I gave a deep bow before walking towards the gate.
“The name’s Liss,” she called from the patio, spitting the words out.
I flashed her another grin, heart racing with relief as the gate clicked shut behind me.
I was free.
I couldn’t say the same for Ema. And the gnawing feeling in my gut told me I’d just added rescuing her to my ever-growing list of things to do. For now, I’d have to settle for weekly check-ins.
There was another feeling growing too. A slow certainty that Miss Lissy would make me pay for calling her out.
I just didn’t know how yet.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I’d tossedand turned all night trying to come up with a decent plan to get Steamy Sips out of the red before Miss Lissy crept in and snatched it out from under Breeze. I’d filled her in last night once the negotiations about spinning poles had wrapped up.
"I admire her confidence, but it'll never happen," Breeze had said.
I wished I shared her optimism. Knowing what Miss Lissy was capable of through town gossip and actuallyexperiencingwhat she was capable of were horses of a different colour.
I had zero financial skills to speak of, unless you counted being able to survive on packet noodles for weeks. I wouldn’t know where to start with creditors and debtors. And I couldn’t help but worry that Breeze’s situation was worse than she was letting on.
After a shower, I slipped into a pair of blue skinny jeans and a loose t-shirt, which I tucked in at the front. My wavy brown hair tumbled down to my waist and needed its own support to hold its weight.
I could hear Breeze chatting to Taco as I came down the dusty stairs, and I made a mental note to clean them this week.
“Here we go, my tiny burrito taco bowl,” she chirped, sliding a small plate of meat and biscuits down for the chihuahua.
“I wasn’t aware she had a full name,” I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
Breeze’s cheeks turned pink. “She doesn’t. My mum would have hated that. Taco brings out that voice in me, like babies do.”
I couldn’t relate. That time clock they say kicks in for women in their twenties, making them all clucky and drawn to baby making hadn’t hit me yet.
Babies are waiting for you around the next corner, you mark my word,people kept saying. I’d been cautiously checking every corner I turned since. I couldn’t imagine trying to take care of another human. It was hard enough taking care of myself.
“Your phone’s been lighting up like crazy all morning,” Breeze said, gesturing to where I’d left it charging in the scullery overnight. “I popped my head in your door, but you seemed out cold.”
“Was I snoring?” I asked, unlocking the screen.
Five missed calls. Same unknown number.
Breeze’s grin widened, like she’d discovered one of my secrets. “Yes.”
“You’re just lucky I was wearing pyjamas.”
I pressed the voicemail icon. As the message played, my jaw dropped.
Talk about crap things arriving in multiples.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned at the plainclothes detective leaning against the black ute. He widened his stance as I approached, arms folded, each hand tucked beneath an armpit,making his large biceps bulge. I wondered if he dedicated as much time to leg day.
He held out his hand, looking far too satisfied considering the circumstances.
“I don’t think we made official introductions when we met. Dax Holmes,” he said, his hand hanging in the air.
Give me a break.Not only did I have to come back to this stupid house because of a stupid break-in, but I had to do it with him too?
