Daisy frowned and looked down at Emma’s resume. ‘It says here you’ve been cleaning houses?’
Emma shrugged uncomfortably. ‘Yes. Before that, I worked at McDonald’s as a teenager.’
Daisy took another sip of her tea and closed her eyes as if savouring the taste on her tongue. ‘Well, it really doesn’t matter if you don’t have any experience. I can train you. The job itself is a piece of cake, and I’m sure you’ll pick up the knowledge and skills quickly. I’ve got a good vibe about you. The reference from one of your clients says you’re a hard worker, trustworthy, and friendly but professional. You sound like you’re exactly the type of person I need. How about I train you for the remainder of the week, paid, of course, twenty-six dollars per hour, and then at the end of the week, if I’m satisfied you can do the job, I’ll offer you the position?’
‘Thank you. That would be wonderful. When would you want me to start?’ Emma grinned from ear to ear. She had a job even if it was only for the week. Emma sent a silent thanks to her sister, Jess, for typing her resume and replacing the years she had served the Victorian Police Force with cleaning houses. It was a brilliant idea, and if Daisy rang to check on her reference, she’d be calling Jess who would, of course, being her sister, give a glowing report about Emma.
‘How about you start tomorrow. The shop is open from ten to four. I’d like you to work those hours so you can learn how to open and close the shop.’
Emma bit down on her lip and looked down at Zoe. ‘Umm, do you happen to know of any childcare centres in Holbrook? It’s only Zoe and me. I’ll need to arrange for someone to care for her.’
Daisy picked up the empty teacups and began rinsing them in the sink. ‘There’s a lady who runs her own Family Day Care. She lives out on Holbrook Creek Road. Lilly is her name. She’d probably be your best bet. I can vouch for her. I have known her all my life. She has a little baby of her own. Kids adore her. She has a bubbly personality kids love. I’ll give you her number.’ She scrawled Lilly’s number on a piece of paper and handed it to Emma.
‘Thank you, Daisy. I’ll see you tomorrow at ten.’
‘Ten sharp, I don’t like tardiness.’ Daisy held the door open for Emma as she pushed the stroller through.
‘Ten sharp. I won’t be late. I promise.’ As Emma walked away, she had a skip in her step. She had a job.
Emma pulled into the driveway of Lilly’s home a couple of hours later. She had gotten a good feeling from her earlier conversation with Lilly. However, she needed to meet the woman who would possibly be caring for her daughter. Leaving Zoe with a complete stranger was causing Emma angst. Zoe was Emma’s to protect. Leaving her to go to work would leave her vulnerable, without her protection. The thought of something happening to Zoe when Emma wasn’t there terrified her. Her stomach was tying itself in knots, and a tension headache was building. Emma pinched the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. Get a grip, Emma. Parents do this every day. You can do this. But Emma’s and Zoe’s wasn’t an ordinary circumstance. Actually, it was far from being ordinary. Emma steeled herself and opened the car door with determination before she changed her mind and reversed back out of the driveway.
The first thing Emma heard was the squeals of delight coming from somewhere in the backyard. The second thing she observed was the smell. Emma smelt the earth, rich dark tones of dirt and grass. She inhaled deeply, and placing Zoe on her hip said, ‘I have a good feeling about this place, Zo.’
Being a cop had trained Emma to observe people, places, and situations. Even though she was now retired from the job, this habit of noticing even the slightest thing hadn’t died along with her career. Sometimes she wished she could turn her observant eyes and suspicious mind off, but the cop was always present in her. To turn it off would be to change the very essence of her character.
Moving around the newly built brick home, Emma stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. Two toddlers ran and jumped over spouts of water coming from an octopus sprinkler. The smiles on their enchanted faces spoke a thousand words. Their pleasure at something so small brought a smile to Emma’s lips, and she immediately felt at ease. Zoe bucked on Emma’s hip, saying, ‘dow, dow.’
‘Okay, you want to play, too. Off you go, then.’ Emma placed Zoe down as she had requested and watched as her little girl weaved her way on unsteady feet to the sprinkler. She toppled over on the wet grass a couple of times, but the falls didn’t faze her in the slightest. She picked herself up and kept going to her target. Once Zoe had her sights set on something, she was like a dog with a bone, she wouldn’t give up until she had what she wanted. She loved this about her baby girl, it was one of her endearing qualities. She was so courageous, and Emma envied her naivety and fearlessness.
A woman with hair the colour of fire walked over to Emma. She had a little baby on her hip. His rosy cheeks were covered with the remnants of the rusk he was chewing on with abandonment. ‘Hi, you must be Emma.’ The woman extended her free hand to shake Emma’s.
Emma felt comfort wash over her like a warm blanket. ‘Yes, and you must be Lilly.’
‘Call me Lil.’ Only my mum calls me Lilly.’
‘In that case, please call me Em. Only my mum calls me Emma.’ Both women laughed. Emma gestured over to her daughter, who was drenched under the sprinkler with the biggest grin Emma had ever seen on her face, ‘And this is my daughter, Zoe.’
‘Well, she looks like she’s made herself at home.’ Lilly beamed, jiggling the little boy on her hip. ‘This is my son, Caleb. I think Zoe and him are going to get on like a house on fire.’
‘Hey there, Caleb.’ Emma ruffled the small sprinkling of hair on the little boy’s head, and he swiped at her hand. ‘How old is he?’
‘Eleven months. He’s a little grisly today. I think he’s cutting a tooth.’ Lilly kissed her son on the top of his head. ‘Let me get the kids dry and changed, and I’ll show you ‘round.’
Emma marvelled at how Lilly had the active toddlers dried and clothed and sitting quietly playing with some magnetic blocks in record time. They exchanged small talk while she changed the children, and Emma changed Zoe. Lilly asked questions about Zoe, her likes and dislikes and seemed genuinely interested in her. Lilly didn’t pry about Zoe’s background. Emma sensed Lilly’s interest but didn’t elaborate other than they had moved from Melbourne, and she may have a job at The Cheese Emporium. She could see the unanswered questions on Lilly’s lips but quickly changed the subject back to the safety of what Emma needed to bring for Zoe the next day. Emma wasn’t about to divulge her and Zoe’s past to a total stranger, no matter how friendly they were.
An hour later, Emma left comfortable in the knowledge Zoe would be safe in Lilly’s capable hands, yet unsure how long she was going to be able to keep her secret safe in this small town where the residents were as curious as they were friendly.
Emma’s vision adjusted to the darkness as she crept cautiously through the hallway. A floorboard creaked underneath her as she pressed forward, gun drawn. Heavy in her hands, she tightly gripped its black butt, maintaining a steady hold. She noted wallpaper hanging in large, discoloured clumps, heard the hum of a fan, a tap dripping intermittently into a metal sink. It beat to the sounds of her feet. Her heart hammered in her chest, and sweat trickled down her back. All her senses were heightened with adrenaline.
As she breached the living room, the smell hit her—sweat, human excrement, vomit, and death all combined to make a repulsive mixture. She began to breathe through her mouth, a technique she learned on her first visit to the morgue. She knew from experience the scent of death would penetrate her clothes and her hair, leaving a permanent imprint in her mind which would waken her at night in a cold sweat.
Emma took in the slumped figure on the brown lounge, eyes staring at her, blankly. Foam had frothed at the dead man’s mouth and had long since dried up forming a cracked crust over his skin. The floor was littered around him with used needles. A tourniquet was st
ill secured around his bicep.
Emma’s partner, Jackson, stepped up alongside her. ‘I’ll call it in.’
Emma nodded. ‘I’ll sweep the rest of the house. Neighbours said they heard shouting. This man…’ Emma gestured to the dead man, ‘… has been dead for a couple of days. He’s not the person the neighbours heard shouting.’
Jackson looked over the body. ‘Yeah, he’s been dead a while. Reinforcements are on their way, so let’s both do a sweep of the house. I have an uneasy feeling about this.’
Emma did too, but she didn’t voice her concern, though. She was superstitious. Putting her right sock on always before her left and placing her left boot on before the right. She believed any voiced premonitions were likely to come true, and experience had proved her right so far.
Emma heard a baby’s soft, whimpering cry fill the house. She nodded silently down the hall to Jackson, her eyes never leaving his. He nodded slowly, following close behind her as she inched down the hall. The cry intensified to a blood-curdling scream that echoed throughout the house. Emma ran towards the screaming to a bedroom at the far end of the hall and took in the bloody handprint smeared down the door and the droplets of blood splattered the floor like a child’s painting. The door wide open, Emma set eyes on a tiny baby in a cot, face red from crying, legs, and fists pummeling the air in fright and anger.
The screams reached Emma’s ears. She placed her cup of tea down on the coffee table. Her heart felt like it was beating right out of her chest as she got up off the lounge and made her way into Zoe’s bedroom. The little girl was screaming, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stood holding onto the rails of the cot.
‘Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay, beautiful girl. Mummy’s here.’ She lifted Zoe into her arms, and the little girl immediately snuggled down into the crook of her neck and placed her chubby little hands around Emma’s neck. ‘Did you have a nightmare?’ Emma breathed in Zoe. She still smelled of lavender from her bath. Instantly, Emma felt a sense of calmness wash over her. She never got tired of the smell of baby. Of Zoe. With Zoe’s arms wrapped around her, Emma felt safe, and she knew the feeling was reciprocated for Zoe. Destiny had brought the pair into one another’s lives. The only way they could survive the horror of that horrific day was through each other. Emma truly believed that. She was in Zoe’s life for a reason.
Emma brought Zoe to the master bedroom, turned down the flowered duvet and snuggled under the sheets with the baby nestled in the crook of her arm. She could already hear Zoe’s breath steadying, the little hiccup of her sobs becoming less frequent. Secure in the knowledge she was safe, Zoe was falling back to sleep.
It had been a hectic week for them both. Emma had worked four days at The Cheese Emporium. She left the shop each day in a daze, overwhelmed by the wealth of information she was absorbing, and she loved it. She was learning about all the different varieties of cheeses from taleggio cheese that originated from Italy which Emma thought smelt like foot odour but tasted rich and buttery, to brie cheese which was mild and nutty in flavour.
She was ecstatic when Daisy had informed her the job was hers, and her first proper shift would be next Friday. Emma couldn’t wait. Being back in the workforce again felt great. Although she loved spending time with Zoe, the last six months had been gruelling, emotionally and physically. It had been therapeutic to start working again. Having adult conversations with customers, and Daisy gave her a thrill. Not having family and friends watching her every move, treating her like she was made of glass was a welcome relief. No one knew about her past, so there were no invasive questions about her work as a police officer. No one knew about her accident and injuries, so they didn’t hover over her, suffocating her with worry and burdening her with their own anxiety over her pain. Working set off the pretence everything in her life was normal, and Holbrook gave her the anonymity necessary for her and Zoe to lead as normal a life as possible.
Zoe had settled into Lilly’s Family Day Care quickly too. When she had cried on the second day as Emma had dropped her off, guilt had wriggled its way into Emma’s mind making her question whether returning to work and leaving Zoe was the right thing to do. All day, her eyes kept wandering to the round, silver clock on the wall above the display of cheeseboards. At lunchtime, she wondered if Zoe had eaten the vegemite sandwich she’d packed for her. Later, she worried about her nap time —had she gone down for her sleep easily? Had she taken her bottle for Lilly? The questions burned a hole through her all day until she received a photograph of Zoe’s happy face pushing a doll in a stroller around Lilly’s house.
Emma looked down at her little girl who had fallen back asleep and marvelled at the miracle in her arms. It was the two of them now, and Emma knew they would get through this new adventure. They had made it through their first week on their own. The rest would be a piece of cake.
Armed with a referral for a physiotherapist and some new exercises, Emma and Zoe headed into the café, A Taste of Country. Emma decided they would have lunch out to celebrate her success in gaining employment. It was a beautiful, unusually warm autumn day, and Emma decided it was perfect weather to sit outside at the wrought-iron tables and chairs. Picking a sunny spot for herself and a shaded area for Zoe, she placed her into a high chair and was greeted by a waitress. Her green name badge read ‘Tracey.’ She crooned over Zoe. ‘Hello, honey. What’s your name?’
Tracey looked over to Emma for an answer. ‘Zoe.’
‘Well, you’re as cute as a button.’ She was rewarded with an ear-splitting grin from Zoe. ‘Can I get you a drink to start with?’ Tracey looked back at Emma.
‘Yes, please. I’ll have a latte, and Zoe will have a small banana milkshake, please.’
Tracey placed the order into an iPad. ‘It shouldn’t be too long.’
Emma was perusing the menu when she felt eyes on her. Lifting her head, she saw the handsome guy from the park. His warm eyes met hers, and he smiled. She smiled in return. Her eyes never left his as he maneuvered his way through the maze of tables and chairs to her. His whole demeanour, including his walk, oozed confidence. He walked tall, shoulders back, chest out.
‘Hi.’ His voice was as smooth as silk.
‘Hi,’ Emma replied. The intensity of Ben’s gaze had her fumbling for words. She noticed the small scar again under his nose and had a sudden desire to want to reach out and run her fingers over its silver line. She wanted to ask him how it came to grace his face. She wanted to know more, much more. All she knew about this man was he was easy on the eye and his name was Ben. Why was she feeling such a strong connection to him? They’d barely said but a few sentences to each other, but she was captivated by him nonetheless.
Zoe broke the spell with a squeal, and both adults turned their attention to the little girl looking at them expectantly.
‘Hey there, Zoe. I hadn’t forgotten you were there.’ Ben reached out and Zoe took his finger in her firm, chubby grasp. ‘I got distracted by your beautiful mummy.’
Emma blushed. It had been a while since anyone had called her beautiful, and her stomach clenched involuntarily at the compliment.
Zoe was putty in Ben’s hands as she grinned at him and said something in her own little language. Ben smiled back at her, speaking to her as if he’d completely understood every word the sixteen-month-old had said. ‘Yes, I’d love to join you and your mummy while I wait for my burger.’ Ben looked over towards Emma for permission. When she nodded, he pulled out a chair across from her and sat. He winked at Emma before turning his attention back to Zoe. ‘Thanks for inviting me to sit with you, Zoe. What’s been happening? Any trips to the park lately?’
Emma sat back and crossed her arms. Who was this man? He had Zoe’s undivided attention. Hell. Who was she kidding? He had her attention as well. Ben and Zoe’s conversation was interrupted as Tracey brought over their drinks. After placing the coffee in front of Emma, she turned to Ben. ‘You want me to bring your Coke and burger over here, hun?’
‘Thanks, that’d be gr
eat.’ Ben smiled at the waitress, who turned to Emma and said, ‘Watch out for this one. He’s a serial flirt. Can’t help himself. Can you, Ben?’
Emma looked at Ben, who was sending her mind to mush and her body to attention as he seemed to undress her with his eyes. What was it with this guy? Perhaps he was overly friendly? Maybe he called all the women in the town beautiful. Was she reading too much into this? She was attracted to him, there was no denying it. She thought she was picking up on vibes he was approving of what he saw when he looked at her too. She could be totally off base, though.
‘Oh, Trace. When are you going to come to your senses and marry me?’ he asked.
Tracey threw her head back and laughed. ‘You’d better watch your mouth, Ben. If my husband heard you saying that to me…’ She sighed. ‘Marry you?’ Tracey shook her head, laughing.
Emma looked from Tracey to Ben and hoped Tracey’s husband wasn’t within earshot. Tracey smiled, patting Emma on the shoulder, making her wince. ‘Oh, hun. He’s messing around. Don’t look so worried. We play this game all the time. My hubby’s forever telling me if I think Ben’s such a great catch, I should divorce him and marry Ben instead.’ Tracey laughed, wiping her hands on her apron. ‘Hell, he’d better stop saying that ‘cause one day I just might.’ She winked at Ben.
‘Ahh, Trace, in a different lifetime... maybe.’ Ben smiled at Tracey, a smile she could only describe as dazzling and then he winked.
Tracey winked back at him. ‘Yeah, yeah, in a different lifetime.’ She turned her attention back to Emma. ‘You want something to eat, hun?’
Emma handed Tracey the menu and said, ‘Yes, please. Could I have the quiche and salad, and a vegemite sandwich with the crusts off for Zoe?’
‘Certainly.’ Tracey placed the order into the iPad and moved away.
Ben leaned across the table. ‘I’m harmless. I may be a flirt, but it’s harmless fun.’
All of You Page 3