Climbing Fear (CoalCliff Stud, #1)

by Leisl Leighton

  ‘You stay. She could wake again at any time and you want to be here when she does. I won’t be long.’ She bent down and gave him a quick kiss and then went in search of coffee, snacks and water—the air conditioning in hospitals always made her mouth so dry. The cafe would be closed, but there was bound to be a vending machine of some sort around somewhere.

  She asked the nurse at the nurse’s station and a few minutes later, found the patient and family room. It had a coffee and tea station, cardboard carry trays, packets of biscuits and a vending machine with soft drinks and another with snacks. She frowned at the tin of instant coffee. Blaa. Well beggars couldn’t be choosers. She needed the caffeine and so did Reid. She grabbed a couple of disposable cups and pushed the tap on the hot water dispenser—it was empty. Damn. There was a kettle pushed back against the wall on the bench though. She filled it with water, plugged it in and put it on. That would take a few minutes so she decided to go over and see what the vending machines had in them.

  There really wasn’t much to choose from. Chips and chocolate it was then. She reached into her cardigan pocket to get her phone to pull her credit card out of the wallet section, but she halted as her fingers brushed up against the edges of the envelope she’d stuffed in there hours earlier.

  The letter from her lawyer, Sarah Tulloch.

  She pulled it out and stared at it, as if she could see what it was about through the envelope, as if she had ray vision or something. ‘Stupid,’ she muttered. She should just open it up. Read it. It was from her lawyer. It would be a bill or something. It wasn’t thick enough to be legal papers of any kind. Her ex-in-laws were probably still figuring out what bomb to lob at her next, given she’d sidestepped their last attempt at proving she couldn’t look after Tilly by taking the job here. No point speculating. She had time to read it now while the kettle boiled, so she should just read it. She got a pack of chips, two bars of chocolate and two bottles of water from the vending machine and then stuffing the water and snacks in her jacket pockets, she tore open the envelope and began to read.

  Natalia,

  The Garonne’s know you’ve moved to CoalCliff. They’ve hired a private detective to follow you and I think they’ve even gone so far as to tap your mobile phone and email—which is why I’m sending this by snail mail, so they don’t know you know. The only reason I know this is because their lawyer contacted me the other day and mentioned something from our last conversation that he couldn’t possibly know unless they had illegally tapped your phone.

  I’m endeavouring to get an injunction but need more proof. I just want you to be careful. The PI is watching you and given they’ve gone this far, I’m not sure what else they might do.

  I don’t want to frighten you, but just keep an eye on Tilly and call me if you see anything out of the ordinary.

  Sarah

  Tulloch and Lassiter Divorce Lawyers

  Nat read the letter twice, her stomach roiling, panic a fluttering thing in her chest. The Garonnes knew she was here. They’d had her followed, probably had her phone tapped. How far would they go to get Tilly? To prove her incompetent as a mother?

  Would they hire someone to attack her and ransack her house? Was Barb hurt because they were trying to get to her? Had they poisoned Bos because he was always hanging around Tilly and didn’t like strangers and would give away the fact they were going to kidnap Tilly?

  Oh god, and she’d left Tilly back at CoalCliff by herself.

  ‘Tilly.’

  She ran down the corridor, past the shocked nurse with the Santa hat on her head and careened into Barb’s room.

  Reid took one look at her face and leapt out of his chair, his hands on her arms, steadying her. ‘Nat, what is it?’

  ‘We have to go.’

  ‘What’s wrong, Nat? What’s happened?’

  ‘The Garonnes. They’re going to kidnap Tilly.’

  Chapter 25

  Nat glared out the window of the ute, panic rising inside her. It was taking too long. Why did CoalCliff have to be forty-minutes away from anywhere civilised?

  ‘She’s fine,’ Reid said, seeming to read her mind. Even so, his knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he drove at almost unsafe speeds up the curving mountain road. ‘You spoke to her yourself.’

  ‘I know. I know. But I just want to see her, hold her.’

  He nodded grimly. ‘We’ll keep her safe, Nat. Nothing’s going to hurt you or Tilly again if I can help it. But you have to keep a level head about this. Why would they take her? How does that benefit them? It’s kidnapping.’

  ‘Maybe they’re not going to kidnap her. Maybe they’ll do something else, something to make me look like I’m not a fit parent to have custody of my child. You don’t send a PI to spy unless you’re planning something.’

  ‘But surely they know kidnapping Tilly or hurting you would traumatise her.’

  ‘They wouldn’t care about that. You don’t know what they’re like. They made Andrew’s life hell.’

  His jaw worked. ‘They won’t touch either of you. I promise.’

  She gripped his hand, so thankful that he believed her, that he was standing by her, no matter how paranoid she sounded.

  The moment they pulled up, Tilly flew into her arms. ‘I’m glad you’re back, Mum.’

  ‘Me too, Tilly-sausage. Me too.’ Sick relief had her swallowing down bile as she tried not to hold onto Tilly too tightly. She didn’t want to scare her daughter any more than she’d already been scared last night. But she couldn’t help clutching desperately at Tilly, not wanting to let go, to keep her safe in her arms forever. God help her, she needed to get away from here, needed to keep Tilly safe. She should take her now, get in the car and drive. Drive away from all this and disappear where no-one would ever find them. Run away. She needed to run away.

  Reid came up behind her and put his arms around both of them. ‘It’s going to be all right, Nat. We’ll protect you both. They won’t take her. I won’t let them.’

  The ache in her chest exploded and tears tumbled down her face. Tears of relief. She wasn’t alone anymore. He was here. For her, for Tilly, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

  And neither was she.

  She turned her face, rubbing it against his jaw, taking comfort in him. She wasn’t going to run. That was the old her talking. The new her faced things, even when, like now, it was the hardest thing she’d ever done.

  ‘Mummy? What’s wrong? Is it Granny Barb? Is she …?’

  ‘No, no, sweet girl. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.’ Nat pulled back a little to hold Tilly’s face, smoothing her daughter’s hair back, trying desperately to still her trembling. ‘She’s fine. She had an operation and will be in the hospital for a few days, but she’ll be fine. She even woke up while we were there.’

  ‘Can I visit?’

  ‘She’d love that,’ Reid said.

  Nat nodded. ‘First though, we need to go and collect some things for Granny Barb to take to the hospital. Will you come and help me?’

  Tilly nodded. ‘She’s going to miss Bos a lot,’ she said as they began to walk, lip trembling. ‘So am I.’

  ‘I know, sweetheart. I know.’

  ‘Do you think it will make her feel better if I take a photo of Farrah and Charlie and show it to her at the hospital? So she knows they’re safe and happy.’

  ‘I think that’s a perfect idea,’ Reid said, stroking his hand over Tilly’s head.

  ‘Can I borrow your phone, Mum? To take the photo? But maybe we shouldn’t take it here outside her place. It might make her remember what happened to Bos. Mummy, I miss him so much. Do you think he’s with Daddy in heaven?’

  Nat pulled Tilly to her, trying hard not to tremble, but failing. Reid was there though, wrapping his arms around both of them again, whispering in her ear, ‘Let’s go inside.’

  He helped her to her feet, and, Tilly between them, walked up the front steps of Barb’s house and inside. The front door opened up into the lounge, a
spacious room with lots of windows and a gorgeous outlook across the gentle slope of the home paddock and valley to the rise of the hills beyond. He ushered them to the comfortable, slightly worn, three-seater sofa and sat them down. ‘I’m going to get a suitcase down from the attic and then we’ll pack Granny Barb a bag together, okay?’ He gave Nat a hard kiss and whispered in her ear, aware of Tilly’s large eyes taking everything in. ‘You’ll be safe, Nat. You and Tilly. I swear it.’

  He was moving towards the door when there was a crash from the rear of the house. Nat’s heart was a pounding force in her throat as her eyes met Reid’s. Tilly opened her mouth to say something, but Reid held his finger up to his lips and gestured that he was going to have a look. He picked up a poker from the fire and crossed the room, silent like a stealthy cat. The door to the hallway opened and he raised the poker as someone stepped out of the hall.

  ‘Steve.’

  Steve jumped back, eyes wide. ‘Fuck, you frightened the life out of me.’

  ‘Steve just said the F word,’ Tilly said.

  Nat laughed, the sound erupting out of her with the force of tension that suddenly dissolved at Steve’s appearance.

  Reid lowered the poker and slapped his friend on the back. ‘What are you doing in here, man? Why have you got those?’

  Steve glanced down guiltily at the wooden statues he’d been in the process of stuffing into a backpack. ‘Uh, I …’

  Nat stood up abruptly and went to Reid’s side. ‘Just tell him, Steve. He’s strong enough to deal with it.’

  Steve’s phone started to ring and he grabbed it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. ‘Shit. He’s here.’

  Reid was looking between Steve and Nat. ‘Who’s here? What’s going on?’

  Sweat had broken out on Steve’s brow and he began to edge around them to the front door. ‘Nothing. I have to go.’

  ‘Oh for goodness sake, Steve. Reid’s not going to fall apart if you tell him the truth.’ She turned to Reid, holding his arm. ‘Steve didn’t buy the statues as a joke. That was just a cover story. Luke stole them from his parents because he was trying to get back at them for using him and you. They’re apparently worth a lot and his parents want them back. Steve was trying to get them back to Luke’s parents without you knowing because he knew you’d be upset by it all. He told me how you hated the way Luke’s parents treated him. He just didn’t want to upset you. Isn’t that right, Steve?’

  ‘Um, yeah. Sure.’ There was the sound of a car pulling up outside and he turned to peer out of the window behind him. ‘Shit.’

  ‘Is that Luke’s parents? Have they come here to get the statues?’

  Steve looked at Reid desperately. ‘You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be at the hospital with Barb. Why do things keep going wrong?’

  ‘It’s okay, mate. I’m not going to blow my top. No need to get your knickers in a twist. Just ask them to come in and I’ll be civil. I can do that for Luke.’

  Steve shook his head. ‘You don’t understand.’

  Tilly, who was still sitting on the lounge, watching them all avidly, suddenly skittered forward and grabbed something off the floor. ‘Steve, this just dropped out of your bag.’

  She held out an envelope which clearly had ‘Reid’ written in large bold letters on the front. Steve snatched it from her hand and stuffed it into the backpack.

  ‘Hey, that’s the letter Luke left me. Why are you taking that?’

  Reid started forward just as the door swung open and a tall man stepped inside. ‘You got them yet?’

  ‘Tucker?’ Reid asked, coming to a stop at the sight of the other man.

  Nat gasped, because she recognised the new arrival. It was Tucker Wells. He’d had a competing show to Reid and Luke’s although, as far as she could remember, the ‘laughing larriken surfer’ as the media had dubbed him, had been friends with Reid and Luke, taking on a kind of mentor role. That was until there was some kind of drug scandal and he’d been arrested in Africa or somewhere like that.

  The years hadn’t been kind.

  The golden haired, classically handsome man with the athletic physique and laughing eyes was gone. The man who stood before them was gaunt, his once handsome features hardened, an ugly edge of violence to them that had nothing to do with the thick red scar on the right-hand side of his face that ran from his hairline across his milky eye and down his cheek. He held the look that Nat had become all too familiar with over the years after Andrew joined the army, a look that said he’d seen too much and done too many things that had marked his soul with darkness.

  Just looking at him made the hairs prickle on the back of her neck. ‘Tilly, come over here,’ she said quietly, trying to gesture for Tilly to join her and Reid on the other side of the room. But her daughter didn’t see her or hear her, her gaze transfixed on Tucker.

  ‘You’re Tucker Wells,’ she said softly.

  Nobody heard her. Reid was staring at Tucker as if seeing a ghost, and Steve was trembling, shaking his head, looking for all the world like he was going to vomit, or run.

  Tucker had turned from Steve as Reid said his name and the look in his eyes … Fear crawled up Nat’s spine the same as it had on the day she’d seen Andrew come towards her and Phillip, a gun in his hands, madness in his eyes. ‘Reid,’ she said, grasping for his hand.

  He didn’t seem to notice her distress and she couldn’t blame him. The tension in the room was a vibrant, living thing like the air before a major thunderstorm as Tucker and Reid glared at each other.

  Tucker smiled. ‘Well, well, well. If it’s not snitch-Reid.’

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Reid asked. ‘I thought you were in jail.’

  ‘I bribed my way out, no thanks to you.’

  ‘Tucker, don’t,’ Steve said, moving as if trying to edge Tucker back out the door.

  ‘Steve, what’s going on?’ Reid asked him. ‘Don’t tell me he’s here for you.’

  ‘I’m so sorry, Reid. I didn’t mean for this to happen. You weren’t supposed to be here. Just let us go before he hurts you too.’

  ‘Go? What are you talking about?’ He looked between Steve and Tucker and then back at Steve and the bag he was clutching to his chest. ‘You’re working with him?’

  ‘I … I had no choice. I got myself into some trouble and Tucker helped me out. I owed him everything.’

  ‘And then some,’ Tucker said, chuckling, the sound a razor blade. ‘You’ll never stop owing me.’

  ‘Let’s just go, Tucker. They won’t say anything, will you, Reid? For me.’

  ‘Go? Why would I do that now? I’ve been waiting a long time to get my revenge on golden-boy Reid here and despite all your pleading to the contrary, you’ve served him up on a silver platter for me.’ He clapped Steve on the back.

  ‘You deserved to go to jail for what you were doing,’ Reid said.

  ‘For smuggling a few drugs? What’s the harm in that?’

  ‘Harm? Luke’s dead, that’s the harm. If people like you hadn’t got him hooked on drugs, he’d still be with us.’

  Tucker snorted. ‘You’re as naive as Luke and just as blinded by your self-righteousness.’ He leaned forward a little, a sneer turning his handsome face into an ugly mask. ‘This isn’t about drugs. I learned about a more lucrative business when in that shit-hole I was sent to, thanks to you.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘You know, this is typical of you and Luke, meddling in my business, ruining things for me, taking what’s mine. Luke got what was coming to him, perhaps today’s the day you will too.’

  ‘You killed Luke?’

  ‘That was an accident, wasn’t it? Or was it suicide? I can’t remember.’ The glint in his eyes said it was anything but.

  ‘You bastard. You won’t get away with this.’

  ‘I already have.’ He snorted. ‘Look at you standing there all weak and shaking and self-righteous. You’re so soft, I don’t understand how you ever managed to
stand upright let alone steal my audience from me and claim yourself king of the mountains.’ He laughed again, the sound lacking any mirth. ‘Although, according to Steve, you can’t climb anymore, so I guess the only thing you’re king of is this pile of horseshit you’re standing on.’

  He stepped forward as he spoke, pushing past Steve, coming closer to Tilly who was still standing there, staring at the scene unfolding in front of them.

  ‘You’re mean,’ Tilly said. ‘It’s no wonder nobody wanted to watch your show.’

  Tucker halted and looked down. A horrible prickling shuddered down Nat’s spine, settling heavily in her stomach as his cruel gaze focused on her daughter. ‘Tilly, please, come here.’

  ‘Well, who do we have here?’ He looked up at Reid. ‘Is she yours? I didn’t know you had a kid. What did you do? Fuck Mum here and leave her to raise her by herself? Sounds like something a dickless wonder like you would do. I wonder what the media would say about that? You’d no longer be their golden boy, would you?’ He reached out a hand to stroke down Tilly’s face. ‘She’s a pretty thing.’

  ‘Don’t you touch her, you bastard,’ Reid said, his voice a low snarl.

  ‘Tilly, come over here,’ Nat said, gesturing to her daughter, panic a live writhing snake in her throat, constricting her chest.

  Something flashed in Tucker’s eyes as Tilly turned to go to her mum, and before Nat could even blink, he’d grabbed Tilly, pulled a knife and held it to her throat.

  ‘No! Don’t hurt her.’

  ‘Mummy!’ Tilly’s eyes had gone wide, her face a mask of fear.

  ‘You bastard.’ Reid surged forward.

  ‘One more step and she’s going to have a bright red smile in her neck.’

  Reid halted. ‘You’re sick. I swear, if you hurt her, I’ll kill you.’

  ‘Big words from the dickless wonder. But if you’re not nicer to me, she might just have to have an accident like dear departed Luke.’ He pressed the knife up hard against Tilly’s throat, making her whimper, tears pouring down her face.

  ‘No, please don’t. Please,’ Nat sobbed. ‘Reid.’ She grasped at his arm, feeling the fury and tension under his skin, the need in him to do something. ‘Please, don’t antagonise him.’