Promise of Hunters Ridge

by Sarah Barrie

  ‘It’s only bias if it’s not true,’ came the reply.

  Stuart banged his fist on the table, raised his voice. ‘I’m telling you, she wasn’t there.’

  Ben shook his head. This was too easy. ‘So, petrified she was about to be killed, Mia didn’t wrestle with the car door to get in? She didn’t bang repeatedly on the window you shut on her as you drove off?’

  Stuart pointed a finger angrily at Ben. ‘You’re making this up! You’ve had it in for me from the start, because I stood up to you when everyone else was too scared to.’

  Ben managed to keep his hands at his sides. ‘If that’s the case, you bastard, then why are her fresh fingerprints all over the car?’

  ‘I—I—you’re wrong. You haven’t had time to—you—bastard!’ Stuart climbed over the table. Ben stepped to the side, grabbed him by the collar and used Stuart’s own momentum to send him crashing to the floor. Other officers appeared and took hold of him. ‘She deserved it! That bitch ruined my career!’

  Ben had to leave before he was tempted to retaliate further. ‘I’ll leave this to you, inspector, commissioner.’

  He heard Stuart’s threats and profanities as he walked away. And smiled in satisfaction.

  It was almost midnight when he got back to Hunters Ridge. He drove straight to Mia’s.

  She opened the door before he reached it and looked at him expectantly. ‘Well?’

  ‘Well?’ he echoed innocently.

  ‘How did it go? Did he admit it? What happened?’

  ‘He didn’t exactly admit it, but he gave himself away. He’s out. What he did—leaving you there like that—it’s obviously very serious.’

  ‘Without sounding smug, can I say I’m glad? It’s horrible to imagine anyone else as a victim of any serious crime having to deal with him.’

  ‘It’s not going to be an issue. How are you?’

  Mia ruffled her hair and turned back into the house. ‘I’m fine. I’m … angry at myself for panicking.’

  ‘I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself.’

  ‘I can’t afford to panic. I need to think. When he got around in front of me I should have looked for his bike. Maybe I could have pinched it.’

  ‘You can ride a bike?’

  Her look was unimpressed. ‘If you must know, Shane had a Harley.’

  ‘And he let you ride it?’

  ‘Are you kidding? He thought it was hot to have a girlfriend who could wear black leather and ride a big bike.’

  ‘I’m sorry, because there’s nothing about that man I want to align myself with, but you on a bike with the hair and the body and the leather …’ He came in close and drew her to him with a dreamy smile. ‘Would you happen to have any photos?’

  ‘I burned them,’ she replied dryly, but she did loop her arms around his neck.

  He walked her backwards into the bedroom. ‘Like the ones of you dancing on the bar at Bear’s with your cocktail?’

  She giggled, spun them around and shoved him. He fell onto the bed and moved up to rest his head on the pillow.

  ‘I had my young and stupid moments, okay? I’m sure you had a few of your own.’

  He put his arms behind his head so he could watch her. ‘Good luck digging those up.’

  She followed him onto the bed on her hands and knees. ‘I think you should tell me.’

  ‘Not a chance.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ She kissed his lips then slid down his body, sent him the steamiest look he’d ever seen.

  He groaned. ‘Mia, that look should be illegal.’

  ‘You don’t want me to look at you like that?’ she practically purred as she undid his jeans.

  ‘I don’t want you to stop looking at me like that. Except to—’ he inhaled sharply, ‘—do that.’

  She chuckled, low and throaty. ‘So, about those young and stupid moments?’

  ‘Uh … what? My brain just turned off.’

  ‘Don’t expect it back anytime soon.’

  Mia finally got herself out of bed, and out to Cassie’s, late the following morning, to work on putting her photos into the book template.

  ‘I’ll be so glad to finally see these pictures in their layout!’ Cassie said excitedly. ‘Honestly, Mia, we’re going to be rushing to get this book to the printer on time.’

  Who’s going to be rushing? ‘Sorry, Cassie—I’ve had a few things to deal with.’

  ‘Yes, well, what about today, do you have anything else on?’

  ‘No. I’m planning on playing with this for the rest of the day.’

  ‘You sure you’re not expected anywhere? No one’s visiting?’

  ‘No, I’ve got all day to myself.’

  ‘Well, that’s good. Come with me, this really can’t wait any longer.’

  Confused, Mia followed Cassie upstairs and down the hallway into what might have been a bedroom. It was full of furniture and boxes, obviously only used as a storeroom. ‘Is there something you need?’

  ‘Yes. Can you get that big box on the wardrobe down for me?’

  ‘The cardboard one? Sure.’ She reached up to the top of the dresser. ‘It’s a bit heavy and awkward. I might need a ladder.’

  ‘I’ll get you one, dear.’

  As Mia attempted to get a better grip on the box, she heard Cassie’s footsteps retreat. Then the door closed. And locked.

  She abandoned the box and spun around. ‘Cassie?’

  ‘I just need to make sure you don’t take off,’ Cassie said from the hallway. ‘He’s been waiting for a chance to talk to you.’

  Her stomach dropped. ‘He? Cassie, who do you mean?’

  ‘He told me what you did. How he rushed out to save you from the fire and you blamed it all on him. How that hotshot city detective needed to pin it all on someone. How he was forced to run for his life when he tried to explain and Ben Bowden opened fire on him. Poor Billy. It wasn’t right he got caught up in it all. Sweetest soul. How anyone could think Rob would hurt the boy he raised in secret for his disturbed sister is beyond me. And no one suspected Martin. It was all on him and he walked away laughing at you all.’

  Oh my God. ‘No. No, Cassie, that’s not what happened!’

  ‘Then, despite all that, when that monster Martin finally shows his true colours, Rob races to your rescue yet again, but are you grateful? No, instead he’s listed as one of the bad guys. He was doing all this to help you and you ruined his life, Mia. He just wants a chance to talk to you, to explain. This needs to be sorted out.’

  ‘Cassie, that’s not true.’

  ‘That detective’s got in your ear, he wants you to believe that. Can’t trust these city cops. You’re one of us now.’

  ‘Did Rob happen to mention how that big scar ended up on his face?’

  ‘Yes, what a terrible accident. He understands though. You were terrified at the time and rightly so. He risked everything to go in and save you and you just about killed him. It took me weeks to heal that wound. I was very angry, Mia. But Rob convinced me to be Christian about it. Said it wasn’t your fault. That’s why he wants to talk to you.’

  ‘Oh god, I guess some people really can be that stupid.’

  ‘Me, stupid? You’ll listen, and you’ll pay attention. I’ve known Rob and Martin as long as we’ve all been alive. Rob spent his life serving the community. Martin never did more than serve himself. Just about killed my husband in a bar brawl he felt like starting on New Year’s Eve, 1985. Gerald was never the same after. Martin destroyed us. It was Rob who made sure Gerald got a desk job at the TAB. Kept a roof over our heads. And he’s been so grateful for a bed and a friend since all this rubbish started that he’s given me a whole heap of his savings to pour into this place. Couldn’t do it without him. That’s the man he is, Mia. The least you can do is listen to what he has to say.’

  ‘All right Cassie, I’ll listen. But I’m not going to listen through a locked door.’

  ‘That’s all right, dear, when Rob gets here he’ll open it. I have work to
do.’

  Mia flung herself at the door. ‘Cassie!’

  She heard the woman going down the stairs. How was she going to get out? She went to the window, but couldn’t open it. She picked up a chair and smashed it. Glass fell onto a concrete path a very long way below. She was too high, and there was nothing to break her fall, nothing to cling to. If she fell, she wouldn’t be in any condition to escape. It would be better to fight.

  Or to get through that door.

  She tried the lock. The old building had heavy doors with solid locks. She looked around for something she could use as a weapon. The curtain rail was too light, and there wasn’t much in the room that wasn’t in boxes.

  She tore into them, upending and scattering contents, pawing through the mess of clothes and knickknacks. Desperate for an idea, she scanned the room again, and caught her reflection in the mirror on the wardrobe. She picked up a small wooden box and, with all her strength, smashed it into the mirror. It shattered but stayed together. She got her hands on the top of the wardrobe and pulled it over. Pieces of glass clattered on the floorboards. She picked up a narrow, hand-sized triangle, cutting herself in the process. With a curse she dropped it, went back to the mess she’d created, tore a strip of fabric from an old curtain and carefully wrapped it around the wider end of the glass. She tied it securely and tested the grip. It was a decent makeshift knife. She made another one, just in case, then wrapped some fabric around her leg before slipping the second weapon into her shoe, hiding it with her jeans. She moved her foot around, testing it. As long as the fabric didn’t budge she was fairly certain it wouldn’t cut into her.

  The sound of a trail bike caught her attention and she raced to the window as it came to a stop at the back of the house. Quickly, she pushed everything in the room against the door. Both Ben and Ally knew she was coming here today. Someone would come looking for her. Eventually. Hopefully it wasn’t Ally.

  Voices caught her attention. ‘I don’t know what she’s been doing up here but the noise has been atrocious.’

  ‘She’s always been an attention seeker, Cassie.’

  Rob’s voice sent chills racing through Mia. Don’t panic. Don’t panic. She took some deep breaths, waited.

  ‘I really don’t know why you’re bothering. She’s as bad as that Detective Bowden. I think he’s brainwashed her.’

  ‘I can only try.’

  Mia heard the door unlock, and stepped back. There was a shove. The door didn’t move.

  ‘You in there, Mia? Ya made a mess?’

  She kept quiet.

  ‘She’s not talking. Ya know what, Cassie? Perhaps you’re right. It might be better to talk to Ally. Could ya perhaps give her a call, say Mia needs her to bring something out?’

  ‘Don’t do it, Cassie!’

  ‘Make sure she brings that beautiful baby of hers,’ Rob continued, ‘seeing as we’re family. Once we sort all this out it would be nice to catch up.’

  ‘No! Cassie don’t! He’ll kill her! Please!’

  ‘Oh for heaven’s sake, Mia, you’re a drama queen. I’ll give her a call. She’s a much more sensible girl. I hope you can make her understand.’

  ‘You let me worry about that, love. I’ll get this sorted. Once and for all.’

  ‘Rob, don’t do this. You’ve got me. I’ll come out.’

  ‘Don’t want ya to come out. I told ya what would happen if ya talked to the cops. And I know you talked to the cops, Mia. We had a deal.’

  ‘We never had a deal!’

  ‘I needed the money from that hunt, Mia. Cassie told ya not to go out to the church till I was ready for ya. But out ya went. Blew my last chance. Hope ya can live with yourself.’

  ‘Let me out!’

  ‘Ya know what a baby goes for on the black market? A cute little girl like that? Why, she could end up with just about anyone, ’specially in the circles I move in. She’s got you to thank for that.’

  Reason dissolved. Mia tore at everything in front of the door, desperate to get out. The last to move was the wardrobe. She dragged at it, slipping over broken glass. It moved slowly, but she got it out of the way and reefed at the door. He hadn’t locked it again.

  She eased one leg through the gap and it was pulled out from under her. She fell back, crashing into the furniture. The makeshift knife clattered to the floor.

  A solid weight slammed her into the wardrobe again. A cloth was forced over her face. The overpowering smell burned her eyes and sent waves of dizziness through her head.

  ‘Amazing what sits at the back of old hospitals,’ Rob told her as she struggled against it. ‘Cassie has been handy.’

  Panic rose sickeningly in Mia’s throat before a thick black haze engulfed her and she slipped into unconsciousness.

  CHAPTER

  31

  She was going to be sick. The sensation washed over her a moment before painful spasming radiated from her neck and through her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she first noticed the light from the window, then her consciousness expanded to take in the shadows of the room.

  She tried to move, but she was tied to something, arms above her head. She lost her balance, her arms jerking as her feet slipped from underneath her, and she hung for a moment before righting herself again. Her groan was involuntary and she bit hard on her lip until the pain receded enough to try moving again. She looked up—he’d tied her to the light fitting on the ceiling. The iron light was old and heavy, and the knots were tight.

  She pulled at them anyway, swinging her arms and watching the fitting sway. If she pulled it off, it could land on her. Would that sort of weight knock her out? If she was fast, she could get out of its way. But she felt so weak and sick.

  She hung there for what seemed like hours, trying to pull the light fitting from the ceiling, yanking her spasming arms from side to side. She took turns struggling then resting to get her breath back, and to swallow down the nausea.

  Then she heard a noise. A laugh? It was hard to make out. Then Ally’s voice floated up the stairs. Did she have Chloe with her? Please god, no. Mia screamed out to warn her. It came out as no more than a muffled hum.

  She could hear the voices getting closer. They were coming up the stairs. She tried again, wrenching against the restraints, swinging the light violently against its hold. And then the door opened.

  Mia had a split second to see Ally’s shocked face, see Cassie holding Chloe. Then Rob was behind Ally, shoving a booted foot into her back, propelling her into the room. The door slammed.

  Terror held Mia mute for several seconds. Then she fought harder. She had to stop him. As Ally struggled with the door, the light fitting finally fell from the roof, dropping Mia to the floor with its weight. Ally ran to her and dragged it off. Her gag was removed, and Ally fought the ties on her hands.

  Shouting made them both freeze. Cassie’s voice.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  Rob’s reply was quieter, hard to make out.

  ‘You can’t do this! I don’t understand you! I’m giving this baby back. You have to let them go!’

  Footsteps at the door. Another, heavier set. ‘I can’t thank you enough for your help, Cassie. But that baby’s coming with me. Put it down before it gets hurt.’

  ‘No!’ Ally whimpered. She tugged again uselessly at Mia’s ties.

  ‘Knife on the floor.’

  Ally spun and spotted the knife. She dived for it and cut Mia’s hands free. ‘He’s got Chloe.’

  ‘I know.’

  A bloodcurdling scream, a thud. Mia saw her sister sway as blood leeched under the door.

  ‘It’s not the baby,’ Mia whispered. ‘He wasn’t going to kill her. Ally! He’s not going to kill her.’

  ‘I need my baby. I need Chloe.’ Ally was trembling, and had gone white.

  Mia dropped her head to the floor to look under the door. A lifeless hand, palm up, fingers open. A key several centimetres away. Blood touched her face and she recoiled, wiping it away.

  ‘I need
something long that will fit under the door.’ She tried to think. Would the curtain rod fit? Probably not.

  Ally looked around frantically. She wasn’t in a good way, Mia decided, but she was functioning.

  ‘What about a coat hanger?’ Ally suggested.

  A car engine started up.

  ‘He’s leaving with Chloe. Mia, he’s leaving with—’

  ‘Ally, you need to listen. You need to listen and know which way he’s going.’

  She ripped open the damaged wardrobe door, found a wire hanger and twisted it apart, making a hook. Ignoring the increasing pool of blood under the door, she dropped, intent on her task.

  Frustration and panic gnawed at her as she tried again and again to slip the wire around the key to drag it in.

  When she got it close, Mia dived on it. It slipped from her fingers. She grabbed it again and pushed it into the lock.

  Cassie was sprawled on the floor in front of them. Mia stepped over her and bolted downstairs without a second glance. ‘Call the police!’ she shouted at Ally.

  ‘He’s got Chloe! I’m coming!’

  ‘Call the police first!’ Mia grabbed her own mobile as she ran out the door, dialling Ben. Ally’s car was missing—Rob must have taken it. She reached her car. The front tyre had a gaping hole in it. She raced to Cassie’s only to find he’d slashed that one, too. As the phone rang she tried to think.

  ‘Hi, what are you—’ Ben answered.

  ‘Rob’s got Chloe. Cassie’s dead. Ally, which way?’

  ‘What?’ Ally was on her phone. When she registered the question, she pointed.

  ‘He’s heading south. Ben, please.’ She didn’t know what she expected, but she asked anyway.

  ‘What car is he in?’

  ‘Ally’s—the black Ranger.’

  ‘How long?’

  ‘Five minutes maybe. Ben, she’s just a baby, please—’

  ‘I’m on the road in. He has to pass me. I’ll find him. Get to the station.’ Then he was gone.

  What now? She walked on shaky legs back to her sister. Ally was clutching the phone as she sobbed into it, talking, Mia assumed, to Cam. Mia hugged her, her eyes scanning, mind racing, desperate to do something, anything.