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‘I don’t know. He told me he bought it, but I’ve always wondered where he got the money. It’s in his name. I’ve seen the papers.’

‘How did her father . . . die?’ Kane held his mother’s gaze; her eyes were so sad.

‘He hung himself. Sandra found him in his packing shed. No wonder she’s still a mess.’ The tears rolled down her cheeks, and Susan reached up and held Kane’s chin, turning his head slowly until his eyes were close to hers. ‘I’ve always felt guilty that Peter died. I’ve always suspected that Peter killing himself had something to do with that man wanting to buy the farm.’

‘What was his name?’

‘Russell Fairweather. Panos used to go to the races with him.’ Her breath came in short hitches and Kane filed that name away as he laid her back gently on the pillows. ‘I’ll go and try Panos again, Mum. He needs to be here with you, too.’

He rose slowly, kissed his mother’s brow gently, and picked up his phone and headed for the door.

*

The hospital had a sharp antiseptic smell and Ellie shivered as she crossed the highly polished lino floor to the front desk at the entrance. She’d always hated hospitals – especially this one. Her father’s parents had both been in here when she was a child, and they had visited them every weekend for a month. Neither had come home again, and this place held only memories of sadness and death. Even when she drove past, a shiver of sadness always crawled down Ellie’s spine.

‘Yes?’ The receptionist on the front counter smiled at her.

‘I’m looking for a Mrs Sordina. Susan Sordina.’

The woman tapped the keyboard and pointed at the bank of elevators to the left of the large foyer. ‘Fourth floor. Ward 3A. Mrs Sordina is in a private room. Report to the desk and they’ll tell you if you can see her.’

The lift was empty. Ellie stabbed at the button for the fourth floor, regretting her mad dash to Darwin more as each second passed. It had been a compulsion that she hadn’t been able to ignore – a feeling that had pushed her to drive for almost three hours along the Arnhem Highway. Heather had looked at her strangely when she’d met her in the car park and told her she was taking an unexpected trip to Darwin.

‘Why?’

‘I’m going to visit Kane’s mother in hospital.’ She wondered at the relief that crossed Heather’s face.

Maybe it wasn’t appropriate. Maybe she should have gotten Kane’s number from Jock and called him. Maybe there’d be more family here to support them both. Although if there was more family, surely they wouldn’t have left Susan alone at the farm? She reminded herself that Susan had asked her to be Kane’s friend. That’s all it was about, nothing to do with this strange feeling that flowed through her when she was near him.

She was here now; she’d visit Susan, see if Kane was okay and then spend the night in Darwin. She’d have a leisurely breakfast by the harbour in the morning and get back to the lodge with plenty of time to spare for her afternoon shift. It would give her some time to gather her thoughts and look at the email that Emma had sent. Her laptop was in the boot of her car; after two break-ins, she hadn’t been confident about leaving it in her apartment.

The doors slid open silently as the lift reached the fourth floor. The desk was unmanned and there was no sign of any staff. The clinical smell was even stronger up here in the wards, and Ellie shivered again. It was quiet and the curtains were drawn, the last shard of afternoon sun peeking through the space between them. She hesitated, uncertain of what to do. As she turned back to wait by the desk, her heart jumped. Kane was sitting in a plastic chair further down the corridor, his head back against the wall, his eyes closed.

Ellie walked slowly towards him, her flat-soled leather sandals making no sound on the shiny lino floor. There were deep lines etched beside his mouth and dark shadows circled his eyes. She stood there for a moment looking down at him before reaching out and placing her hand gently on his shoulders. He lunged forward. His hand grabbed hers tightly as his eyes opened. The pressure of his fingers made Ellie wince and she pulled her hand back.

Confusion crossed his face and Kane put the other hand up to his forehead. ‘Ellie! What are you doing here?’

‘I thought you might like some company.’ She spoke softly. ‘I hope it’s okay? Jock told me your mum’s pretty sick.’

Ellie dropped to a crouch in front of him and took his hands in hers. ‘How is she now?’ she asked softly.

Kane shook his head. ‘Not good. The doctor is in there with her. She had another turn when she was talking to me.’ His voice was clipped as though he was trying to say it in few words. ‘They’re giving her morphine to ease . . . to ease her last hours.’ Ellie’s throat closed as Kane continued and his voice shook. ‘I’ve said my goodbyes.’

‘Oh, Kane. I’m so sorry.’ She brushed her eyes with the back of her hand as the tears filled them. ‘What about Panos? Is he in there with her now?’

‘We’ve tried everything. Called his mobile, the office, parliament house, but we can’t locate him.’ He nodded towards the nurses’ station. ‘They’ve been great. They’ve left messages everywhere and they’re trying his mobile every ten minutes or so.’

‘Oh, that’s not . . . good.’

‘Why did you come?’ Kane’s voice was soft.

Ellie held his gaze steadily. ‘I thought you might need a friend.’

Kane dropped his head and leaned his forehead against hers. ‘Thank you.’

Ellie pushed to her feet and stood beside him. His arms went around her waist and sympathy overwhelmed her as he leaned against her. She knew the grief that had overtaken her when Dad had died. She put her hand on his shoulder and he turned his head slowly to look up at her. The warmth of his skin seeped through the cotton of his black T-shirt and ran up her arm with a jolt.

He held her gaze and something passed between them. A look that reaffirmed their connection. Whether it was friendship or something more, Ellie wasn’t sure. She hugged the feeling to herself for a moment and then put it away safely to examine later. Maybe Gina’s advice was worth considering.