Free Red Hot by Cheryl Alldis, Leonie Alldis

little volksie slid as the wheels hit the gravel. Ellie didn’t care, she was thankful to finally be home. She quickly grabbed her handbag and bolted inside. Up in her room she pulled the blind down before turning on the light.
    Her reflection in the dressing table mirror showed a pale and frightened face.
‘Who the
hell was that?’
she wondered
.
Quickly, she undressed and got into bed.
    A few minutes later, she heard a car come slowly along the road. She stiffened. Fear crept through her. The car stopped out the front of Kia-Ora; its motor idled loudly.
    It seemed to Ellie that it was there for ages, but in all, it would have only been seconds, then just as slowly, it drove away.
    ‘What the hell is going on here in the Valley? ‘ she whispered, staring into the darkness of her room.
    ***
    Next morning, she told Win about the previous night’s event.
    ‘I was frightened, Win. I couldn’t get a look at the make of the car, but it was bigger than the volksie
and
noisy.’
    ‘This isn’t good Ellie, you must ring the police.’
    ‘Yes, I will. Don’t you think this is strange? I mean, three unexplained fires, Kath’s fright in the orchard and now this?’
    ‘Yes, it’s too coincidental and think of this, Ellie, those damn kids don’t drive!’
    Ellie stared at her sister for a second, then what she just said hit her. ‘I didn’t think of that Win, maybe though it’s some relative or friend of theirs trying to scare me because it’s common knowledge the men have been blaming them for the fires.’
    ‘That’s a thought. But we don’t know, so go and ring the police and when the men come in later we can tell them.’
    ***
    ‘You didn’t notice anyone watchin’ you?’ Digger asked after Ellie finished telling them about her fright.
    ‘No, Fay and I went to the Riverina Cafe for a cuppa afterwards. I didn’t pay attention to anyone else. Being a week night, it was really very quiet.’
    ‘This isn’t good, Dig. First Kath, now Ellie, what bloody next?’ Karl said.
    ‘What’d the cops say when you reported it?’ Digger asked.
    ‘Not much. I asked to speak to Detective Bennett, but he was out, so a constable took my statement and said he would pass it on to Bennett. Do you think it could be associated with the three fires?’
    ‘Maybe. The thing is, we don’t know… We just don’ know!’ Karl dragged on his cigarette and then ground it out savagely in the ashtray. ‘Strewth, this’s all we bloody need right on Christmas! Don’t mention it to Dad, will you?’
    They had to keep Dave calm for fear of further asthma attacks. The fires had distressed him enough without this on top of it.

CHAPTER FIVE
    It was Friday evening. The remainder of the week had passed without further incidence and, after dinner, Karl and Digger sat talking about the fruit picking with Dave.
    Win was glued to the television; her favorite comedy,
I Love Lucy,
was on. Emmie was showing Ellie how to master a crochet stitch, and Tammi, Kathy and Francis were chatting about the coming Christmas dance.
    They enjoyed a pleasant evening. Then Karl and Digger went out to do their final check on everything before heading off to bed. Digger had to be up at daybreak. He was going out to Henty – a small country town that was about a forty-five minute drive from Albury along the Olympic Highway – to do some brickwork for the publican who was doing extensions to his pub.
    Karl and Dave had plans to go into town to get some supplies from Farmers and Graziers. Win, however, decided to sit outside in the cool air for a little bit longer as it was still only nine o’clock.
    ‘Night, Win.’ Ellie poked her head around the corner.
    ‘G’night, Ellie. I’m just going to sit a bit longer.’
    The house grew silent.
    ‘It really is lovely here,’
Win thought. Evening was the perfect time to relax and gather your thoughts. The stars were out and she let her thoughts drift to her plans for Christmas. She didn’t like to think about