Nothing to Fear

by Claire Boston

  “It’s OK, Hannah,” Ryan said, his tone calm. “Don’t panic. I think we’re being followed.”

  “What?” The idea was so ridiculous it took a moment for it to sink in. She shifted in her seat to look at the headlights at the far end of the street.

  “Tell me which way to go,” Ryan said. “Make it random and double-back so I can check. It might be someone heading home for the night.”

  Hannah did as he asked, directing him around the block and up and down a couple of streets, tension seeping into her bones.

  “Yep, we’re being followed.” Ryan swore.

  “Who would follow us?” Was he lying, trying to trick her so she let down her guard?

  “My guess is Justin,” he said. “Unless you’ve got another admirer I don’t know about.”

  She gasped. Those gifts left at the office. What if they weren’t from Justin?

  He glanced at her. “What?”

  “Someone has been leaving me gifts.” She told him about them.

  “I want to see them tomorrow,” he said. “But right now, we have two options. I can try to lose whoever is following us – which might be hard since the town is small and this car is easily identifiable – or I can take you back to Fleur’s. I should be able to get a look at the car when I walk you to the door.”

  She squeezed her hands together. Why the hell would Justin – would anyone – want to follow her, especially when she was with a police officer? “Take me to Fleur’s.” She wanted to be locked inside where she was safe.

  “All right.” He was quiet as they drove back to Fleur’s. As she was about to get out of the car he stopped her, a hand on her arm. “Wait here for a moment. The car pulled into a driveway a few doors down. It’s too far away to get a number plate.” He swore. “OK, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to come around and open your door. Then we’re heading straight inside. Call Fleur and make sure the door is open.”

  Hannah nodded as fear took hold of her chest. She phoned Fleur and explained. The light came on out front and she said, “It’s unlocked.”

  “Great.” He got out and came around to open her door.

  Hannah slipped out and with Ryan behind her, holding her hand, she hurried to the door, her shoulderblades itching. Fleur opened the door as she reached the porch and she raced inside.

  Ryan dropped her hand. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

  Before Hannah could react, he sprinted back outside, heading for the parked car. Hannah gasped as he crossed the road. The car roared to life and backed out, heading straight for Ryan.

  “Look out!”

  Ryan dived to the side, over a small picket fence in the neighbour’s yard, as the car sped off.

  Hannah ran towards him, her vision locked on where he’d disappeared, wanting to hear him, see him. Had he been hit? Was he hurt? She reached the fence as Ryan stood up and brushed himself off. “Are you all right?”

  “Get back inside,” he ordered. He jumped the fence and took her by the arm, his grip firm. Fear coursed through Hannah as she glanced down the road, but the car was long gone.

  Fleur was on the porch waiting for them. “What the hell was that about?”

  “We were followed,” Ryan said.

  “Did you get the plates?” Hannah asked.

  He shook his head. “It was covered in mud.” Up on the porch, he brushed the dirt off his arms. “I don’t like this, Hannah. Tomorrow I want to look at those gifts you’ve been receiving.”

  Fleur gasped. “Are they related?”

  “Could be.”

  Ryan had a couple of leaves in his hair and despite his agitation, Hannah felt safe with him. She reached up and brushed out the leaves and then froze. She was only centimetres from him.

  “I’ll see you inside.” Fleur closed the door.

  Hannah didn’t move and neither did Ryan. They stood only inches apart.

  She wanted to kiss him. Would it be wrong to kiss him? He was here as a favour, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to step back. She licked her lips and Ryan’s gaze dropped. Her heart fluttered.

  He brushed her hair back from her face with the gentlest of touches. “I should be going.”

  She nodded, but neither of them moved.

  Slowly, ever so slowly, Ryan bent down and then his lips met hers. He tasted like coffee, his lips firm but gentle. She pressed into him, kissing him back, wanting more. She hadn’t been kissed like this in … ever. His tongue tangled with hers and every nerve in her body warmed and danced in joy.

  Suddenly Ryan stepped back, his breath fast. “Shit. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m so sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair as if undecided, and then headed for his car.

  Hannah’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. What was he talking about? Why was he sorry?

  This wasn’t a real date.

  It was like being doused with a bucket of cold water. Ryan wasn’t really interested in her. He’d probably only meant to kiss her cheek and she’d launched herself at him like a love-starved fool, forcing him to kiss her.

  She was an idiot.

  Mortified, she hurried inside. There was no way she was sleeping tonight.

  Hannah closed the front door as he backed out of the driveway. What the hell had he just done?

  There was no way he should have kissed Hannah. They weren’t dating, this had all been a way to help Hannah with Justin, and instead he’d forced himself on her.

  He was such a douche.

  But when Hannah had brushed the leaves out of his hair and captured his eyes, he’d forgotten himself for a minute. He’d forgotten everything except her. And her kisses were so sweet.

  He focused on the road. The streets were quiet and there was no sign of the dark-blue sedan that had followed them.

  He’d had a genuinely good time with Hannah tonight and that had surprised him. When she’d laughed, her whole face had lit up and he’d forgotten they were supposed to be pretending. He’d felt a stab of attraction.

  That’s why he kissed her. He actually liked Hannah.

  Which was just stupid.

  His taste in women couldn’t be trusted – Paula was exhibit A. He wasn’t ready to be involved with someone else either, not when he had Felix to consider. And especially not with one that he had a duty to protect. That would make things all kinds of messy.

  He wanted simple.

  But Hannah was beguiling in her own way.

  He knocked on Lincoln’s door and heard shrieks and laughter – both child and man – from inside. So much for getting Felix into bed. He knocked again, louder this time, and Lincoln shushed Felix, but his son giggled.

  Lincoln opened the door. “Ryan, you’re earlier than I expected.”

  Ryan raised an eyebrow. Over on the couch, Felix was lying down, a blanket over him, pretending to be asleep. “I wanted to make sure Felix got to bed at a decent time, since he’s going to his class’s end-of-school party tomorrow,” he said. “Looks like I needn’t have worried.”

  Lincoln winced and mouthed, “Sorry.”

  “How much junk did you give him?” Ryan asked quietly. Empty popcorn and chocolate packets were scattered over the coffee table.

  “A bit.” Lincoln had the grace to look bashful.

  Ryan walked over and crouched by the couch. “Time to go, champ.”

  Felix opened his eyes and faked a yawn. “Dad, are you here already?”

  Ryan swallowed his grin. “Yep. Have you brushed your teeth yet?”

  “No.”

  Ryan opened Felix’s backpack and took out his toothbrush and toothpaste. “Why don’t you clean them before we go?” With any luck, Felix would fall asleep on the ride home.

  “’K.” Felix thundered down the corridor.

  “Go to the toilet too,” Ryan called after him. He sat on the couch and Lincoln sat next to him.

  “That’s a great kid you’ve got there,” Lincoln said.

  Heat radiated through Ryan’s chest. “Thanks.”

 
“So how was the date?”

  Ryan scowled. “Justin tried to join us at the restaurant. Then we were followed back to Fleur’s house.”

  “What?”

  “A dark-blue sedan followed us from the restaurant. I went around the block a couple of times to check.”

  “This is getting serious,” Lincoln said.

  “Yeah, it almost hit me when I tried to get the plates.”

  Lincoln swore as Felix ran back out. “Finished!”

  “I’ll call you when I get Felix to bed.” Ryan turned to his son. “What do you say?”

  “Thanks for having me, Lincoln. Next time we’ll have to build forts.”

  “Absolutely,” Lincoln agreed, giving Felix a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

  They said their goodbyes and Ryan drove them home, keeping one eye on the rear-view mirror.

  No one followed them.

  Chapter 6

  Felix kept up an excited chatter about what he and Lincoln had done for the whole ride home. It was a relief that he’d had such a good time. Ryan had worried that Felix would be upset about Ryan going out without him.

  By the time Ryan pulled up to the cabin, it was way past Felix’s bedtime.

  “Bed,” Ryan ordered as they walked in. He gestured towards the bedroom.

  “Aw, Dad, can’t I stay up a bit later?”

  Ryan suppressed a smile. “Not if you want to meet more of your classmates tomorrow.”

  Felix shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

  “Don’t you want to make friends?” He steered his son to the bedroom.

  “I guess.” He glanced up at Ryan. “But what if they don’t like me?”

  A lump lodged in Ryan’s throat at the worry in his son’s eyes. “What’s not to like?” He smiled.

  “Mum doesn’t like me.”

  Guilt flooded him. He shouldn’t have stayed with Paula so long, shouldn’t have let Felix feel he was anything but loved. “Your mum has a few issues.” He could hardly tell Felix she was a manipulative narcissist. He didn’t want to be the one turning Felix against his mother – Paula was doing a good enough job of it herself. “I love you, and Mr and Mrs Z love you, and Lincoln loves you,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure Jacob likes you too.”

  Felix clutched his hands together. “Was I a mistake?”

  “No!” Ryan crouched down and hugged Felix fiercely. If only he could go back in time and leave Paula when Felix was first born. “You were never a mistake. You are the best thing in my life and I love you so much.”

  Felix burst into tears.

  Ryan’s heart broke as he picked up Felix and sat on the bed, with Felix on his lap. “I’ll always be here for you, mate. No matter what happens. We’re a team.”

  Felix looked up at him. “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Felix sniffed.

  “Come on, let’s get you into bed.” Ryan moved back the sheets. Felix crawled out of his arms and under the covers. Ryan switched off the light and lay next to him, not ready to leave, wanting to show Felix he was there. “Close your eyes.”

  “Will you sing me a song?”

  Ryan smiled. “Sure. Got any requests?”

  Felix shook his head and closed his eyes.

  Ryan sang one of his favourite songs, the one he used to sing when Felix was a baby and wouldn’t go to sleep. By the time he’d finished, Felix was snoring softly. Ryan lay there watching his son. He shouldn’t have exposed Felix to such an unstable home life. By trying to make it work, by refusing to acknowledge that Paula was never going to change, he’d given Felix the instability that Ryan had suffered as a child. They might not have moved every year like his parents had, but Paula had been the same absentee mother that his own had been, always too caught up in her own life to care about her child.

  He’d been so stupid, so stubborn and afraid to admit he’d made a mistake. He’d wanted to succeed at being a family so much that he couldn’t see he had already failed.

  He walked into the living room, scrubbing a hand over his face, his eyes heavy. All he wanted to do was climb into bed and forget about his past for a while, but he had to call Lincoln.

  “You got Felix to sleep, then?” Lincoln said as he answered.

  “Yeah.” He sighed.

  “What’s up?”

  Ryan told him about his conversation with Felix.

  “Mate, I’m sorry. That’s got to be hard to hear.”

  Hard wasn’t the right word. It was devastating. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought it was better he have a mother and a father, a proper family. I thought I could do better than my parents did.”

  “You are doing better,” Lincoln insisted. “Felix knows you love him. That’s more than you had.”

  Ryan closed his eyes. He didn’t want to think about his parents now.

  “And having one parent who loves him, is better than having two parents who argue all the time or a mother who’s a manipulative bitch.”

  Ryan was surprised at the anger in Lincoln’s tone. “You’re right. Thanks, mate.”

  “Hey, anytime you need me to tell you you’re being an idiot, I’m here.”

  Ryan chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Tell me about being followed,” Lincoln said.

  He told Lincoln what had happened and then said, “There’s more. Hannah told me she’s been getting gifts from a secret admirer.” He gave Lincoln the details. “So, the person who followed us might not have been Justin.” He wasn’t going to assume the incidents were all connected.

  “Or he could be giving her the gifts as well.”

  “Yeah. I’ll stop at the park on my way in tomorrow and check out what she’s received.”

  “Thanks. I really don’t like the sound of this.” Lincoln sighed. “So how was the date?”

  That was another issue Ryan didn’t know how to solve.

  “Ryan? It can’t have been that bad, Hannah’s a great person.”

  “No, it was fine. Fun, I guess.” It wasn’t the right word to use, but he couldn’t tell Lincoln.

  “You guess?”

  “I’m not getting involved with anyone.” His tone was tetchy, but he couldn’t help it.

  “No one’s asking you to,” Lincoln said. “It was for show – wasn’t it?”

  “Yes.” He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. “I kissed her.”

  Lincoln was silent for a moment. “Is this where I’m supposed to congratulate you?”

  “No! I shouldn’t have. It was unprofessional.” He paced the room. “It just kind of happened.” The excuse was lame. He’d taken advantage of the situation.

  “As long as Hannah was all right with it, I don’t see the problem.”

  “She seemed OK.” He grimaced. The way she’d kissed him had made him forget the date was fake.

  “So don’t worry about it. Hannah’s a big girl. I’m sure she’s been kissed plenty of times before.”

  Ryan hesitated. “I’m not so sure.”

  Lincoln laughed. “Mate, I hate to burst your bubble, but she’s twenty-six. You’re not the first guy who’s kissed her.”

  Should he tell Lincoln his suspicions or was Lincoln too close to the musketeers? “Do you know what happened between her and Justin?” Her reaction to Justin and to himself had all his thoughts leading to one nasty place.

  “No, the girls have withdrawn behind the barricades. Why, did she tell you?”

  “Not yet.” He hesitated. “I think he might have assaulted her.”

  “What makes you think that?” Lincoln’s tone switched immediately into cop mode.

  “When I found them in the storeroom she was cowering away from him. She was terrified.”

  “Hannah?” He sounded confused.

  “Yeah. It reminded me of some of the domestic abuse cases I worked in Karratha.”

  “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but Hannah’s always been so sure of herself,” Lincoln said. “I can’t imagine her putting up with
some guy hitting her.”

  “Maybe he didn’t hit her.”

  Lincoln swore. “Surely she would have pressed charges …”

  “Not everyone does.” He gave Lincoln a minute to process it. “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Me too.” He hung up.

  He had to be careful around Hannah. His concern for her wasn’t to do with the job. He liked her.

  Right now that was dangerous. Felix needed Ryan’s full focus – he was fragile and needed to know he was loved. Ryan didn’t have time for any other kind of relationship. He had to get used to his new job, get settled. He didn’t need this extra complication.

  And yet, part of him wanted it.

  Hannah was relieved to leave Fleur’s place the next morning and head to work. Fleur had wanted all the details of the date and Hannah wanted time to analyse it herself.

  Tears pricked her eyes. The kiss had been amazing. She’d thought that part of her was broken, she’d thought she’d never be able to be intimate with a guy again. That one kiss had given her hope. Perhaps she could heal. Perhaps she could have a sexual relationship.

  But wasn’t it just her luck that those feelings, that attraction, were with a guy who wasn’t interested in her?

  She sighed as she pulled into her parking spot at the caravan park. It didn’t matter that Ryan wasn’t interested, what mattered was she was making progress.

  She let Joe out of the car and wandered up to the office door. Joe ran ahead and was sniffing something in the doorway. As Hannah got closer she wrinkled her nose. Something smelled off, like raw meat on the turn. She glanced down, her eyes adjusting to the dimmer light. She gasped, feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach.

  Three dead hens.

  Their necks were broken and they were arranged so they were fanned out, their heads in the middle. A card lay on top, tied to the neck of the middle hen with red curling ribbon.

  Her heart pounded and she whipped around to check if there was anyone nearby, anyone watching her. The park was quiet.

  She grabbed Joe’s collar and pulled him off, backing away from the doorway, as she took her phone from her pocket and hit Lincoln’s number.