Free Fatal Impact by Kathryn Fox Page A

this place is her top pick.’
    As they entered, the smell of cooking oil and deep-fried fish filled Anya’s nostrils. The place was full with families and conversation. She glanced around at the wooden tables and nautical decor. A skeleton was propped up against a ship’s wheel. Barrels hung from the ceiling and a fake hand protruded from the mouth of a shark’s head. Doubloon-style coins were scattered between iron candlesticks and burning white candles on a display table.
    Her father nodded. ‘It’s exactly how she described. Even though you half expect Captain Jack Sparrow to pop out, they tell me the food is incredible.’
    ‘Ben would have a conniption if he saw this place.’
    A friendly waitress greeted them.
    Bob said, ‘I have a booking under Reynolds. Do you have anywhere a little quieter?’
    ‘I’ve put you at a table in the quietest room.’
    They followed her to a room with a small window, filled mostly with tables for two. Anya’s father held the chair out for his daughter. ‘Neither of us has to drive, so what would you like to drink?’
    ‘Pina colada, thanks,’ Anya said to the waitress.
    ‘I’ll have a scotch on the rocks. And I hear your tempura olives are a specialty.’
    ‘They are good, I’ll bring you some with your drinks.’ The waitress handed them menus.
    Anya’s work at the conference had finished, and she was keen to know how Bob’s workshop had gone. ‘Did you have a good turnout today?’
    ‘Full room, definitely got some people thinking outside the square.’ He unfolded the napkin. ‘Yours was a cracker talk this morning, apart from the protester coming in. You handled it with great aplomb, I must say.’
    ‘She wasn’t a protester, Dad. She was desperate for help to prevent what she thought was child abuse. It’s complicated.’
    ‘Anything I can help with, legal or otherwise?’
    Anya shook her head. ‘At the moment it’s a missing persons case.’
    The waitress returned with their drinks and placed a tray of tempura olives on top of a treasure map paper placemat.
    ‘Not that case that’s been on the radio – a child’s body and two others missing?’
    Anya took a sip and scanned the menu. ‘Unfortunately, she has been affected by that. And it’s part of my job to be involved.’
    Reading the menu, she considered the source of Emily’s fatal infection. E. coli, a bacteria rampant in humans and animals, mostly came from contaminated food. Cooking should kill the bacteria if it were on meat, but raw and undercooked foods and salads were another possible source. And Heyes had had Emily on a raw foods diet.
    ‘Few people appreciate what goes on behind the scenes when death occurs. I just know how busy you’ve been since you came back from overseas.’ He raised his glass. ‘I have Diana, but who’s looking after you?’
    Her father still worked for legal aid part-time, but spent the majority of his days working in prisons and with victims of violent crime. Anya clinked her glass with his and took a long, cool sip. ‘I’m glad you remarried, honestly. Trust me, I’m fine. I love what I do. And Ben is the most wonderful thing to have ever happened to me.’
    Bob wiped his lips. ‘Any chance I’ll see my wonderful grandson for his birthday?’
    ‘We’re not sure where he’ll be on the day.’ He was with his father and – Anya still found it difficult to know what to call Nita. Martin had been about to break up with the woman, or so he said, when she’d called with the news that she had malignant melanoma.
    ‘Martin and Ben are at Westmead Hospital. They’ll be in Sydney until the end of next week.’ She took another drink and felt her face flush with the alcohol. ‘Nita’s still on the melanoma vaccine trial. It looks like some of the brain tumours are shrinking, but she’s developed pneumonia.’
    Her father popped an olive into his mouth. ‘That’s great news about the tumours . . . for her.’
    Anya knew where this was heading. ‘Please