Follow Your Star, Jennifer Bohnet [best fiction novels to read txt] 📗

worries me though. What happens if this Maksim comes back and tries to muscle in on the co-operative? Angela did say the men knew there were dangers in upsetting him.’

‘Don’t worry. Once we get back to civilization we can alert the authorities to what we are doing. We need to organise sponsors and then we can appoint an overseer to come out here to supervise things in your absence. Make sure there are no disruptions. You’ll be amazed at the progress on your next visit, you’ll see,’ Ralph said confidently.

Hugging Angela goodbye the following morning, Vanessa was surprised to find herself fighting back the tears. ‘I’ll miss you,’ she said. ‘But I will be back.’

‘Goodbye, Pacchumama. May the spirits be with you on your journey,’ Angela said, returning the hug.

Now, as she tiredly followed Luigi and the porters along the muddy track, Vanessa’s mind was still racing, trying to sort out the logistics of the co-operative and wondering who she’d be able to find willing to sponsor Fruits of the Forest for at least its first year in business.

Darkness had descended as they reached the native camp where they were to spend their last night in the jungle proper. Tiredly Vanessa stumbled into their sleeping hut.

Tomorrow they would travel by small canoe up the feeder river to the Amazon itself and then a larger boat would take them to the town of Manaus. Their journey home had begun.

‘Right you two. Dry yourselves off, get dressed and go to the games room while I have a quick swim. Papa Jean-Claude will be here soon and then we’ll have some supper before we go home.’

Nanette had taken the twins up to the villa after school for their usual afternoon swim. To her disappointment there had been no sign of Jean-Claude. His housekeeper had merely told her, ‘Monsieur had to go out for a couple of hours.’

Lazily floating on her back after completing a couple of energetic laps, Nanette found herself thinking about Mathieu’s revelations and the package currently concealed under her bed.

Somehow she had to find the right moment to go inconspicuously to Pole Position and put it in the safe.

She heard the twins calling out ‘Bonjour, Papa Jean-Claude,’ and quickly swam to the steps and got out of the pool. Before she could pick up her towel Jean-Claude appeared and took her in his arms.

‘I’ll make you all wet,’ Nanette protested weakly, before she surrendered herself to his embrace.

Several minutes passed before Nanette sighed and drew away. ‘I think you’d better let me get dressed before the twins come demanding to be fed,’ she said regretfully, giving Jean-Claude one last lingering kiss.

It was early evening when Nanette left to take the twins back to the apartment. Olivia and Pierre had already kissed their grandfather goodbye and were waiting for Nanette out on the terrace when Jean-Claude said to Nanette, ‘I’ve been thinking about the package. If you are determined to replace it – and I agree that would probably be for the best – I will come with you. I think tomorrow morning after the twins go to school n’est pas? I will wait on the quay, while you go on board.’

Nanette hesitated before saying, ‘Perhaps Mathieu ought to come with me instead. The police have involved him officially, whereas you.…’ Her voice trailed off.

‘Non. I’m coming with you.’

Nanette smiled, before kissing him gently.

‘OK. Thanks. Now, I’m going home to get the twins to bed and I think I might have an early night myself. I’ll see you in the morning.’

But when Nanette did go to bed, soon after the twins, she tossed and turned restlessly. She had been convinced she was so tired she would have no problems sleeping but the hot midsummer night air was stifling. Even the ceiling fan silently whirring away above her head was failing to keep her cool.

It wasn’t just the heat keeping her awake. Her mind was tossing and turning, too. All day Mathieu’s words ‘it isn’t over yet’ had been playing on her mind.

She knew Boris was still in jail having been refused bail and the latest rumour flying around Monaco was that Interpol had arrested his son. More arrests were expected to be made soon. Was that going to include Zac Ewart?

Mathieu had spent most of the day in the apartment after warning them that things were likely to come to a head soon and he wanted to keep a low profile for a few days.

Unable to sleep and sighing in frustration, Nanette got out of bed. Pulling on her dressing-gown she went through the silent apartment to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Adim light was shining under the threshold of Mathieu’s door, everywhere else was in darkness.

Returning to her room she opened the curtains and pushed the balcony door open. The breeze from the harbour ruffled her hair but was too hot to bring any relief from the heat.

Glancing down at the harbour Nanette was struck by a sudden idea as she looked at Pole Position gently moving on its mooring.

The lights were on in the main saloon of the yacht – that had to mean only one thing: the crew, or at least Phil, the skipper, was still up.

Ten minutes – fifteen at the most – was all it would take to go down, put the package in the safe and return to the apartment. The quay was relatively empty of people, just a few couples taking a romantic night-time stroll.

With luck, nobody would even notice her. She’d be able to tell JC in the morning he needn’t worry about accompanying her to the yacht. The package was back where it should be. She could no longer be linked to the contents.

Quickly putting on a pair of jeans and a dark top, she slipped her feet into her docksiders, before pulling the box from under the bed and taking out the Vacances au Soleil papers as well as the package. If the luxury holiday business was a