Murrook Farm (Sam & Jody Series Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Prologue ……………………………………………..…2

  Chapter 1 ……………………………………………….3

  Chapter 2 …………………………………………….…7

  Chapter 3 …………………………………………….…12

  Chapter 4 …………………………………………….…21

  Chapter 5 …………………………………………….…42

  Chapter 6 ……………………………………………….51

  Chapter 7 ……………………………………………….66

  Chapter 8 ……………………………………………….77

  Chapter 9 …………………………………………….…93

  Chapter 10………………………………………………110

  Chapter 11………………………………………………121

  Chapter 12………………………………………………134

  Chapter 13………………………………………………147

  Chapter 14………………………………………………153

  Chapter 15………………………………………………164

  Chapter 16………………………………………………177

  Chapter 17………………………………………………187

  Chapter 18………………………………………………196

  Chapter 19………………………………………………205

  Chapter 20………………………………………………209

  Chapter 21………………………………………………218

  Chapter 22………………………………………………228

  Chapter 23………………………………………………232

  Epilogue ………………………………………………….235

  MURROOK FARM

  Lois Kay

  © 2017

  ISBN: 9781521707395

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

  ‘Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light’ – Helen Keller

  Prologue

  The memories had faded, tucked away in a place that was almost inaccessible but the nightmares remained. They clung to her like a dense fog and chilled her from the inside out, creating steadily increasing numbness. They filled her mind with raw images and her heart with icy emptiness. Sometimes it was odd to be unable to feel. But it was also strangely comforting. The cold kept the pain and fear at bay. Except during sleep.

  The nights were stretched out over too many hours, and a long time ago, sleep had become an unwelcome visitor. When exhaustion finally submerged her in uninvited darkness, the dreams came, relentlessly tormenting her sleeping hours.

  From a distance, she could see herself, like she was hovering in the air; weightless and invisible. She was standing in the middle of a room, reaching out to a small form, huddled underneath a bed. Their hands almost touched. She was so close. She tried to get closer, feeling the painful pull of her muscles as they strained when she desperately tried to move. But it was as if her feet were glued to the floor. She stretched again, soundlessly screaming in frustration and agony. Finally, her fingertips grazed warm skin. The heat surrounding her increased and she knew the fire was closing in. The last thing she saw was a pair of panic-filled eyes, before she woke up, drenched in sweat.

  Chapter 1

  A slender girl, dressed in a pair of cut-off jeans and an oversized gray shirt that hung loosely around her body, gazed at the milling crowd with an expressionless face. The gentle ocean breeze played with her long, blond hair, occasionally whipping a strand into her face. Impatiently she pushed it away, her gaze never leaving the entrance of the hotel for long.

  Cool blue eyes followed a group of young girls, who had just left the hotel. Judging by the way they were dressed it was clear they were going to the beach, located behind the hotel. The white sand and glistening blue of the Pacific were visible through the huge glass windows of the hotel’s lobby. The girls were walking closely together, and occasionally they doubled over in laughter.

  They’re your age. That’s something you should be doing; going to the beach, hang out with friends. The girl sneered at the voice in her mind, ignoring the words and pushing them back into a dark corner. In the past, the voice had been able to provide comfort when she needed it most. Lately, though, she had been able to ignore the unwelcome words that entered her mind uninvited. They didn’t bring comfort, not anymore. There had been too many cold, wet nights when she was curled up into a ball, behind a shed in a backyard, or tucked away behind dense bushes in a park. In the beginning, the voice had given her hope, but as time went by, hope dimmed, and she started to ignore the voice. Things had not improved. She was still out in the rain and cold, or the blazing summer heat. My life will never be like that of those girls. She shrugged and kept her focus on the entrance of the hotel.

  She usually didn’t stay in one place for long, but the weather had been beautiful. It was summer, and it was hot, but the beach, the breeze and the abundance of trees and gullible tourists had made life a little easier.

  Then she had met a woman. A few days earlier she had accidentally bumped into her, and a pair of kind, green eyes, set in a gentle, freckled face had smiled at her. And to her shock and amazement, she had smiled back. For the first time in a very long time, somebody had looked her in the eyes. Somebody had seen her and acknowledged her existence. For a moment, she had felt like she was a regular human being, instead of an outcast or nuisance.

  Apparently, the woman had noticed her hanging around the beach and the hotel where she worked and that evening, when she had exited the hotel, she had stopped, and her eyes had searched the park in front of the building until their gazes had met. With a small smile, she had walked up to her and had handed her a bag.

  “Here, I thought you might like this,” she had said with a faint Scottish accent.

  After handing her the bag, the woman had turned around and disappeared into the underground parking garage.

  The enticing smell that had wafted up from the bag had made the girl’s mouth water, and impatiently she had ripped it open. In that one bag, she had found more food than she usually saw in a whole week. Sweet rolls, sandwiches, a few candy bars, fruit and a large bottle of orange juice.

  Something had tickled the back of her mind, and for a moment she had to fight the urge to jump up and follow the kind stranger to thank her. However, more primal needs had quickly taken over, and with abandon she had sunk her teeth in a chicken-salad sandwich, moaning in delight when the different flavors exploded in her mouth.

  From that day on, she had faithfully waited in the park, until the woman finished work. And she had never left empty-handed. The girl almost felt guilty and ashamed to rely on somebody else to give her some food. But reason had won out, and the feeling of shame had been pushed away. Life on the streets had taught her never to pass up an opportunity. One day soon, the kind woman would get tired of her and no doubt the gifts would stop. But until then, the girl was determined to stick around.

  *

  Jody McDonnell Stevens was sitting on the veranda, enjoying the view. The green, tree-covered hills on the west side of the property contrasted nicely with the blue of the ocean in the east. The house was located near the top of a hill and
surrounded by tall trees, producing a wall of green that, even during the hot, summer days, provided a welcome coolness. The graveled driveway led down the hill to eventually, merge with the main road that, in turn, led to the motorway. It only took her twenty minutes to drive to work and yet, it felt like they were living in the middle of the wilderness, surrounded by clean air and nature.

  The view of the Pacific Ocean, visible between the trees that lined one of the hills and the fields of rolling green, adorned with acres of rainforest, was breathtaking. It made Jody grateful for their secluded island of happiness. Jody remembered the first time she had seen it. They had taken a turn off the main road, and the car had steadily climbed the hill. On the way up, they had crossed a couple of creeks that were fed by a waterfall in the nearby forest.

  The narrow road had led them through parts of the forest that were dense and cool. After about five minutes they had spotted the house. Jody had loved the old farmhouse immediately, and when she had looked at Sam, she had seen a familiar glint in her wife’s eyes. They had both laughed and promised each other not to look too eager when meeting the realtor. But they instantly had fallen in love with the place.

  Two weeks later, construction workers had arrived to make a few minor alterations, and a month later their dream house was finished. A five-bedroom home with a double garage and a wraparound veranda, on twenty acres of land, mostly grassy hills and forest, with a perfect view of the Pacific. A large pool behind the main house completed the picture and whenever family or friends visited they often brought their swimming gear.

  Inside the house, tile floors and timber lined ceilings gave the place a rustic look, providing necessary coolness during the hot, summer months.

  A few hundred meters from the house, just off the driveway, was a small, two-bedroom apartment with its own landscaped backyard. Sam had loved it, knowing her parents and brother Tom and his family would visit regularly and she was pleased to be able to offer them all the privacy they would want.

  Jody smiled when her thoughts returned to her in-laws. Sam’s father was tall, with a deep voice that, if raised, would probably sound like thunder. He was an intimidating sight, and at first, Jody had been a little apprehensive around him. But after only spending the afternoon with Richard Stevens and his wife, Evelyn, and noticing how Sam had her father wrapped around her little finger, Jody had learned that Richard Stevens was a kind and gentle man, who would do anything to make his wife and children happy.

  Sam and Jody’s wedding had been a testimony to that. Richard had insisted on paying for it, and the couple’s honeymoon, which was spent traveling through Europe for three weeks. No matter how much Sam and Jody had objected, he had been determined.

  Tom, Sam’s brother, had just grinned and reminded his sister of his wedding and the way their parents had organized it to perfection.

  “Suck it up, sis,” he had chuckled. “Just enjoy the ride. Besides, you’ll be disappearing Down Under again. Don’t deny them this pleasure.”

  The wedding had been impressive, Jody recalled. They had wanted to keep things small, and grudgingly, Richard Stevens had promised not to invite all his friends and business relations.

  The ceremony had been held at the city hall of Sam’s hometown, Breda. It had been sunny that Saturday morning, and when the car had pulled up in front of the steps that led to the massive wooden doors of the centuries old, majestic building, people had stopped to watch, and quickly a small crowd had formed. It was something of a tradition, Sam had explained to Jody the day before the wedding. The town hall was in the middle of the city’s historic center, which was usually bustling with activity. Whenever there was a wedding, people stopped to appreciate the wedding party and call out congratulations to the newlyweds. As soon as they had climbed the steps, and noticed the small crowd, Sam had grinned and raised her hand in greeting.

  “You’re beautiful,” she had whispered, leaning in to kiss Jody’s forehead.

  The onlookers had smiled and when one of them shouted: “You go, girls!” they all started laughing and applauding.

  “Congratulations,” someone else had called out.

  Sam had turned around with a grin, her eyes searching the fast-growing crowd to find their well-wisher. “Thank you,” she had said. “But we aren’t married yet. She could still change her mind.”

  The onlookers had laughed again, and Jody had shaken her head. “Are you afraid I’ll say ‘No,’” she had teased when they were about to enter the building.

  “No, I know you love me,” Sam had whispered. Her voice had cracked a little. “And this is the most beautiful day in my life. Nine years ago, I thought I had lost you forever, but today we’ll become each other’s wives. It’s a dream come true.”

  “Thank you for waiting for me,” Jody had whispered back, pulling Sam’s head down for a kiss.

  Only when they had heard whistling and clapping, they had remembered where they were. With a quick wave and slightly embarrassed grin, Sam and Jody had entered the town hall, where an usher was waiting to accompany them to the wedding-parlor where their family and friends were already waiting for them. Included in the wedding party had been Lucy and Gerald who had been able to travel all the way from Australia to The Netherlands and who had been more than excited to meet Sam’s family. Tom had taken time off work and had been their tour guide for the duration of their stay when his sister and her wife were enjoying their honeymoon.

  Jody closed her eyes and smiled. Their wedding day had simply been awesome. Sam had looked so relaxed and happy, and Jody had been pleasantly surprised to find that all the guests spoke English. Even the waiters and waitresses at the hotel where they had held their wedding reception, had simply adjusted and addressed her in her native language, which had earned them a huge tip from Richard Stevens.

  When Jody had expressed her surprise, Sam had smiled. “Most people here speak English, and they are hospitable enough to change from Dutch to English to make you feel at home. It’s easier for them to speak English than it is for you to speak Dutch.”

  “That’s a good thing because I still can’t get my tongue around it,” Jody had chuckled. “It’s such a hard language to learn.”

  Jody glanced at her watch and stood up from her comfortable deck chair. Sam had gone to town to get groceries, and she expected her back soon. Sam was probably thirsty, and Jody decided to make some fresh lemonade. She realized that soon their extended honeymoon would be over and Jody would return to The Reef, where she had been promoted to manager. Sam was kicking around some ideas to expand the services of the hotel. She had been exploring the idea of a scuba diving school and had already contacted several instructors to see if they were interested in working for Stevens’.

  As Jody stepped into the kitchen, the phone rang, and her face lit up when she saw the screen. “Hi, Mom. You didn’t change your mind, did you? Are you still coming to dinner? Oh…okay, no, you don’t have to bring anything, just yourself… what? That’s no problem, Mom, just take your time, we’ll see you when you get here. The school bus will drop off Fiona, and I’ll pick her up down the road…Alright….I’ll see you soon.”

  A little later Jody sipped the cold lemonade, waiting for Sam to arrive. They would have dinner guests that evening and, of course, a few of the most essential groceries had been forgotten on their last trip to the store. Jody grinned when she remembered Sam’s face when they noticed they had forgotten to buy cream for the Pavlova Sam loved so much. Jody had offered to make something else instead, but Sam had insisted on driving back to town to get the much-needed ingredient. Sam’s sweet tooth was always a topic of gentle teasing.

  Jody scratched their five-month-old German Shepherd, Kurt, behind his ears. The dog looked up at her with adoring brown eyes and lazily wagged his tail. Life was good for the canine. He had two humans who looked after his every need and plenty of room to roam around, which he did with abandon.

  “Knowing your mommy, she’ll save you some cream.” Jody chuckled. �
��She spoils you rotten, Kurt.”

  The Shepherd had been a gift from Brian and Chris, who had told them they loved their house but were a bit worried about the isolated location. A good guard dog had made them feel better about it, and one day they had shown up with the adorable, clumsy pup. Jody and Sam had immediately fallen in love with the dog and ever since he had become part of their family.

  Chapter 2

  Peter Sutton, Chef at The Reef, glanced aside and shook his head. “If you don’t watch it, the park will be swarming with kids soon, Joan,” he said. “I mean, I appreciate what you do, but you can’t help all of them.”

  “I know.” Joan McDonnell wrapped up a sandwich and added it to the bag on the counter. “I wish I could help them all. But Pete, if I can only help one kid, it will be worth it.” She paused for a moment. “Besides, there’s something about that girl.”

  “She’s a runaway,” Pete muttered, slicing off a big chunk of cooked ham, carefully wrapping it in cling foil and handing it to Joan. “You don’t know anything about her. For all we know, she’s a juvie.”

  “My eldest daughter was a runaway once,” Joan answered softly. “But somebody helped her and kept her safe. For that, I can never thank them enough, Pete. We are talking about kids here. This girl is somebody’s daughter.”

  Peter Sutton dried off the knife he had been rinsing and turned to the woman he had begun to think of as a friend. “You’re right,” he admitted. “This is somebody’s kid. Her parents might be looking for her. But you can’t take her in, Joan. What are your plans?”

  Joan collected some scones and added them to the already full bag. With a smile, she looked up at The Reef’s chef. “First, I’d like to gain her trust,” she said. “This girl is as skittish as a newborn foal. After that, I don’t know. We’ll see. As I said, there’s something about this girl. I can’t explain it, but—.”

  “You’ll find out,” Peter interrupted her with a grin. He waved his big hand and shooed Joan out of his domain. “Go,” he said. “The kid must be starving. I’ll see you tomorrow.”