The town of Avalon had been transformed too. A new taskforce was established to assist the police in stamping out crime. With more resources and the public demanding it, they were able to fully investigate more crimes and spend more time keeping order. The town was no longer run by criminals for criminals.
A happy calm passed through the town. Everyone would talk about the case, but it was what brought them together. There was a strong sense of camaraderie, as if they had all been witnesses to some traumatic event. They were the survivors of the drug scandal. It was no longer about who had money and who didn’t. It was now all about who was good and who were bad. It made a nice change.
A few days before Jasmine was discharged from the hospital, she had visited Logan. He was still in the men’s ward, just down the corridor from her room. They had a long talk, processing what they had been through. Logan had been trying to warn Jasmine to leave Caleb for some time. He never wanted to treat her badly; he just wanted her out of the way. He had had suspicions about Caleb for a long time and he had suspected anything could tip him over the edge. Caleb covered it well, but he couldn’t hide it from someone who had known him almost his entire life.
Logan had left the house early that fateful morning, just as he was told, but he couldn’t stay away. Not with his suspicions and the knowledge that Jasmine was still in the house. His worse thoughts were realised when he saw her handcuffed and being held hostage. He had been trying to help her the whole time.
He was recovering well from his injuries and should be out of the hospital within the next few days. The bullet had gone through his small intestine and caused a lot of damage. He would have a very cool scar to show people in the future, if nothing else.
The newspaper had wrapped up the case nicely. The only thing missing now was to go through the court system. They wouldn’t be starting for a few months, or up to a year the detective had told Jasmine. Her father would be called as a witness, to testify about what he had been through. It would surely be a traumatic day for him, but hopefully by then, he would be strong enough to fight them. Looking them in the eye again would not be easy.
That was going to be a problem for another day. Today was about homecomings and family time. They sat together in the living room for the rest of the day. Gran made sandwiches for lunch and endless pots of tea. For now, Jasmine’s grandparents’ house was a safe house.
In the afternoon, Gramps retrieved the mail from the box. There was a letter addressed to Jasmine. She took it, instantly recognising the handwriting. She had received two of these letters before. She carefully opened the envelope and took out the small note inside.
There were only two words neatly printed on the slip of paper. It simply read:
‘Thank You.’
Epilogue
Jasmine and John Parker were standing outside. The sun was streaming onto their backs. John held his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. They stood in peaceful quietness. The flowers she was holding in her hands were placed onto the ground with care. They were roses, bright pink – her mother’s favourite.
The tombstone standing on Julia Parker’s grave declared to the world she was very much loved. There was no doubt about that in Jasmine’s mind. She was as loved today as she was thirteen years ago. The only difference now was that she wouldn’t be able to hear it with earthly ears. To hear the declaration of love now, she would have to hear it from the other side. The bond of mother and daughter never went away, it just grew wider.
“Do you want to say anything?” Jasmine asked in a small voice, almost a whisper.
“She knows everything I’m feeling. No words are needed.”
He pulled Jasmine into his side. They comforted each other while they silently wept.
Looking down at the grave, something had changed. There was fresh earth on the grave beside her mother’s. The tombstone of John Parker had also been removed. In that moment, she understood Becky Storm had attended to one last thing before leaving town.
A few rows down was another mound of fresh dirt. This bore the name of Raymond Storm. Becky had made sure her father had been buried properly – in his own grave. He may have been an abuser, but she understood why. You can’t pick your family and from the day you’re born you love them – no matter who they are or what they become.
“You ready, love?”
Jasmine thought about the question. It seemed more difficult to answer than it appeared. Was she ready, really ready? It was going to be a big change. As if she hadn’t had enough of those already. It was like diving into the great unknown. Can you ever really be ready for that?
“I think I am. Let’s go.”
They linked arms and walked slowly back to the car. It was all loaded up and towed a trailer behind it. They weren’t just going back to Gran and Gramps. Their future didn’t lie in Avalon anymore. The town would not be able to give them the future they wanted – the future they needed.
Their destination was going to be Brisbane – a change of scenery, a change in pace. To be anonymous seemed very enticing. There would be no scandal to associate themselves with, only opportunities to make a real life together and they planned to make the most out of their new life.
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamie Campbell grew up in the New South Wales town of Port Macquarie as the youngest of six children. A qualified Chartered Accountant, she now resides on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
Writing since she could hold a pencil, Jamie’s passion for storytelling and wild imagination were often a cause for concern with her school teachers. Now that imagination is used for good instead of mischief.
Visit www.jamiecampbell.com.au now for other books available.
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