The Last Time

by Sharon Haste

'You're about the same size as she was.' He sneers, rising from his chair to peer into her face. 'Just as pretty, but younger and more delectable, I suspect.'

  She feels lightheaded despite the liquid only touching her lips. He lifts a lock of her hair and lets it drop between his fingers.

  'Like silk,' he murmurs.

  She swallows hard, finding her voice. 'What did you do to her?'

  'To who? Clare? Nothing. Well, not much, anyway. I didn't kill her. It would've been a waste. I wanted to hurt my brother and make him see he was messing with the wrong person, so I gave his little wife something to make her sleep. The kids were easy,' he says. 'Ash drank his lemonade like a champ, and Charli, well, a few sips of champagne and she was out for the count.' He stares at her for a long minute, making her feel uncomfortable under his gaze.

  'Did I drug my brother's family? Yes. Did I kill them? No. I wanted to scare him and let him know who's boss, so I put them into her car and left them on the hill at the lake. I thought they'd wake up in the morning or when the police found them. The handbrake was on, and they were all safe and very much alive when I left them.'

  'What about Charli? Why was she in the driver's seat?'

  'Ah, I did that to spice things up a bit. Doesn't look good if the town's favourite politician's daughter breaks the law, does it?'

  He stands then, pours himself another measure of bourbon, and downs it in one swallow. 'I'm not a good person,' he says, 'and I have done my fair share of terrible acts, but family is family to a Romero, and you do not kill your own blood. Besides, rolling a car into a lake is not the Romero way; that's the act of a coward. If you kill someone, you want to look him in the eye until the light fades and you know he's left the world. Whoever killed Clare Richter was a coward or a woman, if you ask me. Nobody who calls himself a man would ever do that.' He places his glass on the sink and turns toward her.

  'Thanks for the chat, constable,' he says. 'You know, a few years ago, you would have been in mortal danger in a room alone with me. You're lucky I'm a changed man.' He takes her hand in his own large one and kisses it with dry lips, his black eyes devouring her.

  'Take care, constable, and leave my associates out of this. We didn't kill anyone.' With another charming smile, he's striding out the door.

  Sam stares after him, not knowing what to do. She bolts forward, slamming the door hard. She's turning the deadbolt when the door rattles with a knock.

  'Sam, Sam, it's Alex,' he calls through the door. She lurches for the lock, her fingers turning to thumbs as she tries to unlock it again. Her eyes round and fill with tears as she falls into his arms.

  'What happened? What's wrong?' he asks.

  'Lock the door,' she says. 'Please, lock the door.'

  He does as she asks and sits her down on the lounge to hear her story. When she stops talking, he pours two glasses from the bottle of bourbon and wraps her fingers around one, bringing it to her quivering lips.

  'Drink,' he urges, his voice gentle. Fear shoots through her for a moment, and then she locks eyes with his and the tension leaves her. She sips the drink, relishing the burn. He sits quietly next to her, not chastising and not judging, but just being. His shoulder touches hers as he quietly sips his drink. They sit there until the warmth floods Sam's body, and then he leads her to her bed, draws the shades, turns up the air, and lies beside her, spooning her body until she drifts into dreamless sleep. The next morning, she wakes to the aroma of coffee and a man cooking breakfast in her kitchen.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Charli unlocks the door to apartment forty-four with a slight tremble in her fingers. The boys are slouching on the beds and leap up at the sight of her. Sam follows her in.

  'What's the go?' Tobi asks. 'Who's that?'

  'Hey,' Charli says. 'This is Sam. She's...'

  'We know who she is,' Jael says. 'What's she doing here?'

  Sam closes the door behind her and pushes the bolt across. 'I'm here to help,' Sam says. 'Don't look so worried; I'm on your side. I just wanted to meet you. Charli said you've been helping her.'

  'Sam's been great. She wants to come back with us,' Charli says. 'This is Tobi and Jael.' Charli says, pointing them out.

  'Hey,' Tobi says, sliding back to the bed and grabbing an open packet of crisps he'd been eating when they arrived. He offers the packet to them. The others shake their heads, and he shrugs, bringing a fistful to his mouth. He shovels them in and spills crumbs over the bed and floor.

  Jael nods. 'Wanna drink?' he asks.

  'What've you got?' Sam asks.

  'Coffee or water. Tobi drank everything else.'

  'Coffee,' Sam says, 'milk and two sugars.'

  Jael nods and grabs the kettle, giving it a shake to see how full it is. He disappears into the bathroom, kettle in hand, and returns to plug it in.

  'Sam's got some ideas that might help,’ Charli says.

  'Can we trust her?' Jael asks, eyes focussing on the coffee cups as he empties sachets of dried coffee into them.

  'I do. You'll have to make up your own mind, but we're running out of options.'

  He looks up at Sam. 'What we're doing's getting a bit old. It's not working, and I'm ready to chuck it in.' He glances at Charli before ducking his head again.

  She stares at him, heart racing. What will I do if he calls it quits?

  'Got nothing to lose by hearing what you've got.' He looks at Sam.

  The atmosphere lightens as they park on the floor, coffee cups in hand, and discuss what they've already tried and what their options are now. Sam plans two more trips, and they all listen to her suggestion. Charli thinks about Jael's remark and realises that none of them have any investment in this except her. I wouldn't blame them for not doing it anymore. Would I continue if it weren't my family? Would I do it for them?

  'What do you think, Charli?'

  Everyone's looking at her, expecting a reply.

  'Sorry?' she stammers. 'I was miles away.'

  Tobi sighs, and Sam explains the plan again, asking Charli if she thinks she's up for it.

  'What do you mean? Charli's the one pushing for it,' Jael says.

  Charli feels her cheeks heat, not wanting to elaborate too much on her physical symptoms. 'The travel's making me sick and giving me headaches,' Charli says. 'Sam thought I should slow down or stop going back. It's not that bad though.'

  'Ya dunno what it's doin' to ya,' Tobi says, licking the salt from his fingers and peering into the empty crisp packet.

  'How can I stop when there's still a chance it'll work? A few headaches won't kill me.'

  'How do you know? We dunno anything about this. It could be killin' ya.' Tobi says.

  'In that case, I don't care if it kills me. At least my life will mean something if it brings back my family.'

  'What if it's all for nuthin'?'

  'What do you mean?'

  'Maybe it's never gonna work.'

  All eyes turn to Charli. 'What're you saying?' She glares at Tobi, challenging him.

  He lifts his eyes from the bottom of the packet.

  'You think I should stop, don't you?' She glares at them all. 'You all think I should stop.'

  'Just consider it, Charli,' Sam says.

  'Tobi and I have to get back to school,' Jael says. 'I'll lose my scholarship if I miss another game.' He looks at Tobi, who is stretched back and still up to his elbow in the chip packet. 'And Tobi's going to end up a fat gamer with no prospects.'

  Charli absorbs his words in silence. They're all giving up. Her first instinct is to scream at them, but she stops herself in time. They're right. They've done so much for me, and what have I given them in return? I've been difficult, demanding, and selfish.

  'It's not that we don't want to help; it's just that we've got to get on with living. You've got to get on with living. This isn't healthy,' Jael says.

  Charli remains silent, and the room becomes sombre around her. As much as she wants to ignore Jael's words, she can't, and she knows he's right. She need
s to think. The room closes in; it is too small and claustrophobic. She stumbles to her feet.

  'I know,' she says in a small voice. 'I need some air.' She unbolts the door and lurches through.

  'Charli,' Sam calls.

  'I'm fine,' she says holding up her hand. 'Just need some air. I'll be back in a minute.' She clicks the door behind her and walks a few paces before sliding to the cement doorstep. The humid air fills her lungs, and she tries to clear her head.

  The last two weeks tumble forth day after day, trip after trip. She relives that night time after time, yet she still is unable to recall the details. She feels like there's something big she's missing, somehow knowing it's the one thing she needs to do. She sits like that for fifteen or twenty minutes, but nothing shifts. Her mood is dark, and her limbs are heavy. Her mind is a tumbling whirl of useless memories that are steeped in misery. Do I want to keep reliving the worst hour of my life over and over when it's making no difference to anyone? What am I missing? Have I been so obsessed with saving them that I've missed the point of it all? What else is there?

  Sam pops her head around the door.

  'You okay?' she asks.

  Charli nods.

  'Coming in?'

  Charli rises to her feet and follows Sam inside. Her eyes dart between the boys and then back to Sam.

  'Sorry,' she says. 'I know what I'm asking of you is beyond what I should be. I understand if you want to walk away and never come back. But I want to try one more time with Sam. I need you guys with me, but only if you want to.' She eyeballs them both. 'I promise this is the last time.'

  'Okay,' Jael says after a second's hesitation.

  'I'm in,' Tobi says.

  'Are you guys up for two trips?' Sam asks. 'If we're going with the plan we discussed, I think we need to do it in two.'

  'I've done two in one day before,' Charli says.

  'Yep, we can do two,' Tobi and Jael say.

  Charli releases her breath. 'Thank you, guys. I'll make it up to you somehow.' She gives them her most winning smile and turns to Sam. 'And thank you, too. I know this is a big ask with your job and everything. It's the best shot we have of making this work.'

  Sam nods and smiles back.

  'Better be worth it, Richter,' she says. 'Right, we'd better get you boys packed and out of this dump.'

  Tobi scans the room. 'I'm gonna miss this place,' he says. 'Was starting to feel like home.'

  'I'm sure Rosa's missing you,' Charli says. 'She'll be glad to have you back.'

  He nods, but Charli senses a sadness there and remembers the agreement they had when they first talked about the necklace. She realises Tobi is hoping that they'd be able to figure out how to control the timing so he could see his mum again. She feels a pang of sadness for him. At least she was able to help with the other wish.

  The boys pack their meagre things into plastic bags and throw them beside the door. The majority of Tobi's bags are filled with junk food: crisps, sweets, and biscuits.

  Charli scans the room for anything left behind, taking in the tired, dated furnishings for the last time. She knows she won't miss the room, but she will miss the friendship they developed here: a bond forged over bad food, fizzy drinks, and teenage aspirations to save the world, or at least the two people who are her world. Charli stops and realises that with Mum and Ash gone, Tobi and Jael have become her world. She steps outside the door, knowing nothing will ever be the same.

  Despite Tobi's efforts to flatten his hair, there are little wisps springing up everywhere as they load their plastic bags into the boot of Sam's car and settle themselves in the back seat. Charli rides shotgun. They speak little on the drive to Sam's unit, and all help cart the bags up the stairs when they arrive, Tobi complaining that his legs are aching by the time they reach the top.

  'Man, ya wouldn't wanna do that too often,' he moans, bending over to catch his breath.

  The plan is to stay at Sam's until they finish their final two trips and then everyone is to head home. Sam calls Thomas to reassure him Charli is fine and spending the day in female company. His response is dull and non-committal, and she hangs up, wondering if he has comprehended her words. She discusses her concerns with Charli, who realises she's spent so much time focussing on fixing the situation, to help her Dad, that she's done nothing to support his recovery. Her guilt follows her to the cane lounge on the veranda, where Jael is sitting back and enjoying the view of the street beyond.

  'Hey,' she ventures, her whole body feeling quivery and uncertain. There's a new tension between them, and she's eager to resolve it.

  'Hey,' he says, closing his eyes.

  Charli notices a small crease in his forehead that she's never seen before and realises how cute it is. She wonders what would happen if she leant over and kissed him now. The idea sends a scurry of butterflies through her stomach as she remembers the kiss in the prison.

  'You want a drink or something?' she asks, wanting to think of anything but the way his hands burned through that blue shift, imprinting her skin.

  'Nah, I'm good,' he says, opening his eyes a crack. He pats the seat next to him. 'Join me.'

  She slides in beside him, her stomach fluttering as she studies his face. She admires the way his lashes sweep his cheeks, his strong nose, and his dark skin. There are a few beads of sweat high on his forehead.

  'It's not that I don't care about your family, Charli.' His voice is warm like molten syrup. 'I'm just worried about you, about us. We've been doing this a while now. I'll give it one last shot, but it's time to move on. Let yourself grieve. I know it's hard, especially when you think you have the answer, but you can't keep going like this. You could still be here in a year, living the saddest day of your life over and over.'

  A single tear trickles down her cheek, and she opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out.

  'I've lost family,' he says. 'Half of mine are buried in a country thousands of miles from here. I don't even have a single grave to visit. I know how hard it is to let go.'

  He pulls her to his chest, and she rests her head there, listening to the slow, methodical 'lub dub' of his heart. It's mesmerising, lulling her into a gentle calm she hasn't felt since the accident.

  Part of her still wants to fight for her family, but another part knows he's right. She thinks about her dad at home, going through his grief alone. She also thinks of Tobi wasting his life, watching television when he should be in school and practising on the drum kit gathering dust at Rosa's. She contemplates Jael throwing away his chance of ever playing for his new country because of her. When did I get so selfish? How did I not see what this is doing to them all before? Is my own future more important than anyone else's?

  Sam coughs, eases herself into a chair beside them, and starts to talk about Thomas's brother, Pedro. She repeats what he told her about the night of the Christmas party. Charli absorbs this story without moving, and when Sam stops talking, she lifts her head and swivels in the couch to face her.

  'He told you that?' she asks, her eyes like saucers.

  'Yep.' She omitted the part about him coming to her unit and scaring her half to death.

  'How do you know he's telling the truth?' Jael asks.

  'I don't think he'd have let me walk away if he'd killed them. I think he'd have told me and then added me to his hit list. A man like Pedro doesn't kill by chance. If he were responsible for this, you would not be here today.' She directs her gaze at Charli. 'He just wanted to let your Dad know that he has the power to play with him and get some spending money as well.'

  'Money?' Charli asks.

  'Your dad gave Pedro ten-thousand dollars to leave his family alone and go back to Chile,’ Sam says.

  Jael whistles. 'Ten grand. Wow. That's a lot of money. How'd you know Charli's old man didn't give it to him to get rid of them?'

  'He wouldn't,' Charli says quickly.

  'I agree,' Sam says. 'Thomas loves his family.'

  'So you're saying that Pedro parked the car on the
lake with Charli and her family in it with no intention of killing them. He just wanted to mess with his brother?'

  'It's a power game to him. He just wanted Thomas to know he still has the power to do anything he wants. He proved it by taking the people Thomas loves more than anything in the world and putting them where he wanted. It was his way of warning him not to mess with him or next time there will be consequences.'

  'So if it wasn't Pedro, then who did it?'

  'That's what we need to find out.'

  Chapter Thirty-three

  The tension builds in Sam's unit as they gather together, preparing themselves for the trip ahead and talking through the plan one last time. Charli's shoulders ache as the tension gathers there, knotting her muscles and pulling on her neck. Butterflies dance inside her belly as she wonders if they can pull it off. Will this trip be any better than the ones before? Will we find what we're looking for? She prays to God, promising to be better in life, to give more, be more thankful, and always do the right thing. Memories plague her. She remembers all the times she's been selfish and mean—laughing at a boy who split his pants in fifth grade. Poor Richard was always the butt of everyone's jokes, always being laughed at. She recalls all the times she's teased Ash, yelled at her mum, and demanded things from her family. I will always be kind and thoughtful and loving, she promises as she bows her head as if in prayer.

  She lifts it and eyes the others. They're beginning to assemble in a circle around her. 'And I promise to help these guys have good lives,' she whispers under her breath. Alex has joined them, too. Sam thought it would be better to have another cop to verify their story. Besides, he was a fast runner too. Charli catches Sam and Alex exchanging a tender look and smiles, a familiar squirm inside her as her eyes dart to Jael. There's determination in his brow and the set of his shoulders. Tobi is his usual self, chewing his nerves away; the final few centimetres of a thin strip of liquorice dangles over his bottom lip as his jaw moves.

  'Can we get on with it?' he says when the liquorice is gone. 'I'm getting a bit peckish.'

  Everyone laughs, and it eases the tension. Charli seizes the moment to express her thanks and hug everyone in the circle before taking her place between Sam and Jael.