In Safe Arms by Lee Christine Page B

tucked it under his arm, placing his hand in the small of her back as they negotiated the pathway to the kitchen.
    Ensuring the safety of his star witness, no doubt, Josie thought sourly. Keeping her in one piece — until it was time for her to testify.
    Lost in her thoughts, she almost stumbled when Nate came to a sudden halt and put a finger to his lips.
    ‘Someone went down the side of the house,’ he whispered, steering her off the path and close to a large rhododendron. ‘Stay here. Use the bottle as a weapon and scream if you need me.’
    He reached under the leg of his jeans and took his gun from the calf holster. ‘I’ll take a look.’
    Body going weak with fear, Josie stepped closer into the foliage, watching Nate’s tall outline merge with the darkness. A few moments later she saw him pass by the kitchen window, then disappear around the corner of the house.
    Standing amidst the oval shaped leaves, Josie tucked the bottle under her arm, high cirrus clouds shifting across the sky and bathing the garden in soft moonlight. From her position, she could just make out the back wall of the house and the enclosed verandah up top.
    Something crawled up her calf, and she leaned down and slapped at it, swearing under her breath as the insect exploded, leaving a warm, wet mass in her palm. As she straightened, a branch caught in her hair, a sharp twig scratching the side of her neck.
    She was shaking the dead insect off her hand, when something rustled in the bush again. The movement sent the cicadas quiet, ending their raucous love song with an abrupt cut-off.
    Josie stared at the darkness, heart vibrating in her chest.
    And then a shadow emerged from the undergrowth and sauntered towards her on four stout legs, elongated neck close to the ground, snake like tongue flicking from a mouth filled with sharp teeth.
    More than a metre long, it was the largest goanna Josie had ever seen.
    She lurched sideways before the reptile could rear up on its hind legs and run at her. Taking the bottle from under her arm she stumbled onto the path, knees trembling. The goanna’s nest was probably burrowed out between the roots of the rhododendron.
    She was almost at the backdoor when a footstep scuffed in the ground behind her.
    ‘Hold it right there!’
    Male voice, the command bitten out.
    High octane adrenaline surged into Josie’s body, infusing her with energy and burning up her fear. She’d well and truly had enough of this shit!
    She screamed for Nate, swivelling on the balls of her feet, wielding the makeshift weapon like a baseball bat, knees bent, full body weight behind a huge follow through.
    With luck — she’d take the bastard’s head off.
    But the Grange failed to connect with anything solid, and it took all her balance just to stay on her feet.
    Breath coming hard and fast, she looked up to see a man illuminated in the light from the window.
    Bald. Wiry.
    And with a gun pointed right at her heart.

Chapter 10
    ‘Drop it.’ Nate jammed the gun barrel into the back of Dickson’s skull, watching Josie back away, the bottle still clutched in her hands.
    His controller went still, then cautiously lowered his weapon.
    ‘What are you doing here, Dickson?’
    ‘I thought you could use my help.’
    Nate didn’t budge. ‘Why sneak around? Our usual communication is by text.’
    ‘I sent one when I arrived.’ There was a defensive ring to his partner’s voice. ‘I was sitting in the car, thought I saw something move down the side of the house.’
    Above Dickson’s head, Nate’s eyes locked with Josie’s.
    And then his controller turned, forcing him to take a step back.
    ‘There was a moving light down the back of the property.’
    Nate lowered the gun, satisfied with the answer. He had to give Dickson the benefit of the doubt. He and Josie had been outside for at least half an hour, and it had been remiss of him not to take his phone.
    ‘That was us.’ He looked at Josie again. She was panting like she’d