by Sarah Barrie
‘I bet you’re right.’
‘I’ll make a note.’ Paisley pulled up another screen, frowned. ‘I think I forgot to tell you the couple coming in tomorrow requested a bottle of bubbly and a cheese platter on arrival. They’re celebrating a wedding anniversary.’
‘That’s okay, I’ll do a supply run this afternoon. We’re now officially out of that quince paste and low on the triple brie.’ She glanced up. ‘Uh-oh,’ she teased as Dale’s car stopped out the front. ‘Sprung.’
Paisley groaned good-naturedly. ‘I’ll go through the rest at lunch.’ She got to her feet. ‘I’ll see you—Hey, that car’s back.’
‘What car?’ Callie followed Paisley’s gaze out the window to where the silver Audi sat. ‘It’s that woman again! What the hell could she possibly want?’
‘Dale’s heading over,’ Paisley said.
They both watched from the office window as Dale approached the car, leaning in the driver’s window. There was some sort of conversation. Then the car slowly pulled away. Dale’s expression was exasperated as he removed his cap and dragged his hand through his hair.
‘That’s weird,’ Callie muttered, and went to the door to meet him as he came back. ‘Who was that?’
‘In the car? Just a lost tourist,’ he said. ‘Hi, Paisley. I need you at the winery.’
‘To look at the artwork for the catalogue or go over my advertising proposal that you’ve no doubt forgotten about?’ Paisley asked.
‘You’ll be surprised to learn,’ Dale replied smugly, ‘that just last night I marked up some ideas. It’s all back in my Dropbox folder.’
‘Surprised is an understatement. Thanks, boss. Will I go ahead and order the material?’
‘Not until you’ve taken in the comments I made—and I’ve seen the new costing.’ His grin was there, Callie noted, but there seemed to be an underlying tension from speaking to the woman on the drive.
‘Dale, that woman you just talked to was here earlier. She looked upset when I spoke to her.’
‘You spoke to her?’
She didn’t expect the snap in his voice.
He turned to Paisley. ‘What did she say?’
Paisley shrugged. ‘Don’t look at me, I didn’t talk to her. Cal?’
‘She was jittery and upset. I think she was looking for something but I didn’t get a “lost tourist” vibe.’
‘More like a lunatic vibe!’ Dale took a calming breath and wrapped Callie in a hug. ‘I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to jump down your throat. I didn’t want to worry you, but she was strange. I don’t think she’ll come back. But if she does show up again, call me.’ He straightened and looked her in the eyes. ‘Don’t go near her again, okay?’
‘Ah … Sure.’
With a nod, he let her go. ‘You right if I pinch Paisley?’
‘Go ahead. I’ll need her back after lunch.’
As they left, she looked past them to the gate and the road beyond. Was the stranger likely to come back or had Dale scared her off for good?
CHAPTER
2
Paisley dropped her bag lightly on the desk. ‘Morning.’
‘Hi,’ Callie said, jumping to her feet. She’d been waiting for Paisley to arrive so she could go out. ‘We have three couples turning up this afternoon and because Dale ended up keeping you all day yesterday, I didn’t have time to pick up the stuff for that fruit and cheese platter for the wedding anniversary.’
‘Want me to go get them?’
‘No—thanks. I’ll do a full shop while I’m out.’ Callie grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and swung it around her shoulders.
Paisley took a water bottle from her bag and placed it on the desk, before taking off her coat. ‘So Dale’s not in today?’
‘Playing in the backhoe. They’re prepping the south paddock.’
‘How is it coming along? Will it be ready for planting next season?’
‘Hopefully. We’ll see.’
‘I’ve costed out his suggestions for the promotion. I was hoping he’d okay it today.’
‘He’ll tell you it’s not until September, not to stress,’ Callie said.
‘Yeah. You know when he okayed the Mother’s Day one?’ Paisley said. ‘Ten days before Mother’s Day.’
Callie grinned. ‘And yet you pulled it off.’
‘I feel so taken for granted,’ Paisley said dramatically. ‘You’d better grab me a nice triple brie while you’re out to make me feel better!’
‘You can share it with me this arvo by the pool. It’s a gorgeous day. I’ll open one of our chardonnays to go with it.’
‘I can’t get you in that pool in summer, let alone winter.’
‘No.’ And she never would. ‘But it’s nice to sit by it.’
‘Agreed.’
Callie was still smiling as she drove into town. She did all the running around she needed to and made time to call in at the nursery to order the trees for the new project. Then she turned the car towards the Hunter Valley Cheese Company.
The place was busy, and a minibus was held up at the entrance waiting for a car to reverse out. As she scanned for a spot she noticed the outdoor tables held a good scattering of tour group couples and families. And—
Surprise then disbelief had Callie accelerating around the minibus then awkwardly pulling up further along the road, bumping the gutter distractedly before coming to a messy stop. She looked in her rear-vision mirror, then adjusted it until she got a better look at what she hoped she hadn’t seen. But she had seen it. Dale. With that woman.
Unwilling to believe the mirror, Callie spun around in her seat and peered over the headrest. She’d know Dale anywhere and though the blonde’s face was obscured by distance and sunglasses, she was sure it was the same woman. Who else could it be?
Reasons and excuses skidded through her mind but none stuck. None of them made any sense. What was going on? Had Dale lied about not knowing the woman? Had they met since yesterday? As Callie watched, Dale lifted his hands from under the table, placed them over the woman’s and ducked his head towards her. Callie’s stomach lurched. Nothing about that gesture screamed, We just met.
She started to shake. Even as she told herself she didn’t have the first clue what was going on, she struggled to deny the most obvious reason for this that came to mind.
The pair leant back as they sipped drinks, then the woman reached for Dale again.
The lurch in Callie’s stomach churned into one long, nauseating roll.
Her phone rang and she fumbled to answer it. ‘Yeah?’ she asked, her voice hitching in her throat.
‘Don’t forget the—what?’ It was Paisley.
‘I’m at the cheese company.’
Paisley’s voice turned sharp. ‘Callie, what’s wrong? Have you been in an accident or something?’
‘I could be overreacting,’ Callie said. ‘It’s just—no, it’s not nothing. They’re holding hands, Paisley. They’re talking all close and intimate.’
‘What? Who?’
‘Dale! And that woman!’
‘What woman?’
Several seconds ticked by as Callie kept watch. She couldn’t take her eyes off them.
‘Ooh. The car woman? Are you sure?’
‘Are you kidding?’
‘Okay, sorry. Of course you’re sure. Shit. Okay, just … stay calm. Let’s approach this rationally. There must be an explanation. Where are they?’
‘One of the outside tables.’
‘Do you really think Dale would risk doing anything underhanded out there? Everyone knows him.’
Paisley had a point and yet, there he was. ‘One way to find out,’ Callie said. She’d rather do almost anything than approach them, but she needed to know.
‘Wait!’ Paisley snapped. ‘You can’t confront them while you’re as upset as you sound. If you storm over there and there’s a perfectly acceptable explanation, you’re going to look stupid and everyone’s going to think you’re a nut.’
‘Okay, granted. But—’ She looked down at her hands and clasped them tightly. ‘God, I’m shaking—a minute ago I wanted to run and hide. Now I just want to go over there and demand answers. Why would he go behind my back like this?’
‘And,’ Paisley continued, ‘if you storm over there and there’s not an acceptable explanation, you’re still going to look stupid and everyone’s going to feel sorry for you. Do you really want either scenario flying around town tomorrow?’
Not an acceptable explanation? Could it really be possible Dale was cheating on her? Not Dale, no. Their marriage was so perfect. But as Callie watched him with that woman, doubts crept in. Damn it, why did Paisley have to make so much sense?
‘So what I just … leave them here?’
There were a few seconds of silence, then: ‘Tell you what. Come home. I’ll shoot out there and “accidentally” run into them, introduce myself to the woman so I can find out who she is—and suss out Dale’s reaction to me finding them there.’
Callie took some deep breaths. Paisley was right; she was in no state to confront anyone. ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll be there in ten.’
She was there in five. The drive home had done nothing to calm her down. Dale had said yesterday that he didn’t know the woman. He’d lied. If there was a reasonable explanation, why would he lie?
Paisley came out before Callie could get inside. ‘I’ll let you know,’ she said, then she was in her car and reversing out of her spot, tearing away.
Callie unpacked the groceries, trying to focus on drawing up the layout for her new garden. One of the expected couples checked in and—damn—she realised she still didn’t have the cheeses she was meant to buy. It didn’t seem important now.
When the phone rang she pounced on it.
‘Sorry, Callie. Are you absolutely sure the woman was with Dale?’ Paisley asked. ‘I couldn’t see them anywhere. I checked the café, did a drive around looking for his car then went out via the new estate and there he was, working with Gavin. He certainly looked as though he’d been there all afternoon. Still in the work clothes he’d been in this morning.’
‘He was in them when I saw—’ She broke off as a car sent gravel flying in the driveway and jerked to a stop. Callie stood slowly. ‘Ah, Paise? That woman. She just arrived.’
‘She’s there? Sit tight. I’m two seconds out!’
The woman got out of her car and ran towards the door.
‘What do you want?’ Callie demanded.
‘Where is he?’ the woman asked.
‘Where is Dale? You should know, you were just with him!’ Callie heard the edge of hysteria in her voice and willed herself to keep it together. ‘Who are you?’
‘I’m not supposed to talk to you.’ The woman’s head was shaking from side to side almost like a tic. ‘I need to see him.’
‘Wait!’ Callie grabbed the woman’s arms and held her back as she prepared to walk behind the desk and into the house.
The woman took two steps back and twisted her hands together in front of her. Everything about her was nervous energy and urgency. When she swayed, Callie thought she was going to fall over.
‘Would you just stop! You need to calm yourself down.’
‘I have—I have some …’ The woman shakily delved into her bag. Most of the contents, including a pill container, spilled out onto the floor.
‘Bloody hell,’ Callie muttered as the woman scrambled to open the container and popped a pill in her mouth. Callie bent to pick up more of the woman’s things. Her hand hovered over a folded black envelope. ‘Is this Dale’s?’ She unfolded it and saw the name Lisa, before it was snatched back.
‘No. No, it’s mine.’ The woman shoved it inside her bag.
‘What is it?’
Lisa snatched Callie’s hand much as she had the envelope. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered again. ‘You seem to have such a beautiful life. I don’t want to wreck that. But it’s all a lie.’
‘What?’ Callie said, her vision tunnelling.
Paisley burst through the door. ‘What the hell?’
Lisa’s distressed stare moved from Callie to Paisley. ‘I can’t do this anymore. I just can’t.’ When she again made a grab for Callie, Paisley leapt between them.
‘Hey!’
‘My cat’s dead! I need to tell. I need to end it.’
‘End what?’ Callie asked.
‘All of it.’
‘Okay,’ Paisley said, unimpressed, ‘I’m not sure what you’re on, but you and your dead cat can go be on it somewhere else.’
‘But I need to—’
‘What you need to do, lady, is leave,’ Paisley ordered. ‘Or I’m going to call someone to remove you.’
Something akin to confusion crossed Lisa’s face before her eyes widened. ‘Of course. Okay. Of course. I’m sorry.’ With a nod she ran back to her car. She drove away, wheels spinning.
‘Did she hurt you?’ Paisley asked, checking Callie over.
With a quick shake of her head, Callie dropped into her chair and stared at the floor. She hugged her arms around herself, rubbed her hands up and down against the emotional chill the woman had left in her wake. ‘I never question what he’s doing, where he goes, what he’s up to. I’ve never seen her before yesterday. Have you?’
Paisley shook her head. ‘No. What did she say to you?’
‘Just that she was sorry, but my life was a lie.’
Paisley’s expression softened. ‘Callie … that woman was far from stable.’
Callie’s head shot up. ‘But she knew Dale, and he told me he didn’t know her. He had lunch with her, when he was supposed to be somewhere else. She talked about lies. And he’s lied to me.’
‘We don’t know anything yet.’
Callie walked to the fireplace and plucked a photo of their wedding day from the mantelpiece.
Paisley put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. ‘Talk to Dale.’ Her phone rang, but she ignored it. ‘Just talk to him before you start jumping to any wild conclusions, okay?’
Callie drew in a deep breath. Nodded. She was prone to leaping to worst-case scenarios, but she wouldn’t do that with her marriage, with the man she loved and trusted. ‘You’re right. I should—’
The phone rang again. Paisley swore and checked the screen, then rejected the call. ‘Come and sit down, I’ll get you a glass of something. Take the edge off.’
‘No, I don’t think drinking is a good idea at the moment. I need to think. Calmly.’
‘Damn it!’ Paisley exclaimed when her phone rang again. She silenced it once more and smiled apologetically at Callie. ‘Sorry. It’s Ned.’
‘Go, I’ll be fine.’
‘Are you sure?’
At her nod, Paisley gave her a hug. ‘I’ll be at the winery. If Dale comes in I’ll let you know. In the meantime if you need me, call. I’ll be right back.’
‘Thanks.’
‘If he comes here first, let me know how it goes.’
Callie paced, unable to settle. Paisley rang three times, and three times she’d refused her offer to lock up and come back. When she got tired she sat, staring into space and thinking about the possibilities. Why wasn’t Dale back? She felt sick, her stomach rumbling, making the churning worse. She forced down a sandwich. When the clock hit nine o’clock, she poured herself a glass of wine. At midnight, she caved and called him. He didn’t answer. Nor at twelve-thirty, or at one. Was something wrong? Could something have happened to him? Around two in the morning, another thought crept in. Was he with Lisa?
He couldn’t be. He’d never shown the slightest hint of being interested in anyone else. So where the hell had Lisa come from? When had they met? Callie had known Dale forever. Of course, Dale was quite a bit older than her, but he’d let her tag around with him and his mates when she’d been small, and had looked out for her. They’d been close for so long, moved in all the same circles. When their relationship had developed as adults it was such a natural progression no one batted an eyelid. Callie
liked to think it was meant to be. Maybe that was the problem—too much, too soon. Had Dale simply gotten sick of her?
She went upstairs to the bedroom. The bed, with its pretty cream-coloured linen and big, soft pillows, looked anything but inviting. The lace-curtained windows that, of a day, displayed a stunning view over hills and vines, framed only a void as dark as her mood. The whole room, the whole, warm, comfortable room, felt suddenly unfamiliar. Cold.
The vibration of her phone on the bedside table had Callie stirring from sleep. It was still dark, rain pattering lightly, and she turned to see Dale’s side of the bed was empty. Not quite awake, she reached for her phone and turned off the alarm. She had guests to cook for. Head aching and eyes swollen, she dragged herself up, stood for a moment and pulled herself together. She couldn’t afford to think. Just the idea of thinking had new tears springing up behind her eyes.
A noise downstairs caught her attention as she headed for the shower. Someone was moving around. Dale? She wrapped her thick robe around her and silently tiptoed down the stairs. A quick glance outside revealed the outline of his car against the overcast early morning. Another sound: the slide and clink of the filing cabinet closing. What was he doing?
She stayed where she was, plastered against the wall of the staircase while she rallied the courage to face him. More muffled noises, the humming of pipes in the walls. The downstairs shower was running. Needing to keep herself occupied while she gathered her thoughts, she put on coffee. She sorted out the breakfast orders, because regardless of what happened next, the guests would still need to eat.
She wondered what Dale had put in the filing cabinet. It had to be something he didn’t want her to see. And why would he shower downstairs before announcing he was back?
She listened. The shower was still running, so she quietly went into the office. She knew which drawer to check: the bottom one. She tried it and wasn’t surprised she couldn’t get in. Dale kept the key on him with the excuse that all their most important paperwork was in there and she’d never thought to question him over it. Now she was questioning everything. She knew how to get in—she only had to lift out the drawer above. She’d figured that out when she’d needed their passport numbers once.