Viper's Nest (12 page)

Cate smiled. Arthur talked like a hardened techie, but right now, with his hair sticking up on end, he looked about ten years old, so cute that she wanted to reach through the screen and cuddle
him.

‘Arthur, it’s so good to see you,’ Cate said happily. ‘Nice hair, by the way.’

His face creased into a grin as he tried in vain to smooth down his wayward chestnut mop. ‘Very funny. Now did you call me to say hello – or have you got something special to tell
me? And how’s LA? What have you been doing?’

‘Where do I begin?’ said Cate slowly. ‘So much has happened since I arrived. Dad has probably told you already that Mum has been delayed in Mexico and I’m staying in this
amazing hotel in Santa Monica.’

‘Sure,’ said Arthur. ‘Isn’t Mum hopeless? I googled the hotel though. Looks awesome. I’m dead jealous.’

Cate hesitated. In the aftermath of IMIA’s visit, her first thought had been to confide in Arthur and tell him exactly what they had said. But then her protective instinct had kicked in.
Arthur was only fourteen and, to Cate, who had comforted Arthur in the dark days following their mother’s departure, he was especially precious. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him
that their mother had got herself mixed up at best with an unsavoury boyfriend, and at worst in criminal activity. And if she wasn’t going to do that, she might as well keep quiet about IMIA
paying her a visit. For now at least.

‘Arthur, you’re right, I have got something to tell you. You remember I told you about the twins I met at the turtle sanctuary? They were from California. Good fun, studying
archaeology.’

Arthur nodded.

‘Well, I’ve bumped into a friend of theirs here in LA and it appears they’ve gone missing – from a dig in Mexico, where, rumour has it, they and their friends had just
found something very special.’

‘Treasure?’ asked Arthur eagerly. ‘Wow.’

‘No one really knows at the moment,’ said Cate slowly. ‘It seems that whatever they found has vanished as well. There have been other robberies too, all over Mexico.’

‘I haven’t heard a whiff of this on any of the internet sites,’ he mused, ‘and I talk to people in Mexico all the time.’

‘It’s been hushed up,’ Cate explained. ‘The Mexican government is terrified in case it destroys their tourism industry.’

Arthur shrugged. ‘Makes sense. But, Cate, why are we talking about this now?’

‘You know that I can never resist a mystery,’ Cate began.

‘Mmm.’

‘And I know the twins. I really want to try and help them. I’m sure half the Mexican government is working on it, but couldn’t you and I have a go at trying to find out
what’s happened to them?’

‘What are you like, sis?’ Arthur grinned. ‘You can’t go on holiday and just chill, can you? You have to find something to do – usually crime-related.’ He
suddenly looked worried. ‘This isn’t something you’re planning on getting really involved with, are you? I don’t think I could stand it if you got yourself into danger again
like last time – and the time before!’

Cate paused. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to her brother. She thought back to what IMIA had said. They just wanted her to keep an eye on Burt. That was hardly dangerous – not
compared to the stuff she had done for them in the past.

‘Arthur, I’m in LA – this is all happening in Mexico.’ Cate looked her brother right in the eye. ‘They’re several hundred miles apart. I think I’m
pretty safe.’

Arthur relaxed visibly. ‘OK, sis, of course I’ll help. You know I love a challenge as much as you do and it’ll give me a break from exam revision.’

‘Thanks,’ Cate said, trying hard not to feel guilty. ‘You’re a legend.’

‘So, what’s the plan?’

She looked at the list she had scrawled down shortly after the IMIA agents had left the room. ‘I’ll send you the names of the ancient sites that were hit. See if you can find
anything to link them. Maybe there’s a reason why these sites were targeted and not others.’

‘Sure, no problem.’ Arthur was excited now, she could tell. ‘I’ll try and hack into the Mexican police reports too. See how far they’ve got and how hard
they’re looking for your friends. Just one question: How did you know about the attacks on the other sites when it’s all been hushed up?’

Cate felt a stab of annoyance at herself, followed swiftly by a warm feeling of pride in her brother’s quick-wittedness. Trust Arthur to pick up on that.

‘Er, long story,’ she said finally. ‘Can I tell you later? I’m desperate for a swim and a nice long relax by the pool.’

‘OK.’ Arthur sounded puzzled but he didn’t push it. ‘Whenever you’re ready. In the meantime, I’ll get to work. And say hi to Mum and give her a big hug from
me. Exams, huh? They suck. I can’t wait till I see her in the summer.’

Sitting on the empty hotel terrace, sipping her Diet Coke and enjoying the mid-afternoon sun, Cate heard her mother coming long before she saw her. First it was the sound of
the powerful sports car racing into the Erin car park and screeching to a resounding halt right outside reception, then she heard the clack of high heels on the floor as her mother made her
entrance.

‘Darling,’ she called as she raced towards her daughter, her arms outstretched. ‘How amazing to see you.’

Cate was enveloped in a huge, bony embrace, and she smelled expensive perfume, lipstick, and her leather gilet.

She and her mum Skyped regularly, but it was so different to be face to face. She had forgotten how thin her mother was, how birdlike, and Cate realised that she was now a head taller than her.
After a few moments her mother pulled away and, lifting up her oversized Gucci sunglasses, held Cate at arm’s length, studying her face.

‘Oh my God,’ she said. ‘You’ve grown up. You grew up when I wasn’t looking and now my baby is gone for ever.’

To her horror, Cate could see tears in her mother’s huge green eyes. She too, was on the verge of crying. Instead she smiled and reached out for her mother’s hands, giving them a
little shake.

‘It’s OK, Mum,’ she said. ‘Don’t get upset. I’m doing fine and so’s Arthur. We’re really happy. Dad’s great and Monique’s
cool.’

She pulled her mother down on to one of the wicker seats next to her and did her best to keep the mood light-hearted.

‘Mum, isn’t this place wonderful? You should see my room. It’s got a juicer and a huge balcony. It’s even got a mixer desk. Fancy a go?’

Her mother’s still-flawless English-rose skin was tight over her razor-sharp cheekbones. She looked nearer to Cate’s age than her own, Cate thought.

‘I can’t get over how much you look like your father,’ said her mother. ‘In a good way, of course. Is he still spending more time worrying about the problems of the world
than he does about his own family?’

‘Mum!’ Cate protested. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to start her usual sniping about her father.

‘Sorry, darling,’ said her mother, sounding not at all sorry. She looked around for a waiter. ‘Any chance of a drink? We had a hellish journey from Mexico. First we waited ten
hours for this contact of Burt’s to turn up with this amazingly cheap stock and then he didn’t even show up! I was furious with Burt, especially when he admitted he’d never even
met the man and had no real idea who he was.

IMIA again, thought Cate grimly. Up to their usual tricks.

‘And then, coming back,’ her mother continued, ‘two tyres on that wretched hired van blew at the same time, just as we left San Diego.’ She shook her head. ‘I was
beginning to think I was jinxed. I was desperate, just desperate, to get back to see you. I do miss you, Cate. It’s not so bad when you’re on the other side of the world, but knowing
you were so close, it was torture not to be able to see you.’

‘Never mind, you’re here now. That’s all that matters.’ Cate squeezed her mother’s hand. In spite of everything, she did still adore her.

‘Where’s Burt?’ she asked her mother casually.

‘He’s gone straight to the shop to see if there was anything taken by those men you saw.’

Cate had told her mum about the men at the shop but left out the bunker bit. She hadn’t wanted her to panic.

‘In fact, since we got your call he’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof, desperate to get back and check on the shop, see if anything had been taken or damaged,’ her mother
carried on. ‘I honestly thought he was going to get us arrested for speeding the way he was driving. And to top it all, apparently his pick-up truck has been stolen too and used in some kind
of road rage incident and is in a bad way. Luckily, he can collect that in the next few days. He nearly had a fit when the police said they needed to hold on to it for forensics.’

Cate hoped that her expression wasn’t giving her away. She hadn’t told her mother about being driven off the road either – she didn’t think she could bear the inevitable
fuss.

Her mother yawned, covering her teeth with her neatly manicured fingers. ‘To be honest, darling, it’s all a bit much for me. I leave the business side to Burt. I’m the front
woman, good at chatting to the customers, networking, PR, that sort of thing.’

‘So where do you get most of your stuff? Is it really old?’ Cate asked casually.

Her mother gave a tinkling laugh as she waved at Rosie. ‘Oh no, darling. Well, sort of old-new, if you know what I mean. Most of it comes from factories in Mexico and is distressed to make
it look authentic. You know, roughed up, dirtied, given the odd coat of wash, a little bit of Mexican scribble here and there. Then we don’t exactly say it’s old but we don’t say
it’s new either. We just call it authentic Mexican art and double the price.’

Cate’s eyebrows shot up.

‘Oh darling, don’t be so po-faced. It’s what everyone in retail does. It’s all about perception.’

Rosie was standing next to them now, looking down politely at Cate’s mother.

‘I’ll have a large gin and tonic with lime,’ she said, looking with obvious interest at Rosie’s lurid nail art. ‘And my daughter will have . . . ?’

‘An orange juice and soda, please. With lots of ice,’ Cate replied, not looking at Rosie.

‘No problem,’ said Rosie amiably. ‘Be with you in a minute.’

Two young women clad in matching red swimming costumes and tiny denim shorts strutted confidently on to the beach in front of where they were sitting, long hair bouncing down their perfectly
honed and tanned backs. Behind them their boyfriends, all bulging biceps and narrow hips, were carrying surfboards on their shoulders.

Cate’s mother looked down at her lean, narrow thighs and sighed. ‘Honestly, Cate, it’s so tough being constantly surrounded with perfection. Even Burt’s better looking
than me. I’m always wondering if I should lose another few pounds, have some more botox, get some hair extensions . . .’

‘You look pretty stunning to me,’ said Cate loyally. She meant it. Her mother was amazing, especially for her age. ‘People will think we’re sisters, not mother and
daughter.’

‘You think so?’ Cate’s mother brightened up immediately. ‘Oh darling, how sweet of you to say so. I tell you what. How about we go shopping together tomorrow? Have a
lovely girlie day at the mall and get our nails done. I’ll take you to Third Street – it’s amazing. All the celebs go there to shop. The new Market Place Mall looks like something
from outer space. There’s a Bloomingdale’s and Swarovski and Juicy Couture, and I’ll treat you to a pair of jeans at Seven For All Mankind. And then we’ll have a fabulous
lunch at the taco bar. How does that sound?’

Rosie arrived with the iced drinks.

‘It sounds great, Mum,’ Cate said, picking her drink up. ‘I can’t think of anything better than spending a day mooching around the shops with you. It’s something we
never get the chance to do.’

‘It’s a date,’ said her mother, patting her on the hand. She sucked at her drink thoughtfully. ‘Cate, you know what you said about us looking like sisters?’

Cate nodded warily.

‘Well, perhaps you shouldn’t be calling me “Mum” any more. Perhaps now you’re practically grown up you should start using my real name. After all . . .’ She
winked at her daughter conspiratorially. ‘. . . We don’t want people thinking I was a teenage mother, now do we?’

Cate stared aghast at her mother. Of all the things she had steeled herself to accept about her mother’s lack of maternal instincts, this couldn’t be one of them. She shook her head
slowly. ‘Sorry,’ she said, ‘I’ve not had much chance to use the word “Mum” and I’m not ready to stop yet.’

There was an uncomfortable silence and Cate was grateful when her phone rang in her bag.

‘Nancy!’ Cate had forgotten to call her about dinner. ‘Sorry, Nancy, my mum was delayed. I haven’t had a chance to ask her about dinner. Just a minute.’ Cate put
her hand over the phone. ‘Um, it’s my friend Nancy Kyle. She wondered if we’d like to join her and her boyfriend Lucas for dinner tonight? You OK with that?’

‘
The
Nancy Kyle?’ whispered Cate’s mother, her eyes gleaming. She flapped her hand at her daughter. ‘Well, say yes, darling, of course. Of course we’ll be
there.’

‘Er, yeah, Nancy. Mum says thanks, that’d be great. You’ll pick us up? Wicked. At eight. OK. See you then.’

She put her phone back in her bag. ‘She’s suggesting a pop-up restaurant somewhere along the coast. Sorry, Mum, I should have said earlier. I saw Nancy last night and she was keen
for us to go out – me, you, Lucas and her.’

But not Burt. Cate really didn’t want to have to spend the evening with a man she hadn’t even met. Particularly one who might be a criminal.

‘Oh, that’s wonderful, darling.’ Her mother was clearly too excited to either notice or care that Burt had been left off the guest list. ‘I love Nancy Kyle. She’s
so elegant. And that boyfriend of hers – such a talented songwriter. I had no idea you knew her. How on earth did you meet?’

‘In the South of France,’ Cate said, trying not to show how pleased she was that her mum was so impressed. ‘You remember my summer job – on the yacht? Well, it turned out
to be Nancy’s yacht and I helped to look after her five children. We’ve stayed in touch ever since.’

‘Fantastic,’ breathed her mother. ‘Well, there’s no time to go back to my place. The traffic is terrible at this time of day. Come on, darling. Let’s head up to
your room and raid your suitcase. After all, we are practically the same size.’ She looked Cate up and down. ‘Although you’re probably just a smidgeon heavier than me now,
darling, don’t you think?’