BooksBarbecue
Back The Last Guests
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART ONE
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. DEADLY SAS RAID IN AFGHANISTAN UNDER SCRUTINY
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. PART TWO
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. TWENTY-NINE
  37. DANIEL MOORE: ‘A SINGLE BLOKE, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, A BIT OF A DUNCE BUT WITH A GOOD HEART,’ BEST FRIEND SAYS.
  38. THIRTY
  39. THIRTY-ONE
  40. THIRTY-TWO
  41. THIRTY-THREE
  42. THIRTY-FOUR
  43. THIRTY-FIVE
  44. BREAKING: POLICE CONFIRM DANIEL MOORE ACTED ALONE
  45. THIRTY-SIX
  46. THIRTY-SEVEN
  47. THIRTY-EIGHT
  48. THIRTY-NINE
  49. SECOND ARREST MADE IN WESTAY HIDDEN CAMERAS CASE
  50. EPILOGUE
  51. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  52. Discover More
  53. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  54. Also by J. P. Pomare

I turn back. Scotty is a couple of people behind in the queue with a roll of stamps in his hand.

Two hundred and forty-five dollars, I think, and it’s not guaranteed to work. But I’m desperate. Why else would I do this with Scotty? I need to do it today.

‘Right, so no one could know it was me?’

‘No one except us,’ he says. ‘And, of course, the police, if you were to use it for illegal activity.’ His eyes seem to narrow slightly.

‘Nope,’ I say. ‘I’ve got a crazy ex is all.’

‘Right. If you wouldn’t mind filling it out over there so I can continue.’

‘Sure,’ I say, stepping away. The queue moves forward.

After I’ve filled the form, paid and collected my new key, the man takes me to the side of the building where the rows of PO Boxes are and shows me which is mine.

‘Great. One last thing,’ I say, as he’s turning to stride back inside. ‘Do you sell sim cards?’

•

When we get back to the ambulance, Scotty says, ‘So what’s all that about?’

‘Oh,’ I exhale. ‘We’ve just noticed some of our mail has gone missing, no big deal.’

‘Right,’ he says, with a small smile. ‘And the sim card?’

‘I’m changing my number. Telemarketing, you know how it is.’

He gives me a look. He’s not buying it. ‘You’re not making a run for it?’

I conjure my best fake laugh. ‘As if,’ I say. The radio bleeps. We accept the call. Scotty reaches forward and starts the ambulance, hits the siren and lights, then we are moving again.

On the way I take my mobile phone out and find that message. I have my ways.

As Scotty races through traffic, siren blaring, I draft the message, deliberating over each word before hitting send.

Hi Daniel,

Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you! my father is very ill and I am going to care for him over the next weeks or possibly months. I’d love a drink and catch up when I get back but I won’t have the time or energy to do anything until then. That necklace and ring are family heirlooms and if he took a turn for the worst, I’d like to have it with me so I need it urgently. For now would you be able to send it in the post? This is my mailing address.