One Heartbeat

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“What’s going on?” Tama brushed crumbs from the downy hair coating his chin. His fingers lingered with pride over the first flush of a beard.

Logan raised a finger and shook his head. “Wait!” he hissed. He watched from the long kitchen window as Hana walked around the side of the house and climbed the fence into the paddock. Then he turned and leaned his neat backside against the sink.

“Wanna train for a while?” Tama licked his index finger and picked up the crumbs from his plate. “I didn’t want to admit to Hana that I’m on the kid weights.”

“Go for your life.” Logan sounded distracted. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

“Oh.” Tama slouched in disappointment. “Stuff without me?”

Logan gave himself a visible shake and wiped an olive-skinned hand across the back of his mouth. “Did you not see the state of my wife?”

“Yes, but what can we do to change it? She went to pieces in a public place. You said it was a panic attack. I gave her a hug.”

Logan sighed. “It wasn’t a panic attack, Tama. She saw someone she didn’t expect and it knocked her sideways.”

“Who?” Tama spoke with his head inside the pantry and a bread wrapper rustled. He popped his face out. “Who did she see?”

Logan’s eyes narrowed as he replayed the scene in his mind. “That old tourist. He’s someone she knows. He’d already got my attention because he seemed familiar. I need to find out who he is.”

“Who do you think he is?” Tama stuck his head in the fridge and the plate tipped. He held the slice of bread in place with his thumb. “Can I have jam on this?”

“I think it’s her father.”

“What?” Tama banged his head on the fridge door and let go of the bread. It slipped onto the tiles and he bounced forward to retrieve it. “Three second rule,” he said, blowing at it and sending crumbs fluttering to the floor. “Oops.”

“Yeah.” Logan ground his teeth. “Oops.”

“What are you gonna do?” Tama’s eyes sparked with interest and he sat down at the table. The plate clanked against the wood. “You could take a hit out on him. You still know people.” He shrugged. “Didn’t look much like she wanted him here.”

“No, I can’t take a hit out on him.” Exasperation leaked into Logan’s words. “It’s too late for Reuben to answer my questions, but maybe there’s still time for Hana.”

Tama gasped. “You can’t bring him here. She’ll go mental.”

“Maybe not,” Logan mused. “But it’s worth the risk.” He pulled his phone from the charger plugged in near the kettle and dialled. His eyes glazed over as the call connected and he bit down on his tongue.

“No man, no way!” Bodie spat the words. “I can’t check registration plates without good cause. There are laws to protect innocent members of the public.” He put a stress on the word, ‘innocent.’

“It’s important,” Logan replied. “And please don’t mention it to Hana.” He figured if she wanted Bodie to know he’d sat within spitting distance of his grandfather, she’d have told him herself.

“Sorry and all that,” Bodie said. He sounded smug and not at all apologetic. “But I’ve passed my next lot of exams and I’ve made the list for a vacancy. I won’t get promoted for flouting the rules, so find another way. You nearly got me fired last year and I can’t risk it again.”

“Okay,” Logan replied, sounding disappointed.

“What was wrong with Mum?” Bodie demanded and he invented an excuse.

“She forgot something important. We needed to leave.”

“Cool, is that all you wanted?” Pique crept into Bodie’s voice.

“Yep. Thanks.” Logan killed the call with a wince. “d**k!” he whispered as the screen went black.

Tama screwed up his face. “Can you believe Hana gave birth to that guy? Just seeing his smug grin makes me want to slap him into next week.”

Logan groaned. “Well, don’t. If I can’t then neither can you.”

Tama finished the bread and pulled the fabric of his soccer strip up to his nose. “I stink,” he announced. “Bummer about the changing rooms being locked. Can I have first shower?”

“Yep.” Logan nodded and Tama left the room. He abandoned the plate on the table surrounded in a sea of crumbs. Logan went through the motions of clearing up after him, his brain enjoying the mindless activity while he ran through alternate scenarios. He could still see Hana through the window, her slender frame growing smaller the higher she climbed. Reaching the top of the property, she turned left and disappeared into the gully. His heart ached for her. The idea came as he knew it would and a slow smile drifted across his lips. “That should work,” he breathed. “Good one, Du Rose. Follow the money.”