Secret (Peters Junction Series Book 1)

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “So you said Anthony called while you were driving?” April asked a while later when they were seated around the table, drinking coffee and making themselves sandwiches from the sliced cheese and ham April had laid out for them.

  “Yeah, he had a visit from the police. He said he hadn’t been able to tell them much about you, but in the end he had pointed them towards Landslide Productions.”

  “Do they have your direct contact details?” Ben asked around a mouthful of food.

  “No. Everything always went through Karen. I think the most they know about where I live is that it’s in South Australia.

  “Maybe you should call Karen,” Lachlan suggested. “You know, give her a heads up.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right,” she sighed. “I’ll call her as soon as I’ve heard back from the lawyer.” She’d left a message with Glen Blake, the lawyer Grant had mentioned, and now they were waiting for him to call back. She hoped it wouldn’t be long. The anticipation was eating her up.

  After lunch April found herself alone with Ben in the lounge while Lachlan cleaned up the kitchen. “Are you still planning to fly home early?” she asked.

  “Actually, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay.” His voice was hesitant, as if he feared her answer. April smiled.

  “I think that would be great. Marie will need a friend when she hears about what went on today.”

  Ben nodded his head but didn’t say anything else.

  “I meant what I said before though.” April couldn’t help adding. “I don’t think this is the right time for the two of you to get together. But if you want to be there for her, as her friend, I won’t stop you.”

  He nodded briefly but refused to meet her eyes and she knew that his feeling for Marie had already progressed past simple friendship. The mother in her wanted to confront him, but the sister in her trapped her mouth shut and she held her tongue. Later, the happiness in Marie’s eyes when she arrived home from school and saw Ben hadn’t left was enough to convince April that taking the sister role was the correct one, even if it didn’t quell the apprehension she felt at seeing the two of them together.

  The next few days passed in a blur. Marie had begged April to allow her to stay home from school for the last three days of term and April had relented because, in truth, with all the uncertainty ahead of her, she wanted to spend as much time with her sister as possible.

  Every morning, April and Lachlan would make the half hour drive to Jamestown to meet with Glen Blake. Despite being in his seventies, he was very alert and full of enthusiasm for her case. After listening to her story, he didn’t think she would be arrested. Instead he believed a hearing would be arranged where police evidence would be presented to a judge before April would get the opportunity to present her arguments. Finally, the judge would come to a decision about whether she should be charged. In the meantime, they busied themselves going over her arguments and firming up her defence.