Melissa bawls her eyes out when she reads the email from Grace. She cries in the same unabandoned way she cried when Jarrod broke up with her all those years ago. She cries for the loyal caring boy who existed beneath the confident competitive exterior. She cries for the man he became, the husband and father, and for Annabel and the children. She cries until her nose begins to run and her stomach feels hollow.
She becomes aware of her assistant hovering by the door to her office, unsure what to say or do in the face of such an outpouring of raw emotion.
‘Sorry.’ Melissa blows her nose loudly. ‘I’ve had some bad news.’
‘Is it Henry or the kids?’ Samantha asks worriedly.
‘No, no ... Just a boy I went to school with.’
That makes him sound like nothing, a nobody. Jarrod was her first love and she fell hard and fast. Impulsive, adventurous, physical: he was so very different from her. He opened up her narrow existence, made her realise there was more to life than exams and academic achievement. She likes to think that she also opened up new possibilities to him, stoked his ambitions for the future, caused him to aim a little higher. For many years she compared her subsequent boyfriends to Jarrod; they always fell woefully short. Until Henry, who’s so starkly different it actually works.
Melissa finds she is unable to refocus her attention on work. She is too deeply shaken to deal with either clients or staff.
‘I’m going home,’ she informs Samantha. ‘My head’s all over the place ... I’m no use here.’
The next morning, after a few additional bouts of crying, followed by a surprisingly good night’s sleep, Melissa’s head is a lot clearer. She feels strong enough to go into the office today. But first she must follow up on something. A question that’s been nagging at the back of her mind the past few days.
She phones Zach because he seems to be on the same page as her.
‘Morning, Zach. It’s Melissa Andrews ... What are you doing right now?’
His response is wary. ‘Getting ready for work. Why?’
‘Can you spare a half-hour?’
‘That depends ... What are you up to, Melissa?’ Undisguised suspicion now.
‘I want to go to Robbie’s house. I want to talk to his sister.’
‘Celia?’ His tone sharpens. ‘Look, she wasn’t exactly thrilled with Katy and me the last time we went there ... She asked us in no uncertain terms to leave Robbie alone.’
‘No problem then,’ she states. ‘I want to talk to her, not Robbie. Can you give me the address?’
A pause punctuated by a sigh from Zach. ‘Didn’t the detective ask that we call her directly if we have any concerns? Why are you taking this on yourself, Melissa?’
Good question. Her only answer is that she feels compelled. Jarrod is dead, and someone out there is guilty of manslaughter or even murder. Is that not a call to action?
‘This isn’t a concern, as yet,’ she placates. ‘Just following my instincts. If anything eventuates, I’ll call the detective immediately ... promise.’
‘Melissa, I—’
‘Oh, whatever! I’ll go on my own.’
‘No, no Zach sighs again, more heavily. ‘I’ll come, okay? Even though it’s against my better judgement.’
‘Great, thank you ... The address?’
She types it into her phone as he calls it out. She knows the street. That should make things faster.
‘I’ll meet you outside,’ she says, grabbing her car keys. ‘Hopefully, we can catch her before she leaves for work.’