Leopard Hunt - 18. Chapter 18

When José located the Wentworth Building the next morning, he frowned. He realised that things weren’t going to be as easy as he’d hoped. From the signage out the front, the five-storey building was used by the student union for a variety of purposes, and there would probably be a lot of people coming and going throughout the day. With multiple public entrances, there was nowhere he could sit or stand that would allow him a clear view of everyone who entered the building.

Instead of a wait-and-watch approach, he would have to circle through the building, looking for either Mason or the two students he had followed for a short time the day before. Unfortunately, he hadn’t made the effort to memorise their appearance, so it was really only Mason he could recognise. As he didn’t know what time the students were going to meet or even if they would meet at all, it was going to be a long day.

One of the many things that worried José was that if he loitered too long inside the building, someone might notice and report him. He hadn’t seen any sign of campus security officers, though he was sure they were around somewhere. The last thing he wanted to do was to attract their attention. At least he saw no sign of metal detectors, so it would be safe for him to enter with his knife.

After walking through the building, he decided that if Mason was going to appear, it would be most likely in one of the food areas or one of the lounges. The fourth-floor International Student Lounge seemed like the most obvious place for Mason to go, so José headed there first to see what the access was like.

The lounge turned out to be a large open area with chairs, tables in one section, and beanbags and couches in another. There were microwaves and vending machines available, and large windows presented views across parts of the university.

“Hi! Welcome to the International Student Lounge.”

José turned and made himself smile at the attractive young Asian woman. “Hi.”

“I’m Chi, and I work over there.” She pointed to a small office at the side of the lounge. “If you have any questions about the student union, clubs and societies, or what discounts your student membership can get you, just ask. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the lounge is open to all students, not just international ones.” She contemplated José for a moment. “Let me guess. You’re from Brazil, right?”

José shook his head. “America.” He then mentally kicked himself for revealing the truth. Anywhere would’ve been better than what he’d just said.

Chi grinned. “That’s cool. We don’t get a lot of Americans here, but we get a few. What will you be studying?”

José started to get flustered. His plan had been to keep his mouth shut as much as possible and try to blend into the background. A conversation about his non-existent college major wasn’t something he was prepared for. Grasping at straws, he picked something he knew was taught at the University of Sydney. “Engineering.”

“That’s great! I hope you enjoy your time here.” She smiled and patted his arm. “I’ll leave you alone, but you don’t have to be shy. If you ever want to use more than one-word sentences, you know where to find me. Oh, and I finish work at lunchtime today.” She winked, gave him a cheeky grin, and then walked away, looking back over her shoulder just before she entered the office she’d pointed out earlier.

José stood there staring for several seconds. He then shook himself and exited the lounge. While a dalliance with Chi would’ve been fun if he was truly a student or even a tourist, he couldn’t afford to let himself get distracted. He had one job to do, and it was time to return to that task.

* * *

Outside the Redfern train station, Kevin gave Daphne one last hug. “Remember, don’t go to that meeting without me.”

Clarissa rolled her eyes. “And if she forgets, I’m sure someone else will remember since you said the same thing in front of everyone else. In fact, Deon was the only person you didn’t order around.”

“Be fair,” Liam said to Clarissa. “He didn’t order anyone. He’s just worried.” He smiled at Kevin. “Someone will be with her at all times. We’re not going to give anyone a chance to bully her. Now go or you’ll be late for training.”

Kevin gave Daphne a quick kiss, a worried look, and then a soft smile. “Take care. I’ll be back at lunchtime.” He then started to jog off in the opposite direction from the university, heading towards the Sydney Swans training facilities at Moore Park approximately two kilometres away.

“I’m still not sure going to that meeting is a good idea.” Neil frowned at Liam. “In my experience, avoiding bullies was the smarter option.”

Liam gave him a sheepish look. “Yeah, but we were still kids then, and you were alone. Daphne has all of us to support her and to make sure there’s no trouble.” He gave Neil a quick hug. “And you’re never going to be alone again, either.”

The text message Mason had received from the Quidditch club committee the previous night—setting up a time to meet so they could apologise to Daphne in person—had resulted in a long discussion, a discussion that had continued over breakfast that morning. Kevin had convinced Daphne to stay the night with him and organised for her sister to drop off a change of clothes and other items to be ready for the next day. Clarissa and Liam joined Mason, Deon, Kevin, and Daphne for breakfast, with Neil showing up thirty minutes later.

With Kevin training only a couple of kilometres away, he had promised to be there when they met with the Quidditch club members if they could arrange the meeting for lunchtime. Deon apologised that he wouldn’t be able to be there, as his training ground at the old Sydney Olympic complex was too far away for him to get there in time.

Clarissa narrowed her eyes. “Okay, Liam and I have orientation sessions we need to attend. Neil, Mason, you’re responsible for looking after Daphne. Got it?”

Mason saluted. “Sir, yes, sir!” He grinned. “Anything else, Clarissa? Or should that be Sergeant Clarissa?”

She sniffed. “If I’m going to have a military rank, it needs to be at least a Captain, though Colonel Clarissa has a nice ring to it.” She smiled at Daphne and then gave her a hug. “Text me if you have any problems with bullies—or these two. I’ll sort them out.”

A couple of minutes later, Liam and Clarissa were gone. Neil gave Mason and Daphne a quizzical look. “What now?”

Mason shrugged. “Unless you two have plans, I was thinking of dropping in to see this cute girl I’ve got my eye on.”

“Girl?” Neil blinked. “But you’re…”

Mason laughed. “Come on, and I’ll introduce you two to Shelley. I guarantee she’ll have both of you charmed within twenty seconds of meeting her.”

* * *

After a thorough check of the building, José decided he should base himself in the food court on the second floor. From there, he could watch most of the places Mason was likely to go, with periodic trips up to the third floor to check out the study area. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls used to make several of the internal spaces within the building made it easy to see who was in those areas simply by walking past. He was glad that security wasn’t a major issue for the university.

He would also check the International Student Lounge from time to time, but he didn’t want to attract Chi’s attention again. If she saw him going in regularly, she might misunderstand why he kept showing up.

José’s biggest concern was that in wandering around, he would come face to face with Mason. The last thing he wanted to happen was for Mason to recognise him. As a consequence, he wore sunglasses and a baseball cap, even inside. He also had a short beard that he didn’t have during the convenience-store robbery, and he hoped the combination would be enough to make him look different.

José still didn’t have a detailed plan, but he saw a few options. If Mason headed into one of the bathrooms, José could follow him, drag him into a cubicle, and use the knife he’d bought the day before. It would also be fine if Mason ended up in a semi-isolated area, though that option was much riskier. Following Mason when he left, looking for better opportunities was what José was hoping for, though simply learning more about his target might give him other ideas.

It was now a waiting game.

* * *

Mason reluctantly handed Shelley over to Neil, who immediately started making googly-eyes at the baby girl. Mason sighed and then smiled at Shelley’s mother.

“So, when am I allowed to have another date with Shelley?”

Veronica laughed. “If you want to take her for an hour, I’m happy for you to do so most afternoons around three. At the moment, with the new semester starting up, the office usually has a lot of work to be done, and they’d love it if I was available to help.”

“I can’t promise every afternoon, but how about today and tomorrow?” Mason glanced over to see Daphne smiling over Neil’s shoulder at the little girl. “And I think I’ve found another couple of people to help.”

Daphne looked back at him and shook her head. “I don’t mind babies, but I’m not ready to look after one. Please don’t ask me.”

Neil’s brow wrinkled, and then he smiled. “I’m happy to help out some of the time, but I don’t know if I can do anything regularly.”

Mason gave him a mock frown. “I may be willing to share her tomorrow, but today she’s all mine. I want some one-on-one time with my baby sister.”

“Sister?” Neil asked.

Mason shrugged. “I’ve always wanted a little sister. Now, I have one, at least for as long as Veronica will let me.” He grinned at Shelley’s mother. “Shall I come here and get her at three, then? I was thinking of taking her to the park over there.” He waved a hand to the east.

“Victoria Park?” Veronica smiled. “She’d like that. I’ll have her stroller and a bag ready.”

“Just a bag. I’m sure I can carry her there and back, and I was going to play with her on the grass. A stroller will just be in the way.” He grinned. “Who knows, maybe I can teach her to walk?”

“I don’t think it’ll be long until she does. She’s getting close at home.” Veronica nodded. “Okay, I’ll have everything ready for you at three.”

“Done!” Mason flicked a quick look at Daphne, who was smiling down at Shelley, and then made a face. “While I have you, there’s something you may be able to help us with.”

“Oh? What’s the problem?”

“It’s about an incident that happened yesterday…”

Daphne’s head spun around. “Mason, no!”

“Daphne, I’m just going to ask for advice in case it happens again. I want to know what we should do.”

Veronica frowned as she looked from Mason to Daphne and then back to Mason. “This sounds like it was serious. What happened?”

“Daphne, it’s your choice,” Neil said as he continued to lightly tickle Shelley, “but I think Mason’s right. Even if you don’t want to make an official complaint, we should find out what to do if it happens again.”

Daphne grimaced. Her shoulders slumped and then she nodded her head. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you.” Mason turned back to Veronica. “Yesterday, Daphne was verbally abused and harassed at the Quidditch demonstration match by a current student. The Quidditch club committee is meeting us at lunchtime today to apologise, but I wanted to know what options Daphne has with reporting this to the university.”

Veronica screwed up her face. “I’m sorry that happened, Daphne.” She took a deep breath. “Generally, the university prefers students to resolve things between themselves, but this sounds sufficiently serious that I would suggest going to see the Student Affairs Unit and talking to them. You don’t have to make a formal complaint, but they’ll be the best ones to review your options.

“Talking to them now will also help if this happens again in the future. The university defines bullying as repeated behaviour, so it has to occur more than once. So, even if you decide with Student Affairs that you don’t want to take it further, having a record of it will support a later charge of bullying if it happens again.”

Mason nodded. “Thanks. Now, where can we find the Student Affairs Unit?”

“Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll get you the details.” Veronica pulled out her phone and started typing. After a short time, she turned her phone around and gave it to Mason. “Here’s the website for the complaint process. The details for Students Affairs are on that page.”

Mason memorised the details and then checked the website address. He saw it was under Administration, accessible from the university’s home page. “Thanks, Veronica.” He handed the phone back. “We’ve got time to wander over there now.” He glanced back to Daphne. “You don’t have to make a formal complaint, but will you please speak with them?”

Daphne sighed before nodding reluctantly. “I don’t want to make things worse.”

“You won’t. Not being prepared if he does this again is what would make it worse.” Mason caught Neil’s eye. “It’s time to give Shelley back to Veronica. We’ve got places to go, people to see.” He smiled at Veronica. “Thanks for all your help. We really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Mason. I hope it all goes well, but let me know if you need anything more from me.” Veronica smiled at Daphne. “Good luck with everything. Don’t let one fool ruin your time here.”

As he watched, Mason was concerned that Daphne was becoming passive and withdrawn. She barely acknowledged Veronica and seemed to be almost indifferent to what was going on around her. He made a mental note to find time to talk to Kevin about Daphne’s state of mind. He wasn’t going to stand around and let one of his friends struggle without trying to help.

* * *

José was returning from the bathroom—a visit necessitated by the numerous coffees he’d been drinking as an excuse for staying in the food court—when he spotted Mason with a group of people heading up the stairs to the next level. He immediately followed while trying to stay far enough away that he wouldn’t attract their attention. José grimaced as they continued up to the fourth floor and entered the International Student Lounge. He knew it was lunchtime, and he hoped Chi didn’t think he was showing up to meet with her.

He paused outside the lounge entrance, wondering if he could use her as cover to allow him to get closer to Mason. He thought about it for a moment and then entered. If she was there, he would have to deal with her.

Chi stepped out of the office at the side of the lounge. It was almost as if she had been waiting for him. “Well, hello! You’ve got good timing. I’ve just finished work for the day. Would you like to join me for lunch?”

José smiled. “I’d like that, but how about we stay here for a while? I’ve been doing a lot of walking, and I’d like to relax for a few.”

“Sure thing.” Chi slipped her arm through his. “I’ll give you a neck massage, if you like.” She smirked. “I can also do other massages, but I usually don’t do those in public places.”

“That sounds interesting.” José was torn. Chi seemed like an easy lay, but he needed to find a way to get to Mason. That meant trying to learn what he was doing so he could find an opportunity to strike. He saw Mason joining a smaller group on one side of the lounge. There were empty couches near them, so he pointed in that direction. “Why don’t we sit down over there, and you can give me that massage. Then I’ll buy you lunch as a thank you.”

Chi giggled. “And after lunch…” She walked the fingers of her free arm up José’s chest and then leant forward and gave him a quick kiss. “…maybe I can show you where I’m living?”

José smiled but didn’t say anything. It all depended on how much he would learn while eavesdropping on the other group.

* * *

Kevin kept an arm around Daphne while the three members of the Quidditch club committee apologised. Mason had sent him a text earlier that day to say that Daphne seemed withdrawn and listless, and when Kevin arrived from his morning training, he could see the same. She perked up for a moment when she saw him, but she’d quickly settled back into an overly passive, almost indifferent, pose.

“…and so we’d like to say again, how sorry we are. What happened is not what our club is about.”

Mason scowled. “What about Rick? Why the fuck is he still a member of your club if you really mean what you’re saying?”

Jeff, the committee member who had been doing most of the talking, grimaced. “We talked about expelling him from the club, but one negative incident from someone who has otherwise been a great member wasn’t deemed enough to justify that action. He’s on probation, and he’s been told another incident will result in him being kicked out, but for now he’s still a member.” He looked directly at Daphne, even though she didn’t lift her head enough to notice. “Daphne, please let us know immediately if he says or does anything. He’s been told to keep away from you, so if he doesn’t, tell us.”

Daphne’s response was soft. “Okay.”

Kevin pulled her closer to him, trying to reassure her with his presence. He looked across and could see that Mason, Clarissa, Liam, and Neil were also concerned.

Mason glanced across the group and then turned to the Quidditch club members. “I’m not going to be joining your club, not while Rick is a member. I’ll let the others speak for themselves, but don’t be surprised if we choose to support Daphne over Quidditch.”

“We’re with Daphne and Mason,” Liam said, clearly speaking for both himself and Neil.

“Same here.” Clarissa narrowed her eyes. “But I’d like to be kept informed of when and where your matches and social events will be.”

The Quidditch club committee members seemed surprised. “Sure,” Jeff said. “I can’t see any problem with that. Does that mean you might attend some of them?”

Clarissa shook her head. “I just want a heads up on places and times to avoid. We don’t want to run into that bastard unexpectedly, so if we know where you guys are, we know where we’re not going to be.”

Kevin took a small amount of satisfaction from the way the committee members flinched at Clarissa’s statement. He was also proud of her and the other guys for the way they had made it clear that Daphne was their priority.

The meeting ended soon afterwards. After a few more grovelling apologies, the three Quidditch-club committee members left the lounge. Daphne immediately let out a heavy sigh and collapsed against Kevin.

“Are you okay?” Kevin immediately gave himself a mental slap for stupidity. “Sorry, but do you want anything? I can take you back with me if you want to get away from here.” He glanced across the rest of the group. “The offer’s open to all of you, too. We’ve got some outside training scheduled for the afternoon, so you can all watch from the stands, if you want.” He turned his attention back to the girl in his arms. “Daphne?”

“Can you stay for a bit? I’ll be all right, soon.”

“Sure.” He gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “Take your time. It doesn’t matter if I’m late.”

Neil and Liam had been holding a whispered conversation. Liam nodded and then smiled at Kevin. “If Daphne goes with you and doesn’t mind some company, we’ll come, too. But if she stays here, we’re staying with her.” Liam grinned. “No offense intended, but she’s prettier than you.”

Kevin could feel Daphne give an aborted chuckle. She looked up, a weak smile on her face. “And you’re both gay.”

“So?” Liam shrugged. “We still prefer to be with you than Kevin.”

Kevin felt like giving both Liam and Neil a hug. He could tell that what they were saying was exactly what Daphne needed to hear. It was only his need to hold onto Daphne that stopped him from doing so. He hoped that they could read his thanks from his expression.

“I’m staying with Daphne, too.” Clarissa frowned at Kevin. “But taking her away from here may be a good idea. Give her a chance to relax.”

Kevin gave Daphne a soft squeeze. “What do you say? Would you like to come see where I train?”

She looked up at him, and he could see how much she was still afraid. There was, however, a steely resolve in her eyes, too. “Thanks. I’d like that.”

Kevin glanced across at Mason. “What about you?”

Mason shook his head. “I’ll pass. I’ve got a hot date at three, and I need to get ready.”

“Oh? Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Girl. Her name’s Shelley.” He grinned. “I’m taking her to Victoria Park, in the northeastern corner of the university, for some fun and games.” He gave Kevin an exaggerated wink.

Kevin’s confusion was amplified when both Neil and Daphne laughed. He was glad to see he wasn’t alone, as both Liam and Clarissa also seemed perplexed.

Clarissa glared at Mason. “What’s going on? Who’s Shelley and what are you planning on doing to her?”

Neil grinned. “I’ll explain it, but not now.” He smiled at Kevin. “I don’t know how much time you’ve got off, but wouldn’t it be a good idea if we started to head to your training ground?”

“Yeah, but only if Daphne’s ready.”

She smiled. “Let’s go.” She left his embrace and proceeded to give Clarissa, Liam, Neil, and Mason a hug, saying thank you to each as she did so. Kevin then slipped an arm around her waist and the group headed to the door.

Kevin smiled at the couple nearby who were in the middle of a passionate make-out session as they walked past. He wanted to do the same with Daphne, but that would have to wait until they returned to the unit. And that would take longer than he wanted since they were going to go via Daphne’s parents’ house to pick up more of her clothes and other possessions. The two had decided during the night that there was no point waiting until the weekend before she moved in. Instead, they would spend the rest of the week slowly moving everything she needed from her parents’ house to their new home.

Leaving the International Student Lounge, the group stopped when they saw who was waiting there.

Jeff ran a nervous hand through his hair. “Er…hi, Kevin. I know this is a bad time…but is there any chance that at some point in the future…not now…that I could get a selfie with you?”

“You want what?”

Jeff gave him a sheepish smile. “I promise I won’t say anything to anyone, but I thought I recognised you.” He held up his phone to show Kevin’s player portrait from the Sydney Swans website. “I’m a Swans fan, so…” He gave Kevin a hopeful look.

Kevin could feel Daphne starting to shake. He glared at Jeff. “If you say one word to anyone about Daphne…”

Jeff shook his head. “I promise. I wouldn’t, anyway. And I’m not going to hold it over your head; that would be a bastard thing to do.” He grimaced. “Daphne, I’m not going to out you or tell people that you and Kevin are dating. I’m not going to say a word to anyone, I promise.”

Kevin smiled as he felt Daphne start to relax. She was still tense but no longer shaking. “You can tell people we’re dating,” Kevin said. “That’s something I’m happy to tell everyone. The rest is private and none of anyone’s business.”

“I agree.” Jeff made a face. “I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll leave you guys alone.” He turned and took a quick few steps away.

“Wait!” Kevin looked at Daphne for a moment. She sighed, nodded, and then took a half step back. Kevin smiled his thanks before turning his attention back to Jeff. “You can have that selfie, if you still want it.”

“Really!” Jeff’s face lit up. “Thanks, man!”

As Kevin smiled for the camera, he knew it was only a matter of time before the truth of his relationship with Daphne made the news. He made a mental note to tell Alastair McCrae of the recent events. His manager needed to be prepared.

* * *

A few minutes later, José and Chi came up for air. He smiled. He now knew where Mason would be at three o’clock, and there should only be one other person around at that time. The opportunity might not be perfect, but he could get himself into position beforehand and see if he’d get a chance to end things.

That also meant he had time for other activities. His smile broadened into a grin. “How about I buy you lunch, now?” he asked Chi.

“Fuck lunch. I’m hungry for something else right now. My room’s ten minutes away.”

He rose and held out his hand to help her up. “Then what are we waiting for?”

José was happy. It was shaping up to be a very enjoyable afternoon.

* * *

Clarissa and Daphne sat alone in the stand watching Kevin and his teammates train. There had been a small issue with getting access to the grounds when they first arrived, but Kevin had sweet-talked their way past security. Liam and Neil had shown interest in their first glimpse of the Sydney Swans training facilities, but Clarissa had kept her attention on Daphne. A lot of things were beginning to make sense to her, and she was trying to decide if it was time to talk about them.

Clarissa knew she hadn’t fooled either of Liam and Neil when she’d asked them—ordered them may be more accurate—to get some bottled water for Daphne and herself, but the guys didn’t say anything. They’d left, giving Clarissa some one-on-one time with Daphne.

“Do you remember a conversation we had last month about how we were both worried about holding our boyfriends back?” Clarissa asked.

Daphne sighed and nodded once.

“What you said at the time makes more sense now.” Clarissa put a hand on Daphne’s shoulder for a moment. “But it’s obvious to all of us that Kevin loves you. He’ll do anything for you. You know that, right?”

Daphne grimaced as she stared at the seats in front of them. “Yeah, I do. He’ll do anything…including throwing away the career he loves.”

“Deon’s the same. He’s already almost thrown it away once.”

Daphne’s head snapped up. Her eyes were wide. “He has?”

“Yeah. It was to do with the trial back in Melbourne.” It was Clarissa’s turn to sigh. “He was willing to risk ruining his relationship with his club to support Dave. They ended up supporting him, but he was prepared to go, even if they’d told him not to.”

“I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like.” Daphne looked out over the players on the ground. “To have that done to you, at such a young age…”

“But even if we don’t understand, we can sympathise and support him, right?” When Daphne gave her a quizzical look, Clarissa smiled. “Just like we don’t understand what it’s like for you, but we’re all here to support you and Kevin in any way you need.”

Daphne’s face contorted, as if she wanted to smile but didn’t know how. “But he’s going to be ruined.”

“We don’t know that. The AFL already has a gay player. Another isn’t going to be the end of the world.”

“Kevin’s not gay.” Daphne must’ve seen Clarissa’s surprise because she immediately continued. “He’s told me that while he could have sex with a guy if he had to, he’s not attracted to guys. He likes girls. He’s not gay.”

“But, you…” Clarissa didn’t know how to put into words what she wanted to say.

Daphne flinched. “I’m a girl, not a guy.”

Clarissa screwed up her face. “I’m sorry. I know you’re a girl, but… Fuck, I don’t know how to talk about this.”

“And that’s why Kevin will be ruined when the word gets out.” Daphne started to cry. “People will find out—it didn’t take long for that guy at the uni to learn the truth—and then everyone will point and stare…” She put her head in her hands.

Clarissa bit back her frustration and put an arm across Daphne’s shoulders. “I can’t promise that bad things won’t happen, but Kevin’s tough. He’ll stand up, face everyone, and tell them he loves you. Anyone who had a problem with that can go fuck themselves.” She smiled, even if Daphne couldn’t see it. “Okay, he may not use those exact words on national TV, but he’ll make everyone aware of how he feels about you. He won’t be alone, either. Deon will stand with Kevin, and I suspect a few others will, too. You can count on Ty and Jim being right behind Deon in showing their support, and from what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard from Neil, the rest of the Leopards football club will be right there, too.”

Daphne lifted her head and stared at Clarissa. “But why?”

“Because they know Kevin and they know Deon.” She shrugged. “I can’t say what they’ll be thinking, but they’ll stand by Deon, and Deon will stand by Kevin. There will be a room full of testosterone-filled football Neanderthals all waiting to be the first to beat up anyone who says anything against you and your boyfriend.”

“He’ll be better off without me.”

Clarissa scowled at Daphne’s tone. “Don’t you even think about it. You’re not breaking up with him because you think he’ll be better off. He loves you. Breaking up with him would be what would destroy him, not him standing by your side.”

“But if I wasn’t around—”

Clarissa didn’t let her continue. “He’d be devastated!” She gave a low growl as her anger and frustration started to get the better of her. “I don’t have a fucking clue as to what goes on inside his head or how things work between you, but he worships you! He told Jeff at the uni that he could tell anyone he wanted that the two of you are dating—Kevin’s proud of that fact—so if you want what’s best for Kevin, stay with him!”

Clarissa kicked herself as Daphne started to cry again. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Daphne didn’t need her to be angry. “Daphne, I’ve been telling you what I see from Kevin. How about you tell me how you feel about him? He loves you. Don’t you love him back?”

“More than you can imagine.” The tears were still trickling down Daphne’s face as she stared at the players training. “He’s been like a dream come true.”

“So why would you want to walk away?”

“Because I love him.”

“Then stop being so selfish!”

“Selfish?”

“Yes, selfish.” Clarissa could see that Daphne was confused, but that was better than being despondent. “You’re deciding what’s best for Kevin without listening to him. He’ll tell you he doesn’t want you to walk away, that being with you is what makes him happy. You’re ignoring him and doing what you want without taking his feelings into account. Relationships require two people to listen to each other, not for one person to make major decisions for the other without consultation.”

For the first time, a weak smile appeared on Daphne’s lips. “Like you do for Deon?”

Clarissa shrugged and decided to play the hypocrite. “That’s different. In that case, I really do know what’s best for him. He knows it, too, which is why he always does what I tell him to do.”

“Like flying to Melbourne without telling you why?”

Clarissa was caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Daphne to come up with a counter-example so quickly. “Well…”

Daphne’s smile strengthened. “Okay, you win. I won’t walk away.” The smile slipped away. “But I hope you’re right about the support. Kevin’s going to need it.”

“And you’ve got support, too. We’re all here for you, Daphne. You and Kevin. You’re not alone.”

Clarissa still couldn’t understand the relationship between Daphne and Kevin, but she didn’t care. Just like when Liam and Neil started going out together, she could approve of their love while reminding herself that she didn’t need to know or understand what happened in their bedrooms.

* * *

José made sure his sunglasses were on securely and his baseball cap on tight. He had spotted Mason in the distance a few minutes earlier and had then started to circle cautiously through the trees so he could approach from behind. Mason was currently alone, though there were others in the park, and José wanted to act before Mason’s date showed up. Moving cautiously without attracting undue attention was a challenge, but José pretended to be looking up in the branches while he moved. If anyone asked, he intended to say he had heard that there were many colourful birds in Australia and he was trying to spot some.

The glimpses of Mason as he moved indicated that Mason was carrying something, but he couldn’t make out what. José assumed it was a present for his date, but he didn’t really care. Just like he didn’t care that the guy he thought was a fag was going on a date with a girl. All that mattered was getting to Mason while he was still largely isolated. If José was quick, Mason wouldn’t make a sound, and the others in the park would hopefully think he was just resting in the sun like several students José could see.

By the time José was in hearing distance, Mason was sitting on the ground, holding something in his arms.

“You know, if I didn’t already have a date for the Mardi Gras afterparty, I would take you. You’re so cute, you’d make me the centre of attention. Scratch that. You’d be the centre of attention, and I could bask in your glow.” Mason lowered his head towards whatever it was he was holding and made a raspberry sound.

José assumed Mason was rehearsing what he was planning to say to his date. He didn’t understand what Mason was doing, but he didn’t care. In a few moments, what Mason was doing would be irrelevant after José dealt with the guy who had ruined his life.

“I hated it when the ‘rents sent me here, but if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you or any of my new friends. You’re making me like living here.” Mason lifted what was in his lap above his head. “You’ve got a lot to answer for, young lady.”

José froze as he saw what Mason was holding: a baby girl. That was unexpected and disconcerted José, as the traditional Hispanic attitude to children momentarily asserted itself. Gathering his scattered thoughts together, he narrowed his eyes and refocused his attention. The gang of which he was a member had a different view concerning children—one that wasn’t weighed down by sentimentality. If he wanted to prove himself to the gang, he couldn’t let an infant get in his way. He grasped the handle of his concealed hunting knife as he prepared to draw the blade and finish what he’d arrived in Australia to do.

He had taken another quiet step forward when he spotted a young couple heading in his general direction. He hesitated again, trying to judge if he would be able to kill Mason without them immediately noticing. By the time he realised he may have been able to do so, it was too late. They were still approaching, and each second that passed reduced José’s chance of escaping before Mason’s body was discovered.

José stepped back and then turned and ran for the shelter of the trees. He would have to find another opportunity to deal with Mason, one where he would have a better chance of getting away afterwards.

* * *

Mason turned his head as he heard footsteps behind him, but all he saw was a dark-skinned young man running away. He frowned and then shrugged. He had more important things to worry about than what some random stranger was doing.

“Sorry, Shelley. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah.” Mason gave Shelley another raspberry on her tummy. She loved that, and he loved it when she giggled.

He held her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Do I really need to give you back your mom?”

A distinctive aroma wafted up to Mason’s nose. He laughed. “Oh, yeah. Yes, I do.” He put Shelley down on the grass and then reached for the bag that Veronica had given him. “But I can change you this once, I suppose.”