Shadows of Hunters Ridge

by Sarah Barrie

  ‘Mia, why didn’t you just tell him the truth?’

  She shrugged. ‘Let him believe what he wants.’

  ‘And what was that about … Shane? That was your ex, right?’ ‘Not tonight, Ebs.’

  ‘No, not tonight,’ Ally said tiredly. ‘I’m perfectly fine, but I might take a bath. I don’t want to stiffen up.’

  ‘I’ll run it,’ Mia offered.

  As Mia led Ally upstairs, Cam and Lee came back in.

  ‘You owe Mia an apology,’ Ebony snapped at her brother, and with a scowl, she turned away from them and headed up the stairs.

  Mia closed the door to her ensuite bathroom, leaving Ally to fill the small spa bath with scented lotions and relax. ‘Okay, Ebs?’

  ‘Pissed off. Mia, I get that you and Ben have issues, but Cam should know better. He shouldn’t have snapped.’

  ‘It’s nothing, don’t stress. Cam was just worried about Ally. We’ll explain later.’

  ‘You should have let me explain straight away. And why do you act like that with Ben?’

  Mia pursed her lips, lifted her hands, dropped them. ‘I don’t know … he just makes me so incredibly, bloody mad.’

  The vehemence in her tone actually brought a smile to Ebony’s face, then it fell. ‘How are you not more upset by what just happened? I saw you. He got to you. Really got to you. But now you’re fine. Like it never happened. You get mad, then you just shrug stuff off.’

  ‘What’s the point of holding onto it?’

  ‘I wish I was more like you.’ She pressed her fingers to her eyes.

  ‘Hey, you’re the one who’s upset. Why?’ Mia sat on the edge of her bed, tapped the spot beside her. Ebony sat down.

  ‘You should have seen the look I got from Lee.’

  ‘Yeah, well, he was worried about you.’ She smiled, then winked. ‘Told you you’d floor him with that dress.’

  Ebony made a sound of disgust.

  ‘You don’t believe it?’

  No, damn it, she didn’t, and the frustration of the situation and the upset of the night had her eyes burning. ‘You’re so sure, okay, tell me what you’d do if you wanted him, because you could have had him in bed by now with a snap of your fingers.’

  Mia looked taken aback. ‘Ebs, I wouldn’t.’

  ‘But you could have.’

  Mia opened her mouth to deny it, inclined her head in thought, shrugged. ‘Right at the beginning, perhaps. But what would that have proved?’

  ‘That you’re so much better at this than I am?’

  Mia’s brow shot up, her eyes sparkled. ‘Better at getting a man’s clothes off? Is that all you aspire to? Sweetie, it’s just not that hard.’

  When a tear ran down Ebony’s cheek, Mia’s expression softened and she bumped against her with a smile. ‘And not that special a talent. Trust me.’

  ‘Easy for you to say. Men fall at your feet because –’

  ‘Please don’t do that.’

  ‘You’re gorgeous and –’

  ‘Stop.’

  ‘– confident and –’

  ‘I said stop, Ebony!’

  Startled by the snap, Ebony’s words died on her lips and her mouth fell open.

  Mia took a deep breath, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. ‘You’ve got to stop this. I’m not someone you want to be looking up to. Honestly, Ebs, I’d trade places with you in a heartbeat.’ Mia surprised her again when another tear escaped, and she gently wiped it from her cheek. ‘You look at me like somehow I have all the answers and, I won’t lie, it’s flattering. Mostly because it’s so far from the truth. I’m older and, yeah, more experienced, but most of the time, I don’t even have the questions straight.’

  ‘That’s not true, you’re –’

  ‘Screwed up,’ Mia admitted quietly. ‘In lots of ways I’m not getting into. Ben’s not completely right, but he’s not completely wrong, either. So don’t try to be me, Ebs. You’re better than that. If Lee can’t see what’s under his nose, find someone who does want to make you happy. You deserve him – whoever he is. Now.’ Her voice brightened as she got to her feet, tugging Ebony off the bed. ‘Get some sleep. Everything will have calmed down in the morning.’

  ‘Okay. But Mia … what would you do?’

  Mia sighed. Considered her. Smiled slowly. ‘I’d go get him.’

  CHAPTER

  23

  Lee wandered out onto the terrace and dragged in a lungful of city air. Even at this time of night the streets were alive – there was light, noise, movement. He watched a variety of people walk past, then wandered back across the terrace to sit on Mia’s chair. He threw his legs out and lay back. It was cool out here, but that didn’t bother him. He’d been overheated to one extent or another since Ebony had gone out – and come back – this evening.

  When she appeared while that image was still burning in his brain, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. She slipped quietly over to the railing, not noticing him. Even in a simple nightie she was so damn lovely she made him ache.

  ‘Can’t sleep?’

  She spun, startled. ‘I didn’t know you were out here.’

  ‘I couldn’t sleep either.’

  ‘Why not?’

  He took a deep breath, released it slowly. He wasn’t going to tell her the truth, but he couldn’t come up with a lie. She took a step towards him and he held up a hand.

  ‘Don’t, Ebs. Just … stay over there.’

  ‘Why?’ She looked hurt. ‘I was only going to sit.’

  He swore, got to his feet. ‘Sorry. I’m just – what the hell was that tonight?’

  ‘What was what?’ Her tone warned him to tread carefully.

  ‘Mia let Ben think the worst. But I don’t believe it.’

  ‘And you couldn’t have said something earlier?’

  ‘It took me a bit to come around to it. Why didn’t she defend herself?’

  ‘Why should she?’

  ‘Now you sound like her.’

  ‘Well, maybe it hurts a little less. Maybe she’s got it figured out.’

  ‘Got what figured out?’ He stepped towards her then; couldn’t help it. ‘What’s hurting you, Ebs?’

  She moved away from him. ‘Why did you look at me like that tonight?’

  Oh shit.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  ‘Look, Ebs, however I looked at you, I apologise. Truly. It’s just that if you dress like a …’ freaking goddess. Not appropriate, Dalton.

  ‘Yes? A what? A something that finally got your attention?’

  A slap in the face would have been less of a shock. ‘You did this to get my attention?’

  ‘You idiot.’ She spun away, gripped the railing as though struggling with her temper.

  ‘Ebony, I’m not sure I’m following.’

  Her head fell back to study the sky, then she turned back around, took three quick steps towards him. ‘Follow this.’ She placed a hand on either side of his face and pressed her lips to his.

  He staggered back, then regained his balance, but not his mind. His whole being disintegrated and reassembled slightly off-centre. But before he could get his arms around her she was pushing him away.

  ‘I’m a woman, Lee, not your kid bloody sister! I’ll act how I want, wear what I want, even kiss who I want. Got it?’

  He couldn’t formulate a single word, but he managed a small nod. She stepped past him and disappeared back into the house. His first instinct was to go after her, somehow he restrained it.

  It didn’t make sense. She must be drunker than she’d appeared. Best to leave it until tomorrow. Until his mind was clear and his body calm.

  But it cost him.

  Ebony intended on putting off getting up as long as she thought she’d get away with. She’d kissed him, just … kissed him. Good grief, how was she ever going to face him again?

  She rolled over, dragging the soft doona over her head. She really wasn’t ready to face the day. Had she actually behaved like that? The drama h
ad pissed her off. The frustration had just built and built and the alcohol had dulled her common sense – her fear. But there was nothing dull about her senses now.

  Damn it.

  What had she said? Something about acting and dressing – and kissing – however she liked? Or was that whoever? Good grief, had she even made sense? With what she’d said, wasn’t it more of a make-a-point kiss than a heart-on-your-sleeve kiss? And she’d been drinking. Best excuse ever for temporary insanity. It would be okay.

  What if it wasn’t okay?

  One way to find out.

  With a groan she flicked off the doona and straightened the sheet twisted around the bottom of the bed from her restless night. She showered, dressed and fussed over her appearance until she couldn’t justify the delay any longer. She pulled her phone off the charger to check it. Saw it was only just after seven. Not only had she not delayed anything, she was probably going to wake everyone up.

  She opened the door and heard voices downstairs. No, she wasn’t going to wake them up. Might as well get this over and done with.

  She managed conversation over breakfast; didn’t quite stumble over her sentences. She was painfully aware of Lee’s eyes on her, knew the conversation was coming. She reminded herself she had this worked out. If she could just say it all so it made sense, maybe things might go back to normal. Could she be that convincing?

  The doorbell chimed, interrupting her thoughts. Mia looked over the terrace. ‘It’s Ben.’

  Ebony’s thoughts moved away from Lee and straight to the way Ben had spoken to Mia, and her face curled into a scowl. ‘I’ll tell him to go jump,’ she muttered, already pushing to her feet.

  ‘No,’ Mia said. ‘I appreciate the loyalty but I don’t think he’d be here this morning if it wasn’t important. It could be about keeping you safe.’

  ‘I’ll let him in,’ Cam said.

  There was a quiet pause when Ben appeared on the terrace. Mia broke it.

  ‘Good morning, Ben, would you like a coffee?’

  Ebony’s jaw dropped. Ally caught the look and winked. Mia had it under control. Mia always had it under control.

  Ben looked suspicious but accepted. ‘Thanks. Sorry to interrupt. We picked up a location on Martin earlier this morning. It hasn’t occurred to the stupid bastard that we can track him through his phone. He’s still got it on him and he made a call. Cameras on a tollway in the area he called from have him driving through on his way into the city. We’ve got cars out patrolling for him now.’

  ‘Do you think he knows where Ebs is?’ Lee asked.

  ‘Not in the direction he’s headed. I’d say he’s running, at least in the short term. After he reaches wherever he’s going, though, who knows?’

  ‘So I can go home today?’ Ebony said.

  ‘If you like, but you still need to be careful. He could evade us.’

  Ebony managed a stiff smile. ‘Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. Got it. Because it’s Rob who’s coming for me, right? He could do that while you’re still busy not being able to find Martin, the Ned Kelly lookalike, in the city, with his distinctive tank.’

  Ben’s mouth pressed into a thin line. ‘That’s right.’

  Ebony stood. ‘Is that all?’

  ‘What’s the problem?’

  ‘The problem? The problem is you’re yet to apologise for the crappy way you treated Mia last night.’

  ‘Ebs, it’s all right –’ Mia began.

  ‘No, it’s not. Mia spent the whole evening making sure Ally and I had a good time, safely. And there wasn’t a boyfriend to be seen – all night. That guy was her boss, Adam, who’s pissed she’s handed in her resignation and professes to be in love with her, and the scheming, sleazy bastard was drunk and wanted a scene. He’d turned up at the bar and followed us home, because he won’t take no for an answer. Ally probably should have come straight inside but we look after each other, Ben, that’s what we do. We don’t jump to pissy conclusions and attack each other.’

  There was a moment of stunned silence.

  ‘That true?’ Ben asked Mia.

  Mia gave a noncommittal shrug. Ben moved around the table to where she was fussing with coffee and waited until she looked at him.

  ‘I apologise,’ he said.

  ‘Then I won’t poison your coffee,’ Mia replied lightly, handing it to him.

  The woman was indomitable, Ebony thought. ‘I’m going to go and pack,’ she said.

  ‘You’ll have to stay with us,’ Cam told her. ‘Until the surgery is fixed. It’s going to take another week at least.’

  ‘Okay, thanks.’ She felt considerably better as she went back up the stairs, and guessed she’d worked off most of the Lee tension snapping at Ben. Not that he didn’t deserve it.

  She put all her things in her bag, tidied the room and checked the bathroom. Turning for the stairs, she almost ran into Lee.

  ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hey, Ebs. Give me your stuff and I’ll throw it in the back of Ally’s car.’

  ‘Okay, thanks. Where’s Jasper going?’

  He smiled wryly. ‘Probably back in my lap. He refused to stay in the crate on the way down. Drove us all nuts. And we’ll have too much stuff now, anyway.’

  ‘Legally he should be restrained. He could be distracting to the driver.’

  ‘Technically a high-pitched howl and the thundering of digging little paws against a cage door is distracting to the driver. You going to tell me why you kissed me last night?’

  He caught her completely off-guard. She supposed he probably meant to. What were those excuses?

  ‘I was annoyed with you.’

  He looked at her in disbelief. ‘Annoyed with me?’

  She shrugged. ‘And proving a point. Do you want an apology?’

  ‘What? No. I don’t need an apology.’

  ‘You ready, Ebs?’ Mia’s voice floated up the stairs.

  ‘Almost!’ Then to Lee she said, ‘Okay then, good. I’ll see you at home.’ She didn’t release the breath or the tension holding her together until she was out of sight.

  CHAPTER

  24

  ‘Are you going to open it?’ Cam asked.

  Ebony stared at the package, turning it over in her hands. ‘It’s my tranquiliser gun.’

  ‘I know. You’ve been sitting there staring at it for ten minutes.’

  ‘I know but … all right.’ She opened it up, looked at it. ‘There, it’s open. Any chance you want to set it up for me?’

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Why not?’ The need to fire the damn thing was suddenly urgent – as though if she didn’t, she’d wrap it back up and hide it somewhere. Forever.

  ‘Ben and Lee will be here soon and Ally’s –’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Ben’s setting up a temporary police station in town. He wants to talk to the officers who’ll be staffing it and to touch base with us about how we’re all going to continue to handle this.’

  ‘That’s good to know – about the police being in town. It’s not reassuring to know there’s no one closer than Mudgee if anything does happen.’

  ‘Oh, sorry, am I interrupting?’ Mia said as she joined them.

  ‘No,’ Ebony said. ‘Cam was just saying Ben’s called a meeting with everyone this arvo.’

  ‘Oh wonderful. Hey, finally got your gun out.’

  ‘It’s not really a gun, it’s a tranquiliser.’

  ‘It’s a dart gun, Ebs, get over it.’ Mia grinned and picked up the instructions, flicking through. ‘Looks like fun. We going to try it out?’

  ‘Cam’s going to set it up for me.’

  Cam ran a hand over his head. ‘You really want to practise today?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Okay. Give me ten.’

  They followed him out and Ebony helped him set up some targets while Mia set up the gun.

  ‘Don’t expect much,’ Ebony said when Mia handed it to her. ‘I can’t shoot this thing to save my life.’

&nb
sp; ‘Then it’s time to start practising.’ Mia stood behind her. ‘Go.’

  Ebony lined up the target and watched the dart fly off into the distance and cursed. ‘Damn.’

  ‘Again,’ Mia ordered.

  Again it went wide. ‘I can’t do it.’

  ‘You flinch every time you fire. The barrel jerks to the left.’

  ‘Okay, I don’t like guns. I can’t help it. I thought I should be able to manage with a tranq one because it’s not going to kill anything. I want to be able to do this. It makes sense to be able to handle it. It’s just about necessary out here with the deer farms and it’s stupid that I can’t. I have to be able to do what I have to be able to do.’

  ‘Can’t Nick do it?’ Mia asked.

  ‘Nick won’t always be around. Let me try again. I’ll get used to it.’

  ‘How is it going?’ Ben asked as he arrived. ‘Targets?’

  ‘Old blueprints. Ebs is playing commando.’

  Ebony laughed at that. ‘Except I can’t shoot.’

  ‘That’s for damn sure,’ Cam teased.

  Ebony showed Ben the dart gun. ‘I got my licence, did my shooting safety course, then never picked up the gun again.’

  ‘Why are you picking one up now?’ Ben wanted to know, suspicious.

  ‘Because there are four deer farms out here and I also do injured wildlife and, in theory, it’s safer and easier to use one of these than try to handle those animals. Except it’s not, yet. But it will be when I can hit a target. There’s no reason I can’t use it.’

  ‘It’s called aim,’ Mia teased. ‘You lack any. Let me play?’

  ‘No,’ Ben said adamantly.

  Mia sent him a look of disgust. ‘If he’s planning on staying for any length of time, can someone please shoot me?’

  ‘It’s a wonder someone already hasn’t.’ They stared at each other. Mia’s lip twitched, Ben grinned. Ebony breathed a sigh of relief. They were back to normal.

  ‘Come on, we’ll do some more tomorrow,’ Ally suggested from the back door. ‘Let’s go inside and talk strategies.’

  As Ben had decided it was safe – at least temporarily – for her to go back to work, first thing in the morning, Ebony got a lift to the surgery. Carla literally raced through the doors of the new building to meet her when Ally pulled up.