hell. Right now, she needed more than her handler’s assurance he’d pull her to safety the moment she gave the word. Viktor Carlos had fingers in every pie and she would never be safe if he discovered what she’d done. “Yes, that sounds about right.” She pushed the account number across the table toward him and stared him straight in the eye. Act like you own this bank, Avril. “Transfer ten million into that account for me please.”
“That’s a large amount. Should I clear it with Mr. Carlos first?”
Avril laughed. “Oh, really, and spoil my surprise?” She patted his hand. “It’s a gift. A parcel of land in the Napa Valley he’s wanted for years. This will seal the deal.”
“But this is an offshore account.” The manager’s head beaded in sweat. “Once it’s transferred its untraceable. If you change your mind, it’s lost forever.”
Grinning like a baboon, Avril met his gaze. “Oh
, I know it’s a little unconventional but you make transfers like this for Michael all the time, don’t you? I am his wife, in case it slipped your mind?” She stopped grinning. “It’s my money. Make the transfer or I’ll speak to my father-in-law. One complaint from me and he’ll have his account moved to another, more compliant bank.” She stood and moved around the desk. “I’ll watch the transfer if you don’t mind.”
When the money went through, she leaned on the desk and eyeballed him. “This deal was made by my father-in-law. It’s a joint gift from the both of us. Not a word to Michael. If you spoil our surprise, Viktor will be down to speak to you personally.” She straightened, collected her card, and held a hand out to Mai. “Come on now, it’s time to go home.”
Seven
Late that afternoon, Avril sat with Mai in the nursery as her English teacher went over a few phrases. The little girl was mastering the language quickly and practiced all the time. She heard voices outside the door. Michael was in the house, which was unusual during the day, especially when they had the auction later. She assumed he’d be checking over the plans she’d made. He had always stood over her, watching as if waiting to pounce if she made a mistake, but she’d only just left the hall and everything was moving along smoothly. The food was arranged, the staff had already organized the hall, and she’d be there to greet the guests at seven. The auction of vintage wines was Michael and his father’s domain, as was the guest list. So why the raised voices?
She smiled at Mai and slipped out into the hallway. The next second, Michael grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. Anger radiated from him, but his slap came as a surprise, and as the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, she stared at him in shock.
“Whore.” Michael’s eyes blazed with hatred as he struck her again. “You’d drag my name into the gutter by hanging all over a panhandler?”
Before she could speak, he dragged her through the house and across the lawn to an outbuilding. She dug in her heels. “Stop it, you’re hurting me.”
“Walk or I’ll drag you by your hair.” Michael’s eyes glittered with menace. “It’s time for you to understand what happens when you don’t obey me.”
Breathing hard, she tried to break his steel-like grip crushing her arm. “What are you talking about? I’ve done everything you’ve asked.”
“Your lover doesn’t look so good now, does he?” Michael shoved her into the building.
Avril blinked in the dim light and gaped in horror as the stink of blood and pee enclosed her. Steve Breuer, bloody and battered, hung from his arms in the middle of the room. A crimson-smeared baseball bat lay at his feet. Had Michael found her message and the coin with the damning evidence inside or had Steve managed to send it in time? Was she about to face the same lesson? Pushed closer, she stared at Steve in the gloom, her throat so tight with fear she dared not take a breath. He wasn’t moving, and she’d seen eyes fixed in death before. The pain of loss swept over her and her knees threatened to buckle. Digging her fingernails deep into her palms, she fought to keep control of her emotions. Her heart raced and she wanted to vomit. Michael had killed him, but Steve hadn’t said a word or she’d be dead too. Her survival instinct kicked in and, biting back the need to scream and attack the monster beside her, she gritted her teeth. Steeling herself with every ounce of courage she had, she composed her features and turned to Michael. “Who the hell is that?”
“Your music man. The man you hang all over every damn time you go to town. Don’t you recognize him?” He sneered at her. “Don’t you think the bodyguards report your every movement to me? I own you. You’re my property. I can do what I want with you.” He raised his hand to strike her again.
Avril sidestepped and lifted her chin, glad for the calm her training had instilled in her. “Go ahead and I’ll look real pretty when I greet your guests. Will it make you look like a big man, showing them how you treat your wife?” She waved a hand at the beaten man. There was nothing she could do for him now, but she must survive long enough to bring this animal to justice. “Do you honestly believe I’d stoop so low, Michael? A busker—really? I liked his music and felt sorry for him is all. I dropped a few dollars into his hat, so what? When people see me do that, they admire the way I share our wealth. It makes you look good.”
“You’re not upset I beat him to death?” Michael looked at her in disbelief.
The happy times she’d spent with Steve danced across her memory. She pushed down the gut-wrenching despair and just tried to breathe. He’d died for her and now she must be the strong one and see the mission through. There’d be no time to grieve for him now. She swallowed bile and tossed her hair over one shoulder. “Why should I? I don’t know him. He played nice music, but do I care if he’s dead? No!” She glared at him. “Can I go now? It stinks in here.”
To her surprise, he took her hand and led her back to the house, heart pounding so fast Avril thought it might explode from her chest and bounce across the pathway. She drew in deep breaths and met her husband’s stride. “You interrupted me. I was watching Mai’s lessons.”
“I’m glad Mai has settled in so well. She understands us more by the day.” Michael gave a satisfied smile. “I’ll take her to see my father. He was asking after her just before.”
The shock of seeing Steve’s battered body made her knees tremble, and she swallowed hard. One wrong move, one reaction, and he’d kill her. She had to get away and take Mai with her. So much depended on this moment. Pressing her lips together, she struggled not to scream and run away. She looked into Michael’s dark eyes and suppressed a shudder. His sudden change of mood frightened her more than if he’d hit her again. The taste of blood still coated her tongue and the thought of him taking Mai disturbed her. Michael was in no mood to care for a child. “I’ll come with you.”
“Not this time.” Michael frowned at her. “You look a mess, and it’s only two hours until our guests arrive. Go and soak in a tub or whatever it is you do to make yourself presentable. I’ll have Mai back in no time at all.”
Unable to offer a plausible excuse to prevent Michael taking Mai, she swallowed her protest and stared after him as he collected her from the nursery. The little girl looked over her shoulder at Avril with a confused expression as he led her out the front door and across the lawn to his father’s house. Concern gripped Avril’s gut at the thought of Viktor and Michael’s sudden interest in Vietnamese girls. On face value, most would commend them for assisting the children to find better lives, but the Carlos family only did things that earned them a nice fat profit. Holding back her emotions, she lifted her chin and walked into the nursery as the teacher was collecting her things. “I wonder if you’d have time to wait until Mai returns? I’m happy to pay extra, and cook has a freshly baked cherry pie if you’d like a slice with a coffee while you wait?”
“That would be nice.” The teacher placed her books on the table and looked at her. “I see from your eyes that you’d prefer the child doesn’t visit your father-in-law. Do you want me to ask Mai when she returns how they treated her?”
Not exactly trusting her but having no choice, Avril nodded. “It would put my mind at rest. My aim is to ensure Mai is happy here and my father-in-law can be a little hard to get along with.”
