“She was going out with someone, used to go to Christchurch to meet him”—-deep grooves formed in Matilda’s -forehead—-“but she just used to laugh when I asked her about him. She said she’d tell me everything once she was sure he wouldn’t be breaking her heart.”

Secrets were never good. Will had learned that over and over again.

“I was happy for her.” Matilda’s lips curved before fracturing. “The way she -smiled… I thought she’d found a man she loved so much that she didn’t want to jinx it by talking about it.” She took the coffee Will had risen and poured for her. “But then she stopped going out of town and started up with Dr. de -Souza… I’m happy about that, too. I mean, a girl could do a lot worse than a doctor.”

Unvarnished emotion in her voice as she continued. “Just the other day, I was thinking my girl’s life was -made—-she’s going off to get the education she’s always deserved, and things are real serious with Dr. de Souza. I know it probably means she’ll end up living far away from here, -because—-young fella like -him—-he’s not going to want to stay out here forever, is he? And my Miri’s always wanted to fly.”

Dark eyes ragged with pain lifting up to meet Will’s. “Dr. de Souza asked me to sneak one of her cheap little dress rings to him. He wanted to make sure he got the size right.”

“He’s planning to ask Miriama to marry him?”

“I don’t know if he plans to do it before she leaves for the city or if he’s going to wait until after she comes back for her first break,” Matilda said, “but he’s mad in love with Miri.”

“You aren’t worried at how young she is to be thinking marriage?”

“Miriama’s never been young in the head or the heart.” Matilda’s face twisted, but she managed to hold back a fresh wave of tears. “Maybe because of how small she was when her world turned so ugly. When I think of her in that motel room with -Kahurangi…” This time, she couldn’t stop the tears.

Wiping them off with the back of her hand, she took a restorative sip of coffee, then carried on. “Miri’s always liked older men. Not old enough to be her father or anything, but men who are settled in life, solid as a kauri tree against the wind. Had the worst crushes on her teachers in school, but I brought her up better than to ever do anything about it.”

Will had witnessed a much older -man—-midfifties or -over—-hit on Miriama. He’d later discovered that same man had once taught Miriama at high school. She was only nineteen and a half now. It wasn’t a stretch to think that, student or not, certain men would’ve taken advantage of her given any indication of interest.

“Other boys and men she dated,” Matilda said, “lot of them saw her as a trophy, like she was a pet, or a piece of pottery they’d bought from Sita’s fancy store. But Dr. de Souza, he loves her. I know he’ll treat her right.”

Will wondered why Dominic hadn’t mentioned his plans to -propose—-then again, why would the man think to do so when his girlfriend was missing? Dominic was probably praying she’d turn up alive and well so he could carry off his proposal exactly as he’d planned. “Did Miriama ever go out with anyone else in the Cove?”

“Not really.” Matilda hugged the mug with tight hands. “She’s seen how nasty it can get when people break up in a town this small. She got lucky and never had that with her first boyfriend. That was Te Ariki, Ngaio’s boy. He and Miriama were together for two years, broke it off when they were both fifteen or sixteen. No hard feelings there.”

Will knew one Te Ariki in Golden Cove. “He’s the one who goes out on the big fishing trawlers?”

Matilda nodded. “You probably know him because he tends to get carried away when he comes off the boat and home with a paycheck in his pocket.” An affectionate smile. “That’s about as bad as he gets, Will. He gives most of his pay to his mother to feed the littlies, parties hard with the rest, then goes out and works even harder. He and Miri catch up for a drink every time he’s in town.”

Will thought back to his conversation with the doctor. “Does Dominic know about their relationship?”

“Miriama invited him along the last time she met Te Ariki.” Matilda looked at Will. “I think Dr. de Souza was jealous before he saw them together, the way men are when they think an old lover is trying to horn his way back in. But there’s nothing like that with Te Ariki.”

Regardless of Matilda’s take on things, Will made a note to follow up with the fisherman. It was possible that once Te Ariki realized how serious things were between Dominic and Miriama, he’d changed his mind about what he’d given up.

“Is there anything else you can think of, Matilda? Even things that you feel uncomfortable talking about? I need to know.”

Matilda sighed. “You’re wondering about Steve, but he really couldn’t have hurt my -girl—-he was in the house when I got home just after six and he never left.” A worn face staring at the chipped and scratched wall across from them. “I know he looks at her in a way he shouldn’t, but Miriama’s strong. She can defend herself if he loses his mind and tries anything.”

Will found it truly difficult to understand Matilda. That she loved Miriama with every bone in her body was true. Also true was that she seemed incapable of removing the residential threat to her beloved niece.