Page 75 of On the Edge

‘Maybe.’She turned it over in her mind.‘It doesn’t make much difference though, does it?’

He shrugged and picked up another stone.

‘Poppy got another email on Saturday,’ Nel said, realising she’d forgotten to tell him.

‘I have news on that.You won’t believe it.’

‘What?’

‘I got the IP address traced.Guess where it leads?’

‘Ryan?’

Jimmy nodded.‘21 Cliff Street.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Yep.I can’t believe anyone could be that stupid.’

She should have been pleased that they had the proof, but something had been bothering her about the emails.Suddenly she knew what it was.

‘Shit.’

He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to explain.

‘My nephew got into a fight with Ryan’s son, Charlie.He called me a murderer, apparently.’Even days later, shame swelled inside her.‘D’you think Charlie could have written the emails?’

‘It’s possible.’

‘What should we do?’

Jimmy skimmed the stone, watched it bounce three times then disappear below the glassy surface.He turned back to her.‘Why don’t I doorknock them and tell them emails have been sent from that address?That way it’s on the record if things escalate.’

Chapter 46

Sophie was cleaning up after dinner when she saw the police car turn into the driveway.She put the pan in the drying rack and watched as Jimmy Galatas got out and put his hat on.Her first instinct was to assume there’d been an accident, but the kids were safe in their rooms and Ryan was watching the Raiders game in the lounge room.

She dried her hands on a tea towel as she walked to the doorway.Ryan was sitting in his armchair.

‘The police—’

He raised one hand to silence her, his eyes still on the screen.‘Go!Go!Go!’he shouted, then, ‘Ah shit, he lost it.’He turned to her.‘What?’

There was a knock at the door.

‘It’s the cops,’ she said again.

Ryan frowned.‘The cops?’

She nodded.

‘What the hell …’ he muttered as he got up and opened the door.The porch light reflected off Jimmy’s shiny leather jacket.

‘Evening, Jimmy.To what do I owe the pleasure?’Ryan said.Sophie listened from the kitchen door.

‘I’m here about some emails sent to Poppy Berry,’ Jimmy said.

Sophie’s heart pounded.