She shook her head. “I don’t know. Brandon said Arthur has always been the responsible, obedient soldier. They’d have to get him drunk, or in a life-threatening situation for him to open up.”
How sad. What had led him to that? “I think others not making a big fuss over his leg is important.”
“Neither Brandon nor Sam are likely to.” Faith grinned. “Hopefully, he can find some peace here. There’s something about Retribution Bay that’s good for the soul.”
Gretchen would have agreed before Kurt had come to town. She hesitated and then asked, “How are things out here?”
Faith sighed. “We’re making ends meet—just. The campgrounds and Georgie’s and my income are keeping us afloat.”
Gretchen stared at her. “I didn’t realise things were so bad.”
Faith blinked and bit her lip. “Sorry, I forgot you didn’t know about it.”
Gretchen’s skin prickled. Though she didn’t want to ask, this might be what Kurt wanted. She heard Jordan laugh from inside the shed. She had to keep him safe. She could choose whether she would tell her ex. “Know about what?”
Faith hesitated. “We’ve been having some trouble with a company who wants to buy the Ridge.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“They pulled down a windmill, set our haystack alight, threatened people.” Faith ran a hand over her face. “It’s been a hard few months.”
Kurt was involved. He had to be. The bastard was harassing not just her, but her friends, too. “Why do they want the Ridge?”
More hesitation. “They were smuggling native animals from the gulf, but it might be more than that. Seems as if they have their fingers in a lot of pies up here and they’ve decided the Ridge would make a good base.”
Yeah, that sounded like stuff Kurt would be involved in. She would bet drugs were part of it, too. Perhaps she could tell Kurt about the company, without causing her friends trouble, because he probably already knew. It would buy her some time. “Sounds awful. What are the police doing?”
“There’s not much they can do. It’s a faceless entity. After each event we hope it’s over, but then something else happens.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“We have no clue who’s in charge, so it’s like fighting a ghost. The less you know, the better.”
Gretchen should tell her about Kurt, should tell her she was already involved. She opened her mouth to speak, as Arthur returned, dressed in track pants and a jumper, which read,Be the Best. It fit him well, and his smile distracted her for a moment. “Your turn, Gretchen.”
She pressed her lips together. She’d implied to Arthur that she knew what was happening, so she could hardly ask more questions now. He might feel as if she’d lied to him—which to be fair, she had—but she didn’t want him to know that. She stood. “Thanks.”
She’d speak to Faith later. Maybe they could fight Kurt together.
After she showered, Gretchen returned to the fire where Faith and Arthur chatted. Faith smiled and then yawned at her. “Goodness, that’s my cue to hit the sack.”
She looked tired, but Gretchen wasn’t. “I might stay up a little longer.”
“Me too,” Arthur said.
Faith entered the shed where the voices of the children had faded.
Arthur rubbed his leg again.
“Still sore?”
“Almost constantly.”
“You want to describe it?”
He glanced at her. “Sharp pain down my leg or pins and needles, and then raw rashes around the prosthesis.”
“Is the prosthetic leg temporary?”
