“Babe? Ali?” No answer.
The silent apartment felt empty. A bad feeling set in. She might have gone with Finn. Or she might have been next door, sorting supplies, despite their discussion regarding her not wandering off on her own. They barely knew these people; security still mattered.
Daniel vaulted out of bed, pul ed on some cargos and a t-shirt, stuffed his feet into joggers and pounded down the stairs. An overreaction probably, but he’d gotten used to knowing her whereabouts. Her absence jangled his nerves. The world felt wrong, more off-kilter than usual.
Outside, there were people out and about on the street, going about their day. A child shrieked and giggled, chased by an older sibling around one of the huge jacarandas filling the median strip. A tractor started up somewhere close, the engine coughing and spluttering to life.
“Morning,” someone called. Dan nodded back.
He stuck his head into the department store, where a couple of people were gathered around a middle-aged man with a clipboard.
“Hey. Anyone seen Ali this morning?”
They looked at him with blank faces. The guy with the clipboard answered. “No. Sorry. We only just got here.”
“Thanks,” he nodded, backed up.
She had probably gone with Finn. That’s where she was. An ache akin to fear poured through his chest.
He broke into a jog. Down to the end of Main Street, hang a left, feet pounding against the pavement. He covered the half a block and stormed down the station’s front path. His hand hit the heavy glass door, shoved it open.
Finn was bent over the reception desk, looking at papers. Immediately he straightened, hand shifting to the gun at his hip. “What’s wrong?”
“Is she here?”
“No,” Finn frowned, shook his head. “You two were asleep when I left.”
“I woke up alone.”
The pain in his chest accelerated and the front door was thrown open once more. A boy stumbled through the opening, face ashen, dyed black hair sticking out every which way. One of the guards from the gate, if his memory served. Andy.
The young man’s red eyes fixed on Finn, and his thin shoulders caved. “You need to come. It’s Lindsay. She kil ed herself. They found her hanging … just …”
Finn shot Dan a questioning look he could only return. The capable woman who went on raiding parties seemed the least likely person to check out in such a fashion. But these days, who the hell knew anymore?
“Maybe Al’s there with Erin or something,” said Dan.
“Maybe. Let’s go.” Finn headed for the door and the sniffling young man scampered alongside.
A crowd of people milled about outside a tiny weatherboard cottage two streets over. Despite the bright summer day the mood was distinctly dour. People lined the concrete pavement and overflowed into the garden, crushing the lettuce and tomatoes growing there.
Lots of weeping ladies and pale-faced men were present but some kids played a game of footy out in the street, apparently unaffected.
Death happened so often these days that it could be regarded as mundane.
Al didn’t seem to be amongst the gathering, but she couldn’t be far. Stupid of him to worry – grown women could come and go as they pleased. Of course they could, without question and all that. Still, if she didn’t turn up soon he might take a jog around town.
Finn strode up the path and straight into the shadowy house. Daniel followed.
“What’s going on?” Finn asked Santa.
“She was found ‘bout half an hour ago.” The fat man huffed out a breath and frowned, his sunburnt face heavily lined.
More people loitered inside but Al wasn’t among them. The place was packed, and stank of death and decay. Piss and shit and al the things the body secreted at the end of its use. The combination turned his stomach.
Lindsay’s body was laid out on the dining room table with the length of rope beside her. The rope gleamed vibrant orange against the dark wood, the sole bright spot in the room. They’d drawn every curtain but let in half the town. It defied logic. Certainly Finn looked pissed, despite the professional face. His eyes were narrowed, taking everything in.
“You shouldn’t have moved the body.” Finn motioned people back from the table and inspected the dead woman’s bloated, blackened neck.
“We couldn’t leave her hanging out there,” said Santa in an outraged tone.
“Out where?” asked Finn
A chubby hand waved toward the back door, visible through a poky little kitchen. “There’s a little back pergola. She used one of the beams and a kitchen chair.”
“Who found her?” Finn surveyed the crowd.
“I did.” Andy stepped forward with his eyes downturned. No wonder the poor boy was so shaken up. Even after everything he had to have seen to survive this long, suicide would come as a shock.
“Everyone but Sam and Andy can leave,” said Finn in a no-nonsense tone. “Now.”
People muttered and murmured about uppity newcomers taking over, but they did as told. Finn’s cop face brooked no nonsense.