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Theo sat cross-legged in the armchair in Gus’s room with Horse’s large head resting in her lap. Gus flicked through some briefs while she told him the circumstances in which she’d first met Sam and Caleb.
“They did what?” Gus swore. “I’m beginning to think we might have been better off in a hotel.”
Theo had had that same thought herself, but she felt the need to defend Mac. “He had no idea they were going to turn up, Gus.”
“He should change the locks.”
Theo laughed. “They’re his family. We’re in no position to throw stones on that score.”
Gus looked at her over the top of the file he was perusing. “How are you, really?”
“I’m not sure. A little numb, maybe—like this isn’t happening to me.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry it is happening to you. If I could talk Mendes into being reasonable, I’d send you back to the ancients. At least nobody will shoot at you there.”
“I may, however, shoot myself,” Theo muttered. “Mum and Dad were living in a tent somewhere near Cradle Mountain when I spoke to them last.”
Gus grinned. “I see your point.” He rubbed his face wearily. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do, mate. Apparently, there are busloads of Murdoch’s fans pouring into Lawrence on some kind of pilgrimage, and with that fuckin’ news article…I just don’t know…”
Theo looked up, startled. The tension was clear in Gus’s voice. Her calm, unflappable brother was worried, and that, on its own, frightened her more than overbearing detectives and grieving readers with guns. “Gus…”
“I’m not going to lie to you, Theo; things don’t look good. Mendes is being a complete dick.” He put aside his brief and beckoned her over to him.
Theo moved Horse’s head gently from her knee and climbed onto the bed beside Gus.
He placed arm around her shoulders. “Do you want to tell me what happened in Canberra? The university has records of complaint against you, for assault.”
“What?”
“A lecturer of some sort. Hugh Carrington? He claims you threatened to kill him.”
Theo closed her eyes. “That bastard!”
Gus’s arm tightened around her shoulders. “Theo?”
“He tutored me in Torts… I thought we were friends.” Theo’s voice was shaking already. She forced it. “We started meeting for coffee. We talked about school, and books… He’d tell funny stories about the other lecturers…and then one day I met him at his office and he…he tried to…” Theo couldn’t get the words out.
Gus didn’t press her. He waited until she was ready.
“There was some kind of award on his desk. I hit him with that. He grabbed me before I could unlock the door, but I kneed him, and bit, and scratched…and then I ran.”
“Did you tell anyone, Theo?”
“I didn’t have any friends, Gus. Other than Hugh. And I wasn’t sure… When I looked back, I wondered if I gave him the impression that I—I just wanted to forget about it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gus’s voice was tight, livid.
The answer Theo knew, because she had thought about telling him, debated telling him. “I was scared that you’d think it was something about me… After what happened with Jake, I thought you’d think it was me, that I was inviting this somehow—”
He hugged her fiercely. “Dammit, Theo—”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking… I just knew you’d be angry—”
He tensed. “What were you afraid I’d do?”
“Nothing!” she said desperately. “I just didn’t want you think that was the reason I was leaving, the reason I didn’t want to be a lawyer.” She turned to look at his face. “It really wasn’t, Gus. Never having to see Hugh again was just a collateral benefit.”
Gus exhaled slowly. He tried unsuccessfully to keep the fury from his voice. “I presume this fuckwit lodged a complaint against you with the university just in case you decided to lodge one against him. You left, and it was not pursued…but it’s on record.”
