Black Ops

Chapter 5

5

After getting him comfortable in the lounge with the ice and a beaker full of Glenmorangie, Vic got Angela and Sophia to kiss him and then quickly walked them to Tom’s in-laws next door for their routine drive to school.

All too soon, she returned. “Now, tell me everything. What the hell happened?”

Tom sipped his scotch and started his rehearsed speech. “After I spoke to you on the phone yesterday arvo, Bill, you know Bill, my SES volunteer area commander …”

“I know who Bill is!”

“Please, Vic, be patient. I’m still a bit foggy. Well, after backburning all day, I gave you a call and then, when I started packing up to go home, Bill invited me for dinner. So, I took him up on his offer. I didn’t know I was going to stay that late. It was just past two in the morning when I noticed the time and then left immediately.”

“You rang me and told me you were leaving at six, and I was expecting you home at around eight. You shouldn’t have stayed, especially after being away all these days!”

“Bill was my dad’s captain in the fire brigade. I’ve known him since I was five years old. I couldn’t say no.”

“I don’t care. You told me you were coming home, so you shouldn’t have stayed! Or at least you should have called me. I was worried. Anyhow, why can’t you stop volunteering?”

“For God’s sake, Vic, can we talk about this some other time, please? I’m in pain here. You wonder why I go off for days at a time. Is there any wonder? All there is here is the memory of my dead wife and you treating our relationship like a business matter. I need a wash and another scotch, not the third degree and an argument.”

He removed the melting ice from his face, half-expecting his face to come off with it. Then he stole a look at Victoria, following her curves beneath her nightdress, and noting those eyes that were so attentive to his moods. He had betrayed her again. But this betrayal had ended in death.

Why on Earth was Natasha chasing after him? He had always considered her too cool to act the part of the vengeful ex-lover. Men fell at her feet. If she had fallen in love with him, he was not sure what he had done to earn that love. He was an adulterer and although he was well paid, he was no millionaire. He was always surprised by love and resented the responsibilities of it.

Victoria’s face had gone white and her mouth was hanging open.

“I am sorry if I worry about you too much.”

“Look Vic, this car came out of nowhere and rear-ended me. It was a savage hit, and I was knocked out. The other driver had no chance. I felt like I was flying for a minute there. I guess it was all this rain, the storm, though I could see the road fine …”

“What do you mean, he had no chance? Did he die?”

“Yes, she died.”

“She?”

“Yes, but that’s all I know about the driver. The police will be getting in contact with me over the next few days for a further statement. The attending cop gave me his card.”

He quickly pulled the card the senior constable had given him to show her.

“Okay, that’s enough, Tom. Go on, give me the ice. I’m glad you’re home and safe. Even if you’d rather be somewhere else. The world is such a dangerous place at times. I do worry.”

She moved again to kiss him but stopped herself. Instead, she went to make him another icepack.