Free Violent Exposure by Katherine Howell Page B

the bones of her shoulders under his forearm and the movement of her ribs as she breathed. It was a week ago today that she’d screamed that she was bleeding and they knew they’d lost another one. Chris had offered to find someone else to mind Lachlan while he was at court today, but Jo had refused. The task was both a joy anda heartbreak, and Mick squeezed her tight.
    ‘Puuush!’
    ‘Sorry, buddy.’
    Lachlan’s back in the toddler swing was so little, so narrow. Mick’s hands dwarfed him.
    Jo wiped her eyes and forced a smile. ‘How was last night? Did you get the letter? I thought you were going to ring if you did.’
    She’d had her hands full with a screaming Lachlan when Mick got home that morning, and he’d gone straightto bed, relieved there’d been no chance to tell her.
    He said, ‘We were really busy.’
    ‘It’ll come.’ She tucked one hand into the back pocket of his jeans. ‘They’ll say yes and we’ll get the money for the next round before we know it.’
    Mick’s fingers brushed Lachlan’s fat warm arms as he pushed. ‘Yep.’
    ‘Sixteen weeks,’ she said. ‘They can survive from twenty-four.’ She knew he knew. ‘Twenty-four.’Her mantra, as if saying it meant she could hold on to the next one longer. Reach that point and everything might be different. ‘Eight more next time and we’re there.’
    Mick let Lachlan swing by himself and pulled her close again. ‘I got the letter. They said no. I’m going to appeal it, and there’s a chance now, since last night . . .’ He’d explain later about that. ‘It’s not hopeless. I’m notgoing to stop with them. And even then there are other jobs. Second jobs.’
    ‘Daddy!’ Lachlan shouted, and Mick turned to see Chris Phillips walking across the park. Jo lifted Lachlan from the swing and put him on the ground. He charged towards his father, who swung him up into the air. Mick had to look away. Jo seized his hand. ‘We’ll be okay,’ she said, but the words were high and choked.
    *
    Ella and Dennis found Daniel Farley pacing the first-floor landing in the block of brown-brick flats.
    ‘No word?’ Ella said.
    ‘Nothing.’
    Ella looked at Aidan’s door. Somebody had smashed one of six small panes of yellow glass and cut themselves reaching in for the lock. Blood had run down the outer surface, and when she stepped carefully into the flat she found more on the inner side as well asbig drops on the floor. The place was otherwise neat, a blue fabric lounge by the window, a modest flatscreen TV on the opposite wall, silver iPod in a docking station with big speakers. Red tea and sugar canisters stood in a corner of the kitchen bench while a single crumby plate lay on the draining board. Three blown-up black and white shots of Aidan’s face and muscular upper body hung on theliving room walls.
    ‘We got here and found the place like this,’ Daniel said. ‘The door was closed but not locked, there’s no sign of him inside, no neighbours are home. We spread out with the canvass but nobody saw a fucking thing.’ He was sweating and ran a hand up his forehead. ‘Few blood drops on the stairs and then nothing. We don’t know whether he stuffed him in a car, dragged him down thestreet, or what.’
    ‘Does he have a car? Is it still here?’
    ‘His garage is locked,’ Daniel said. ‘VKG says he has a blue ninety-seven Honda.’
    Ella looked around. ‘No keys?’
    ‘None.’
    ‘Crawford busts in and abducts him and takes the house keys too?’
    ‘Maybe he’s going to come back and empty the place later.’ Daniel swept his face again. ‘Uniform and the others are still canvassing, and crime scene’son their way.’
    ‘Hmm,’ Dennis said.
    ‘I have a bad feeling about this,’ Daniel said. ‘We got held up in traffic on the way here and I keep thinking, you know, if only we were a bit quicker. If only we’d got here when it was happening.’
    Ella frowned.
    *
    Lachlan wanted to go back on the swing so Chris