A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe (inspirational books for students .txt) 📗

‘There’s nothing smart or intelligent about trashing the garden centre and sticking condoms on gnomes,’ Tara said.

‘I didn’t say his mates were smart. I suggest you check your stock levels of previously stolen goods along with things like knives and machetes.’

‘Why?’

‘Look around, Tara. It would be easy to smuggle stock out here and stash it in those big pots, ready to go out and over the wall.’

‘But we traded on Monday. Surely someone would have noticed if things were hidden.’

‘Sell a lot of those giant glazed pots every day, do you?’

Jon swore. ‘We’ll do a stocktake.’

Faith fought disbelief. ‘But if we find missing items, there’s still no proof it’s Amal.’

‘I get that you want to believe that giving Amal a job is insurance he won’t steal from you, but I’m the police officer. If goods are missing from the store, it’s strong proof it’s an inside job.’ Denny put on his cap. ‘Give me a call when you know.’

As soon as he’d left, Jon turned to her, his face grim. ‘We need to keep a lid on this. I’m not asking the staff to check the stock. We have to do it.’

‘I don’t want to look.’

‘Neither do I.’

The eddies of doubt swirled faster. ‘He wouldn’t have done it. Surely he wouldn’t have done it. Not after we gave him a chance.’

‘Saying it over and over won’t change a thing.’

Morning tea rose to the back of her throat. ‘Oh, God. You think he did it.’

‘I think we’re going to find things missing, otherwise there’s no reason for anyone to break into the garden section.’

‘I can’t believe I woke up so happy and excited this morning.’

A long sigh rumbled out of him. ‘Come on. Let’s get this over and done with.’

They checked the spray paint first. Six cans were missing. Tara’s trust shattered, falling to dust around her feet on the concrete floor.

Her phone rang and she checked the caller ID. Fiza.

My son has never, would never, steal anything from your shop.

Tara didn’t know if she wanted to rage or cry. After everything Fiza had been through, now she had to break her heart all over again.

CHAPTER

39

Jade’s fingers clicked Duplo blocks together but her mind wasn’t on the big red barn; it kept flashing back to Serenity Street. To the terrifying moments under the table. Her heart rate picked up again, just as it had been doing on and off all day.

‘Moo,’ Milo said. Since Bob had unearthed the box of Duplo from the shed and spilled the contents onto the sunroom floor, he’d been clutching the cow as if it was sacred.

‘Cows say moo and sheep say baa.’ Jade bounced the sheep up his leg, thankful for his giggles.

She hated that he’d been alone and scared in his cot during those long and petrifying minutes. Hated that Corey had deliberately instilled fear in the son he’d told her over and over she had to protect. Hated her own stupidity of clinging to empty words when actions spoke the truth.

She thought of Lachlan. His actions and his words were unambiguous. Right now he was furious with her over something she couldn’t control and she was mad right back at him. She was sick of men blaming her not only when she hadn’t done anything wrong but when she was trying to do the right thing.

The police had interviewed her and for the first time Constable Fiora had been sympathetic, promising he’d call as soon as he had any news. She and Helen had applied for personal safety intervention orders against Corey and Macca and the magistrate had granted an interim order, although it hardly made Jade feel safer.

Since they’d arrived at Bob’s, he and Helen had been on the computer making their IBAC report. Jade had wanted to help, but Milo was clingy and every time she tried to write something, she heard those bloody throwdowns in her head.

‘Go and cuddle with Milo and Daisy,’ Helen had suggested after Jade had scrunched up paper for the third time. ‘It’ll make you feel better.’

Jade had wondered if anything could do that. ‘How can you think straight?’

‘Right now I’m running on anger and adrenaline, but I’ll reach a point when I fall in a heap. Hopefully by then you’ll be feeling better and we can tag team.’

Bob set up a porta cot in one of his spare bedrooms and suggested Jade try to nap too. But whenever she lay down her brain sped up, so she’d retreated to the sunroom. She and Milo had snuggled up on the couch with Daisy at their feet, watching some old show on YouTube Bob had recommended called Little Bear. Milo loved it and it was so slow and comforting, it had sent them both to sleep for an hour.

Just as Jade snapped on the barn’s yellow roof, Helen and Bob walked in, each carrying a tray.

‘Bought and brought your favourite,’ Bob said, indicating the pink-iced matchstick.

‘Why are you being so nice when this is all my fault?’ Jade savagely swiped at unwanted tears.

‘Being nice is my superpower, right, Helen?’

Helen rolled her eyes. ‘It’s definitely not being humble.’

Bob passed Jade the tissue box. ‘None of this is your fault. You’re not responsible for Corey’s behaviour.’

‘But I chose to be his girlfriend. I thought if I loved him better than his mum, I could change him.’

‘Sadly, we can’t change anyone. It’s a hard lesson we all learn at some point.’ Helen passed her a mug. ‘Here, drink your tea.’

‘Thanks.’ Odd how a warm drink soothed. ‘I thought the coppers would have rung by now.’

‘First they have to find them and if Macca and Corey share a brain, they’ll be in New South Wales. That means working with their police force. When the police find them, they have to apply for an extradition order, which slows things down. It won’t be any time soon.’

Jade’s fingers tightened on the mug. ‘So we’re going home?’

‘Not without getting the locks changed.’

‘I can’t afford that! Can you?’ Panic