Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2)(57)

‘Hallelujah,’ Carmen said when her phone buzzed. ‘The signal’s back.’

She hunched down in the passenger seat and scrolled through her messages.

‘Jamie looking forward to having you home?’ Falk said, and immediately wondered why he was even asking.

‘Yeah. Well, he will be. He’s away on a course for a couple of days.’ She unconsciously fingered her engagement ring and Falk found himself thinking of the night before. Her long legs unfolding on the bed. He cleared his throat and glanced in the mirror. Lauren was still asleep, a worried frown line still visible between her eyes.

‘Sounds like she’ll be glad to be back anyway,’ he said.

‘Yeah.’ Carmen glanced around at the back seat. ‘I know I would be after all that.’

‘Have you ever had to go on one of these teambuilding things?’

‘No, thank God. You?’

Falk shook his head. ‘I guess it’s more a private sector thing.’

‘Jamie’s been on a couple.’

‘With the sports drinks company?’

‘It’s a fully integrated lifestyle brand, thanks very much.’ Carmen was smiling. ‘But, yes, they’re really into that kind of thing.’

‘Has he done anything like this?’

‘I don’t think so. It’s mostly bonding through adventure sports. Although once he and a group had to tile a bathroom in a disused warehouse.’

‘Really?’ Falk laughed. ‘Did they know much about tiling?’

‘I don’t think so. And they were pretty sure the next day’s group was going to be told to tear it down. So it went about as well as you’d imagine. To this day, he still doesn’t speak to one of the other blokes.’

Falk smiled. Kept his eyes on the road. ‘You all set for the wedding?’

‘Pretty much. It’s come around fast though. Still, we’ve got a celebrant, and Jamie knows where and when to show up, so we’ll get there.’ She looked over. ‘Hey, you should come.’

‘What? No. I wasn’t fishing.’ He really hadn’t been. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a wedding.

‘I know. But you should. It’ll be good. It’ll be good for you, anyway. I’ve got a few single friends.’

‘It’s in Sydney.’

‘It’s an hour’s plane ride.’

‘And it’s in three weeks. Isn’t it a bit late for seating plans and all that?’

‘You’ve met my fiancé. I literally had to put “no denim” on the invitations for his side of the family. Does that sound like the kind of event with a concrete seating plan?’ She stifled a yawn. ‘Anyway, I’ll give you the details. Think about it.’

There was movement in the back seat and Falk looked in the mirror. Lauren had woken and was looking around with the wide-eyed surprise of someone who had forgotten where they were. She seemed bewildered by the passing traffic. Falk didn’t blame her. After only a few days in the bushland, he felt a little bewildered himself. He and Carmen swapped seats, and they each sat lost in their own thoughts as the city grew nearer, the radio playing in the background. The news came on at the top of the hour. Falk turned up the volume, then immediately regretted it.

It was the lead story. Police were investigating a potential link between the notorious Martin Kovac and a cabin where missing Melbourne hiker Alice Russell was last seen, the newsreader informed them.

Falk wasn’t surprised that detail had been leaked. With the number of searchers involved, it had only been a matter of time. He twisted around and Lauren met his eyes. She looked scared.

‘Do you want me to switch it off?’

She shook her head and they listened as the newsreader recapped details that had hit the airwaves two decades earlier. Three female victims, with a fourth never recovered. Then Sergeant King’s voice filled the car, stressing the historic nature of the Kovac crimes. An assurance that full efforts were being made, a fresh plea for information from anyone who had been in the area and, at last, the bulletin moved on.

Falk glanced over at Carmen. There had been no mention of Kovac’s son. It looked like King had managed to keep that quiet so far.

Lauren directed them to a home in one of the leafier suburbs, the kind that estate agents liked to call aspirational. Carmen pulled up outside a house that was obviously cared for, but carried the faint whiff of recent neglect. The patch of lawn at the front was overgrown and no-one had bothered removing a scribble of graffiti on the fence.

‘Thank you again.’ Lauren unbuckled her seatbelt, relief visible on her face. ‘Someone will let me know straight away if there’s any news, won’t they? About Alice?’

‘Of course,’ Falk said. ‘I hope everything’s okay with your daughter.’

‘Me too.’ Her expression hardened. She didn’t sound at all sure. They watched as Lauren took her bag and disappeared into the house.

Carmen turned to Falk. ‘So, what now? Should we warn Daniel Bailey we’re on our way, or surprise him?’

Falk considered. ‘Let’s warn him. He’ll want to be seen helping the search effort and it’ll keep him on side.’

Carmen pulled out her phone and put in a call to BaileyTennants. She was frowning by the time she hung up. ‘He’s not in the office.’