Instant Family (3 page)

"Come on, Chloe." Constable Burrows placed a firm arm around
her shaking shoulders and marched her around the corner.

Alex stared after the pair, his anger fizzling and dying under the
weight of the girl's extreme and all too real anguish. "Haven't you
ever done something stupid?" The scalding memory of an incident
he'd thought long forgotten. How old? Twelve or thirteen. His father's uncomprehending rage, his own humiliation. Then the more
recent idiocy. Marriage.

"Is that true?" He turned to Constable Wright, whose expression
clearly told him she agreed with the girl's summation of his character. "He's the brother? Where are the parents?"

"Bevan and Rose Gardiner were killed in a terrorist bombing in
Indonesia, along with Ms. Gardiner's older sister, Terry, five years
ago. Chloe Gardiner took on the care of the three younger childrenhalf siblings. It was in the papers at the time. The community raised
a lot of money to help them." She spun on her solid black leather
heel and marched toward the stairs, her back stiff with disapproval.

Five years ago he'd been dealing with a failing marriage and struggling to establish himself as an architect with his own company. He remembered the bombings, of course. Every Australian did. But names,
individual cases? It hadn't touched him personally. Now, somehow,
this stern-faced policewoman made him feel guilty for not losing a
loved one. "I didn't realize. No other relatives?"

"I'm not sure."

Alex followed her downstairs and through to the reception foyer,
deep in thought.

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Bergman." He recognized the officially polite tone as one he used himself-with clients he particularly didn't like.

"I'm sorry." It seemed inadequate. Perhaps it was. She waited, her
face a blank mask. "Sorry I reacted that way."

"You were naturally upset, sir." She extended her hand. "We'll be
in touch."

"Look-you mentioned a conference."

"Yes?" She wasn't going to make it easy for him. Especially considering his earlier reaction to the suggestion, which on her part had
been more of a strong recommendation, he realized now. "Lock the young thug up, and throw the key away, for all I care," sounded
harsh and uncompromising in the extreme as the words resounded
in his head.

"Do you think it might work for this kid?"

Constable Wright nodded with a marginal increase of warmth
in her manner. "We see boys like Sebastian Gardiner all the time,
especially in the summer holidays. They're basically good kids.
They go out with their mates or fall in with a rotten crowd, and before they know it, someone's suggested something they'd never do
on their own. The ringleaders aren't the ones who get caught most
often."

"I suppose we should give it a try." The sister's face flashed
through his mind. Very pretty. Young and vulnerable with soft, pink
cheeks under a mess of gold blond hair falling in disarray to her
shoulders. Obviously straight out of bed, bewildered, uncomprehending. The shock, the responsibility shadowed eyes that had already
seen too much sorrow. Then his cruel and vicious words hurled at
her. "I should apologize."

"Yes."

"Could I wait?"

"It's up to you, but to tell you the truth..." She paused as if
deciding whether to say what she'd intended. Decided. "She could
be here for some time, and if I were Ms. Gardiner, I wouldn't want
to speak to you right now."

Alex stared, and his skin prickled uncomfortably as her meaning
sank in. "I suppose not. I should go home. Thank you," he said
abruptly. Jeannie from next door was babysitting, but she was due at
work in the morning and wouldn't be sleeping too well on his couch.

Chloe, still shaking with indignant fury at the monstrous suddenness of the attack and the complete demolition of her gross and irrational attraction to such a cruel individual, allowed Constable Burrows
to propel her around the corner.

"I'm sorry about that, Chloe."

"Horrible... horrible man." After the torrent of angry words, she
could barely speak now. The blue-clad arm still lay comfortingly
around her shoulders.

"He was upset, but he had no call to say what he did."

"He'll never agree to a conference, will he?" Chloe stopped and
gazed up into the gray eyes of her protector. He stepped back quickly
as if realizing how intimate his consoling gesture had been.

"He may when he calms down." Constable Burrows paused with
his fingers on the handle of the door they stood next to. "Ready?"

Seb sat slumped on a chair in the small interview room with his
head cradled in his hands. His expression changed from alarm to
delight when he saw Chloe appear from behind Constable Burrows,
then almost immediately collapsed into apprehension. Red-rimmed
eyes, a deep pink staining the cheeks contrasting starkly with alabaster
skin, rumpled T-shirt, shaking fingers now clutching and plucking at
the fabric. So young, so helpless and scared. Chloe spontaneously
held out her arms, and he launched himself clumsily into her embrace.

"I'm sorry, Chloe, I'm sorry." Between sniffles. He was as tall as
she and bony under her fingers. How long since she'd held him,
hugged him? Or Julian.

"What on earth were you doing?" She released her hold and stepped
back. "Who were you with? Julian said he had no idea. Does he? Or
has he been lying for you?"

Seb stared at her, his mouth moving wordlessly. His cheeks had
deepened from pink to a dull red.

"Tell me, Seb! You're the only one they've caught, and you're the
one who's going to be in court over this."

"Court?" Seb's eyes flashed to Constable Burrows, who stood
watching with his back against the door.

"What did you expect? That the people you robbed and whose
property you wrecked wouldn't mind?" Chloe glared at him as
the complete stupidity and insanity of the whole affair reignited the
rage.

"I didn't rob anyone."

"You tried," put in Constable Burrows. "One of you dropped a
chisel."

"Not me. I didn't want to break in, but they-" He stopped,
glanced at Burrows, then back to Chloe. Couldn't hold her gaze.

"Who?" she asked.

Seb sat down. He folded his arms across his chest in a feeble act
of defiance. His baggy jeans had dirty marks on the knees. The
T-shirt with his favorite band logo had been a birthday present from
his grandmother, Simone. What would she say? Whatever it was, it
would be endless. Chloe stood over him. "Tell me, Seb."

"I'm not ratting on them." His voice shook despite his determination to maintain the tough act.

Idiot! Chloe exhaled noisily.

"So you think it's all right for those others to get away while you
take the blame for something you didn't even want to do in the first
place?"

"And you're the one we'll charge, seeing as you're the only one
we've got," put in Burrows.

"How did you get there?" Chloe demanded. "How long have you
been sneaking out?"

Seb stared at his feet. His arms hung by his sides.

"We found a white Commodore abandoned behind the shops.
We'll be fingerprinting it."

"Stealing cars as well? Seb!" Tears sprang to her eyes. She blinked
rapidly.

"I didn't steal any cars." But his face had turned almost green
with fear, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Were you in the car? For heaven's sake, Seb, don't take all the
blame for this if you didn't do it. You owe those kids nothing!"

"Will you protect me if I tell?"

Seb looked up at Constable Burrows, and a flash of something almost like amusement crossed the policeman's face before he said
sternly, "Tell us what we want to know, and you'll be better offtrust me."

Straight from a TV show-Mafia versus the good guys. Did Seb
think they'd put out a contract on him? What sort of kids were they?
What were their parents thinking? Where were they?

The furious face of the home owner flashed through her mind.
She was one of those irresponsible guardians.

Seb blurted, "Zak Simic got the car. He and his brother, Alan, do
it all the time."

"I've never heard of them," said Chloe. "How do you know them?"

Constable Burrows shushed her with a subtle hand gesture as he
stepped forward. "Were they both with you tonight?"

Seb shook his head. "Only Zak. He wanted to prove to Alan and
his mates that he's as tough as they are."

"As stupid, more like," muttered Chloe.

Seb's eyes were fixed on Constable Burrows, tall and imposing as
he towered over him in the chair. His face showed an anxiety now, to
cooperate. He must remember how good the police had been to the
distraught children on that horrendous day.

"Who was the third boy?"

"Cameron Jarvis."

"Give me names and addresses." Burrows sat down at the desk
and fired up the computer.

"You did the right thing. Eventually," said Chloe as she drove a
completely exhausted Seb home at seven that morning. He said nothing, sagging in the seat beside her with eyes closed, head resting
against the door. The burst of cooperation had subsided into sullen
silence after they'd left the police station, Seb released on Chloe's
cognizance-not to leave the house alone, to have no contact with
anyone connected with the gang, to report in tomorrow.

She glanced at him. His cheek and jaw retained the softness of
childhood, but he wasn't a child any longer. His voice had deepened
in the last year, and both he and Julian gained several centimeters
each time she turned her back. The previously smooth skin sported
the occasional teenage spot. The boys were growing away from her,
and she didn't know how to deal with them anymore.

"I'm sorry, Seb." Blinking tears, she turned her attention to the
road again.

He didn't reply. Breathing heavily. Asleep.

Julian flung the front door open as soon as Chloe turned into the
driveway. He jumped the couple of steps from the front terrace and ran
to the car, hovering anxiously as she turned off the engine. Seb stirred,
and Julian wrenched the door open, nearly spilling his brother onto the
ground.

"Hey!" He saved himself by grabbing the seat belt.

"Sorry. What happened? Where were you?"

Chloe slammed her own door. "We've been at the police station doing a deal so Seb doesn't go to jail," she said harshly. A wave of
tiredness hit her. "Any coffee going, Julian?"

"I'll make it."

Chloe stalked to the house with Julian and Seb following her in a
huddle, whispering together as they'd done all their lives. It had
never bothered her before, but now she spun around and in a burst of
fury yelled, "What are you two whispering about? You'd better not
be telling Julian stuff you didn't tell the police, Seb, or so help me
I-" She clamped her trembling lips into a tight line as her voice
shook uncontrollably.

"Chloe," ventured Julian tentatively. "He's-"

"Don't." She chopped her hand down. "Don't say anything. I've
had enough. I should let the police lock you up, Seb, the way that
man wants. You might learn something about being responsible."

She registered Seb's pale, exhausted face and Julian's identical,
pale, shocked one in the brief moment before she turned on her heel
and charged up the steps and in through the open front door.

Chloe slammed into her bedroom and flung herself onto the bed,
fighting the overwhelming rush of tears. Why did she have to deal with
this stuff? She couldn't cope with teenage boys. How could Seb do this
to her? Why? She jammed clenched fists into her eyes. A couple of
salty tears found their way down her cheeks and into her mouth.

She'd failed. Failed to bring up the boys properly. All those people
who'd said she couldn't do it, she was too young, were right. Simone
would have another weapon in her armory. Chloe could hear her now.
"Katy should live with me. You can't cope with three." Or, "The boys
need a man in their lives. You should get married, Chloe."

As if that would be her sole reason for marrying. A father for the
boys. She'd given up everything for the kids. Dropped out of Uni,
dropped out of her old carefree life to be a single parent. Sure, she'd
like a boyfriend, but how could she meet someone, and who would
want her, knowing he was to be surrogate father to a ready-made
teenage family? Including, as of today, a would-be criminal. Look at
the reaction of that staggeringly attractive man. He despised her.

Chloe drew a deep, shuddering breath. The Simone issue wasn't
black-and-white. Nothing was. What Simone said, she said out of
love and a genuine desire to help, however impractical and ineffective. She'd been grieving too. She'd lost her only son.

The bedroom door cracked open an inch.

"Chloe?" Two blue eyes wide with alarm peeped timidly around the
door from under a fringe of flyaway brown hair. "What's happening?"

Chloe patted the bed beside her. Katy darted across the room,
a slim, bony little figure in pink shorty pajamas, and snuggled next
to her.

"Seb snuck out last night and went in a stolen car with some boys.
They were vandalizing people's property, and Seb got caught. The
police called me."

Katy's eyes grew even wider. "Is he in jail?"

"He's home. But he's in big trouble."

"What will happen to him?"

"I'm not sure. The man who caught him is very angry. I think
Seb..." Chloe bit her lip as tears threatened again. "I don't know,
Katy. We have to wait and see."

Julian appeared in the doorway holding a mug. "I made coffee for
you, Chloe."

"Thanks." She sat up. Julian placed the mug carefully on the bedside table, then sat on the end of the bed. Chloe took a long slurp.
The hot, sweet liquid hit her system with a revitalizing jolt.

"Seb's in big trouble," announced Katy. "He might go to jail."

"I know," said Julian. "But he won't go to jail."

"He might."

"You don't know anything." Julian's lip curled in disdain.