Page 67

‘Ellie McLaren, if you don’t sit down and stop pacing, I’m going to tie you to that chair.’

Ellie glared at her husband. ‘I can’t sit down, Kane. All I can think of is Mum somewhere out in the wild. She’ll be so scared this will put her back. She won’t cope if something has happened. We should’ve made her stay home. I should never have let her go on that stupid trek.’

Kane put his hands on her shoulders. ‘And what? We wrap her in cotton wool for the rest of her life and lock her in a cupboard? You heard how happy she sounded on the phone and you saw the happiness in her face in that photo she sent. What Connor told us happened out there is a one in a million thing. And your mum was just unlucky that she was on that trek.’

‘I don’t care if she was unlucky or what it was, I just want her home. I just want to know she’s alright.’

‘Calm down, sweetheart,’ Kane said. ‘Think of the bub.’

Ellie put both her hands over her face and her husband’s arms went around her as sobs racked her body. ‘I know, Kane, I know. I know I have to be strong. After everything Mum’s been through . . . to have this happen.’ She lifted her face and held his eyes. ‘I’m also going to worry about you flying the guys down there. Who knows what you’ll find?’

‘No darling, it’s the best way. It’s the quickest way we can look for her. And when we find her, we can bring her home quickly. And Connor, Ryan and I can be in touch with you girls the whole time. Now have you got your bag packed and James’ gear packed? It’s time we headed to Darwin.’

‘Sort of. I’ve got no idea what I threw in there.’

‘Now I want you to promise me when you’re at Dru’s, you’ll rest. Put your feet up, even if you have to pay a babysitter to come and help you look after James. We don’t want Dru doing too much either.’

‘I’m not trusting anybody with our child, Kane. Life has taught me too much. We’ve both learned you can’t trust easily. There’s no integrity, and so much evil. Look at what we’ve been through in our lives. Poor David and Gina. David was the Territory’s Chief Magistrate and now what’s he doing? He's running a gelataria in a little village in Tuscany.’

‘And might I say,’ Kane said with a little glimmer of a smile, ‘David is as happy as a pig in mud. What did Gina say in her last email?’

‘Maiale nel fango, is his new nickname.’ Ellie smiled this time. ‘Pig in mud.’

‘So see, everything can have a good outcome.’

‘Maybe, but there is so much damage done to innocent people. Look what Russell Fairweather caused. And Heather, and Bill, and all those people who didn’t do the right thing when we were trying to investigate Dad’s death. And then Emma and that horrible man who tried to kill her with those snakes, and then Dru and that creepy guy in Dubai. Why does all this happen to us?’ Ellie started to cry again, deep sobs shaking her shoulders.

Kane reached up and used his thumb to brush the tears off her cheeks. ‘Okay, sweetie, I’ll let you have a little cry for a couple of minutes and then I’m going to make you a cup of tea and you’re going to sit for a while and calm down, because if you don’t, I don’t think I can leave you.’

‘Oh yes, you have to, you have to go.’ Ellie sniffed and wiped the back of her hand across her nose. ‘I’ll be fine, honestly. I promise. It’s just getting used to what Connor told you. I’ll be with Dru and we’ll go to the hospital and visit Dee and the twins. James will keep us entertained at their apartment. Hopefully we’ll hear some good news from Emma. I’ve just got to be positive and know everything is going to be okay. Connor hasn’t told Jeremy what’s happened, has he?’

‘No, we decided not to put that on him because Emma is so intuitive, she’d know there was something wrong. We’re better off not to tell them anything until we know what’s happened. They’ve got enough to worry about.’

Harbourview Apartments Darwin

Two hours later Ellie had checked her bag was packed sensibly and James’ favourite toys were in a crate. She’d sat and calmly drunk the cup of tea that Kane had made her while he rang Jock at Jabiru airport to check that he could hire a chopper. When Jock, their former boss, had heard it was to look for Sandra—Kane had been very vague with details after Connor’s warning—Jock had said, ‘Don’t be stupid. Pay for the Avgas and that’s all.’

Kane turned Ellie’s sedan into the driveway of the Harbourview Apartments. Ellie picked up her phone and texted Dru as her sister had asked her to do when they arrived.

Immediately the security grill to the underground basement car park lifted and after negotiating the two floors of parking, Kane located the guest parking spot for Dru and Connor’s apartment, and squeezed the car into the narrow space.

‘Jeez, I’m pleased we didn’t bring the Ranger,’ he said. ‘We never would have fitted in here.’

Ellie woke James up and he held her hand as Kane unpacked their bags.

‘I suppose I can’t say I’ll carry James while you bring the bags,’ Ellie said.

‘No, you know you can’t. I’ll do a second trip. And don’t you go picking him up while I’m away either.’

‘I know.’

‘I can walk, Mummy. I’m a big boy.’

Ellie smiled down at her little son. ‘As long as you promise to hold Mummy’s hand and not try to run ahead.’

‘I promise.’

‘Good boy.’