Out Of The Shadows

[WYN100]

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Hey, Constable Austin! “ Xavier had edged the car cautiously up to the roadblock where Probationary Sergeant Wayne Elliott had flagged him down. The pair were familiar through a chatting acquaintance at the station canteen, but knew little of any depth about each others’ lives . Even so, Xavier could feel a glisten of sweat forming on his brow as the electric window came down.

“So..uh, what’s going on, Sarge ?” he asked- just a little throatily.

Elliott seemed a little throwaway in his reply “Oh, seems there’s been a gas leak at ..is it Colton Creek… ? – and because of the risk, the ‘top floor’ have got us here diverting people away…. You weren’t headed in that direction, were you .. ?”

Xavier swallowed a little uncomfortably.. ”Uh, no just going to pick something up before work later, nothing special..”

Elliott went on “..they've also got us doing some routine stop and search spot checks –don’t suppose I have to do yours though, do I !!”

His perspiring palms gripping tight to the steering wheel, Xavier responded “Oh you could if you wanted to mate !” As he ended with a false-sounding, slightly high-pitched laugh, behind him Hugo’s blood was running cold at his brother’s bluff. It became only marginally less Arctic with the other man’s reply “Nah mate, on you go, you’ve got an honest face !” He tapped the car roof twice as Xavier gunned the car engine and headed for the signposted diversion. As he did, a man of South Sea Island appearance in a 4 by 4 two spaces behind him in the queue readjusted his satnav and began following the re-directed vehicles….

“So just exactly how did you get me here, Ms Franklin !” Aiden was sitting opposite her at the diner, describing vague circles in the air with a fork while he waited for their lates to arrive.

“Well I didn't see you exactly running the other way MISTER Jeffries !” she responded, characteristic twinkle playing in her eyes.

|”Oh well, I was going to cut my toenails but I thought I’d save the treat till later and do this bit first, you know how it is !”

“Oy you !!” he ducked sideways as a diner-embossed coaster came sailing at his head. “You want to be here JUST as much as I do !!”

“So what you been up to then, trouble !” he enquired , drawn in despite himself.

“Oh, this and that, bit of travel, Fiji.., Samoa, just chilling around, you know…?”

“Any plus one doing the chilling with ?”

Her expression became increasingly coquettish as she responded “Oh yes, and why are you so interested – be jealous, would you ?”

He found himself saying “Oh – no reason !”, while his mind was steadily dissecting the fact that there was actually every reason. When you’d fallen in love as deeply as he had with Nicole, despite the issues which has arisen, any route back from that would be like trying to reverse a juggernaut up a rural village one way street.

He’d tried to reposition his life without her, but just hearing her voice let alone seeing her had effectively brought all those walls crashing down. It was a cocktail that blended uncertainty with delicious renewed anticipation –even though the cerebral part of his brain was counselling caution as he didn’t even know what her current status in life actually was.

Snapping himself back to the here and now he volunteered “I was sorry to hear about your dad –didn't seem like him at all !”

An invisible shadow passed across her face and the sparkle receded as she blinked back a surprise tear “Yes ! I’d never heard of this girl-woman-whatever or how much he’d fallen for her ! And then she takes herself out of his life – I mean how’s that going to feel ! …”

As she relapsed into silence, Aiden’s first thought was hr knew EXACTLY how that felt !! BUT – welling up inside him was the inevitable and irrepressible dynamic that his number one priority was Nicole. Seeing the tears pricked deeply at his heart, so he pulled his chair round to her side of the table. Sliding his arm round her shoulder, he said quietly “Nic, it’s GOING to be OK – you know Roman, he’s a strong guy and he’ll be back on it before you know !”

Looking up at him with still-damp eyes, she murmured “Thank you” with a vulnerable charm that had always made his heart swell in a very special way,

For now though, the protective side of his nature was fully to the fore in her discomfiture and he tightened his grip on her shoulder. Glancing down on her as he did , her face inclined upwards towards his, and a kiss seemed a fragment of a second away- when her text alert bisected the moment with its strident tone.

After a mumbled apology she found her phone, read the message, then locked startled eyes onto his. Putting a hand on his shoulder to steady herself, “Oh Aiden, it’s the hospital – it’s Dad – they want me to come in !”

“Why, what’s the matter !!”

“They didn't say !!” she replied, eyes moistening again. Decisively helping her up and passing across her coat, he gripped her hand – “I’m coming with you…” As they headed for the door, even in the midst of apparent tension, the chemistry between the two could JUST have been re-kindled

…

“Ch..Charlie.wha….” Brax’s voice was halting and near to incoherent following the resounding crack to the head when the vehicle hurtled into the roadside wall at Colton Creek.

“Brax-Beax, can you hear me..!!”

The voice belonged to Sid Walker. He’d entered this scenario at an advanced stage, watching Brax come round after a quickfire and last-ditch chain of events – which still had some distance left to run .

“Brax, you’re in the hospital – do you remember what happened ?”

Sitting suddenly bolt upright in the bed despite the doctor’s restraining hand on his shoulder , Brax exclaimed in startled fashion, thoughts flooding back into his mind “Darcy – Darcy !! – Heath, gotta find them, eh !!!”

Gently but firmly getting Brax to ease back down onto the pillows, Sid outlined to him exactly how events had unfolded. It turned out Brax’s call to the air ambulance had been the crucial ingredient in the whole situation. Picked up as it had been on the police emergency radio wavelength at Colton Creek, after airlifting Darcy and Heath from their day on the beach, they’d doubled back to collect him and the three were now in Summer Bay General for their respective neccessary treatments. After the explanations were done Brax was then left alone in his room to digest it all, sleep and gey the rest deemed essential for the impact trauma he’d suffered. Slowly and eventually awakening from a heavy and turbulent slumber, he took a deep draught of water and have a deep, vertical yawn. Mouth jus closing he heard a tap on the door-frame and blinking to focus, saw Sid at the door with a uniformed policeman, Answering his quizzical look, Sid broke the silence with “Daryl, this is Chief Sergeant Watkinson from the Interstate Police Force – he’d like to ask you a few questions about the crash.”

Sitting forward – suddenly alert- Brax said “Sure Doc, I was expecting this, eh..and I WILL answer the questions, but I just HAVE to ask him something first, that ok ?”. The officer exchanged glances with Sid, nodded and said “Alright Mr Braxton, it’s a little irregular, but – go on…”

“Awesome Sergeant, thank you, win’t keep you – now you’d say you’d know everyone in your force right ?”

Wrinkling his brow a little, Watkinson said “Well yes, we’re a pretty small force on a pretty small area, so I’d say the answer would be yes, for sure !”

Eyes bright and eager, Brax responded “Well Sergeant, there’s a LOT of good reasons for asking, but PLEASE can you somehow put me in touch with Charlie Buckton ? Not sue exactly what rank, but I saw her in uniform in one of your patrol vans at Colton Creek yesterday !..”

His eager and alert expression resembling a young hungry bird awaiting the return of a tasty worm, hat optimism was suddenly assailed as if a wall hit by a wrecking ball. All that as Watkinson replied “Well Mr Beaxton, I don’t know who it was you thought you saw, buy I can categorically state we have no officer named Buckton, be they male or female currently on or roster, certainly none that would have bee in one of our patrol vans yesterday !… The bed-bound Brax gaped …HE knew exactly what and WHO he’d see, so just exactly WHAT was this all about……?

[Inactive User]

Wow great chapter. Looking forwards to next one Great work writing this fanfiction

[WYN100]

¬¬¬¬¬CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“So Darcy’s doing ok, eh ?” It was three days after Brax had received his hospital visit from Sergeant Watkinson. He’d paid his traffic violation fine, plus the endorsement on his licence – but the overriding itch in his mind remained unscratched.

Momentarily though he turned his attention to the welfare of his brother and niece. Heath had arrived back from the hospital a couple of hours after Brax had more or less discharged himself, bringing news that the transplant had gone well and he was heading back to see her in a few hours with clean clothes and toiletries.

With an expansive yawn that reflected the exhaustion of the last 36 hours or so, Heath responded “Yep, thank the flamin’ heck, Sid reckons its all settling down good –and you know what, Brax, she wa such a trooper – didn’t complain once, from the time the helicopter found us – flamin’ good shout by you was that, by the way !”

Brax gave a wry smile “Just what I’m here for, mate !”, he said, giving him a gentle punch on the arm as he did.

Turning to his elder brother, Heath re-focused and commented “But you had a dog of a day yourself by the sound, mate !”

Brax gave a shrug. “Hey, most of it’s all in a day for me, eh ! But….” – his face growing serious “the craziest bit is, I see Charlie in that police van, the world and his wife tells me I’m wrong, and NOBODY believes me !!”

“Oh I do mate – beats me HOW it could be - but if you saw her – you freakin’

well SAW her – it’s just what you gonna DO about it !”

Brax grabbed his fist in an arm-wrestling style gesture of solidarity. “ Thanks mate –means a lot ! I know we’ve had some fallings out in the past, like all that with Dad and Casey and everything, but – like- it’s so good to have you alongside on this one, bro , you know what I mean….”

Heath nodded silently. It was a moment of shared if differing pressure for the two brothers and the bond between them was tightening still further as it did when the outside world and its assorted elephant traps were providing the enemy.

“Tell you what mate, how does a few tinnies sound ?” enquired Heath, heading for the kitchen. A raised thumb from Brax signified his assent to the suggestion before he slumped progressively lower down into the sofa and began to doze fitfully. Heath eventually returned with a tray groaning under the weight of beer cans and crisps, but having set it down on the table, poked the bleary-eyed Brax in the arm, demanding “Oy, you been asleep or something ?” Rubbing his eyes, Brax responded “Might have been, what of it !” Jabbing his forefinger at the doormat, he indicated a folded up piece of paper that hadn’t been there when he’d headed to the kitchen. Eyes quickly widening and vigour returning, Brax vaulted the sofa, grasped open the piece of paper and read out “BRAX –SANDS BAR – 9PM TOMORROW”

The brothers shared an uncomprehending stare – what could it all mean ?

“Look I almost wish I hadn’t MENTIONED it now, girlie !!” Irene was wringing her hands in concern and frustration as she placed herself on the sofa next to an anguished Bianca . The younger woman looked her square in the eye and said seriously “Run it by me again Irene –exactly what WAS it you heard – from the top !”

A deep breath, then “Ok girlie but on the strict understanding this was only half whispers and snatches and could mean nothing – deal !”

“Deal !”

Another deep sigh, then “Well – do you remember that day the diner got swamped out by a gang of biker hoons – hanging off every table they were ! Well Colleen wouldn’t go near them, so I was back and past them the whole time and I’m sure they were talking about drugs – you know the kind of thing getting ‘stuff’ and that kind of thing, and when they were leaving, one of them said to the other he knew who could get some and it would be ‘the Graham guy’ because he’d lived here and knew the area. But that’s ALL I heard…”

“So you’re telling me Penn Graham’s back in the Bay and Liam could be hooked up with him !”

Irene threw her arms up in undiluted frustration “ Girlie I’m telling you NEITHER such thing – only the vaguest crumb of a thing, and only because I saw how flamin’ UPSET you were – NOTHING concrete to go on AT all, ok !”

Looking suddenly flushed with determination and her jaw set square, Bianca jumped up from the sofa, saying “No, maybe not, but it sharpens the mind, that’s for sure !”

Then, after a few minutes of foot-tapping and breathing through her nose, she placed fingers to forehead as if struck by sudden inspiration. “His ORGANIZER !! Since he’s worked ay Angelo’s he’s put everything he’s due to do in this organizer thing he bought ! Let’s see if he’d put anything in for that night “

After some frantic rummaging around the living room she gave a gasp and returned clutching the object in question. After some animated button-pressing the colour drained from her face, and, turning back towards the sofa, said through dry mouth “Well Irene, looks like we’ve got our answer….”

Her face taut with concern, the other woman waited for more……

“Right, now there’s some food in that bag, you’ve got the rug, and just remember to keep the shutters closed, and don’t call my mobile unless you really have to, right !”

Hugo dropped down onto a bench at the far end of the darkened chalet and nodded slowly.

“You sure you’re ok with all this, Xave? I so appreciate it and all, but you’re really putting yourself out there with this….particularly with the line of work you’re in and all….”

Xavier rolled his eyes, and replied with irony “Well I guess little brothers must be useful for something other than getting rugby balls thrown at them in gardens or dobbed on to parents all the time, eh !”

Hugo acknowledged the mild jibe with a thin, wry smile and added “Seriously though mate, top man and legend status for this – I owe you big time now !!”

His brother dismissed the plaudit with a flick of his hand but blended into serious mode , replying “All we owe each other is to get through this thing and out the other end, that’ll do me fine!”

As Hugo nodded his assent, Xavier gave a final thumbs up as he headed to the door and a brotherly bond was silently but emphatically strengthened still further,

Carefully looking round before heading to and entering the car, Xavier dropped the car window a he set off to counter the heat of a still, already very warm mid-morning. Sighing with the mental ad emotional exhaustion of what had happened and the challenges still to come, Xavier reached for the CD player in terms of at least some brief relaxatio/ But before his finger could even reach the controls, his body was jolted stiff by an unmistakeable sound piercing the still air from just behind him. It was the searing noise of a single gunshot….

[Inactive User]

Great chapter Whoa at the ending. Hope Xavier is alright. Update soon xx

[WYN100]

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Not for the first time that evening, Brax fingered his collar nervily. He rarely if ever wore a tie other than in church or court and he’d thought long and hard about putting one on, even here in the rather rarefied surrounds of the Sands Lounge Bar. Heath had both tried to dissuade him from going and that he should accompany hlm “just in case” – but Brax had quashed him on both fronts in pretty short order. “If I can’t meet up with some flaming shadow on my own in a public bar, we might as well all go home, eh !” And so it was that he was here in the unfamiliar surrounds of the Sands cocktail bar perched on a stool at the serving area Rewinding in his mind he thought of the glimpse of Charlie, the crash and the subsequent denial by Wilkinson. But –underpinning all the above was his grim resolve and knowledge that he HAD without doubt seen her – he just KNEW he had. And now this – who’d sent the note, why – and more importantly what was due to happen next ! He’d of course been scrutinizing everyone who’d entered the bar, carefully if unobtrusively, but to no avail as yet. Eventually a man of early-mid thirties in a casual but expensive-looking jacket ordered a drink and slipped onto the stool next to his. As with so many before him that evening, Brax gave a cursory flick of the eye up and down the new arrival, but discerning nothing apparently concerned with his current quest, he gave a sigh resonating heavy frustration, drained his beer glass to its rather defeated-looking froth and stepped off his stool. He’d taken a couple of steps when the man at his side looked upwards and enquired “You Daryl ?” Caught off guard only for a fraction of a second, Brax calmly faced the other as he moved his stool round. “And you – don’t tell me –are the phantom who writes moonlit notes and shoves them under people’s doors, eh ! “ Not directly addressing the accusation, he went on “So- Charlie Buckton….” Brax stiffened –not altogether imperceptibly. “……been a bit of a week, hasn’t it….you catching sight of her like that and all….” Brax’s jaw set and he felt his fists closing. In slow, precise tones, he demanded “Ok ok Mr Man of Mystery just what IS the score here, eh.. you a cop, or some kind of loose cannon, or what…..!” The other man’s face broke into a small but visible smile.. “So what am I now, a comedian…..!” Raising the palm of one hand, the other replied “No, no nothing like that, I assure you – it’s just I’m none of the things you asked if I was – I’m Matt…….I’m her husband……….”

Those words seared inside Brax’s ears with the effect of a blowtorch….

“And so, all in all, we can consider it a very good morning’s work – well done everybody !” Sergeant Watson was concluding her briefing remarks when the door creaked open and Xavier’s apologetic face appeared around it, silently mouthing “Sor-ry” as people rather pointlessly do in such situations as everyone’s stopped talking by then anyway. “Ah, Constable Austin – so what crucial endeavour have we stolen you from, may I ask ?” Watson’s words seemed to Xavier like a cannonball heading directly down the table towards him as he stood awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Oh, just some routine stuff Sergeant, you know how it is…..” What he actually meant was that he’d spent a fraught, tense few hours since hearing that fateful shot minutes after leaving Hugo earlier. His initial reflex thought had been to rush straight back to the chalet and see what had transpired. Then police training caution had kicked in, albeit in a way and through a situation his chief college instructor could scarcely have envisaged. Aware that the shooter may yet be laying a trap for him he’d waited…and waited….every fibre within him aware of the invisibly thin line he was trading in relation to work and also rent with concern for what may have happened to his brother - - - and all via a situation he’d choreographed himself ! “Constable Austin….Constable Austin !!” The increasing decibel level of Sergeant Watson cut through his anguished mental rewind of the day’s events. “So you’re up to speed with all that, Constable Austin ?” “Um…ah…” Rolling her eyes theatrically as if on a TV soap or reality show camera, Watson exhaled and successfully conveyed but contained her diminishing reserves of patience. “Well’ we hadn’t announced it at all but we’d had some very convincing chatter on the wires about one of the South Sea Islanders involved in that people smuggling thing. So, we tracked him, and his rental vehicle halfway up a hill outside town. He refused an instruction to stop , aimed a firearm at our vehicle and so was shot by one of our armed squad. He’s currently in medical custody – not entirely sure if he’ll pull through- but for our part, a positive day pretty cleanly boxed off. See Constable, it was worth you making the effort to come !” As the predictable ripple of boss-pleasing laughter meandered slowly round the table, Xavier assumed a fixed grin and hoped he’d disguised an involuntary gulp that to him sounded like the path pf an active waterfall. It was a gulp generated by two questions that Watson’s précis of the day had left comprehensively unanswered. Firstly – had they or would they hit on his connection between him and the chalet towards which the Islander had inevitably been heading. And second dly -and more hauntingly – just WHAT exactly had become of his brother Hugo……..!!!

Bianca had sat in her car-mind churning – for almost 20 minutes outside the pub which Irene was sure the biker gang in the diner had mentioned they frequented. Eventually, courage firmly in hands and heart just a distinctly in mouth she got out and headed towards the dingy, unkempt building from which the resonant, one-thump beat of a heavy metal jukebox was resonating. With a deep, resigned breath, she pushed open the swing entrance doors and went in. Predictably , and seemingly universally for any such situations, as soon as she entered, every occupant of the bar stopped talking and turned to fix her with a rather detached and surly stare. Only marginally daunted Bianca made her Way to the bar, coughed slightly and eventually attracted the attention of a stubble-faced barman in his early 20s and wearing a ‘Garbage’ t-shirt. “Drink , Love… ?” “Uh, no thanks..” she replied. Raising her voice above the thundering of Guns and Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” she continued….. “I’m looking for somebody..” Noticing a slight re-craning of the necks of those around her she ploughed on…”It’s a guy…” As a few titters emerged around her, her jaw set firmer and she raised her voice “Look –it’s a guy I’ve been told comes in here regularly…” Starting to dry a glass with a dishcloth, the barman said “Lady, this isn’t Facebook, it’s Rod’s Road bar and we’ll be getting busy soon….” To far into her flow to be derailed now, Bianca continued decisively “…his name’s Penn Graham..” She became quickly aware that the laughing and whispered conversations around her had stopped very suddenly. “Well…?…” she persisted – but suddenly became aware that a shadow had fallen over her from behind and that the angle of gaze of the nearby bar customers had shifted to that direction. Then came a voice that seemed to somehow lower the central heating temperature of the bar at a stroke. “Ms Scott – or should I say Mrs Murphy..? Certainly been a while….” Her feet appeared temporarily unable or unwilling to make the turn required to face that particular voice’s owner…..

[Inactive User]

Great chapter Update soon

[ldscott]

Brilliant Fic!

Can't wait to read more

Lisa x

[WYN100]

¬¬¬¬¬CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Xavier exhaled a cocktail of fatigue, frustration and foreboding as he let the front door swing slowly closed behind him. With his mind still awash with the turbulent eddy of the day’s events, all he craved was a quiet evening to straighten his thoughts, have something to eat and press a mental ‘refresh’ button on the chaos besetting his mind. Dropping his bag by the door he slumped onto the sofa, feeling around twice his own body weight and emitting the kind of groan usually reserved for the over 40’s when performing such an act.

He closed his eyes, but could only once again see the DVD lowlights of the day being repeatedly played out in his mind’s eye. Shaking his head in frustration he creaked to his feet and padded his way slowly to the kitchen. Only as he did, it occurred to him he hadn’t seen Ruby that much over the last couple of days. Probably up to her usual stuff , he thought – surfing, more surfing and perhaps some shopping thrown in !

Seconds only after that thought had distilled in his head, he heard a tapping on the kitchen door behind him and turned to see the very lady herself Ruby directly behind him, leaning on the kitchen door, characteristic twinkle in her eye.

Turning to give her a hug, he greeted her with “Well hello stranger ! What have you been doing with yourself ! Hardly seen you this week…”

Raising her index finger to tickle him under the chin, she giggled “Go on guess – I bet you can’t !!”

Gently removing his chin from the target area, he gave a short sigh and responded “Do tell Rubes, I’d love to know, but too tired for guessing games !!”

“Aw, spoilsport !” she smiled, before continuing “WELL….you know how your boss Superintendent Tomlinson told me that time that I should join the police too..”

His brow tightened slightly as he nodded – this was beginning to sound more than a little ominous !

Well into her stride now however, Ruby continued with undimmed gusto.

“Sooo… I hope you don’t mind, I went to see him !”

“And….”

“AND …he said he was so impressed by what he’d seen of me, he’s fast-tracking me onto the Special Constable Scheme – isn’t that great !”

“Wonderful….” From Xavier with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

“And..” perching next to him and draping an arm round his shoulder…”What’s even more exciting, he’s putting me to be mentored by an officer looking into that whole people-smuggling thing that kicked off again today – what about that, eh !!”

Xavier’s faux smile reached Oscar-winning proportions as he responded weakly.. ”What indeed !!” – as, scarcely credibly, his day seemed to spiral even further out of control……..

“Firstly, you need to know I am NOT afraid of you, and you’re NOT going to intimidate me, ok !!”

Bianca’s heart was pumping like an industrial suction hose in a flash flood as she faced down the Bay’s erstwhile nemesis. Such levels of focus though meant she failed to totally take in that it was a visually different Penn Graham to his previous incarnation. Gone was the stubble and the slightly chaotic hair. Instead she now looked upon a clean-shaven visage beneath a sleek designer haircut but also a smile that still seemed to betray it knew more than it should within a whole variety of situations.

“Intimidated ,Mrs Murphy ? –or should I say Ms Scott….now why on earth would I wans to make you feel like that ?”

“Look MISTER Graham, I’m talking about getting me here – to YOUR comfort zone…”

-Raising the palm of one hand to cut short her invective, he interposed “Whoa, hold on….firstly didn’t YOU follow the gorgeous Irene’s advice in coming here, and secondly what’s my motivation for intimidating you – I’m here to help , I’m sure anyone’ll tell you that !”

Brows furrowing and lips pursed, Bianca responded tartly “That’s precisely what I’m concerned about just at this moment !” then-waving away an imminent interruption, she continued “I just want information, and DON’T be giving me any of your BS – I want to know where Liam is, and if you know, tell me right here, this minute, you get it !!”

He paused, then with a somewhat less than sincere geniality “Just wanted to make sure you’d had time to say all you wanted, now can I just say two quick things in answer. Firstly, the glamorous Mrs Roberts, - or has she kept Mrs de Bono ? – got it slightly off beam about tracking me down here. You see I actually LIVE here, not hang out here..”

Noticing her derisive expression, he enlisted support from the guy behind the bar “Isn’t that right Glenn ! Always tapping on the floor with the noise down here, aren’t I !!”

“Oh, um, too true, yes..” the man replied “ We reckon the carpet’s coming down here some nights !” , putting down his cleaning towel and moving into embellish mode “And the fight the landlord has trying to get the rent out of him for that room some weeks ..”

Rolling his eyes with an accompanying smile, Graham continued “And secondly I’m sorry to disappoint you, I haven’t seen Mr Murphy in the longest time- but ..” pointing around the room- “I’m sure a gig from him would go down well here !”

Riven with suspicion for his claims, Bianca prodded him aggressively in the chest and challenged “You – listen and listen good – you hear or see the slightest TRACE of Liam Murphy, you let me know – I’m sure your slimy grapevine will get the number from somewhere !!”

Smiling with a probably purposely aggravating lack of sincerity, he responded almost without blinking “ I can’t think WHAT you mean, but I certainly will do – and now you really must excuse me, I have a hot date with a simmering spag bol !!”

As he turned to leave, Bianca did precisely likewise, striding with spiked tread to her car outside and gunning it into motion. Breathing heavily through her nose she glanced upwards as she moved parallel with the side of the building at the window of the upstairs flat where Graham had headed. The thin white curtains were drawn, but the bare electric light bulb shone clearly. AND – she slammed her foot on the brake suddenly with sufficient G-force to almost collide her chin with the top of the steering wheel. Without a crumb of doubt, leaning against the window, she KNEW that silhouette….

Brax stood foursquare close to the other man, his mind still reeling from the revelation. “ So, this is some kind of joke, eh !! – her husband eh !! – so tell me how does THAT pan out, eh !!, eh !!!”

Brax progressively emphasized each statement and question with a finger-jab to Matt’s chest. The other man, at least for now, was maintaining his equilibrium. Taking a step backwards away from Brax’s space, he responded “Look Daryl, I can call you Daryl.. ?”

“Brax will be fine !!!”

“Ok Brax it is ! Now if you’d let me explain ? I’m what’s very grandly called an IT Specialist. That really means I know just enough about computers and the systems that run them for big organizations such as schools, hospitals, and as you’ll have maybe guessed by now, the police. Now about four months ago the Interstate Force gave me a job supervising their IT. And – that’s where I met Charlie who hadn’t long been there herself. At first she was just another face in and out of the station where I had my own little office. Then, to cut a long story short, we chatted, dated and just about two months ago got married.!”

Matt genuinely seemed like a decent, uncomplicated guy, but his words left Brax gaping.

“And what’s she told you about herself, eh ! – because believe me ! there’s a lot to tell !”

Holding up a calming hand, Matt explained “I know there was some issue relating to a gang, but we both agreed not to ‘go there’ , as it were. So, we’ve been happily bobbing along till Chinese whispers down the grapevine about you seeing her, your enquiry etc etc, which is WHEN I decided to slip you the note and arrange this meeting..”

“So – as simple as that….!”, said Brax, his head still attempting to absorb the welter of new information.

Clearly though it wasn’t that simple.

Running his hand through his hair and heaving a deep sigh, Matt responded “Well…not quite… there’s the issue of the pregnancy…..”

The metaphorical boxer already within Brax felt as if he was being delivered a standing ten count……

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

[ldscott]

Pregnancy! Can't wait to find out more.

Lisa x