Page 21 of Wandering Souls

“Hi Ray. This is a surprise.”

He stared hard at Stevie. The resemblance to Abi smacked him between the eyes. They didn’t just look similar or like they were related, they could pass for twins. Not even he and Grace, who were twins, looked that much alike. No wonder Riley had gaped at her in the street. He must’ve thought his wife had met Ray for breakfast. The only real difference was the shade of their eyes. Stevie’s were all blue, like her mother’s, whereas Abi clearly took after Damien.

A headache began to form from all the unanswered questions bouncing through his head. He wrestled with the dilemma of whether he should check in with Damien’s wife Penny before he spoke to the man himself. The one thing that guided his actions was hearing Abi speak so fondly of the father she desperately wanted to know.

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t call first. Is your dad home?”

An eyebrow jerked upward. “Where else would he be?”

Ray shrugged. “He’s your dad, he could literally be anywhere in the world.”

“Eh,” she huffed absently and flashed him a wry smile. “That’s not entirely incorrect, though since Mum’s return, he’s barely even stepped foot off the property. Come inside.”

She turned and entered the homestead. Ray followed and found Damien sitting at the enormous dining table with his wife, Penny. Earlier, he’d lamented the tragedy Abi had lived through, thinking her father was dead, learning of her sister’s death and not knowing if her birth mother was still alive, but now that he considered every member of the family, he realized they’d all lived through heartache of one kind or another.

“Hi Penny.”

He smiled at the woman who’d faked her death over twenty years ago in the hopes of protecting them and trusted he wasn’t about to unleash fresh pain on them all.

“Morning, Ray,” she smiled up at him, her bright eyes sparkling. “What brings you by?”

He turned to Damien. “Can we speak alone?”

Curiosity flashed across the older man’s face. He patted Penny’s hand and stood, nodding. “Of course, son.”

Ray followed him back out to the deck at the rear of the home, noticing how strong he looked. Two months ago, he’d been shot trying to protect Penny, but it seemed he’d healed and was better than before. Ray hadn’t seen them since their wedding, and he could honestly say the happiness in Damien’s eyes was contagious.

“You’re looking well,” Ray offered, shaking the outstretched hand. “I take it you’re back to full fitness?”

Damien chuckled and pointed to the outdoor setting. Ray slid onto the bench seat, catching a glimpse of Stevie at the kitchen window, watching them. Damien sat opposite.

“Having my family back has given me a new lease on life, Ray. I feel like I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Ray’s gut clenched at the thought of dropping a bombshell on the happy family but he couldn’t say nothing. “That’s great to hear.”

Damien gave him a serious look. “To quote my wife, what brings you by, Detective?”

The word reminded him of Abi. “Damien, I—” He ran a hand through his hair and tried to form the right words. “This is going to sound crazy.”

“Have you forgotten who you’re talking to, Ray? My life has been the very definition of crazy. Just spit it out.”

Nervous energy forced him to his feet and the prospect of having Stevie or Penny overhear their conversation made him jumpy. “Walk with me?”

“Okay.” Damien stood and moved to his side. He set a hand on Ray’s bicep. “You look concerned.”

Never a truer word spoken. Ray pointed toward the steps and started descending them, Damien following along. A cold gust of wind assaulted them as the sun hid behind the clouds.

An omen?

“Have you spoken to Hollywood recently?”

Damien shook his head, looking non-plussed. “Why? Should I?”

Ray led them down the side of the three-bay barn, pausing at its rear where a field of lush green grass extended toward the edge of the property. In the distance, a white fence stood stark against the grays and greens of the forest beyond, where national park stretched for almost a hundred kilometers. He stared at the tall white trunks of the eucalyptus and prayed for a similar strength.

“Damien, he has a young soldier staying in one of the cottages, recovering from injuries she sustained in Afghanistan.”

The older man stopped moving, forcing Ray to a standstill. His heart thumped against his ribs and he decided this was just as hard as telling someone their loved one had been killed in a car accident. He didn’t miss those early days of his police career and hoped like hell he’d never have to carry out another notification as long as he lived.

---