Chapter 3
Chapter Three
MASON
“M ason!” Odette calls from somewhere near me.
I hear her, but my gaze is firmly trained on Tara walking off. I can’t seem to take my eyes off her.
“Hello!” Odette waves a hand in front of my face.
“Where’s Tara going?” I ask, only glancing at Odette before looking back at Tara. “Make sure she comes back soon. Your boat won’t wait for her if she doesn’t return on time.”
“She’s not joining us.”
That gets my full attention, and I switch my focus to my cousin. “Why not?”
“She’s going to A Musical Night in Masquerade instead. Someone gave her a ticket.”
“Why?”
Odette looks around furtively. “That’s what I want to talk to you about. We decided it’s not a good idea for her to get on this boat because someone’s intending to record us—Tara, in particular—having fun watching the strippers.”
My brows jump high. “Who? And why?”
“People sent by Eric Hislop, Tara’s competitor for the mayoral position at Moonstruck Cove. She’s expected to win, but Eric is doing everything he can to prevent that.”
I frown as Odette tells me of Eric’s plans to sabotage Tara’s chances at the election. What an asshole that guy is!
I did hear from my uncle that while most Mooners don’t like Eric Hislop, some are worried that Tara might be too young to be the mayor. Not that they don’t believe in her. Rather, they feel protective of her. They don’t want the significant responsibilities of the mayoral position to be put on her relatively young shoulders. If she were a few years older, there wouldn’t even be a question as to who they’d be voting for. Clearly, Eric Hislop discovered this sentiment among some voters, and he’s going to try to milk it for all it’s worth to give him the advantage.
“Eric doesn’t care about Moonstruck Cove.” Odette huffs. “He’s just going to use his position to help his unscrupulous developer friends. Of course, that’s not what he’s saying to people, and he’s looking for ways to discredit Tara.”
“Does she really want to become mayor? Is she ready for more responsibilities?”
“Yes! She’s always been about community. She lives for it, and she’s a far better choice than Eric. We don’t want to help him by giving him more ammunition!”
Odette lets out a long breath. “Look, you and I aren’t Moonstruck Cove voters anymore, and you’re not friends with Tara anymore, either. But please do this for me. My best friend doesn’t deserve her name sullied because of Eric’s plans. To suggest that she’s unreliable because she’d rather watch strippers on my bachelorette party than entertain would-be investors is just so wrong and unfair!”
I stare at Odette. Even though she’s correct in saying that Tara and I aren’t friends anymore, I feel anger towards that scheming Eric Hislop. He shouldn’t be able to get away with it. “Okay. Can you tell me anything about Eric’s spies? Male or female? Young or old?”
“Sorry. We know nothing else. Someone just heard something and reported it to Tara.”
“So, it’s just a rumour?”
“What if it isn’t?” Odette demands. “You know that even though Mooners gossip a lot, they do get the details right most of the time. It would help if your guys could identify the spies. Then Tara and her team might also be able to prevent any future sabotage Eric is planning before the election.”
I nod. “I’ll speak to my guys.”
“Thanks. But don’t tell Tara, okay? It’s just that…well…I’m not sure if she wants you to help,” Odette says apologetically.
I smirk. “She still hates me, huh? No worries. It’s not as if I plan to talk to her. I’ll probably get a slap in the face if I do. Which I deserve,” I add in a quieter tone.
Odette cocks her head. “You can apologise.”
My heart skips. “Do you think she’ll accept it after all this time?”
She makes a face. “I don’t know. To be honest, I think she’s happy with the status quo.”
I hide my dismay. I can’t ask for forgiveness that I know won’t be willingly given. “Well, after a decade, I don’t think we want to rehash the past,” I say lightly. “There’s no reason for us to talk or see each other.”
“Yeah. Thanks. Hey, I really appreciate you doing this.” She hugs me.
“Don’t mention it.” I know Odette is loyal to her best friend, but she’s also loving to her extended family, me included. I’m grateful for that. She’s a good person.
“See you later.” She waves goodbye.
“Have fun,” I say, looking in the direction of where I last saw Tara. But the crowd has swallowed her up, and I’m disappointed I can’t see her anymore.
I call Norman, one of three guys providing security for the Wild Boys Showboat. I ask him to attend a quick meeting with me at the nearby hangout room shared by the private security firms working at Darling Harbour.
I get to the place before him and sit at the small round table to get my thoughts in order. I feel compelled to get a result for Tara.
“You look serious,” Norman says as he walks in. “What’s up?”
I explain the situation regarding Eric Hislop’s dirty scheme. “I want Eric’s spies identified. Look for people hanging around Odette’s group and seemingly interested in them. If you can engage them in a chat and make them reveal something, even better.”
Norman grins. “Okay. I’m excited to play detective. We will find the minions.”
I chuckle. “Good! That’s it. Thank you. Now, I have to get changed for my stint tonight.”
“You got a costume?”
“I’m wearing a long black cape with my all-black outfit. I was hoping to get a vampire mask, but I couldn’t find a good one. I have to settle for this thing.” I open my duffel bag and show Norman a half-mask with gold glitter. A plume of gold and black feathers is attached to the top.
“Have fun, but not too much!” he teases as he takes a closer look. “This mask and the cape will make you even more attractive to the ladies.”
I laugh. I made the mistake of introducing myself—without a mask and costume—as the lone security on last year’s boat that took Masks On attendees to Sydney Olympic Park. I attracted some women who were unrelenting in trying to seduce me. I think they were in some kind of competition with each other. It wasn’t easy getting my job done when constantly being flirted with.
I pull out a plain black cloth mask, similar to a surgical face mask. “I’m also gonna wear this. It might look funny with my half-mask, but my whole face will be covered. No one would be able to recognise me as last year’s security.”
“And it’ll stop some chicks from trying to plant kisses on your lips,” Norman quips.
“Exactly.”
“Righto,” Norman says as he stands. “I’ll keep you updated tonight.”
“Thanks.”
I bring my duffel bag to the men’s room to get changed. I’m not looking forward to getting into a masquerade costume, but I need to go incognito to avoid last year’s issues. Not that I wasn’t flattered by the women’s attention, but I’m careful about my reputation. I worked hard to get my company to where it is now, and I want to continue to be a trusted partner to my business contacts. As the only security on the Masks On boat, I want to show I’m able to handle everything professionally and efficiently. Luckily, tonight’s group will be small. Less than forty Masks On members, I was told, so I don’t anticipate any dramas.
Frankly, though, I’d rather be on the Wild Boys showboat. I want to be the one to find Eric’s spies because…
I shrug. I owe Tara that and much more.
Hey, maybe I’ll bump into her when we get to the Dome. I don’t have a ticket, though, so I’ll only be able to look for her outside the venue.
Or I can try to get in some other way…
An idea pops in my head, and I call the head of security for A Musical Night in Masquerade. He’s my buddy. I did him a big favour last week when I stepped into his role at the last minute for an important event, because he had to take his dog to the emergency vet.
“Hey, mate,” I say. “I’m working at the Masks On boat and bus tonight. I’ll be done when we get to the Dome. You want some free help? I’m volunteering.”
“Volunteering?” he asks incredulously. “Why? Is this your roundabout way of reminding me that I owe you big time for last week?”
“No, but I am asking for a return favour. I don’t have a ticket to the masquerade. I’m all dressed up for the part, complete with masks, and I don’t want my costume to go to waste.”
He laughs. “I see. Well, I don’t need another person, but as you know, there’s always a big rush to get in when the doors open. It helps to have an extra pair of eyes to ensure no one without a ticket gets past the ticket inspectors.”
“Right! I can help keep an eye out for the sneaky bastards instead of being one of them,” I say with a chuckle.
“And help ensure that any squabbles don’t turn into an all-out war when the VIPs choose their seats in the dining area. After that, you’re free to do whatever you want.”
“Just to clarify, I won’t be taking my mask off at any time, okay? I don’t want the regular Masks On members to recognise me.”
“Okay, that’s fine. You’re not officially on the job, anyway. I’ll meet you outside when your bus gets here so I can give you a security pass.”
“Perfect. Thanks, mate. Appreciate it.”
“No, thank you. We’re square now, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great! See you when you get here.”
“Yup. Bye.” I hang up, thoroughly satisfied. I’ll have plenty of time to find Tara in that big crowd.
Does she even know what to expect at the event?
And why do I feel this sudden need to ensure she’s safe and happy tonight?