His expression darkened at her answer and his eyes shifted to Lara before he walked out. Brandon followed him. He found Darcy in their father’s office, pacing the short length of the room. “You’re sure it was deliberately cut?” Darcy asked.
Brandon’s skin prickled, and he clenched his hands to stop himself from ripping the phone from Darcy and asking for more details. Darcy eyed him, the fury on his face for once not directed at his brother. “There’s a company who was trying to buy Dad out,” he told Dot. “Dad told them he’d never sell the place while he was alive.”
Dot said something and Darcy answered. “Stonefish Enterprises.” He shuffled some papers on the table until he found a business card. “Our contact was Tan Lewis.” A pause. “I haven’t seen him around since he was here maybe three weeks ago.” Another pause and then Darcy said, “Yeah, I’ll ask the others and get back to you.” He hung up.
“What was it?”
“Brake lines were cut,” Darcy said. “Explains why there were no skid marks.”
Horror warred with confusion. “Surely Dad would have noticed before then.” Hangman’s Bend was halfway to town.
“Not necessarily,” Darcy disagreed. “The car was parked out front and Dad always crawled on the roads outside the farmhouse to stop the dust. He would have been able to see there were no cars coming on the bitumen road so the first time he had to use the brakes would have been that bend.”
Still the brakes not working wasn’t enough to send them hurtling off the road. His father would have started slowing early, would have noticed the brakes… Brandon froze. The marks on the front panel. Someone had deliberately forced them from the bitumen, had caused the car to roll. His hands tightened into fists. “Did Mum and Dad argue with anyone else?”
“Not that I know of.” Darcy sighed. “Let’s go tell the others.” He headed out the door.
Brandon took a moment to control his anger. His family needed him to be calm and supportive, not a ball of fury. He wanted to gear up and fight, but his foe was unknown. Reconnaissance was required first. As he blew out a long breath he made a vow.
He wasn’t leaving the Ridge until he found out who had killed his parents.
***
Brandon followed Darcy down the hallway, determination singing in his veins. He wasn’t letting his family suffer any longer. He was so caught up in his thoughts he almost crashed into Darcy who’d halted just outside the lounge. Darcy ran a hand over his face. “Do you think Lara should know?”
Shocked his brother was asking him for advice, he took a moment to consider it. “It was deliberate sabotage,” he said. “Whoever did it might be satisfied, but if not, then she should know to keep an eye out for strangers.”
“You’re right.”
They walked into the lounge where Amy sat on the couch next to Ed, flicking through photos. A few strands of her frizzy blonde hair had fallen out of her ponytail and draped down her cheeks. She showed Ed a photo and he smiled. She seemed at home there, but his comment to Darcy about strangers clanged in his head. Did he need to consider her a suspect? He knew from experience that the enemy often sent people in ahead of the main attack to find out more.
Amy murmured something and Ed laughed, the sound so normal, Brandon’s heart ached. Surely she had nothing to do with his parents’ accident.
Georgie moved from the floor to the couch as they walked in. “What did Dot say?”
Darcy wrapped an arm around his daughter. “It’s not good news.” He started coughing, and said, “Pumpkin, can you get me a glass of water?”
“Sure.” She ran out and the moment she was gone, Darcy continued, “The police found the brake line on the four-wheel drive had been cut, and it looks as if another car might have pushed them off the road.”
Amy gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. “Who would do that?” The horror in her eyes was real.
“We need to figure that out,” Brandon said. “Can you think of any strangers hanging around?”
“Only the camp guests,” she said. “I can put together a list of names.”
“Do that.” He turned to Georgie. “Anyone in town been annoyed at Mum and Dad?”
“Not that I’ve heard. I’ll ask around.”
“This is stupid,” Ed burst out. “Why would—” He paused as Lara walked back in, and handed Darcy the glass of water. “They’ve never done anything to hurt anyone,” Ed continued.
“The police are still investigating,” Brandon said. “They’re looking into Stonefish Enterprises.”
“Who?” Ed and Georgie asked.
Darcy winced and shot Brandon a dirty look. How was he supposed to know they hadn’t been told about it?
“A company came by asking Dad to sell the station,” Darcy said.
