Legacy of Hunters Ridge Read online

  ‘She’s not going to pass out or anything, is she?’ Lee asked Cam.

  Ally shook her head slowly before her face split into a brilliant smile. ‘I don’t know how to thank you!’

  ‘Brownies,’ Lee said immediately. ‘Maybe some more of those muffins. And –’

  She kissed Cam, then threw her arms around Lee and kissed him too.

  She walked around the yard and ran a hand lovingly over the rails. ‘It’s beautiful.’

  ‘Sorry, Cam,’ Lee said with a grin and a shake of his head. ‘But a woman who considers a fence a thing of beauty is worth fighting over. And she kissed me. We gonna flip for her or duel?’

  Cam eyed his friend levelly. ‘Tax records and council submissions.’

  ‘Sure, you’re right, she’s not for me. Don’t know what I was thinking.’

  Cam put an arm over Ally’s shoulders and drew her away. ‘Come on, I’ll help you get your things inside.’

  ‘Do you really do all his paperwork?’

  ‘He once told me he’d rather dive naked for an infected needle in a septic tank.’

  She laughed and screwed up her nose. ‘Well, it’s nice to know he didn’t give me up easily.’

  ‘He doesn’t have a choice,’ Cam growled.

  Ally turned to take one last look at the yard before it disappeared from view. ‘I can’t believe you did that for me.’

  ‘Can’t you?’ They stopped at the car and he turned Ally around so she’d look at him. ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because I don’t get what – it’s hard enough to believe that you – that you’re – I mean, you know, I’m –’

  His hands slid down her arms and pulled hers away from where they were fiddling with the hem of her shirt. ‘Stop.’

  His head lowered to hers, his eyes so intense she couldn’t take hers from them until they got so close they blurred. His kiss was long and slow and completely overwhelming.

  ‘Do you get it now?’ he asked when he lifted his head.

  Somehow she managed a nod and, satisfied, he headed for the door. She preceded him through the front door and allowed her things to fall at her feet. As she straightened, she stared, the smile disappearing from her face.

  Cam frowned. ‘What is it?’

  She pointed at the bench in front of her, where a little wooden figurine sat. ‘Did you put that there?’

  ‘This?’ Cam picked up the figure, turned it in his hand. ‘Never seen it before.’

  ‘Does it look like me?’

  ‘I guess, possibly. It could be any slim female figure with shoulder-length hair and big beautiful eyes, but yeah, I guess it does.’

  ‘And it was just sitting there. Right in the middle of the bench.’

  ‘It wasn’t here last night when I fed the animals. You think someone left it there for you to find?’

  ‘I know this is going to sound crazy, but – do you think this guy Ben’s talking about might be watching me?’

  ‘I wouldn’t jump to that kind of conclusion. Not over a figurine.’

  ‘It’s more than that.’ She took the latest one into the lounge room and lined it up against the others. ‘Look at these. The first one I found was Mavis, then this girl. She’s miserable. She looks like me. It was like, where’s Mavis and who are you? And I thought, well, that’s just me being crazy. But then I took Tom into Ebony’s and I got this one, see? It’s a cat. Then when Poppy left, I found a pig. This girl is holding a puppy. I took Luna with me to Mia’s. Every time I take an animal off the farm, I get a damn figure of it.’

  ‘Gus is the whittler,’ Cam said. ‘He might recognise these, know where they’re coming from.’

  ‘He said he gave Mavis some, but not since she’s been in hospital.’

  ‘He might have changed his mind and dropped you off this one. Let’s go find out.’

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Right now.’

  Gus was just walking in off a trail behind his house when they pulled up. In one hand was a large fishing rod and in the other hand was a net containing several fish. A canvas bag was slung over his shoulder.

  ‘Well, hi, Ally, Cam. That’s some good timing.’ Gus dropped his gear and stretched his back.

  Cam shook his hand. ‘Hi, Gus, nice to see you again. Looks like a good day’s fishing.’

  ‘River’s jumping.’

  ‘Are you busy?’

  ‘I’ll throw the fish in the fridge, then there’s nothin’ that can’t wait. Anyone like a drink? I’m ready for a beer.’

  When they both declined, he took his catch inside, reappeared a moment later and cracked the top off a VB. ‘How’ve you been getting on, Ally?’

  ‘Not too bad, thanks.’

  He must have caught something in her tone because his brow lifted. ‘Is this just a social call, or can I do something for you?’ He sat down, gestured for them to follow suit.

  ‘Actually,’ Ally began, ‘I have a question.’

  He took a long swallow and nodded. ‘Well, you’re going to have to ask it if you’re expecting an answer.’

  ‘I brought these.’ She pulled the carved figures out of a plastic bag and set them on the table. ‘I found this one when I got back from the city this morning. Are they yours?’

  He studied the figures, shrugged. ‘Don’t remember making these in particular. Might be Mavis’s – we both whittle. You could ask her if she recognises them. If you catch her on a good day, she might.’

  Ally sat back and shook her head. ‘She’ll probably just tell me the devil’s leaving them around the house.’

  ‘Hard to figure Mavis sometimes, but she’s set on the devil persecuting her all right.’ He looked into the distance. ‘Not sure I don’t believe her sometimes.’

  Ally glanced at Cam, who seemed content to listen without offering anything. ‘Well, if I happen to come across a creature in the house with pointy horns and spiky tail, I’ll let you know.’

  Gus considered that, considered her, then said, ‘See that tree over there? It’s called a ghost gum. I’ve got a tool in the shed, it’s called a spirit level. Not everything’s what you expect it to be, no matter how it sounds.’

  ‘Gus …’ She rubbed her hands over her face. ‘Please don’t make everything any creepier. There are enough weird coincidences at the house without you putting crazy ideas in my head.’

  His gaze sharpened. ‘Such as?’

  ‘These little whittled figures turning up all over the house, for a start. Because my first thought was: Who put them there? Are they trying to scare me?’

  ‘You think someone’d spend hours making something pretty for someone if they wanted to run ’em off?’

  ‘I guess not. But I still want to know who, or how, or why … and then there was the writhing dead tiger snake in the bed. I suppose you’re going to tell me that was a gift too?’

  He paused, his drink halfway to his lips, and grinned. ‘I can see how that’d give you a fright. Maybe it was.’

  ‘A dead tiger snake on a bed is not a gift.’

  ‘Depends on how you look at it. A dead one where you can see it’s better than a live one where you can’t. If it was still wriggling when you found it, it can’t have been too far away when it was killed. Mavis’s roof’s full of rodents. Could have been up there, come down, found a warm dark place to sleep. Might have been interesting if anyone had snuggled in and woken it up.’

  Ally straightened, eyes flashing. ‘I won’t believe some devil is in my house whittling pretty things and killing snakes.’

  ‘Nope, I don’t reckon you would.’

  ‘Then who is “gifting” me these things? You’re the only one I know who whittles.’

  He laughed loudly and with genuine amusement. ‘Son of a motherless goat. You want a figure off me, you come get it yourself. I like ya, but I’m not delivering them to your door or climbing stairs to beat up tiger snakes. My arthritis won’t let me.’ He laughed again and finished his beer. ‘We all used to whittle, the whole family. Probably loads o
f these little things stashed away in the house somewhere. Don’t know why they’re just turning up, but I’d talk to that old cat of Mavis’s – he was partial to playing with them. Maybe have a word to him about the tiger snake too.’

  ‘But –’

  ‘Maybe we’ll do that,’ Cam cut in. ‘Appreciate your time.’

  Ally had her doubts, but followed Cam’s lead and got to her feet. ‘Okay, well, thanks. You should come and see what you’d like from the house.’

  ‘I’ll do that. I’m sure you don’t have anything to worry about, Ally. You’ll be fine.’

  They said their goodbyes, and when they climbed into the car, Ally had more questions than answers.

  ‘I feel like there’s something he wasn’t telling me.’

  ‘I agree.’

  ‘Well, you were a lot of help.’

  ‘Sometimes it’s better to observe than interfere.’

  ‘Okay, Mr Brilliant Lawyer, out with it. Deductions?’

  ‘He likes you, that’s genuine, sees you as family, so he was either just messing with you – and Gus is renowned for that sort of thing – or he has an idea someone else might be, but doesn’t see them as a threat. On that, I’m wondering if the Wilson boys might know where these things are and are playing a bit of a game. They visit Gus to do odd jobs like they did for Mavis and do for you. They’re also around a lot, so they know a bit about the movements of the place. Maybe they’re determined to make you believe in the ghost.’

  ‘If it is, I’ll kill them. Do you think they put the tiger snake there too? They were at my place that day.’

  ‘I suppose it’s possible. Maybe they ran it over with the mower.’

  ‘I’ll kill them slowly. No, screw that, I’ll sic Mia on them. They’ll wish they were never born.’

  ‘I’ll speak to them, see what they have to say.’

  ‘If that’s all it is, why do you still have that thinking-frown look happening?’

  His expression lightened. ‘Thinking-frown look?’

  ‘Well, it’s gone now, but it was there, like you were thinking something else.’

  ‘I’m curious about what Gus said about things not always being as they seem. I’m thinking the devil might represent a person she sees as persecuting her in some way. There’s more to that, but Gus wasn’t prepared to share it. I want to know why.’

  Ally shuddered. ‘I hope not. Because if so, the devil’s after me.’

  Cam’s head snapped around. ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘Mavis told me when I first came down here that if I stayed, the devil would get me, and not to say she hadn’t warned me.’

  He pulled over and turned to her. ‘You’re only telling me this now?’

  ‘Mavis is always saying crazy stuff. She also said I was supposed to burn, like David.’

  ‘Anything else?’

  ‘That I needed to follow the rules.’

  ‘What rules?’

  She decided he would be lethal in an interrogation. ‘You’re making me nervous.’

  ‘What rules, Ally?’

  ‘Um … I’m not allowed to take the breeding animals off the farm – just the offspring.’

  ‘But you have been. And every time you do, those figures turn up.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘What else?’

  ‘Not to use bleach in the house.’

  ‘And Mia did use it – the night of the disturbance at your house.’

  ‘Yeah. But that was the cat, wasn’t it?’

  ‘The cat was there, so it’s probable. But there were a lot of rats, and the bleach and the blood was spread right through the room. I did find that a bit strange. Any others?’

  ‘To stay away from the gates of hell. Don’t happen to know where that is, do you? And that’s it for rules. Plenty more insults though, just let me know when you have a spare few hours.’ She attempted a smile, but her pulse was racing and Cam’s face was grim. ‘Cam … you don’t think it’s Terry and Kyle anymore, do you?’

  ‘Could be.’

  ‘I asked you what you think, not what it could be. You think Mavis’s devil is a real person, and this is all related.’

  ‘I think it’s worth checking out. Ally, Ben needs to know all this.’

  Ally thought about that. ‘What about Lee? He used to be a cop. You said he worked with Ben a couple of times. Maybe he can help.’

  ‘He will, Ally, we all will. But this is Ben’s case. You have to deal with him. I thought that issue was resolved.’

  ‘It is. I guess.’

  ‘I’ll call him. Lee can come too, if you like. The more heads we have working on this, the better. We’ll take the figurines with us.’

  Cam put the whittled figures on Ben’s desk.

  ‘Cute,’ Ben commented wryly. ‘Is this a redecoration meeting?’

  ‘Mavis told Ally she needed to follow some rules. The first was not to take the animals off the farm. Whenever she breaks the rule, a corresponding wooden animal turns up.’

  ‘Whittled figures are probably all through Mavis’s house,’ Rob said with a frown. ‘She liked to whittle as much as Gus does.’

  ‘Okay, but explain the one that looks identical to Ally carrying a pup, because that’s the one we found this morning when she came back from the city – with the pup. I’d been in and out of the house since she left, and it only appeared when she arrived home.’

  ‘That’s just weird,’ Lee said, picking up the figurine to study it.

  ‘You’re suggesting someone’s watching her, playing games,’ Ben said.

  ‘Who would want to do that?’ Rob scoffed.

  ‘Who knew when you were due back, Alissa?’ Ben asked.

  She shrugged. ‘Just Cam, Lee and Ebs.’

  ‘Old Gus whittles doesn’t he?’ Lee asked Cam.

  ‘Yes – though he denies making them.’

  ‘Why would Gus want to start the fire?’ said Rob. ‘He doesn’t even have a wife.’

  ‘That’s a leap,’ Ben said, ‘to assume the fire and the appearance of these figures is related.’

  ‘In a town this size, I think it’s worth considering,’ Cam replied. ‘Something else. Mavis told Ally she was supposed to burn with David, that if she stayed out here the “devil” would get her.’

  Ben straightened in his chair, suddenly more alert. ‘What else did she say?’

  ‘She told me not to use bleach in the house,’ Ally said, ‘but Mia did, and her room was trashed.’

  ‘Were there any more rules?’

  ‘To stay away from the gates of hell.’

  ‘Anyone heard of a place called that around here? A landmark? Anything?’ Ben asked.

  ‘No, just sounds like Mavis’s rambling to me,’ Rob said.

  ‘Either way, I need to go and speak to her.’ Ben was already on his feet.

  ‘Hold on. What’s the rush?’ Lee stood too.

  Ben hesitated a moment, his gaze going to Ally then around the room. ‘All right. We need to assume Mavis knows what she’s talking about. Think back to anything else she might have said – if she’s made any more references to it. She said the devil is after Ally – that she was supposed to burn.’

  ‘Yeah and?’

  ‘The user I’m searching for on the forum is known as “The Devil”.’

  Ally was attempting to process it all. The devil was a person. And he was coming after her. Gradually she became aware that Lee was tapping a pen rapidly against the side of the desk.

  ‘So let’s take a bit more of a look at it ourselves. Why the wooden figures?’ Lee said.

  ‘They’re a way of drawing attention to himself,’ Cam decided. ‘He’s on that damn forum so we know he likes to hunt. Maybe he’s getting off on stalking Ally.’

  ‘So we’re looking for someone who knows Mavis well enough to know her rules, knows how to whittle figures, is involved in the hunting group and has a screw or two loose,’ Ben said.

  ‘Most of those fellas have a screw or two loose,’ Rob said
wryly.

  ‘Gus hinted he knew something. But he also suggested he didn’t think Ally had anything to worry about,’ Cam said.

  ‘I’ll have a word with Gus,’ Rob said. ‘I know him well enough to see through his riddles. But honestly, Gus wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can’t see him being involved in any of this.’

  CHAPTER

  20

  Ally went through the motions with Coco: curry comb; body brush; mane and tail; clean the hooves; oil. She tossed on a saddlecloth, slid the saddle over his back and girthed him up, then slipped on the bridle, made some adjustments. She added tendon boots, walked him around, then checked the girth again. There was nothing left to do but get on. She put on her helmet.

  It was too hard. She couldn’t do it. She walked away.

  Half an hour later she looked out at the pony still tied to the post, fully saddled. Well, he couldn’t stay there forever. She went out and unsaddled him, put him away.

  She’d just reached the house when Cam pulled up.

  ‘Hi.’

  Cam pulled her into his arms and kissed her. ‘Needed that. You busy?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I thought it might be a good idea to see if we can find any more of these figurines. Rob said there were probably loads of them somewhere.’

  She studied his face. ‘Why?’

  ‘I want to know if the resemblance to you is coincidental. Otherwise, we have to assume whoever is leaving them is making them himself. That could narrow down his identity for us.’

  ‘Mavis must know who the devil is.’

  ‘We’ll find that out. When Ben dropped in to see her, she was playing hide and seek. Cassie suggested he try again another time.’

  ‘She was probably playing with Billy. Cam, Billy is really the only person she talks about. Do you think he could be the devil?’

  ‘Billy’s not real, Ally. And we’ve got more to worry about than a ghost. Let’s take a look around for those figurines.’

  ‘The only part of the house I haven’t cleaned – and therefore searched – is the sewing room.’

  ‘We should start there then.’

  They traipsed up the stairs and began hunting through drawers and shelves.

  ‘There’s so much old stuff here, it’s amazing.’ She held up a lamp and examined it. ‘Gus must want at least some of this.’