She raised an eyebrow.‘If it wasn’t completely deserted, I’d feel like I was in Bondi.Have you been here much?’
‘A couple of times.They were getting a decent crowd while there were still some tourists around.’
‘It’s definitely a change of pace from Sydney.’
He laughed.‘It’s a change of pace from Wollongong.’
She took a sip of wine.‘What happened in Wollongong?’
‘Long story.’He paused as though he was trying to work out where to start, or how much to tell her.‘I was working on the Molly Peters case.’He looked at her and she nodded.The tiny blonde girl’s photo had been at the top of every news bulletin for months after she disappeared from a school fete, her tiny face painted like a butterfly, fairy floss in hand.‘We were making progress—I had some good leads—and then I got taken off the case, completely out of the blue.I’d got “too close to it” apparently, whatever that means.’
He ran a hand through his dark curls, then he leaned back and shrugged.‘Anyway, it’s not so bad here.The position comes with a cottage next door to the station so the commute’s a breeze.’He gave her a smile.‘To tell you the truth, it’s kind of nice to be dealing with stolen patio furniture instead of missing children, and I get to spend some time with my folks.What about you?Do you think Carrinya could be home again?’
‘Home?God no.’She shook her head, rejecting the idea without a second thought.
Voices sounded and a young couple entered, hand in hand.Nel watched them walk to a nearby table.They were too young to recognise her but she lowered her voice anyway.
She looked back at Jimmy.‘Iamgoing to stay a bit longer though.’
‘I thought you couldn’t wait to leave?’
‘Something happened this afternoon.’She glanced across at the young lovers but they only had eyes for each other.The barmaid must be out the back.Satisfied no one was listening, she told him about the visit from the journalist, Sophie’s wrist injury and her suspicions about Ryan.‘Sophie didn’t tell him she’d taken Harvey to the doctor.She said we met at the library.She’s scared of him, Jimmy.He’s controlling her.’
Nel sipped her wine, recalling an article she’d read recently about how difficult it was to get convictions in coercive control cases.
‘Have you brought charges against anyone for coercive control yet?’she asked.The new laws had only come into effect a year or so before.
Jimmy shook his head.‘A lot of victims don’t report the behaviour because they’re terrified of what will happen when their partner finds out.Or theydoreport it but then their partner convinces them to drop the charges.’Nel sighed as Jimmy went on.‘The wrist might be the first physical assault.Some of these bastards spend years smashing plates and breaking furniture before it escalates into physical abuse.’
‘Does it always escalate?’
‘Usually.’
Nel thought of Sophie and her kids.What was happening in their home right now?Were they safe or scared?
‘There’s something else,’ she said.‘I went through Maddie’s medical file.’
He raised his eyebrows.‘And?’
‘I didn’t expect to find anything, to be honest.I just thought it was a starting point, but I was wrong about that.’
‘What did you find?’
She leaned in and lowered her voice.‘Blood test results from the week when she died.She went to see my dad about fatigue earlier that week.According to his barely legible notes, Faye thought she might have glandular fever.But she didn’t.’A beat.‘She was pregnant, Jimmy.Ten to fourteen weeks at the time of the test.’
‘Shit.’His voice was almost a whisper.
Nel glanced around to check they weren’t being overheard.‘I’ve made a decision.’She wasn’t sure what he would think but she needed him.‘I’m convinced Ryan Warner had something to dowith Maddie’s death.For years I’ve pretended it doesn’t matter, that knowing won’t change anything, but now that I’m back here, I can’t accept that anymore.I hardly saw my dad for the last fourteen years because of what happened.And now there’s a journalist sniffing around planning to write god knows what.I’m an outcast in my own home, while Ryan Warner basically owns the place.It’s time to get justice for Maddie.And justice for Ryan Warner.’
Jimmy took a long sip.‘The thing is …’ He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.‘Solving cold cases is … difficult.Extremely difficult.Even for experienced detectives.There’s a good chance that you’ll get nowhere.Find nothing.’He paused to let his warning sink in.‘How will you cope with that?If that’s where you end up?’
‘At least I’ll know I tried.’She felt her resolve strengthen.‘Maddie was my best friend, Jimmy.I let her down.At the very least, I will have tried to make amends.’
He nodded.‘You sure this won’t just bring everything back for you?’
‘It’s never left me.I hid from it for two years, then I ran from it for fourteen.’
‘You need to do this.’
