Page 134 of Outback Secrets

Chapter Thirty-eight

Henri woke on Christmas morning to the sun blazing in through the bedroom window and Sheila snoring softly at her feet. She smiled and cocked an ear to listen for sounds of Liam pottering in the kitchen or in the bathroom.

There were none. Not a squeak. And no tantalising aroma of coffee or toast either.

The apartment felt eerily still.

A sinking feeling descended on her as she recalled everything Liam had told her yesterday and then his nightmare. He’d scared the bejesus out of her last night when he’d been thrashing around beside her, sweating and shouting words she couldn’t comprehend, but she’d thought he was okay after their conversation.

What if he hadn’t been? Her blood went cold.

Was this what being hit by a tonne of bricks felt like?

She shot out of bed, not giving one thought to her ankle, and dashed through the apartment—checking first the bathroom, then the kitchen and the living room. She even checked the spare room, which she’d never been in before but found jam-packed full of boxes. He wasn’t there either.

‘Where the hell is he?’ she screamed at Sheila who was shadowing her every step.

As the dog stared up at Henri like she was a crazy person, she froze.

Liam never went anywhere without his faithful companion and this realisation only compounded her fears. What if he’d …?

No.She couldn’t allow herself to think like that or she wouldn’t be able to think straight enough to find him.

Call him. Maybe he’s just gone for a swim or something?

Telling herself this would be it and trying to stay calm—or at least not get any more un-calm—she dived on her handbag and yanked out her phone.

The blasted thing had died.

‘Shit!’ She glanced around but of course Liam didn’t have a landline up here. Who did anymore? And even if he had, she didn’t know his number off by heart. So much for technological advances making life better.

Lara and Dylan. She didn’t know what time it was, but it felt bloody early; still she couldn’t worry about disturbing them. Not when Liam’s life might be at stake.

She quickly threw on shorts and a T-shirt, not even bothering with underwear. But when she emerged from the apartment into the corridor, she realised she had no idea which door belonged to the English backpackers.

Shit.

Then another thought struck. Maybe Janet was downstairs giving the guests their breakfast. Or maybe … maybe that’s where Liam was! Surely he wouldn’t expect Janet to work on Christmas Day?

She hobbled down the stairs as fast as her still dodgy ankle would allow but the pub was like a ghost town. No Janet. No Liam. No anyone. Clearly guests had to fend for themselves today. Henri was heading for the phone in the bar to call Tilley and Frankie and beg them to come collect her so they could search far and wide, when she heard something. She stopped and listened hard, recognising the faintest sound of rock music coming from outside.

The studio!

Henri didn’t even remember getting from the pub to the door of the workshop, but the relief that swept over her as she stepped inside and saw Liam bent over a rocking chair was like nothing she’d ever felt before.

‘Oh my God!’

He turned at her shriek and rushed over. ‘What is it? Are you okay?’

She started pummelling his chest with her fists. Up until that moment she’d been too panicked to cry but the tears burst free now.

‘Whoa!’ He caught her wrists. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘I thought you … When you weren’t there … and Sheila was … I thought …’

He pulled her hard against him and cradled her head against his chest. ‘Didn’t you see my note?’

‘What note?’ She sniffed and pulled back to look at him.