-1 McLeod's Daughters

Chapter 11

Still don't own McLeod's Daughters still wish I did.

With a great thanks to my beta reader - Laby Anne Boleyn

AT DROVERS

Clare was sitting in the office on the Computer looking at Bank statements. As she sat in front of the Computer, Frank DeCosta knocked on the door. She looked up saw Frank standing there looking very official.

"G-Day Clare. Is Peter around?" Frank asked.

"G-Day Frank. No Peter is not here, he is in town talking with Neil Thompson." Replied Clare monitoring Frank to take a seat.

Frank took a seat in front of Clare. Clare looked at him with confusion as to why he is looking for Peter.

"Oh right, I need to speak with him on a matter concerning Tess." Frank said looking at Clare. He could see hurt in her eyes with the mention of her sisters name.

"What has she said now Frank?" Clare asked Frank with her hands clasped together in front of her on the desk.

"Clare Tess was raped. She had a Rape Kit done in Fisher and she told officers there that it was her sister's fiancé Peter Johnson. They asked her where her address was she was about to give Drovers Run, but Harry interrupted her and gave Wilgul. I need to speak with Peter on this matter. I shouldn't't have told you this, but you are what I would like to call a friend." Frank said as he stood up.

"Look, Frank he never raped Tess. She has had a one-night stand and now regrets it. Now she saying she was raped and blaming Peter." Clare said getting up and seeing him out.

As they reach Frank's patrol car, Peter pulls up and gets out the car heading over to Clare and Frank.

"G-Day Frank. What are you doing here?" Peter asked, but before Frank could answer Clare said,

"Peter, Frank is here to see you about Tess's clam that you raped her."

"What! This is stupid I would never hurt anyone in Clare's family! I love her." Peter replied.

"Well, could you give me a DNA sample just to clear your name"? Frank asked.

"No, because I didn't't do anything wrong." Peter said walking away.

Clare looked at Peter's retreating back looking confused but shrugged it off as anger at Tess as she has called the police on Peter.

"Well alright then I will speak to you later Clare." Frank said as he got in his patrol car and left.

Clare walked in the direction that Peter has just gone. Which was in the direction of the house.

As Clare walks to the door of the office she hears Peter on the phone.

"She has called the police in do something about it." He said into the phone waiting on a reply from the other end.

"Yeah well nothing happened then alright fix it." Peter said angry.

Clare could not believe what she just heard. Did she really just hear him threaten to have something done to her little sister?

AT KILLARNY

Harry sat on the veranda with Liz and Sally, they all sat around the table having lunch, when Nick came round the corner with a slight limp to him. When Liz saw her youngest son coming towards her she stood up very quickly and turned to her son and gave him a hug.

Harry looked at his son and stood from the table and mentioned for Nick to follow him inside. Nick turned to his mum and Sally and smiled being polite knowing the reason why Sally was here.

When Harry went inside with Nick following him, Liz turned to Sally and said,

"I guess Nick is sorting the camera's again those things are always breaking down."

"I didn't know that Harry had camera's on the property." Sally asked taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh, yes on the boundary fence's just to make sure the stock is safe or something like that." Liz said.

"Really. I take it Nick is good with that sort of thing." Sally asked.

"Oh, yes after his accident he couldn't ride anymore so he had to do something. He installed the whole system for Harry." Liz said taking a bite of a sandwich.

Just then Nick left the house followed by Harry who seemed to have a whole conversation without saying a word. Nick turned and said,

"Bye Mum. Bye Sally."

"Oh Bye Nick." Sally replied with a sweet smile.

"Bye darling. I will come over and see you later and I won't take no for an answer." Liz said standing up to hug her son.

"I'll see you to the car, Nick." Harry said walking with Nick to his car.

As Nick and Harry got to the car. Harry saw that Nick had brought the Jeep not his Ute.

"The Ute is with Tess she wanted to go to town and that the Merc just wouldn't't do it. Well that's what she said." Nick said as if he could read his dad's mind.

"Ok, well I will come round later after your mother has left. Make sure Tess is there so that Sally might get the wrong idea about you and Tess." Harry suggested toward the last part of his statement.

"Oh, so, Sally will leave me alone. Good thinking dad. I'll see you later." Nick said getting in his Jeep and heading back to Wilgul.

Harry just laughed at his son knowing that if Nick had his way it wouldn't't be the wrong idea Sally would get about him and Tess. Harry turned and walked back to the veranda to finish his lunch.

AT WILGUL

Tess was unpacking the back of Nick's Ute when she herd a car coming up the drive she looked up and saw Frank DeCosta pulling his car to a stop in front of the house next to the Ute.

"Hello Frank, what can I do for you today." Asked Tess.

"Well. Tess I went to Drovers this morning and asked Peter for a DNA sample." Frank answered her question.

"He said no didn't he." Tess said taking a seat on the back of the Ute.

"Yeah, he did, but I think Clare is coming round the fact that Peter raped you." Frank said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What if I get you his toothbrush from the house. I still own half." Said Tess getting an idea.

"That might work." Frank said liking the idea.

"I'll get that to you if you can't get a warrant for his DNA." Tess said.

"Right then I am going to back and see if I can get that warrant. I don't expect to get the warrant unless I get Becky's statement." Frank said sadly.

Tess looked at him and then stood up facing him and said,

"Well, I will see what I can do about getting Becky statement to you."

With that said Frank just nodded and leaving Tess to unpack the rest of the Ute. When Nick got back he saw that his Ute was back and empty as well as clean.

"Tess!" Nick called as he walked through the front door.

"In the kitchen!" Tess called back.

When Nick entered the kitchen there was a chocolate fudge cake sitting on the counter next to the triple chocolate chip muffins.

"Hey, you make all this while I was away." Nick said walking up to the kitchen sink and getting a glass of water.

"Yeah, well, I needed a distraction. I made an appointment in Fisher to abort the baby. I also had a visit from Frank DeCosta saying that Peter refused to give up his DNA and that he needs Becky's statement." Tess said turning to face him from her place at the cooker.

"Right, then, we get Becky down the Police Station to see Frank. You want me to take you to Fisher when you need to go, When is that by the way?" Nick replied taking a muffin and sitting at the table watching Tess.

"I need to be in fisher on Friday afternoon so yes please." Tess replied turning her attention back to the cooker.

Nick had yet to tell Tess that his mother and more than likely Sally to were coming to visit, when he spotted a bottle of scotch on the counter in front of the window.

"Tess who is the bottle of scotch for?" Nick asked getting up and walking to the window.

"Oh, that's for Harry as a thank you, I know he did it out of the goodness of his heart. I still wanted to say thank you." Tess said

"Oh ok just as well dad will be over later and Mum and Sally are coming for a visit as well." Nick said finally glad that he told Tess.

"Oh, not all at the same time I hope." Tess asked getting nervous as she knew that Liz Ryan didn't like her, But this Sally person she didn't know maybe she could get a mate out of this.

"No, mum and Sally are coming over soon more than likely and dad will be over tonight." Nick confessed knowing he didn't need to but he felt he owed her that much.

Just then he heard Alex say "Hi Mum." Nick looked out the window and there was Mum and Sally out by her car with a basket that he guessed contained food. Nick looked at Tess who looked scared and nervous at the same time.

Nick took Tess by the hand and led her out to great his Mum and Sally.

Alex turned to the door after hearing the screen door open and there was Nick and Tess coming out the house. The conjoined hands didn't go unnoticed by Alex or Liz Ryan but managed to get past Sally.

"Oh, Tess dear I didn't know you would be here." Liz Ryan said but before anybody spoke she turned to Sally and said,

"Tess owns half of Drovers Run with her older sister Clare who has recently got engaged to Peter Johnson."

"Oh really, you must be so excited at the prospect of an up and coming wedding." Sally said turning from Liz to Tess.

"You could say that. I'm giving them some space. I don't think that they want the little sister hanging around, but Nick being the gentleman that he is said that I can stay here." Tess said with a smile all the time clinging to Nick's hand like a lifeline.

"Oh, that is so sweet of you Nick." Sally said with a smile that was genuine.

"Yeah, well, my little brother knows how to treat a girl." Alex said with a smirk taking pleasure in Nick's predicament between Tess and Sally.

"Oh Mrs. Ryan would you like a cup of tea or coffee?" Tess asked sweetly trying to put on a brave face.

"Oh, a cup of tea would be lovely Tess. Thank you." Liz answered surprised at the question.

"Sally would you like a cup of tea or coffee?" Tess turned and asked.

"Oh cup of coffee please Tess, that would be great, I love coffee." Sally replied trying to make conversation.

"Ok, then I will go put the kettle on and I totally agree on the coffee aspect, I love it myself." Tess said then turned and started to head to the house.

When she heard Sally calling her name.

"Tess I'll come with you and we can get to know each other better." Sally said walking towards her.

As they went in the house Nick, Alex and Liz started for the house when Becky arrived on her horse. When she dismounted she said "Hey Nick, Alex and Mrs. Ryan. Is Tess inside?"

"Hey, Becky. Yeah she is kitchen I think." Alex replied leading the way to the kitchen.

As they the entire kitchen Tess was making the coffees and teas while Sally sat at the table. Tess turned and put the cups on the table when she noticed Becky and quickly made her a coffee.

"Becky can I have a word with you outside?" Tess asked.

"Sure Tess." Becky replied walking outside with Tess.

Sally looked confused then Alex cleared up the confusion,

"Becky is the lead station hand at Drovers Run."

"Oh right." Sally said not sure if the girl should be working on the farm.

Tess came back in with Becky and they sat down at the table in between Nick and Alex. Sally was making light conversation but nobody noticed how uncomfortable Tess was but Nick and Alex did.

At least half an hour later Liz and Sally left just as Harry was coming down the driveway.

As Tess started to set the table for four she decided to ask Harry if he would like to stay for Dinner.

"Harry, would you like to stay for dinner."

Harry turned from talking to Alex, Harry and Becky and said, "I would love to." with a smile on his face.

THE NEXT MORRNING AT KILLARNY

As Harry sat in the living room putting the bottle of scotch away Liz came in and asked,

"What happened to you last night and where did you get that bottle of scotch?"

"If you must know Liz I had dinner with the boys and Tess. Becky was there too and, the scotch is from Tess as a thank you for helping her with the situation with Peter." Harry replied sitting down with the paper on the sofa.

"Well she never said anything about the supposed rape to me nor Sally yesterday." Liz said with disgust to Tess.

"Well, maybe she doesn't't want Sally to know. You ever think of that." Harry said getting irritated at Liz's disgust toward that poor girl Tess.

AT DROVERS RUN

Clare and Peter sat on the veranda having breakfast when Becky and Jodi appeared but before ether one of the girls could ask what Clare wanted done that morning Meg came round the corner of the veranda with Frank DeCosta.

"Frank what can we help you with?" Peter asked.

Frank looked at Peter and handed him a piece of paper and said,

"Peter this is a warrant for a DNA sample could you come with me please."

Clare put her hand to her mouth and Peter just sat there shocked.

AT WILGUL

Tess sat about cleaning the house also baking and preparing dinner when she heard a knock at the door. Tess walked to the front door when she opened the door there stood a woman in her mid to late 30's.

"Tess McLeod" asked the woman.

"Yes, who are you?" Tess asked her.

"I am Julie's little sister, Peter raped me to."

DUN DUN DUN WHAT NOW. R&R PLEASE.