Mel looked up the driveway, her brow furrowed with lines, her hand on the doorknob. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps, her chest rising up and down—a strange reminder of his fantasies as he’d sat opposite her in the hospital cafeteria.

‘I’m scared, Marty. With Bella going missing … my name has been in the paper. My ex knows where I am now. He’ll find us if we stay in Merrigang. You have to leave.’

When Marty had been tailing Mel on the winding roads through the mountains, he’d been fuelled by adrenaline. Now, his mind lumbered in confusion. Should he go back and focus on Brendan Parrish or find out more about Mel’s ex-boyfriend?

‘So you’re hiding out here?’ Marty asked. ‘Hiding from your ex?’

‘Yes. Please don’t tell anyone.’

But there was that ute in the driveway. Who else was on this isolated property with her?

‘Go home to Merrigang, Marty,’ she begged him. ‘Go and find Bella. You’re making it even more dangerous for us by being here.’

Dangerous for her! He bit back his retort. Her son wasn’t the one missing.

‘Mummy, what time—’

The little boy had come around the corner of the verandah, calling out to Mel as he ran. He stopped talking when he saw Marty. Flattening himself against the wall of the house, keeping his distance from Marty, he sidled towards his mother. The look he gave Marty was one of pure hatred. Did the boy remember his violent father?

‘You must be Sammy. I’m Bella’s dad.’

The boy nodded seriously, his eyes darting to his mother for her reassurance.

‘Marty, you can’t be here, you have to go.’

Wrapping her arms around Sammy’s shoulders, she drew the boy tightly against herself.

‘Can I use the toilet?’ Marty asked. A ruse to check inside. ‘It’s a long way back.’

‘No!’ Sammy squeaked and buried his face in his mother’s dress. Bloody hell, what had that father done to him?

‘Please,’ Mel whispered it this time. ‘Please, just go.’

As he turned the key in the ignition and put the car into gear, Marty could see the pair of them watching him. Two sets of dark eyes. Terrified. Scared of the ex-boyfriend finding them or of something else? Marty studied the white ute again. A common sight in the car park of Merrigang shops, used by farmers and weekend warriors. The sort of people who liked to go out bush. Had he seen Lucas, the army guy, jump into a Toyota HiLux?

He glanced at the boy again and glimpsed something blue in Sammy’s hand, half hidden behind his back. Staring harder, he could make out the shape. Lulu.

Marty slammed on the brake, wrenched the gearstick into park and bolted to the front door, yelling at Mel.

‘Why do you have Lulu? Where’s Bella?’