The things she needed to talk to Ray about were stacking up, and she’d much rather discuss them at home but this seemed like the island’s way of telling her, it’s time.

She eased the Volvo between two colossal stone pillars, then followed a long, straight driveway up to the house. It stood on a vast estate, looming like a haunted castle. There was a crack in the exterior wall just above the third-storey window. The crack cut a jagged line that stopped just below the roof, like the House of Usher.

She parked alongside Ray’s truck, at the top of a large, horseshoe-shaped entranceway. The toolbox lay open on the rear tray. The front door was also wide open. Ray must have been airing the place out. She hurried to the top step and paused at the threshold.

‘Ray?’ she called. There was no answer other than her own voice echoing around the giant entranceway. She went inside, marching through the house, calling her husband’s name.

‘Ray? RAY?’

There were grand rooms in all directions, filled with open fireplaces and sophisticated furnishings wrapped in protective plastic, and each window on the west wall gave unobstructed views of the water.

‘Hello, Ray?’

A prickle of fear crept up her spine when Ray didn’t answer. What if—

Crack!

The sound startled her. It had come from outside. She moved through the house, out the back door and into a sprawling native garden: a sea of colour below a colourless sky. Stringybark trees and towering myrtle beeches foamed along the rear fence line. The estate backed onto the Belport Nature Reserve, a deep, dark and wild stretch of bushland.

Aside from a small population of brown snakes, all the animals that could kill you in Belport lived in the water. One was free to hike Belport’s trails or wander silent roads without fear of being mauled, dragged off and consumed, but Abby couldn’t help picturing giant shadow beasts lurking in those woods.

If the past two days had taught her anything, it was that there was plenty to be afraid of on this island.

Chop!

She followed the sound down a winding stone path, then onto a freshly mown lawn. She found Ray, axe in hand, clearing a gum tree that had fallen on a toppled birdbath by Ray’s feet. He was knee-deep in a mess of shattered wood and narrow, twisted limbs.