BACKWOODS RIPPER: a gripping action suspense thriller Read online

  BACKWOODS RIPPER

  Anna Willett

  Published by

  THE BOOK FOLKS

  London, 2016

  © Anna Willett

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Other great Australian titles

  Chapter One

  Paige Loche turned the radio off and regarded her husband. With one lightly tanned arm draped over the wheel, and the other resting on his thigh, Hal looked completely relaxed. One of the things she loved about him was his stillness. Even with the birth of their first baby only two months away, he managed to remain calm and unfazed while Paige experienced a stab of panic every time she thought about what lay ahead.

  “Tired of the music?” He asked, and shifted his hand to her leg.

  “Just feeling a bit queasy.”

  They’d left the highway thirty minutes ago in search of a side road heading to the east of Mount Barker. At first the bushland on either side of the single lane road offered a welcome change from the bland and uneventful highway. But after watching the trees spin by for the last ten minutes, Paige felt her stomach churn and her lower back throb.

  “I’ll find a turn off and a clearing where we can pull over.” Hal rubbed Paige’s thigh while keeping an eye on the road.

  “Thanks.” She picked up his hand and turned it over so she could run her finger over the tattoo on the inside of his wrist. She could feel his pulse beating a steady rhythm beneath his warm skin. When they first met, Hal’s tattoo unnerved her. But over time, the vicious red snake – weaving its way around a dagger – became one more thing about her husband she’d grown to love.

  “Don’t worry, after the baby comes, I’m getting it removed.”

  “Don’t you dare.” Paige lifted his wrist to her lips. “It’s grown on me and … and it’s part of who you are.”

  “I thought you hated it?” Hal laughed.

  “Hate is a strong word.” Paige put his hand on her belly. “Besides it can be a useful cautionary tale about what not to do when you’re drunk.” She felt the baby move. A long shifting sensation travelled across her stomach, as if sensing its father’s touch. “Feel that?”

  Hal gave her a sideways look over the top of his sunglasses and smiled: Hal, with his messy brown hair and two-day old stubble looking healthy and strong, as if he could take on the world.

  * * *

  “Spring Road. I don’t remember seeing it on the map, but it might be privately owned,” Hal said, and swung the car right. “With any luck there’ll be a clearing where we can pull over.”

  The sign announcing Spring Road leaned dangerously close to the ground at a sixty-degree angle, almost as if pointing towards some hidden passage to the centre of the earth. On either side of the narrow road, thick scrub and ancient gum trees crowded the bitumen. Paige leaned back and shifted her butt until her back straightened. It had been two hours since they last took a break and she looked forward to stretching her back.

  “Is that a house?” Paige motioned towards a clearing on the left.

  Amidst the tightly-packed greenery, a dusty white building sat in a sea of cracked bitumen, now a home for sprigs of yellowing weeds. The building looked at odds with its surroundings, as if an industrial structure had dropped from a passing aeroplane and landed haphazardly in the midst of the bush.

  “Whatever it is, I’d say it’s abandoned now.” Hal pulled the car off the road and onto the aging bitumen. Bits of stone and scattered twigs crackled under the wheels of the Ford EcoSport. “There’s a bit of shade at the end of the building,” he said and drove around the carpark.

  The building comprised of two squat brick structures on either side of a tall, broad tower with a pointed tin roof. The façade had been rendered – at least fifty years ago – and painted white, now faded to a streaky water-stained grey. On the far left of the structure, the carpark dipped and a cluster of peppermint trees circled the crumbling edges of the property.

  “Silver Island Cheese.” Paige read the cursive black writing above the building’s main door. “It’s sort of creepy.”

  “It’s a cheese factory; I don’t think there’s anything less creepy,” Hal said with a chuckle, and turned the car in a slow arc to park under the shade of the trees. “Come on, we can sit on the loading bay.”

  For a moment Paige didn’t move. She scanned the front of the building for signs of life. Something about the hulking structure seemed out of place in the isolated setting. She pinched her lower lip between her thumb and index finger.

  “It’s not like we’re planning on breaking into the place.” Hal sensed her trepidation. “You can stretch your legs and take a breather. I’ll grab us something to eat out of the Esky. We’ll have a picnic.” He looked around. “I don’t see any chainsaw-wielding maniacs so I think we’ll be okay.”

  Paige rolled her eyes skyward. “Okay, but if I get chopped up, I’m blaming you,” she said, suppressing a smile.

  Hal grabbed a picnic rug and the cooler from the rear of the vehicle, and walked over to the loading dock. He spread the rug out near the edge and pulled a can of coke out of the Esky. Just watching him drink made Paige need to pee. She rubbed the small of her back and turned away. The bush on the far side of the car would do the trick, but the thought of squatting in the thick scrub while trying to balance her swollen belly was unappealing to say the least. Then there was the tiny matter of snakes. She shuddered and turned back to Hal.

  “Do you want a drink?” He asked, holding up a bottle of water.

  Paige’s shoulders slumped. “I need to pee, but I’m worried about snakes in the bush.”

  Hal put his coke down and walked back towards her. “Just do it around the other side of the car. There’s no one around, why go in the bush?”

  Paige turned and looked at the road. They hadn’t seen another car for at least twenty minutes. The baby gave a sudden kick and the pressure on her bladder intensified.

  She sighed. “Okay. Why not?”

  She took care positioning herself near the dip that lead to the peppermint trees so the urine would flow down and away from her feet. The relief felt almost erotic in its intensity. Paige let out a long breath and looked up. A magpie sat in the overhanging branch, its head cocked to one side; it fixed a black beady eye on her.

  If the magpie decided to swoop at her, Paige would likely tumble backwards and land in her own pee. She grimaced and tried to force her bladder to empty, but it had been a long car ride and judging by the steady stream that chugged towards the peppermint trees, she wasn’t slowing down any time soon. She cursed under her breath and clutched her knees.

  “What did you say?”

  “Nothing!” Paige winced at the shrillness of her voice and glanced back up at the magpie. It regarded
her with blank intensity and rubbed its beak on the edge of the branch. Getting it nice and sharp, Paige thought grimly and watched the creature hop a little farther down the branch. She felt her stream start to dwindle and smiled. A second later, she pulled up her pants, gave the bird a smug look over her shoulder and walked back around the car.

  “Feeling better?”

  “You wouldn’t belie-”

  “Look out!” Hal’s smile dropped and his mouth opened. He stepped towards her, arms up.

  Paige started to ask what he meant when something grazed the right side of her head. There was no pain, just a jolt. In her periphery she saw a blur of black moving so quickly she could’ve imagined it. Stumbling forward, Paige almost lost her footing, but Hal reached her in time.

  “I knew that thing was going to swoop at me.”

  “Are you okay?” He held her left elbow to steady her.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” Paige laughed. “Lucky I’ve got you to catch me.” She looked up into his face and the smile died on her lips.

  He’d drained of colour and his lips were tight. Pulling her closer, he encircled her in his arms. She leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heart beat; it sounded fast. Had her near-fall startled him so badly? She laced her arms around his back and felt his muscles warm and hard beneath his T-shirt.

  * * *

  Hal, a little over six foot with a large, muscular frame, had just left the army when Paige met him. He’d been working as a plumber – a trade learned in the armed forces. Strong, gentle, and light hearted, but never glib; he made Paige feel safe.

  “I’m sorry if I scared you.” Paige pulled back from the hug, searching Hal’s eyes.

  He looked away, she could see a redness creep up his neck. She frowned.

  “Hal? Is something wrong?”

  He kissed her on top of the head, turned away, and walked towards the loading bay. “It’s nearly three o’clock, we should get going.” He folded the picnic blanket.

  Paige could tell he was upset, maybe even embarrassed about something. It’d probably be best to just let it go and wait until he wanted to talk about it. But Hal never fretted about little things.

  “Hal, tell me what’s going on? You’re worrying me.” Paige put her hand on his elbow and turned him away from the Esky.

  He put the rug down and faced her. “It’s nothing, really.”

  Paige put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. Hal gave a long sigh and said, “Okay, but it’s nothing. I wouldn’t even say anything, but I know you won’t let it go until I do.”

  Paige wanted to ask what he meant by won’t let it go, but held her tongue.

  “When you came around from behind the car and the magpie swooped you.” He paused and looked over her shoulder to where the car was parked. “I got a …” He scratched his head and shrugged.

  “You got a what?” Paige asked her voice dropping to a whisper.

  “I don’t know.” He laughed, a dry nervous sound. “It’s nothing. I just got a fright when you almost fell.” Hal held her gaze. “I’m fussing, I know.”

  “No.” Paige put her hand on Hal’s arm. “You’re not fussing. We’re miles from the medical centre in Mount Barker, the last thing we want is an emergency out here.” She looked around at the abandoned factory and the dense green bushland seeming to crowd closer with every passing minute. “I don’t know if I’m just too much of a city girl, but this place gives me the creeps. I say we go.” She released Hal’s arm and snatched up the picnic blanket.

  Hal grabbed the Esky and followed his wife to the rear of the car. Loose gravel and bits of debris crunched under their shoes. The boot-space held their two suitcases, road snacks, and paper towels, supporting their plan to spend a few weeks exploring the South West before the baby arrived. A carefree “babymoon” seemed like the perfect way to transition from newlyweds to parents.

  Paige watched Hal push the matching black cases aside and put the cooler into the back of the car. Their next stop, Mount Barker. The small town tourist spot allowed visitors to enjoy the fruits of the Great Southern wine region. Not that I’ll get the chance to sample the wine, she thought. Hopefully the side trip to the crazy cheese factory wouldn’t sour their last week on the road.

  She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and tossed the picnic rug on top of the Esky. “I don’t like the look of those clouds.” Paige nodded up at the sky to the previously blue expanse.

  Hal followed her gaze and nodded. “They get some heavy rainfall down here, even in spring. But we’ll be long gone before the downpour starts.” Hal slammed the hatch closed and gave Paige a playful pat on the butt. “Let’s go, Honey. I plan on getting us to Mount Barker by five, and placing a cold beer in my hand by six.”

  “You mean my swollen feet in your hands,” Paige teased, pleased that Hal sounded upbeat.

  Paige opened the passenger door and grabbed her denim jacket. The wind had kicked up and the temperature dipped. She slipped the jacket over her white cotton dress and slowly hoisted herself up onto the seat. She glanced across the driver’s side and noticed Hal standing outside. He was looking down, a frown creasing his brow. What now?

  Paige opened her mouth to ask what he was doing, but his head ducked out of sight. An icy sensation touched the back of her neck. She slid back out of the car and walked around to the driver’s side. Hal crouched on the ground inspecting the tyre. Paige noticed a line of sweat gathering on the back of his neck.

  “It’s flat.” Hal looked up and pointed to a gash in the tread.

  For a moment their gazes locked. Something flickered in Hal’s green eyes. It was only there for a fraction of a second, but Paige knew she’d seen it. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear her husband looked scared.

  The saliva in her mouth evaporated. She reminded herself that he’d been in far more dangerous situations during his time in the army. This was nothing more than a flat tyre. His anxiety probably stemmed from being stranded with a pregnant woman. Who wouldn’t be? Her doctor had assured her the long car trip was perfectly safe as long as she took rest breaks. The worse that could happen would probably be fatigue and dizziness. Even so, she understood his anxiety.

  Paige put her hand on her belly and bit her lower lip. Hal stood and gave the tyre one last kick before trekking around to the back of the car. He unloaded the suitcases and the Esky, working quickly, trying to get the tyre changed before the rain fell.

  “This won’t take long,” Hal said, and bounced the spare out of its mount on the tailgate.

  Paige nodded and managed a weak smile. She glanced back at the empty building. Three large windows faced the carpark, the glass looked black behind the wire mesh covering them. The windows higher up in the centre point of the tower were boarded over. Paige wondered what they were trying to keep out, animals or people? She pulled her jacket closed across her chest and shivered.

  Hal balanced on one knee, working silently he jacked up the front of the vehicle and unscrewed the lug nuts. When he had the flat safely off the axle, Paige moved a little closer. In spite of the chill creeping into the air, a dark line of sweat marred the back of his T-shirt.

  “Nearly done,” he said and lifted the spare up to the bare rim.

  “What do you think caused the flat?” The question nagged at her from the moment Hal showed her the gash in the tyre. The dilapidated carpark was covered in bits of gravel and twigs, but she couldn’t see anything that would’ve torn a hole that large.

  “It could have been a broken bottle or – holy shit!” Hal jumped back from the tyre. His right leg drawn up in pain. As he pushed himself away from the car, his left foot hit the jack out of position and the vehicle dropped suddenly. The spare fell out of his grasp and spun sideways.

  A crack, like a branch snapping rang out and then the car bounced. Hal’s head snapped back as he cried out. Paige shrieked and lunged forward hands outstretched.

  “No!” He croaked and put up his hand to stop her a
pproach.

  She hesitated confused, then she saw the snake slither up near Hal’s shoulder. He lay flat on his back holding his right leg up to his chest. His other leg still under the car next to the rim.

  “Don’t move,” Paige gasped, keeping her eyes fixed on the shiny brown snake bobbing and weaving its way around her husband.

  Her heart beat so hard it felt like it might come out of her mouth. She looked around for something to use as a weapon and spotted the tyre iron on Hal’s far side. With the snake between her and the iron, Paige realised she’d have to make her way around the creature.

  “I’m going to get the tyre iron,” she whispered.

  “No. No, Paige,” Hal groaned. “Don’t.” He tried to move and his eyes widened; he gasped and lowered his head. The snake slithered closer to Hal, its slimy body undulating as its pale underbelly rasped over the bitumen.

  “Shhh,” Paige whispered and stepped to the side so she could move around his head and give the snake a wide berth.

  Blood flooded Hal’s face turning it from lightly tanned to almost purple. He was bathed in sweat and pain. Paige’s eyes moved between Hal and the snake. She wanted to speak to him, tell him everything was going to be okay, but with each fraction she moved, the snake’s head weaved between its hiding place next to Hal’s head and Paige’s feet. If she made a sound, it would strike.

  She took another side step to the right. The snake lifted its blunt head, regarding her with blank, blackish-brown, reptilian eyes ringed with orange. Paige tried to swallow but couldn’t. Hal’s breath came heavy and raw.

  “Don’t move your head, it’s right next to you,” Paige whispered when Hal attempted to watch her progress. He didn’t respond, but kept still.

  Paige didn’t know a great deal about snakes, but she did know that Western Australia was home to some of the world’s most venomous. Snakes were one of the things that scared her when she and Hal made the move from Melbourne to Perth only six months ago. She remembered telling herself the fears were irrational. The chances of her ever coming face to face with a snake were slim to none. Right.