She sat a while after he’d gone, staring at his card. What an odd evening. Natalie hadn’t expected she’d be putting out a fire from her dinner table. She smiled at the thought of Gabe’s kind offer. Tempting as it was, there was no way she was setting off with a complete stranger to go bush on her own.

She signed her account, gathered her things and strolled slowly back along the path that meandered through the well-maintained gardens to her room. It was another glorious evening. She’d thrown a wrap around her bare shoulders but it wasn’t really necessary. The nights had been so mild. Something rustled in the bush beside her. She stopped, looked around. It was a dark part of the path and there were no other guests about. She had a sudden image of Bazz. Would he still be around? She quickened her steps, fumbled her card at the door and finally pushed it open.

No sooner was she inside than she heard her mobile ringing. It had gone flat with all the internet searching she’d been doing before dinner and she’d left it to charge. She picked it up just as it stopped and Milt’s name faded from the screen.

“Damn.” She tried to work out what time it was at home. One-and-a-half-hours difference so eight-thirty in Broome meant ten at home in South Australia. It was late for Milt to be ringing. She looked at her call history and her heart skipped a beat. He’d rung her ten times over the last few hours but he hadn’t left a message. She stabbed at his number and put the phone to her ear.

He answered on the first ring. His phone must have been still in his hand. “Natalie. Where are you?”

She took a deep breath. The gruffness in his voice both annoyed and alarmed her.

“What’s wrong?” she said.

“What do you mean what’s wrong?”

“Why have you been ringing and not leaving a message?”

“Why haven’t you been answering?”

“I was out for dinner. I didn’t take my phone.”

“Hell’s teeth, Nat. I’ve been that worried. Where are you?”

She felt the pangs of guilt stirring again. “I’m in…Broome.”

“Where?”

“Broome, Western Australia.”

“How the hell did you get there?”

Natalie suppressed the urge to laugh. “On a plane.”

“But why? You were going to Brenda’s. Then tonight I find out Brenda’s in Thailand with her family.”

Natalie sunk to the bed and kicked off her shoes. So that was what the sudden panic was about when all week a simple text message once a day had been enough.

“Why would you lie?” Milt’s tone was icy.

Natalie’s mirth evaporated and she stood up again, the polished wood of the floor cool beneath her feet.

“I didn’t lie.”