Page 128 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

“Howmanytimes your name comes up when you search for court cases in New South Wales.” I did my research. I wasn’t going to come here unarmed.

He pushes his chest out. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“There’s a pattern there. You like to pick fights. And I’ve asked around town. Seems there’s other women who’ve had to put up with your crude sexual advances. It wouldn’t take much for them to be swayed into making a formal complaint.” Young Taylah who works at the chemist informed me this morning how relentless he’d been over the last couple of weeks, harassing her for a date. I told her she owed it to herself and others to speak up. It’s only a matter of time before the cops come knocking on his door.

He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

I step closer and stare him down. “If you continue with this charade, I’ll be forced to go back to the Police and update my statement.”

“To what?” he spits.

“I’ll share more of the choice things you said to me. They were quite explicit.”

I pause to let this sink in. His cheeks flush red.

“I’ll tell them I was too embarrassed to give them the full details before. That I was afraid of the implications of having something so vulgar on record.”

He shakes his head and scoffs. “Here I was thinkin’ you were a sweet thing, just lookin’ for a bit of dick, but you’re nothing but a calculating whore.”

My jaw drops. “Excuse me?”

He tilts his head. “I have a right mind to report you.”

I’m sorry, I’m still on whore...

“Sure.” I snort out a breath. “Go right ahead. There are plenty of people who would have no qualms in backing up my story. I was very shaken up, you know. A young expectant schoolteacher, minding her business when you came over with your filthy mouth and sexually harassed me.”

“What... people who’d be prepared to perjure themselves?”

“There’s only one way you’ll find out, and that’s by pursuing this. So, it’s up to you,friend.”

I turn on my heel then stride towards my car, sucking in deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

Whether I could go through with it, I have no idea. But I had to try. What else could I do? He’s far from the reasonable type.

I’m fighting fire with fire.

And that might mean getting my hands dirty.

I won’t let this arsehole ruin our future.

***

Staring at my phonein a secluded corner at Emily’s Café, it takes me half an hour to work up the courage to contact Steph. She left Canberra in January to teach in an indigenous community in the Northern Territory, so I have no idea if I’ll be able to reach her. She’s the only one I can think of who can help me find him.

Him—my one-nighter with obvious strings to my uterus.

“Livvy!” she squeals. “How are you?”

I laugh. God, it’s good to hear the energy in her voice. “I’m good.”

“Girl, it seems like forever since we’ve seen each other.”

The burn of vodka shots in the back of my throat almost feels real as memories of our night on the town come flooding back.

“It has.”

“You okay? I mean, I know we haven’t spoken since you left, and that’s on me. You know I’m a shit friend when it comes to keeping in touch.”

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