I RANG BOK ON the way home. I didn’t have to explain, he could tell by the tone of my voice.
‘I’ll be there in ten minutes, T.’
‘Thanks, hon.’ I glanced down at my wet, sandy dress. ‘Bring a coat for me. Love you.’
I only ever told Bok I loved him when something terrible happened or I was really drunk. I think this morning’s episode qualified as the former.
I glanced across at Nick Tozzi. His face was in a grim set, and from what I could see his aura had hardened. His hands moved restlessly on the wheel like he wanted to punch something. I detected micro-expressions that signalled controlled emotions.
‘That your boyfriend?’ he asked.
‘No. My best friend,’ I said. ‘Turn left off the highway at the next lights, third on the right. Number 25 Lilac Street.’
His hands relaxed a little then and we continued in silence while he followed my instructions.
‘Park on the road. The driveway is for my parents and their birds.’
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask.
It made me remember something though. ‘There’s another thing I should tell you.’
He groaned as he turned off the key and snapped the hand brake on. ‘More?’
‘I caught a burglar the other night.’
His eyes widened. ‘What do you mean by “caught”?’
‘Well, I just collided with him, the police caught him. Here’s the thing,’ I finished. ‘The woman he tried to rob was your mother.’
‘That was you?’ He gave me a strange look.
A car pulled up behind us. I glanced in the rear view and waved at Bok. ‘Thank you for everything. Do you want to borrow my car to drive home?’
‘No. Keep your head down. I’ll be in touch.’ He got out of the car and jogged off down the street.
I’ll be in touch. What did that mean?
A moment later Bok tapped on my window. He held a coat in one hand and a white paper bag in the other: vanilla slices, bless him.
I shimmied into the coat then got out and locked the car.
Without a word, he slung his arm around my shoulders and we walked down to my garage together. Even if JoBob happened to be looking out the window they wouldn’t stop me for question time if Bok was there.
After showering, I got changed and lay down on the bed. While Bok made us both some tea and found two saucers for the slices, I told him what had happened. He brought a tray over and sprawled across the end of the bed.
‘You should call the cops, T,’ he said between mouthfuls. He liked to eat vanilla slices the proper way, in sharp, precise bites.
I glanced over to the fridge where I’d stuck Bligh’s magnet. ‘If I do that I’m going to have to tell her that I think Sam Barbaro tried to run me over.’
‘Why do you think it’s Barbaro?’
‘He told me he’d get me.’
‘Might have just been talk.’
‘Might have. Might not. Delgado posted bail for him, Bligh said so. Seems coincidental that Delgado then warned me not to talk to anyone.’
‘True.’
‘If I go and see Delgado tomorrow, maybe I can make this all go away.’
‘But what are you going to tell him? That you’ve told Nick Tozzi you’re supposed to be spying on him?’
I sniffed, and before I knew it, was bawling, tears dripping off my chin onto the vanilla icing.
Bok took the tea and the slice away from me and put them on my bedside table. Then he grabbed my shoulders and made me look him in the eye. ‘You’ve had a shock, T. But you’ve got to get a grip and think things through.’
I shrugged him off and buried my face in my pillow.
‘I mean,’ he continued. ‘I suppose it’s possible that it wasn’t Barbaro who tried to run you down. You didn’t really see who it was. The whole connection with Nick Tozzi could be accidental. I mean you’ve only got a very little piece of the picture.’
He was trying to calm me down. And it worked. My survival instinct righted itself. I let go of the pillow and sat bolt upright. ‘You’re right.’ I need to know more.
‘Good girl,’ said Bok, relieved I’d stopped blubbering.
I kissed him on the cheek. ‘What would I do without you?’
His relief turned to suspicion and he tapped my head. ‘What’s going on in there?’
I gave him a determined smile. ‘Nothing. Now you go home and I’ll call you later. I’ll be fine. I won’t go out.’
It took a few minutes and a promise, but I managed to convince him.
‘You will call the cops if things don’t pan out well with Delgado tomorrow, won’t you?’ he begged. ‘I don’t want to be the one identifying you when they pull you out of the Swan.’
‘Cross my heart and hope to –’
He kissed me back. ‘Don’t say that, T. Never say that.’
I locked the door behind him and counted to a hundred to make sure he’d gone. Then I made a couple of calls.
The first was to Nick. He didn’t pick up so I left him a message, thanking him again and asking him to ring me ASAP.
Next I turned on my LT and opened up my class files, looking for a contact number for Wallace Grominsky.
Wal answered quickly. ‘Yeah?’
‘It’s Tara Sharp.’
‘Who?’
‘From your Saturday class.’
Silence. ‘You mean Teacher Tara.’
‘Err, yes.’
‘’Sup, Teach.’
‘Did any of you tidy up my flat before you left the other day?’
‘Uuh?’
‘You, Harvey or Enid?’
‘Nah. Least there was no one around when I woke up. I jus’ left. Didn’t notice no tidying.’
‘Oh. OK. Anyway, I’m ringing because I might need a part-time bodyguard. Would you be interested?’
‘True?’ His voice brightened. ‘Can do. Any night but Friday this week. I’m gigging for the Scorched Torches.’
‘I’m a bit strapped for cash, Wal, but I can offer you free classes. How does that sound?’ OMG, what was I saying?
There was more silence while he considered it. ‘Guns or knives?’ he asked.
‘Just you,’ I said, my heart fluttering. ‘You know, just a presence.’
‘Oh.’ That disappointed him. ‘Well, I guess so. As long as I don’t get bored.’
‘Thanks. I’ll call you when I need you.’
He hung up before I did.