‘You could have. We like dogs. We used to have one. A Labrador named Sam. He—’

  ‘Britt… can we stay on track?’

  I stop mid-sentence and stare at her. There’s something different today. The way her hair is bunched messily on top of her head instead of wrangled back into a neat ponytail. Her brow seems tight, but her shoulders are sagging. I want to ask if she’s all right but instead hear myself say, ‘How do you know he wasn’t the father?’

  ‘He told me.’

  I pull back, not bothering to hide my surprise. ‘You went to him?’

  ‘I didn’t mention you. There’s a situation with Will and my brother. I had to. It’s a long story, but your name didn’t come up, you have my word. He did say he’d had a vasectomy, though, so he can’t have been the father.’

  I have no idea what Mia’s boyfriend or brother has to do with this, but my mind is reeling that she confronted Herm. Either she’s a whole lot gutsier than I thought, or a lot stupider.

  ‘Britt, I’m sorry to ask this, but are you sure Lilly was pregnant?’

  ‘A hundred per cent,’ I tell her. ‘I saw the test.’

  ‘Then someone else was the father.’

  ‘And you believe that creep?’

  She shrugs and nods. ‘I do. I have no idea why, given what he is, but I do.’

  She looks away, and it’s clear that what he did all those years ago has stayed with her. ‘I know you found Lilly, but I don’t get why you’re doing this,’ I tell her. ‘Why would you confront Herm? It’s not like you knew her or anything. If you keep pushing, you know what’s going to happen. Jack and Herm run this town.’

  Mia chews the inside of her cheek. Her eyes narrow a fraction, and then she says, ‘I grew up in the slums. When I was a kid, before Jason and I were sent to live at Mimi’s, we lived one street over from Lilly’s place. You know what Herm did to me. Lilly wasn’t so different than I was at her age. Maybe if I’d had the courage to say something earlier I…’

  ‘… could have stopped it,’ I finish.

  She nods, and I finally understand her. The sadness that lingers behind her eyes. The reason she’s so attached to that dog. All her life, the people she’s trusted have let her down. That, I get.

  ‘Screw him,’ I say. ‘He’s such a prick.’

  ‘He is,’ she agrees. ‘But do you really think he killed two girls?’

  I think back to what Luke told me in the park yesterday. Trusting people is not something I’m very good at, but the last thing I want is for people to keep thinking Lilly was a headcase or an addict who just wandered off, delusional and on drugs. Maybe Mia is the right person to tell. I’m just not sure.

  ‘I’d kill for a smoke,’ I say instead.

  ‘You really shouldn’t smoke, Britt. It’s bad for your health.’

  ‘Like living in Wildling isn’t?’

  ‘Fair point,’ she replies, a grin touching the corner of her lip.

  It’s the first time I’ve seen any hint of a smile from her, and something about it feels real. Like she’s an actual person. Like maybe I could trust her. ‘You know what? Screw it,’ I begin, deciding to take a chance. ‘I found out yesterday that on the day she died, Lilly was outside the police station.’

  ‘Okay, but that still doesn’t—’

  I hold my hand up for her to let me finish. ‘But instead of going in, she climbed into Jack’s truck, and they drove away.’

  ‘Jack Stanton?’

  ‘The very same.’

  ‘You’re sure?’

  ‘Hundred per cent.’

  I watch as Mia sits back and takes it in. ‘The night she went missing, did Lilly say anything to you about what her plans were?’

  ‘She said she was going to talk to the father about the baby.’

  ‘She said that? The father. Not Herm specifically?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  Mia thinks for a moment and then glances down at the empty space where her dog would usually be. ‘You don’t think…’

  ‘What?’

  She leans in close enough to whisper. ‘You don’t think Jack could be the father?’

  ‘All I know is that Herm was abusing her. That’s a fact. And she was pregnant. Also, a fact. Why Jack picked her up that day is anyone’s guess. I mean, if what Herm said is true about having a vasectomy, then maybe? I mean… it’s pretty out there, though, Mia.’

  We stare out over the backyard, both lost in our own thoughts. There’s a part of me that wants to climb up into the old treehouse and never come out. I think back to all the times I hid in there just to make the world go away. Surrounded by pillows, pens and notebooks. Juniper never would leave well enough alone, though. She was always down on the ground, shouting up at me to come out and apologise for something. Always interfering. All these years later, I think, and still nothing has changed.

  ‘Okay,’ Mia says, interrupting my thoughts. ‘I appreciate your honesty. I know this must be difficult to talk about.'

  I shrug because I don't really know what to say.

  ‘I really am sorry for your loss, Britt,’ she continues. ‘I hope in time things get a little easier for you.’

  She gets to her feet, and I automatically stand as well. ‘I better get back. Thanks for talking with me.’

  Even though she didn’t tell me, I know it was she and her dog who went out to Willow’s Crossing and found Hazel Smith. For now, her secret is safe. I’m not going to tell anyone. But the thing about Wildling is, nothing stays secret forever.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Britt

  AFTER my shift, I’m supposed to be meeting Luke down by the river. He wants to talk more, but I just don’t have it in me. All I can think about is that someone else was the father of Lilly’s baby. If it wasn’t Herm and it wasn’t Luke, that means there was another secret she was keeping from me. Could it have really been Jack?

  A block away from work, I stop and take out my phone. I’m going to text Luke and say that I can’t make it tonight. Screw him. Why should I bother after what he did? I punch out the text, not bothering with niceties, and slip the phone back into my satchel. When I look back up, my heart skips a beat. Bryce and his mother are walking toward me.

  ‘Hey, Britt.’ Bryce beams at me with a grin wide enough to light up the entire town. He's wearing jeans and a black polo shirt with Willow's Crossing embroidered over the right breast pocket.

  ‘Bryce.’ I return his greeting with an awkward nod and instantly hate myself for being so weird.

  ‘You heading to work?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘How are things with your sister being back?’ Sarah asks, looking me over like she can’t possibly understand how Juniper and I could be related. ‘Will she be staying long?’

  ‘I really couldn’t say, Mrs Stanton.’ She looks so perfectly put together in a long floral skirt and pink blouse. The pearls around her neck sit flat against her throat, clasped by a tiny diamond that glints in the sun.

  ‘Jack said he invited her to dinner. You’re welcome too, of course.’

  ‘Mum, they don’t want to come to dinner,’ Bryce says, shooting her a look. ‘Sorry, Britt. Just ignore that.’

  I'm about to nod and let it go when the conversation with Luke plays over again in my head. About fifteen minutes later, she got picked up. Picked up by who? Jack Stanton.

  ‘You know what, maybe we will come to dinner,’ I reply, knowing Juniper will do anything if it means getting inside goss for the story she wants to write. ‘In fact, my evening just opened up. Would tonight work?’

  ‘You really don’t have to,’ Bryce says.

  ‘No, I want to. Juniper will too. I finish at five. We could be there by six o’clock?’

  Sarah gives Bryce a warm look as if to say, Look what a wonderful mother I am, and then says, ‘That’s perfect, Britt. We’ll see you both tonight.’

  ‘DINNER and then we’re out,’ Juniper whispers as we walk toward the towering front door of Willow’s Crossing. ‘I had a weird run-in with Bryce yesterday. I don’t want to be hanging around here too long.’

  ‘Weird like what?’

  ‘Just weird,’ she says. ‘Mum made me come because you wanted to, but we’re not sticking around.’

  ‘Oh, bullshit, Juniper. You came because you’re trying to write a story and want the inside scoop,’ I say with a shake of my head. ‘Do you think I’m stupid?’

  My sister stares at me, clearly deciding whether it’s worth trying to deny it. ‘Why did you want to come anyway?’ she asks instead. ‘I don’t recall you ever wanting to visit Willow’s Crossing with me in the past.’

  We’re almost at the door. The last thing I want to do is help Juniper’s career, but knowing her, she’s going to write the story anyway, and we’re here now. ‘Because the day Lilly died, she was last seen getting into Jack Stanton’s truck.’

  ‘Britt, what?’ Juniper gasps as the door opens.

  ‘Girls, welcome,’ Sarah says with a smile. ‘Come on in. I hope you like roast lamb.’

  Huddled at the end of a polished mahogany table long enough to host a wedding party, I begin to wonder if this might be the most awkward dinner anyone has ever had since the invention of dinners. On the wall behind us, generations of long-dead Stantons gaze down, their painted eyes following our every move. Jack has barely said a word. Sarah keeps giving us tight, polite smiles. Meanwhile, Bryce won’t stop staring at Juniper, who is desperately trying to keep her eyes trained on the plate in front of her.

  They don't know it yet, but all that's about to change. If Jack thinks veiled threats at the service station are enough to scare me into silence, he’s dead wrong. Screw this family. I’m about to blow the whole thing up.

  I put my knife and fork down and clear my throat. ‘Mr Stanton, it occurred to me that I never thanked you for picking Lilly up from the police station the afternoon she died,’ I begin. ‘Herm Drinkwater is not a nice man. He was always hassling her and hauling her in for things that never hurt anyone. At least she was shown some kindness on the last day of her life.’

  He stops slicing his lamb, the knife hovering over his plate. ‘You must be mistaken there, Britt,’ he says eventually. ‘I didn’t pick Lilly Daniels up from anywhere.’

  ‘Oh, it must have slipped your mind. She was outside the police station, and you picked her up in your truck.’ I look over at Sarah. ‘My friend was across the road. He saw it.’

  Bryce stops chewing and looks over at his father. Beside me, Juniper stiffens. I don’t dare look at her, but I can feel it.

  Jack slowly places his utensils down and wipes his mouth with the corner of a linen napkin. ‘You accusing me of something there, Britt? Because I’d like to remind you, you’re a guest in this house.’

  ‘Accusing you? No, I was thanking you,’ I tell him, feigning surprise. ‘Lilly didn’t have many people in her corner. I thought it was nice that someone of your standing would take the time to give her a ride.’

  He holds my gaze, and I reach under the table to try and stop my legs from shaking.

  ‘Oh, wait. I remember now,’ he begins, reaching out to give his wife's hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘Herm got a call, said he had to go over to Winton River and didn’t want the girl wandering the streets. You know, after getting picked up for whatever it was that day. Asked me to drop her home since I was heading through town.’

  ‘Well,’ I manage, battling to hide my disappointment. Trust him to come up with something and weasel out of it. ‘Like I said, I appreciate it.’

  He nods and bites the lamb off his fork. Around the table, everyone’s shoulders drop with relief. They smile and look back at their plates, clearly relieved that everything is right with the world again.

  What they don’t notice is that Jack doesn’t blink, and his eyes remain fixed on mine.

  ‘WHAT on earth is wrong with you?’ Juniper hisses the moment we get back into her car. ‘Are you insane?’

  I yank at the seatbelt, over and over until I feel like I’m going to scream.

  ‘Britt, I’m talking to you.’

  I give up on the seatbelt and stare out the window, even though it’s so fogged up I can’t see a thing.

  ‘Britt, answer me,’ Juniper tries as she leans across and gently pulls the seatbelt over my chest until it clicks into place. ‘What was that about?’

  ‘You wouldn’t understand,’ I huff. ‘Besides, it makes no difference. You saw what happened. Whatever he says, everyone just believes it. He might as well have killed her in the middle of Main Street. Nothing would happen.’

  Juniper lets out a sigh and rests back against her seat. ‘Who told you Lilly got into Jack’s truck that night?’

  ‘Just forget it. Whatever. Doesn’t matter.’

  For a moment, the car falls silent. Somewhere in the darkness a cow lows and I almost jump out of my skin.

  ‘Britt, I’m on your side,’ she says eventually. ‘Just talk to me.’

  ‘Why? So you can put it in a story? I know that’s why you came back here.’

  She turns the set of car keys over in her palm. Lights along the driveway cast long shadows as we sit in the car, the air between us thick with all the things we’ve never said.

  ‘Are you going to drive or what?’ I ask, just wanting the night to be over. ‘They’re going to come out if we keep sitting here.’

  ‘Fine, Britt. Have it your way,’ she says, putting the key into the ignition. ‘But at some point you’re going to tell me what that was about, and how you know who picked Lilly up that day.’

  Suddenly the whole situation feels hopeless. Compared to Jack and Herm I’m a bug. Worse than that. I’m a bug under their shoe. Like he was ever going to care what I said. I was fooling myself to think I could make any difference or find justice for Lilly.

  ‘Luke Mittigan was in love with Lilly,’ I say as she starts the car. ‘That’s how I know.’

  ‘Your boyfriend, Luke?’

  She looks over at me, aghast, and it’s humiliating to say the least. I shrug out of my jacket, then toss it into the back. ‘He’s not my boyfriend. Then or now. Anyway, he followed her and saw her get into Jack’s truck.’

  ‘And no one saw her again after that?’

  ‘Am I on the record?’ I ask with a roll of my eyes.

  ‘Britt…’

  ‘It’s fine, Juniper,’ I say with a sigh. ‘Not to be on the record, that’s not okay, but I know why you came home. I never thought it was for me.’

  ‘But it was for you, Britt. Partly, at least. I mean… things in Sydney are not like Mum and Dad think. The truth is, if I don’t get this story I’m going to lose my job.’

  I stare over at her, unable to believe that maybe perfect Juniper’s life isn’t so perfect after all.

  ‘I don’t want you near the Stantons on your own,’ she adds. ‘Do you hear me? Not any of them, especially Bryce.’

  ‘Why Bryce?’

  A shadow flickers over her eyes when she says, ‘Because he’s not the same person he was when I left.’

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Juniper

  BRITT’S words play over and over in my mind.

  …he followed her and saw her get into Jack’s truck.

  In Britt’s eyes, last night’s attempt to call Jack out was a failure, but I don’t agree. When put on the spot, he feigned remembering picking Lilly up as a favour to Herm, but I’m not buying it. In fact, I’ve never been more certain that the Stantons are somehow involved in whatever happened to those girls. But what doesn’t sit right is the idea of Jack and Lilly being involved. Jack’s not the type to risk everything for some fling with a teenager. But there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to protect his family – including lying. So, what if it hadn’t been him who picked up Lilly Daniels in the Willow’s Crossing truck, but Bryce?

  I pull into the petrol station and start filling up my car. I need to clear my head and heading out to one of the trails that leads through the national park, with its towering gum trees and patches of melting snow, feels like the perfect place to think things through.

  I have so many memories of growing up with Bryce, Jack, and Sarah. Laughing until my sides ached as Jack tried teaching me to drive a tractor out in the paddocks of Willow’s Crossing. Sarah and I, our hands ghostly white and covered in flour, when she taught me how to make homemade bread in her kitchen. And Bryce. He was my first real love. To write a story that casts suspicion over the family would destroy the lives of each and every one of them.

  As the weight of my memories presses in, I can’t help but wonder if I have it in me to do it – if I can betray the people I once called my family, even when every instinct tells me I should.

  I glance up as a journalist I recognise, Stewart Hartigan from Channel Ten News, and his cameraman walk past me toward the shop. From behind the counter, Britt looks out and her face pales. I know Stew. He’s like a dog with a bone when it comes to getting the inside scoop. There’s not a chance he won’t harass my sister until she’s in tears. As they step inside, I shove the petrol nozzle back into the bowser and march toward the door.

  Inside, Britt is holding her hand up to the camera, trying to block her face. ‘I don’t want to,’ she’s telling them. ‘Just leave me alone.’

  ‘Hey!’ I shout out, causing them both to turn. ‘How about you get out of my sister’s face?’

  They turn toward me, and I don’t miss the look of shock and unexpected pride in Britt's eyes.

  ‘That you, Davis?’ Stewart asks. ‘Would have thought you’d be collecting unemployment benefits by now after that stuff-up with Kutsinoff.’

  ‘Just leave my sister alone, okay? It’s enough already. She doesn’t know anything.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah,’ he says, motioning to his cameraman to park the rig. He looks me over, and I shudder. ‘You end up getting the chop from the Daily, there’s a spot for you on my crew. Damn, those titties would look hot on camera.’

  ‘Like I said, just leave her be. And don’t speak to women like that. It’s disgusting.’