Pip unlocked the front door and walked inside. The now familiar smell of the farmhouse welcomed her home and she locked the door behind her. As she walked down the hallway and into the kitchen, she stopped. Before she’d left she’d packed away all her research documents, but now they were scattered all over the table. Cupboards and drawers were ajar, and a window was broken, clearly where someone had let themselves in. Her heart began to pound as if it might burst through her chest at any moment.
Someone had been in the house—could still be in the house!
She forced her frozen feet to move across the room to the back door. She let herself out and then, digging through her bag as she ran to her car, she called Chris, groaning as his phone went to voicemail. Her heart was still hammering inside her chest. Just breathe, she told herself firmly as she jumped in her car and locked the doors, shoving the key into the ignition with shaking fingers. Disconnecting the call, she drove away from the house, her frightened gaze darting to the rear-view mirror, certain she would see someone running after her. When she reached the main road, she pulled the car over and looked up the police station’s number in Midgiburra, quickly dialling then listened to it almost ring out before it was finally answered.
‘Constable Jenner speaking.’
‘This is Phillipa Davenport, out at Rosevale. I need to report a break and enter.’
‘A break and enter?’ the young officer repeated. ‘Are you inside? Have you touched anything? Is anything missing?’ She shot the questions at her so fast, Pip had to pause for a moment before she answered them.
‘I’m in my car out at the top of my drive. I’m not sure if anything is missing—I only saw the mess in the kitchen and the broken window where they got in. I didn’t touch anything. Except the door handle …’
‘Okay. Good, stay there. We’ll send someone out as soon as possible.’
Considering the only people she could send were herself or Erik, Pip wasn’t sure why she didn’t just say she was on her way. ‘Please hurry—I’m not sure if they’re still inside.’
‘Did you hear anything?’ the constable asked urgently.
‘No, but I didn’t stay in there long enough to find out. I’ve been away overnight and just got home.’
‘Okay. Stay in your car. Lock the doors.’
The phone disconnected and Pip took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm. A shudder ran through her as she closed her eyes and replayed the mess on the floor and table the moment she realised what had happened. She felt the sweat break out along her back once more and dot her forehead as terror clutched at her. What if green-snake was back? What if Lenny Knight sent him back to finish the job? Her eyes, wide with fear, darted back outside. She half expected a man in a black balaclava to come running towards her any moment. She heard her raspy breath inside the close confines of the car. She couldn’t breathe. No. Stop it! she told herself firmly. You’re just making it worse!
The phone rang and she jumped, muttering a curse as she stared at the name on the screen. Her thumb shook as she tried to answer the call, but a surge of relief rushed out as she heard Chris’s voice in her ear.
‘Wow, you didn’t even last an hour before you needed to hear my voice—that has to be some kind of record, Davenport.’
Pip bit the inside of her lip and forced herself to calm down. ‘Yeah,’ she said and heard her unsteady laugh before it cracked and became a small sob.
‘Pip?’ Chris’s voice had turned serious. ‘What’s wrong? Where are you?’
She tried to speak, but her throat felt paralysed, and she put her fingers against her mouth to hold back another sob that threatened to escape.
‘Pip! Are you hurt?’ Chris sounded urgent on the other end of the line.
‘No,’ she finally managed. ‘I’m okay.’ She swallowed hard and took a shaky breath. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to … someone broke into my house last night … or this morning, I don’t know.’
‘What? Are you still inside?’
‘No, I’m in the car. It’s okay, I’m away from the house. I called the police, they’re on their way.’
‘Do not go back to the house before the police get there.’
Her earlier panic threatened to return with his stern order. What if someone was still inside … what if they found her here? She shook her head to clear away the image of a black ski mask and two evil-looking eyes and reached over to double-check she had locked the car doors.
‘I’m not planning on going anywhere,’ she said.
‘Good. I’m on my way over,’ he said, and she could hear him breathing heavier as he walked quickly.
‘No, don’t do that. I’m fine. Really,’ she rushed to reassure him. ‘Please, don’t drive up here just for this—you’ve got work to do.’
‘I’m not leaving you there on your own,’ he said.
‘I can handle it.’
‘Sure you can—but you don’t have to. I’m on my way. I’ll call you from the road, I just need to make a quick call.’
She wanted to argue but he’d already hung up the phone, and Pip gave an exasperated sigh as she heard the speaker click off. She’d just wanted to hear his voice—she didn’t expect him to come running. She felt like an idiot now.
With moments of disconnecting the call, she saw the police car speeding towards her, sirens blaring. As it went past, she turned around and followed it back to the house.
When she pulled up outside, the constable was already out of the car and stalking low towards the house. Pip watched as the young officer, her revolver pointing to the ground, and her back plastered against the side of the house, crab-walked her way towards the back door. Pip wasn’t sure if she should be amused or impressed by the military-like precision of the woman’s movements, but she certainly looked like she meant business.
Pip got out and quietly shut her door, waiting beside the car for the officer to return.
When she came back, Pip noticed she was wearing gloves as she beckoned to follow her back inside. ‘It’s all clear. Don’t touch anything,’ she warned as they carefully made their way through the kitchen. ‘Take a look around and let me know if you notice anything is missing.’
Pip stopped at the doorway to her bedroom and felt her mouth drop open at the mess. Her drawers had all been opened and tipped out, clothes were piled on the bed and the wardrobe doors were open, with garments left half dangling on hangers or crumpled in a heap on the floor.
‘Anything missing?’ the officer asked.
Pip gave a small, incredulous laugh. ‘How do you tell?’
‘It seems they were searching for something—maybe looking for anything valuable.’
‘I really don’t have anything valuable here,’ she said, looking around. ‘I was away for the night, and I had my handbag and wallet with me.’ She paused and tried to think what else she had. ‘I had my computer too,’ and the hard drive, she added silently, for a moment panicking that she may have left it here, only to remember throwing it into her computer bag as she walked out the door. The last thing she needed was to lose the unlocked file. The medium-sized flat-screen TV still sat on the top of the wardrobe, and there was really nothing else in the room.
She followed the other woman out to the lounge room and noticed that, again, all the electrical appliances were still intact—her uncle’s large-screen TV, the stereo and her aunt’s china and crystal in the glass display cabinet.
The sound of an approaching vehicle had the constable walking towards the front window and peering out. ‘Just the boss,’ she said over her shoulder before coming back. ‘He was out when I got your call, so I got him to meet us here.’
‘Are you all right, Pip?’ Erik asked as he came into the room, swiftly surveying the damage.
‘Yeah. I’m fine. I just got a bit spooked.’
‘I’ve got the fingerprint kit in the car—you wanna go grab that, constable?’ he said without stopping his inspection of the room.
‘Sure, boss,’ the young woman said, and Pip was half expecting a snappy salute to go with her eager, ready-to-please manner.
‘I’m really grateful to your constable. What’s her name, by the way?’ Pip asked, suddenly realising she had no idea what to call her. Maybe with a first name she would seem a little more approachable.
‘Gladys.’
Or not … ‘Well,’ Pip said nodding, ‘she was onto it straightaway.’
‘Yeah, she’s good like that,’ Erik said, flipping open his notebook. ‘Have we established what was taken?’
‘Nothing,’ Pip said, doing another sweep of the room. ‘I can’t see anything missing.’
Constable Jenner came back inside and placed a large plastic box on the floor. She opened it, preparing to dust the house for fingerprints, as the sound of yet another engine approached. Both officers looked up curiously, out the front window then at each other in bewilderment as Chris slammed his car door and jogged to the house.
‘Did you call Jarrett in?’ Erik asked, looking at his constable.
‘No, boss.’
Pip watched Chris enter the kitchen by the back door, giving it a cursory glance before finding her and heading over. Relief seeped through her now that he’d arrived and she wanted to slip into his arms and hold him tight so she could forget the horrible pit of fear in the base of her stomach. But they had an audience, and things were suddenly a tad awkward in the confined room.
‘Jarrett.’ Erik nodded. ‘What brings you out here?’
‘I called him,’ Pip offered, jumping in quickly. She wasn’t sure what the protocol was—she wasn’t a suspect in anything relating to the bones discovered in the dam, but she had an idea it would seem a little strange that the lead detective would have such a sudden personal interest in her.
Erik sent her a strange look. ‘Why?’
‘I …’
‘It’s okay, I told her if she ever needed anything to call.’
‘Well, so did I, but she didn’t call me straightaway,’ Erik said, his eyes narrowing a little as he studied them.
‘You said earlier that you’d been away overnight and had only just got back home?’ Constable Jenner cut in.
‘Where were you last night?’ Erik asked, and Pip was momentarily thrown off balance by his directness.
‘She was with me,’ Chris answered smoothly, taking a step towards her. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, his voice lowering slightly as he looked her over.
‘I’m fine. I overreacted and freaked out. I’m really sorry I called you.’
‘You didn’t overreact,’ he said, holding her embarrassed gaze firmly. And she knew what he was saying. She hadn’t overreacted considering what had happened to her before. But right here now, in broad daylight with three police officers around her, she felt like a complete twit.
‘You were with the detective?’ Erik said slowly.
‘I took some research on Bert Bigsby down to show him,’ she explained, trying to sound professional and not too sure she succeeded.
‘And it took all night?’ Erik pressed doubtfully.
‘Sergeant, do we have a problem here?’ Chris asked in a voice Pip hadn’t heard before—soft, almost dangerous.
‘Nope, just trying to ascertain all the facts, detective,’ Erik replied in a deceptively casual manner that did not match his steely-eyed stare.
Pip wasn’t entirely sure what was happening between the two men, but she suspected there was history between them and she hoped it didn’t have anything to do with her. Sure, she and Erik had a brief moment of attraction when she’d first arrived, and she’d been grateful about the whole possum incident, but he had always acted in a professional capacity. He’d never gone out of his way to initiate anything more personal. She actually got the impression he didn’t particularly like her—or maybe it was her profession he didn’t like. Either way, things had definitely cooled off once he realised she was a journalist.
‘Anything taken?’ Chris asked, dragging his angry gaze away from the sergeant.
‘Nothing,’ she said again, and gave a frustrated sigh.
Chris looked slowly around the room before giving a brief shake of his head. ‘Well, they were definitely looking for something. Are you sure you haven’t missed anything valuable they might have found?’
‘I already told Constable Jenner that I had everything with me that might have been valuable—my handbag and purse and my computer.’
Chris considered her silently for a moment. Have you had any kind of threats lately? Any phone calls that might have seemed weird? Any contact with anyone from your past?’
Pip eyed him strangely. ‘No. You think this might have something to do with Lenny Knight?’
‘I’m just looking at all options. You said you had your computer with you—could there be something on that which might be of use to someone?’
‘Not really. At least, not on my computer.’
‘What do you mean?’ Erik asked.
‘Well, I have sensitive stuff I’ve collected over the years for various stories—I’ve spoken to informants and witnesses, whistleblowers,’ she added, ‘but I don’t store any of that on my computer. I mean, if it got stolen—’ She stopped abruptly.
‘You haven’t had anything strange happen lately?’ Chris pushed.
‘No,’ Pip shook her head impatiently as helplessness and overwhelming fear began to trickle its way back into her. ‘Only that stupid possum thing a few weeks ago.’
‘What possum thing?’ Chris asked.
Pip shook her head dismissively. ‘I heard a noise outside and called the police. Erik came out but it was nothing.’
She saw him look across at the other policeman and hold his stare.
‘She’s right. There was nothing to suggest anyone had been there,’ Erik said irritably. ‘I’m guessing a possum knocked some stuff over on the verandah.’
‘I didn’t see that in the logbook,’ Constable Jenner put in, wearing a puzzled frown.
‘Because there was nothing to be logged,’ Erik bit out impatiently.
‘But still—’
‘Jenner, can you go finish fingerprinting, please?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Pip watched the woman disappear back into the other room. She hadn’t given the possum incident much thought recently, but what if it really hadn’t been a possum after all?
‘So where do you keep all your intel?’ Erik asked with a frown.
‘In the safe.’
‘Have you checked it hasn’t been tampered with?’ Chris asked, looking around as though expecting to see it sitting in the centre of the room.
‘Not here. In my apartment.’
‘Have you got anyone checking on your place in Sydney?’
‘No. But Lexi has a key.’
‘I’ll give a mate of mine a call and he’ll go over and check it out. Can you give me Lexi’s number so he can get the key off her?’
‘Sure.’ Pip pulled out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and scrolled through her contacts, sending him Lexi’s details. His phone beeped and he gave her a thumbs-up before the call he made was answered on the other end and walked outside to talk.
‘So you and Jarrett, huh?’ Erik said as they moved out to the kitchen.
Pip avoided his gaze. ‘It kinda just happened.’
‘I didn’t even know you two had met.’
‘I guess we just hit it off,’ she smiled weakly.
‘Just …’ He went to say something then seemed to change his mind.
‘Just what?’
He sent her a level look. ‘Just be careful. You don’t know everything about him.’
She was about to ask what the hell that was supposed to mean, but at that moment, Chris opened the door and came back inside.
‘Everything okay?’ he asked, sensing the sudden quiet that had fallen in the room at his approach.
‘Yep, all good,’ she smiled.
‘I’m gonna leave the constable here to finish up and head back into the station,’ Erik said. ‘You know where I am if you need anything,’ he added, sending Pip a serious look before he walked past and outside without a backwards glance.
‘What was that all about?’ Chris asked.
‘I have no idea. Do you two not get along or something? I’m sensing a bit of a vibe between you.’
‘He applied for the job I got,’ Chris said dismissively. ‘I don’t think he’s got over it.’ He stepped up close and put his hands around her waist. ‘Now, are you really okay?’
‘Yeah,’ she said wearily. ‘I think so. I’m sorry about earlier—I don’t know what happened, I didn’t mean to sound so …’
‘It was shock. And it’s completely normal. I’m glad you called me.’
‘Thank you for coming running like a knight in shining armour,’ she said, finally able to relax now he had his arms around her.
‘Any time,’ he said leaning in to kiss her lips. ‘All I could think of was you in this house and someone still inside. It wasn’t a nice experience being that far away and unable to help.’
‘Actually, you seemed to get here pretty fast. Were you doing the speed limit?’
‘I may have used the siren here and there,’ he admitted, lowering his voice, ‘but it was an emergency.’
‘I had Midgiburra’s finest here in no time.’
‘Do you want to pack a bag and come back to my place for a few days?’ he said after a slight pause. ‘Or I can come back tonight and stay. But honestly, until we work out what’s going on,’ he said, casting his gaze around the room, ‘I really don’t feel comfortable knowing you’re out here on your own.’
A flutter of fear started once again as she thought about being here once everyone left. There was nothing in the way of security—no cameras, no deadlocks on the doors or windows, nothing that would stop someone coming back for another attempt if they chose to. Terror lodged in her chest but was swiftly followed by anger. Why should she be chased out of the place where she’d come to rest and write? How dare someone come and ruin the one space she’d finally felt safe in. But she could see the logic in Chris’s suggestion.
As independent and strong as she wanted to be, when it came to this, she wasn’t. She hated it, but there was very little she could do about it. She thought about Pete and Anne, but next door was a long way away in the middle of the night if she heard a noise that needed checking out. Besides, did she really know them well enough to call them out of their bed in the dark?
‘There’s no point in you commuting,’ she said eventually. ‘If you’re sure, then I’ll come and stay with you.’
‘Good. I’ll leave you my key and you can head down as soon as they’re finished up here, if you like? I’d stay, but I have a meeting I need to get to.’
‘No, you go. That’s fine. I’m really sorry you had to come up here.’
‘Don’t worry about it—I’m glad you called me. I’ll see you tonight, then?’
Pip nodded and managed a smile as she waved him off, but her heart sank as she turned back to head inside. Could this really be connected to the Lenny Knight story? Or just a random break and enter by some kids? The random idea didn’t make any sense since nothing was actually stolen. Chris seemed to be right—whoever had broken in had been looking for something specific. She eyed her handbag and pictured the small, blue hard drive inside.