"Purlease," Abi chastised. "This is Ben Tamati's house we're talking about."
"Not just my house, Red," he corrected from over our shoulders. "And why would I have fuckin' tequila on my top shelf, if not for you and your posse?"
Abi sniggered, joined immediately by Kelly.
"You never complain when I pour you one, big guy," Kelly managed to say in amongst the chuckles.
"Just bein' polite, Kels."
We'd made it into the main part of the building by now, Ryan and Nick ominously quiet at our backs. And I was sure, even though Ben was keeping up the appearance of party happy pub crawlers, his eyes were darting all about the room. Taking in every single person in the Birdcage tonight. We'd done what we came here to do, but we weren't home free yet.
Still, a lightness had entered my frame, a weight truly lifted off my shoulders. I wasn't sure what was ahead for me and Daisy, but I did know from here on in we would be doing it on the right side of the law. And if the planets aligned and a little of lady luck was on my side, Dominic would have arranged a deal that allowed me to avoid seeing the inside of a cell.
I didn't want to think that I'd suffered enough, I was all too readily aware that by hiding this book others may have been harmed when they could have been saved instead. That was a guilt I'd always wear close to my heart. But one look at my daughter would help settle the unease, because I challenge any mother not to have done all that they could to protect their child. I challenge them to have found the courage to offer up the ledger at the risk of their child's life.
I wasn't sure if I hadn't just signed Daisy's death warrant. I had to believe we were in a better place now than before - with Roan actually behind bars already - to survive the fall-out. But I wasn't sure. And the lightness of finally setting the ball in motion as I had planned all those years ago, was offset by the dread of what Pandora's box type darkness I'd opened us up to.
I sucked in a deep breath, failed to still my rapidly beating pulse and followed the women out of the front door to the Birdcage, sure that I'd never set foot inside its walls ever again. Even socially, this beautiful old building was off limits for me. I couldn't come back here and not feel the sense of foreboding that I was feeling right now.
"Well, that went better than expected," Abi said under her breath as we crossed the street to Nick's SUV.
"Yeah, I love it when a plan comes together, cookie," Eva added.
Abi swung around with a beaming smile over her lips and no doubt a comeback on her tongue and stilled. Her face fell, her brow furrowed, and instantly Nick and Ben were flanking us and herding us to the unlocked car doors.
"What's going on?" I asked, only to be shoved inside the rear of the vehicle, Ryan jumping in behind me, as Kelly, Ben and Abi took up the middle seats, and Nick and Eva slipped into the front.
The vehicle was started before the doors were fully closed, and Nick was driving before seatbelts had been secured. The squeal of tyres on tarseal sounding out in our wake, the gritty smell of burnt rubber wafting in through the air filters.
Ryan reached over and secured my seatbelt, and only then attended to his own. But I barely noticed as Ben had a gun out on one side of the car and Abi had one out on the other. Kelly simply slunk down in her centre seat, keeping her head low and out of sight.
"What's going on?" I asked again, but Nick had pressed a button on the dash and a phone dial tone blared out of the speakers.
"What's up, boss?" came Eric's voice over the line. "You're in a hurry."
"What do you know about Simon Andrews being in Auckland right now?" Nick demanded, the occupants of the SUV silent, but the atmosphere decidedly thick right then.
Who the hell was Simon Andrews? It wasn't a name I knew associated with Roan McLaren. It wasn't one from inside the ledger either, which I noticed with a flick of my eyes, was sitting beside Ryan's feet on the floor of the rear foot well.
Eric whistled, but didn't say anything immediately. The sound of fingers tapping away on a keyboard could be heard instead.
"Released on bail one week ago." Eric sucked in a breath of air. "Evidence was compromised at Wellington Central Police Station. He's been commanded to stay in the capital until his trial, which is still scheduled despite Wellington's cock up."
"Fuck," Ben muttered, twisting his head to look at Abi. She looked pale, her hands gripping the gun she held in a white knuckled embrace. Her eyes held Ben's, an angry determination evident there. "He's not here for you, Red," Ben said with a shake of his head. "Or me," he added, when she opened her mouth to argue his point.
They both simultaneously turned to look at me.