Page 158 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

Goosebumps pimple all over with the heat of his mouth on my skin. “You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that. You could’ve given me a heart attack.”

“Sneak?” He laughs. “Sugar, I called your name from the front door. You must’ve been in a trance, whatever it is you were lookin’ at on your phone.”

I swallow hard and put the device on the counter. I’m the one sneaking. Digging into his past without his knowledge. I turn and sweep bits of cut grass clinging to his work shirt before looking into his dark eyes.Dark deep-set eyes.They draw me back to the pictures that just held my undivided attention. “No, I haven’t eaten,” I say before he asks what I was looking at.

“Come on, I’ll make you something before you shoot off to work. Our little cabbage needs to eat too.”

I laugh as Jerry walks to the fridge. “We’ve graduated to cabbage, huh?”

“Yup.” He nods. “In a week we’re a bunch of leeks. Doesn’t sound nearly as cute.”

***

Whilst I trust my aunt’sjudgment, before I call Alex during my lunch break, I researchO’Neill Investigations.

Alex’s credentials are impressive; a retired Senior Detective from the NSW Police Force with commendations for his service with missing persons, and ten years operating as a private investigator.

Services offered include insurance fraud, counter-surveillance, skip tracing, and assistance with finding your biological parents or a missing relative.

Bingo.

Testimonials thank Alex for his tenacity in tracking down an estranged son, a long-lost father, and for his discretion in assisting with a delicate family matter involving custody arrangements.

On my drive home from work, I call him and discuss the situation. When I get home, I email him all the information I have. He promises to get back to me within two weeks.

I desperately hope it’s enough.

Jerry deserves to know the truth.

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