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Noah’s ears pricked, zeroing back into the present. ‘What, what do you mean?’ Had journalists finally found Ava?
‘Um, I don’t know exactly, there’s reports of helicopters and men in surveillance gear.’
Noah stood; the words had stolen the oxygen from the air around him and suddenly he couldn’t breathe. Was Ava, okay? Rushing out, the door slammed after him.
Outside, the street was busy. Cars not touched by dirt roads were parked at odd angles, people milled beside them scrolling screens and talking on mobile phones in rapid voices. While Bellethorpe was not a large town, a population of five thousand or so, it was always obvious when out-of-towners had arrived. These people were not local.
His ute was parked outside the community hall at the end of Main Street. Approaching his car, a man jumped in front of him and shoved a Dictaphone into his face. Noah swiped for it and narrowly missed as the man moved it out of reach.
‘Timothy Flynn from The Australian, can you guide me towards this newly-found fossil?’
Otis growled at the man’s heels.
‘Get out of my way.’
‘Are the reports true? Has someone found an extinct and valuable fossil? We understand you’ve been working at the house? Can you at least tell me what you know?’
Noah shoved the man hard in his chest, sent him roiling backwards, bumping into his car and wobbling on his feet. The reporter didn’t take the hint and Noah bunched his fist and stretched his arm back, ready to strike.
Timothy held his hands up in front of his face. It wasn’t fear in the man’s face, it was annoyance but that flick into a small semblance of panic was enough for Noah to hold his arm steady. What was he doing? A split second more and he’d have decked the guy. Noah uncurled the fist and lowered it. Not a great example for his daughter.
Ignoring the reporter despite his renewed shouts for information, Noah hopped into the car and gunned the engine, unintentionally squealing the tyres as he took off too fast.
The town was abuzz. Queues for coffee were out of the café premises, the bakery had standing room only and there wasn’t a spare picnic table at the park. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel and drove too fast to Ava’s place.
She probably didn’t want to see him, but he needed to know she was okay.
On Kinross Road, he ignored the trawling reporters, these ones with high tech cameras towering on shoulders with long lens pointed towards the house. Despite the long driveway, he had no doubt they could spot the detail on the outdoor gabling and the ornaments on the front verandah. Pests.
He didn’t spot any helicopters. Noah silenced the radio; nope, no distinct hovering of blades in the sky above, either. Had the reports of aircraft been wrong?
His thoughts tumbled around his head. Yes, it seemed as if the media had been alerted to the story. But his mind went elsewhere at the news of trouble. Had Ava’s husband found her? Yes, he’d made threats but he would never have followed through with them. Noah wanted Ava to act and he hoped with those threats she might. And that had never meant he wanted her or the boy harmed.
He blew out a breath as he approached the gate and deviated off to a side road. He’d go another way, up Clive’s drive. Moments later Noah pulled up too quick, yanked on the handbrake until it clicked, took a deep breath and released Otis from the cab. Noah jumped Clive’s fence and ran towards Ava’s house until he reached the back stairs.
Then Ava was there. Her hair loose, tumbling around her shoulders, messy, knotted, her cheeks stained with tears, her eyes clouded. He traversed the short gap between them.
‘What do you want?’
Chapter Thirty
‘Stop! Otis, that’s my new Lego!’ Ish shrieked from inside the house.
The dog shot out the door, its teeth clenched around a red brick. Noah commanded the dog to stop and drop the piece and then collected it and returned it to Ish.
‘My dad bought me this new Lego kit. See, it’s a racing track and look how fast the cars go!’
Ava watched where she remained on the deck before mobilising and moving towards the kitchen.
The kitchen was complete now. At least she could thank Noah for that. The chalky-coloured marble benchtops flicked with splashes of black, complimented the Tassie oak cabinet doors with panelling to replicate the veejay walls. With golden knobs and new appliances, the entire room shone. One of her favourite things was the deep-set large and rectangular sink. A true country sink in her view. The room was warm though, inviting, with contrasting colours from her Egyptian knick-knacks. And the room was always filled with light; the spacious windows facing the deck and rear of the property provided endless sun, and in the evenings, a vista of the never-ending sky filled with diamond stars.
Flicking on the kettle she felt Noah’s presence in the kitchen behind her.
‘Happy?’ she asked and reached for the new cups she’d recently purchased. These were vintage fine china in the most gorgeous muted yellow and gold trim with a patchwork design that reminded her of the mosaic tiled floor in their home in Egypt. Seemed fitting.
Noah didn’t say he wanted tea but she made it anyway. His eyebrow arched at the dainty cup and saucer she served him.
Were they going to pretend hurtful words hadn’t been spoken? That he’d threatened her? If they couldn’t be together because she’d acted in ways that were reprehensible to him, then why was he here?
