Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Seven

The following morning, Ruby appeared a little sheepishly in the kitchen. She immediately apologised for the way she'd spoken to Charlie the night before.

"It's fine," Charlie said. "As long as you know I wasn't trying to stop you and Geoff from..."

She involuntarily pulled a face and sipped her coffee.

"So, what are your plans today?" Joey asked cheerfully.

"Just school," Ruby said. "I can't wait for the end of this year."

"I was thinking," Charlie ventured, "Would you like to go away for a week or something during the holidays? The three of us could take a family holiday or something? What do you think?"

"That sounds great," Ruby said honestly.

She knew she had to make the effort. As mother and daughter, Charlie and Ruby fought more than they ever had as sisters and the youngest Buckton was eager to make things right.

"I can get some brochures from the travel agents when I hit town again today if you like," Joey offered.

She had yet another day of trawling through all the bars, shops and restaurants of Yabbie Creek, desperately seeking work.


Martha had to call Hugo over to the breakfast table three times before he realised she was even talking to him. Shaking himself out of his musings, he turned away from the window of the farm lounge and joined Martha and Bambang at the table.

"What's on your mind?" Martha asked.

"Nothing," he lied.

Puzzled, Martha wondered whether to push the issue or not.

"I think someone's watching the farm," Hugo finally admitted.

"What?" Martha shrieked. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure I saw a car out in the woods," Hugo explained.

Martha stood up to investigate but her boyfriend held onto her arm.

"Don't," he said. "It could be dangerous."

"I am not having someone watching my house," Martha said firmly. "It's creepy."

Rising, Hugo offered to go and check. Martha followed him to the door, keeping watch as he left the house. Anxious about Hugo being unprotected, Martha turned and rummaged in a drawer, wondering if it would be a good idea to take a weapon. Unfortunately, she had no weapons. Rummaging anyway, she was confused to find a one way ticket to Indonesia. The expected passenger was Hugo Austin.


Charlie dropped Ruby at school and Joey into town. Kissing her girlfriend goodbye, she headed towards the police station, ready for another long day at work. She felt anxious about seeing Angelo after being mean to him the day before. But in fairness, he had provoked her. She was tired of him criticising her professionalism. She was a good cop and she worked hard. It wasn't her fault that Angelo literally only had work to live for and she had more.


When Hugo reappeared in the house, he was about to tell his girlfriend that there were two police officers parked outside the farm when she whirled around on him and waved his plane ticket at him angrily. He stuttered.

"What the hell is this?" Martha demanded.

"It's..."

"Well?"

"It's nothing," Hugo told her.

"Nothing?" Martha screeched, forgetting all about Bambang trying to eat his breakfast in the next room. "How can you call it nothing? You're leaving me? And it's nothing?"

"I'm not leaving you!" Hugo insisted.

"Then why do you have a single, one way ticket to Indonesia?" Martha snapped.

"Suzy bought it for me."

"And why the hell would she do that? I can't believe you're..."

"If you'd just stop yelling for one moment, I'll explain!" Hugo interrupted.

Finally running out of steam, Martha fell silent and waited for him to speak again.


Angelo walked into the police station and glanced anxiously at Watson and Charlie on reception before hurrying to his desk.

"Was that look for me or you?" Charlie wondered, glancing at her friend.

"I'm not entirely sure," Watson admitted. "I mean, usually, he doesn't notice anyone who isn't you but for some weird reason, last night, he asked me out."

Charlie snorted with laughter. Aware that the women were talking about him, Angelo cringed and wondered yet again why every woman he knew these days seemed to be a lesbian.

"Well, that was my reaction!" Watson giggled. "I mean, how much have I been talking about Monica these last few weeks? You'd think he'd have twigged!"

"Ah," Charlie grinned. "Still besotted, are we?"

"Officially immersed in the honeymoon phase," Watson confirmed. "I just hope it lasts as long as yours and Joey's!"

"Why does everyone think we're sappy?" Charlie wondered.

"Because you are," two other officers said in unison.


Needing to clear her head, Martha took Bambang into Yabbie Creek in order to buy him some new clothes. With the police not being able to find any relatives, it looked like the little boy would be staying with her and Hugo for some time so she wanted him to be as happy and as comfortable as possible.

"Joey!" she called when she spotted her friend across the street.

The former skipper stopped and waved before jogging across the street to meet her.

"What are you up to?" Martha asked.

Joey waved several application forms by way of explanation.

"You?"

"We're buying Bambang here some new clothes and shoes and toys and stuff," Martha said. "And we were about to stop for some cake. Care to join?"

"Well, I do think I'm due a cake break," Joey conceded. "So yes, that sounds absolutely divine!"


"Have you got started on the Lou DeBono case again yet?" Charlie asked, approaching Angelo.

He sighed and sat back in his chair, looking up at her.

"Yeah, unlike some people, I've been working on it since Donna was set free."

"Well, why don't you come and update me?" Charlie said, gesturing for Angelo to follow her into her office.

"Thanks for laughing at me, by the way," Angelo said sourly.

Charlie chewed her lip and apologised, feeling a little guilty.

"It wasn't meant like that," she said, sitting down in her chair.

Angelo sat opposite her, still looking unhappy.

"Well, it felt like it," he said.

Charlie apologised and then switched the subject back to the case in hand.


"Okay, I might have had an ulterior motive for asking you for cake," Martha admitted when Bambang was suitable distracted with his food.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Joey teased.

Martha laughed and shook her head.

"If I was into girls, you'd totally be on my list but alas, I'm a sucker for the male species," she said. "And specifically Hugo."

"But..."

"But I think he's lying to me," Martha said unhappily.

"Walk me through it," Joey said, forcing herself to keep an open mind about everything.

There was no proof after all that Hugo was a bad guy. Charlie was just acting on Angelo's theories but it wouldn't shock Joey if he was wrong. After all, she thought he was an idiot. But then she thought Hugo was a jerk too so who knew what the truth was?

"I found a one way ticket to Indonesia in the drawer this morning," Martha explained. "He says that Suzy bought it for him and wants him to go over there. When I confronted him, he told me that he'd sold his half of the business and he wants to start a new life here with me."

"So what's the problem?" Joey asked.

"If it's that simple then why did he keep it a secret?" Martha wondered.

Joey chewed her lip thoughtfully. It did seem strange.

"Do you trust him?" he asked.

"If you'd have asked that yesterday then I would have said yes in a heartbeat but right now, I am so confused."

She shook her head.

"And on top of that, we've got police sitting outside the farm watching us and I have no idea why."

"Police?"

Martha nodded.

"I went out and confronted them but they said they couldn't tell me why they were there," Martha said. "That's got to be a violation, right? Charlie hasn't mentioned anything, has she?"

"No," Joey lied. "She's not allowed to tell me confidential cop stuff."

"Well, I think I'll go and ask her about it," Martha said. "I mean, why would they be watching my house? All I can think is that it's about looking for Bambang's family but... no, that still doesn't make any sense."


"Do you think there could be a connection?" Charlie asked thoughtfully.

Angelo studied her face, wondering what she was talking about.

"Between Lou's death and the human trafficking thing," Charlie ventured, tapping her pen against her lips. "Well, more specifically, the Hugo thing."

Angelo sat back in his chair.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he was out at sea at the same time," Charlie said. "He got bitten by that shark on the same night Lou is likely to have died."

"I still don't think he was bitten by a shark," Angelo said. "It's all a bit too convenient if you ask me."

"Exactly," Charlie said. "I mean, I believed him. I saw the injury. It all looked genuine to me. But I do remember Rachel being surprised it was a shark bite. It hadn't been her first conclusion when he first presented at the hospital. What if it was a fake? What if Lou got tangled up in whatever Hugo's been up to?"

They were interrupted by Charlie's phone beeping. It was a text from Joey saying that Martha was likely to show up at the police station asking why officers were watching the farm. Sighing and immediately feeling anxious, Charlie explained the situation to Angelo.


Having parted ways from Martha and Bambang, Joey had texted Charlie and then continued her job hunt. She wondered if she ought to give up looking in areas that she had little experience. It would be easy to get a job down at the docks again. That was her field. It had been her life. But she was too scared of getting trapped in the same kind of situation she had been in before. Robbo had nearly destroyed her and she was terrified of being hurt again. But at the same time, she needed work and she needed it fast.


Charlie had taken Martha to a side room, feigning innocence about why the police were watching her house. She said that it was a confidential police operation that she wasn't at liberty to discuss but assured her that it was for her protection, not because she was being accused of something.

"Well, what am I in danger from?" Martha asked. "If someone is out to hurt me or my family then I should know!"

"It's more complicated than that," Charlie said. "But rest assured that you're not in danger, especially not while there are police officers keeping an eye on the farm."

"Is it about me?" Martha asked. "Or Hugo? Or Bambang?"

"Please just trust me," Charlie begged. "I've told you everything I can."


In reception, Angelo stood up the moment Irene walked through the door. Watson had taken to distracting Bambang while he waited for Martha to be finished with Charlie. Angelo had wanted to go and talk to Martha too but it had been quickly established that that wasn't a good idea. Talking to Irene, however, was. He immediately approached to find out what she wanted.


Early evening rolled around and Joey, having spent all day out selling herself to various companies, was walking towards the police station in order to get a lift home with her beloved. On her way, the phone rang.

"Hi, Martha," she greeted warmly. "Did you solve anything?"

"No, not for me," Martha said. "But I might be able to help you."

"What do you mean?"

"Granddad has a job going at the Surf Club," the former pole dancer explained. "It's literally for two weeks. His barmaid has had a family emergency. But it could be something to tide you over?"

Joey sighed. In theory it was a wonderful idea but in practice, she doubted Alf would employ her. She quickly reminded Martha of what had happened last time she had worked behind the bar – for all of half an hour.

"Oh, that was different," Martha said dismissively. "And I've already spoken to him about it. He's keen."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I'll go and ask him about it now," Joey decided. "Thanks!"

She continued her walk towards Charlie, suddenly with a spring in her step.


Next time... Joey gets a job, Leah realises VJ is still being bullied and Xavier struggles with Gina dating John...