by Annie Seaton
Kane shrugged; the last thing he wanted to do was hurt anyone, and Ellie’s vulnerability had already tugged at him. It had been a big part of the attraction last night. Something hard within him had softened a little when she’d drifted off to sleep with her fingers curled in his. He’d lain there for a long time watching her sleep before he drifted off.
It was bad enough that he hadn’t gone to her when he’d woken up alone in his bed. As the sun cleared the horizon, he’d jerked awake to the noise of machine gun fire. Before he could make a fool of himself, he pulled on his sweats and went for a long run.
He was too damaged to inflict himself on anybody. Ellie deserved better. Someone she could rely on; he was not going to connect with anybody. Maybe he’d been an absolute louse the way he’d treated her today but she was right – sleeping together had not been a good move.
I’m not worth it.
Chapter 11
Monday afternoon
Makowa Lodge
By the time Ellie touched down after her final flight, she was exhausted. Seven back-to-back tours on top of the late night and shock of the break-in had left her frazzled. Despite that, she decided to go back to the farm to have a look at what was happening at the river boundary. Flying over it again today had made her more determined to find out what was going on. The gash in the land was wider than it had been on Thursday; it almost reached the South Alligator River that bordered the national park. As she flew over on the last trip, a flash of silver had caught her eye. She dropped a little lower and peered down. There was a series of pipes sitting vertically in the ground very close to the river. Funniest looking dam she’d ever seen, no matter what Panos said.
‘Thank you, that was fabulous. We might do another one tomorrow.’ The last couple gave her a wave as they headed across the tarmac to the gate and Ellie secured the chopper.
There was no sign of Kane and she ignored the twinge of disappointment that hit her when she glanced over to the hangar. The roller door was down and bolted. He’d already turned the fuel pump off and everything else was in order.
Glancing at her watch, she dug in her pocket for her car keys. Rather than going back to her apartment and getting changed, she decided to go straight to her car. She’d put the phone on hands-free and make a few calls until the phone dropped out of service.
The wind was picking up and the clouds were scudding across a bright blue sky. Ellie loved this time of the year. She took a deep breath as she hurried across the car park; it was good to be away from the smell of avgas. The humidity was low and the air was tinged with the smell of the burning grass around the lodge. She grinned to herself; spot on. It was only yesterday she’d seen the flowering Darwin woolly butt down at Heather and Bill’s telling the indigenous people it was time to ‘clean the country’.
The highway was busy and she had to wait for a few vans and RVs to pass before she turned north. Gina’s number was programmed into her phone and she pressed the shortcut button and put it onto speaker before she picked up speed.
‘Hi Gina, it’s your nursemaid calling. I’m so sorry I’ve not called in to see you yet. How are you enjoying your stay?’
A soft laugh came down the line. ‘It is fine, Ellie. I don’t expect you to babysit me – no matter what David said.’
‘How about I come over after dinner? I have a chore to run this afternoon but I should be back about seven or seven-thirty.’
Gina’s laugh trilled over the phone. ‘No, you really don’t want to. It’s like a zoo over here then. Bath and bedtime. It’ll turn you off kids for life. I’m planning an early night with my Kindle. I’m fine, really.’
‘How about lunch on Wednesday? I’ve got a couple of hours off in the middle of the day.’ Ellie had taken note of the schedule when she’d pulled it up earlier.
‘Honestly, you don’t have to look after me. We’re fine.’ Gina sounded a bit embarrassed.
‘No, I’d love to get to know you. How about I meet you at noon? It’ll be a nice break from all the flights we’ve got on this week.’
‘Okay, then. I’ll look forward to it.’
‘I’ll call if anything changes. Bye.’ She disconnected and frowned. One call down, one to go. Clearing the air with Heather was a priority, but not something she really wanted to do over the phone. But it couldn’t wait – she’d be finished work by the time Ellie got back. And her friendship was too important to let things get worse.
She hit the shortcut button and waited for Heather to answer as her car sped towards Jabiru.
*
‘Bill!’ Terry threw an apologetic glance Kane’s way and leaned over close to the older Aboriginal guy at the back of an air-boat. They were inside a shed in the enclosed compound at the back of the lodge, and the boat was propped up on a long timber ramp that led down to the river.
‘What?’ The old guy lifted his head and stared at them. A dead roll-your-own was wedged between his lips and he narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kane.
‘This is Kane McLaren,’ Terry said. ‘The new mechanic over at the flight centre. Jock sent him over to help you.’
Kane held out his hand as Terry turned back to him. ‘Kane, this is Bill Jarragah, my uncle.’
The old guy finally straightened and held a filthy hand out to Kane. ‘Don’t need help.’ His voice was gruff.
Kane nodded and shook his hand, ignoring the smear of grease transferred to his fingers. The guy’s hands were as filthy as the stained overalls he wore.
‘I thought you were having trouble with the motor?’ Terry shook his head as Bill turned back to the boat.
Bill grunted and ignored them.
‘Jeez, Uncle Bill. What’s put the bug up your arse this week? You’ve been a real cranky old bugger lately.’ Terry rolled his eyes at Kane.
‘I’ve sorted it.’ Bill lifted his head again and gestured to the workbench that ran along the side of the shed. ‘So quit your jabbering and pass me a thirty mil spanner.’ Whether it was the problem with the motor or another problem he’d sorted was not clear.
Kane looked around the workshop, barely holding back a shudder. Every surface was covered with tools, bits of pipe and assorted pieces of metal, and the floor was littered with junk. It was a workplace safety nightmare and he was surprised. The rest of the lodge – the parts he’d seen – were immaculate. Even the gardens around the staff car park down the back were well cared for. This workshop was an accident waiting to happen. If the hangar had looked anything like this, he would have turned on his heel and walked out last week, contract or no contract.
To his surprise, Terry crossed to the end of the bench, reached into the assortment of junk and pulled out the required spanner.
He shrugged as he handed it to Bill and looked guiltily at Kane. ‘Bit of a mess in here. Jock’s given us till the end of the month to get it back in order but we’ve been flat out with the crocodile management and the monitoring for salvinia.’
‘Salvinia?’ Kane hadn’t heard of it.
‘It’s a noxious floating weed. We help out the national park blokes with spotting it when we’re out in the air-boats.’
Kane nodded and looked around. ‘If you want a hand with the clean up, I’ve got some spare time. When I’m not rostered on anywhere else that is.’
‘We’d appreciate any help we can get, hey Bill?’
Another grunt from under the boat.
Kane wandered over to a second boat that was propped up at the front of the shed. He bent down to look at the motor and Terry followed him over.
‘Really interesting set-up, these boats. I haven’t seen one of these up close before. Is that a V8 engine?’
‘Yep, they have automotive engines in them. You’ll have to come out for a spin one afternoon. They get a good speed up.’ Terry lowered his voice. ‘Don’t be put off by the mess. Bill’s a damn good worker, but he stretches himself too thin. He represents our people on a lot of committees. He’s a good man.’
‘Ah, ya fuckin’ bastard.�
�� The clang of a spanner hitting the wire frame around the motor brought an oath from the lips of Bill, and Kane raised his eyebrows as he grinned at Terry.
‘Do you think we should offer to help again?’
‘Worst he can do is crack the shits with us.’
They walked back over to the air-boat. It was good to be in male company. He missed the bond he’d had with the guys in the military. The friendships that were forged there drew similar characters together. Black and white outlooks, aggressive personalities and a workplace where expletives like Bill’s filled most conversations.
Bill accepted their help without comment and by the time he let out a grunt of satisfaction, long afternoon shadows were filling the large open shed. ‘Thanks. Appreciate it.’
‘Coming for a beer, Bill?’ Terry wiped his hands and then passed over the piece of rag and Kane took it over to the sink in the corner.
‘Dad?’ The gate clanged shut and Kane turned around from the sink. Heather hurried across to the boat where Bill was topping up the oil. ‘Can I get a lift home with you? My car’s ratshit.’
Kane dropped the towel and walked out of the dark corner, and Heather smiled apologetically when she spotted him. ‘Ah, I mean it won’t start.’
Terry’s white teeth flashed and Kane hid a smile.
‘Hi, Heather.’ He stood beside the boat and looked down at her. ‘What’s wrong with it? Would you like me to take a look at it?’
‘If you’ve got time that would be great.’
Bill straightened and wiped his hands on the front of his overalls. ‘If you want to come home with me, you’ve got fifteen minutes.’ For the first time since Kane and Terry had come into the workshop, Bill chuckled. ‘But I’m warning you, I had a few roos in the wagon yesterday and it’s got a bit of a stink up. No whinging on the way home, okay?’
Heather pulled a face and turned to Kane. ‘If you can take a quick look, maybe I won’t have to go in Dad’s smelly truck.’
Terry laughed and shook his head. ‘I don’t know why you don’t get yourself a ute like the rest of us, Uncle Bill.’
‘Perfectly good Land Cruiser wagon. It’ll see me out.’ He stepped back from the boat. ‘Fifteen minutes or I go without you, missy.’
‘Come on, Kane.’ Heather held her hand out but Kane ignored it and stepped past her to the gate.
‘Where is it?’
‘In the staff car park.’
Bill narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kane. ‘Fourteen minutes.’
Heather and Kane walked quickly to the car park and she dug out her keys.
‘Pop the bonnet and I’ll have a look.’
As Heather closed the door and moved around beside him, he was conscious of her soft breasts pushed into his arm and he moved away. A bit too blatant for him. Besides, he’d stuffed up with a female staff member once already, and he had no intention of taking Heather up on her rather obvious offer.
‘Where did you get to last night? You left early.’ Her perfume washed over him as she leaned into him again. ‘I didn’t get a dance with you.’
‘Yeah.’ His reply was noncommittal.
‘Ellie left early too.’
‘Did she?’ If gossip was what she was after, he wasn’t going to satisfy her need. He wasn’t one to kiss and tell. He stretched away from her and reached into the engine. ‘You were right.’ He chuckled. ‘It is ratshit. Looks like rats have chewed through a cable.’
‘Bloody rats. It’s happened before.’ Heather turned around and leaned back on the front of the car, and put her shoulders back to emphasise her breasts.
‘This won’t start until you get that cable replaced.’ Kane stepped back and held the bonnet with one hand, waiting for her to move out of the way so he could slam it shut. ‘Do you want me to get one and fix it for you?’
‘Oh, that would be so lovely of you.’ Her voice was soft and breathy.
‘You’d better get a move on if you want a lift home with your dad.’
‘Kane.’ She reached out and put a hand on his arm, but before she could say whatever was on her mind – and he had a fair idea of what that was – her phone trilled.
Heather pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. Kane stepped away again as a small smile tipped her lips.
‘Hi, Ellie. Sorry, can’t talk now. I’m with Kane.’ Her voice lowered but Kane heard her soft whisper. ‘My turn.’
Chapter 12
Monday
Porter Farm
Shortly after Heather had cut her call short, Ellie turned her small sedan off the highway. The thought of Heather with Kane shouldn’t have bothered her, but it gave her a funny feeling in her chest that settled there until she reached the old farm.
By now they were probably in the bar having an after-work drink. Bloody my turn. She tried to tell herself not to be petty. After all, she wasn’t going to sleep with Kane again, so if he wanted to take up with Heather, that was fine by her.
It was.
As she drove up the rutted driveway, she briefly considered simply continuing nonchalantly past the house to the back of the farm, but old habits die hard. It was no longer her property, and she needed permission before she went wandering over someone else’s land.
The place still looked abandoned, no black Jeeps roaring down the driveway today. The front door was closed and the curtains were drawn across the front windows. The house sat sleeping in the late afternoon sun. There was no sign of Kane’s mother. Maybe she was out? In the far distance, a small plume of smoke rose in a lazy spiral. Not enough to indicate a burn-off, but enough to let her know that somebody was down at the back boundary.
Ellie parked the car at the front of the house, and slowly walked up the stairs onto the verandah. The old tank stand next to the kitchen still leaned at the same precarious angle. She and Emma had sat beneath that tank playing with frogs as the heavy rains of the wet season had clattered onto the tin roof of the house. Mum had been horrified and had scrubbed their hands and had spent days waiting for the warts to appear.
Another old wives’ tale. There’d been lots of them. Most of all Ellie remembered the laughter . . . and the smells: the pungent aroma of the tobacco from Dad’s pipe, the ever-present sweet scent of the mangoes in boxes at the top of the steps.
Ellie swallowed, trying to force away the ache that stuck in her throat. Those memories felt real – real enough that she half expected to peer around the corner and see Dad heading down through the trees on the old tractor. Real enough to toss her school bag into the old sleep-out and follow the day’s cooking smells into the kitchen, where Mum would be standing in her gaudy apron, her hair held back in a rubber band, her cheeks flushed from the heat of the old wood stove.
Standing on the familiar verandah, just being here, was very different to standing at the gate looking in from a distance like she had the other day. That had been like looking through a filter, or at a photograph, something that didn’t really exist. Now the creaking of the front step and the same old empty pots on the verandah took her immediately back to her childhood. Ellie hovered on the quiet edge of her memories and thought about turning around, getting into her car and leaving.
I can’t. Now that she’d seen the earthworks she was going to find out what was happening. Panos had been lying to her the other day. She was sure of that. Bill knew something as well, but for some reason he wasn’t telling either. She might have lost her father, but if this was a way to help her mother get out of that dark place that had ensnared her, it had to be done.
Gulping a deep breath, Ellie forced her feet to take her to the front door. She raised one hand and curled her fingers, hesitating as she thought of what to say if the door opened. She straightened her shoulders; if Panos Sordina came to the door himself, she would be polite.
She knocked and waited.
Maybe there’s no one here? Maybe she could just go for a walk through the old orchards and see what was happening. If anyone asked, she would say she was looking for . . .
looking for something or someone. She’d figure out what if she had to. She turned towards the steps but the familiar rattle of the key in the front door made her stop. Turning back slowly, Ellie watched as the door opened and a tall thin woman leaned around to look at her.
‘Yes?’ The voice was soft and the expression wary. ‘Can I help you?’
‘Hello.’ Ellie stepped forward and forced a friendly smile to her lips. ‘My name is Ellie Porter. I used to live here and I was driving past and –’
‘Ellie! Come in, come in.’ The woman pulled the door back and stepped aside so Ellie could enter. ‘My son mentioned that you might drop by sometime.’
‘I don’t want to intrude. I just wanted to –’
‘Don’t be silly. Of course you’re going to come in.’ She looked at Ellie curiously. ‘You don’t remember me, do you?’
‘No, I’m sorry. You’re Mrs Sordina?’ She was not what Ellie had imagined.
‘Yes, I am. But please call me Susan. I spent a couple of afternoons here with your mother when – before your dad’s funeral. You’ve grown up.’
A wisp of memory clung to Ellie’s thoughts. Her mother had had a friend called Susan. But this thin woman didn’t look like the woman she remembered at Dad’s funeral. That woman had been plump with blonde, curly hair. She took a step forward and followed Susan into the house.
‘It’s time for afternoon tea. Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?’ She looked at Ellie with a gentle smile. ‘I’d enjoy the company.’
Ellie’s throat closed up and she tried to think of a polite way to refuse. She closed her eyes for a second.
‘Are you all right?’
She opened her eyes and swallowed the lump. Susan was looking at her with a frown and the strong light streaming through the large kitchen window from the west accentuated the deep furrows in her forehead and the dark shadows beneath her eyes. She could see where Kane got his cheekbones. As Ellie looked closer, she realised Susan was still in her dressing gown.