Page 26 of Lost In Kakadu

They were silent for a long time. “I’m sure your daughter loves you.” His voice conveyed both sadness and conviction.

He was wrong. Krystal had stopped loving her years ago.

Just like Spencer.

As Mackenzie’s breathing grew heavier, and the crackling fire released tiny sparks into the air, Abigail pondered who genuinely loved her.

She couldn’t think of a single person.

Not one.

Chapter Ten

Krystal massaged suntan lotion onto her legs, then lay back on her deck chair and adjusted her bikini top to make sure her tanning didn’t leave a strap line. But even with the music playing from the iPod buds in her ears, she still heard the whirr of the pool gate opening.

She turned, surprised to see Thomas walking toward her. Her father’s business partner was already an enormous man but his obsession with body building made him seem even bigger. His thick arms barely fitted into his stiff suit and with eyes as black as bat’s wings that showed little emotion. He’d make a good hired-killer in some crappy movie.

But today he looked uncomfortable and as he approached, pulling up his trousers, straightening his tie and smoothing his hair, she had a creepy feeling about him.

“Hello, Krystal.” His voice was tortured. Her mum said it was from years of smoking and drinking overproof rum.

“What do you want?” She reached for her juice and flipped over a page of the magazine in her lap.

“I need to talk to you.”

“So, talk.”

“I think we should discuss this inside.”

“If I wanted to go inside, I would.” Krystal tossed her magazineonto the glass tabletop and looked up at him. “I’m staying here so spit it out.”

Thomas seized a chair, positioned it at Krystal’s side and straddled it.

She inched as far away as she could without getting off the lounge. “Hurry up, I’ve got things to do.”

His hands gritted like sandpaper as he rubbed them together. “Your parent’s plane has disappeared.”

“What?”Jesus, why doesn’t he just get to the point?

“They didn’t arrive at Jabiru and are currently listed as missing.”

“So what? You know what Dad is like. He probably did it on purpose just to scare Mum.”

“There’s been no contact with the plane for two days.”

“This is nothing! Dad went missing for over a week in the Amazon.”

“I hope you’re right.”

She cringed as his eyes lowered to her breasts. “You can go now.” Krystal shifted in her seat.

“Actually, I’m here to take you to your grandmother’s.”

She glared into his dark eyes. His pupils were tiny pinpricks against the glare of the shimmering pool. “No, you’re bloody well not.”

“Yes, I am. Your parents are missing, and I have to take you to her.”

“There’s no way I’m going to live with that bitch.”

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