Confirmed Dead
Confirmed Dead
On the outset it was just a normal seaside town, idyllic for a weekend break away from the city. Or a great place to raise a family right? Wrong for appearances can be deceiving, this town is filled with terror, murder and angst and the residents of Summer Bay were about to get a shocking reminder…
Dani Sutherland stepped out of the car, the sun was blazing down on her causing her to shield her eyes. A warm chill was welcomed as it swept past her, a small smile crept onto her face when she cast her eyes down to the beach nearby where she had parked. She then saw the familiar figure of Colleen Smart staring at her, mouth wide open. Dani then let out a small giggle as Colleen started rushing towards her with an excited expression, Dani was home… at last
Tasha made her way slowly through the streets, her destination was the Diner to have lunch with Irene but she was trying to walk as slowly as possible in order to have a little thinking time. The last few months ran through her mind as she thought of the Believers, Mumma Rose and the terrible thing that Jonah did to her. The things that had torn her life with her beloved Robbie apart, it wasn't as though she could forget all about it. Yes she could forget the memories of it all in time but she wouldn't be able to forget her baby, she knew Robbie would treat the child as his own but she knew deep in her heart that Robbie wouldn't truly accept the child…
"Tasha." A voice called bringing Tasha out of her thoughts, the blonde girl then turned around and to her unexpected surprise saw… Kit. Of all the people she expected to see, It turned out to be Kit Hunter. A welcomed appearance by the sight of her good friend to distract Tasha from her thoughts
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." Tasha suddenly screamed out whilst rushing to hug her boyfriends' sister.
"Its so good to see you." Tasha added still squeezing the former red head.
"Its good to see you too." Kit beamed.
"Does your mum know you're here? And Robbie? Matilda?" Tasha said firing a load of questions at her friend.
"No, no. It's a surprise, I've got some time off so I thought I'd come up and pay a visit." Kit laughed, Tasha smiled
"Come on, you can come say hi to Reeny at the diner and then I'll come with you to Beth's. I can't wait to see her face and Robbie's." Tasha said getting very excited.
"Sure why not, I've not eaten yet so I'll grab a quick burger." Kit laughed, happy her friend was so happy to see her
Dani looked around at all the familiar faced as well as a few new ones, after being cornered on the beach. Colleen had decided to drag the eldest Sutherland daughter to the diner to see everyone, Irene, Leah and Sally were all sat around her. Alf, Morag and the faces she'd never seen who Irene introduced as Cassie and Martha, Dani also recognized that Dalby kid who had bullied Henry Hunter. Dani was quite shocked when Alf revealed that Dalby or Ric was his grandson, the child of a son Alf never even knew he had. Things certainly had changed in the Bay whilst some things managed to retain their familiar feel.
"How's Shelley?" Colleen asked with a smile on her face.
"Oh she's okay, her and dad are doing fine." Dani felt slightly awkward, Shelley and Rhys weren't highly regarded after the way they treated Beth.
"Oh good, I always liked your mother. Next time you speak to her say Colleen was asking after her." Colleen said.
"Okay I will do." Dani laughed, she had missed Colleen.
"Ooh." Colleen said suddenly, causing everyone to jump.
"How's Maximus." She finished.
"Oh he's great, he's living with Mum and Dad now." Dani answered.
"Oh good, I haven't heard off him in a long time… still at least he's happy." Colleen said, her tone had a hint of sadness in it.
"How's Jade." Sally asked.
"Oh… well… she doesn't speak to us that much anymore, mum and dad made a point of getting to know Laura and well… Jade felt a little pushed out… ever since then she's been distant." Dani explained, she wasn't giving everyone a very good impression of her parents.
"So what brings you back to the Bay love?" Alf asked sensing Dani's discomfort.
"To be completely honest… I've missed the place, I never thought I'd say that. When I first came to town I kicked up a fuss and wanted to go back to the city, after finally going back and spending some time there I started missing this place." Dani explained.
"Oh that's lovely." Colleen said, Irene then looked and spotted something glittering on Dani's hand, which shocked her slightly.
"So who's the lucky fella?" Irene suddenly said, causing everyone to look at her in confusion. Leah and Colleen then spotted a ring on Dani's hand, an engagement ring.
"Oh my gawd." Colleen screeched, Cassie and Martha then backed away and covered their ears. Colleen could be too loud sometimes
"You remember Stafford McRae… its him." Dani giggled, staring adoringly at her ring.
"If my memory serves me correctly he is an employee of Ian Osborne, Tasha's biological father? Am I correct." Morag who had been keeping quiet suddenly spoke, Irene suddenly shifted her expression of happiness for Dani into a serious one.
"Yeah but Stafford is taking a back seat, he's just going to be dealing with business around the Summer Bay and Yabbie Creek area." Dani explained sensing Irene's gaze.
"Its nothing to do with Tasha I promise." Dani said reassuringly
"Okay." Irene said forcing a smile, whilst sounding a little disbelieving.
"So how long are you staying for?" Martha asked.
"I think I'm staying round for the long run, Stafford and I are planning on buying a house here." Dani said to the new face, everyone's attention was soon grabbed by voices coming from the doorway. Everyone watched as Tasha walked through the doorway followed by none other than Kit Hunter.
"Well stone the flaming crows, everyone's making a bloody comeback." Alf said as everyone rushed to greet yet another returnee, Tasha then spotted Dani and rushed over to hug her as everyone welcomed Kit… this was going to be a long afternoon.
Kim sighed as he walked along the beach, he too was thinking about the last couple of months and how they had taken a toll. First a girl who he really liked turned out to be a complete psycho and had kidnapped Sally Fletcher, then the paternity thing came along between Scott Hunter and Hayley Lawson. Then he ended up in hospital, then his dad was found to be the murderer of Josh West. The list was absolutely endless, still he had his two best friends Robbie and Tasha to support him despite their own problems and at least one good thing came out of the trouble and that was his new girlfriend Doctor Rachel Armstrong, but was it good? Every woman that Kim had had been in a relationship with had let him down, women weren't as brilliant as they were cracked up to be according to the blonde hunk and now his eyes had started to drift elsewhere…
"Robbie." Kim smiled as he spotted the familiar spectacled face of his best friend, Robbie turned around and smiled his trademark signature smile. Just as they were walking over to each other, Matilda walked onto the beach.
"Robbie! Mum is looking for you!" the youngest hunter girl shouted out, Kim sighed as Robbie smiled weakly before running off to his sister. Chatting to his best friend would have to wait until another time.
Amanda Vale dressed to kill as always strutted along the beach, she was in search of the girl who had recently been revealed as her daughter. An enemy of hers… Belle Taylor, both Amanda and Belle had reacted with immediate horror on learning that they were mother and daughter. However Amanda had started to have second thoughts, she was excited about having a daughter and she wanted to bring Belle round to her way of thinking. She then spotted Robbie and Matilda walking up the path from the beach, Robbie didn't acknowledge his former school teacher/brothers girlfriend whilst Mattie shot a disgusted look at her. Amanda returned the look and then shrugged it off before carrying on with her search, her interest was then sparked slightly by the appearance of a brunette woman stood in the distance on the beach. Amanda merely shrugged once again and left
Belle sat in the counsellors waiting room, it was her first appointment suggested by Irene under advice from Sally Fletcher to help Belle deal with issues that may be bothering her. Belle didn't seem to be into it however and she just stood up getting ready to leave when…
"Belle Taylor."
Belle turned around to look at the receptionist who had called her name out
"The counsellor is ready to see you."
Belle smiled a forced smile before sighing and then walking towards the counsellor's room
This better be worth it
After everyone had finished asking both Dani and Kit questions about their return to Summer Bay, they decided to leave the diner. Kit, Tasha and Dani all walked out of the diner together, Tasha hugged Dani and then she and Kit watched as Dani walked away to find where she had parked her car. Kit then threw a questioning glance at Tasha
"What?" Tasha asked
"Her." Kit scoffed
"Who Dani?" the blonde asked
"No Colleen." Kit said in a sarcastic tone, causing a look of confusion to appear on Tasha's face.
"Sorry Tash, yeah I mean Dani." Kit apologized.
"What's she done?" Tasha asked
"What hasn't she done more like?" Kit said angrily, Tasha eyed her warily.
"What?" the former alcoholic questioned
"Is this about her parents and what they did to your mum?" Tasha asked.
"No that wasn't Dani's fault, but the way she just dumped Scott and left for Paris." Kit explained.
"Yeah but Scott isn't around anymore, he's living with Hayley now and they have baby Noah." Tasha said
"Still! She hurt my brother, I'm not going to just forgive and forget, I don't think she should be forgiven." Kit sighed.
"Mum will probably forgive though." Kit added with a laugh
"You should follow your mums example." Tasha said flashing a sweet smile
"I guess your right." Kit said before suddenly jumping out of her skin as someone suddenly cut around the corner.
"I'm so sorry are you okay?" the person said in an apologetic tone
"Peter?" Tasha stated, the person was actually Detective Peter Baker the blonde hunky brother of Summer Bay high counsellor Dan Baker and brother in law of Leah.
"Hello Tasha, I'm sorry about frightening you guys. How are you doing?" the blonde hunky copper asked
"I'm doing fine… I'm pregnant now." Tasha said feeling her belly.
"Oh congratulations." Peter said.
"I don't think you two have met." Tasha said suddenly pointing between Peter and Kit
"Peter this is Kit, Kit this is Peter." Tasha introduced.
"Nice to meet you." Peter said
"Nice to meet you too." Kit added
"You aren't by any chance another of Beth Hunter's kids, Scott Hunter's sister!" Peter asked.
"Yeah." Kit giggled feeling herself getting slightly embarrassed for some unknown reason, Tasha sensed it and came to the conclusion that Kit had taken a bit of a shine to the heroic cop.
"Anyway we better get going, I think everyone in town has seen you apart from your mum." Tasha said.
"Oh yeah of course." Kit answered
"Okay see you ladies later." Peter said shooting them a smile before walking off and disappearing out of sight.
"I wonder why he is back in town." Tasha said, a suspicious feeling crept up inside her. She then shrugged as she and Kit got talking and headed for Beth's place.
Peter moved at a fast pace across the beach, he had to work quickly before people started talking about his return to Summer Bay. Every time he had been around it was related to incidents connected to psychopathic townsfolk E.G Sarah Lewis and Zoë McCallister otherwise known as Eve Jacobsen, Tasha and the Hunter girl had already spotted him and it wouldn't be long before the information passed to Irene Roberts and Beth Hunter. Soon enough the whole town would know, putting his new case into jeopardy. A brunette woman then appeared in front of him, the same woman who Amanda Vale had spotted earlier on.
"Peter?" the woman questioned.
"No sign yet Tracey." Peter Baker answered.
"Are you sure she's even here, are you sure she is even alive." The woman identified as Tracey questioned.
"I'm positive, there have also been rumours of sightings. Not to mention the case of that missing girl Laura McPherson, I think… no… I am certain, that the body recovered from that factory was not the body of Eve Jacobsen. I believe this is the truth Tracey, you must believe it as well otherwise you wouldn't have helped me get the go ahead to reopen the case." Peter explained.
"If Jacobsen is indeed alive and heads back to Summer Bay then I only hope that she doesn't attack anyone, the whole town is completely unaware and I wouldn't like them to suffer for our secrecy. I just hope Jacobsen bides her time long enough for us to track her down and capture her." Tracey answered.
"Come one, lets discuss this at the station. We don't want anyone over hearing us and causing a mass panic." Peter stated, Tracey nodded and the two of them walked to exit the beach.
Beth stood next to the cooker stirring the contents of some pot whilst humming along to Abba on the radio and their rendition of Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Tony Holden and his son Lucas were sat a few feet away at the table. They seemed to be assembling some sort of toy plane, not their usual thing but an opportunity to spend some quality time together. The youngest Hunter child Matilda commonly known as Mattie was sat on the sofa with C.D earphones in whilst reading a teen girlie trend magazine, the eldest of the Holden sons Jack was also sat on the sofa watching an episode of Law and Order on the television, Robbie was also sat on the sofa watching the show along with Jack. They then heard knocking on the front door from outside the house, no one looked away from what they were doing except Beth who let out a huff when she realised that no one intended to answer the door and that they expected her too.
"Oh I'll answer the door, its not like I'm busy or anything." Beth said in a sarcastic tone walking towards the front door, she then twisted the handle and pulled the door open. Stood on the other side was Tasha with a smile on her face
"Hello sweetheart! You seem cheery, what's put a smile on your face." Beth smiled at the young girl, Robbie looked up from watching his television programme and then jumped to his feet to greet his pregnant girlfriend.
"There's someone here to see you." Tasha beamed happily
"Who?" Beth said in a curious tone, Robbie looked at Tasha like she was speaking Latin. Tasha then beckoned to someone and Beth and Robbie waited as Kit of all people suddenly walked into view.
"Kit!" Robbie screeched happily pulling his big sister in for a hug, Beth just stood their speechless. Matilda took out her earphones and as soon as she spotted Kit jumped to her feet to greet her, Tony, Lucas and Jack all smiled but remained where they were sitting.
"What brings you back." Beth said gently pushing Robbie out of the way then she could pull her daughter into her arms.
"I just wanted to pay you all a visit." Kit beamed as she hugged her mother gently
"But first things first, you will never guess who's back in town…" Kit began.
"Peter Baker." Tasha snapped excitedly, causing Beth to look at her and laugh.
"Okay…" Robbie said kissing his girlfriend on her cheek.
"No not him, I don't even know him… Its Dani Sutherland." Kit said, Tony, Lucas and Jack looked confused at the mention of the unfamiliar name. Robbie looked a little wary and Matilda's jaw dropped like it was set to hit the floor, Beth however simply smiled.
"You must be joking." Matilda said in shock
"I wonder what brings her back." Beth said ignoring her youngest daughters seemingly melodramatic reaction to the news of Dani Sutherlands return to the town of Summer Bay.
"Come on, tea's nearly ready we can have a nice chat." Beth added, Kit then smiled as she and Tasha entered the house closing the door behind them.
Belle left the counsellors with an unmistakable look of happiness on her face, she assumed that the counsellor would be some sort of quack or something. But the counsellor actually helped Belle sort out quite a few things in her mind that needed sorting out, the counsellor had certainly worked wonders on the usually troubled girl. With a smile on her face that threatened not to face Belle decided to head for the bus station to catch a ride home, she was just about to cross the street when a car stopped in front of her… Amanda Vale's car! Belle immediately started walking in the opposite direction.
"Belle wait!" Amanda said stepping out of her car
"What do you want?" Belle said angrily, her smile well and truly faded. The counsellor's work looked set to be undone right before it had settled and managed to take true effect.
"I was just wondering if you would like a lift home." Amanda said sounding kind of nervous.
"No thank you, the bus will be fine." Belle said sharply
"The bus station is in the opposite direction." Amanda stated
"Look I don't want a lift so leave me alone." Belle snapped
"Please Belle, I just want to talk. If you want talk then at least let me give you a lift back to Irene's place just then I can be sure your safe, its dangerous for a girl like you to walk the streets on their own. Especially with all the freaks that wander the streets nowadays." Amanda said almost begging.
"Okay, but its only a lift. Don't think you can ask me questions or anything." Belle ordered.
"Deal." Amanda smiled, the two then made their way back to Amanda's car.
Beth looked around happily as she saw her three children Kit, Robbie and Matilda laughing together along with their who Beth hoped to be future step brothers Jack and Lucas. Tony also smiled as well, Tasha smiled from the distance whilst she washed some pots. All the others were unaware though that Tasha felt slightly distanced, mainly due to the pregnancy. She knew everyone loved her but would they love this baby, would they accept the baby into the family? Would they have laughing along with the baby one day like he or she was one of them? Tasha sincerely hoped so because she would put her baby first and if the Hunter/Holden clan couldn't accept it then they would have to make do without Tasha as well, she loved them all dearly. They were good friends and she loved them all like family, especially Robbie but as a mother her child had to come first… simple as that.
"Hey guys, I am going to leave you all to it." Tasha said finishing the last pot, everyone turned to face her.
"I'm absolutely tired." Tasha giggled.
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Robbie asked.
"Its alright I'll give you a lift." Tony interjected.
"Oh no, its okay. I'll be fine walking… on my own…." Tasha emphasised the last part whilst still retaining a smile.
"Are you sure?" Kit asked.
"Oh yeah no problem, I need a little time alone with my thoughts. You know how it is." Tasha laughed.
"Only if you're sure." Kit said, Robbie looked at Tasha with a slight hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Yeah I'll be fine." Tasha said, she then rushed around to give everyone a hug good night with Robbie being the special exception when she gave him a kiss before reaching the door.
"Bye everyone." Tasha waved.
"Bye" they all waved back, Tasha then walked out and closed the door behind her.
"Okay what's up with her." Kit said immediately, everyone turned and stared at Robbie accusingly.
"I think she feels pushed away." Robbie said, an obvious sadness filled his tone.
"Because of the baby." Beth asked, Robbie just nodded. Kit looked at him sympathetically, Tony, Jack and Lucas all looked slightly awkward. Matilda and Beth felt Kit's sympathy for the middle Hunter child, Robbie just smiled sadly.
As the sky started to turn pitch black, Irene moved around her house turning all the lights off and closing all the curtains. Belle had returned from the counsellors a short while ago and had gone off to bed, Tasha still wasn't back but she had a key to let herself in plus if she didn't come home Irene knew she was safe at the Hunters. Just as Irene reached the staircase to head up to her own room the front door knocked.
"Flamin heck girly, forgotten your keys have you? I was just about to go to bed." Irene said walking towards the front door picturing Tasha on the other side, Irene then pulled the door open and to her big surprise her former foster daughter Hayley Lawson was stood on the other side holding in her arms baby Noah Hunter.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Irene almost screeched.
"Nice to see you too." Hayley smiled.
Tasha walked slowly home, she didn't want to go back to the beach house just yet in case Irene was awake. She wanted to avoid any chitter chatter about trivial things, not when she wanted to be alone in her thoughts so she took as much time as she could walking down the path going past the diner next to the beach. After a short while she reached the surf club and just as she got past it a shadow jumped out of the darkness, what happened next was over before Tasha knew it as a hooded figure dressed in nothing but black clothing advanced towards her whilst carrying what seemed to be a crow bar. Just as Tasha turned to run the hooded figure aimed the crow bar and whacked Tasha knocking her to the floor in an unconscious heap, the figure then started running as Tasha lay on the floor with no one around, no one who knew she was here, no one to come and rescue her.