Georgie sighed. “I’ve thought about that, but Dot and Nhiari would have to put in a report, and we know Stonefish has people in the police. Lee saved Tess’s life and ours. He’s in the best place to take down Stonefish.”
Unless it was a long con. Matt shook away the thought. No, he owed the man his life. “All right, but if it looks as if you’re going to gaol, we tell the truth. I won’t lose you.”
She smiled and slipped her arms around him. “Not going to happen. Now I know how you feel, you’re stuck with me.”
“I can deal with that.” He wished he could be as optimistic as her.
It took over an hour for Dot and Nhiari to arrive on the scene, but Matt was content to sit in the shade with Georgie and wait. As long as she was by his side he could wait forever. After they got their story straight, they didn’t speak much but Matt spent a lot of time thinking.
Now the immediate danger was over, he didn’t need to stay with her, but he’d wanted to move in anyway.
They’d make the difference in distance work somehow.
Georgie had a few more months on her lease and hopefully by then, with Lee working to stop them, Stonefish would be history. With Stonefish no longer causing problems, the Ridge might finally be able to get on top of their finances.
Then he and Georgie could look at building their own house at the Ridge.
When he heard a car engine, he pulled Georgie to her feet. “Radio to make sure it’s them.”
Georgie did so and a few minutes later, the police car pulled up. Nhiari was first out of the car and she strode towards him and pulled him into her arms. “I told you not to go anywhere by yourself.”
She squeezed the life out of him, but her arms trembled. “I’m all right,gunyjan.”
She turned to Georgie. “And you! Karen said you’d taken the gun. Why? He could have overpowered you.”
“He already had a gun,” Georgie pointed out after she’d been similarly squeezed.
“He’s dead?” Dot asked.
Georgie swallowed and nodded, pointing further down the track.
Dot smiled and both officers went to look, returning shortly afterwards. Nhiari radioed the station and Dot asked, “What happened?”
Matt told them about the kidnapping.
“Why didn’t he shoot you as soon as he knew Georgie was on her way?” Nhiari asked.
“Because Lee had to prove his loyalty to Stonefish.”
“Lee was here?” Dot asked.
Matt nodded. “Lee was supposed to shoot both of us, but I warned Georgie he was out there, and she managed to avoid him.”
Nhiari studied him the way she had when they were kids and she was trying to figure out whether he was lying. He forced himself not to squirm. “So Lee slunk away after Georgie shot the gunman?”
Matt nodded. “It all happened so fast. Georgie appeared with the rifle and the gunman turned his gun on her, but she shot first.”
Georgie shuddered and stepped closer to him.
“What else can you tell us?” Dot asked.
“The gunman was pretty angry about us ruining his smuggling operation. From the sounds of it, he was in charge of that aspect of the business.”
Georgie nodded. “He said his father would be furious.”
Dot glanced at her. “His father is in charge?”
“Yeah.”
