Nel shook her head.‘I don’t know …’
‘Are you still certain she was wearing the ring?’Frisk rubbed his chin.‘You’re sure you’re not mistaken?’
‘I’m not mistaken!’Nel said more forcefully than she meant to.Rob put a hand on her arm, steadying her.‘She was wearing the ring.It was the whole reason for our fight.’
‘Yourfight?’Frisk repeated.‘Was there aphysicalaltercation between you and Maddie?’
‘No!Argument, I mean!’Her chest felt tight.She didn’t like the way Frisk was looking at her.It felt as though he was deliberately misunderstanding her.‘I’ve already told you all this.When I saw that she was wearing the ring, I asked her if she was back together with him.She didn’t deny it, so I told her I was finished with her and then I left.’
Frisk held her gaze, nodding.
Nel closed her eyes, trying to make it make sense.A ring couldn’t just disappear.It was on Maddie’s finger when Nel saw her on Wednesday night, and it was gone by the time they found her.Had someone taken it?
‘Have you questioned Ryan Warner yet?’Nel asked.
O’Neill frowned.‘Why do you ask that?’
‘Well, he was the one who gave her that ring, and now it’s missing.Maybe he saw her after I left.’
*
A wave rose up, obscuring the sun.Nel paddled and jumped up onto the board, embracing the temporary respite from her incessant thoughts, pumping hard to get momentum.Her ears filled with the sound of fibreglass slicing through the face of the wave, the rush of white water breaking behind her.For thirty seconds, there was nothing but the wave.When it closed out, she peeled off and watched it travel on without her, crashing onto the rocky shore.
She turned to paddle out again.What else did she know?The DNA sample belonged to Ryan.That was a fact, but what did it tell them?It wasn’t the proverbial smoking gun—Jimmy was clearabout that—but itdidprove that Ryan had lied to the police in the days following Maddie’s disappearance.He said he hadn’t been at the lighthouse lookout for weeks.Why would he lie if he had nothing to hide?
She pictured his smug face.He was rattled enough to turn up at the clinic and threaten her, and she didn’t have proof yet, but he was also emailing her niece to try to drive Nel out of town.He’d misread her though if he thought she’d run away again.
A wave came, glowing translucent as the sun shone through the wall of water, rescuing her from her thoughts.Her heart pounded as she rode down its face, powerful energy thrumming beneath her.
As she peeled off and started to paddle back out, her mind circled back to Maddie’s pregnancy.Who knew about it?Her father did, obviously, and Trent said he had told the police.
According to Harry, Ryan knew too.Nel pictured Maddie sitting in his station wagon the day before she disappeared.Why?It was possible that they’d been somewhere together to get a termination.There was a clinic at Mount Clare that was spoken about in hushed tones in the playground of Carrinya High.Or was Maddie telling Ryan the news that afternoon, when Nel saw them in the car?That was more likely, given what Sophie had said—that Ryan met her at the lighthouse the following night to tell her to abort the pregnancy.
What about Geoff and Faye?Didtheyknow Maddie was pregnant?That was what she really needed to know.Without the autopsy report there was only one way to find out.
She caught the next wave in.
Chapter 44
The blinds were still closed when Nel arrived at the Marshalls’ place, giving the effect that the house itself was sleeping.She checked the time on her phone, thinking perhaps it was still too early to visit, but it was after eight thirty.She knocked on the screen door.
There was a shuffling sound in a distant room.She waited for footsteps, but there were none.After a minute or two she knocked again.Just as she was about to turn to go, there was a click and the door opened.
‘Nel,’ Geoff said from behind the security screen door.He was wearing a woollen jumper and slippers.She was used to seeing him in a collared shirt, full of gravitas and authority.The difference was jarring.
‘Hi, Geoff.I’m sorry to stop by unexpectedly.I just …’ Her voice faltered.‘I wonder if I could speak to Faye.Is she home?’
He opened the screen door halfway.‘She’s still in bed.’He paused.‘I’m afraid she’s not well.’
‘Sorry to hear that.Please pass on my best wishes.’She started to go, then stopped and turned back.‘Geoff?’
He opened the door again.
‘Wouldyouhave time for a quick chat?’
‘Oh, ah …’ He looked at his watch, grimacing.‘I don’t think so—’
‘Please?I’ve discovered something that I wanted to ask Faye about, but maybe you can help.’She thought she saw a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.‘It won’t take long.’
