Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Never before had I enjoyed gridlock.
Hearing the crunch of gravel, I turned back and reached the little parking area just as Richard was getting out of his work van. His hair was matted down as if he’d been wearing a hard hat, and dust coated his upper arms and the part of his legs visible between the end of his work shorts and the thick socks he wore with steel-toed boots.
“I took a minute to grab us a couple of cold Cokes, and pies since it’s time for morning tea anyway.”
“I’ll take the Coke, but I haven’t quite gotten into meat pies, so I’ll leave that to you.”
A sharp grin as he handed me the soda. “You’re missing out. A good meat pie is a real treat.” He grabbed his own drink and one of the pies before nudging the door shut and locking up the van. “Lot of expensive gear in there, can’t be too careful.”
“I can hold your drink while you eat,” I offered, but he shook his head.
“Nah, let’s walk to that bit with the view of the lake.” Opening up the Coke, he took a long swig, then held it in one hand while—having folded down the brown paper bag halfway—he ate the pie with the other.
“Sorry I haven’t been to see Diya,” he said as we walked past the warning sign. “I wasn’t sure they’d let me in.”
“They wouldn’t. She’s still in the ICU.”
An easing of those big shoulders.
“I’m trying to put things together for the funerals in advance, help Diya. But I only really met people at the engagement party…”
“Oh, no worries. I can help you with that. Bobby and I still play the odd game of rugby with a social team, and I can round them up to help with whatever you need. I might also have a few contacts for his parents’ friends—met some of them when Bobby and I hung out as kids.”
“Thanks.”
We stopped at the spot with the view to the lake, arms braced on the wooden railing. “Look, Richard.” I held his gaze. “Thing is, the police are investigating, and they’re saying some stuff.”
His jaw tightened. “About the Prasads? That’s bullshit. They’re a good family!”
A good family.
For whom reputation was everything.
“I know. But they’re insinuating things about Bobby. About him being violent.” I didn’t imagine it—that slight flicker in Richard’s eyes.
He knew something.
Chapter 48
Private notes: Detective Callum Baxter (LAPD)
Date: May 15
Time: 23:18
Chief has kept me busy with multiple cases, but I still can’t help returning to the Musgrave file even if it’s only late at night, for a few minutes. I hate knowing someone got away with cold-blooded murder. Yeah, I still think it’s Advani, and even Perez can’t argue with me there, but we have nothing.
Only good news is that Advani doesn’t seem to be dating anyone new.
Because one thing I know—if he hurts another woman, then it’s on me. Because I didn’t stop him.
Chapter 49
“I’m trying to push back on the police’s insinuations about Bobby,” I told Richard, “but they act like they know something I don’t.”
“Fuckers.”
“Yeah, well.” Steam rose from the stony moonscape in front of us. “Is there anything I should be aware of? In his history? I’m scared this will leak to the media and I want to be prepared to fight back.”
Richard took a big bite of his pie, chewed with too much concentration. “He was my mate.”
“I know. But he’s dead now”—or doing a good job of playing dead—“and we’ve got to look out for him. No one else will.” My voice came out rough. “Most of all, we have to look out for Diya and Shumi. They’re the ones who’ll suffer the most under a media barrage.”
Pie finished, Richard scrunched up the paper bag and thrust it into his pocket. “Cops are probably thinking about what happened to Rhiannon,” he said after taking a long gulp of his Coke.
My skin prickled. “Rhiannon?”
“It would’ve been back when we were about fifteen, I think. No, sixteen. Bobby’s and Shumi’s families have been tight for years, and they used to go to a beach campsite every year during the summer. Set up a big tent each, have a shared barbecue, sit and relax while the kids played type of thing. I went one year, and I think Diya had a school friend come a couple of times, too, but mostly it was just the two families.”
My tendons were so tight they vibrated, but I didn’t interrupt, not wanting to startle Richard out of his flow.
“Rhiannon was this kid who used to go there every year with her parents, too. Not sure exactly how old she was—maybe not quite as old as Bobby, but pretty close. All of them were friends, used to spend the time playing, swimming, climbing the sand dunes. Kid stuff.”
“Sounds idyllic.”