Page 89

‘I’m in town because Kane and Connor and Ryan have gone down to—’ Ellie paused. ‘They’ve gone down to the Larapinta trail to try and find Mum.’

‘What! Find her?’

Heads turned in the outdoor coffee area as Emma yelled.

She lowered her voice. ‘What do you mean find Mum?’

‘There’s been problems on the trek, and no one can get in touch with any of the trekkers.’

‘It’s not been on the news. Did they call you?’

‘No, Em. It’s hush hush.’ Dru spoke quietly. ‘Connor learned about it through his security business. We don’t know what’s happened, so they’ve gone down there to try to help.’

‘Oh, God. I feel so guilty. I was so wrapped up in my own worry, I actually let one of her calls go to voicemail while I was waiting for my results. What the hell’s happened?’

Dru and Ellie took Emma through the whole story, and as much as they knew. Emma felt sick by the time they’d finished. She reached over and pushed away the menu Ellie had put in front of her. ‘I can’t eat now.’

‘Me either,’ Dru said.

‘How about I get James’ pancakes to take away, and we’ll go back to your apartment, Dru?’ Ellie stood and went over to the grassed area where James was playing with his cars.

‘Yes, I’d like to be near the computer in case Greg sends anything through. Do you have to work today, Em?’

Emma shook her head, still trying to process that their mother could be in danger. ‘No, I’m on sick leave for another week, and then I’ve decided to work part-time to give my body a chance to heal and get my hormone imbalance sorted. I’ll call Jeremy and then stay at your place until we hear something. If that’s okay?’

‘Of course, it’s okay, I wouldn’t want it any other way,’ Dru said.

Chapter 29

Hope

Sandra focused on breathing in and out evenly as the noise grew louder. She put her hands over her ears and fought the rising panic. Was she really hearing that overpowering noise or was it the pulse in her head? She’d experienced that when she was recovering after Peter’s death. The panic built and her chest tightened as she struggled to block the sound. An ache rose from her stomach and settled behind her breastbone, and she dragged in breath after breath until she saw stars. She reached for her water bottle and unscrewed the lid and drained the bottle, but still, she couldn’t calm herself.

She looked up to the track again but there was still no sign of Graysen. An eagle wheeled high on the thermals above the mountain to the north and she focused on the large bird, trying to calm herself as the noise in her head began to recede. Eventually her breathing slowed, and as the noise faded away to almost nothing she looked up to the trail, but there was still no sign of Graysen.

What if Zed had been up there all the time sitting, waiting, for them? What if he’d pushed Graysen over the edge?

A whimper escaped Sandra’s throat and she was ashamed of herself for being such a coward. Her heart thudded in time with the faint noise in her head.

She took a deep breath, screwed the cap back on her water bottle and put it into her backpack. She took out one of the jubes and put it on her tongue hoping the sugar hit would make her feel better. She closed her eyes as the sweetness filled her mouth.

A pebble rolled nearby and Sandra jumped, turning her head from side to side and then looking up. Graysen’s head appeared above and her relief was sweet as he hurried down to her. She was so ashamed of her sudden weakness; she wasn’t going to tell him how close she’d come to losing it.

‘Quick, come up with me,’ he said. ‘There’s a helicopter coming. We need to be up on the trail. I think they’re turning around and coming back.’

She stood suddenly and put one hand to her head as her head spun.

Graysen grabbed for her. ‘Don’t faint on me now, love.’

Her head stopped spinning as he held her close and the steady thud of his heart calmed her more. He reached down and slipped her pack over his shoulders with his.

‘Are you right to climb up that last fifty metres? I want them to see us both.’

Her strength was retuning, but so was her fear. ‘Are you sure it’s safe? It’s not Zed and Miska?’

‘I’m sure it’s a search helicopter. I could see three men in it. It’s not them.’

As Graysen helped Sandra up the last of the incline to the track, the loud thudding noise filled the air around them as the helicopter approached.