Page 73 of Chasing Blue

“This is Officer Bashford who I think you spoke to last night?”

I frown in confusion as I shake my head. “No, what’s this about?” I look towards my sister, but she just shrugs.

“No one wanted to tell me anything. They just said they needed to talk to you about an incident that occurred last night. I thought it was about the psycho who punched you.”

Turning back to the cops, I ask, “Is this about what happened at Spangles?”

“Indirectly, yeah. Did you not speak to the police last night when they did a welfare check?” Edmonds asks in response.

“Mate,” is all I get out before Bashford interrupts. “We didn’t talk to him, we talked to the wife. She said everything was fine.”

“My wife?” I question, getting more confused by the minute. “I don’t have a wife.”

“Tall blonde who answered the door when we came to your place to do the welfare check?” the uniformed cop stops stroking Mick, stands, and faces me as he explains.

“Wait, you didn’t speak to him directly?” Edmonds questions and I’m even more confused.

“Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?” I suggest as I move towards the coffee machine.

“Matthew Newcombe made bail yesterday, and we’re currently looking to talk to him regarding the damage he did to Ms O’Brien’s place of work yesterday evening.”

I turn to look at the two policemen still holding my empty coffee mug as I process what they’ve just told me.

“He made bail?” Edmonds nods and opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. “Then went to Scarlett’s showroom?” Another nod.

“And did what?”

“Trashed the place, made an absolute . . .” Bashford shuts up when Edmonds gives him a look while I take the pair of them in and fight not to let my head explode as I attempt to keep up with the conversation.

“Have you not spoken to Ms O’Brien?” Edmonds asks me.

“No, I’ve lost my fucking phone, I think I left it at her place yesterday evening.”

We all stare at each other, me still holding my empty coffee cup and waiting for answers.

“So, are either of you going to start at the beginning and explain what the actual fuck is going on, or are we supposed to guess?” Milly asks after a few silent beats.

“Newcombe made bail. We think he then went straight to Ms O’Brien’s place of work, caused considerable damage and left a message which she considered a threat to you. She was trying to reach you on the phone, when she couldn’t, I sent a car out to your place to carry out a welfare check . . .”

“The blonde said she was his wife and would pass on the message,” Bashford interrupts Edmonds and explains.

“Eden,” Milly states. “Did you go out after I did?” she asks.

“Yeah, I went back to Scarlett’s to see if my phone was there and picked up pizza on the way back. Finn was in the shower when I got home.”

“And Eden told the cops she was your wife, and didn’t tell you they’d been around or about what had happened at Scarlett’s place.”

I nod then shake my head as Milly stands.

“She’s a piece of fucking work. She needs to go. I told you not to let her stay.” My sister grabs her bag from the back of her chair and hooks it over her head and across her body.

“Where you going?” I question.

“To kick her skinny arse back to Queensland or wherever the fuck it is she just flew in from.”

“No, you’re not. I’ll deal with Eden. Sit down and see if you can get me Scarlett’s number from somewhere. It must be on her website or an invoice, or somewhere.”

My sister stares at me for a few seconds before sitting back behind her desk mumbling words I’m pretty sure include bitch and something beginning with c.