CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Now in the deepest of slumber, even the most torrid recollections failed to stir her;
Some of Jodi’s focus was sidetracked, but she pressed on determined to maintain equilibrium. She had recently in Canberra asked a leading question on a missing shipment of Australian weapons in Afghanistan. Her ravishing beauty and ladylike manner made her popular among the aristocracy of Canberra and only a chosen few had been singled out for special treatment by the beautiful journo. A shipment of missing arms looked to be of interest especially if it gained the attention of her husband and brought him back home.
Graham Billet federal member for the local parliamentary seat of Hunter was also minister of defence, these combined roles and the fact Jodi was a journalist hell bent on having her husband return made Billet a pawn in the chess game. She also found she could use Billet to launch attacks on her husband under parliamentary privilege when she was at her lowest, these things suddenly took on a dark tone she regretted. She pushed on, spilt milk cannot be returned to the cow.
Jodi’s Newcastle office was at the rear of the building because she liked the view of the sea, the front of the high rise building fronted one of the main streets and reminded her of Fleet Street, the view was far from what she considered acceptable, she had become accustomed to the coastline so the smaller bland office was of no consequence when it came to character. Her office had remained bland and free of clutter or extravagance, it was dear to her as her father had behind the closed door visited in the strictest confidence many times although it was now well known who her father was among the staff she rejected control and remained a journalist.
She banished disaster from her dreams, the vigilante returned and she found herself flying back to England her arms outreached just above the waves.
She met Bruce Hurst at the airport, she was ushered away behind closed doors, and she hated it. She demanded to be allowed to visit her Fleet Street office, her father was unaware of her presence in London. He was taken back when she walked into his outer office flanked by Hurst. He greeted the pair and Jodi was permitted to talk to her father alone. Jodi took in the smells and feel of her bygone environment. She snuggled down in the leather chair opposite her father and their was her old desk, carved roses on the legs, her father had never told her of such allegiance but she could see the despair of loss in his face but felt a sense of pride in his presence.
He looked strained and fiddled with an ornate ring on his left hand bearing the insignia of the Masonic lodge, he lent over and kissed his only sibling on the cheek, at the age of eighty three he was surprisingly spritely. Jodi did not realise he had taken the helm full time since the recent death of her mother. “I’m sorry love I should have told you.”
“Dad, you’re the last person I expected to find here.”
“Please love time’s are hard without you’re mother, no doubt you appreciate how I feel you have been without John for many years now.”
“He’s back, he sent me here.”
Her fathers wrinkled wise face read like a road map. He hesitated. “John is a very powerful man, no one could have foreseen how powerful he would become. If he sent you here he had a damn good reason, can you tell me why.”
“He didn’t send me to see you, I brought my supplied entourage here kicking and screaming, and you haven’t been to see me at home for over a year.”
“Home.” He hesitated. “This is your home Jodi.”
“No dad, I’m an Australian. As soon as I landed I felt like an alien, perhaps a few days in the countryside may shift my feelings, I miss the beach, the sea air, the bright blue sky.”
“Good god, when I’m gone you will have to take the helm, the power base is here, right in this room. You say I haven’t been to see you’re for over a year but you have not been to see us in over five.”
It was obvious how hard it was, etched in Jodi’s face painful memories were put on hold. “Coming here is wonderful, at the end of the visit we have to leave everyone, I’ve had trouble facing it again. I could have come back anytime I admit, I have enough problems without creating more I can manage by questionable means.”
“I know what you mean, we are on opposite sides of the earth, you with a new branch of the family have done so well. I withdraw my previous comments they are selfish and unnecessary.”
“What’s happened to you dad, you’ve changed so much.”
“So have you my love, when together these changes pass without notice as they happen slowly. The longer we are separated the more obvious they become when we meet.”
“I had to make sure I saw you dad, no one is supposed to know where I am but I want you brought to me so we can spend a day or two together.”
“What’s going on?”
“I did something stupid.”
“Regrets, I have many, hard things to live with the older one gets.”
“I’ll never forget this one and surely will never forget it, it brought John back to my doorstep.”
“He never left your doorstep petal, he just stayed outside the door, is he back inside now.”
“Yes, and what an entrance, I’m battling to contemplate the wake.”
“I’ve said this before, if John does something he would never act unless he had a good reason.”
“Don’t worry he had a good reason, by tomorrow afternoon you can visit the rest of the family staying with me.”
“I’ll enjoy that, unexpected.”
“Yes, now I have to go or Hurst will be in here rattling the cage.”
“Bruce Hurst.”
“Yes.”
“I thought he was dead.”
Jodi hesitated, she frowned and looked puzzled. “Why?”
Her father rolled his lips in, bitting his bottom lip before speaking. “The media grapevine, when it comes to MI usually unreliable.”
“Bruce is here, he has what can only be described as a small army with him.” She watched her fathers face with interest.
“Mmmm,” he clasped his fingers together interlocked resting his elbows on the table leaning his chin on his hands, Jodi was familiar with the genetic trait. “If I had a fraction of your husbands power I would be a dangerous man, John is a rare character. Thank god he’s your husband for I cannot protect you as he.”
Jodi stood and walked to the door, she opened it and Hurst stood directly outside, he nodded to William Bradley Simpson. Jodi turned before walking through the door. “Bruce will pick you up to visit us in the next twenty four hours, if it’s not Bruce don’t go.”
Her father nodded as his daughter walked briskly away followed by Hurst and with two other middle age men in suits in front of his daughter. He drew a big breath and lent back in his chair, his heart was heavy with emotional pain.