‘I’m not in shock, and I don’t want to rest,’ Elly murmured as the constable backed off, the respect for a fellow cop’s family clear in his eyes. ‘But I really need a distraction. Right here and now would be pretty good for me. How about it, Claudius? You game?’
Kara must have overheard, because she walked away, fast—obviously putting that tact to work.
‘From a river shack to a city airport?’ he whispered with a loving smile. ‘Woman, you pick the strangest places to turn me on. What happened to that five-star hotel you wanted?’
‘There’s one around the corner from here. Alas, no harbour view, but I can wait for that.’ Her smile turned wicked. ‘I’d rather have a full weekend—no, make that a week, or two—at the shack. A picnic basket or three, a jar of honey and a river—and a working fire. What more could we want?’
‘A new bed. Warm chocolate,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Whipped cream.’
She giggled. ‘Yum. And I can think of some great places to eat dessert,’ she murmured, her fingers trailing down his chest and stomach. ‘And I’m starving, Claudius. Eating for three, you know. You’ll have to feed me—often.’
In that smile, Adam had a sudden vision of their future: love and joy and faith, a lifetime of giving to others; a shared passion for healing and for each other mingling with laughter and the spice of the unexpected. ‘I think I can manage that, darlin’.’
A voice came over the loudspeaker. ‘If there are any doctors or nurses in the terminal, please report to the security desk. We have an injured man outside the entrance to Terminal 1.’
Kara grinned as Elly grabbed her medical bag and strode off. ‘She’ll always do that to you, you know.’
‘Thank God for that.’ He laughed in sheer relief. Kara wasn’t a cop, and couldn’t know he’d half-expected Elly to collapse in tears, or miscarry their babies in a guilt/grief reaction to the events of the day—to the past two years. That Elly could still laugh, still want to live and reach out to help others, made him so damn proud to be her man he thought he’d burst with it. ‘She always has, for people or her critters.’ His gaze never left her. ‘It’s why I nicknamed her Elly-May—and it’s why I love her.’
Kara laughed, a silvery, infectious rush of sound. ‘Just as well, or she’d drive you nuts. I’ll go and help her. I took a pledge, too.’ She dashed off after her cousin.
As he and Rick followed her together, he heard Aunt Ginny ask the police in a voice of command, ‘Can we please have a fortifying cup of tea before coming in to give our statements? It’s been a very strange hour.’
‘We’re old ladies, and in shock. We could have a heart attack!’ he heard Dot Larkins add.
Adam winked at Rick, who grinned. ‘I defy the entire police force to stand up to the women of our combined families, when they stand together.’
Outside the terminal, watching the two women working in harmony on a courier who’d fallen off his bike and been sideswiped by a car, Adam saw his future: a life with constant interruptions to their private life; calls for help, day and night. Elly would always respond to that call. She’d always have to drive or fly off somewhere, and he’d have to take her. They’d live a life of hard work and dedication, and raise their children in an area where they were truly needed.
He could hardly wait.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I’m so proud to have Beneath the Skin as my debut Mira release. I wrote the first version of this book many years ago, not long after being ‘recognised’ as Koori by locals in the town where I lived, and a lot of missing pieces fell into place. I studied Aboriginal history at university, and learned true stories that became the kernel for my three published books with Aboriginal characters (there’s still at least two more yet to go). I’m passionate about history in all forms, especially of the people I relate to, and I know that truth is often stranger than fiction. I believe in doing as much research as possible to get the story right. I’m also passionate about reading, and getting kids to read, and discover whole new worlds.
Because of that, I am donating 5 per cent of all royalties for this book to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This fantastic charity was founded and set up by members of the Australian book industry in 2005. It draws on the skills and expertise of the book industry to address children’s literacy levels in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Their work is done through three core programs: Book Supply, Book Buzz and community literacy projects. The ILF also advocates lifting community awareness of Indigenous literacy issues. Since 2011, the ILF has worked as a not-for-profit charity without any government support or major corporate funding. It works with the support of the Australian Publishers Association, the Australian Booksellers Association and the Australian Society of Authors, along with a team of ambassadors, volunteers, and five full-time staff members.
I will also donate 5 per cent of all royalties of this book to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This wonderful unsung hero of the Outback people plays a part in this book. It’s one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world, providing extensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency service to people over an area of 7.3 million square kilometres. Delivered by a dedicated team of professionals, using the latest in aviation, medical and communications technology, and supported by a vast number of volunteers and supporters, the RFDS is vital for those who live, work and travel in rural and remote Australia. Their work is extraordinary, and they need and deserve as much support as possible.
Deepest respect to both organisations, fighting hard to bring better lives to the people of the massive, untamed land we simply call ‘the Outback’.
I hope you enjoyed Beneath the Skin.
Melissa
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ISBN: 9781489232366
Title: Beneath the Skin
First Australian Publication 2017
Copyright © 2017 Melissa James
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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