Much later, when she was in bed and almost asleep, Milt had replied. First day tailing went well. Have good flight. His texts were always brief and left out the little in-between words. She’d only realised that morning she hadn’t told him about her change of plans, that she was flying to Broome instead of Brisbane. And now here she was and feeling so foolish that, if she wasn’t so tired, she would jump on the next plane heading south and go home again.

The bus followed a long curving road then swung into a driveway lined with tropical plants. She caught a glimpse of the brilliant blue ocean she had so recently flown over and then they came to a stop at the grand entrance of the hotel. The luggage was unloaded as Natalie walked over the wooden footbridge. Beneath her, water trickled softly and as she stepped up to the huge wood-and-glass doors they swung open and the relief of cool air rushed out to meet her.

Inside the lighting was subtle. Vibrant artwork adorned the walls, the wooden floor was polished to a dark rich hue and the plush leather lounge chairs looked deep and inviting. Beyond a second set of glass doors on the other side of the room she could see lush green plants and the backs of pool chairs beside a large water feature. Natalie took another breath and approached the smiling young woman behind the check-in counter with a sense of relief.

“Welcome,” the woman said. “Checking in?”

“Yes.” The weight slid from Natalie’s shoulders. Perhaps it was possible to escape reality. It would be silly to turn around and go home now when she felt as if she’d just stepped into paradise.

The cavernous farm bedroom was like an igloo. Kate had forgotten how hard it was to keep the old house warm. She should be under the covers but then she knew she wouldn’t want to get up again and she still had to face dinner. Instead she lay on top of the bed, a blanket over her legs, hands clasped across her stomach, staring at the ceiling.

They’d knocked off early on the second day of tailing and she’d made straight for the house and the shower. It had been a bitterly cold day and that, along with the doctor’s diagnosis from the previous afternoon, ensured she’d stayed chilled to the bone. She’d dug out a pair of trackpants from the drawers of her old bedroom chest, pulled on a long-sleeved t-shirt, a windcheater and a pair of thick socks, and then added the blanket before she began to feel warm.