“How much did you get?”
She named a price that was twice what she was paying me—and I’d thought that was generous.
“He told me to keep her quiet and not to ride her.”
“Did he tell you how long he wanted you to keep her?”
“Not really. He’s paid another month, though. I didn’t hear from him, but the money arrived via Paypal again.”
“And you didn’t question this? Honestly, Josie, money doesn’t come for nothing. You, of all people, should know this. Somebody rocks up, out of the blue, and you just go along with it?”
Her fingers clenched on her mug. “Easy for you to say. Have you ever been poor, Felix? Have you ever sat in a shared backpacker dormitory, or a tent, or your car, and counted your dollars, wondering if you’ve got enough fuel to get to the next town where there might be a job? Have you ever pinched fruit from backyard trees to get something to eat?”
I was silent. I hadn’t. Even when times were tight, I’d always had food and shelter, thanks to my family.
“Sure, there’s Centrelink benefit, but it’s often more trouble to get than it’s worth. I’ve hardly ever claimed it—usually, I’ve found a job before I’m eligible for the payment. Judge me if you want, Felix, and I know you are, but even though Australia’s the land of plenty, it’s still not easy when you’re like me. I should have asked more questions, but I didn’t.
“You may find this hard to believe, but the first I heard of Fiery Lights was when Ger mentioned it.” Her lips twisted. “I don’t follow racing. Why should I? Money for gambling is a long way down my list of priorities.”
I was silent. Josie’s story fit the pattern of Flame being stolen. And being told not to ride her—well, that would fit either way. Don’t ride her because she’s a famous racehorse and she mustn’t get hurt, or don’t ride her because she has heart disease and it might damage—or kill—her.
Josie sat opposite me. Her raised chin and hunched shoulders made her look as if she was waiting for the axe to fall or for me to lift the phone and call the police.
I should. I knew I should. But Josie’s story had the ring of honesty to it. I could see that happening. And while there was a twist of hurt that Josie had liked me more for what I could offer than for myself, I pushed past it. Whatever her reasons for coming to me in the first place, that was then. The now was that she sat here waiting for me to make a decision. I held her future in my hands. Sue would know what to do. I thought about calling her, but then decided against it. I didn’t want to drag her in if I didn’t need to. If I called the police, there was a good chance Josie would be arrested for…well, something. Maybe I would be as well. Possibly not horse stealing, but probably some charge of receiving stolen goods. But then again, my decision shouldn’t be influenced by Josie’s situation.
But it was. I liked Josie. Liked her a lot. And even if she’d come to me initially because of Flame, I didn’t think that was entirely the case now. The liking and attraction between us ran both ways. Of that I was sure.
Abruptly, I came to a decision. I would give Josie the benefit of the doubt—for now. I’d tell her what I’d found about the microchip. Maybe she could shed some light on that. Maybe not. But for now, maybe we could work together to solve the mystery.
CHAPTER 16
Josie was clearly as baffled as I was by the microchip. I took her out to the paddock and read Flame’s chip once more and showed her on the database that it matched the one registered to Fiery Lights. I told her, too, what Alain had said about heart disease in horses.
“I could call Barney.” Josie scratched Flame on the neck, and the mare nudged her in the ribs for more. “Ask him why I can’t ride Flame. See what he says.”
“And tip him off in the process that you’re suspicious? Great idea.” I couldn’t quite keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
“Not if I put it that I just would like to ride her. After all, he said he wanted me to look after his horse because I knew about horses. It’s not so stupid.”
When she put it like that, it made sense.
“I’ll miss her.” Josie watched Flame nose the bare dirt, searching for grass. “I’ve got fond of her.”
“Me too,” I admitted. “She’s such a calm presence. Although it was different when I rode her. Then she was fired up, ready to gallop. If she’s not Fiery Lights, I’m sure she was a racehorse at some point in her life.”
“It’s just a matter of which racehorse.”
The sun beat down. It was baking in the middle of the paddock with no shade. I turned to walk back to the house, Tess at my heels. So far, the dog had shown no inclination to stray.
There were still no campers, which was hardly surprising. Now, only the hardy or insane were holidaying in the outback.
“I have to go back to Worrindi.” Josie turned to face me. “I have to work this evening. I wouldn’t normally have come, but I wanted to see you. Wanted to see if we could mend things between us. Can we?”
I moved so that I could rest my arms on the rail of the gate. “I don’t know.” Tess came to sit by my feet.
“Do you believe me?”
“I don’t know,” I said again. “I believe you more than I did before. After all, if you were up to your neck in this, you would have just disappeared. With or without Flame. The fact that you’re still here runs in your favour.”
She nodded, but didn’t speak.
“As for us? Is there an ‘us’, Josie?”
“I thought there was, that we were getting to that point. I thought you were with me on that.”
I couldn’t answer. She’d lied to me, repeatedly, and I wasn’t sure if I could live with that. Trust had been the bedrock of my family and my friendships. Could I sustain a relationship without it?
“Okay, then.” Josie turned away when I didn’t answer. “I’m going to work. I’ll let you know if I hear from the owner or if anything changes. Are you going to call the police?” Her voice was offhand, but the tension radiating from her was palpable.
“No. Not yet. I want to check a few things first.”
She didn’t ask what, and in truth, I wouldn’t have known what to answer. I hadn’t made a list or a firm plan. I just wanted time to make what I hoped would be the right decision. Over the years, I’d seen what a too-hasty call to the police could do. Shit stuck on people, and in small communities, it was hard to shed. I owed it to Josie not to drag her in until I knew it was the right thing to do.
“See you, then.” She walked off, and I watched her leave—watched the muscles in her legs, the tight fitting shorts, the sway of her hips and the mass of brown curls bouncing on her shoulders.
My stomach clenched. The attraction was still there. I wanted to kiss her, hold her, twist my hands into her hair. I wanted to push her away, shout at her, sift through her lies.
I didn’t know what I wanted.
I turned away. I had things to do before I saw Josie again.
Back in the house, I fed Tess with some of Ripper’s kibble that had been left behind, refilled my water bottle, sat at the computer, and opened the search engine. This time, I wasn’t looking for pictures and news stories. I wanted rumours, chatter, and the conspiracy theories and gossip found in forums and chat rooms. At first, all I turned up were the news stories. They were basically the same as the one Ger’s brother had sent across. Fiery Lights disappeared from the training yard in New South Wales, and hadn’t been seen since. She’d been turned out in a paddock, and although there was CCTV coverage, one far corner had no camera. The thief must have known this, as apparently there was no footage of her being removed from the paddock. The paddock adjoined an easement. Someone had cut the fence, led her out, and then repaired the fence in a makeshift way so that the other horses wouldn’t get out.
The articles talked about her ability as a racehorse, her prospects for the big races in Australia and overseas, and mentioned that her value as a broodmare would continue long after her racing career was over.
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br /> I started sifting through the various forums. Most mentions of her were jokes, or speculation, but then an entry on a trail riding forum caught my eye. The poster, who seemed to be female and went under the name Penny Dreadful, talked about a place in Victoria where she rode. She mentioned that the stables adjoined state forest, so there was great riding on the doorstep, and they had good horses for experienced riders. At the end of the post, the poster added that their latest horse was the spitting image of Fiery Lights.
I copied the post into a document, and hunted around some more. Two hours later, my shoulders were stiff from hunching, and I was bursting for a pee, but I’d found two more mentions in forums where people mentioned a horse that looked like Fiery Lights. One was in Scone, New South Wales, which wasn’t surprising, as that was close to where Fiery Lights was trained. It was also the centre of the Australian equestrian world. The second was in Western Australia. Someone had posted a picture of a horse who was agisted with their own horse, and made a joke about Fiery Lights. I enlarged the picture, and the resemblance was uncanny.
I went back to Penny Dreadful’s post, and saw that if I joined the forum I could send her a private message. I signed up with the username Ripper. I trusted Sue’s dog would have no objection. I sent a message, saying that I too had seen a horse that was similar to Fiery Lights and suggested we trade photos.
I sat back and rubbed my eyes. Outside, the light burned bright, and the air was heavy. Something rumbled outside, and I moved to the window to look. A four-wheel drive and a camper trailer had pulled up outside, and a couple of grey-haired people got out and stretched. Potential guests.
Their names were Jane and Robin, and they were grey nomads from Sydney. I showed them to the campground, and they were delighted.
“Unusual time to be on holiday,” I said to them.
“We’re on our way to the Northern Territory,” said Jane. “We’re in a program that matches grey nomads with farmers who need a break. We feed the house animals, mow lawns, keep the veggies going, keep an eye on the stock, and in return, we stay in the house for free and experience a different way of life.”
Tess had followed me out, and I watched to see how she was with strangers. Although she stayed close to me, she wagged her tail. When Robin crouched and encouraged her over, she went willingly enough and sniffed his hand.
“Has your dog been sick?” he asked as he stood again. “I don’t mean to pry, but she’s so thin. Lovely dog.”
“I’ve only just adopted her. Poor girl’s had a hard time.”
“Oh?” He sounded interested, so I told him what I knew of Tess’s story.
Jane’s lips twisted. “Bastards. How do people do things like this to their animals? I used to volunteer at an animal shelter, and some of the things we saw were horrific. When we wanted to put weight on a dog, we found the best way to go was feed little and often. And, if she’ll eat them, bananas are great for building up a dog.”
“Thanks for the tip. I’ll get some the next time I’m in Worrindi.”
Tess returned to sit by my feet, and I rested a hand on her head.
“I think she knows she’s found a good home.” Robin smiled at me.
They said they’d stay two nights. I took their money and made sure they were set up and went down to the horses. They crowded around the gate when I appeared, pushy little Budgie, top dog in the paddock, in front as always. The paddock was nearly bare. I’d have to move them further away from the barn, which would mean more work when I needed to get them in. I put off that day by feeding them hay. Flame hung back, but I made sure she got her share.
It was quiet. I was fine with being alone for the most part. But having Josie around for the last few weeks, with her good humour, boundless energy, and enthusiasm, made me think differently. Josie had livened up my life—and my business—with her ideas. Left alone, it was just me, quiet Felix.
I went over to the cabins. I didn’t have any bookings for them until next week, when I had an overnighter for one of them, but I took a walk through anyway and made sure all was right in case I had any drop-ins. All was perfect: the beds made-up and comfortable looking, the kitchenette tidy, a basket of tea, coffee, and biscuits on the counter. All I needed to do when I had a guest was bring over the perishable items for breakfast, if they were required.
I was killing time. I recognised that even as I fiddled with the chairs on the veranda, twitching them into place. I thought about going for a ride, but it was already too hot. I checked the amenities block and the camp kitchen and made sure all there was clean and tidy. Robin and Jane were setting up their van and didn’t seem to need anything, so I went back to the house.
I needed to go to Worrindi. I needed dog food and bananas, among other things, and a proper bed for Tess.
“Want to come?” I asked her.
I’d expected her to be wary, given the upheaval in her life lately, but she jumped into the passenger seat of the ute.
I found everything I needed quickly, including a new collar and lead for Tess for the times she came with me to town. It looked like she was a people dog, the way she had taken to Robin and Jane.
All the strays coming home to roost.
I hadn’t intended to go to the Commercial, but as I walked past the door with Tess on her new lead, I glanced inside and saw Josie behind the bar. I kept going, but I hadn’t gone more than a few paces before I heard her shout. “Hey, Felix, wait up a minute!”
She waved from the doorway of the pub. I walked back, and she smiled at me before she bent to greet Tess.
“She’s looking better already. Look at her eyes. Happier. She’s found a home.”
“She did well with the campers today. They loved her.”
“What’s not to love?” When Josie straightened, she was closer to me, enough that I could see the flecks in her eyes.
My fingers clenched on Tess’s lead so that I wouldn’t curve a hand around the back of Josie’s neck and pull her in for a kiss. Josie’s kisses. It seemed that I still craved them, despite all there was hanging unresolved between us.
“Did you want something?” My voice sounded harsher than I intended, but the gruffness was the only way I could keep control.
Josie didn’t respond to my off-putting tone. “I just wanted to see you. And Tess. I’m glad you and she are getting on well.”
I smiled down at my dog. “We are.” My tone softened. “Thank you for thinking of me. I’m glad you brought her to me. I’ll look after her.”
“I know you will.” She hadn’t stepped back, and I could still see every fleck of colour in her light brown eyes. “You’re a good person, Felix.”
I took a step away. I couldn’t let myself give in to the temptation of touching her. “I’m going to drop by Alain’s clinic and find out if there’s anything else I should be doing for Tess.”
“Wait.” Josie glanced back into the bar, checking if she had customers waiting. “I rang Flame’s owner last night.”
My instinct was to snap at her that it was still a stupid idea, but I said nothing.
“I thought I’d give him an update on his horse. I’ve done it once before, so it wasn’t an out-of-the-blue idea.”
“What happened?”
“Got a message from the mobile carrier that the number was not in service. I’m positive it’s the number I called last time. I have it saved in my phone.”
I didn’t know what to make of that. People did change mobile numbers, but I would have expected him to let Josie know his new number.
“I have the day off tomorrow,” Josie continued. “Can I come out?”
She sounded hesitant, which was hardly surprising.
I shrugged. “Sure.”
And then there seemed nothing else to say, so I said goodbye and continued down the street to see Alain.
Alain welcomed me and, between the two of us, we lifted Tess onto his examination table. Tess seemed at ease there, I guess because Alain had fed and housed her for a while.
I pulled my purse out to pay, but he waved me off. “You’re giving a deserving dog a home. Don’t worry about it. You’ll have to buy the next one, though.”
I thanked him, and we lifted Tess down again.
“Did you find what you needed using the microchip reader?” he asked. “Did you buy the horse?”
I stared for a moment before I remembered that had been my excuse for borrowing it. “No. I didn’t.” I felt bad at the white lie. True, I hadn’t bought a horse, but there wasn’t one to buy.
“Did you bring the chip reader back?”
I stared a second time, guiltily remembering that I’d left the reader on my office desk. I hadn’t given it a thought.
Alain laughed. “You’re so easy to read, Felix. Not to worry. I seldom use it. Just bring it the next time you’re in town.”
CHAPTER 17
I checked my email the next morning, and the first one I saw was an email from the trail riding forum, saying I had a private message waiting. There were also two emails from the booking service I used for the campground and one—finally—from the builder in the Isa. My cursor hovered over the four emails. The bookings could wait five more minutes, and the builder had kept me waiting. I logged into the trail riding forum and opened the message. It was from Penny Dreadful.
It was short and friendly, the sort of email one poster would send to another whom they don’t really know.
Hi Ripper,
I think there’s a few chestnut mares around resembling Fiery Lights. Here’s a photo of the one I know—who is called Flame. She’s a beauty! Would love to see a photo of your mare.
Fenced-In Felix Page 15