Sundown Crossing (24 page)

‘Bullshit,’ Josh said quietly, then, ‘I’m sorry, Mr Stenmark,’ he apologised to Carl.

‘Is what Josh says true?’ Carl spoke for the first time. ‘Luke, are you in love with Carla?’

‘Would that be such a bad thing, Grandfather?’ Luke answered evasively.

‘I told all of you she’d worm her way into Stenhaus somehow, but even I didn’t think she would stoop to ensnare Luke,’ Lisel snarled, almost beside herself with rage.

‘Be quiet, Lisel,’ Carl ordered. He stared at his grandson. ‘You have not answered my question.’

‘I…I don’t know. Maybe.’ For the first time a note of uncertainty crept into Luke’s voice. ‘I know that I admire her, very much. She makes me laugh, she challenges me. I enjoy being with her and I want to be with her more often.’ He smiled tentatively at his grandfather. ‘I’ve never been in love before so I have no yardstick to judge by but…’ he left the sentence unfinished.

‘And does Carla reciprocate?’ Carl asked as he watched his grandson carefully. A frightening sense of déjà vu came over him. In a distorted way history was repeating itself though the circumstances were different. Rolfe…the pain in his chest worsened suddenly, making him catch his breath. He put his hand to his chest hoping to contain the pain. Something was very wrong. It was getting harder to breathe and was more painful by the second. Now the room was starting to spin. A clammy kind of sweat, not the sweat due to hard work, was forming on his forehead yet he wasn’t hot, he was cold. The sweating made no sense.

The pain strengthened, became unbearable and with a moan Carl slumped forward in the
chair, hitting his head on the table. His world went black as the pain in his chest and down his left arm drew him into a dark void.

‘Papa! Oh, God. He’s having a stroke,’ Lisel screamed. She jumped up from her chair and rushed towards him, at the same time glaring at Luke. ‘It’s your fault. You’ve caused this, disappointed him with your stupid attachment to Carla.’ Then, to Josh she shouted an order, ‘Call an ambulance.’

N
ews of Carl Stenmark’s heart attack spread with the rapidity of an out-of-control bushfire. Kim Loong passed the information onto Carla, Angie and Paul that same afternoon. Carl’s condition had been stabilised at the War Memorial Hospital in Tanunda after which the air ambulance had flown him to a major hospital in Adelaide, one with a coronary intensive care ward. At the time Kim delivered the news, the three had been discussing Walt Conrad’s offer of partnership in Sundown Crossing. Carl’s heart attack pushed that topic onto the back burner.

‘Poor Greta, she must be so upset. Luke too.’ Carla’s voice cracked with emotion. She knew her aunt was very close to her father and, who would have thought it? Her grandfather might have been in his eighties but he looked so fit. Then she remembered that her own father, Rolfe, had appeared to be physically fit, up to the day of his death.

‘It’ll throw everyone at Rhein Schloss into a spin,’ was Paul’s comment. ‘Carl’s been the dominant force in the company for a good forty years.’

‘Mr Stenmark is at the Royal Adelaide Hospital,’ Kim vouched the information. ‘Everyone in the family has driven to the city to be with him.’

Carla made a decision. ‘I’m going too. Kim, find Sam for me, please. I’ll take him with me.’

Angie gave Carla a sideways glance. ‘Are you sure that’s wise? The Stenmarks will be there in force. It, they, could make things unpleasant for you.’

Carla’s chin set stubbornly, the glint in her blue eyes becoming determined. ‘He’s my grandfather too. I have as much right to be there as they do.’

‘Lisel in particular mightn’t see it that way. She can be a nasty piece when she wants to be,’ Paul voiced his thoughts, his expression betraying that he knew his employee would not be diverted from her decision. ‘Would you like me to drive you? It’s late afternoon so it will take a couple of hours to get there.’

She smiled at him. ‘I’d appreciate that.’ She didn’t know Adelaide well, having spent almost all her time since her arrival in Australia in the Barossa. Glancing at her clothes, she deemed them unsuitable. ‘I’ll change into something more appropriate.’

Angie shook her head as Carla raced off down
the hallway to her bedroom. ‘Thanks.’ She put her hand on Paul’s arm. ‘I’m glad you’re going with her.’

‘Not a problem,’ he said in his usual congenial way. ‘It might give me time to talk to her about the Conrads.’

‘Carla has rejected it but if the bank doesn’t give us an extension and allow us to borrow more, she may not have a choice,’ Angie informed him.

He pulled a face in obvious puzzlement. ‘I can’t think of a reason why, yet, but somehow I smell a rat regarding Walt’s offer. The man has a reputation in the Valley for only being interested in helping himself. I’m going to make a few subtle inquiries when I come back, see what I can dig up on his seemingly magnanimous offer.’

The proverbial penny dropped because, finally, Angie understood the reason behind his questioning of the Conrads’s offer—concern about Carla. For some time she had suspected that Paul had feelings for Carla. She could no longer put his eagerness to help, his close contact with them and the occasional unguarded look he’d given Carla down to him just being a nice bloke. She thought she also knew why he hadn’t declared himself. Carla had said often enough that she had no time for romance even though she was seeing Luke Michaels! Most likely Paul thought he wouldn’t stand a chance against the affable and wealthy Luke, especially with his connection to the Stenmarks.

Smiling her approval, she said, ‘I think that’s a very good idea.’

The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s waiting room near the intensive care ward was almost full with members of the Stenmark family. As Paul, Carla and Sam walked into the room, Luke impulsively went up to Carla and gave her a welcoming hug. She responded by kissing him on the cheek before moving away. ‘I’m so sorry about…Grandfather.’

Sharp-eyed Lisel took in the tableau, her features contorting into a venomous look. ‘What are you doing here?’ she said straight out. Getting out of the chair she had been sitting in she came and stood, hands aggressively on her hips, in front of her niece.

Carla decided that if Lisel wanted a fight she could have one. ‘As Carl Stenmark’s granddaughter I’ve as much right to be here as any of you.’

‘Bitch! We don’t want you or your brat here. Papa doesn’t want you here,’ Lisel shot back. Hours of sitting around waiting for news from the doctors attending her father had made her very tense. ‘And if you think that turning up like this is going to guarantee you a mention in Papa’s will, think again.’

‘That you could even think such a thing tells everyone here the kind of mind you have, Aunt Lisel,’ Carla responded angrily. ‘I’m not interested in inheritance. I’m here because, in spite of
Grandfather’s stance towards me, I have feelings for him and want him to survive and get better.’

‘I’ll bet you do,’ Lisel said, her upper lip curling derisively, ‘so you can weasel your way into his good opinion. Well, if I have anything to do with it, that won’t be happening.’

‘Lisel. Enough!’ Luke growled in a tone reminiscent of his grandfather. ‘Sit down and behave. If you can’t do that, go for a walk or something. You will not make a scene here. Understand?’

‘B-but Luke, she’s…’

Luke’s father came forward and put his hand under Lisel’s elbow. ‘I know you’re worried, love, we all are. Come on, we’ll go and find some coffee to calm you down. I could do with one myself.’ And disguising his amazement at her acquiescence John Michaels masterfully steered Lisel out of the room.

Luke smiled at Carla. ‘I’m glad you came.’

‘Me too,’ Greta said approvingly. She hugged Carla, and then playfully ruffled Sam’s spiky hair. ‘Hi, Sam.’ She nodded at the tall man behind Sam. ‘Paul.’

Dismissing Lisel’s bitchiness from her mind, Carla’s blue eyes searched Luke’s. ‘Any news?’

‘They’re doing a raft of tests. We should know the severity of his attack soon though.’ Luke sighed and shook his head; his features unusually solemn. ‘It’s been hours.’

Carla and Paul sat in the hard-backed chairs while Sam amused himself by playing on the
carpeted floor with several Matchbox cars he’d brought with him. The four adults did their best to make small talk but it was clear that their thoughts were distracted by what had happened to the family’s patriarch. An hour ticked by with what seemed agonising slowness. Lisel and John returned with liquid refreshments for the Stenmark family, and Lisel, more in control now, studiously ignored her niece and Sam, and talked exclusively to Paul about the project he was working on in the Clare Valley.

Conversation stopped when two white-coated doctors came into the waiting room. Legally, Greta was the closest next of kin so their comments were directed to her.

Introducing himself as Dr Leifmann, the taller of the two said, ‘We’ve managed to stabilise Mr Stenmark’s condition. He’s resting comfortably.’

‘He’s conscious?’ Greta asked.

‘For short periods of time,’ the stouter doctor, Dr Verrone advised. ‘He’s been sedated and it’s imperative that he remain calm for the next twenty-four hours. As you requested, a specialist nurse will remain at his bedside to monitor his condition.’

‘May we see him?’ Lisel asked, biting her lower lip to stop its trembling.

Dr Leifmann looked from Lisel to Greta. ‘Just the two of you, for a few minutes. But remember, your father is a very sick man so…no pressure.’ He gave them a stern look. ‘Understand?’

Greta nodded that she did as her gaze meaningfully sought out her sister. ‘Of course.’

Then, silently, Greta and Lisel accompanied the doctors into the intensive care ward.

‘I doubt there’ll be much change in Grandfather’s condition over the next twenty-four hours,’ Luke said to Carla. ‘We’ve booked accommodation at the Hilton International but you and Sam should go home. I have your number and I’ll keep you informed of his progress.’

Paul, who’d been quiet apart from his conversation with Lisel, looked at Carla. ‘What Luke says makes sense. It would be better to come back in a few days when Carl’s further up the recovery road.’

‘You’ll tell him that Sam and I were here?’ she requested of Luke who nodded that he would. It was important to her that her grandfather should know that she’d been worried enough to come to the hospital on hearing about his situation. Though, God alone knew what venomous lies Lisel would whisper in his ear when he was well enough! As she organised Sam to leave, her thoughts harked back to when she had been friendly with Josh Aldrich and the several odd things he’d said about Lisel. Why did the woman hate her so much? She wasn’t a threat to her position in her father’s heart or at Rhein Schloss yet it was clear to her that Lisel felt somehow threatened by her continuing presence in the Valley. She had come to believe that the problem had something to do with Luke.

But why? At that moment a thought out of left field struck her. Could Lisel be in love with Luke? It was possible. She was only seven years older, they worked together, lived in the same house, and obviously had many things in common. If she was emotionally involved, no matter whether he responded or not, Lisel might think that she and Sam were a threat to Luke’s inheritance, should Grandfather relent and welcome them into the fold.

And not only that, the fact that he was showing a personal interest in Carla could be arousing Lisel’s sense of jealousy or possessiveness. It was common knowledge in the Valley that Luke had been groomed to take Grandfather’s place at the helm when he retired and, depending on how well he recovered from the heart attack, retirement could come sooner than expected. And who knows, somehow Lisel might have the distorted and thoroughly erroneous idea that
she
might want a role in the running of Rhein Schloss should her grandfather become more amenable towards her. All were very interesting suppositions but, unfortunately they brought her no closer to understanding why her aunt loathed her.

It was late afternoon in the Barossa. Carla, Angie and Sam were in Adelaide visiting Carl Stenmark who was convalescing. Clutching Tran’s shirt, Kim perched gingerly on the back of his motorbike as he gunned the accelerator and they
flew down the road towards Paul van Leeson’s property. Her brother had come home from work in Tanunda—he had a part-time job in the kitchen of a restaurant there now—with some interesting information that she was certain Paul would want to know.

Rebel barked a welcome at the front porch, wagging her tail as she recognised the visitors. Hearing the commotion Paul came down the stairs from his attic study to open the front door. ‘Hello, this is a surprise, and a pleasant one too.’ He grinned hopefully at Kim. ‘Have you come to cook dinner for a poor, lonely bachelor?’

Shaking her head as she got off the bike, Kim came up to Paul. ‘What I have is better. Tran has information. You will find it good.’

Intrigued, Paul lifted an eyebrow at her. ‘Come in then,’ and held the door open for brother and sister to enter, motioning for them to make themselves comfortable on the country-style sofas positioned around the open fireplace made from blue stone that had been quarried on his property.

‘Tea, coffee?’ Paul inquired politely. Kim and Tran both refused with equal politeness. ‘So, what can I do for you?’

Kim, sensing Tran’s hesitancy, began. ‘You been looking into Walt Conrad’s handling of Carla’s vintage and the accident. To what happened to wine. My brother,’ she nudged Tran encouragingly in the ribs, ‘works in Tanunda. He hear something today, two men talking while
eating lunch. They near kitchen and drank two bottles of wine. Tran tell you what he hear.’

Tran rubbed his jawline tentatively before he began to speak. ‘I see these men talking to Conrad by supermarket. Seemed to know each other well. Maybe one time work for Conrad.’

‘Tell Paul what the men said, Tran.’

Tran nodded. ‘They laugh as if one make good joke. They brag about job done, that they fool certain winemaker. Talked about a road accident in Victoria, how they make it look like everything smashed.’ He stopped and nodded. ‘Truth is, bottles spill out of truck full of water not wine. Photos from local newspaper make it look real, like broken wine bottles.’

Paul, giving Tran his full attention, leant forward in the armchair. ‘That is interesting. Anything else?’

‘Hear men say vintage stored in a place in Adelaide where it stay till needed.’

‘Needed? I wonder what they meant by that?’ Paul said in a wondering tone. Then, ‘Did the men mention Conrad by name?’

‘Once,’ Tran advised solemn-faced. ‘Fat man say he clever fellow and will make much money on wine, because Conrad going to re-label bottles then send to Perth.’

Paul took a deep breath and a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face. ‘Did he now? Well, that definitely ties Walt into the scam. The man’s audacity is breathtaking, more than I expected, even of him.’

‘It good news, yes?’ Kim asked. She patted Tran’s knee to imply that she was proud of him for having told Paul what he knew.

‘It is, but only if we can find where the wine is being stored and prove that it’s the Sundown Crossing vintage,’ Paul was nothing if not honest. ‘Without the bottles we have no proof that Conrad has perpetrated a fraud. Locating the vintage would prove it to the insurance company and the police.’

Kim nodded gravely. ‘You right. How we find out?’

Paul was silent for several moments, thinking the problem through. ‘I know a man in Elizabeth, a retired police inspector who does the occasional unofficial investigating job. If anyone can find the warehouse storing the vintage, Gary Sweeney can.’

‘That be good, and do soon. Carla’s loan application not okayed by bank. Soon she and Angie run out of funds. If bank refuses loan, she may have to accept Mr Conrad’s offer. Then we all be at his mercy,’ Kim told him, her usual serene expression absent which showed how worried she was about that possibility.

Paul put out his right hand towards Tran and in response it was grasped by the Vietnamese. They shook hands. ‘I can’t thank you enough; you’ve been a great help. This information is the breakthrough I needed.’ He gave them both a conspiratorial wink. ‘However, it’s important to keep what we know to ourselves. Tell no one, not even Carla and Angie. Okay?’