Marion Lennox - A Millionaire For Molly

A book in the Australians series, 2002

OF ALL the times for Lionel to escape

The reception area at Bayside Property was crowded and it was very, very noisy. Mollys cleaning team had declared an owners wolfhounds were dangerous and they wouldnt go near her properties. Sophia, one of Mollys most valued landladies, was noisily furious that anyone could criticise her dogs. Jackson Baird was closeted with Mollys boss. And now

Lionels gone, Molly said in a voice that caused an instant hush. She was staring at her empty box in horror. Angela, did you?

And Angela had. I just showed Guy. Mollys fellow realtor stared down at the empty box and her face reflected Mollys dismay. I swear thats all I did. Guy dropped in for coffee and he didnt believe you had a frog in your desk.

But you put the top back on, right?

Angela caught her breath, thinking it through and becoming more appalled by the minute. I was just showing him when Jackson Baird walked in. Well, it was Jackson Baird!

Enough said. Jackson Baird The guy just had to enter the room and half the women present would forget their own names! What was it about the man?

Oh, sure, he was good-looking. He was tall, superbly fit and deeply tanned. And his face Youd expect arrogance with Jacksons stature and reputation, but the mans face was almost Labrador-puppyish. It was a take-me-home-and-love-me sort of face, with laughing grey eyes and a wonderful white smile.

Take-me-home-and-love-me? Molly read the society pages enough to know that women did just that. With inherited millions from Australias copper mines, and a fierce business acumen of his own, the man had a reputation almost as vast as the number of zeros in his bank account.

So this morning hed arrived and the whole office had stopped dead. Molly had just returned from inspecting Sophias property, and even that voluble lady had been silenced as Jackson and his lawyer were ushered through.

Thats Jackson Baird, Sophia had breathed as the entourage swept past into Trevors inner sanctum. Ive never seen him in the flesh. Is he a client of yours? The elderly landlady had clearly been immensely impressed.

If he was a client itd do the place an enormous amount of good, Molly had thought, and wondered which of their properties Jackson could possibly be interested in. They had some lovely bayside properties for sale, but surely none palatial enough to suit a man of his wealth.

Jackson made me forget your frog, Angela admitted. Well, you have to admit hes gorgeous.

Sure hes gorgeous, Molly acknowledged, and then, more frantically, But wheres my frog?

He must be here somewhere. Angela dropped to her knees, her fair curls merging with Mollys dark ones as they met under the desk. They were both in their late twenties, and they were both extremely attractive, but there the resemblance ended. Angela treated the world as if it was there to give her a good time whereas Molly knew it would do no such thing. I mean, where can he have gone?

Plenty of places. Trevor Farrs real estate agency was a small firm, and its owner, Mollys cousin, was a muddler. The place was crammed with files almost to the ceiling. Somewhere among them was one green frog.

Sam will kill me, Molly wailed.

Well find him.

I should never have brought him to work.

You hardly had a choice, Angela retorted.

No. She hadnt had a choice. Molly and Sam travelled on the same train-her eight-year-old nephew to Cove Park Elementary and Molly to Bayside Property. Their journey had almost been complete this morning before shed realised why Sams school bag was bulging, and shed been horrified.

You cant take Lionel to school.

I can. Sams bespectacled face creased into defiance. He misses me at home.

But the other kids Molly sighed. She knew only too well the social structure of the school. Hadnt she been in to see the headmaster only last week?

Sams being bullied, shed told him, and the man had spread his hands.

We do our best, he told her. Most kids in Sams position would keep their heads down and stay out of trouble. But, even though Sams about half the size of most third-graders, he matches it with the best of them. Im afraid some of the children retaliate rather brutally. But of course youre right. The kid has pluck and well see what we can do.

Which wasnt much, as Molly had thought when Sam had come home with yet another set of bruises. He laid himself open to pain, and if he took his frog to school there were kids there whod delight in taking his pet from him. Who knew what would happen after that?

Its too late to take him home now, Sam told her, his chin jutting forward in the Sam-against-the-world look she knew only too well.

It had been too late, so shed brought Sams frog to work.

Mollys job was very new. Her cousin had been reluctant to take her on in the first place, shed had an appointment with Sophia at ten and was in no position to arrive late. So shed arrived with Lionels cardboard box under her arm and this was the result.

Samll never forgive me. Both girls were scrambling under the desk, oblivious to those above.

Excuse me? Sophias tones from above the desk declared she was clearly not amused. Do I understand youre looking for a frog?

Its Sams frog. Mollys voice was almost a sob. She pushed her dark curls out of her face and started hauling the filing case from the wall. Help us.

I refuse to wait because of a frog. And as for helping

Angela reacted then. Molly was hauling furniture as if her life depended on it but Angela rose and put her hands on her hips. In the weeks Molly had worked for the agency she and Angela had become fast friends, and Angela would defend her friend to the death. Do you know who Sam is? she demanded.

Of course I dont, girl. Why should I?

Do you remember that awful accident about six months back? Angela demanded. A truck came off the overpass and there were people in the car below. The adults were killed outright but there was a little boy trapped for hours.

The womans jaw dropped in horrified memory. Was that Sam?

Yes. And hes Mollys nephew.

Oh, no.

And now weve lost his frog.

There was deathly silence. The three cleaners and Sophia all let the enormity of this sink in, and then cleaners, landlady, Molly and Angela-everybody started searching.

Unaware of the drama being played out in his outer office, Trevor Farr was growing more flustered by the minute.

At first hed been delighted. He hadnt been able to believe his luck. Hannah Copeland had telephoned this morning and her call had stunned him.

Ive heard Jackson Baird is thinking of buying a property on the coast. There arent many people Id consider selling Birraginbil to, but Jackson may be one of them. My father used to deal with your grandfather, I believe-so you may contact Mr Baird on my behalf and if hes interested then Ill sell. That is, if you want the commission?

If he wanted the commission? Birraginbil Such a sale would set him up for life, Trevor had thought, dazed, and hed made a phone call to Jacksons lawyer at once. He still hardly believed it, but now here was Jackson Baird in person, dressed for business in an Italian suit that screamed expensive, his eagle eyes cool and calculating, and waiting with polite patience for details.

The only trouble was, Trevor didnt yet have details.

So he did the best he could with what he had and tried to buy time. The property is on the coast, two hundred miles south of Sydney, he told Jackson and his lawyer. Its Friday today. Im otherwise engaged at the weekend, but would it be convenient if we drove down together on Monday?