Blaze (53 page)

‘I'm glad I met Winston. I think the society column will work brilliantly. I found Winston fascinating. Of course, I was glad it wasn't me he was ripping into.'

‘Hmmm. He's far too old for you to find attractive.' The Baron eyed Ali.

‘I like older men. I told you I've outgrown my peers. I'm ready for someone more worldly. Not that I'd see Winston as a potential lover,' she laughed. ‘I suspect he might be gay.'

‘I trust you keep your personal and professional relationships apart. Never become involved with your staff, dear girl.'

Ali stood and gathered her wrap. ‘I never would.' She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth. ‘Nor, I suppose, would you.'

He couldn't help smiling at her cheek that was part repartee and part dare. There was something dangerous and risky about this smart young woman. ‘I have been known to break the rules on occasion.'

Ali patted his arm. ‘That's okay, when
you
make the rules. Goodnight. I'm looking forward to our night at the theatre.'

She saw him for a budget meeting the day of the play, followed by a leisurely lunch which developed into something more intimate. Oscar Triton found himself telling an attentive Ali about his childhood, how his grandfather had started their empire and how he'd expanded it into a media conglomerate. The mention of his wealth didn't appear to impress her and she asked personal questions about how he must have felt and what had been his dreams and aspirations as a young man, as well as pertinent business questions. Ali had done thorough research on Baron Triton and knew his family background and had read every quote he'd ever made in the press.

At one point the Baron leaned back and studied her. ‘You know, Ali, you and I are very similar. We tend to think along the same lines. I am looking forward to finding out more about you. If I may.'

‘Personally or professionally?' asked Ali lightly.

‘I believe that in your case there isn't a great ocean between the two,' said the Baron sagely.

During intermission at the theatre, Ali linked her arm through the Baron's. As the play came to an end, he took her hand and together they left the theatre in his limousine. Nothing was said, but an understanding had been reached. In the private elevator sliding towards his penthouse, Ali leaned over and kissed him recklessly, plunging her tongue into his mouth and pressing her body against his.

John O'Donnell had been a challenge, the Baron turned out to be a pushover. They both understood it was power sex. Her youthful, taut body in return for his position and influence. No strings attached. But favours to be returned.

It didn't take long for the gossip to filter back to Sydney. Tony Cox broke the news to Reg Craven with nefarious pleasure. ‘Ali is screwing the Baron. By the time she returns, she might be the new Baroness. Been known to happen.'

Reg seethed, but brushed it aside. ‘Old man Triton has more class than that. What's a quick lay with an ambitious bitch? He probably hasn't had any since Nina moved out.'

‘Ali wouldn't stack up against Nina Jansous – even with a thirty-year age gap. But I believe the grass roots talk – that the Baron and Nina really are just good friends. Ali may not win a ring on her finger, but she'll have his ear and that's more dangerous for us.'

‘Yeah,' agreed Reg gloomily. ‘Does Jacques know what's going on? If not, you'll no doubt tell him. I thought the old boy belonged to Nina. I didn't figure Ali would make a play for him.'

‘Come on, Reg, you know Ali. She goes for the top . . . and for the jugular . . . every time.'

Ali called Belinda from New York. ‘I'm leaving here tomorrow. Any contact from Nina?'

‘No. Were you expecting a call?' asked Belinda.

‘Hmmm. Possibly.' She sounded vague. ‘So are there any major problems?'

‘Nothing that can't wait till you return.' Belinda didn't want to say how calm the office had been with Ali away.

Ali hung up and doodled on the Peninsula Hotel stationery on the desk in her suite. She was due to meet the Baron in the office before leaving. She'd said nothing about Lucien Artiem's strange phone call about Nina. Before she'd left Sydney, she'd had one try at ringing the hotel number Lucien had given her, but she'd never got past the switchboard, the language difference proving impossible. Nina must have turned up, she told herself. Otherwise she'd have heard from Lucien Artiem again.

The longer Nina was away, the better it suited Ali. But, then again, if Nina had been in trouble – and God knows how it could be with these Eastern European countries – she would have a hot media story on her hands that would put
Blaze
in the news. Ali's instinct for publicity and promotion – never mind Nina's safety – overrode her initial inclination to do nothing.

Ali thought for a moment or two, then decided she had better cover herself, just in case. If something had gone wrong with Nina, and she hadn't made a move, it could look bad for her.

She arrived early for her appointment and the Baron's long-time assistant, Irene, looked up in surprise. ‘Sorry about this, Irene, I need to talk to the Baron about Nina.'

‘My goodness, is there a problem?' Irene heard the slightly worried tone in Ali's voice. Irene had known Nina as long as she'd known the Baron and was devoted to her. It had always saddened her the two had never married. If she couldn't marry him, then Nina had been her only choice. Irene, the loyal spinster, had dedicated her quiet passion for the Baron to smoothing the wrinkles from his daily life. She exercised her own form of power. If Irene didn't think you should talk to the Baron, you were not put through. She was privy to every aspect of his life, even making bedside visits to his ailing wife. It was Irene who made the discreet and elegant funeral arrangements, composed thank-you notes, suggested he move from the old brownstone into the penthouse in the Triton building. She'd arranged for the sale of the Baron's home and hired the decorator for the penthouse. Now Irene's infallible antennae were sending out warning signals in Ali's direction.

‘This is a pleasant surprise.' Baron Triton was his ever-charming self, despite the intrusion.

‘Sorry to barge in. Have you heard from Nina?'

‘Not for some time. I think she is deep in her old country.'

‘I haven't heard from her for some time either. I've tried to contact her a few times without success. And recently I had the strangest phone call . . . from Lucien Artiem, an old friend of hers. He asked me to keep our conversation confidential, which is why I haven't brought it up until now . . . but I would rather hear what you think about it.' Ali relayed the message from Lucien.

The Baron was instantly concerned. ‘Dear God, we must contact the US Embassy in Yugoslavia immediately, to see if they've heard of any problem with Nina. And Australian Foreign Affairs.' He buzzed Irene to check the time difference between New York and Zagreb. ‘What on earth is Nina up to? We must make contact with her.'

Ali heard the loving worry in his voice and it brought home to her how much he felt for Nina. She was now convinced they'd never been lovers, but there was a deep, strong bond between Oscar and Nina. A bond Ali could never break or usurp. ‘I hope I'm not jumping to conclusions. Maybe this Lucien was fretting unnecessarily. But I didn't want to leave anything to chance,' said Ali smoothly.

‘You've done absolutely the right thing to confide in me, my dear. A few phone calls and I'm sure this will be sorted out. It is worrying. It isn't like Nina at all. I had my doubts about this expedition all along. What purpose does it serve?'

Ali shrugged. ‘The past is the past, I say. She says she wants to write about it. Maybe for
Blaze
. Possibly a book.'

The Baron looked pleased. ‘Really? Nina never had the chance to spread her wings as a writer. She was a natural-born editor. This could be a new interest for her.' His face clouded again. ‘I just hope her research hasn't put her in some sort of diplomatic trouble. Eastern Europe is very volatile.'

Ali didn't raise the issue of publicity for fear of seeming crass, but she saw the potential media interest if the news hit that a famed and influential woman had ‘disappeared' in a former communist bloc country while researching a personal story for
Blaze
magazine.

The Baron gave her a quick embrace. ‘I'll start the inquiries. Don't be late for the plane, my dear. Take my car. Irene will arrange it. I'll call you if I have any news.' He lightly kissed her cheek and pushed a button on his desk. The door swung open and Irene appeared.

‘Irene, call Dixon to take Miss Gruber to JFK and put me through to Charles Brace, the Australian Ambassador in Washington. Also, find out who is representing the US in Yugoslavia.' After a brief smile at Ali he turned back to his desk, all business. Ali had the feeling that before she was out of the building she'd be out of his mind.

In the limousine, Ali put through a call to an executive she knew on the
Australian
newspaper in Sydney, rapidly filling him in on the possible disappearance of Nina Jansous.

‘Christ, that would be a story. What was she doing over there?'

‘She was born in Yugoslavia. She'd taken long-service leave to delve into her family history,' improvised Ali. ‘If it's confirmed she has disappeared, the details will appear in
Blaze
. And you and I can do a cross-promotional deal to give you an extract in return for promoting Nina's story in the magazine.'

‘So what's the embassy or Foreign Affairs have to say? She's a pretty valuable personage to muck around with. Or could she have been in an accident. What's the spin on it?'

‘I'm just leaving New York. Baron Triton is tackling it from his end. Maybe you could try Foreign Affairs in Canberra and see if they have heard anything. Do you have any people on the ground in Yugoslavia? If there is a story in this, be sure to mention she is there on assignment for
Blaze
.'

The executive rolled his eyes. Typical of all he'd heard about the Yank Tank. She rings the press for coverage before finding out about her missing editor-in-chief. The authorities wouldn't want publicity, but he wasn't going to wait with this story. ‘Yeah, we do have a bloke over there. I'll put him onto it. When can you confirm whether she's been detained? In the meantime, can you give a statement that she is missing?'

Tracey Ford wrote the press statement as Ali dictated it over the phone:

Concern has been raised over the whereabouts of Nina Jansous, publisher and editor-in-chief of
Blaze
magazine, who was visiting Croatia on an assignment for the Australian edition. The Australian magazine's editor, Alisson Gruber, is concerned at her apparent disappearance and has asked authorities to investigate. ‘When I last spoke to Nina she hinted at a problem regarding research for an article,' Ms Gruber said. ‘I am deeply concerned as her personal effects have been left in her hotel and no one has heard from her.' No threats or hints of a kidnapping have been reported.

Ali then called Belinda. ‘This is confidential for the moment. Don't panic. I'm about to arrive at JFK and leave, but there is a bit of a problem. No one has heard from Nina. Her friend is concerned as she hasn't met him as arranged.'

Belinda gasped. ‘Oh my God. Nina! What's happened? What can we do?'

‘The Baron is on the case. Probably nothing has happened – she's off on a wild-goose chase. Her friend is there, she'll be fine. But we don't want to miss a chance of coverage for
Blaze
. It may help her.'

Belinda was shocked. How could Ali be thinking of promotion and publicity when Nina could be in trouble? ‘What happened? How do you know there's a problem?'

‘The story she is after . . . it appears she found more than she bargained for. I'm having Tracey put out a statement to the media, but nobody is to speak to the media about this. The Baron and I are handling this.'

Belinda was upset and frightened. Ali was treating this as if Nina were an investigative journalist she'd sent out to uncover a mystery. When all Nina was doing was looking for time out, a lovely break to revisit her mother's homeland. And by a stroke of luck she had met up with a friend from her past. How had Nina's personal odyssey become what Ali saw as a dangerous mission for
Blaze
? Belinda didn't like the idea of Nina's welfare being in the hands of Ali. She rang Larissa.

‘It's a nightmare. Dear God, I'll call the Foreign Affairs Department in Canberra. And the US Embassy.' Despite her fears, Larissa was trying to think what to do.

Within an hour, Larissa had feedback from a Foreign Affairs contact who said they'd already heard from Zagreb. They'd been advised to keep the matter under wraps. But now the press had it, they were releasing some of the information. She rushed into Belinda. ‘About Nina. I have news.'

There was a small knot of people hovering by Belinda's desk, as she repeated the same non-committal words in phone call after phone call. Word had quickly leaked from the
Australian
to the press world.

Walking in, Larissa took Belinda's phone off the hook and faced the others. ‘Nina has been detained for allegedly breaching security. Apparently the people who are holding her will probably want to negotiate a trade-off.'

‘What people? What kind of trade-off?' asked Belinda.

‘Why is she being held, for God's sake?' asked Bob.

Larissa lifted her shoulders. ‘It's strange. They say Nina is being detained because she was holding sensitive documents.'

‘I can't imagine what,' said Belinda.

‘Who is detaining her? asked Fran with a worried frown.

Tracey Ford hurried into Belinda's outer office. ‘Ali has given me a press statement to release, but now she's on the plane and doesn't know this latest news.'