Dan pulled up at Rowena’s in the last light of the day. Her brick home with its neat garden was a dark silhouette against a pale gold sky. He’d only made it as far as the gate when she came quickly through the back door to meet him. He could tell by her face that something was wrong. In an instant he was a young man again and she was coming to tell him his father had died. His stomach churned.

He studied her closely. “What’s the matter?”

“I’m sorry, Dan.” She reached her hand up and rested it on his shoulder. “It’s Rocket…he’s dead.”

Dan looked past her to the place by the back door where Rocket often slept. His blanket was gone and there was no sign of the old dog. “What happened?”

“I went to let him out of the kennel this morning and he wouldn’t come. I know he’s almost deaf and sometimes he’s a bit slow to wake but he didn’t move. I reached in and touched him. He was cold. Must have died in his sleep, poor old thing.”

“Where is he now?” Dan’s stomach had stopped churning but that sensation had been replaced by an ache in his chest.

“He’s in the kennel. I thought I may as well leave him there till you came home.”

“I’ll go and bury him.” Dan turned away.

“Come back for a coffee once you’ve finished.”

“No…” Dan paused. His voice sounded gruff to his own ears. “Thanks, Rowena, but I’ll head home after that. Paula’s making dinner.”

“Did you have a nice weekend? I heard the Tigers won.”

“It was a good game. Tom played well. Paula enjoyed it.”

“How is she?”

“She’s fine.” Dan had hardly spoken to Rowena about Paula or the baby in the week since the news about the will and the distant cousins.

“We can get in to see Glen Barrett next week. He’s been our lawyer for a long time. He’ll know what to do.” Rowena’s blue eyes searched his. “Which is just as well. I’ve had another letter. This time it was from Jacinta’s lawyer.” She paused, her face creased in worry. “They definitely want to make a claim.”

“Bloody hell.”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions before we’ve seen Glen.”

He dragged the fingers of both hands through his hair. “Why did you never tell me I have a cousin?”

“I’m sorry. You’d never met them and when you father died there was so much else to think about. Freddy died not long after. It wasn’t something I gave a second thought to.”

A gentle breeze stirred the lavender bushes that lined the fence.

Dan let out a deep sigh. “Why did Dad do it, Rowena?”