A Light in the Dark (Taylor's Bend, #3)

by Elisabeth Rose

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘There’s no need for you to stay, is there?’ He glanced at Arlo who was putting his signature on the lease agreement. ‘After Arlo’s piece in the paper it could be … difficult for you.’

  ‘Difficult how?’ Arlo asked.

  ‘Bringing all that up again. It wasn’t a good move with Mia in town. People could blame her when in reality it’s you.’

  ‘Carl, how do you feel about the council?’ Arlo said, sharply changing the subject.

  He licked his lips and fiddled with the pen on his desk. ‘I think they do a reasonable job.’

  ‘Do you? What do you think about the involvement with Greenhill?’

  ‘It’s a good project for the town. Everyone will benefit.’ A light sheen of perspiration broke out on his brow.

  ‘Except my father and Glenda,’ Mia said.

  ‘Don’t let Arlo convince you there was anything wrong with that verdict, Mia. It’s a ridiculous notion and you know it.’

  ‘Do I?’

  ‘We’d like to know how much you know about those developers,’ Arlo said. ‘For example, do you know that Barry Greenberg’s partners are related to a known criminal? A man who has been convicted of all sorts of crimes?’

  Carl frowned. ‘Being related to a criminal doesn’t make you one.’

  ‘No, but it’s not a healthy look for prospective buyers, is it? I’d be wanting to find out more about the people I do business with.’ Arlo stood up. ‘Thanks, Carl. By the way, I’ve talked it over with Riley and we decided that the Bindubi lots are a bit far out of town for us. Good luck with them.’

  Carl stood but didn’t offer his hand. ‘I’m sorry to hear that, Arlo. You’re missing out on a very good opportunity.’

  ‘Maybe, but we all make our choices, don’t we? Right or wrong.’

  ‘Please pay the bond and the first rent instalment by Monday,’ he said stiffly.

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘Thank you, Carl.’ Mia gave him a smile which he managed to return but in doing so resembled a corpse.

  In the car Mia said, ‘Was that wise?’

  ‘We’ll see. What did you think? Does he know much?’

  ‘I don’t think so. He looked shocked to me and a bit frightened when you told him about Greenhill.’

  ‘That’s what I thought. Listen, school’s just come out, mind if we pick up Riley?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  Hordes of teens poured out of the high school grounds, wandering away in all directions, riding bikes or gathering at the waiting buses. Arlo slowed to a crawl searching for a parking spot.

  ‘There he is, just ahead, my side,’ Mia said. She lowered the window and called his name. Riley turned and smiled when he recognised the car. He bundled into the back seat with a sigh of relief.

  ‘Hi,’ he said.

  ‘Hi, we just signed the papers to rent Mia’s house,’ said Arlo.

  ‘Perfect timing,’ said Riley.

  ‘How are you feeling?’ asked Mia.

  ‘Tired. Glad I don’t have to go on the bus.’

  Twenty minutes later, Arlo said, ‘This is the corner where that car ran off the road.’ He slowed. The corner was sharp with trees obscuring the oncoming traffic. Two deep furrows ran down the slope towards the broken fence as though the driver had continued straight on.

  ‘He’s lucky he didn’t hit a tree,’ said Riley.

  A car came up fast from behind. Too fast, tailgating aggressively.

  ‘What’s this maniac doing?’ Arlo said.

  He swore and accelerated as he rounded the bend but a vehicle coming the other way veered onto the wrong side of the road. He wrenched the wheel to the left. Mia cried out. The car bounced into the rough grass, slewed sideways for a terrifying, out of control moment, teetered, and came to rest inches from the solid bulk of an ancient gumtree. The oncoming car had disappeared. The following car shot past.

  Arlo gripped the wheel with shaking hands. ‘Everyone okay?’

  ‘Yes.’ Mia’s voice was weak.

  Riley said, ‘Geez, Dad, what was that? That Merc was on the wrong side of the road.’

  ‘Good thing you’d slowed down.’ Mia gripped his forearm and he put his hand on hers, the tension draining as his heart rate slowed.

  ‘I had nowhere to go. That other car was right behind us so I couldn’t brake.’

  ‘Was he avoiding something? He wasn’t overtaking anyone.’ Mia scanned the road ahead but there was nothing visible on the surface. No kangaroos had bounded across, she would have seen them.

  ‘That car behind us looked familiar,’ said Arlo. ‘Did you notice it?’

  ‘Only that it was dark blue.’ Mia looked at him, frowning. Had Riley said the other car was a Merc? She couldn’t ask and draw his attention to it.

  ‘So was the one that passed us at the resort site.’ He started the engine and eased the car slowly up the slope onto the road with the wheels slipping and churning in the wet earth.

  ‘What car? Do you reckon that was deliberate?’ asked Riley.

  ‘Not sure,’ said Arlo. He looked at Riley in the rear-view mirror. Far from being upset he was all eager-eyed and animated.

  ‘Looked like it to me. I saw it on TV. The bad guys jammed the detective’s car and forced him off a bridge into the river.’

  ‘This isn’t TV.’

  ‘No, but I reckon they were bad guys and like Mia said, if you hadn’t slowed down to look at that crash site we’d have smashed into that tree, or rolled.’

  ‘Riley, for God’s sake.’

  ‘It’s true. Mia thinks so too, don’t you, Mia?’

  Arlo grimaced at Mia, hoping she’d hose down the enthusiasm in the back seat.

  ‘I’m not sure it was deliberate but you’re right about the speed thing.’

  ‘But it was at the same corner where accidents happen. That’s not a coincidence, they want it to look like an accident and that it was your fault. And why else was that guy on the wrong side of the road on a corner? Everyone knows that’s crazy dangerous. And at the same time as the guy tailgating,’ Riley said decisively. ‘They didn’t even stop. I bet they set it up.’

  He had some good points there. A murder that looked like a suicide; an arranged, possibly fatal accident that could easily be blamed on a stretch of road well recognised as dangerous. Ironically, one Arlo himself had reported on.

  It was much later that it burst on Arlo that if it had been set up, these people didn’t care that Riley had been in the car. Whether they knew that or not was irrelevant. He was, and so was Mia.

  Chapter 19

  Mia lay in bed that night with the day’s events fighting for space in her mind.

  She hadn’t noticed the make of the oncoming car but it was silver like the one in the hotel parking lot and Riley was certain about it being a Mercedes. Was that Carmody’s car? She didn’t know for sure. She’d made an assumption and the barman hadn’t actually named him as the man who owned it. They could have been talking about two different people. But the chances were high it was Carmody’s.

  What about Riley? He had no idea what forces were at play here and Arlo didn’t seem particularly worried about exposing him to them. Too used to being on his own and taking risks. Surely after what happened in Africa he’d be hyper careful. What sort of man was he?

  One who kissed her. Liked kissing her and made no secret of his attraction but didn’t force himself on her.

  A man she liked kissing. Really liked kissing.

  Mia turned over, dislodging most of the covers with the violence of her movement. That was stupid thinking. They had no future together. No way was she moving to this town, and a long-distance relationship was doomed in her opinion. She’d rather be on her own. She was happy on her own. She’d become reliant on Arlo because he was helping her and he was the only stability she had in this chaos, the only proper friend in this town.

  When she left she’d never see him again and after a time would certainly forget
him but right now Arlo was good company and she’d miss his calm determination even if it turned into stubbornness and single mindedness at times. She’d miss his kindness and his thoughtfulness. She’d miss him …

  The dream punched her awake again, leaving her sweating and gasping for breath in the dark. Still shaking, she went to the bathroom for a drink of water and swallowed it down staring at herself in the mirror. She looked like a mad woman, hair awry, eyes wide, loose, crumpled night clothes. Like Lady Macbeth wandering about sleepless and distraught muttering Out damned spot.

  What did she say before that to gear herself and her husband up to do the deed? Screw your courage to the sticking place and we’ll not fail.

  That was a better sentiment even if it hadn’t worked out well for the Macbeths.

  Arlo called the next morning soon after she returned to her room after breakfast. Having slept in she’d just made it to the dining room before the cut off time.

  ‘How are you?’

  ‘Okay, I had the dream again. Nothing different. Is Riley all right?’

  ‘Yep. Went off to school this morning. I had a call from Barry last night.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He was pretty angry about the article. Accused me of making all sorts of unfounded allegations and basically warned me off. It made me wonder if Carl had talked to him.’

  ‘Did he threaten you?’

  ‘Not exactly. It was more be careful what I write or I may end up in court.’

  ‘You didn’t write anything libellous.’

  ‘No, I know exactly where those lines are, believe me.’

  ‘So it was all bluff.’

  ‘Yes, but I doubt the Baran brothers and their uncle bother taking people to court. They have their own justice system. It’s the punitive style.’

  ‘What are you going to do now?’

  ‘I’ve got some friends investigating for me and when that information comes in I’m aiming to send an expose to one of the main papers.’

  ‘What did you tell Barry?’

  ‘That I wasn’t going to be told what to write by anyone,’ he said. ‘In other news, I’ll start moving things across to the house today and Riley can help finish it off over the weekend.’

  ‘Need a hand?’

  ‘I was getting around to that. Yes, please.’

  ‘I’ll bring my car over.’

  Fifteen minutes later she walked across to her car in the empty hotel parking lot but stopped short, stunned by the lurid red paint splashed over the bonnet and windscreen, for a sickening moment thinking it was blood. Not content to stop there the bastard had scrawled fuck off bitch in block capitals along the side.

  Burning rage boiled up inside. She marched across and touched the paint with the back of her fingers. Sticky. She yanked her phone from her pocket and called Arlo, voice quivering with anger.

  ‘I’ll be right over,’ he said. ‘Have you called Rupe?’

  ‘I’m going there now.’

  Mia stomped back into the hotel and told the receptionist who was horrified and full of apology then headed out to make an official report. The police station was around the corner and a block down the side street.

  She pushed the door open to find Shannon at the desk.

  ‘Hi, Mia, you look fit to be tied. What’s wrong?’

  ‘Hello. Someone poured red paint on my car and wrote “fuck off bitch” on it.’

  ‘I’ll get Rupe. Hang on a moment.’ Shannon knocked on the office door behind her, opened it and stuck her head in. ‘Mia’s here,’ she said. ‘Has a problem.’

  Rupe came out, stern-faced. ‘Good morning, Mia. How can we help?’

  ‘Good morning. Someone put graffiti in red paint on my car in the hotel parking lot. I think it was last night because it’s still sticky.’

  ‘Any idea who might have done it?’

  Mia breathed in, lips firmed in anger. ‘Any number of people. Some lowlife called Bluey accosted me outside the hotel on Wednesday night. Another couple abused me in the street last week, a woman in a shop was unpleasant and rude about my father, people stare and mutter. Some idiot painted a symbol on my house and someone left me a rotting rabbit. Take your pick but I’d start with Bluey.’

  Rupe and Shannon exchanged glances.

  ‘I’m sorry, Mia,’ Rupe said. ‘We’ll investigate this and find who did it.’

  ‘Do you think Arlo’s article might have had anything to do with it?’ asked Shannon.

  ‘Possibly. This town has certainly made up its mind about my dad. Did Arlo tell you someone ran us off the road yesterday on the way back from Willoughby?’

  ‘No, he didn’t. A local?’

  ‘I don’t think so. At least, Arlo didn’t say he recognised either car.’

  ‘Two cars?’ asked Shannon.

  Mia described the incident.

  ‘So you think it was deliberate?’ Rupe asked.

  Mia nodded. ‘We do.’

  ‘Can you give me a description of either car?’

  ‘The one behind us was dark blue and Riley thought the other one was a Mercedes. It was silver.’ Should she tell him about that man at the hotel with a similar car? She had no proof it was the same one.

  ‘Riley was with you?’

  ‘We’d picked him up from school.’

  ‘Christ,’ Rupe said softly. ‘I’ll talk to them both, but right now we’ll go and have a look at your car.’

  Arlo was already in the parking area taking photos with a couple of the hotel staff watching on, when Mia and Rupe arrived.

  ‘You didn’t waste any time,’ said Rupe. He glanced at Mia. ‘Called him first, did you?’

  ‘Why not?’ she asked. ‘I was going to help him move to my house this morning.’

  ‘Morning, mate,’ said Arlo. ‘What a bloody minded thing to do.’

  ‘Anyone see anything? I assume you’ve already asked,’ Rupe said drily.

  ‘No. Isn’t that your job?’

  ‘Yes, it is. Mia told me about yesterday’s incident. Were you going to report it?’

  ‘There’s not much we can tell you.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘We saw the blue Toyota out at the Greenhill resort site,’ said Mia. ‘We think it was the same car. And there was a silver Mercedes here the weekend of the football. It might have belonged to Joel Carmody.’

  Rupe’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t comment beyond saying, ‘I’ll look into it.’ He took a notebook from his pocket and jotted something down.

  ‘This paint is still a bit wet but it’s been so cold that doesn’t help much.’ Arlo gestured to the car.

  ‘When did you last drive it?’ Rupe asked Mia.

  ‘Not since I came back on Wednesday evening from Canberra. That’s when that guy harassed me.’

  ‘Which guy?’ Arlo asked.

  ‘Keep out of this,’ said Rupe sharply. ‘You’ve stirred things up enough lately.’ He turned back to Mia. ‘Anything else you can tell me? Did you hear anything last night?’

  ‘No, but my room is at the front and it was trivia night.’

  ‘This area would have been full. Too risky to do it last night, they must have been busy early this morning.’ Rupe put his notebook in his pocket and walked around the car, bending to peer at the ground then straightening and touching a finger to the paint.

  ‘Will it come off?’ Mia asked.

  ‘I’m not sure. Depends what it is, but I doubt it’ll need a respray,’ said Rupe. ‘The paint will be traceable. I’ll send Shannon around for a sample but it will take a while to get a result back from the lab.’

  He walked across to the two staff members lounging in the doorway and began asking questions.

  ‘Who harassed you?’ Arlo asked, anger simmering quietly in the tone.

  ‘Some random crawled out of a hole somewhere.’ Mia shook her head. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  She raised both hands. ‘Arlo. Stop. I’ve had enough. I’ll nee
d to hire a car. Can you drive me to Willoughby, please?’

  ‘We might need to go to Wagga.’

  Mia cursed softly.

  ‘You can use mine whenever you want,’ he said.

  She exhaled slowly, rubbing her hands over her face. ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Thank you for the offer.’ She tried a smile which wobbled and fell over.

  Arlo took a half pace forward, hand outstretched, but Rupe interrupted with, ‘I’m really sorry about this, Mia. It’s a hell of a thing to happen on top of everything else and I promise we’ll find the perpetrator.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Shannon will let you know when you can take the car to the repairer.’

  ‘Did those two say anything useful?’ Arlo asked.

  ‘No, as Mia said the place was busy and they closed up at midnight. Neither came out here at all. They both walk to work. I’ll talk to the other staff, of course.’

  When he’d gone inside, Arlo said, ‘I’ll call Stuey from the garage to come and see what he thinks about the paint.’

  ‘Can he do a respray?’

  ‘He may not need to but there’s a lot there. Looks like a whole can.’

  Mia looked around the bleak parking area as Arlo made the call. Her feet were cold and she was closer to tears than she cared to admit. This bloody town!

  ‘He’ll be here in half an hour. He thinks it’ll come off.’ Arlo put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘Come over to Hannah’s and have a coffee while we wait.’

  ‘You don’t need to wait with me.’ She forced her frozen feet into motion. His arm felt good, drawing her close, comforting.

  ‘I don’t mind.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ***

  Hannah’s was busy but a few tables were free and Arlo ushered Mia to the farthest from the door.

  ‘Coffee?’

  She nodded. He went over to the counter and waited for Hannah to finish serving someone.

  ‘Morning, Arlo,’ she said. ‘You’re in early.’ She glanced at Mia, sitting with head bowed, hands clasped in front of her on the table. A picture of misery. ‘Is everything all right?’

  ‘Someone threw paint on her car last night and wrote “fuck off bitch” on it for good measure.’

  ‘That’s dreadful.’ Hannah shook her head. ‘Our town isn’t like this. What’s happening?’