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“Oh, like what?”
“You know she’s a journalist, right?”
“Well, obviously I got that impression when she was talking about the articles she’d written.” And it made sense to him now. The way she’d watched him on the ferry the other night. The way she watched everybody, as if more than just a casual observer. Analyzing people and situations, the way a good reporter would. Always looking for the next story, the next angle. A bit like a good police officer. It always paid to be extra observant, extra vigilant.
“I think she used to be some big hotshot when she worked in Adelaide, won an award or something like that,” Don said.
Reed’s ears pricked up. Could that be what the stalker meant when he accused her of printing lies and innuendo, had she become a target because of the award? Had it put her in the spotlight somehow?
“She does an article for The Islander every now and then. You know, our local island newspaper.” Reed shook his head and Don scowled at his ignorance. “Don’t worry, you’ll see one soon enough, they’re all over the place.”
Things started to click into place at the look Don gave him when he mentioned Sierra’s articles. “I gather not all of her pieces are highly complimentary to our little police unit?” he asked.
“No, not always. There’ve been a few times when we haven’t seen eye to eye about certain things.” Don’s mustache quivered as he spoke, as if admitting even this much physically hurt him. “But that’s not really what I meant. She often comes into the station to confirm a lead. Or sometimes it’s to try and find out information on the legality of particular things. Sierra’s quite involved in the island conservation program. We have a few endangered species on the island, you know. So, if there are any signs of a company not doing the right thing environmentally, then she’s on them like white on rice. Or if there are any protests organized, she’s usually one of the lead mutineers.”
“I see,” Reed said. He wasn’t surprised to hear any of it. Sierra struck him as a woman with high principles, who didn’t like to take no for an answer. Which is how she ended up with a stalker sending her death threats. And why she seemed to butt heads with Don on occasion.
Now, he really wanted to find a copy of those articles as soon as possible. There might be a hint of what this was all about hidden in them somewhere.
On the surface, Sierra came across as a such a strong-willed, determined woman. But it seemed there was a lot more lurking beneath that veneer than he’d first imagined. His heart went out to her when he thought about her fleeing to the island to get away from the after-effects of some mysterious tragedy. He could relate to that himself. He’d quit the force and went off to become a brickies laborer after his on-the-job accident. Pursuing a violent criminal in a high-speed chase, he’d been unable to stop in time to avoid smashing into another car. Even after the scars on his leg had healed, he still hadn’t been able to face up to pulling another body from a mangled wreck. It’d taken him four years to recover enough mentally to consider going back to the job he loved. Though he’d been cleared by an inquest of any wrongdoing, the guilt still ate at him. Someone had died and he couldn’t shake the idea it was his fault somehow. Not just a terrible accident as everyone tried to convince him it was.
He wondered if Sierra had managed to get over her fear and angst. Or if it was still haunting her even now.
