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That was the goal. Now she had to find the route and nothing and no one, especially Zac Belisandro, could be allowed to deflect her.
In fact, she wouldn’t give him another thought.
That was until she emerged from the flat the following morning, an hour earlier for the expected hike to work and found her bicycle propped against the wall outside with a brand new padlock and chain dangling from the handlebars, and a note taped to the saddle.
For a moment Dana stood transfixed, an inexplicable mixture of emotions going to war inside her as she read the words, ‘With my compliments. Z.B.’
How the hell had he managed this? she raged inwardly, screwing the slip of paper to an angry ball in her hand. And now, she supposed, she would have to seek him out at some juncture to thank him. The thought had her screaming silently.
Unless she attached an equally brief response to the steering wheel of his car. Or would he take that as an indication that she was running scared—unwilling to face him?
Well, she wasn’t having that, so she would set her teeth and express some form of polite gratitude for his help, even though she’d have preferred to walk ten miles in tight shoes and the heat of the day than do any such thing.
As he’d almost certainly know, she thought grimly, stowing the padlock and chain in her backpack. Was that why he’d gone to all this trouble—simply to put her on the back foot?
I believed it was kindness.
His words of the day before echoed in her head, but she hadn’t bought that the first time around and she rejected it utterly now.
She’d heard Nicola speak with awe of his wealth, his success, and the power he exerted. That above all.
Kindness had never been mentioned, and it wasn’t a quality she would ever attribute to that cool, dark, distant figure moving, quiet and watchful, on the edge of their lives.
Which made the retrieval of her bicycle nothing more than a demonstration of that power, reduced to a microcosm.
Reminding her of something else, even more disturbing.
‘I am not your Dana.’
‘Not yet.’
If that was indeed what he’d said. She still couldn’t be sure, so the best thing she could do was put it out of her mind altogether—and go to work.
* * *
Surprisingly, it turned into a relatively tranquil day. Janice had called in sick, so any confrontation there had to be postponed.
And what a relief not to have to watch my back all the time, Dana thought. At least, not at work...
Not at Mannion either, she discovered when she got back that afternoon, because Zac Belisandro was no longer there. He’d returned to London, but the bad news was that Adam had gone with him.
She’d learned that from Nicola, who was waiting eagerly for her return armed with a copy of the latest Disney release.
‘Serafina’s going out,’ she said. ‘And she’s told Cook we can order in pizza if we want.’
‘Wow,’ said Dana, aware this was a major concession. ‘All that plus Johnny Depp. Fantastic.’
Television viewing was confined to a small room at the rear of the house, known as ‘the snug’.
Curled up on its sofa, they’d enjoyed the film and were just settling down to cans of Coke and their pizzas—Hawaiian for Nicola and double pepperoni for Dana—when the door opened and Adam came in.
‘So this is where you’re hiding. I thought the place was deserted.’
‘And I thought you were staying in London,’ said Nicola.
‘I changed my mind. I must have smelt the pizza.’
He sat down between them. Reaching down into the boxes, grabbing a slice from each of them and wolfing them down in a couple of bites.
‘Hey, you’ve had dinner already,’ Nicola protested indignantly.
He pulled a face. ‘A business thing and hours ago. Besides, you can’t talk seriously and eat.’
Nicola’s glance was faintly anxious. ‘How did it go?’
He shrugged. ‘It went. Now, be a love and get me a beer.’
Left alone with him, Dana tensed. This was a chance she couldn’t let slip—if only she knew how to use it.
Adam made another dive for the box at her feet. ‘Watch out,’ he said. ‘Or I’ll eat it all.’
‘It’s OK,’ she said quickly. ‘I’m not very hungry.’
‘You can’t be on a diet.’ His eyes studied her, smilingly at first, then growing more intent. ‘Or you might disappear altogether. And that would be a tragedy.’
His gaze moved down. Paused. ‘You’ve missed a bit.’
