Page 14 of Lawless (Dauntless Island #2)

Outside of the village, there wasn’t a lot to see.

Oh, there were plenty of stunning vistas—views swallowed up by a glittering ocean that went on forever—but not too much else, apart from wandering goats.

I saw a few more cottages dotted around the place, and wondered how long it’d be before I knew who lived there.

More importantly, I wondered if there was a decent topographical map of Dauntless somewhere in a government database that I could download and print out, and add people’s houses to.

There weren’t any streets or street names here, so I’d need to learn who lived where if anyone ever needed me, though I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone on Dauntless would call the police if they needed assistance. They’d probably rather die. Literally.

The dirt bike bounced along a track that I hoped would eventually lead back to the village.

In Sydney, I’d done all my community outreach at places like the old people’s home and local schools, but Dauntless didn’t have either. The only instance I’d seen so far of the community getting together was the party I’d heard on Saturday night—and I hadn’t been invited.

The path crested a hill, and the village appeared below me, drowned in sunlight. I pulled up and drank it in.

It’s fucking gorgeous . Shame about the people.

But even as I thought it, I thought of Natty, and the way he’d cooked lunch for me. The way he’d teased me about my squeamishness over the crab. The way his eyes lit up when he called me “copper”—there might have been an insult in there first, but it was pretty clear there wasn’t one now.

The path met one of the wider tracks about halfway down the hill, and then turned into a dirt street by the time I reached the houses at the edge of the village.

I rode along the harbourside slowly, scattering seagulls.

The fishing boats were coming in already; from what Amy had told me, they fished until they filled their nets, then took their catch to Newcastle.

Sometimes they were back in the afternoon, and sometimes they stayed out all night.

And sometimes, Amy had hinted, they didn’t come home at all.

I pulled the bike in at the station and wheeled it around the back.

I was disappointed to see Natty had left, but the path hacked through to the rickety old shed told me he’d worked for a while.

There was also a growing pile of branches in the middle of the yard that looked like he was building the world’s biggest bonfire.

Which... was he ? I hoped not. What the hell were the local laws on Dauntless when it came to shit like that, and was I in charge of them?

The local council seemed to be just Red Joe?

I really needed to schedule a weekly meeting with him to iron those sorts of things out before they arose.

I’d put it on my list right under “Community Outreach.” I needed something to add to my timesheets so my bosses on the mainland didn’t think I was doing sweet fuck all.

Which, to be fair to them, I pretty much had been so far.

It was clear that the people of Dauntless weren’t going to come to me, so I was going to have to do more to go to them, whether they liked it or not.

I left the bike in the shed, and then unlocked the back of the station and went into the kitchen to grab a water from the fridge.

The cat followed me in, and I gave her the leftover sardines.

Once I sorted out a monthly grocery delivery with the barge company, Frank was going to be disappointed when she was put onto cat food instead.

I went into my office and checked my emails.

Internet service was terrible here. My emails were full of boxes with red crosses in them that indicated pictures that wouldn’t download.

I deleted most of the emails since they weren’t relevant to me or to Dauntless.

Unless that wanted person from Newcastle was an excellent swimmer, we’d be okay.

As dusk fell, I heard the sounds of the first boats unloading down at the jetty, so I walked down there. The statue of Josiah Nesmith stared out at the horizon from his plinth. There was a seagull sitting on his head.

I passed a few people on my way down. I smiled and said hello; they didn’t.

I recognised a guy I’d seen a few times walking past my place, and figured it must be Natty’s brother—there weren’t too many houses you got to by turning off beside the police station.

He didn’t look much like Natty. He was about the same height, but he was broader.

He had dark blond hair, stubble, and furrows in his brow that seemed to be a fixture of every Dauntless Islander—at least when they caught me looking.

He had a dripping bag slung over his shoulder that smelled like fish.

“Hi,” I said, and stuck my hand out. “Dominic Miller. I think we’re neighbours.”

He didn’t shake my hand. Inclined his chin a little though, so I decided to count that acknowledgement as a friendly overture. Something we could build on, you know?

It really wasn’t.

“Stay the hell away from my brother, copper,” he said, and strode past me.

It wasn’t as cute as when Natty said ‘copper.’ It wasn’t cute at all. It was downright hostile, and I laughed—at the absurdity of this whole situation, and at my own stupidity for thinking that Natty’s big brother would be any different to anyone else on Dauntless, just because Natty was.

He stopped walking, shoulders stiffening, and turned around and glared.

My body was definitely going to be found with forty-seven fishing knives protruding from it.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, still grinning, and even gave a little wave.

He glowered a moment longer and then strode away.

This fucking place .

I wandered back towards my house, drinking in the view.

As I passed the museum, I saw Eddie leaving for the day.

Hiccup darted out to meet me, and I remembered to lock my knees before she barrelled into me.

Even love was threatening on Dauntless. I scratched her silky ears and she sat on my boot and beamed at me.

“Hi, Dominic.” Eddie buttoned up his cardigan as he reached me. “How’s it going?”

“Horribly,” I said with a grin.

He raised his eyebrows. “Well, you seem happier about it, at least.”

“I think I’ve reached this stoic sense of acceptance,” I said. “Like that famous Roman emperor. Caligula?”

“I think you mean Marcus Aurelius.”

“Oh.” I shrugged. “Same thing, right?”

He looked almost alarmed. “No. Not at all .”

“So, I was thinking,” I said, “that I’d really like to join your local history society.”

His expression lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I mean, the only hobby I have so far is being interviewed by my cat. He hosts a talk show. In my living room.”

“Okaaay...” Eddie blinked a few times. “But yes, please come and join the historical society, because so far it’s just me. And sometimes Red Joe, because I force him.”

“Sounds good.” It really didn’t, but it did sound fractionally better than being interviewed by Frank, who was starting to ask some really uncomfortable questions.

Like, ‘What the fuck are you doing with your life, Dominic?’ and ‘Do you think pretending to be interviewed by your cat is a sign of a mental break?’

“Awesome,” Eddie said, and sounded like he actually meant it.

We made plans to catch up tomorrow, and then I waved him off.

My grin faded as he walked into the village, and a woman waved at him from her front step.

I wanted to be waved at too. Although at this point I’d settle for not being threatened.

I wasn’t intimidated—I’d faced situations back in Sydney that were hairier than a ZZ Top tribute band—but I hated being ostracised just because I was an outsider and a copper.

Clearly Eddie had made some progress with the outsider thing, but I doubted I’d be given the same chance—not while I was wearing this uniform, at least.

Well, too bad for them that I was a stubborn bastard.

I wouldn’t be driven off the island just because they didn’t like me.

Natty talked to me, the cat interviewed me, and now I was a member of the Dauntless Island Amateur Historical Society.

I was putting down roots in this weird little community, whether they wanted me to or not.

I passed the church and stood out the front of the police station for a moment, admiring the garden. It looked a million times better than I had the day I’d arrived. The cat was waiting for me at the door, tail flicking back and forth.

Fuck yeah. I was going to make this place home if it killed me.

And, just for the record, I would not be staying the hell away from Natty Harper, whatever his brother said. Not when he was by far the best part of my day.