“I’ll tell you.” Glenys put the phone away, addressing the group of onlookers but avoiding Darcy’s confused gaze. “That clearing is next door to my property. Darcy Forest has been working along the fence for a while which I thought was a good thing, getting rid of undergrowth at this time of year. Until I happened to find those! All the stolen Christmas trees and a highchair.”
“And I heard someone stole a brand-new highchair today which was ready to be given to new parents.” Marguerite’s tone of voice was triumphant. “I wonder who else is having a baby!” She pointed at Abbie. “Oh look. You wouldn’t be in need of some baby items now, would—”
“Stop it!” Darcy grabbed Abbie’s hand and helped her to her feet. Tears streamed down her face and Lachie clung to her, his face white and eyes wide. “Leave us alone. We’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing.” He led his family away, the crowd parting as he walked.
An uncomfortable silence fell. Some people wandered away, while others waited for the book club ladies to say something more. Rosie cleared her throat and eyes turned to her.
“Marguerite, you should be ashamed.” Her words were delivered in a calm monotone, as though having a pleasant chat about nothing in particular. “That little family needs our love, not your vitriol. Darcy is no thief.”
Octavia turned on Rosie. “Believe whatever fantasies you want. He obviously cut up the big tree in the roundabout with his chainsaw and has been hiding the evidence. I told you they are bad, those Forests. Every last one of them.”
“Are you saying little Lachie is a bad person?” Doug appeared, Esther at his side.
“Oh, no, Lachie is a lovely little boy. Octavia didn’t mean that.” Glenys finally spoke again. She’d paled over the past few minutes and leaned heavily on her walking stick. “But it’s so odd all those trees and the highchair are there on the Christmas Tree farm. Isn’t it?”
Charlotte’s heart raced. All this anger and finger-pointing felt personal. Someone could do their best and still be blamed for something outside their control. She played with the bracelet, stretching it and letting it snap back to remind herself…don’t get involved. This wasn’t her fight. But she knew Darcy wasn’t the thief. His chainsaw might be the one used to destroy the big tree, but she’d been there just after he’d discovered it dumped on the opposite side of his property.
Do something, Charlie. Say what you know.
Voices were rising as Octavia and Marguerite argued with Doug and Rosie. Charlotte slipped away through a gap in the crowd. Her fingers worked the bracelet, round and round, then snap and snap. She had to find a quiet place to think.
At the corner of the plaza she paused and glanced back. The long trestle tables with their Christmas fare were almost unattended. All the action was around the bench where the Forest family had been minding their own business. How distressing for Abbie, and poor Lachie. Even under such fire, Darcy kept his cool. If only they’d stayed a little longer to hear Rosie and Doug stand up for them.
Charlotte headed for the alley that would lead toward the bookshop. A few moments to work through this and she’d go back. Make sure Rosie was okay. See what could be done to make it up to the Forests.
Just before she turned into it, there was another raised voice. This came from the alley and if she wasn’t mistaken, it belonged to Veronica.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Charlotte crept to the corner and peeped around. Veronica stood, hands on hips, in the middle of the alley. She screeched at someone just out of sight. The words made no sense.
“…made me look bad. Made me look like I’m behind this mess of yours!”
Now who upset her?
A muffled male voice answered. Too quiet for Charlotte to hear. Dared she go closer? Between here and Veronica was a row of skip bins, large receptables for recycling and some for garbage. If Charlotte was careful, she could slip between them and the wall of the alley.
If she sees you…keep walking. Don’t do it.
Charlotte slid behind the first bin and stopped, holding her breath.
“And it isn’t fair!” The screeching reduced to a loud whine. “I really, really like you.”
“Me too, darl. You’re fun.”
“Then why won’t you come to the plaza with me?”
There was no answer and Charlotte was forced to find a gap between bins to see through. Veronica was being kissed by the man from yesterday. So, was this simply a lover’s quarrel? But what had Veronica meant by her ‘looking bad’?
After a couple of kisses, Veronica pushed him away, not angrily, but like a petulant child. “Don’t try to get on my good side. Either you’re coming with me and I can give you a decent alibi, or—”
“What, darl? You gonna tell tales on me?” He stepped toward Veronica. “Not like you’re such a good girl.”
“Get stuffed, Hank. I don’t tell tales but I’m planning on partying.” She spun away and tip-tapped on her high heels in Charlotte’s direction. Fury reddened her face and with her chin high she wasn’t looking for eavesdroppers. A moment later, the tip-tap faded, and she was gone.
Hank was on his phone, not looking the least bit concerned she’d left although he stared after her. Charlotte kept still. She wanted to hear him, and she didn’t want to be seen.
Why do you get yourself into these things?
“I got rid of her.” He spoke to the phone. “Not like that, you idiot. She’s gone to the street party so come and get me if you still want to knock over your aunt’s place.” Hank listened. “Fine, Darro. I’ll make sure the old bag is still at that stupid party.”
He jogged past Charlotte.
Glenys had been tricked into making everyone believe Darcy was the thief. And with him gone from the street party, would he be blamed for a robbery at the house next door? The house owned by his accuser.
Charlotte stretched the bracelet.
Then took it off and tossed it into one of the bins.
Hank moved quickly, crossing the road with barely a look for traffic, before heading for the plaza. Charlotte sprinted to keep him in sight. If he saw her, she was in trouble. But if she lost him, Darcy was.
Charlotte’s mind raced. How was she going to stop this from happening. She could hardly follow the ute to Glenys’ property. Or she could find Sid.
Great options. Not.
She’d have to wing it. Call the emergency police number if it came to that.
He’d vanished. Charlotte stopped at the edge of the plaza. There was music playing again and she was relieved the crowd had dissipated and people were back around the tables.
Veronica was involved in an animated conversation with Jonas near the fountain. There was no sign of Rosie, Doug, or Esther. The book shop ladies were at the far end of a table, filling plates.
“Why are you following me?”
Charlotte froze.
“Do you think I didn’t know?” Hank was right behind her.
“Why would I follow you? You’re the one wearing masks at night and stealing Christmas trees. Aren’t you?”
Veronica had her hands on her hips, glaring across the distance at Charlotte.
“I guess this was all your girlfriend’s idea?” Charlotte said.
Hank stepped in front of her, his bulk blocking her sight of the other people. A sense of isolation swept through her.
“Guess again.” He snarled.
“Oh. Sorry. Darro’s idea? Couldn’t be yours.”
“You got a smart mouth for someone in danger. Really big danger.”
“Scary.”
Hank moved closer. He smelt almost as bad as Sid.
“See, I’m cool with tough guys.” Charlotte nodded. “I am. One tied me up in a cave once. He’s in prison now. Almost blew his hand off with a gun. Him, not me.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t have missed.”
His hands snaked up to grasp her neck.
“Let me go.”
“You think you know what’s going on in this town. You need to mind your own business
.”
Charlotte’s heart pounded as his fingers tightened. Her hands pushed against his chest until he laughed.
“Not so cocky now.” Hank forced her backwards.
She had no strength to stop him. Step by step they were moving away from the party. From people. From help. He was going to kill her. Charlotte stopped pushing against him and reached for his face, seeking his eyes.
“Bitch. Don’t.”
“Help me!” Her cry came out as a whimper as he squeezed her windpipe. Her feet reached the edge of the footpath.
“You just had to interfere. Reporting us to the police. Watching us dismantle the tree in the roundabout from the shadows.”
A car was coming, she could hear it. She gripped his shirt to avoid being pushed into its path.
“I’m gonna bury you in the pine forest and add one more crime to Darcy Forest’s list. And then I’m taking all the pretty things and cash from the old bag’s house and Darro and me? We’re gonna have the best party ever.”
“You pathetic little boy!”
Thwack.
Hank’s face contorted and he released Charlotte.
Mrs Lane?
“You planned to steal from me?”
Thwack.
Hank staggered to one side, but Charlotte refused to let go of his shirt as she gasped for air. As he straightened, she dragged him toward herself with every bit of strength and kneed him in the crotch.
He screamed and collapsed to the ground, writhing around.
“I did tell you to let go.” She managed.
Glenys stood over him, her walking cane raised and her face purple with fury. “Why? Why would you and my nephew hurt this town and hurt me?”
Hank was in no condition to answer. Charlotte put an arm around Glenys’ shoulder.
“Darling, what on earth were you thinking?” Rosie refused to let go of Charlotte’s hand. “He hurt you.”
“Rosie, did you see how he hobbled away clutching his crotch?” It made Charlotte boil that despite her well-placed knee and Glenys’ whacks with her cane, Hank still got away. In the panic from milling partygoers, he’d managed to drag himself off and straight into the blue ute which screeched to the kerb a minute after he went down.
Veronica had reached them surprisingly fast in her heels, with Jonas just behind, dialling his phone as he ran. She screamed at Charlotte to move and tried to throw herself on Hank, who at that point was still squealing. He’d pushed her away, and Jonas got between them.
“Oh, for goodness sake, people, don’t let him go.” Charlotte gave up and went to find Rosie. She was sitting outside Italia with Doug, Esther, and Lewis. Her arrival caused some fuss and it was a few minutes before she’d explained enough to make any sense to them. Doug took off, phone in hand. Charlotte’s legs were shaky suddenly and she dropped onto a spare chair.
Sirens cut through the air but not past the plaza, so whether it was Sid or something else going on, Charlotte couldn’t tell.
“I’m so sorry you were at risk, Charlie. Is your neck really okay?”
“Don’t worry about me, Rosie. We need to let someone know.” Charlotte sipped on a glass of water Lewis had rushed to get. “And somebody needs to check on Glenys.”
“Someone has.” Esther nodded toward the tables where Glenys was sobbing against Marguerite. Octavia, although patting Glenys’ back, glared at Charlotte. “And…well, I don’t think you have a friend there.”
“Sorry, Rosie. I might have damaged the relationship with the book club.”
“Don’t start me on them! You are important. And after all of their little attempts to harm the shop…they can just go and—”
“Rosie Sibbritt!” Charlotte grinned. “I’m going to talk to your son about you.”
“Go right ahead! He’ll pat me on the shoulder and smile the way he does when there is nothing to say.”
True. Charlotte was familiar with Trev’s quiet ways. But he wouldn’t be happy Charlotte had been at risk. “I wish he hadn’t escaped.”
“You did well, darling. I’m just sorry you had to go through that. We were over here because I was so angry with Octavia and Marguerite that it seemed best to retreat and calm down. How dare they be so rude to the Forests?”
Lewis, who’d sat quiet through most of the conversations of the past few minutes, leaned forward, addressing Rosie with a steady tone. “They are wrong. And we need to come up with a way—as a town—to make it up to the family. Show them they are wanted here.”
Yes. Yes, we do.
Charlotte stood. “I know what we should do.”
All eyes turned to her.
“We need to pack this party up and take it to the Christmas Tree farm.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Somehow, it didn’t surprise Charlotte that Lewis owned a minibus. The minute Rosie, Doug, and Esther agreed they’d get others involved in going to the Forests, he hurried off to collect it.
“Before his darling wife passed away, she ran the shop and he drove tourists around the area. To the wineries and Hanging Rock and all the other sights.” Rosie puffed as she wheeled fast back to the other side of the fountain, Charlotte jogging to stay beside her. “I had no idea he still has the old thing so let’s hope it’s still driveable.”
Doug and Esther were rounding people up, sending them to the fountain, and when there was a small crowd, Rosie parked herself in the middle.
“Sorry to interrupt your night yet again! We’ve had quite an evening. Terrible accusations and poor Charlotte threatened by a man who admitted to being one of the real Christmas tree thieves.” Rosie’s voice was calm and clear.
At the very outside of the circle, Marguerite and Octavia glowered at Charlotte. Glenys was nowhere to be seen and if she now knew her own nephew was behind the mayhem, she might have left to go home.
Would she be alright though? Doug had phoned Sid, who’d gone home early for a few drinks and complained about his evening being interrupted.
“A few of us are going to go to the Christmas Tree farm, and we’d like to invite you all.”
“Now?” Someone called from the back. “What about the food?”
Charlotte stepped forward. “What if we take some of it up there. Enough for whoever comes along. We can set up in their carpark and ask them to join us.”
“What a dreadful idea.” Octavia was furious. “Those people are thieves.”
“No, Octavia. No, they are not.” Glenys hobbled her way to Rosie and Charlotte. Her face was puffy from crying, but she held her head high. “I am so sorry for my part in the whole mess. It would appear my nephew and his friend are responsible for stealing the trees and the probably the highchair.”
“What about Santa though?” Another person from the back. “He’ll be here soon and not everyone will want to traipse up to the farm tonight.”
He’ll cope. He’s an alien.
“I believe Santa is pretty good at being in multiple places. Perhaps he would be kind enough to attend to both parties.” Charlotte suggested, making eye contact with Esther, who was close friends with the gentleman taking on the role. She nodded and got her phone out.
“Right, so if nobody objects to us taking a table and some of the Christmas fare—”
“We object!”
Almost everyone in the crowd turned to Octavia and Marguerite. Nobody said a word, just stared. Marguerite grabbed Octavia’s arm.
“We’re leaving. And we’re taking our food with us.”
When there was no move to stop them, they stalked to the tables and began piling plates up to carry away.
The crowd thinned. Veronica, Jonas, and now Terrance were at the far edge of the plaza. Not talking. Just watching. There was something going on with them. Something more than Veronica’s shock about her boyfriend, or the councillors’ possible shady dealings. Unease settled in Charlotte’s stomach. They were up to no good and this vendetta of the book club ladies wasn’t the only strange behaviour in Kingfisher Falls.
Th
e minibus nosed slowly into the driveway at the Christmas Tree Farm, Lewis careful of potholes and the odd kangaroo crossing the way in the dark.
Rosie was in the front passenger seat, lifted in by Doug, who then closed and packed her wheelchair. All twenty seats were full, and several cars followed, including Glenys’, who’d said she wanted to apologise to Darcy. Once Lewis had arrived at the plaza it took only minutes to pack up some tables and lots of goodies. Santa had promised Esther to head up there after his plaza duties.
“I hope this won’t make things worse.” Charlotte was next to Esther. “What if Darcy and his family are so upset, they tell us to leave?”
Esther smiled. “It will be fine, you’ll see. The books for Lachie are packed in the back as well as the baby hamper.”
“The what?”
“Didn’t Rosie tell you? She spent Sunday collecting all sorts of baby gifts. Doug provided a dinner for two voucher for Italia for when they’re ready, and I’ll babysit that night. And I’ve added a gift voucher so Abbie can choose some new clothes once she has her body back.”
Tears prickled at the back of Charlotte’s eyes. Tonight, after all the upsets and fears, this little town reminded her of River’s End at its finest. She stared out the window, blinking to clear any mistiness.
Through the trees was a light. Then another. On and off. Someone walking through the pine trees. Charlotte thought it was still on Darcy’s land, but couldn’t be sure. He might be out checking his boundary. Or perhaps it was Sid. But it wouldn’t hurt to be sure.
Chapter Forty
The carpark was dark and deserted. There were no lights around the sheds, but the back of Abbie’s car was visible near the house and a few rooms were lit.
After Lewis parked, Doug settled Rosie back in her chair. “I’m going to find Darcy and invite the family to our party.” She said. “Do you want to come with me?”
“Actually, if you are okay on your own, I might help here.”
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