Page 4 of The Question of Us (Fisher & Church #2)

“Us?” Nick cocked a brow. “Don’t you mean the police?”

I glared at him, hating that he was right about there being nothing provable linking Lee and Graham.

“All I’m saying is that the police aren’t convinced.” Nick held my gaze unwaveringly. “And neither is Samuel. They’re taken from a distance, and grainy at best.”

I narrowed my gaze, pissed off and confused. “Where is all this coming from? I thought we were in agreement about what had likely gone down.”

Nick doubled down. “Just telling it how it is. We need to stay clear-headed and not get carried away with theories that can’t be proven. There’s nothing more we can—” His gaze drilled into mine. “—or maybe should do. It’s in the hands of the police where it belongs.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what exactly does that?—”

“Can I see the photos, please?” Gazza interrupted.

I held Nick’s gaze a few seconds longer to make my irritation plain, then picked up my phone and scrolled through the photos. “Here.” I slid the device toward Gazza.

He flicked through the three images I’d downloaded. “Wow. He’s fucking gorgeous.”

“Pot, kettle,” I reminded him.

Gazza’s cheeks pinked. “But I have to say, Nick’s right.” He slid my phone back across the table. “They’re not the clearest photos. You’re positive they’re the same person?”

I didn’t need to think. “Yes. Unlike you, I saw Lee up close that night, and I have zero doubt. But that’s not all.

” I shot Nick a fiery glance. “Samuel’s Australian enquiries revealed there’d been some kind of domestic incident on Marty’s property years ago when Lee, or Graham, was living with Marty. ”

“It was dismissed,” Nick pointed out.

Gazza’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of incident?”

I cast Nick a defiant look and explained.

“A neighbour claimed to have seen a young man being dragged by the hair into the house by none other than Marty. But when the police arrived, the door was answered by a relaxed Freddie who welcomed them inside, no problem. In the kitchen they found Lee bloodied and walking very gingerly. He had a black eye, a cut to his lip, and visible bruising around his jaw and both arms.”

Gazza blew a low whistle. “Jesus.”

Nick picked up the story, explaining, “But contrary to the witness report, Lee claimed the injuries were the result of a fall from a horse that morning and the neighbour had simply been mistaken in what she’d seen.

Rather than any assault, Freddie had actually been helping Lee inside the house after ferrying him up from the back of the property where the incident happened.

We might not like it, but the explanation fits. ”

“What about Marty?” Gazza queried. “Where was he during all this?”

“He was in town, apparently .” I showed my contempt for the alibi. “That’s according to Freddie.”

“But Lee supported his statement,” Nick argued. “And the officers had no reason to doubt the explanations or ask to look around. They left, satisfied nothing untoward had happened.”

I shook my head at Nick. “And you’re telling me you believe that crap?”

Nick’s expression remained infuriatingly blank.

I eyeballed him. “Lee has to be Graham. It’s the only explanation that fits. And it confirms the abuse angle.”

Nick sighed. “Not according to the police. And I’m not saying Lee isn’t Graham”—

I raised a brow and Nick grimaced.

“Okay,” he relented. “Maybe I was playing devil’s advocate. But I do actually think they’re the same person.”

My heart finally settled. “Thank you. Then why are you being such a prick about?—”

Gazza interrupted before I could finish, which was probably a good thing. “What about the question of the fake identities? Can’t the police at least question him about that?”

I opened my hands. “Much as I hate to agree with Nick—” I hesitated at Nick’s what-the-fuck expression, then continued, “—we can’t prove Lee and Graham are the same guy, especially when he insists that they aren’t.

Nothing was flagged on his passport and he’s done nothing wrong to give the police any cause to push the matter.

On top of that, neither Lee nor his incarnation as Graham have ever been fingerprinted, so any comparison is a bust. And the kidnapper brothers aren’t talking even with both of them now in custody. ”

Gazza sighed. “For fuck’s sake.”

I agreed. “It sucks, right? My prints and those of the brothers were the only ones found on the boat. If Freddie and Lee were there, they didn’t leave a trace.

Then again, Lee wasn’t there long. Thirty minutes at the most. And he was bound.

All in all, it leaves zero connection between what happened in Auckland, and Lee.

Or Marty, for that matter. And since Lee is supposedly the injured party, but he’s saying he was never even on that boat and doesn’t know what we’re talking about, then there’s not much anyone can do. ”

Gazza grunted. “It’s nuts.”

“Maybe so.” I reached across the table and squeezed Gazza’s hand.

“But it’s the law. They can’t print and interrogate Lee for no reason.

Besides, the point I’m trying to make is that you’re not the only one who feels guilty.

I hate that Lee is back with that arsehole, and I hate that I’m the one responsible. ”

“You are not responsible,” Nick corrected testily. “I really wish you’d stop saying that.”

I kept my focus on Gazza. “If I’d used my head and wasted more time working on that list, then the police might’ve arrived before I ever had to hand over the names.

Lee was the second-to-last name I decoded.

He’d only been free of that arsehole for a couple of years, and what did I do?

I sent him right back.” I almost choked on the idea.

“I’d worked out what the list was by that stage and I still did their dirty work for them.

” I pressed my hands to my eyes and drew a deep breath. “I was too focused on saving myself.”

“That’s enough.” A chair scraped back and Nick appeared at my side. “You had no way of knowing how far away the police were or that we were waiting on the jetty for some sign of where you were.” Nick sat and slid an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

I didn’t fight him, relishing the reassurance of his body enveloping mine. Needing it. I melted against his warmth and wiped at my eyes.

He kissed my hair. “You also didn’t know what they wanted with the names you gave them. You didn’t know they were looking for Lee or how close he was. Hell, the guy could’ve been in the South Island. It was only bad luck that he happened to be just eighty-seven kilometres down State Highway 1.”

“Nick’s right,” Gazza argued, reaching for my other hand.

I cast him a knowing look. “Just like you had no way of knowing Ben was gaslighting you just to get closer to me and Nick,” I fired back. “He was a criminal, Gazza. And he was a damn good liar. None of us saw through his story.”

Nick huffed with frustration. “Which leaves you both a couple of self-flagellating wallies.”

Gazza snorted. “Wallies? Man, you guys are really old.”

“Ignore him.” Nick pressed a kiss to my head. “Besides, you’re my self-flagellating wally.”

A smile finally broke my lips. “You say the sweetest things.”

He smirked. “I know.”

My eye roll was one for the record books. “And you didn’t blame yourself for not stopping the brothers from kidnapping me, of course. Right?”

Nick’s cheeks blew red. “A momentary lapse.” We both knew that was a lie, but I didn’t call him on it.

Instead, I waited while he studied me like he was debating his next words.

“If I can dare summarise, then I’d say that although there might be good reason to assume we’re right about Lee and Marty and all of it, we can’t prove it, and neither can the police.

So, as frustrating as it is, we have to admit defeat and move on with our lives.

There’s no other choice. It’s the healthiest option. Suspicions aren’t proof.”

“How much more proof do you need?” I demanded.

He sighed like he was doing his best to be patient, which only raised my hackles further. “Even if Lee and Graham are the same person, he might’ve wanted a new identity for any number of reasons. He could be a criminal, for fuck’s sake.”

My mouth dropped open, mostly because that hadn’t even occurred to me. “But it was a list of people trying to escape abuse.”

“Who says?” Nick protested, shocking me silent. “If Lachlan hadn’t put that idea into our heads, would we have thought of it ourselves. What if he was wrong?”

No. I couldn’t believe that. “But ninety percent of them were women.” My voice rose as I struggled to believe what I was hearing from him. “And up until now, I thought you agreed with the theory.” I stared him down. “What’s suddenly changed?”

Gazza’s chair scraped back. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”

“It’s not sudden.” Nick ignored Gazza, his gaze fixed on me. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while—weighing up what we actually know as fact versus what we’ve been assuming.”

“And you think I haven’t?” I rankled. “You think you’re the only one with questions?”

Nick sighed. “I don’t want to fight about this. I’m just trying to be objective.”

Gazza rolled his eyes at the word. “Oh boy.” His gaze danced nervously between us.

“And I’m not being objective, is that it?” I fired back, acutely aware that I was starting to sound acutely unobjective .

Nick’s lips pursed like he was counting to ten and it was all I could do not to slap him. Where the fuck was all this coming from? Nick hadn’t mentioned any doubts to me about Lee or what the list was for, not until that very moment. Just another thing he hadn’t chosen to talk about.

“You didn’t see Lee on that boat,” I reminded him through clenched teeth. “You didn’t see the fear in his eyes and how freaking terrified he was.”

“And you only had a momentary glimpse,” Nick countered, equally sharp. “You said it yourself.”

“I saw enough to?—”