Chapter 15
Hayden ran the flat of his hand down Maverick’s withers, the foal’s skin twitching beneath his touch.
The colt was growing fast – strong legs, eyes sharp with curiosity, and a defiant little streak that reminded Hayden too much of himself when he was a teenager.
Duchess nickered nearby, grazing lazily under the shade of a yellow gum, her tail flicking at the occasional fly.
‘Steady, boy,’ he murmured as Maverick jerked his head, testing the tension of the halter rope. ‘You’re not ready to be king of the paddock just yet.’
He worked the foal gently, leading him in a loose circle, keeping his movements calm and even.
Early halter training helped with future handling and leading.
It was crucial to do it gently and gradually, earning the foal’s trust, not forcing it, while ensuring Maverick grew comfortable with the process.
The ritual of training helped to settle his thoughts, which had been tangling themselves into knots since Craig Dunlop had shown up on his verandah.
But what really haunted him this morning wasn’t the copper.
It was the memory of a dumber version of himself.
And the damn dare. He could still hear Gavin’s voice from that night.
The pub had been rowdy, a Friday with too much beer and not enough judgement.
And with too many ghosts in his rear-view, he’d stupidly, thoughtlessly, taken the bet.
Only it wasn’t just a bet about him wooing any woman.
It was about wooing the stunning, intelligent, fascinating Miss Brianna Steele.
He hadn’t known then what he knew now. How she’d burrow her way into his days without trying.
How she’d turn up at the edge of his paddocks or his thoughts without warning.
How the sight of her in her mud-splattered boots, with sun-warmed skin, and that spark behind her eyes, could hit him like a punch to the chest, or how just a harmless flutter of her lashes could undo him in ways he’d never imagined possible.
And how her laugh didn’t just undo the tension in his shoulders, it loosened knots in his soul he didn’t realise were still tied.
Just by being her natural, kind, awesome self, she made the ghosts fade.
Casey’s shadow didn’t vanish, but it didn’t haunt him the same way when Brianna was nearby.
The weight he carried, the guilt, the regret, the loneliness, it felt lighter when she was around.
That weight wasn’t gone. Just more bearable.
And that scared the hell out of him.
Because the truth was, Brianna made him feel something that had nothing to do with guilt or grief.
No, it was something terrifying in its simplicity.
It was hope. The kind that crept in when you weren’t looking, then refused to leave.
He’d started picturing things he had no business imagining.
Her at Sweetwater Acres more often. Her boots by the back door.
Her laughter echoing off these paddocks for years, not days.
Her being the mother of his future children.
Becoming his wife. His life. His future.
The very woman he’d sit with, at a ripe old age, reminiscing about their wonderful life together.
And god help him, he liked the picture way too much.
But even if by some miracle she felt the same, it couldn’t start with a lie.
If he ever wanted something real with Brianna Steele, he’d have to come clean about the dare, and that meant risking everything.
Because no matter how innocent it had seemed at the time, it would never look that way now.
Not to her. Not after everything they’d been through.
He could already imagine her reaction if and when he told her his dirty secret.
The flash of hurt in her eyes, the betrayal.
And it tore at something inside him. Terrified him beyond words.
So, in an act of cowardice, he’d stayed quiet.
He knew Brianna deserved way better than that.
Likely better than he’d ever be able to give her.
And with that heartbreaking thought, he sighed, as if a weight had just landed on his shoulders.
He needed to get a grip on himself and his runaway emotions.
Maverick nudged his arm, headbutting gently like he was demanding more attention, and Hayden smiled despite himself as he scratched the colt’s forehead. ‘All right, all right. Sorry, buddy, I was a million miles away. We’re almost done here.’
The foal whinnied softly and pawed at the dirt, as if protesting the end of their session. Hayden chuckled, reached into his back pocket and pulled out a halved apple. Maverick’s ears perked, and he nuzzled closer, munching happily from Hayden’s palm.
‘You’re a little charmer,’ Hayden muttered affectionately. ‘Just like your mum.’
He rubbed behind the colt’s ears and stood quietly for a moment, watching Maverick crunch through the last of the apple. For all the chaos spinning around him – the mysteries, the memories, the slow burn of something real with Brianna – this, at least, was pure. Honest. And worth protecting.
The moment passed. But the weight of it didn’t.
His thoughts drifted again, this time to Molly.
He hadn’t told her yet, but earlier that afternoon he’d spoken briefly with Walt again.
The old stockman had remembered something strange, how Jack had gotten into a shouting match with Trev behind the pub.
Said it was about ‘owing more than just money’.
Walt hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but with everything that was surfacing now, it rang different.
And when Hayden really thought about it, Trev was always around.
Always listening. Always fixing things no one asked him to fix.
Too helpful, in hindsight. Always seeming to be where he didn’t quite belong, tools in hand, ears open.
And then there was Joe. Quiet, awkward, kept to himself, but always seemed to turn up at the café or around deliveries when Trev was nearby.
The two shared a strange rhythm, like they knew each other better than they let on.
Not mates, exactly. But aligned. Hayden had chalked it up to coincidence. He didn’t anymore.
His phone chimed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text from Brianna:
Hey, Tom Marks just dropped an envelope off at the cafe. Molly says it’s in Jack’s handwriting. She really wants you here when we open it … and so do I.
His stomach turned. He typed back quickly.
Just need to walk Maverick back to the paddock and then I’m on my way.
He pocketed the phone and gave the foal a final scratch behind the ears. The pieces were falling into place. And it felt like time was running out to do something about it.
A clatter of tools and a muttered curse floated across the fence line, and he glanced up to see Gavin half-buried in the guts of an old Fiat tractor, oil smeared across his forearm.
He almost told him about the letter, about Walt, but thought better of it.
Gavin was a husband, a father – he didn’t want to bury his mate any deeper than he already was in this mess.
‘Thought you said she was purring like a kitten,’ he called out.
Gavin shot him a dry look. ‘More like a three-legged cat with asthma. You want to trade jobs? I’ll wrangle your foal, and you rebuild this bloody thing.’
Hayden chuckled. ‘Pass. And besides, Maverick here has got more attitude than your kids.’
‘Yeah, well, he doesn’t throw Lego at your head at six in the morning.’ Gavin wiped his hand and leant on the tractor. ‘You going into town, or staying in tonight?’
‘I’m heading over to Molly’s, to see how she’s holding up.’
Gavin’s expression sobered immediately. ‘You need anything, let me know.’
Hayden gave a short nod, then turned back to Maverick, who had somehow tangled the lead rope around his front legs like a lanky acrobat.
‘Come on, trouble,’ Hayden muttered, crouching to untwist the rope. ‘Time to go.’
* * *
Later that evening, after the café had closed and the sun dipped below the hills, Molly locked up and walked with Brianna the short way to the cottage.
It had been her idea to ask Hayden to come and Molly hadn’t hesitated in agreeing.
Something about the envelope felt too big, too heavy to open alone.
They hadn’t been sitting long when a sudden shout echoed from out front. ‘Hey! Come back here!’
Brianna and Molly sprang from their seats and rushed outside, hearts thudding. Hayden stood near the driveway, breath sharp, his eyes fixed on the distant edge of the yard where the shadows thickened. Then, not noticing them watching him, he took a few urgent steps towards the fence line.
‘Hey! Come back here!’ he bellowed again into the growing dusk, but there was no reply, only the rustle of wind in the trees.
‘I saw someone,’ he said when they reached him, his jaw tight. ‘Right before I pulled up. Out front, near the fence. Tall. I thought they might’ve been watching the place.’
He glanced at the shadows again, breath still coming fast. ‘They were gone before I could get a good look.’
The three of them stood in uneasy silence a moment longer before Hayden gave a firm nod towards the cottage. ‘Come on. Let’s get inside. And lock the door.’
They turned as one and headed back to the safety of the house, tension trailing behind them like smoke.
Molly bolted the door once they were inside, and the quiet that followed was heavy with unspoken questions.
They moved around to the windows and doors, instinct taking over as they checked locks, closed blinds and turned off unnecessary lights.
Hayden double-checked the back door while Brianna drew the curtains over the kitchen sink with a sharp tug, her nerves still prickling.
And when they gathered back at the dining table, the envelope sat in the centre like a loaded gun.
Brianna gave Hayden a quick, grateful smile across the table.
‘Tilly was sitting with me when it got dropped off.’ She hesitated, then added, ‘And before that happened, Craig Dunlop came in. And when he’d ordered his coffee, he spotted us and came straight over, like he wanted to make his presence very known.
Tilly tensed up immediately. Said she’s never liked him, not even when they were kids. Said he’s always been … off.’
Hayden’s jaw clenched. ‘That’s what worries me.
If Tilly’s picking up on things, she’ll talk to Gavin.
And if Gavin starts piecing it together too, they’re in it way too deep.
I know he knows a bit of what’s going on, but I don’t want them caught up in this mess.
Especially not with those kids of theirs to look after. ’
Molly nodded while her gaze was distant. ‘I don’t either. I don’t want them anywhere near it.’
‘Right then.’ Hayden nodded towards the envelope, his voice low but steady. ‘Let’s see what Jack has to say.’
‘I’m dying to read it, but then again, I don’t know if I want to know.’ Molly reached forwards, her fingers trembling slightly as they closed around the envelope.
She held it for a second longer than necessary, staring down at her name in Jack’s familiar handwriting, as if touching it might bring him back for just a moment.
Brianna could see that the envelope felt heavier than it should, so she laid a gentle hand over Molly’s. ‘Take your time.’
Molly gave a small, shaky nod and drew in a breath. ‘He’s been gone for eight months now,’ she whispered. ‘It’ll be like hearing his voice all over again.’ Straightening, she opened the envelope slowly, almost reverently, and unfolded the page.
With a trembling voice, she read it out.
Hey Moll,
If you’re reading this, it means things went sideways, and I couldn’t pull myself out.
I’m deeply sorry. For all of it. You were always the one who saw straight through me.
You believed in me even when I didn’t deserve it.
You kept me tethered, even when I was drifting.
And I never told you, really told you, just how much that meant. The absolute world.
I thought I could handle it. Thought I was smart enough to play their game and walk away clean.
But it’s not a game anymore. I’m in chains.
There are people here in Sweetwater you need to be careful of.
You’d likely see them every day, nod to them in the street.
But they’re not who they used to be. They know too much.
They’ve seen too much. And they’ve made sure they’ll never be held accountable.
The man who used to fix my car … keep your distance.
And the copper? He’s not just blind, Moll, he’s bought.
But don’t go knocking on doors. Don’t confront them.
They’ll bury the truth before they let it breathe.
And if you ever hear the words ‘Cane fire’, drop everything.
It’s not a warning, it’s the signal. Get out, take what matters, and run.
Hopefully, this never happens. But still, please keep your eyes open. Your doors locked. The café matters, my old cottage matters, but not more than your life.
If Tom gave you this, it’s because he kept his promise. I trusted him. You can too.
I wish I could’ve made this right.
I love you.
Always,
Jack
With tears now streaming down her cheeks, Molly clutched the page to her chest, her face crumpling. ‘He was clearly very scared,’ she said, barely above a whisper. ‘He knew something was coming. And he still thought to warn me.’ She sniffled, then wiped at her eyes.
‘Tom said he’d spent months wondering whether to pass it on, but after the break-in he knew he had to,’ she said quietly.
Hayden reached out, resting a steady hand over hers.
Brianna sat silently beside her, the air around them taut with grief and urgency.
Then, after a few silent moments, Molly looked inside the envelope once again, her eyes widening.
Taped in the corner was a tiny brass key.
She carefully plucked it out and turned it over in her hand. One word was scratched into the metal.
Cottage.
Molly looked up, blinking away the tears, resolve settling into her features.
‘The cottage,’ she murmured, holding the key between her thumb and forefinger.
‘I had the entire place renovated, and didn’t find anything that needed opening.
’ She looked from Hayden to Brianna. ‘So, what could he possibly have hidden there, and where?’
Hayden leant forwards, frowning slightly. ‘Could be anything. A stash of papers, a notebook, something he didn’t want found unless, well, unless this happened.’
Brianna shifted in her seat as they all glanced towards the door, the weight of the letter pressing into them like a fourth presence in the room. ‘Do we go and look now?’ she asked quietly.
‘I’m up for it.’ Hayden was determined. ‘Let’s catch whoever’s doing this.’
Molly nodded slowly. ‘Whatever it is, he meant for me to find it. And I’m not waiting another night with this hanging over our heads.’