Chapter One

Belle sat on the beach resting her head on her knees. She was all cried out; she didn't think there was another tear left inside her anywhere. She thought about the event that happened just two days ago that had once again turned her life upside down. She knew that it would come one day but it didn't lessen the pain of it now that it had happened.

She knew Ric would never want to know her again and the whole town now knew that she was a murderer.

Two Days Ago

"Ric, I'm sorry," Belle cried.

"You're sorry? You caused the fall that caused him to die sooner than he should have. And all this time you've said nothing, and all you have to say is sorry?" Ric yelled.

"I know I should have said something. I was going to when I first got back, but you were already hurting enough I didn't want to add to it. And then as time went on it just got harder to say anything," Belle tried to explain.

"And that makes it alright does it?" scoffed Ric.

"No, I'm just trying to explain," Belle said.

"Well it's not good enough," Ric replied with a touch of finality to it. "I don't want to see you anymore."

"Ric, please," pleaded Belle.

"Belle, you killed Flynn. How could you think we'd ever come back from that?" Ric asked. "I want you to go."

With that Belle turned and left the Caravan Park in tears.

Back to the Present

Since then Belle had also had a confrontation Cassie since then. And ever since the whole town looked at her differently as word had spread of her confession. The only people who had been remotely kind to her since then had been Tasha and Irene, and even then every time she looked at them she saw their disappointment and sadness.

She consoled herself with the fact that at least a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. But in its place a new weight had been added. The weight of everyone's varying degrees of anger. She wasn't sure what she should do now. She considered taking Cassie's suggestion of leaving town. She didn't have much to stay for.

Somewhere In the Bush

Eve looked around the abandoned warehouse with an evil smile on her face. This place would be perfect. It wasn't a huge place, but big enough for what she wanted and it had several rooms which would be handy. The door to the room she was particularly interested in was a big iron door with a strong bolt on the outside. She had also added several more. The room also had steady iron bars across the window that no one would ever be able to break. It was exactly what she needed.

And even better this warehouse was even more secluded than the last one she had blown up. It looked like no one had been here in years. She wouldn't have to worry about being discovered out here, once she put her plan into motion.

She looked down at her checklist for her latest plan to terrorise the Bay. She marked off another item, and looked at what was next on her list. It was time. Everything was in readiness.

It was show time.

Later That Afternoon

Peter was in his office staring at the whiteboard. It contained a summarised version of the facts of the Stalker case. Ever since Eve had announced her return by planting a bomb in his apartment he had been even more urgent to find her before she was able to hurt anyone.

Unfortunately it was already too late for that. Eve had claimed her first victim, that of young Charlie. The boy who had lived out in the bush and had been trying to befriend Kim Hyde and Rachel Armstrong. He knew it was her, because in true Eve style, she had admitted it when she had sent him an email telling him where the body was. It was just another way for her to torment him. And now the word was out that Eve was back the residents of the Bay were beginning to panic more than a little bit, increasing the urgency even further.

Peter was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock at the door. He turned around to see Jack Holden, the constable assigned to help him on the case, standing there.

"Hi, detective. I just thought I'd let you know that I was heading home if you didn't need me," Jack said.

Peter could see that Jack was hoping he didn't. He had to give Jack credit, he'd been working back late with him on this case almost every night for the last few weeks.

"Sure, go. I'll see you first thing in the morning," Peter replied.

"Thanks," said Jack appreciatively. Before he closed the door, he said to Peter "You should try and get a good night sleep yourself. It might help."

"Thanks for the advice. I'll see you tomorrow," Peter replied, before turning back to his whiteboard.

At the Bachelor Pad That Night

"So where are Kim and Dan?" Martha asked Jack as they sat down to dinner.

Martha had to admit it was nice to be able to sit down to a nice meal with Jack. It had been a while since they had been able too.

"Well Dan's over at Leah's and Kim's working late at the gym doing paperwork," replied Jack.

"Is he still blaming himself for what happened to Charlie?" questioned Martha.

"I think he is a bit, though he won't say anything," Jack responded, concerned for his friend and flatmate.

Martha could see the concern on his face and put her hand on his reassuringly. Jack smiled appreciatively at the gesture.

They ate the rest of their meal, just enjoying each other's company.

At the Gym

Kim was just finishing the last of the paperwork. Ever since he'd found out Zoe, or Eve or whatever she called herself, was back and that she had killed Charlie, he had thrown himself into his work. That on top of what had happened to his dad had made it really hard to cope.

He had been made manager of the gym recently and he had been enjoying until recent events. He knew he wasn't being fair to his girlfriend Rachel the way he was becoming a bit work obsessed, but he also knew that he didn't want to take his emotions out on her. He felt, though, that he was finally coming out of the funk he had been in.

He decided he'd make it up to her tomorrow, when he had some time off. He'd already begun organising a picnic by ordering a hamper from the diner and calling Rachel and asking her to keep her day free.

Kim was disturbed when he thought he heard something out in the Surf Club. He walked to the door of the gym carefully and looked out. Despite all the lights except the gyms being off it was still fairly easy to see around. He didn't see anything and berated himself for being so paranoid.

Kim turned and walked back to the counter. He laughed at himself quietly over his paranoia as he picked up his back pack. He turned off the lights, locked up the gym and began to head out. He didn't hear the person walking up behind him quietly with big spanner in there hands. Before he even got to the entrance of the Surf Club the he was hit on the back of the head and fell to the ground unconscious. Eve stood over his body smiling evilly.