Winter's Light (18 page)

Chapter 29

Sam’s battered green station wagon was parked in Yuri’s driveway as they pulled up. Jasmine switched off the engine just as Sam emerged from the house carrying his duffle bag with his free hand. The other was hoisted in a sling. If it wasn’t for the injured arm and the hesitant but familiar grin he flashed when he saw them, Winter might not have recognised him.

Sam had died his blond hair jet black. She watched him lug the bag towards the car, marvelling at how a change in hair colour could make someone look so dramatically different.

‘I guess this is goodbye then,’ Jasmine said, calling Winter’s attention away from Sam.

‘I’ll ring you once we’re over there. Maybe I can bring you back something from Paris? A beret?’ she said, hoping to coax one of Jasmine’s sunny smiles. It didn’t work.

‘Just keep safe. Keep your head down and stay close to Sam,’ Jasmine said, tilting her head towards him. Only Sam’s muscular back was currently visible as he lent into the car.

The advice caught Winter a little off guard.

‘I thought you didn’t trust him?’

Jasmine’s gaze narrowed as she stared at the boy who’d broken her heart.

‘I’m not sure I do. I still remember what his brother, Damien, did to me on the mountain. Getting into my brain like that, making me tell him you were headed to the church. It was awful. I want to hate Sam because he let them do that to me. And also because he used me, pretended to care just to get close to you.’

‘I don’t know if that’s true, Jas. Sam didn’t see Blake until that night in the surf club. He didn’t know I was with him before then. Maybe it was all just a . . . coincidence?’ This was a bit of a stretch and she knew it. Winter remembered Sam’s keen interest in meeting the mysterious Blake days before they actually came face to face. Why did she feel the need to defend him?

Jasmine waved her explanation away. ‘Whatever. I understand he saved your life on the beach and all, but that doesn’t change what he did. He lied to me.’ She exhaled in consternation as though battling with herself. ‘But I guess that doesn’t mean he’s evil or anything. Not like Caleb anyway. I think he’ll try to protect you if he can. I saw the way he talked to you in the room. The concern. That was real. Yuri and that freaky Eurotrash chick though . . .’

The front door opened and Yuri walked out nursing a cup of coffee and holding a suitcase. He raised the coffee in greeting at the two girls, all smiles and good-natured cheer. Jasmine was right. There was something
off
about Yuri. When he smiled, it was as if somebody was working his mouth like a ventriloquist dummy. It was a mechanical gesture; an imitation of human emotion.

‘He gives me the creeps.’ Jasmine took Winter’s hand. ‘Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid. I mean more stupid than what you’re already doing.’

Winter gave her a tight hug. ‘Don’t worry about me, Jas. I’m going to be fine. I’m tough, remember?’

Jasmine didn’t look convinced. Shaking her head, she started the engine. Winter reached over and grabbed her bag.

As she closed the door, Jasmine surprised her by saying, ‘See you soon, Win,’ with such a pronounced note of certainty that Winter immediately felt a little bit better about their parting.

‘Definitely,’ she said, smiling at her friend’s optimism and hoping it wasn’t put on.

Jasmine nodded and accelerated away, but not before Winter caught the furtiveness in her eyes. She’d seen similar looks before – usually when Jasmine was planning to do something mischievous. Like set Winter up with some poor unsuspecting boy. Her brow furrowed, Winter watched the Mini Cooper turn the corner and disappear. What was Jasmine planning this time?

‘All packed and ready to go?’ Yuri asked, coming up behind her.

‘Yep.’

‘Got your passport?’

For a moment Winter’s heart stopped beating and then she remembered slipping the passport into the front pocket of her bag.

‘Sure do. When do we leave?’ She still couldn’t believe she’d soon be on a plane travelling to Europe, compliments of the Bane. The idea seemed surreal.

‘Soon as possible.’ Yuri shielded his eyes with his hand, squinting past Winter at the sky. ‘We’re burning daylight.’

Winter followed his gaze and saw the sun was almost kissing the top of Owl Mountain. Before long, it would sink behind the hulking landmass throwing part of Hagan’s Bluff into shadow. Winter knew better than most how dangerous shadows could be. The sooner they were away from this town the better.

Sam limped towards them. He seemed different to Winter . . . lighter somehow. She realised quickly what the difference was – despite his bruised cheekbones and cracked, bloodied lips, Sam looked happier than she’d ever seen him.

‘Hey, Win, did Yuri tell you the news?’

Perplexed, she shot Yuri a look. He shrugged nonchalantly, as though unwilling to spoil the surprise.

‘No,’ she said cautiously. ‘What news would this be?’

‘Yuri’s fixed it so I can return to France. I’m coming with you.’ Sam’s features relaxed into a smile that was so sunny Winter couldn’t help but mirror it.

‘That’s fantastic!’ No wonder he looked so happy and relieved. Her smile faltered as she foresaw a problem. ‘What about the whole “wanted for murder” thing? I can’t imagine they’re gonna just let you hop on a plane.’

‘We’ve already put in the request for the necessary documents that should see him safely through border control,’ Yuri said in a confidently reassuring tone. ‘Luckily, the Bonnaires have some very powerful friends.’

Wow
, Winter thought, deeply impressed. She didn’t think it would be easy to smuggle a suspected murderer out of the country.

‘Let me take that for you,’ Sam said, reaching with his good hand for Winter’s suitcase.

She hesitated, glancing at his wounded arm. ‘Are you sure? It’s pretty heavy.’

‘I can handle it,’ Sam replied, grinning ruefully. ‘I’m not a cripple.’

Winter shrugged and handed him the bag. She saw the slight grimace as the weight dragged his left arm down, putting pressure on his cracked ribs, but Sam didn’t say anything.

‘Nice hair by the way.’ She nodded towards his raven locks.

‘Elena did it this morning. I figured with my picture being all over the newspaper and TV it might be smart not to look so much like myself. ’

Winter remembered the image the media had used of Sam – short blond hair, moody expression. In the picture, he looked a little like Eminem. Nothing like he did now. With his long black hair hanging over his eyes, fine stubble dusting his chin and jawline, Sam resembled a grunge guitarist rather than a gangsta rapper.

‘It suits you,’ Winter said, meaning it. ‘You should keep it dark.’

Sam glanced up at her from beneath his eyebrows, trying to figure out whether or not she was teasing him. Satisfied she wasn’t, he blushed slightly and looked away. ‘I’ll put this in the car.’

Winter watched him go, his blush making her feel a little embarrassed too.

‘So,’ Yuri said, clearing his throat. ‘Here’s the plan. Elena will drive you to Newbury tonight. It should take a little over sixteen hours so you’ll arrive just before daybreak.’

‘We’re driving through the night?’

Yuri’s expression grew serious. ‘I think that’s the safest option. Benedict will find it harder to locate you while you’re moving. It’ll also make it difficult for him to mount an attack should he somehow pick up your trail.’

‘If you say so.’

Noticing her apprehension, he smiled one of his quick mechanical smiles. ‘There’s no reason to be scared. Sam and Elena are very experienced in this sort of thing. They’ll look after you.’

Winter’s gaze drifted to the car and she wondered just how effective Sam could be with only one arm.

‘I’ve booked you into the airport hotel so you can get some sleep during the day. Your flight’s at four-thirty tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be catching the train down in the morning, after I tie up all the loose ends here, and will fly out after you.’

‘By “loose ends” you mean my sister?’ Winter raised an eyebrow.

‘Don’t worry,’ Yuri said, looking at her with what she hoped was sincerity. ‘I’ll treat her with the utmost sensitivity. Just like we discussed.’

During their long and involved discussion last night, Winter had quizzed Yuri on how he planned to handle the Lucy situation. Initially, he proposed that he just disappear and spare her sister an awkward and potentially painful break-up scene. This suggestion didn’t take with Winter. She knew the importance of closure. If Yuri upped and vanished without a word, Lucy would be left wondering what happened to him. The wound left by his absence might be small, after all they hadn’t spent that long together (a fact Yuri was quick to point out), but without closure, it might never heal, troubling Lucy indefinitely. No, Winter decided emphatically, he had to give her a valid reason for his departure from her life.

‘You’ll tell her —’

‘That I’m leaving for Europe to care for my dying mother, and I don’t know when, if ever, I’ll be able to return.’

‘And . . .’ Winter prompted, making sure he didn’t leave out the crucial next part to the story.

‘And, these past few weeks we’ve spent together have been some of the happiest I’ve ever had. I’m heartbroken we won’t have a future together but I’m grateful she was part of my life. If only briefly.’

Yuri looked to Winter for approval, eyebrows raised hopefully. She nodded, feeling a conflicting mix of shame and pride. Shame that she was complicit in her sister’s heartache, and pride that she’d helped create such a sensitive and moving farewell scene. It was a lie, but a kind lie. She only hoped Yuri was a good enough actor to pull it off.

The front door banged open behind them and Elena strode out. She was dressed in jeans and a form-fitting dark brown soft leather coat with matching gloves. Winter suspected the long gloves weren’t a mere fashion quirk. Elena was hiding her hands for some reason.

‘We should be leaving,’ Elena said, her thick Russian accent lending her words a commanding bluntness. Her sapphire eyes flicked from Winter to Yuri, a flash of irritation clearly visible. They hadn’t been discussing Lucy loudly but she had the impression that Elena had overheard. Not for the first time Winter wondered what sort of woman would be happy with her husband seducing another to gather information. Winter certainly wouldn’t be capable of it.

‘Okay then,’ Yuri said, seeming to fade a little beneath his wife’s penetrating gaze. ‘Let’s get a move on.’

The three of them walked towards the car where Sam was waiting.

‘The front seat is all yours,’ he said, opening the door for Winter.

‘I don’t mind sitting in the back.’ Usually, she would have preferred to sit up front, but she didn’t relish spending sixteen hours next to the Russian Ice Queen.

‘It’s cool,’ Sam said. ‘I need to stretch out and get some sleep anyway. The painkillers I’m on are intense. Kind of awesome actually. Until they wear off. ’

She noticed now that his eyes did have a faintly glazed expression. Sam closed the door and slid in behind her, squeezing his lanky frame in between the luggage.

‘Jas didn’t want to say goodbye?’ he asked tentatively.

‘No,’ she said, thinking again of the her friend’s suspicious behaviour. ‘She had something to do.’
Something . . .

Sam was quiet for a moment and then said, ‘She hates me doesn’t she?’

‘Pretty much.’

‘Fair enough,’ he said with a regretful sigh.

Winter watched Elena and Yuri whispering to each other in Russian, trying to ignore the paranoid thoughts that buzzed through her mind. Just because they were speaking in Russian didn’t mean they were discussing her. It was their mother tongue – they were probably using it to disguise the kind of intimate sentiments usually reserved for a husband and wife about to be separated. Lending weight to this theory, Elena now reached up bringing Yuri’s mouth down to hers in an urgent kiss. After only a few seconds, Yuri gently pushed her away, his face crimson with embarrassment. He shot a glance back at the car and Winter pretended she hadn’t been watching.

Keeping her gaze averted, she heard Elena’s footsteps on the driveway as she circled around to the driver’s side. The springs of the seat squeaked as she sat down and Winter stole a look at her. Elena’s expression was unreadable. Keying the ignition, she said without facing her, ‘I hope you went to the bathroom because we will not be stopping.’