Hot on the Trail (9 page)

* * *

Joanna was worried. She knew that Eve had seen her get into the taxi and wondered if she had managed to follow her. She looked behind, but couldn’t see another cab.

But what if she managed to get the number plate of this cab? She’ll give it to that damned inspector and he may find out where I was dropped off. There’s only one thing for it. I’ll have to get out of this cab and either get another one or change my mode of transport.

Joanna went a little way further with the cab and then asked him to drop her off. She walked for a while trying to think of what to do next

Damn that Eve Masters. Everything was going well until she came onto the scene. She’s been a problem ever since James killed Aunt Jennifer last Christmas.

Joanna was dying for a coffee, but decided it might be best to get one to go. Having done this, she sat on a bench and got her guidebook to Perth out.

I’m sure Kastrinakis will have alerted the airports about me, but he won’t have a current photo. Still, I’m sure computers these days can change hair colors. However, I doubt if all types of transport will have been alerted yet. Still, another cab may be dodgy. The train station’s not far. If I get a train to Fremantle, I can then get a boat to Rottnest Island and hide out there. They’ll never think of looking for me on that little island, will they? 

Joanna got up immediately, thinking that she had no time to lose.

  Eve and David sat having lunch, but Eve was picking at her food. She found she had no appetite at all.

“Come on, Eve, try and eat something, the food here is really delicious. The other day...”

David stopped, knowing he had almost given away his secret. He had nearly told Eve that he had been to this bistro with Sophie. He didn’t know why he had decided to take Eve there. Perhaps he wanted to admit his guilt or perhaps subconsciously he had wanted to compare the two experiences and see which was better. What was wrong with him? He loved Eve, not Sophie, didn’t he?

“The other day what, David?” Eve interrupted his thoughts.

“Nothing, Eve,” David replied, feeling terrible for the umpteenth time that day.

He had enjoyed his time with Sophie, but it was definitely Eve he wanted to marry. However, now he had this burden of a guilty secret. He had to tell her. He couldn’t marry Eve without admitting what a terrible fiancé he’d been.

“Eve, I have something to tell you.”

“Oh,” Eve’s ears pricked up. “That sounds ominous.”

“It is and it isn’t,” David began. “The other day when we had that awful argument, Sophie rang me.”

Eve gasped, but said nothing.

“We had lunch and went round the art galleries together. Nothing happened, but I feel so guilty.”

“Oh David, how could you?” Eve wailed and burst into tears.

“Oh Eve, please don’t cry. I said nothing happened.”

“You obviously still care for her otherwise you wouldn’t have spent so much time with her. I know you David.”

“For a moment, all the memories came back and I did remember how much easier life was with her, but I don’t want her. I want you, Eve. I’m so sorry l had this moment of doubt.”

“I don’t know what to say, David,” Eve mumbled, the tears easing. “I don’t know if I can trust you anymore.”

Before David had a chance to answer, Eve’s mobile rang and she picked it up, glad to have a distraction.

“Miss Masters, this is Andy, from the kitchen room specialists.  I’ve just come over to start work on your kitchen, but I think you’ve had a burglary. The house is a tip. Things have been thrown all over the place.”

“Oh my God, I don’t believe it. Have you called the police?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d phone you first. Do you want me to do it?”

“Yes, if you would please. I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

Eve put her mobile in her bag and looked at David.

“Oh David, as if things can’t get any worse, now my house has been broken into. Whoever did it must have come in the last couple of hours. They could have watched us leave. So much for Vera keeping an eye on the house for us.”

“We’d better get over there then. I’ll call for the bill.”

In a way, David was relieved to have this diversion, not that he wanted Eve’s house to be broken into, but at least he might be able to comfort her and she might forgive him.

“It’s all a bit of a coincidence, don’t you think, David?”

“What is?” he asked.

“Well, first the shed being set on fire and now the burglary. You’d think someone has it in for me.”

“But who? Nobody knows you.”

“Perhaps someone might want the house and is trying to scare me off. I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m going to find out.”

David was pleased to see the old Eve re-emerging, but he didn’t for one minute think she’d forgotten about his date with Sophie.   

* * *

When Eve and David arrived at the house, they were greeted by two members of the Australian police force. Eve was asked to go round to see what was missing.

She did as she was told, but as she’d barely looked at Andrea’s possessions as of yet, it was hard for her to know what had been stolen. 

“Well it’s difficult to say because the stuff in here was my cousin’s and I’ve only just inherited the house,” Eve told the officers. “I hadn’t looked at everything she had, but I do know that all her gold jewelery has gone, not that there was a lot, plus some small appliances like the toaster, sandwich maker and juicer. I can’t remember much else I’m afraid.”

“If you do remember anything else, let us know,” one of the officers said. “I’m afraid I don’t hold out much hope that we’ll find any of the stolen items.”

Eve shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not that bothered about the things. I’m more worried that someone has a grudge against me,”

“A grudge?” the officer asked. “Why?”

“I don’t know. Someone set my shed on fire last night so it’s a little suspicious.”

“It could be a coincidence.”

Eve grunted and David could see she was getting irritated with the police.

“How did they get in?” Eve asked.

“They broke a kitchen window. I’d get that fixed as soon as possible.”

“We’ll get straight onto that,” Eve replied.

What do they think I am, stupid? I’m hardly going to leave my house with a window missing so all the thieves in the area can just waltz in.

“Well, if anything else does happen, let us know. We’ll be on our way for now,” the officer said as he and his colleague left.

“Really,” Eve said indignantly. “They’ll be sorry when I’m found lying dead down an alleyway with my throat slit.”

Andy, who had been watching and listening to the whole conversation tried to stifle a laugh, not wanting to be at the end of Eve’s tongue.

“Eve, darling,” David said. “Nothing will happen to you. I’ll make sure of that.”

“If you bother to stick around.”

David went red, not wanting to have this sort of conversation with an audience watching.

“Look, shall we go back to the hotel, Eve?”

“I want to tidy up first,” she insisted.

“Ok,” David didn’t dare disagree with her.

Once upstairs and out of Andy’s earshot, David spoke.

“Please forgive me Eve. I couldn’t bear it if we broke up.”

“As long as you never see that Sophie woman again.”

David didn’t have a chance to reply as there was a woman shouting hello from downstairs.

“Oh no, it’s Vera again. I suppose we’d better go and see her,” Eve spoke reluctantly.

After recounting the story of the burglary, Vera was very sympathetic.

“That’s terrible. We don’t have too many burglaries around here. Must have been kids who knew the house was empty. We like to think of this as a safe neighborhood.”

“Well, they’re not going to frighten me away,” Eve said determinedly. “I don’t suppose you heard anything suspicious at any time since we left this morning?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Perhaps you could ask Marion as well.”

“Oh, she won’t have heard anything. She suffers from an anxiety disorder and takes medication. She wasn’t too well this morning and after I saw you two, I had to go over and calm her down. I thought it best if she took a couple of pills. She sleeps like a baby when she takes her meds. An earthquake wouldn’t wake her. Anyway, better go, the family are expecting to go out. They’re staying with me for a bit of a holiday. It’s lovely to have the grandkids staying. I don’t see enough of them usually.”

“Well, it’s been nice to see you again,” Eve lied.

She and David both breathed a sigh of relief when Vera left. David looked at Eve, thinking how tired she looked. They were supposed to be having a holiday and this was turning out to be stressful to say the least. He had to do something about it.

“Eve, why don’t we have a break? What about Rottnest island for a couple of days?”

Eve smiled for the first time that day.

* * *

When Eve and David got back to the hotel, Eve decided to go and get her postcards.

“I never did get them this morning and at this rate, we’ll be home before them. Can I get any for you, David?”

“Oh, just three, I think.”

Eve smiled, thinking of the twenty or so she intended to buy. She liked people to know where she was and how well travelled a woman she had become.

“I’ll see you in the room then,” he said. “I think I’ll lie down for half an hour or so.”

However, before he could even think of having a nap, David decided to ring Sophie. He had left things in the air with her and he wasn’t being fair. He didn’t want her sitting around hoping he’d phone, if indeed she was. Perhaps she hadn’t taken their ‘date’ seriously. In fact, he hoped she hadn’t.

Sophie answered her mobile after only a couple of rings.

“David, how lovely to hear from you. I did hope you’d call.”

“I’m sorry, Sophie, I’m only ringing to tell you that we can’t see each other again. I do apologies for being so selfish.”

‘Oh David, no, you can’t let it end like this. We had such a wonderful time and you know we did. I presume you and Eve have made up, but how long will it be before you have another argument? You can’t live like that forever.”

“Yes, we have made up, Sophie, and yes, we probably will have another argument, but our relationship thrives on conflict.”
“Come on, David, don’t you find it difficult, all that arguing and not knowing what’s going to come next?”

“Sometimes, but sometimes I like the excitement and anticipation.”

“You’ve changed, David.”

“Perhaps a little.”

“I still love you. I realized how much when I first saw you in the hotel restaurant.”

“I’m sorry, Sophie, it’s too late. I’m in love with Eve. I shouldn’t have met you the other day. You deserve better than this.”

“I should never have left you to go to America.”

“But you did, and things have changed.”

“It’s not going to work out between you and her. I know it won’t and you’ll come running back to me. I know you will.”

With that, Sophie hung up. David was astounded. He hadn’t realized how deep Sophie’s feelings for him still were. He wished he had never agreed to have lunch and spend the afternoon with her, but he had and it was too late to change that now. He could only hope that she would get over him and most of all not pester him. He knew that sounded cruel, but he didn’t dare think of the problems that would cause between him and Eve.

With that call over and done with, David took a deep breath, tried to put it out of his mind and then decided to book the hotel on Rottnest Island. He had intended to do this as a surprise before any of this trouble started and had found a lovely hotel which he was sure Eve would like. It was called the Rottnest Lodge and was one of the better hotels on the island. David wanted to treat Eve to something nice as she was paying for everything else and he had thought a couple of nights on this island would be ideal. It was a small island, just over seven square miles in size and only eleven miles away from Fremantle. There were no cars on the island, plenty of beaches and lots of birds and animals which Eve would love. David got straight on the phone and booked them a suite for two nights starting from the next day.  

The ferry arrived at Rottnest Island and Joanna breathed a sigh of relief. Surely she would be safe here for a while until things quietened down.

    She had pulled her hair back and tied it up, putting a hat and sunglasses on. She thought she looked quite inconspicuous. Joanna decided that when she got a room she would cut her hair. She’d done it herself a few times before and she wasn’t too bad at it. A drastic change would make her look different yet again. She was lucky that way. Changing her hair color or style always seemed to alter her appearance. She was also pretty good at changing her make-up to make herself look poles apart from the original Joanna Neonakis. She’d also decided to make her hair a shade darker. She’d managed to fit in a little shopping in Fremantle before the ferry departed and had bought a new hair color as well as some clothes and toiletries.

Joanna was heading for Thompson Bay, the main settlement area on the island where there were two hotels she’d earmarked, Hotel Rottnest and Rottnest Lodge. It wasn’t the main tourist season so she reckoned she should be able to get a room.

Arriving there however, Joanna saw there was self-catering accommodation near to the ferry port and decided that this was even more suitable. The less people that saw her, the better. She might go out for the odd meal if she felt comfortable with her new hair style, but she would also buy food and eat in her room. It was going to be a lonely few days, but she had been on her own many times before and she could cope. Anyway, she had no choice.

Joanna was lucky enough to secure self-catering accommodation and went into her rooms straight away. She didn’t want to be seen for any longer than possible, not until she’d done something with her appearance.

However, as soon as Joanna had put down her bags, she suddenly felt completely exhausted and she had to lie down. She didn’t intend to sleep for long, but when she woke up, it had gone eight and she was starving. However, she knew she had to do her hair first before she went ventured into Thompson Bay. Out came the scissors and she started chopping until her hair was spiky and short. She smiled at the face staring back at her in the mirror.