Read Online An Isolated Incident by Emily Maguire - Free Book Online

came towards her, headlights on high beam, then no headlights at all. May’s vision flickered and swam. She noticed how dark it was, how few houses there were on this street, how much yard and driveway in front of each one. She ran harder, but only slightly, kept her pace steady as the lightless car reached the other end of the street and executed a screeching U-turn.
    â€˜C’mon, girl. Stop for a second. Just a second.’
    The car was right behind her, engine revving, keeping pace. Up ahead, end of the street, maybe a minute away, was a lit-up house. She struck out hard.
    â€˜Aww, why you keep running like that? Jus’ gimme a second, gimme a second.’ The patter kept up, friendly, almost gentle, like she was a wild dog being coaxed into the back of the pound van.
    The concrete driveway metres away was too far. She made a sharp turn onto the lawn, ran hard towards the brightly lit porch. The car sped away, tyres screeching as May knocked on the door.
    A man answered, late thirties, striped pyjama pants and a white singlet. He raised his eyebrows, didn’t speak. Behind him, the theme music to Friends blasted and children’s whines rose and fell .
    â€˜I’m really sorry,’ May said. ‘I was out for a run and someone started following me. I just . . . Your lights were on and so I . . .’
    The man peered behind her. ‘Gone now, looks like.’
    There was something familiar about him. For a mad second she thought he was the man in the car and her heart stopped before sanity kicked it back to life again. ‘Yeah, um. I wonder if . . . I didn’t bring my phone with me and –’
    â€˜That wasn’t real smart, was it?’
    â€˜No. I didn’t think I’d – Can I use your phone really quickly? Call a taxi?’
    â€˜A taxi? Where ya going to?’
    â€˜Strathdee Inn. It’s just –’
    â€˜Yeah. Look, give us a sec and I’ll drive you.’
    â€˜Oh, no, I didn’t want to –’
    â€˜One sec.’ He disappeared down the hallway. May heard a woman’s voice, the kids piping up, a child’s giggle. More muttered conversation and then he reappeared dressed in footy shorts and a navy blue t-shirt, keys and phone in hand. ‘Come on then.’
    His face and voice clicked into place. ‘You’re, um, you were at the press conference today? Constable Riley, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Senior Constable Riley,’ he said, then smiled very slightly. ‘Tom, if you like.’
    â€˜I’m May Norman. I’m –’
    â€˜A reporter, yeah, I know.’ He walked past her towards a grey station wagon, held the passenger door open while she climbed in.
    â€˜This bloke who followed you,’ he said once they were out of the driveway. ‘He in a shit-brown Ford? Number plate ROX111?’
    â€˜Um, brown car, yeah. But I didn’t – I didn’t notice the make or plates.’
    â€˜Nah? Thought that’s what you lot did? Notice stuff – details and that.’
    May bit back the apology. ‘I thought it best to ignore him. Keep my eyes straight ahead. Usually works to get rid of pests like that.’
    â€˜Yeah. Thing is, fella you’re dealing with here, Dean Rockford – Rox – he’s all piss and wind. If it happens again, tell him to bugger off, give him the finger, something like that and he’ll go on his way.’
    â€˜Does this a lot, does he?’
    â€˜When he has the chance. He’s harmless, though. Take it from me, if you’d so much as looked him in the face he’d’ve sped off like nobody’s business.’
    They pulled into the hotel car park. May’s heart rate was back to normal, but her chest ached and she couldn’t seem to stop swallowing. ‘Look,’ she said. ‘What if it wasn’t this bloke, or if . . . I mean, whoever killed –’
    â€˜Wasn’t Rox.’
    â€˜But how can