Sundown Crossing (29 page)

The officers exchanged glances again. ‘Be that as it may, Mr Aldrich, at present you’re wanted
for questioning over that arson case.’ Gregson’s smirk was condescending. ‘You need to come back to the station and tell the officer in charge your story.’ He stood beside Josh, ostensibly guarding him, while the younger constable made a thorough search of the pick-up, the cabin, the luggage and other bits and pieces in the back.

Josh swallowed the lump in his throat as the cop held up his cache wrapped in plastic. The shit was going to hit the fan now and he began to mentally work on a cover story to explain the money.

‘This is a lot of money, Mr Aldrich.’ Gregson gave Josh a probing look. ‘I hope that for your sake you can explain why it’s in your possession.’

Josh eyeballed the taller officer. ‘Am I under arrest?’

‘Not yet. That will be decided by the officer in charge at the station, after you’ve answered certain questions.’

‘What about my pick-up? Can’t leave it on the side of the road for people to scavenge.’

‘We’ll organise a tow truck to bring it to the station. Lock the cabin. The vehicle will be safe enough till then.’

‘Bloody well better be or I’ll expect compensation from the police department,’ Josh grumbled as he was led towards the police car and assisted into the back seat. Lisel had told him what to do if the police questioned him.
Say nothing.
It was up to the cops to prove him guilty and keeping his mouth shut would make it that much harder to do.

Luke drummed his fingers on the top of his desk, an action he had, over the years, copied from his grandfather. He couldn’t concentrate on the work at hand, reading a lengthy, too-wordy industry report on the expectations of viticulture production over the next five years. His thoughts were focused on two people, Carla and Lisel. In his heart he had to admit that he had lost his chance with Carla because fate had decreed that she fall in love with Paul van Leeson. The disappointment inside him was huge. He was not the only one disappointed, so were his mother and grandfather.

Still, he understood the attraction between Carla and Paul, even if he didn’t like it. They had a good deal in common with each other. And if he had to lose to another man better it be to Paul than someone else. The architect had been instrumental in tracking Walt Conrad’s mischief and getting evidence regarding the fraud Conrad had perpetrated against Carla and Angie, and it was being said that Paul had done a great service to everyone in the Valley in seeing that Conrad received his just deserts.

When he wasn’t thinking about Carla and what might have been, he was thinking about his aunt, pondering several vexing and serious questions. There was no doubt in his mind that her sympathy towards Carla after the fire was an act. But to what purpose? To impress Grandfather and
himself, maybe. Or…he couldn’t hold back the thought, disloyal as it might be, any longer. Was it to allay any suspicion that she might have had a hand in the arson? The more he thought about the possibility the more it emerged as probable. He knew her vindictive nature too well to think otherwise.

A knock on his office door disturbed his concentration. The door opened to reveal his father. John came in and closed the door behind him.

‘Struggling with that report, I see,’ his father said with a grin.

Luke’s initial answer was a grimace. ‘It’s pretty dry stuff, as you well know.’ He watched his father sit in the chair on the other side of the desk. ‘What’s up?’

‘Thought you might be interested in knowing that the police have arrested Walt and Frances Conrad on fraud charges and I just heard from a source in town that they’ve found the pick-up used in the Crossing’s arson. It belongs to Josh Aldrich. Late yesterday afternoon police took Josh into custody before he crossed the border into New South Wales. My source said he had a huge amount of cash in his possession,’ John informed Luke. ‘Makes sense that Aldrich did it. He’s a mean-spirited bastard and he didn’t like Carla dumping him.’

Luke nodded in agreement and was quiet for several seconds. ‘Yes, but it’s hard to believe that Josh planned and executed the arson on his own.
I believe someone with a bit of money pulled the strings, organised it.’

‘Someone else was the brains, you mean, and Aldrich was paid to do the work. Got any ideas as to who…?’

Luke growled deep in his throat. ‘Unfortunately, yes. And it’s pretty unpalatable for the Stenmark family.’

Nonplussed, John took off his glasses, pinched his nose and stared at his son. ‘Why?’

‘Think about it, Dad. Who else would profit? No, profit isn’t the right word. Who would feel better, be relieved if Carla and Sam weren’t around anymore and Sundown Crossing didn’t exist?’

John’s eyes widened in astonishment as the answer came to him. ‘You don’t mean…’

‘Yes,’ Luke confirmed dourly as he returned his father’s stare. ‘Lisel.’

‘Surely you can’t be serious?’

‘We’re both aware of her ruthless streak—she’s shown it at Rhein Schloss many times—and she hates with unnatural and extraordinary passion the idea of Grandfather welcoming Carla into the family. Besides, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but it’s becoming more discernible as time goes by that mentally she’s, well, to put it kindly, somewhat out of balance.’

‘I’m aware of her eccentricities,’ John admitted. ‘And that she saw Carla as a threat to your inheritance. Lisel’s always treated you with a weird
possessiveness that makes her distrust of Carla understandable.’

‘Understandable, maybe, but what I believe she’s done is unforgivable. She tried to kill her and young Sam,’ Luke replied, condemnation evident in his tone. ‘I don’t have a problem sharing whatever inheritance I might one day get with Carla or Sam. There’s enough for all of us. In fact, it’s more rightfully hers than mine because she’s blood related to Grandfather.’

‘That’s magnanimous of you, son. But, I can see that, in a perverted way, Lisel’s involvement makes sense. She had motive, even if she used someone else to light the fires and now, with her champing at the bit to get away to Europe, well, that could confirm her involvement.’

Luke nodded. ‘As well, I have no doubt that when it comes to the crunch Josh will, if offered a deal, incriminate Lisel though, apart from the money—which the police may or may not be able to trace back to her—there’s no physical evidence against her. So it would be her word against his and with the Stenmark name Lisel’s sure to have more credibility.’

John was quiet, obviously thinking about what Luke had said. ‘You’re right. Still, it would be wise as far as Rhein Schloss is concerned to take her out of the picture. The sooner she goes overseas, perhaps to a European country that has no reciprocal extradition laws with Australia, the better for everyone.’

‘I agree. What about Spain? She’s fluent in Spanish after being married to Carlos Rodriguez for five years. However, before she flies out I intend to confront her with my suspicions, and make it clear that for the family’s sake—the scandal would finish Grandfather—she should stay away from the Barossa, permanently.’

John pursed his lips thoughtfully on hearing that. ‘I know she’s a trial but would Carl be happy about that?’

Luke’s expression was uncompromising. ‘It’s the only way it will work, Dad. We can set up a small office of Rhein Schloss in Madrid and let her run it. Should she come back to the Barossa who knows? If Lisel’s as unhinged mentally as I think she is, Carla’s and Sam’s lives could be put in danger again.’

John Michaels stroked his jawline, mulling over Luke’s proposal. ‘I don’t know. You think Carl will go for your idea?’

‘With the right encouragement, I believe he will. Once Lisel’s overseas it’s up to us to sell him on the idea.’

‘You’ve given this a great deal of thought, and it’s worth a try.’

‘So long as Grandfather never finds out about Lisel and what she’s done,’ Luke said. ‘He’s suffered enough over the years and to learn of Lisel’s involvement in the arson would break his heart.’

As John stood he put his glasses back on. ‘You’re right. Do what you have to do,’ he said
and on leaving closed the door quietly behind him.

For some time Luke stared hard at the closed door. It had been good to talk the matter through with his dad and now, he drew in his breath, he knew what he had to do, and soon.

A
ll was quiet in Paul’s home. The Loongs were in bed, as were Angie and Sam, and Carla and Paul sat together on the sofa, holding hands as they gazed into the fireplace, watching the logs slowly burn and fizzle. Tonight’s dinner, prepared and served by Kim, had been a celebratory one during which Paul had placed an engagement ring—they’d chosen it today—on Carla’s finger.

Carla knew she was smiling as she stared at the flames. She had been smiling almost constantly since she and Paul had declared their feelings for each other. Sam was thrilled about the engagement too. He really liked Paul, and they had several things in common—a love of rugby, bushwalking, and a mutual fascination for Viking history—but most of all, she sensed that he was looking forward to having a father. Tomorrow she would visit Stenhaus to tell her grandfather and Greta. They would be
disappointed because things hadn’t worked out between herself and Luke but when it came to falling in love sometimes one didn’t choose the person—the situation got beyond your control and it simply happened.

‘The police brought Josh Aldrich back to Nuriootpa for questioning today. His alibi didn’t quite hold up because the fight he was involved in started after the fires were lit. Charging him with the vineyard’s arson is merely a formality, so I believe,’ Paul told her as he kissed the side of her face.

‘I know, Angie told me.’ It was still hard for her to get her head around the fact that Josh Aldrich had deliberately planned not only to burn down Sundown Crossing but to kill her and Sam, and the Loongs, in the process. It was difficult to believe that anyone could be that callous and evil. She forced the thoughts back into her subconscious, intending to deal with them later when the pain had subsided. ‘Apparently, everyone in town is talking about it, asking what I’m going to do with Sundown Crossing. Most people think I’ll sell, that the land is jinxed.’

‘Jinxed? Ridiculous!’ His glance was quizzical as he asked, ‘Have you given any thought to what you and Angie might do with the place? Angie said the vintage will be ready for bottling by the end of next week. Then what?’

‘I have. What to do has been on my mind almost constantly.’ She gave him a sidelong
glance, loving the contours of his masculine profile. ‘I’ve an idea, an ambitious one. I’d like your opinion on it.’

He leant back against the sofa and tucked his hands behind his head. ‘Fire away.’ Then he grinned at her pained expression. ‘Pardon the pun.’

‘Myself, Angie, Sam, we’ve come too far, achieved too much to walk away from what I believe was my father’s dream. There’ll be insurance to cover the damage done, enough to rebuild, according to the insurance agent. What I propose is this…’ She pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her jeans, moved forward and spread it out on the coffee table for him to study.

The drawing was no more than a basic plan which depicted a paved courtyard, a modest restaurant with a wine-tasting area. Attached to the back of the restaurant was a three-bedroom cottage with an extra room, noted as office space. ‘It’s rough,’ she confessed. ‘I only came up with the plan this afternoon, but I think it’s good enough for you to see my intention. The Loongs could run the restaurant, keep the profits from it and live on the property, while Angie and I run the wine sales and the vineyard.’

Paul picked the drawing up for a closer look. ‘Got it all worked out? I’m impressed, Carla Hunter. It’s a sound concept.’ He chuckled and added light-heartedly, ‘I see that working in an architect’s office has finally rubbed off on you. I’ll have you doing design work in next to no time.’

‘You like the idea?’ She held her breath as she waited for his reply, suddenly realising that it was important that Paul agree with what could be done because it would mean they were like-minded.

‘It’s terrific. I assume that two of the bedrooms are for Kim, Su Lee and Tran, and there’s one for Angie?’ She nodded. ‘You might consider giving Angie larger accommodation, like a bed-sitting room and her own ensuite and a separate entrance.’

‘Of course. I should have thought of that.’

‘That’s what architects are for, my darling,’ he teased. ‘To visualise the overall concept and to add their experience and artistic ability to the design. Have you discussed the idea with Angie or the Loongs?’

‘Not yet.’ She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face. ‘I wanted to see what you thought of the concept first.’

‘It’s wonderful and I’m sure Angie will agree but perhaps you’d like to hold off showing her till I do a more complete drawing. I’ll tackle that first thing in the morning, if you like.’

‘Great.’ She put her arms around his neck and drew his face close to hers. ‘It’s getting late. We should think about going to bed but…’ Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously at him as she leant towards him, ‘not necessarily to sleep.’

Lisel was getting ready to leave, her secretary had told him ten minutes ago. The muscle in Luke’s jaw
flexed with tension for he knew the confrontation could not be delayed. He had to have it out with his aunt, learn the truth before she left, and stipulate the ‘conditions’ he would arrange once she promised not to return to the Barossa. This was not a task he was looking forward to because he expected the discussion to be…unpleasant.

It was after 5 pm and the building was almost deserted as he made his way down the corridor to Lisel’s office. As befitted her position as a Stenmark, Lisel had a grand office. Well-appointed furniture, plush pile carpeting, the walls decorated with illustrations of various successful advertising campaigns. Over the years he had spent a good deal of time in her office, he thought as he grasped the doorknob and turned it, listening to her talk about advertising, about the company, where she saw it going, and also about family matters.

Since the arson at Sundown Crossing three nights ago he had given a lot of consideration to how his aunt had changed over, say, the last eight years. At first the changes in temperament had been hardly noticeable but as she had become more self-absorbed, more needful of praise and in an obscure way, dissatisfied with life, character quirks had developed and were becoming stronger. There was her need to be loved, not only by family members but by whatever man she took a fancy to at the time. Her inability to accept responsibility when things she organised went wrong, and since their
arrival, her growing, unreasonable hatred towards Carla and Sam. In his opinion, his aunt was a disturbed woman and that she could sink to such depths to try to eradicate Carla was, to him, evidence that she had a psychological disorder, not that she would admit it or seek treatment unless forced to.

‘Luke!’ Lisel’s head shot up. She had been putting paperwork into her attaché case. ‘Come to say goodbye. How sweet.’

He didn’t reply to her welcome but closed the door behind him and came and stood in the middle of the room. ‘Dad told me that Josh has been arrested for the arson at Carla’s vineyard. Thought you’d like to know that.’

‘Why?’ she retorted. Her pleasant smile changed mercurially to something darker, and her tone sharpened. ‘It’s no concern of mine. Besides,’ she gave him a sly glance and not seeing anything warm in his appraisal of her, added, ‘Josh was a fool to think he could get away with it.’

‘As he had a lot of money in his possession when the police caught up with him, they suspect he had a partner, or that he was working for another party.’

Lisel shrugged a shoulder, the gesture intended to be nonchalant. ‘Like I said, the man is a fool.’

‘I suppose. But you know,’ he stared directly into her eyes, ‘it’s only a matter of time before Josh implicates the person who planned the arson.’

‘Really, darling. I couldn’t care less about Josh and what he’s done. Let’s talk about something more pleasant, shall we?’

‘I’m afraid I can’t oblige. You see, like the police I believe he had a partner and I think I know who that partner was.’ Studying her closely he saw his aunt’s hand stop midway to her throat, in a defensive response to what he’d said. He followed up with, ‘It was you, Lisel. You planned the arson. You told Josh what to do and paid him to do what he did.’ Before she could interrupt him he added, ‘Why do I say that? Because the two of you were the only ones with enough motive to plan what happened.’

Lisel’s dark eyes narrowed on her nephew. She bit her lip, sucking the lower lip in and chewing on it before she spoke. ‘You must be mad to think such a thing. I-I’m unbearably hurt that you could think me capable of such an act, a-against a relative too.’

Luke ignored her play-acting. ‘Is that so! I asked Basil at the bank for a favour, to check your recent transactions. He says you withdrew a very large sum of cash just over a week ago, roughly the same amount, less what Josh paid for his new truck, that he had on him when he was arrested. Frankly, as far as I’m concerned that’s too much of a coincidence.’ He let his words sink in. ‘How long do you think Josh will keep his mouth closed? One day, two days? He won’t take the rap by himself. We both know he’s not the gallant type.’

A heavy, tense silence pervaded the room for almost a minute.

Lisel began to fidget. She played with her hair, adjusted her suit coat, tidied up her already too-tidy desk, kept her eyes downcast. Thoughts flowed furiously, desperately, as she tried to mount a defence Luke would believe. Besides, she thought angrily, he was being so ungrateful. She had done it for him, to assure his future as sole heir of Rhein Schloss. Why should he share the wealth, the prestige with that upstart, self-seeking Carla? Couldn’t he see that? She had to admit that he was right about Josh, stupid, self-centred man that he was. He would implicate her when it became an advantage to do so. She raised her head to look up at her nephew. Never before had she seen such an expression of righteous anger and a total lack of compassion on his face.

Shocked at Luke’s expression, she then became aware of a growing, crushing feeling in the middle of her chest, as if her heart was breaking. Luke, who’d looked up to her, admired her, trusted her and who’d let her guide him over the years, had lost all sense of sympathy and respect for her. It was an emotional blow that affected her more than knowing that Josh hadn’t eradicated Carla. Knowing how Luke felt took the fight, the desire to defend herself out of her.

‘Don’t think to fob me off with excuses, Lisel. I know you too well. Guilt is written in your eyes, and on your face.’

Still, in a last-ditch effort she tried, deciding that attack was the only defence she could muster. ‘I did it for you,’ she blurted out in a rush, momentarily unaware that she was admitting her guilt. ‘So many things I’ve done for you over the years. Mentored you, encouraged you. Where’s your gratitude, Luke?’

‘You expect me to be grateful to you for organising an arson attack and attempting to murder several people?’ His upper lip curled in disgust and he thrust his hands, balled into fists, deep into his trouser pockets. ‘You are unbelievable, sick in the head if you believed I wanted or would ever condone that.’

Subduing the hurt caused by his words, her chin lifted defiantly as her hands went to her hips in outrage. ‘Pah! You’re weak, just like Papa. Neither of you had the guts to make the tough decisions so I had to. I’m only sorry the plan didn’t work as well as it should have. And,’ she challenged him, ‘what are you going to do about it? Turn me in? That would make a riveting headline in the newspapers—
nephew turns in aunt, daughter of vintner Carl Stenmark, for arson and attempted murder.’

‘If it wasn’t for the fact that it would break Grandfather’s heart, I would. It’s no less than you deserve.’ There was no warmth in his tone. ‘However, I do have a proposition for you. It’s a compromise that will allow you to remain free but away from the Barossa.’ When she went to speak he held up his hand to silence her. ‘Just listen.’

Luke spent several minutes outlining his proposal and by the time he had finished Lisel’s shoulders had slumped forward in defeat. After all, what choice did she have? Instinct told her he was only making the offer because of how the truth might affect her father. But…to leave the Barossa, her home, her refuge, forever! As Rolfe had been forced to do so many years ago. Oh, the irony of that. Luke had thought the proposition through thoroughly, she gave him credit for that. She would be well-catered for financially, and opening a branch of Rhein Schloss in Madrid—a city she loved—held some appeal although, cynically, she believed it would be little more than a shopfront.

When, after delivering his proposal, she didn’t respond, Luke felt compelled to prompt. ‘Well, do you agree, Lisel?’

She tossed her head back and stared resentfully at him. ‘It seems I have little choice. Very well, so be it.’ Deep down, if she had the time to analyse it, she knew she was getting off more lightly than she deserved, and that if her accuser was anyone other than Luke, she would face the prospect of going to prison. Yet in her heart she felt no sense of gratitude towards him. It would serve him right if Carla, dominant personality that her niece was, eventually supplanted him at Rhein Schloss. She almost smiled at that thought and how interesting that would be. Unfortunately, she just wouldn’t be around to see it happen.

‘I have to drive into Adelaide and have a plane to catch, though to a different destination,’ she said sharply as she closed her attaché case more loudly than necessary, signalling the end of their discussion. And then, without so much as a goodbye or a final glance in his direction—as if she had, already, cut him out of her thoughts—she picked the case up and strode proudly out of her office, leaving the door yawning open.

Luke allowed himself a heartfelt sigh of relief. It was over. The family was rid of her meddling, her increasingly unstable behaviour. He didn’t feel good about what he had had to do even though it had been necessary. More importantly, his grandfather must never know the truth even though Josh, coward that he was, would bleat long and loud about Lisel’s involvement. Luke would do his best, use his position in the community to diffuse and disavow such accusations by claiming they were the ravings of a man trying to escape just punishment.