Chapter 18
Brianna sat on the edge of her tousled bed, with the sheets twisted from a night of broken sleep.
Sherlock lay curled at her feet, head resting on his paws, watching her with quiet alertness.
The sky beyond the window was still dark, a murky slate with only the faintest light teasing the edges of dawn.
Outside, clouds smothered the stars, and the half-moon offered little light.
Inside, only the occasional creak of timber floorboards marked time.
Shadows clung to the corners of the cottage, and the silence pressed down like a weight.
Molly was fast asleep in the guest room, or at least Brianna hoped so.
She could hear Hayden faintly breathing in the lounge.
A part of her would have felt safer with him sleeping beside her, his presence close and solid in the dark, but that was out of the question.
Still, the thought lingered, warm and unwelcome.
She stared at the phone in her hand, thumb hovering over the screen.
Her chest was tight with hesitation, nerves fluttering in her stomach.
But this was no longer something she could wait on.
After what Hayden told her he’d found in the cane fields.
Horse sedatives … she suddenly remembered the seemingly scared farmer’s wife she’d met out at Pebble Creek, worrying about the horses.
You’ll be kind to them? She pressed the call button.
It rang once. Twice. Then, a groggy but alert voice answered. ‘Bri? Sweetheart, are you all right?’
She swallowed hard, her voice low. ‘Not really. Something’s going on here, Dad. It’s really bad. I can’t say everything right now, but I, we, need your help.’
‘Of course.’ There was a pause. She could almost hear the shift in her father’s posture, from half-asleep to fully switched on. ‘Can you tell me a little, so I don’t worry myself sick.’
Brianna fell silent, eyes stinging as she struggled to find the right words, the weight of everything pressing heavy on her chest.
‘Brianna?’ her father urged gently. ‘Just tell me something. Anything. I need to know what you’re dealing with.’
She stood, pacing the bedroom in the dim light.
‘I’ve uncovered some things, about a man who died eight months ago.
His sister, Molly, you know, the lady I’m renting the cottage off.
Well, she’s become a close friend of mine.
’ She paused, sucked in a breath. ‘People are being threatened. And someone left me a warning note last night, under my wipers.’
‘Jesus, Bri.’ His voice dropped, heavy with concern. ‘What the hell’s happening there? Why haven’t you said anything to me before now, and why haven’t you gone to the local cops?’
‘We can’t go to the local police, Dad. One of the officers here, Craig Dunlop, he’s dirty. We think he’s involved. We don’t know how deep it goes.’
‘Do you have someone there with you?’ Logan asked, his voice tightening.
‘I do. Molly’s here. And Hayden, he stayed the night on the couch. And Sherlock, of course.’
There was a long silence on the other end. Then Logan exhaled, slow and grim. ‘Right. Okay. I’m on my way. Four hours, maybe less if the roads are clear. Don’t breathe a word of this to anyone else, you hear me?’
‘Yes, I hear you, Dad.’
‘Keep yourself safe. Lock the doors. Don’t do anything stupid or brave. If anything changes, anything at all, you call me straight away.’
In the background, Brianna could hear the rustle of sheets and then her mother’s sleepy voice. ‘Logan? What is it? Is it Bri?’
‘I’ll explain in a second, my love,’ Logan said, muffled. Then he came back on the line, steady and sharp. ‘Brianna?’
‘I’m still here.’
‘Stay inside. Keep Molly and Hayden close. We’ll sort this out. I promise.’
Her breath caught, emotion surging. ‘Thanks, Dad.’ But as the tears slipped down her cheeks, she couldn’t hide the crack in her voice. ‘I didn’t know who else to call.’
‘You called the right person,’ Logan said, his voice warm and unwavering. ‘You’re not alone in this, Bri. I’m on my way.’
She hung up and sat back down on the bed, heart thudding like a drum in her chest. The darkness outside still pressed heavy against the windows, but knowing her father was on his way eased the weight.
Just a little. And now she had to tell Molly and Hayden she’d called him, and that he was on his way.
As the first fingers of dawn crept across the horizon, after ending a frantic call from her mum, she moved quietly through the house. Hearing her entering the lounge room, Hayden stirred on the couch, blinking awake.
‘Morning, you two.’ Molly padded out of the spare room, her hair a wild halo around her face. ‘Coffee. I need coffee.’
‘Me too, thanks, Moll,’ Hayden said, his voice gravelly.
‘How about you, Brianna?’ Molly asked.
‘Yes please, a nice strong one.’
‘Three coffees coming up,’ Molly said, shuffling away.
‘I called my dad,’ Brianna said softly, her voice still rough around the edges. ‘He’s already on the road. He said he’d be here in four hours, maybe less.’
Hayden straightened, his eyes finding hers in the dimness of the room. He studied her for a moment, then gave a slow nod. ‘Calling him was the right move. I’m glad he’s coming, keen to meet the bloke, actually. Sounds like someone you’d want in your corner.’
She offered a small, grateful smile. ‘He sure is, and I reckon you two will get on like a house on fire.’
Hayden’s expression softened, and there was a flicker of something unspoken in his gaze. ‘He has one hell of a daughter, so I’d say I’m already halfway there.’
Brianna looked down, her cheeks warming. ‘Just a heads-up. He’s protective. But fair. Always fair.’
‘Sounds like someone I’d respect,’ Hayden said. ‘And someone I’d want watching our backs.’
Their eyes held, an understanding passing between them, deepening whatever had been quietly growing, and for a moment the silence wrapped around them like a shared breath.
Then Brianna blinked, grounding herself. ‘Come on,’ she said gently. ‘Let’s go see if Molly’s found the coffee, and I’ll pick the right moment to tell her, too.’
They gathered in the kitchen, all three of them trying to pretend it was a normal morning, with Molly frying eggs and Brianna buttering toast, while Hayden manned the coffee machine with surprising skill.
The warmth of the food and the rich aroma of coffee grounded them. Reminded them they were still standing.
As Brianna set down three plates, she glanced over at Molly. ‘My dad’s on his way. Should be here in a few hours.’
Molly paused, spatula mid-air, before her shoulders sagged with relief. ‘Oh, thank god. That’s the best news I’ve heard in days.’ She glanced over her shoulder, her hazel eyes shimmering. ‘I’m so glad you called him, Bri. He’ll know what to do.’
‘Yes,’ Brianna said with relief, while trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.
‘He always does.’ She glanced down at her hands, her voice dropping to a murmur.
‘Mum rang just after I got off the phone with him. She was so panicked she could barely get the words out. Told me she wanted to jump in the car too, but someone had to stay behind to look after things.’ She glanced up at Molly and Hayden, the weight of her mother’s worry adding another knot to her chest. ‘She’s scared.
Really scared. And I hate that I had to make her feel that way. ’
Molly reached out and gave Brianna’s wrist a light squeeze. ‘Of course she’s scared. She’s a mum. That worry’s stitched into her bones.’ Her voice softened. ‘But I reckon knowing you’re not facing this alone will ease some of that.’
Hayden, still at the coffee machine, shot Brianna a look over his shoulder. ‘You can tell her we’ve got your back. Every step. You’re not doing this alone, not for a second.’
By the time Logan arrived three hours and forty minutes later, the sun was climbing high in the bright blue sky.
He stepped from his vehicle with eyes that scanned everything, dressed in plain clothes – dark jeans and a navy button-up shirt rolled to the elbows.
No uniform. Just a man who knew how to observe, assess and act.
The set of his shoulders still carried the authority of his badge, but this morning he looked every bit the protective father first.
Seeing him through the windows, Brianna rushed to the door and tugged it open before he’d had time to knock. ‘Dad.’
He pulled her into a fierce hug, one that said more than words ever could.
She clung to him for a moment longer than she meant to, her eyes shutting tight as his arms wrapped around her, and for the first time in weeks, she let herself feel small as she kicked off her big-girl boots and allowed herself to be someone’s daughter, and only that.
Logan stepped back just enough to look at her face, his strong hand brushing her cheek. ‘How are you holding up, sweetheart?’
She pressed her cheek against his palm, her throat tight. ‘Now that you’re here, I’m holding up okay.’
Logan gave a single, solemn nod before stepping inside.
‘Hi, Logan.’ Molly offered a nod of greeting. ‘Thanks for coming.’
Hayden stepped forwards, hand outstretched, but there was more in his posture than just politeness – respect, and maybe even a desire for approval. ‘Hi, Mr Steele. I really appreciate you coming.’
‘Logan, please.’ Logan shook his hand firmly, his eyes locking onto Hayden’s with that unmistakable look of a father sizing up the man who’d stood by his daughter in a crisis.
But what he saw there must have eased something in him, because his expression softened just slightly. ‘I gather you’re Hayden Pierce.’
‘I am,’ Hayden said, his voice steady. ‘It’s good to finally meet you.’
Logan gave a short nod, his eyes still sharp but no longer guarded. ‘My daughter speaks highly of you.’
Hayden smiled faintly. ‘That’s nice to know.’