Auction Ch. 12A

Indicating to the driver that I wanted out of here, I heard a shriek from Dianne which might have been "I love you," but faded into the distance. I didn't look back.

** ** **

Helmut Muller was treated for his injuries in a Perth hospital. He flew in his PR people from Germany and refused to speak to the media. The reason for carrying a firearm was repeatedly sidestepped by his minders and so was the reason for his rushed entrance into a quiet outback resort reception area. The best they could come up with was that Muller's pilot had "misinterpreted" the actions of one of the resort's staff and his cry for help had been responsible for Muller's intervention. Police charged him for the unauthorized import of a prohibited weapon but the charges were later downgraded to a warning. It was unfortunate, according to one newspaper report, that Muller's injuries were so bad that he would not be able to father children.

"The little guy has finally had a win!" I thought triumphantly.

Five years later, I owned an engineering consultancy company with a staff of fifteen, running very successfully in our specialized field.

After our uncontested divorce, Dianne and I spoke to each other regularly by phone. She sold the house and moved to Western Australia, where she bought the Outback Resort from Bob and immediately began renovations. She called in her two friends from Germany and together they did a superb job in marketing the business. It quickly became one of the leading attractions in the Kimberley region. I was very proud of her achievements. To the best of my knowledge, Dianne does not date and has no man in her life. She still ends every phone call with: "I love you."

In our new riverfront home, Jill is sitting quietly by the window, the advanced stage of her second pregnancy obvious. Our two-year old son Robert is playing noisily in his playpen near his mother.

I think Jill was the only person who really understood what had happened between me and her sister. She was never critical or judgmental, supporting us both through a very difficult time. There was no hint of any future for us until a few weeks after Dianne bought the resort and left town for the other side of the country. Jill and I continued to talk regularly and so I asked her to dinner one evening.

Do I love Jill like I loved Dianne? That question will never be answered, but I can guarantee one thing -- Jill will never sell her body to get us out of trouble.