Read Online The Peppercorn Project by Nicki Edwards - Free Book Online

with a smile. ‘But it’s only an IGA with one register. The population doesn’t warrant anything bigger.’
    ‘You said in your application that you’re a registered nurse,’ Rachel said, rifling through paperwork in her clipboard. ‘Are you currently nursing?’
    Waves of heat and nausea rolled over Isabelle as uninvited memories resurfaced. She hadn’t been able to work since Dan’s death. The thought of having to perform CPR again filled her with dread. She took a deep breath before responding. ‘No.’
    Rachel frowned.
    Did I say something wrong?
    ‘Are you still able to work as a nurse?’ Rachel asked. ‘Are you still registered?’
    ‘Yes. But—’
    Isabelle was about to explain when they were interrupted by a commotion at the door. She swivelled in her seat to see Fletcher being dragged in by a mountain of a man in a police uniform.
    Her heart somersaulted and slammed against her chest.

Chapter 7
    The boy’s mother jumped so fast from her seat at the table that her chair tilted and fell backwards onto the old wooden floor. The crack of timber on timber echoed loudly in the old building, like a gunshot. She rushed to her son’s side and pulled him towards her in a tight embrace. Bright spots of colour burned in her pale cheeks and a flush crept up her neck.
    She jutted her chin out and glowered at him. ‘What the hell is going on?’
    It didn’t take an expert in body language to see she was furious – with him or her son, Matt wasn’t sure. She looked nothing like this in his dreams. He rubbed his face. This was not the way to make a good first impression. Why had he dragged the boy into the room? He should have waited until the interview was over. Dammit! He should have thought .
    She was still glaring at him, and for once Matt wished he wasn’t so tall. His height intimidated some people, and the woman standing beside him barely reached his shoulder.
    He extended his hand, hoping to defuse the situation he had created. ‘I’m Sergeant Matthew Robertson.’
    She looked at his hand as though he was passing her a loaded weapon, before taking it and shaking it quickly.
    ‘I caught your son stealing,’ Matt said.
    There was a sharp intake of breath. ‘What?’ Her mouth hung open. She tilted her head back to look up at her son – he was already half a head taller than she was. ‘You stole something?’ The incredulity in her voice was impossible to miss.
    ‘I was hungry,’ the boy replied softly.
    Matt strained to hear him.
    ‘What did you steal?’ she asked.
    The boy didn’t answer, just dropped his head lower. Matt wanted to lift the cap off his head, grab his chin and make him look his mother in the eyes, but something stopped him. Matt was missing something. Something else was troubling this kid.
    ‘How about we all have a chat about this outside later?’ Matt suggested, backing down. ‘Once the interview is over, perhaps?’
    He smiled apologetically at Alison and Jack and dared a glance at Rachel. He looked away quickly. He recognised disappointment on their faces. A chill slipped over him as if the midday sun had slipped behind a cloud. They weren’t disappointed in the boy or his mother, they were disappointed in him. For interrupting their interview. For reflecting poorly on Stony Creek. For jeopardising the whole project.
    Matt cursed under his breath. He had handled the situation the wrong way. He’d seen the boy swipe the plastic bag of croissants and he reacted, rather than taking a breath and responding more appropriately. Assuming the teenager was a city kid bringing trouble to their country town, he’d planned to nip it in the bud. In hindsight, it appeared he was off the mark. Way off the mark.
    ‘I think we should continue our interview another time, Isabelle,’ Rachel said. ‘Perhaps we can reschedule you again late tomorrow afternoon after we’ve finished all the other interviews. If we have time, that is.’
    First Matt registered Rachel’s dismissive