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  Alyse waved. Was Zamira right? Could Mark actually target all the people who helped her? No, he’d focus on the ones he was aware of—Kim and Zamira. Caution was required. Zamira walked past the hives to the firebreak at the back of the property. Alyse glanced at the house. Should she risk going back into Mark’s office now?

  Her skin prickled. No. He could turn up at any time and she’d have to explain what she was doing in the house rather than working in the shed. He was already suspicious.

  Tomorrow was soon enough.

  Chapter 10

  As Alyse strode back to the house in the evening, she scanned her property. No ute. She hadn’t heard a car, so it probably meant Mark wasn’t back. Still, after she’d walked inside she called, “Mark?” She went through the house, room by room, in case he hadn’t heard.

  Empty.

  In the kitchen she swallowed two of her painkillers. The rough ground in the national park hadn’t been easy on her bruised ribs, but at least the site didn’t need any work. She’d be able to move her hives there in another couple of weeks.

  All afternoon her mind had played through Zamira’s words. She had support, and the police were watching Mark. Though she was still scared, the idea of people willing to stand up for her and protect her from Mark comforted her. Then there was something she hadn’t considered in years, something Mark might actually approve of, something she could do with his blessing. Maybe she could overcome her fear of boats. A therapist was out of the question, but there were other options.

  The memory of those happy days had been so strong, had awakened such a longing in her. It wouldn’t be easy, but she wanted to try, to give the joy and freedom of the ocean back to herself.

  But first she had to make dinner before Mark returned.

  She assembled the makings for cottage pie. Warm and filling—comfort food was what she needed today. She reached for a potato and remembered Kim. Had she overreacted at the bakery?

  He had said he wanted to help her. Perhaps his good intentions were a little off. Should she call him?

  She set the potatoes on to boil and then worked on the filling. Her mother had taught her this very recipe, which had been her grandmother’s. Strange that her parents were on her mind so much lately. They would be pleased she was finally doing something about Mark.

  She mashed the potatoes and finished assembling the pie, placing it in the oven for the top to crisp. Then she fetched her laptop from her room. Time to research her fear.

  About half an hour later, her phone rang. She tensed. Beatrice’s Beekeeping Supplies. What should she say to him? “Hey.”

  “I’m sorry about today,” Kim blurted. “I was way out of line. I didn’t see it from your perspective, I only wanted to catch up with you. I didn’t mean to be like Mark. I never want to be like him.”

  The heartfelt apology warmed her heart, but, “It freaked me out.”

  “I get that now.” He huffed. “Mai pointed it out to me. She wasn’t impressed.”

  Alyse smiled. It had been clear when they were teenagers that Kim was close to his sisters, even if he complained about them. She’d envied him, had always wanted to have siblings. “She agreed to call you.”

  “Yeah, but she didn’t realise Mark spied on you.”

  “Few people do.” She wandered through the house, peering out the windows to ensure she hadn’t missed Mark coming home. The wind was noisy.

  “Will you forgive me?” The hope in his voice cut through her.

  She wanted to. She wanted to trust him and believe they could be friends again. “As long as you’re upfront with me in future,” she said. “I can’t deal with you doing things behind my back.”

  He was silent a moment. “OK. I should tell you about the session I had with my friends the other day. They all agreed they’d keep an eye on you.”

  Pleasure filled her that he was admitting to what Zamira had told her. “Which friends?”

  “Jeremy, Adam, Jamie and Elijah. Elijah was still angry about the way Mark hit you after he fell off the roof.”

  Although Elijah had been kind, they were all still men. On one hand it was comforting because they had the physical strength to challenge Mark, but that same strength could be a threat to her. “What about Zamira?”

  “Yeah, she’s in too. So are the musketeers.” He paused, cleared his throat. “We kind of met after the funeral to talk about how we could help you. Mai and her friends, and their partners want to help too.”

  “Did you warn them about Mark? They need to understand the danger.”

  “They do. But you can call any of them if you need help.”

  She would call the police before she’d put his friends in danger. She returned to the kitchen, and the laptop caught her eye. Perhaps Kim could help her in one area of her life—if they could keep it secret. Her stomach swirled and her throat closed over, but she said, “There is something you can help me with.”

  “Sure. Anything.”

  She closed her eyes. He was so willing, so eager. “Do you know how to kayak?”

  “Yeah. We used to hire the kayaks down on the river on the holidays. Why?”

  She breathed out. “I’ve been reading about my fear of boats. They suggest finding sheltered, shallow water and starting small. I thought if you’re free one day, we could hire one of those kayaks, test it out.” A chill ran through her body at the suggestion. No. She could do this. If they went to a stretch of the river out of town, Mark would never know.

  “Absolutely. Tell me when and I’ll be there.”

  His immediate agreement gave her confidence. “It depends on Mark.”

  An annoyed grunt. “We could turn the tables on Mark,” Kim said. “Get people in town to monitor him and tell you where he is.”

  The idea had merit. It would give her freedom to go through his office without worrying he would catch her. “Who? Mark’s involved with lots of people and the town is loyal to his family. Could we trust anyone?”

  “All the guys plus my sisters and Mai’s friends. Between them, we’d get a good coverage.”

  “All right. Thank you.” The front door slammed. Her heart leapt. “Mark’s home. I’ll talk later.” She hung up, tucked her phone into her pocket just before Mark strode into the kitchen. He had wet hair, mud smeared all over his clothes and he traipsed mud over her floorboards. She didn’t say a word.

  “You made dinner?”

  She nodded. “It’s in the oven. I’ve already eaten.”

  He dished up some pie and sat at the table across from her. “What are you doing?”

  No reason to keep it a secret. “Searching for ways to conquer my fear of boats. Friday was a nightmare and I don’t want to disappoint you again.”

  He grunted. “Good. About time you got over it.”

  She bit her tongue to stop snapping at him. Instead she asked, “How’s your mother?”

  “Grieving. She doesn’t want to get rid of Dad’s stuff yet.”

  Of course not. He’d been dead for less than a fortnight. “Some people need time to process. He hasn’t been gone long.”

  “They’re things. They’re not bringing him back.” His voice was rough.

  “No, but they remind her of him.” She’d tried to explain it when her parents had died but he hadn’t comprehended. She clicked on the next website link.

  “What did you do today?”

  Surprised, she looked up. He never asked about her day unless he wanted to catch her out. Yvette. “I went to the doctor, got some painkillers for my ribs.”

  “They broken?”

  She opened her mouth to tell him no, then remembered Doctor Eriks hadn’t seen her. “I don’t know. I picked up the prescription from the receptionist.”

  “Then what did you do?”

  Yep. Definitely testing her. “I stopped for coffee.” She told him about running into Kim. “Then I checked the spring hive locations.”

  Mark said nothing.

  She scanned the next article, most of her
focus on waiting for Mark’s response.

  “It’s tax time,” he said. “I’m going to the accountant in Albany on Friday.”

  She tensed. Had he discovered she’d downloaded a copy of the file? Forcing a smile, she said, “All right. What time?”

  “Three. You should come with me.”

  Alyse leaned back. “Why?”

  He stared at her, anger tinging his tone. “So you can see the mess the business is in.”

  “Of course.” No point arguing if her finances were a mess, it was his fault. “I’ll add it to my calendar.”

  He grunted and pushed back his chair. “I’m going to watch TV.” He left the room, leaving his dirty plate on the table.

  Her fear screamed at her to run, that Mark knew what she’d done and would make her pay. Taking slow breaths, she pushed the thoughts away. Don’t panic. He couldn’t know.

  But perhaps in the morning she’d call Olivia and explain the urgency.

  No, Mark might check her phone. She had to be patient. She could ask Kim to contact Olivia the next time she spoke to him.

  And hope it wasn’t too late.

  ***

  Kim sliced through the raw chicken to go into the pho, his thoughts on Alyse’s request. Overcoming her fear wouldn’t be easy. He’d read about it last night and there was no single solution. It would be trial and error.

  “Why are you so deep in thought?”

  At his father’s voice, Kim jumped and looked up from the table. “What?”

  Anh chuckled. “You’ve been staring at the meat for the past five minutes. It won’t chop itself.”

  “Sorry.” He started slicing again. It was just the two of them in the restaurant’s kitchen, preparing for lunch hour.

  “You thinking about your design business?”

  “No. I don’t have any work at the moment.”

  His father sighed. “Then you should give it more attention,” he said. “I enjoy your company here, but you’re wasting your talent.”

  Kim smiled. “Thanks, Dad, but that’s not what I’m thinking about.”

  “What then?”

  His dad might have some advice. He had spent time with Alyse at the markets. “Do you remember Alyse Wilson?”

  He frowned. “Of course. Tragic what happened to her family. She was a sweet girl. You had a crush on her, didn’t you?”

  He nodded, not surprised his father knew, although Kim had never said anything to him.

  “What about her?”

  “I caught up with her the other day—rescued her when their boat engine failed.”

  “How is she? Wasn’t she with one of the Pattons?”

  “Yeah, Mark. He hits her.”

  His father stopped making dumplings and gave Kim his attention. “What?”

  “He’s an asshole.”

  “You look like you’re planning on doing something about it.”

  “She needs help, even if she doesn’t want it.”

  His father pursed his lips. “Does she say she doesn’t want help?”

  “Yeah. She’s scared of what Mark might do to anyone who helps her.”

  “He sounds like a bully.”

  And neither of his parents liked bullies. They’d immigrated to Australia in the eighties to escape that kind of treatment. “He is. I told her I’d call her if he came into the restaurant.” He wrote Alyse’s phone number on the white board on the wall. “And tell her when he left. Will you keep an eye out for him?”

  “You might need to remind me what he looks like.”

  Kim transferred the sliced chicken back into the fridge. His phone rang and he washed his hands before answering. Alyse. “Beatrice’s Beekeeping Supplies.”

  Her laugh made him smile. “Mark’s gone to his mother’s. Do you have time to hire a kayak for an hour?”

  Kim checked the time. Another hour before the restaurant opened. He might be a little late, but one of his sisters would cover for him. “Sure. Do you want to meet me down there, or should I hire it and meet you somewhere along the river?”

  She paused. “How about by the SES depot?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up and dialled his sister, Eden. “Edie, I need a solid favour.”

  Her annoyed hiss made him roll his eyes. “What is it?”

  “I need you to come to the restaurant and help Dad for an hour.”

  “Now?” she whined.

  “Right now.” He turned to face his father who was waiting for an explanation.

  “What’s in it for me?”

  He took a second to control his temper before answering. His youngest sister was also the most spoilt. “You’ll make me happy.”

  “You’re always happy.”

  Annoyance prickled his skin. “I have a friend who needs my help, so get off your lazy ass and get here now.”

  She gasped. “All right. I’ll be there soon.”

  He hung up. “Alyse wants to work on her fear of boats and asked me to kayak with her. But she can only do it when Mark’s away.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he’s jealous of me.”

  Anh glanced at him. “Does he have a reason to be?”

  “She’s a friend.”

  “But you’d prefer she was more than that?”

  No putting anything past his father. “Yeah, but Alyse doesn’t need that now.”

  “I’m glad you realise.” He gestured for the door. “You’d better not wait for Eden to arrive or you’ll be late. I’ll call her to hurry up if I need to.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” He hugged him, then grabbed his jacket and dashed out the door.

  It took very little time to hire the kayak and paddle upstream close to the SES depot. Eucalypts covered the sloped banks, but there was a small sandbar Alyse could use to get into the kayak. Kim checked the time. She should be here by now. Had something gone wrong?

  The grumble of a car made him glance towards the street. A few moments later, Alyse walked through the bush towards him.

  He’d never known anyone to look as comfortable and yet stylish in jeans and work boots. Her beautiful rich red hair was tied back in a low ponytail and she wore a black jacket with her apiary’s logo on it. Her smile was a little unsure as she reached the edge of the bank.

  “Hey, Aly.” He handed her a life jacket.

  She examined it before slipping it on and tightening the straps. “Thank you.”

  “Are you ready for this?” She looked like she would bolt at any minute.

  Alyse shook her head, her hands clenched.

  He wasn’t certain how to help her. “Tell me what you fear, is it the boat or the water?”

  “The boat.” She lifted her eyes from staring at the kayak to look at him. “The river’s not deep enough to worry me.”

  “What about the boat scares you—that it’ll sink?”

  She was quiet for a long moment. “That it will trap me.”

  Hell. Her father had been caught on something in the boat which prevented him from getting free. Kim examined the plastic kayak. “Well everything here is open,” he said. “If we tip, it’s light enough for us to lift. We can stand on the bottom of the river and only be chest deep.” He glanced at the tea coloured water below him. “Do you want me to demonstrate?” He should have left his shoes back at the car.

  “No.” Alyse swallowed hard. “Logically I understand everything you’re telling me, but the fear grips me right here.” She wrapped her arms around her chest and winced.

  He pulled the kayak further onto the sand bank. “Why don’t you sit in it while it’s out of the water—get used to it?”

  Her steps were small as she shuffled onto the sandbank. She ran her hand along the bow, but every other muscle in her body was tense. Kim said nothing, waiting for her to be ready to take the next step. Fear filled her eyes. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and soothe her.

  Not going to happen. He climbed into the stern of the kayak.

  She lowered herself into the bow lik
e it was a chair, wincing a little, her breath fast.

  “I’m right here, Aly. I’ve got the skills and experience to rescue you if needed.”

  Slowly she slid towards him and settled on the seat in front. The boat rocked a little and she gasped, her hands gripping the sides.

  Kim placed a hand on her back. “It’s all right. Stay still, let it settle.” When the rocking stopped he asked, “Shall we sit here a little longer?”

  “Yeah.”

  “OK. Tell me when you’re ready.” He rubbed circles on her back, hoping it would help. She should have addressed her fear years ago, but he would almost guarantee Mark had told her to get over it.

  A kookaburra laughed in the tree next to them.

  “It’s not funny,” Alyse said.

  Kim chuckled, pleased at the annoyance in her tone.

  Finally, she said, “Can you push off?”

  “Yep. You tell me what you need me to do.” He pushed the paddle into the bank and pushed off the sand bar. The kayak glided into the centre of the river. He stroked through the water, the paddles dipping under the calm surface. Alyse’s white knuckles clung to the sides of the boat.

  Maybe something on the shore would distract her. “There’s another kookaburra in the tree on your left.” He pointed with his paddle and her chin lifted.

  A splash in front of them and her gaze moved to the river. The water was clear down to the bottom where a few twigs and leaves lay. “Do you still go fishing?”

  She shook her head. “Boats, remember?”

  “What about in the river or off the shore? I’ve heard there are some nice sized trout along here.”

  “It never occurred to me.” Her voice had lost some shakiness.

  “We could go together.”

  She turned her head to the side and her fingers relaxed a little on the edges. “You never liked fishing.”

  A rush of pleasure swept through him that she remembered. “I can go with you. It might help to be around water more.”

  Her lips quirked up. “Thank you.”

  The river curved up ahead and the paperbarks overhung its edges. He inhaled deeply. It had been a long time since he’d hired a kayak. He’d forgotten how peaceful it was. “It’s so quiet.” No man-made noises around them, just a soft hum of some insects and the occasional chirp of a bird. They were out of town now and on one side of the shore were open fields with cows grazing.