‘We had a good garden for it. We used the trees, piles of leaves to jump into, ropes, the swing. We’d time each other to see who was the fastest. I always won.’ His voice caught. ‘She hated that, and yet she’d presented me with the cardboard medal she’d made and even managed a congratulations.’
‘Sounds like she was a lot of fun.’
‘God, I miss her.’ But holding Eva, a part of Cassie, kept a part of his sister close every day. ‘Thank you, Maya. For being here. For what you’ve done for me. I don’t know how to thank you. I’ll be forever grateful.’
She held his gaze for a moment but then turned away and focused her attention on Eva. ‘You should get this one home tobed. And you should do whatever you need to with the evidence you now have.’
‘If I go to the police, you might get in trouble for looking at confidential information. I don’t want that.’
‘Don’t you worry about me. And I won’t be in trouble if you don’t let on that you have it.’ She’d sent him each of the photos on his own phone. ‘You could just say something is off with this guy who’s asking you for money. Tell your story. Ears should prick up. If Conrad knew about this guy, his colleagues will do too.’
He contemplated his next move but right now, the only option was to get Eva, who was starting to wriggle around, home and to bed and then he could do some proper thinking.
A car’s headlights swung around outside, illuminating the entire reception, and when they didn’t pass by, Maya got up. Both of them heard the man’s voice yelling her name before they saw who it belonged to.
‘Maya…’ Noah went to her side, Eva in his arms. ‘What happened at the house?’
‘I almost got caught.’ Maya looked as though this was the last thing she needed to deal with. ‘I should’ve known I wouldn’t get away with going upstairs. He probably woke up, found me gone and put two and two together about what I’d been doing.’
Her dark hair, loose, the beautiful dress, he’d only just started to take it all in with everything going on. She’d gone out on a limb to help him and now what?
‘I thought he’d go to your place,’ she said, ‘and he probably has already. But now he’s here.’
They looked out at the taxi, which had reversed a good fifty metres away, probably at Conrad’s instruction, and at Conrad, who swayed next to the low wall out front.
‘I’ll go out,’ said Maya. ‘Don’t you worry about me. I’ll steer him out of the way so you have a clear path to your car for youand Eva. You have all the information you need now, no looking back.’ She pressed a kiss to Eva’s temple. ‘Kids come first, and this one deserves the world.’
33
Maya’s heart pounded when she emerged to confront Conrad outside the Whistlestop River Air Ambulance base.
‘You read the file, didn’t you?’ he yelled at her.
‘What file?’ She may as well play dumb; it would buy more time. She led him away from the building and he was too inebriated to work out what she was doing.
‘You know exactly what I’m talking about.’
‘You’re going to have to spell it out to me, I’m afraid.’ And take long enough doing so that Noah and Eva could get to their car and go.
‘Stop bullshitting, Maya.’
‘I’m not.’ She looked at the taxi to make sure Conrad was facing away from the airbase when she saw Noah and Eva stay close to the building and weave their way around to the parking bays. Stalling for time, she said, ‘You must be paying a fortune in taxi fares. Why didn’t you call me?’
‘You’d only lie.’
‘I think you need to go home, sober up.’ Emboldened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the sight behindConrad of Noah pulling out of the car park, she told him, ‘We’ll talk about this another time.’
‘Oh, no, we won’t.’ He cupped his hands around his mouth and called up to the skies, ‘Whistlestop River, Maya has been a very, very naughty girl!’ He looked at her to gauge her reaction. ‘Want me to continue?’
‘Stop that right now,’ came a voice beside them. Noah. He’d pulled up alongside and got out of the car.
‘You again,’ Conrad sneered. ‘You’re a right duo, aren’t you?’ He pointed to Noah then Maya and back again. ‘I see what you’re doing here.’
‘And what might that be, Conrad?’ Maya was so tired of this man.
‘You’re ganging up against me.’
‘We’re not in the playground, mate.’ Noah intervened, coming closer, one eye on Maya, the other on the car.
