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‘My sister has emailed me some files that my mother has gathered over the years.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘You know I think I saw that name, Fairweather, on one of the files.’ ‘But I still can’t believe Panos is involved. He can’t be. He’s in parliament.’

‘That doesn’t mean he’s honest. Maybe he doesn’t know what’s going on down there, but I doubt it very much.’ Kane frowned.

‘He knows. He lied to me. He told me that there was a new dam being built.’

Deep furrows lined Kane’s brow as his frown deepened. She reached up and smoothed her hand over his forehead. He caught her fingers in his and stared at her, his eyes shadowed as he faced into the morning.

Slowly he lowered his head and his lips were firm and cool against Ellie’s mouth.

She put her arms around his neck and held him there as she spoke against his lips. ‘Thank you.’

He leaned back a little but his breath still warmed Ellie’s lips as he spoke.

‘For what?’

Chapter 24

9.00 am Friday

Makowa Lodge

Gina tried David’s number for the fourth time that morning. She’d given up on sending texts after she’d filled her iPhone screen with texts that he didn’t answer.

‘Miss U.’

‘Love U.’

‘Where ARE U?’ He must be in committee or he’d forgotten to take his phone off mute – again.

‘David pls TXT me.’

She hadn’t spoken to him since Wednesday night, and she wanted to check he was safe. Not only that, it was unlike David not to call her here before he left for work, no matter how early it was. There’d been no sign of Ellie since they’d had lunch together on Wednesday. Gina tucked her phone into her bag, hoping David would get back to her soon. A persistent ache had dragged at her lower back since she’d lifted Binny up this morning and she was worried that she’d pulled a muscle.

Gina held the children’s hands as she waddled over to the crèche at the back of the office building. Yes – waddled. She was getting bigger and more ungainly by the day. One of the women around the pool had even asked her yesterday if she was having twins.

Heather, the pretty Aboriginal girl who had been on reception the day she’d checked them in, welcomed them. She had dark shadows under her eyes.

‘Hi, Ms Perini. Hi, kids. Have you come to play?’ She came over to the gate and crouched down to greet the children.

‘My day spa appointment has been changed.’ Gina glanced down at her watch. ‘Can the children stay here this morning instead of this afternoon?’

‘Of course. The day spa is closing at noon today.’ Heather stared at her before she turned to the children. ‘Come on, kidlets. Come and play with Heather.’

Binny and Andrew ran inside to the playdough table.

‘I’ll come back and collect them as soon as I’m finished.’ Gina blew a kiss to the children. As much as the time here was restful, she was beginning to wish they could just go home to normality. She hated the days here without David. It was as though they were waiting for something to happen.

The technician showed her into the treatment room and before Gina slipped her clothes off and stepped into the pale pink, fluffy robe, she grabbed her phone from her bag in case David called.

‘Is this the biggest size you have?’ she asked with a smile. The tie only just went around her pregnant bump.

Gina lowered herself carefully into the soft leather chair and fought the usual vertigo as it tipped back. The girl positioned the chair so she could sit behind Gina and begin her facial. She grabbed for her phone as it slipped off Gina’s lap and threatened to slide to the floor.

‘I’ll just put your phone over here, okay? Snazzy case.’

‘Thank you.’ Gina nodded and closed her eyes. The soothing music played soft and low and she let her thoughts drift as the technician’s skilful fingers moved gently over her skin. Warm cloths alternated with cool liquid, and then her face was covered with soft gauze. The light was muted to a hazy grey through the gauze pads that pressed lightly on her eyelids. The sharp smell of a fruity cream drifted up as the girl worked her magic.

‘I’ll leave you to rest for fifteen minutes. All okay?’