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A waft of chlorine caused her nose to itch as she opened the chain-link gate. The sign hung askew, telling her the pool wasn’t due to open until later in the afternoon. But she knew there was a good chance he’d be here.
A shiver ran down her spine as she watched the tall gumtrees sway in the light breeze. Gazing up, she noticed storm clouds brewing. The breeze picked up, a precursor to the downpour looming overhead.
Sweat dried on her cheeks as she faced the cool air, which she knew wouldn’t last much longer. Her shirt clung to her back is if agreeing with her weather observation.
A bank of grey painted lockers lined the hallway to the changing rooms. Dawn ran her hand along the line as she studied the chipped edges, worn numbers and rusted keyholes.
Stopping, she rested her hand on the last one in the top row on the left. Smiling, she thought about Lisa’s obsession with everything left. As a left-hander, she made a point of pulling her long ponytail over her left shoulder. Getting tattoos on her left side. Picking the left bed in the room they shared.
The locker on the left of the entry was no exception.
‘Can I help ...’
Dawn turned.
‘Dawn. Is that you?’
‘It is Larry. How are you?’
‘My God, girl, you’ve grown, hey.’
‘I’ve gotten older Larry. I don’t think I’ve added a centimetre since I left.’
‘You know what I mean.’
The man shuffled over, back more hunched and eyes duller than she remembered. Grabbing her in his arms, he squeezed without asking permission.
Dawn scanned over his shoulder and tried to block out the scent, and the visions it evoked.
‘You missed your dad’s funeral.’
‘Is this still Lisa’s locker?’
Larry frowned, then his smiled returned.
‘Of course.’
‘Do you have a spare key?’
Larry stepped back, eyed her from top to toe and squinted.
‘I do, but I can’t open someone’s locker without their permission Dawn.’
‘She’s missing, Larry.’
‘Missing?’
‘Gone from the house in a hurry. I came as quick as I could.’
‘She’s likely gone off on one of those detox thingies. You know what Lisa is like. Goes off grid from time to time.’
‘No, Larry. She texted me. She was trying to get me to come, and I didn’t come quickly enough. Now she’s disappeared.’
A tear forced its way from her eye. Larry stepped up and patted her shoulder.
‘Now there’s another body, out at Archer.’
Larry gasped.
‘It’s not her.’
‘Thank God, or in Lisa’s case, the Goddess.’ Larry smiled at his own joke, but Dawn wasn’t laughing.
‘Why the locker?’
‘She was tracking down Tracey’s killer. She might have left something in there for me.’
‘Neither of you could ever put that horrible business behind you. You should move on.’
‘I did. I left, remember?’
Larry patted her arm. ‘Yes, luv, but you haven’t moved on, hey?’
Dawn gazed up into his runny, sunken eyes.
‘Do you have a key or not?’
‘I’ll get it. But I’m warning you, Lisa is going to skin me alive when she finds out I opened it for you.’
‘I’ll live with that.’
Larry scurried off. Dawn gazed out at the crystal blue pool with racing lanes clearly marked out and flags hanging over the top at the halfway point like a makeshift net.
She heard a voice behind her, but it wasn’t Larry’s. It was the voice she hoped to never hear again. Not when she was about to open Lisa’s locker. Not when she was back investigating the death of a young woman, which could be related to Tracey’s death.
Her gut told her the body would be a missing girl, under the age of sixteen.
‘Dawn Grave. Well, I’ll be.’
The man was in his mid-forties now, still moving like the athlete he once was.
‘David.’
He opened his arms. She put up her hand.
‘Come on, Dawnie. Don’t you have a hug for an old pal of your dad’s?’
‘Don’t, David. Just don’t.’ Her hand stabbed forward palm first with the last two words. ‘You can’t still be coaching swimming, after all these years.’
‘And why not?’
‘You know why not!’
David stepped closer. His hot breath lifted Dawn’s fringe as he whispered into her ear.
‘I’m a bloody good coach Dawnie. No one’s moving me on anytime soon.’
‘David,’ Larry called, as he rounded the corner of the changing rooms. ‘You’re early.’
David stepped back. Dawn crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly fighting the urge to go back to her room and shower.
‘I’ve got Samantha and Melody coming in early for training. States are coming up soon.’
‘Okay. Get on with it then.’
David smirked. Dawn gripped her arms firmly with her fingers, aware her fingernails were digging into the skin.
‘Got the key.’ Larry held it aloft.
Dawn reached for it as David stopped walking.
‘Hey. You can’t go into Lisa’s locker without her here.’
‘I’ll get a warrant if I have to David.’
‘Warrant? What the hell are you talking about?’ The man stalked back towards her, chest out, eyes drilling into hers.
‘Lisa is missing and I’m helping with the investigation.’
‘You? How? Why?’
‘Didn’t Lisa ever tell you?’
The man’s forehead creased.
‘I’m a police detective.’
She conveniently didn’t mention it was with the South Australian Police, not the Queensland Police.
His face paled. Her heart leapt for joy.
‘What the f... I’ll see about that.’
He pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and dialled.
Dawn was now sure Lisa must have hidden what she needed inside the locker. Her heart raced as she snatched the key from Larry and forced it into the lock.