Page 47 of No Time Off (Lexi Carmichael Mystery #15)
FORTY-SEVEN
Slash
W hen Lexi and I arrived at the prime minister’s residence, we were immediately escorted into the large, elegant library. The scent of fresh coffee filled the air. The prime minister sat at one end of the room looking calm and composed. The coat of arms pin was once again fastened to her lapel, and she smiled when she caught me looking at it. Rangi and Manny were also there, waiting with mugs of coffee on the table in front of them.
It would have been an idyllic scene except for the surprise of finding a green, yellow, and red bird sitting on a window perch. The very parrot that had delivered me into the clutches of Jiang Shi. It squawked excitedly when it saw me and flew in my direction, just high enough so I couldn’t reach it.
I pointed at the bird in surprise as it squawked and screeched, flying loose around the room. “What’s that doing here?”
“Oh, it’s the bird that was cooped up in the Chinese compound,” Petra explained. “We had to do something with it, and the kids have been begging me for a pet, so I decided to bring it home. It wasn’t his fault he was stuck with the Chinese. He’s kind of cute. But for some reason, he really doesn’t like you.”
There were chuckles around the room. I made eye contact with it, making sure it knew not to get close too close to me. The parrot, however, must have remembered Lexi giving him the peapods, because he landed on the back of a nearby chair and eyed her with interest.
“Please, help yourself to some coffee and have a seat,” Petra said. “I hope you’re both well rested.”
“Considering the circumstances, we slept really well,” Lexi replied, pouring coffee into a mug and adding at least a half cup of cream. I poured myself some coffee, black, and settled in beside Lexi on the couch, keeping a wary eye on the bird.
“I’m sorry to jump right to it, but we have much to discuss,” Petra began. “I trust you’ve been updated on the immediate aftermath of the coup, but I wanted to fill you in on everything we know up to this point. I’m sure you have questions, as do I.”
I took a sip of coffee and leaned forward. “I’ve been wondering about the king’s representative. Is she okay? Was she released?”
“Yes,” Petra responded. “Iona has been released and is home safely. Maivia tried everything he could to force her to sign documents claiming she supported him, but she held firm and refused. She wouldn’t let herself be used, even with the pressure from the Chinese.”
“Good for her,” I said.
“Yes,” Petra said. “She stood by me—by what was right—and refused to betray her country.”
“So, what’s going to happen to Maivia and the police officers who sided with him?” Lexi asked. “There’s bound to be a public backlash against them.”
Petra sighed, her expression betraying the burden she carried as a leader. “There’s a lot of anger in the country right now. People want them to pay for what they’ve done. The three of us and my family included. But, as you might imagine, there are still some who sympathize with their position. There are even some in Parliament who believe their actions were justified. There is no easy solution.”
“And yet, you can’t just let them off the hook, can you?” I asked, balancing the coffee mug on my knee.
Petra shook her head. “No, I can’t. But I also don’t want to create martyrs for the opposition. That’s why I’ve made arrangements with the New Zealand government. We’re sending Maivia and a few of his deputies there. They’ll be ‘hosted,’ as it were. A house arrest of sorts.” She raised her hand slightly. “As part of the deal, they’ve agreed to surrender their passports and not leave New Zealand. It keeps them out of the political spotlight here, and they’ll be monitored closely.”
“That’s one way to handle it,” Lexi said, but I heard the reservation in her voice. I felt it myself.
“What about the rest of the police?” I asked. “Those who participated but aren’t seen as a threat?”
“They’ll be monitored,” Petra confirmed. “I’m leaving it to loyal officers to keep an eye on them. The last thing we need is another uprising. But we’re not letting those thugs who supported Maivia get off without penalty. We’ve arrested all but a few of those who have been identified as supporting the coup, including my attempted assassin. We are printing posters and looking for the rest. We intend to send them to prison for a long time.”
“Good,” Lexi said, and I was in full agreement with her.
“You’ll handle this, Petra,” Rangi said. “The people believe in you.”
“Thank you for your confidence, Rangi,” Petra said, her voice softening. “But I can’t do it alone. We’ll need everyone’s help and cooperation to heal from this.”
“Well, don’t count on me,” Manny interjected good-naturedly. “I’m not coming out of retirement again.”
We all laughed for a moment until Lexi spoke up. “I have a question. How are Ari, Sefina, and Amiri doing? Are they okay?”
“They’re fine,” Manny replied. “Amiri and Sefina were found by the Chinese, still tied up near the truck shortly after we escaped. They were questioned, but the Chinese cut them loose and left. So, Amiri and Sefina simply drove the truck back to the store, cut Ari free, and that was it.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “What did Ari have to say about it?”
Manny chuckled. “Well, Ari was happy to hear you got away safely, and Shi got what he deserved, but he’s disappointed the Chinese left, because he’d charged them twice the going rate and they never complained.”
There were more chuckles and Petra said she had already assured Ari she’d order produce from his store for the next state function.
Petra then leveled her gaze at me. “I’d ask about Jiang Shi, but my people tell me he was whisked away this morning by American officials.”
“He was,” I confirmed.
“Then I consider the matter closed—he’s all yours.”
“We appreciate that, Prime Minister,” I said, dipping my head.
Petra hesitated for a moment before continuing. “There’s one more thing. Chen, Shi’s chief of staff here at the compound, supposedly handed over all of Shi’s illegal accounts this morning. But we noticed something suspicious. There were some transfers just before the accounts were turned over.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Well, that’s something we can investigate. You’re sure all the accounts were transferred?”
“No, I’m not sure,” Petra said, frustration edging her words. “That’s why I need you to verify it. I want to ensure that all the illegal accounts are shut down.”
“Leave it to me,” I replied. “I’ll confirm everything and get back to you.”
Petra’s gaze softened, and she sighed, a weight seemingly lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you, Slash.”
The prime minister set her coffee mug on the table and pressed her hands together in her lap. “I want you all to know, I will be awarding medals and commendations to certain individuals who have helped preserve the integrity of our country. Iona, the king’s representative, and the young policeman in front of the television station who laid down his weapon first will receive special commendations. Tane, his news crew, Ari, Sefina, Amiri, and those police officers who stayed loyal to me will also be commended. And, of course, Manny and Rangi, I will be recognizing you both for your personal courage and resourcefulness in defense of our island and me.”
Lexi and I smiled and clapped as Manny and Rangi tried to convince Petra the recognition wasn’t warranted.
“I insist,” Petra said. “Now, both of you be quiet, because I won’t change my mind. Besides, awarding medals and commendations is one of the perks of my job.”
Then Petra turned to us. “You two will be presented with the Queen’s Medal for Courage for helping in the defense of the Cook Islands. It’s an honor we bestow on foreigners who come to our aid and defense in time of great need.”
“Wow, Petra, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Lexi protested, holding up a hand. “It’s okay to just say thank you.”
“Oh, it’s more than necessary,” Petra said. “I’ll also send an official letter of thanks to your president to express our grateful appreciation for your bravery and courage in face of great danger. And there will be a fancy ceremony in a couple of months.”
“A…ceremony?” Lexi repeated, a horrified expression on her face. The parrot squawked as if upset by her reaction.
Petra smiled, and I could see she was teasing. “Although I figure you’ll be back home by then and won’t be able to attend. So, unless you tell me otherwise, we’ll have the medals sent to you, along with a couple of cases of our famous banana wine from the Koteka Winery.” She smiled knowingly at Manny. “I heard from a little birdie that you quite enjoyed it.”
Lexi’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious? That was the best wine I’ve ever tasted.”
“It’s a personal favorite of mine, too,” Petra assured her. She lifted her mug and took a sip of coffee. “So, what’s next for you two?”
“Well,” I replied, “we intended to spend the second week of our honeymoon on your remote island of Aitutaki, but we’re not sure if we’ve still got a reservation there after the delay or even if flights are operating again.”
Rangi grinned. “No need to worry about that. I’ll take care of all the arrangements. Furthermore, your new flight, your villa, food, and any outings—it’s all on the house.”
They wouldn’t listen to our protests, so we accepted with the caveat that no parrots would be present to welcome us. Everyone grinned—and that seemed to conclude the meeting—so we stood and chatted a bit while waiting for our driver.
At some point, Lexi and I pulled Manny aside, thanking him for his help. Manny deflected the praise, modestly attributing it to our own resourcefulness and skill.
“We’d love for you to visit us in the States sometime,” I offered. “We’ll take you around and show you the sights.”
“I’ve never been, so I might just take you up on that as long as I can get a tour of the CIA. You can arrange that, right, mate?” He gave me a wink, his smile genuine.
I smiled back. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Just then, the prime minister’s daughter, Lani, walked into the room, holding her phone. “Can I take a picture of you two with my mom?” she asked us shyly. “I want to add it to my collection of photos of famous people.”
Lexi glanced over at me. When I shrugged, she said, “Well, we’re hardly famous, but we’re happy to take a picture with your mom. She’s the real hero here. Would you mind sending me a copy? I’d like it as a honeymoon memento.”
“Sure,” Lani said. “I’ll send you the photos.”
Lexi gave Lani her phone number so she could text it to her. We posed for a couple of snaps, and Lani immediately sent the photos, blushing and thanking us profusely before dashing out of the room.
“I think she has a crush on you,” Lexi said, pulling the photos up on her phone.
I rolled my eyes but glanced over her shoulder at the photos. While we all looked exceptionally tired, we also looked…content.
As we said our final goodbyes, Petra clasped my hands in hers. “Remember, you’ve not only earned our gratitude, but you’ve also earned our respect. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon. And remember, the Cook Islands will always welcome you back.”
With that, we left the prime minister’s residence, knowing we’d helped a country find its footing again. It was a good feeling—a momentous one.
But all I could think about as we drove away were the quiet days ahead with Lexi and the gentle, unhurried pace of a quiet, remote island.