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The hairs on the back of Ana’s neck prickled as she drove the long way to Meg’s house. There was no sign of the red car, but terror consumed her, making her skin crawl. She felt violated. But she didn’t see anyone she didn’t want to see as she turned onto Station Drive.
Ana parked outside Meg’s and found her friend waiting. She rushed up the driveway with the dogs, grabbed Meg’s arm, and pulled her inside. ‘Get in. Quick.’
Meg didn’t argue. Locking the screen, Ana slammed the wooden door closed, latched the security chain, and bolted the deadlock. Then she ran through the house and locked the rest of the doors.
‘Will you tell me what’s going on?’ Panic filled Meg’s voice.
Ana finally stopped, her chest heaving as she sagged against the wall in the small hallway by the bathroom. ‘I think Rick’s here.’
Tears filled her eyes as she slid down the wall. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she dropped her head and cried. Louis nudged his nose under her arm to offer comfort and Ana took it, trembling.
She shouldn’t be surprised. She’d known he’d come. She’d never underestimated him. Rick was sly, cunning, and evil.
She pulled Louis close and buried her face in his fur.
Meg dropped to her knees and took Ana’s hands. ‘What do you mean? How?’
Hiccupping, she lifted her head and met her friend’s calm eyes. ‘I’ve had this feeling for a few days now. Louis’ barking is strange and I keep seeing this red car around. And now, I just went home and found my screen door locked. I never lock it, Meg! Not when I’m out.’
Meg’s mouth twisted. ‘I know. So, you think—’
‘I saw a shadow in the window. Someone was in there.’
Meg blew out her breath. ‘Well, you did the right thing, Ana. And if he is here—’
‘He’s going to kill me, Meg!’
Meg huffed out a breath. ‘Oh, Ana.’
‘He wants revenge! I knew he’d come. He told me. He hates me for standing up to him, so what else would he consider payback? He won’t just hit me this time!’
Ana broke into sobs. It was useless pretending not to be afraid. Elizadale may have provided her with a pretty distraction, but she’d spent the past few months in fear of this very moment.
Meg scooted around beside Ana and pulled her into a hug. ‘It’ll be okay. I’ll keep you close until Liam gets back. But first, we need to call the police.’
Ana was not reassured. ‘I need to know if he’s here. Then I need him gone! He needs to be back in prison. I didn’t want the parole board to let him out early, but they didn’t listen. They said he’d been showing signs of good behaviour and was “rehabilitated”. I mean, what is that? You can’t rehabilitate evil! They said he’d made changes and was safe to re-enter the community. Except I’m not safe because he wants revenge!’
‘It’ll be all right.’ Meg’s grip tightened, her voice soothing. ‘Just calm down. Then you can call Liam and I’ll call the police.’
‘Okay.’ Ana took a deep breath. ‘Okay ...’
* * *
After a day in Townsville catching up with Lily, Liam stretched out comfortably in the passenger seat while Jack drove them home. He’d beaten Adam out of the front after stopping for lunch in Innisfail and his cousin now sat grumpily between Cade and Michael.
They were turning off the coastal highway and heading for the Tablelands, singing along to an endless stream of country music when Liam’s phone interrupted their bad karaoke.
‘It’s Ana.’
Adam groaned. ‘Keep it clean, would ya?’ he said as Jack committed sacrilege by turning down Lee Kernaghan.
‘Shut up.’ Liam answered the call. ‘Hey, baby.’
‘Liam ... um ... where are you?’
‘Maybe two hours out. Why?’ He frowned at the tremor in her voice. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Um ... no, not really. I need you here. I ...’
‘Just tell him,’ Meg said in the background.
Ana took a deep breath. Liam tried not to jump to conclusions as a few popped into his head. But none of them came close to what she told him.
‘Liam, I think Rick’s here. I don’t know where, but he’s here.’
Liam straightened, his blood surging as his hand tightened around the phone. That bastard. ‘Where are you? Have you seen him?’
‘No. But someone was in my unit and I think he may have been watching the house.’
‘Where are you?’ he asked again, the panic in his voice causing everyone else in the car to fall silent. Fear rose to clog his throat. ‘Ana ... baby, please. Don’t run.’
She exhaled deeply. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t. I’m at Meg’s. I have Steph and Louis with me.’
‘Okay.’ Liam closed his eyes and ordered himself to breathe. Of all weekends, of all days, why today? Why now when he was hours away from home and unable to help her? ‘Listen to me, Ana. Go to Brett’s and wait for me. Cade and I will be there soon.’
Cade leaned forward from the back seat. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Call your dad and tell him Meg and Ana are on their way.’
‘Meg’s already called Brett,’ Ana said. ‘We’re going in a minute.’
‘Good. Tell him everything, Ana. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Jack will step on it.’
Jack was already going at a hundred and twenty.
‘Okay. And you’ll be here in two hours?’
‘I’m on my way.’
‘Okay. I’ll see you soon, Liam.’
‘You will. Don’t worry, baby. Nothing will happen to you. I love you, Anastasia.’
‘I love you too.’
Liam hung up.
‘What’s going on?’ Jack and Cade asked in unison.
Liam blew out his breath. ‘Ana’s ex-fiancé may be in town. The man she sent to prison for assaulting her. Who threatened to find her and seek revenge. She came here to get away when he was released and now, he’s found her.’
Lucy and Isabella gasped.
‘Fucking bastard,’ Adam growled.
Cade ran his hand down his face. ‘Shit. We better get home.’
Jack’s knuckles whitened around the wheel. ‘And she’s with Meg? He hasn’t hurt or seen Ana?’
Liam shook his head. ‘Just trying to scare her. May have been inside her home. Jack, let me drive.’
‘I’m already doing twenty over the limit and you’re in no state to drive, mate.’
‘Jack, maybe you should slow down,’ Cade advised. ‘Or let me drive. We’re approaching the range.’
Jack’s eyes remained fixed on the road, his jaw tight. Liam’s heart pounded. If he were behind the wheel, Liam too would commit all sorts of felonies, but he’d rather return home alive than in a body bag.
Jack exhaled. ‘Yeah, okay.’
He pulled over so he and Cade could exchange seats. ‘Just get us there as soon as you can, mate.’
* * *
Meg took Ana to the Wilsons’ blue, high-set, wooden home at the southern end of Forbes Street next to the golf course. Her pulse continued to pound as she sat in the comfy lounge, the old-style swinging windows open to the cool April breeze. Senior Sergeant Brett Wilson called Sergeant Jim Tibbins to check on Jackson Villas, then listened attentively as Ana told him her story. She’d only seen Brett in passing at yoga, but he was a kind man and his patience put Ana at ease. Linda kept the tea coming. Ten minutes later, Jim phoned to confirm there was evidence of a break-in around the front door.
‘He must have naturally locked the screen,’ Ana breathed, her hands tightening around the mug.
Brett nodded. ‘You were lucky and should be proud of yourself.’
Ana wished she could smile, but the anxiety twisting around her heart prevented her lips from curving. ‘I’m proud of Louis,’ she admitted. Her precious boy had tried to tell her he’d seen Rick, but she’d been too caught up in her romantic fantasies about the future to notice.
‘He’s a good boy,’ Meg agreed.
‘Indeed.’ Brett closed his notebook. ‘I’ll contact the guys in New South Wales and get the parole officer to look for Rick. Then Jim and I will visit the accommodation in town to see if Rick’s staying anywhere.’
‘I highly doubt it. He’s the sort of person who could disappear into thin air if he wanted to. He wouldn’t risk staying in a hotel.’
‘We’ll check it out anyway and see if anyone at the roadhouse saw him. He’d have needed petrol.’
‘True.’ She hadn’t thought of that.
‘And you believe he may have been in town for about a week?’
Ana nodded. ‘I first noticed that red car on Monday afternoon outside the school.’
‘Okay. He’ll serve out his sentence for breaking parole and leaving New South Wales, but we’ll find him, Ana.’ Brett reached across the coffee table and patted her hand. ‘Don’t worry.’
If only she could. ‘Thank you, Brett.’
A knock sounded on the door and Brett stood to let Ron Riley in, who they’d called to sit with the ladies. Ana had met Ron a few times and easily saw why he was so respected. He was approachable, kind, and had a passion for Elizadale that Meg and Liam could only aspire to.
‘I’m sorry to hear this has happened to you, Ana,’ Ron said after she and Meg gave him an overview of events.
‘Thanks. I just hope there hasn’t been too much damage to the unit.’ He was her landlord after all, but Ron dismissed that with a wave of his hand.
‘We can easily repair the property.’
‘Now that Ron’s here, I’ll go catch up with Jim,’ Brett said, placing his empty mug down. ‘Meg, I want you at your parents’ house tonight. It’s unlikely this man will target anyone else, but we don’t know what he’ll do to get to Ana.’
‘I second that,’ Ron agreed.
‘Ana, when Liam arrives, I suggest you go stay on Shadow Creek. Rick knows where you both live, but hopefully we can sneak you out there.’ Brett unfolded his tall frame from the lounge. ‘I’ll only be a few minutes away, but keep the doors locked.’
After he left, Ana sighed and sank into the lounge. Part of her still wished she could climb into her car and disappear, but even though it was hard, she’d done the right thing. She couldn’t run. If Rick was in town, they needed to find him and send him back to Sydney. So, she took comfort in her Nerada brew and did her best to chat lightly with Meg, Linda, and Ron, ignoring the shortbread as food wouldn’t help right now. She may have chosen bravery, but terror continued to knot inside her belly. She wouldn’t be able to relax again until Rick was found and back in Sydney. For now, she had to put her trust in the police and remain calm. She couldn’t continue to run scared. Brett seemed like the good sort. He’d do all he could to look after the people in his town.
But she couldn’t stop thinking about what would have happened if she’d walked into her house this morning. If it hadn’t been for that door and Louis, she could be dead right now.
Ana’s hands tightened around her mug. God, she loved that dog.
Ninety minutes after Ana had called, Liam and Cade barged through the front door with their friends behind them.
‘Anastasia.’ Liam wrapped her in his arms before she’d fully risen from her chair. ‘Baby, I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s okay. I’m fine.’ She gripped two handfuls of his shirt, Liam’s presence easing some tension from her spine.
‘Where’s Dad?’ Cade asked.
‘He went to the station,’ Linda said.
Cade pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘I’ll call him and see what’s up.’
‘What’s the plan?’ Liam asked. He stepped back but kept his arm around Ana’s waist.
‘Brett thinks we should spend the night on Shadow Creek, even though I feel a little weird about having to explain why to your parents.’
‘It’ll be fine. We’ll grab the dogs and some clothes and head out there.’
‘I’m not sure how long Rick’s been here or what he knows. I’m suspecting since Monday, although I don’t know why it took him so long to make his move. Hopefully, he shouldn’t find us on Shadow Creek.’
‘He probably knows you went to Meg’s,’ Michael said.
Jack reached for Meg’s arm. ‘You can’t be there alone tonight.’
‘Don’t worry.’ Ron stood. ‘She’ll be coming with me.’
Jack nodded. ‘Good. And Bella, go to your parents, too. He shouldn’t know that you’re friends with Ana, but I’ll sleep better knowing you’re not alone.’
‘If he’s watching us now, he’ll know,’ Michael said.
‘Shit, this is nuts.’ Ana covered her face with her hands and shook her head. She couldn’t deal with this. Rick was watching them. He’d been watching her for days. She didn’t think he’d hurt her friends—his vengeance was with her and her alone. Then again, she’d never thought he’d hurt her either.
‘It’ll be okay, baby,’ Liam said, pulling her back into his arms. ‘I promise.’
Everyone sat for a moment to gather themselves. Not long later, Brett returned with Jim and with no news.
‘The Smithfields swear nobody of Rick’s description checked in. Georgina doesn’t think so either. And no one at the caravan park believes he’s staying there. I’ll go to the roadhouse as soon as—’ His phone beeped and Brett pulled it from his pocket. ‘Ah, there we go. Pictures. Is this the man, Ana?’
Having removed all photos of Rick from her Facebook page, she’d had nothing to give Brett without going home and finding her external hard drive filled with old photos. But the police had come through for them. Brett showed Ana Rick’s mugshot and she nodded, her throat tightening.
‘Yep, that’s him.’
‘Right.’ Brett held up his phone, showing the rest of the group. ‘If any of you see this man—’
Isabella gasped. Ana’s head turned so quickly she almost gave herself whiplash as the young woman pressed her hand to her mouth.
‘Oh my God, he was in the Tourist Centre! On Monday. Liam and I ...’
Heart in her throat, Ana glanced up at Liam. The blood had drained from his face. ‘You saw him?’
Liam’s gaze didn’t leave the photo as he nodded slowly. ‘Yeah. And I told him I’d be out of town.’