His body looked loose and coltish under his pale suit, but unlike the
self-assured Raoul; he gave the impression that he had dressed
hurriedly, and felt slightly uncomfortable in his smart clothes.
His
hair was thick, straight and black and his face had a vulnerable look
that Jacey found surprisingly appealing.
Raoul turned round to follow Jacey's gaze.
"What kept you so long?"
he asked the young man in Spanish.
"Carlos has been asking for you."
"Well, now I'm here," the boy said sullenly.
"Let me introduce you to my little virgin brother," Raoul said,
continuing in Spanish.
"Ladies, this is Leonardo, who hates being sociable, and is still young
enough not to care who knows it."
"I don't mind being sociable," Leonardo said.
He stared hard at
Jacey.
"I just care who I'm sociable with."
"Shake hands with Dr.
Muldaire," Raoul said, 'or you'll have me to
answer to."
Leonardo held out a slim hand to Jacey.
"I'm delighted to meet you, Dr.
Muldaire."
"You're a very bad liar," she said, sweetly.
"What have I done to annoy you?"
She wondered why she found his unsmiling mouth so desirable.
She had
never been attracted to anyone younger than herself before, but his
finely drawn, slanting eyebrows, his smooth natural tan, and his
narrow, almost feminine hands, were all surprisingly seductive.
He
looked untouched, unspoiled and petulant.
She felt she wanted to shake
him.
Or, she thought, surprising herself, strip off his clothes and
spank him.
"He's an idealist," Raoul said.
"You know what it's like when you're young?"
Jacey smiled at Raoul.
"I thought you were an idealist, too?"
Raoul looked suddenly serious.
"I am."
He held her gaze.
"But I'm sensible enough to know who my real enemies are.
Leonardo
hasn't yet learned how to make that distinction."
Leonardo had already shaken hands with Ingrid, and treated her to a
brief smile.
He turned back to Raoul.
"Must you always make me sound like an idiot?"
"If you dislike Dr.
Muldaire simply because you don't approve of some
of her friends," Raoul said, 'you are an idiot."
He smiled suddenly
and patted his brother on the shoulder.
"Go and find Carlos, and then go and be nice to Aunt Ana.
And stop
looking so miserable."
After Leonardo had walked away, he added, in
English: "Don't you have an expression "a pain in the neck"?
That's
how I sometimes feel about my dear little brother."
"He's not so little," Ingrid said.
"And he's rather sweet.
Is he really a virgin?
Maybe I should educate
him?"
"Dear Dr.
Gustaffsen," Raoul said, 'it would be much nicer if you
would educate me."
"You don't need educating."
Ingrid laughed.
"Does Leonardo approve of Lohaquin?"
Jacey asked.
"Like your mother?"
Raoul shrugged.
"Leonardo approves of anything he thinks is unconventional.
And
anything he thinks will annoy Carlos and Schlemann.
In that respect,
he is certainly like my late mother."
And maybe he could furnish me with the lead I'm looking for, Jacey
thought.
Either a direct lead to Lohaquin, or someone who can provide
me with one.
I need him to trust me, and unfortunately he won't do
that as long as I'm with Nicolas.
After Raoul had left them to chat to other guests, and Ingrid was
commandeered by a vivacious-looking woman, Jacey wandered off on her
own, hoping to see Leonardo.
She caught sight of him several times,
but always at a distance.
Then, when she least expected it, she turned
to see him standing close by, staring across at her.
He quickly looked
away, but for an instant their eyes met.
His expression was angry but
also had a hint of curiosity.
He doesn't dislike me as much as he
pretends, she thought.
She decided to shadow him until she was able to corner him.
She smiled
to herself.
Then she could accuse him of following her.
That would
annoy him, and maybe make him defensive but at least it would start a
conversation.
Given an opening, she could charm him.
She told herself she was doing this purely to gain information, but she
knew very well that she was also going to enjoy it.
No doubt
Leonardo's brothers, and his Aunt Ana (and his mother, when she was
alive) had spoiled him silly.
Now someone would have to teach him how
to act like an adult.
She would enjoy proving to him that he shouldn't
judge people too hastily.
She would enjoy getting him to eat out of
her hand.
As Leonardo moved away, and she prepared to follow, her mobile phone
rang.
For a moment she could not place the gentle trilling sound.
It
was the first time anyone had contacted her on the mobile since she
started work at La Primavera.
Her mind immediately switched from the
pleasure of Leonardo to work.
Convinced that it must be an emergency,
she mentally listed her current patients.
None of them had any
life-threatening illness.
She held the phone to her ear.
A familiar voice said: "Good evening, Dr.
Muldaire."
"Nicolas?"
She was startled, then angry.
"This number is for emergencies only.
What exactly do you want?"
"You," he said, 'of course."
"I'm at a garden party," she said.
"I know where you are," he drawled.
"I always know where you are.
And I also know where you'll be in about
twenty minutes."
"Still here," she said.
'm my apartment," he corrected.
"I have something for you.
A car will collect you in about five
minutes."
As she started to protest, the phone went dead.
She wondered briefly
what would happen if she refused to go with Nicolas's driver when he
appeared.
He could hardly pick her up and carry her.
She did not
believe that even Nicolas would dare to give that kind of order.
She glanced round.
Leonardo had disappeared.
There'll be plenty of
time to pursue that lead later on, she thought.
Nicolas had aroused
her curiosity.
What did he have for her?
A present?
She rather
doubted it.
Not after what he had already told her about the kind of
relationship he wanted.
She managed to catch sight of Ingrid and wave
to her, and was looking round for a last glimpse of Leonardo when she
saw the large, dark-suited security man walking towards her.
"You're leaving us, Dr.
Muldaire?"
Carlos Marquez stopped her as she
reached the edge of the crowd.
"I have another engagement," Jacey said.
She saw Carlos look first at the security man, then back at her.
A
chilly smile touched his mouth.
"Of course."
He paused for a moment.
"You met my brother Leonardo, I believe?"
"Very briefly," Jacey said.
She smiled.
"I don't think he approved of me."
"He's young," Carlos said.
"The young sometimes have foolish ideas."
So that's why you've condescended to speak to me, Jacey thought.
You're worried that your little brother has been indiscreet.
She kept
smiling.
"We didn't discuss any of his ideas," she said, 'foolish or
otherwise."
"Good," Carlos said.
He stepped back.
"Good evening, Dr.
Muldaire."
He paused.
"I hope your next engagement is an enjoyable one."
"Oh, I'm sure it will be," Jacey said, sweetly.
At Police Headquarters, the driver used his own card to open the iron
door, and preceded her down the stone-flagged corridors until they
reached the entrance to Nicolas's apartment, where he left her.
She
walked down the carpeted, silk-walled corridor to the panelled living
room.
Nicolas was lounging in a leather armchair.
He was wearing a
dark, formal suit, and a tie, and looked as if he was about to go to a
board meeting.
He glanced at his watch.
"Congratulations," he said.
"You must have come straight here."
"Did I have a choice?"
she asked.
"Of course," he said.
"You came because you wanted to."
"I came because you said you had something for me," she said.
He smiled.
There was a box on the table next to him.
He tapped it
with one finger.
"Take this into the next room.
When you open it, you'll know what to
do.
Then come back to me."
He shifted in the chair.