As she stopped at a T-junction to turn, a car pulled up behind her. A dark blue car. She told herself not to jump at shadows because through the mirrors it could as easily be a sedan as a ute. But the tint was too dark to see inside. And she knew it was illegal to tint the windscreen like that.
She turned when traffic allowed and watched her mirrors. When the car behind followed, her heart jumped. It was a ute. The ute.
Stay calm. Drive normally.
There were no plates on the ute. It trailed her but not so close as to be dangerous so it might be a coincidence it was travelling the same way.
By the time she reached the ‘Gisborne’ sign, she’d decided it was that. Two vehicles using the same road. Even though one had no plates, illegal tinting, and probably was the ute involved in the thefts. If they went their own way soon, she’d be okay.
She found her destination and parked not far from the shop. The ute drove past with no sign of slowing. For a few minutes she stayed in the car. It didn’t return. The road was quite visible in both directions, with a carpark across the road, so she was sure she’d see the ute if it was around.
Time was getting away, so she took a deep breath and got out, locking the car before going shopping. She adored the shop, with its friendly staff and selection of products, but spent less time there than she’d otherwise do. At least now she had some goodies for Mayhem and Mellow.
Back in the car, she drove around the block to take a quick look at the town. Around the same size as Kingfisher Falls, this was another pretty village. The ute was parked outside a supermarket. Something made her pull into an empty parking space. She grabbed her phone and the door handle, ready to get some photos of the ute and hoping nobody was inside.
But two men emerged from the supermarket carrying cartons of beer. She opened the camera app and started taking photos. Their heights and builds reminded her of the men in the masks. They put the cartons into the back of the ute, talking to each other. They were young. Early twenties at the most. They got in and a moment later, backed the ute out.
Charlotte threw her phone back into her handbag and eased out of her parking spot after letting another car pass. The ute sped away and she followed around the next corner.
It was disappearing fast along the road and she wasn’t about to lose it. Or speed.
Patience.
A car pulled out in front and slowed her down.
“Not now.”
Her fingers tapped on the steering wheel until she found a safe place to pass. The speed limit increased as the road left town and Charlotte touched the accelerator.
Where are you?
At the end of a long curve she finally saw the ute. She doubted if she could match its pace, but if she didn’t completely lose sight, she might find out where they lived. Adrenalin coursed through her and she told herself to stay focused. This was the break she’d needed.
Where would they lead her to?
Glenys’s property? Maybe they were her relatives doing dirty work on her behalf. Glenys had been so cutting about the Forest family in the bookshop that time. And she lived next door to the farm so who knew if there were neighbourly issues. There was something secretive about Glenys Lane.
Or were they associated with Sid after all? He’d certainly ignored the ute even after Charlotte pointed out it had just damaged her windscreen, and he had no interest in investigating any evidence from the roundabout or Esther’s shop.
“I bet these two belong to you, Octavia Morris!”
Who else had such a grudge against the Christmas Tree Farm? She lived and breathed her hatred of the family, even though her own husband was as much to blame for the breakdown of the marriages. These young men might be her grandsons or hired help. And now they were on their way to her house to celebrate all the chaos they’d created.
Charlotte was puzzled when the ute turned off before Kingfisher Falls. She was sure Octavia lived on the other side of town. Keeping her distance, she followed. The street was familiar but the last thing she’d expected was the ute to turn into the carpark in front of the garden supplies building.
Stealing more trees, gentlemen?
She nosed her car alongside the kerb on the street, far enough away to hopefully avoid being spotted watching them, and got her camera set up.
The passenger got out, spoke to the driver, then closed the door.
Now the ute was moving again. Charlotte took a couple of quick photos and was about to start the motor to follow when Veronica emerged from the shop. Charlotte almost dropped the phone as the young man pulled Veronica against himself and kissed her on the lips. Her arms went around his waist and she kissed him back.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Even as her mind formed the words, she was snapping images. She needed evidence, some means of connecting the ute, the men, and Veronica. And although she had no idea how to report this, or what step was next, Charlotte knew in her gut she’d found the Christmas Tree thief.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Charlotte stayed in her car for a long time. A quick glance at the clock on the dashboard told her it was only ten minutes, but each one of those minutes dragged. Watching Veronica and the young man make out turned her stomach, for no other reason than knowing these were the people behind a whole lot of hurt in and out of town.
After a while,
