‘Hey, whatever happens, son, I’ve got your back.’
Dave felt a rush of emotion run through him, but he wouldn’t show it. ‘Cheers.’
Chapter 40
Dave stood at the front door of Mark and Ellen’s house and breathed deeply before knocking.
Mel answered the door and smiled. Alice was asleep in her arms and from deep in the house he heard Bec.
‘Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!’
‘Come in,’ Mel said, stepping back from the door.
He leaned down to kiss her and she offered her cheek.
‘Here, do you want to hold her?’
‘Of course, I do!’
She handed him his daughter and he looked down at her wonderingly. How had two people at loggerheads created such a perfect little being?
He felt an arm slip around his waist and he looked down at Mel. ‘Are we good?’ he asked.
She shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. All I know is that I’m very happy to see you.’
Dave bent to kiss her again, still cradling Alice, and pulled her close for a hug. Kissing the top of her head he said, ‘We’ll work through this, sweetie. I promise we’ll be able to work through it because we love each other.’
‘Hopefully that’s enough,’ she said, her voice muffled against his chest.
Two days later, Mel got Alice out of the baby capsule in the car and put her into the wraparound sling she wore on her chest.
She grabbed a trolley and went into the supermarket. Winding her way through the meat section, she picked up a tray of lamb chops and then bumped into a man with vivid blue eyes.
‘I’m so sorry!’ she said. ‘What a clutz! Must be because I’m sleep deprived!’ She indicated Alice sleeping on her chest.
‘All my fault,’ he said, grinning down at her. ‘I’ll get out of your way.’
Mel went to move on, but he put a hand on her arm. ‘I’m sure I’ve seen your face before. Are you Dave Burrows’s wife?’
A smile spread across her face. ‘Yes, I am! Have we met? I’m sorry, I’m terrible with names.’
‘It was only briefly, so I’m not offended you don’t remember me.’
‘Phew, that’s lucky.’
‘How is Dave? I haven’t seen him for a year or so now.’
‘He’s great. We moved to Perth so he could join the stock squad. Something he always wanted to do. We’ve got a little girl and now this one.’
‘Ah, I’m glad he landed on his feet. Looks like he should be real happy, having such a nice little family and all.’
‘Can I tell him you said hello? What’s your name?’
The man smiled. ‘Yeah, I’d love it if you could pass on my regards. You tell him Ashley said g’day and I’ll catch up with him very soon.’
Author’s note
Fool’s Gold, Without a Doubt and Red Dirt Country are my three novels that feature Detective Dave Burrows in the lead role. Eagle-eyed readers will know Dave from previous novels and it was in response to readers’ enthusiasm for Dave that I wanted to write more about him.
In Fool’s Gold, Without a Doubt and Red Dirt Country, set in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dave is at the beginning of his career. He’s married to his first wife, Melinda, a paediatric nurse and they’re having troubles balancing their careers and family life. No spoilers here because if you’ve read my contemporary rural novels you’ll know that Dave and Melinda separate and Dave is currently very happily married to his second wife, Kim.
Dave is one of my favourite characters and I hope he will become one of yours, too.
Acknowledgements
The A&U Team: Tom, Annette, Christa and everyone else behind the scenes, from marketing to publicity. You’re all incredible and I love how much you care about each and every book you publish. Thank you.
Gaby Naher from Left Bank Literary, agent and friend. A calming influence in the occasionally stormy waters of writing.
The Writing Team: DB, you’re brilliant and such an important part of this process. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The WA Crew: Carolyn, Heather, Robyn, Lauren and Graham, Ewin, Jan and Pete, Chrissy, Lee and Paul, Al. The best cheer squad and support crew a girl could ask for.
The Family: Rochelle, Hayden, Mum, Dad, Nicholas and Susan, plus the nieces and nephews, Aunty Jan and all the cousins. Love you all so much. And thanks to Ben and Laurs for introducing me to Wild Turkey Honey Whiskey, so I knew how bad Bob’s hangover would be!
The Canines: Jack-the-Kelpie and Rocket-the-Jack-Russell. I really wish you two would get along and I could have both of you asleep at my feet while I write. As it is, I can only have you in my office one at time, but it’s nice to have you there at all.
The Readers: ‘I can’t write without a reader …’ John Cheever said that. Well, isn’t that the truth? There are never enough words to thank you all for spending time with my imaginary friends! I hope you’ve enjoyed Detective Dave’s adventure through the top of Western Australia—let me know over on Facebook or Instagram. I can’t wait to get back to the keyboard and start writing his next escapade. Who knows what Bulldust will do …
Red Dirt Country Page 29