“You notified authorities about the shipwreck.”
Her mouth dropped open. “How do you know about that?” Perhaps he wasn’t as isolated out here as she’d suspected. “Why do they care about it? Surely they earn enough from their illegal operations.”
“Please just stick to Ridge land and tell Matt to stop investigating the tracks.”
“What?” Georgie stared at him. “He’s been doing that alone?” The idiot. Hadn’t they had enough danger for one year?
A small smile creased his lips. “You didn’t know. Does Darcy?”
She had no idea, but she’d be calling her brother the moment she got into reception range.
“You need to go,” Lee continued.
She hesitated, uncertain whether to contact Dot and Nhiari. “Are you a bad guy, Lee?”
“Some would think so.” He turned to head back into the cave. The tunnels underneath the ranges ran for kilometres and most had never been explored.
“Wait.” She wasn’t sure what to say. This man said he was trying to protect her family, but what had he done to them in Stonefish’s name? “Amy was thrilled you sent the photos of the wedding. Thank you.”
He inclined his head slightly. “Your family has been good to me.” Then he continued into the darkness leaving Georgie staring after him.
***
Matt had spent the past week discussing the contents of both journals with the Stokes. It had become routine to brainstorm the latest ideas and theories around the dinner table, but everyone was growing more despondent by the day. Only Lara had any measure of enthusiasm now and even hers was waning. He focused on the English translations of the captain’s journals trying to figure out how Lilian knew where the treasure was, but so far he’d come up with nothing. The scratchy old-fashioned script was hard to decipher. He’d taken the whole week to read only half the journal and felt like an idiot when Lara had read both journals again in the same time.
Stupid to let it bother him, but it made him conscious of the gap in his formal education. Georgie would have been like Lara and finished them already.
He had to stop dwelling on it and on everything going wrong right now.
Darcy had discovered they’d already received the insurance money for the four-wheel drive and spent some of it on replacing the feed which had burnt, and the rest on other things they’d needed for the station. So they were down one car.
He’d heard nothing more from the police about the smugglers. He suspected there wasn’t much they could do aside from keep an eye out for the usual suspects and stop them to search their cars.
And on top of everything, he hadn’t seen Georgie in over two weeks. Normally she had dinner at the Ridge weekly, which meant she was avoiding him. She’d even invited Tess and Ed to dinner at her place before they left. He’d stooped to asking Ed whether Jerry had been there because he’d envisioned a cute couples’ dinner. Ed had looked puzzled, then amused and told him it was just the three of them.
The relief shouldn’t have been so strong.
But damn it if he didn’t miss seeing her. He hadn’t realised what a constant she’d been in his life.
No, not a constant, a ray of light.
He snorted and shook his head at himself. That sounded so naff.
The phone rang as Matt walked into the kitchen that evening after another long, hot, tiring day. He wanted a cold drink and a seat. Amy was busy stirring dinner on the stove. “Can you get that?”
He picked up the phone. “Retribution Ridge.”
A sharp intake of breath and instantly he knew it was Georgie. His muscles tightened.
“Matt.”
“Georgie.” He waited for her to say why she’d phoned. When the pause was in danger of becoming ridiculously long, she blurted, “Why are you investigating the tracks on your own? Does Darcy know you’re doing it?”
He blinked. “How did you know?” Damn. He shouldn’t have admitted it.
Another long pause before she said, “I have my sources.”
He’d been certain no one had seen him, and his parents wouldn’t have mentioned it to her. He’d been cautious because he hadn’t wanted to run into the smugglers. So how had she known?
