‘Think about it,’ said Zoe. ‘Without turtles and dugongs and dolphins, what sort of an eco-resort will the Bennetts have on their hands? If something isn’t done about run-off from the cane farms, I reckon your deal’s dead in the water.’
Leo stabbed the meat on the barbecue grill with a fork and turned it over, the aroma of seared steak competing with the scent of the sea. He swung around to face her. ‘And you’re sure about it – this contamination?’
Zoe brandished a sheaf of stapled papers at him. ‘It’s all here in these reports. Analysis of samples, pollution levels, effects on wildlife. Independent results from Queensland Uni will be in any day now, and I’m certain they’ll confirm these findings.’ Leo poured a glass of wine and handed it to her, his expression unreadable. He might not be much of a greenie, but he was an astute businessman. An appeal to commercial reality was her best bet. ‘I don’t need these to prove my point.’ She tossed her notes aside. ‘In the last thirty years we’ve already lost fifty per cent of the Great Barrier Reef. Now the Bundaberg Guardian is reporting fish kills, algal blooms . . . dead dolphins and dugongs washing up on our doorstep. You’re the mayor, Leo – freshly re-elected what’s more. It’s your job to do something and fast.’
‘Dugongs are dying too, you say?’ He scowled. ‘Let me show you something.’ Leo disappeared through the French doors of the patio for a few moments, returning with a folder. ‘Carla Bennett sent this through. Mock-ups of their proposed resort logo.’ Zoe opened the cover to reveal an elegant emblem of coral white and sapphire green, Mermaid Cove emblazoned across it in a fancy typeface. Where Dolphins and Dugongs Dance in smaller letters. A stylised silver dolphin and dugong waltzed together to complete the graphic. ‘Your story about sailors mistaking dugongs for mermaids intrigued her. She wants to feature the theme right through the resort. It won’t bloody work if there aren’t any dugongs, will it?’ He was growing more and more agitated. ‘And you say you’ve gone to Quinn about it?’
‘Yes, but it didn’t go well. We both got a bit hot under the collar. I think me going through his chemical shed shocked him so much that he didn’t really listen after that.’
Leo snorted in derision. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Quinn’s a lovely bloke. I wouldn’t let my daughter marry him if he wasn’t. But he’s not a decision maker. Marshall always had to do the thinking for him.’
Zoe wanted to leap to Quinn’s defence. As far as she could tell, Marshall never gave his son a chance to decide anything at all. But this wasn’t the time, not when she was winning Leo over.
Leo checked underneath the steaks. He grimaced and forked them onto plates while Zoe fetched the bread, salad bowl and cutlery. They sat down and Leo investigated his scotch fillet further. ‘Bloody hell, it’s overdone. Where’s my daughter when I need her? She normally does this sort of thing.’
‘Don’t look at me,’ said Zoe. ‘I’m no chef.’
‘Bridget is a great little cook, I’ll give her that.’ Leo sawed at the corner of his steak. ‘It’s the one thing she’s really good at.’
Zoe put down her forkful of food. ‘Why do you run her down?’
‘Paternal privilege.’ Leo laughed. ‘She knows I’m joking. But don’t you worry. Anyone else says something against her? They’d better watch out.’
Now Zoe wanted to stand up for Bridget. Point out the sad irony that she could cope perfectly well with criticism from anyone – anyone except her father. She gulped her wine, refusing to get distracted.
Encouragingly, it was Leo who got the conversation back on track. ‘I’ll support you to the hilt when it comes to tackling this pollution problem, Zoe. I’ve been in cane myself most of my life, still lease out some farms, so I know what I’m talking about. Kiawans are a fiercely independent bunch. They don’t take government regulation seriously.’
‘You’ve got some responsibility here yourself, Leo. Archie rescued a dolphin mother and calf from your shark nets last week. They drown turtles too. You have to get rid of them.’
‘Of course, of course . . . I’ll be guided by you on such things.’ Leo waved his hand dismissively. ‘This town has a great future, an exciting future. But the biggest growth will be in tourism, not cane. Tourists mean jobs, trade, money for the local economy.’ He drained his beer, lit a cigarette and winked. ‘Don’t tell Bridge about the fag, okay?’
‘Okay,’ said Zoe. ‘Now keep talking.’
‘The price of sugar’s at an all time low and cheap overseas suppliers are flooding the world market. It’s time to be smart – play to Kiawa’s strengths. And with a world-class reef on our doorstep? Well, you’d be mad not to protect a potential money-making asset like that.’ Zoe nodded, smiling on the outside, troubled on the inside to hear Turtle Reef described in such calculating, economic terms. Leo was charming, flattering even, and a great deal of fun to be with. But there was another aspect to Leo: a mean and selfish side. ‘So,’ he said. ‘What do you want to do?’
‘Let’s wait until the second set of samples are analysed. Once my initial results are confirmed, I’ll tackle Quinn again, try to talk him round.’
‘Tell him to stop those bloody cane fires while he’s at it. Simon won’t want smoke blowing over his resort.’
‘Absolutely,’ agreed Zoe. ‘But we need to bring the farming community along with us. As president of the Canegrowers’ Association, Quinn has a lot of clout.’
‘No idea why – the man’s not a patch on his father. Hasn’t got his backbone.’ Zoe’s smile was tight-lipped. ‘But I reckon the growers will go along with what he says. And don’t forget that I’m mayor of this town. I’ve got clout too.’
‘I know you do.’
‘Good girl.’ Leo rose from his seat and moved to stand behind Zoe’s chair, massaging her shoulders with firm fingers. It took her only a moment to stand and slip sideways.
Since Zoe had been staying at the shack, she’d spent a lot of evenings with Leo. She was lonely; so was he. It seemed like the perfect arrangement. She’d even toyed with the idea of taking things further, of turning her flirtation into a fling.
But it couldn’t go any further; Zoe knew that now. Although grateful for his support and friendship, today she’d come face to face with all the things she didn’t like about Leo. What would it have been like for Bridget, growing up with such a man for a father? Without the support of a mother. Depending on Leo’s brand of casual, qualified love to shore up her fledgling confidence. How many times would Bridget have heard Leo belittle her, ridicule her, compare her unfavourably to her sisters?
Zoe couldn’t imagine her own father behaving in such a way, not for a second. And to think that a few short months ago she’d been jealous of Bridget. Zoe wouldn’t want to swap places with her now for anything – except in one regard. Bridget had Quinn. For once Zoe dared an honest examination of her heart. The truth was blindingly clear. It wasn’t just attraction. She was in love with the quiet cane king.
Leo heaved a deep, theatrical sigh, as if he somehow guessed at the tumult within her. ‘Am I wasting my time here, Zoe? Do I have any hope with you, any hope at all?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry.’ He clasped a hand to his heart in mock despair. ‘You’ve been a good friend to me, Leo. Lending me the car, keeping me company, making me smile.’ He shrugged. ‘Letting me stay at the shack . . .’
‘I have an ulterior motive there.’ Leo stroked his moustache rakishly. ‘One of these nights I’ll be round to change your mind.’ Zoe laughed and Leo’s brashness slipped away. He looked genuinely deflated. ‘You must think me a silly old fool,’ he said, ‘chasing after you like this.’
‘No —’
He held up a hand for silence. ‘I’ve fallen for you, Zoe, and not just because you’re the most gorgeous woman in town.’ The most gorgeous woman in town? He certainly was a flatterer. ‘It’s your courage, your sass, your honesty. The way you speak your mind and hang the consequences. The way you wear your passion on the outside. I was talking to Quinn the other day about what a breath of fresh air you are. Stuffy old Kiawa is far too set in its ways. “This town needs a good shake-up,” I said, “and Zoe King is the one to do it.”’ Leo crossed his arms. ‘Quinn agreed with me.’
‘He did?’
‘Oh yes. He seemed quite taken with you. I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble bringing him round to your way of thinking. If Quinn wasn’t already spoken for, I reckon he’d be after you himself.’ Zoe’s mouth went dry. She tried to clear her throat, but needed a glass of water to regain her composure. Leo looked at her shrewdly. ‘Is there something I’m missing here?’
Zoe wandered away to the patio railing to avoid his searching eyes. To the north, Cliffhaven’s infinity pool met the sea in a seamless expanse of blue. Something moved out on the reef: vast shadows, a spume of spray, a tipping tail. ‘Look,’ she called. ‘Whales.’ An awe-inspiring and timeless scene. She longed to be out there with them, to dive into the warm azure blur, to be lost in the majesty of migrating ocean giants.
Leo’s voice came from close behind her. ‘What are we waiting for?’ He’d read her mind. She followed him down to the boat, her body buzzing in anticipation, already one with the humpbacks in the magical waters of her imagination.