She ran her hand over her hair, fingers snagging in her ponytail. She pulled the band free and worried it in her fingers. ‘Are you saying we’re not safe here?’
‘That’s not what I’m saying, but I would just caution you to be careful for the next few days. Try not to be alone. It’s good you’re going to CoalCliff tonight. Can you stay there?’
‘Carter can.’ He loved to stay over. She’d have to check with Nat when they got there if that it was okay, but didn’t think it would be a problem—it never had been before. She wouldn’t even need to pack him a bag. She always kept his backpack stocked in the car in case she had call outs and had to drop him at CoalCliff or with Lisa. Him staying at CoalCliff tonight had the added benefit of freeing her up to go to the police station without anyone knowing.
‘What about you?’
‘No.’ There was no way she was going to be chased out of her own home just because some arsehat with a superiority complex had made a phone call. ‘I’ll make sure all the doors and windows are locked when I come back tonight.’
He tried to talk her out of staying there alone, but she wouldn’t budge, so he finally gave up and confirmed that she would drop by the station later in the evening and that she would call if there was any further contact from the caller.
She bit her lip as she put down her phone.
‘Mum?’
She turned to see Carter swinging into the doorway, his cap backward on his head.
She took a deep breath and plastering a smile on her face, said, ‘That won’t keep the sun off you at all if you wear it that way.’
‘I’m not in the sun right now. Come on. Are you ready?’
‘Sure.’ She would have liked to change her top and redo her make-up but they were seriously late now. ‘Have you fed Maccy?’
‘Yes.’
‘Make sure the cat flap is locked? We can’t have him roaming and killing more birds.’
‘I know. He’s in my room.’
‘Could you grab the bowl of salad and then head out to the car? I’ll just grab my doctor’s bag and be right out.’
‘Okay.’
She took a breath and steadied her shaking hands and looked at herself in the mirror. ‘It’s fine. It’s nothing. Bob Thompson’s an old airbag and a bully. He wouldn’t do anything more than threaten.’ It sounded good in principle. But she just couldn’t shake the tingle from chasing over the back of her neck as the voice echoed in her mind again. You can die, bitch.
Chapter 10
‘Mum! Come on!’
Carter’s plaintive call echoed up the stairs. ‘Coming.’ She had to pull herself together. Letting the arsehat get to her this way was just playing into his hands. She wasn’t going to play his stupid game. Clenching her fists at her sides, she gave herself a determined nod in the mirror, then grabbing her bag, ran down the stairs to the office to get her doctor’s kit and then went out to the car.
It wasn’t until she’d pulled out of the drive and onto the road, that she remembered she was about to see Flynn again.
Well, one good thing you could say about phone threats from arsehat bullies—they took your mind off other things you didn’t particularly want to think about. But now she was thinking about it, her muscles began to clench, her grip tightening on the steering wheel as Carter chatted away about what he was going to do with Tilly and Aaron. She stretched out her fingers and tried to relax. This was ridiculous. It had been fine seeing him yesterday. And talking to him on the phone earlier. A little stilted, sure, but not as bad as she’d thought it might be. So, you see, there was no need to be so uptight over one failed kiss. Well, two kisses when you remembered they’d kissed again in her bedroom. Which she was trying not to do. Remember, that is.
‘… don’t you think, Mum?’
‘What?’
‘You weren’t listening.’
‘I was.’ Out of the corner of her eye she saw him give her the look. The ‘I’m calling you on your adult lie’ look. ‘Sorry. My mind wandered for a moment.’
‘Where you thinking about Flynn?’
She choked back the ‘no!’ that clamoured to fly out of her mouth, aware that for a kid as sensitive as Carter, that shouted ‘no!’ would be as bad as a slap. ‘Why do you think I was thinking about Flynn?’
‘Because I heard Nat and Barb say you’ve been avoiding each other.’
‘Well, you shouldn’t believe everything you hear other people saying.’ And she was going to have to have a chat to her friends about looking out for big little ears.
‘So, you’re not avoiding each other?’
‘Of course not. We’re friends. We’ve just both been super busy this last month.’ She smiled, hoping he swallowed that half-lie as she pulled up outside the house. ‘We’re here. Let me hold that while you get out.’ She held her hands out for the bowl of salad.
‘I can do it.’ He opened the door and managed to get out while holding the big bowl and then stood grinning at her as she came around to join him. ‘See?’
‘When did you get so big and strong?’
His grin widened. ‘I don’t know. I think the rock climbing is helping.’
‘I think so too.’
They walked towards the door and she was about to knock when it opened. Prita sucked in a breath, ready for the punch that seeing Flynn always brought.
Barb stood there, beaming at them. She could have wept in relief. The smile she’d plastered to her face relaxed into something far less plastic and manic feeling.
‘Ahh, finally, the cavalry has arrived and right on time.’ Barb leaned forward to give her a kiss before turning to Carter and pulling him in for a hug around the salad. ‘Aaron is getting grumbly. But you’ll be able
