4.00 am Friday
Harbourside Motel, Darwin
Ellie paced the sparse motel room, wondering when Kane would be back. She couldn’t sleep; like him, she was wired – the two cups of coffee she had while waiting added to that. She briefly considered using her phone to read the attachments on Emma’s email, but knew her concentration wouldn’t be good enough to focus. Her mind was full of sadness for Susan and sympathy for Kane. A muscle had been pulsing in his cheek ever since she’d arrived at the hospital and she knew he was putting up a strong front. She was glad she’d made the effort to drive to Darwin. There’d been no one else there for him; he was a loner.
She flicked through the dozens of cable TV stations for a while before leaving the television tuned into an old black and white movie, more for company than an interest in the movie. She must have drifted off to sleep despite the caffeine because a light tap on the door and Kane’s voice roused her a while later. Ellie opened the door and he walked in slowly. His face was pale and his eyes were dark.
‘Hey, come on in.’ She kept her voice soft. ‘I’ll make you a coffee.’
Kane put his keys down on the small table next to the sofa where Ellie had been curled up. He sat down and leaned forward, staring down at the floor. ‘Thanks.’
She didn’t want to pry so she left him sitting there and went into the small kitchenette. What Sordina had said, how he had reacted to Susan’s death, was none of her business. She glanced across at her iPhone sitting on the bench; it was just before four o’clock. All was quiet as she waited for the water to boil.
By the time she returned with two cups of coffee, Kane had rested his head back on the sofa and his eyes were closed. She put the mugs on the small coffee table and sat beside him. His dark lashes fanned his cheeks and Ellie let her gaze travel over his face. The hollows in his cheeks appeared gaunt tonight and a rush of feeling ran through her. She wanted to put her hand to his brow and smooth his hair back and tell him everything would be okay.
But it wouldn’t. His mother had died and he had to work through the grief. She thought back to what Susan had said about Kane needing a friend. She could be that; she would be there for him. Apart from her friendship with Heather, Ellie kept distant from most people. Even her relationships with her sisters were distant most of the time. This feeling of wanting to comfort Kane, and be here with him, was very unfamiliar.
Ellie’s eyes were heavy and her eyelids slowly closed as she let Kane rest.
The ringing of a phone on the floor beside them roused her a short time later. Kane jumped to his feet and looked around the room, a frown wrinkling his forehead and his shoulders tense.
‘Your phone?’ he said.
Ellie shook her head as she reached up and pulled her hair back from her face. ‘No, it’s not mine. Mine’s in the kitchen.’ She looked down at the plastic bag on the floor and frowned. ‘It’s in with . . . with your mum’s stuff.’
Kane reached into the bag and pulled out a small dark red phone. He looked at it for a moment before flipping it open and putting it to his ear.
*
‘Hello? Who is this?’ He didn’t recognise the number. Who the hell would be ringing his mother at this hour of the morning? It certainly wouldn’t be Panos, would it?
‘Is that Mrs Susan Sordina’s phone?’ It was a man’s voice, deep and authoritative.
‘Yes. Who is this?’
‘To whom am I speaking?’
‘Who wants to know?’ Kane wasn’t telling anyone who he was until they identified themselves first. He knew he was being rude but he couldn’t give a shit. Not after the night he’d had.
‘My name is Detective Sergeant Garrett from the Darwin Metropolitan Command. I need to speak to Mrs Sordina as a matter of urgency. Is she there, please?’
Kane dropped to the sofa beside Ellie, conscious of her gaze on him.
‘This is Kane McLaren – her son. And no, she’s not here.’ He couldn’t bring himself to elaborate, not yet. ‘What’s this about?’
‘I need to speak to Mrs Sordina personally.’
‘I’m sorry, you can’t.’
‘I have to. It’s an urgent matter.’
‘She’s not . . . here.’
‘Can you tell me where I could locate her, please? As I said, it is a matter of urgency.’ The man’s voice was firm.
‘Where are you?’ Kane ran a hand over his eyes.
‘I’m at police headquarters in Smith Street.’
‘Look, I’m in Darwin, I’ll come in to see you, okay? I can’t . . . I can’t talk now.’
‘Very well. I’m on the sixth floor of the NAB building. Say, about nine?’
‘Fine.’ Kane disconnected and put his mother’s phone on the table. He leaned back and the tired sofa sagged beneath his weight.
‘Is everything okay?’ Ellie shook her head. ‘Sorry, stupid question. I know it’s not.’
‘That was the police. They wanted to talk to Mum.’ Kane shook his head and looked away. ‘What now?’
Ellie reached out and her fingers held his arm gently. Kane looked down at her hand against his skin, uncertain of this feeling that was rising in him. Something about Ellie touched him, bolstered his confidence. He relaxed his shoulders as the warmth of her fingers travelled up his arm and eased the tension. His gaze swept over her and he was surprised when the warmth turned into the unexpected flaring heat of desire. Her eyes were wide as she looked at him, and tinged with dark shadows.
‘Thanks for being here, Ellie.’ Kane dropped his head slowly and rested his forehead against hers. ‘You didn’t have to come, but I am really glad you’re here with me.’
Ellie leaned into him and he spoke honestly. ‘I’m shattered. If I don’t get some sleep, I’m going to be an absolute cranky bastard and there’s so much to do tomorrow . . . I mean today.’
‘I probably should get some sleep too. It was good of Jock to give me the extra day off. I’ll need to leave at noon to head back to work.’
Kane brushed his thumb across her cheek and let it linger on the soft skin. ‘You probably didn’t need to book two rooms. I could have bunked here on the sofa.’ He pushed himself to his feet and looked down at her. ‘But it’s been good having you here with me.’
Ellie stood and slipped her hand into his. ‘Stay.’ A smile glimmered in her eyes and her mouth tipped up on one side. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t mind if you want to lie down here with me. It’s crazy to go next door.’
Rational thought fled and Kane’s heart kicked in his chest. This was dangerous territory. Her hand trembled in his and the intensity in her expression hit him low in his belly.
‘I’d appreciate that. Being alone is not too appealing this morning.’
Ellie led him into the bedroom and pulled back the cover on the large bed. The air-conditioning was humming in the space next to the window. She kicked off her sandals and lay on her side and he stood looking down at her for a moment, before he sat on the side of the bed and took his shoes off.
Ellie snuggled into him and he put his arms around her. The need rocking through him was muted by the exhaustion that overwhelmed him. Kane closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him as Ellie’s hair tickled his face.
It seemed only a short time later that Kane woke with the sun shining through the thin curtains and hitting him squarely on the face. He lay there for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. Ellie still lay beside him, her soft curves pressed hard against his chest. He closed his eyes again and took comfort from her closeness; fighting the urge to run his hands down her sides and trace the curve of her breast with his finger. She moved beside him and when he opened his eyes again, Ellie was watching him; her pale blue eyes intense and fixed on his face. He returned her gaze steadily. There was no need for words. She lifted her hand and brushed the hair back from his forehead. Kane reached up and snared her fingers in his, holding her close so she couldn’t move away. Desire and uncertainty ran parallel inside him.
‘How do you feel this morning?’ Her voice was a whisper, and she, too, seemed a little unsure of herself.
‘I’m okay.’
As they stared at each other, the mood shifted between them.
Kane lowered his head and took her lips gently. When her lips opened beneath his, he reached around and cradled her head in both palms. He could feel the slow heavy beat of her heart against his chest, and he held back, willing to take whatever path she chose. Ellie’s soft sigh puffed against his mouth. Slowly Kane lowered his lips to her neck and her breath quickened as he trailed his mouth to the indent at the base of her throat.
Lower. She arched against him with a soft cry as he closed his hand around her breast.
He was lost.
‘Please.’ He had no idea if the words came from his mouth or if they were just in his head but he tensed when Ellie pulled away. Regret surged through him. He’d moved too fast.
I shouldn’t have kissed her.
Kane’s breath caught in his throat as Ellie pulled her dress over her head. He shivered as she reached out and slipped her fingers beneath the bottom of his shirt. Her lips curved in a smile as her hands slid up over his chest. She softly traced his skin, holding his gaze steadily with those pale blue eyes.
He grabbed both of her hands and rolled over onto his side, and then reefed his own shirt off before he pulled her close. Skin on skin, face to face, their bodies pressed close together. A shudder ran through Kane’s body and he groaned and then lowered his mouth to hers again. This time the kiss was not gentle, and he took pleasure in the way she responded to his kiss, to his touch.
‘Ellie?’ He lifted his head and looked at her.
‘Yes.’ The single word sent a spark of healing joy rushing through him.