Crimson Dawn

by Fleur McDonald

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice niggled. He did try and help at the show, she recalled. What had he been thinking then? Well, she didn’t care. Pig-headed and stubborn were her middle names, and jealous, untrusting men didn’t deserve a second chance.

  Back in the function room she saw everyone crowded together. A roar of approval went up and she found Tim on the edge of the group crowded at the front of the room. She stood next to him and peered towards the front. People were throwing gold coins at a box.

  ‘Closest coin is the winner, and winner takes all,’ Tim said into her ear. He did a double-take. ‘You okay?’ he asked.

  ‘Fine,’ she answered shortly and forced a look of keen anticipation. ‘What are they going to win?’

  ‘A bracelet of some sort and a voucher to go for a spin in a racing car.’

  Laura felt in her bag and came up with five two-dollar coins. ‘It’s for a good cause.’ She pushed her way to the line where competitors had to stand. When it was her turn she began to throw the coins. The second coin landed on top of the box.

  ‘That’s the closest so far!’ Doug yelled. ‘Anyone else?’

  No one else managed to better her throw. A few minutes later, Laura was named the winner and the rest of the crowd clapped.

  ‘Thanks for a lovely evening,’ Laura said, fumbling in her bag for the keys to the ute.

  ‘Sorry Doug picked on you first,’ Tim said. ‘I’m still amazed he actually saw you—I did get a table down the back.’ He grinned ruefully. ‘But that dress was just, ah . . . a standout.’

  Laura smiled. ‘At least I wasn’t the only one. Poor Katie. Have you ever heard of anyone being fined for buying the wrong brand of tomato sauce? Nothing is sacred.’

  ‘You can get fined for anything at these crazy shows. Let’s hope enough money was raised for Jenny, though. I’m just pleased she was actually able to be here.’

  They were silent for a moment.

  Laura shivered. Tim took the keys from her hand and led her towards his car. ‘It’s cool tonight,’ he said. ‘Jump into my car, there’s something I want to talk to you about.’

  Laura didn’t want the evening to end but she wasn’t sure she wanted to get into the car with Tim. She gazed up at the sky to buy time. ‘I never tire of looking at the stars,’ she said.

  ‘It’s one of the things that’s kept me in the country,’ Tim said. ‘That and the moon.’ He paused. ‘The ability to be able to breathe.’ He opened the ute door for her. ‘I don’t think I’d make a good small animal doctor.’

  Laura admired his long frame as he moved around the car and got in. Feelings she’d kept in check since Josh, forgotten desires, had re-emerged since Tim’s appearance. She wasn’t sure if it was because it had been so long or because she actually wanted this man.

  She turned in her seat to look at him, her expression serious. Tim’s eyes locked with hers and he reached out and touched her cheek.

  ‘Oh!’ She grabbed at his hand but missed. ‘Your fingers are freezing!’

  Tim burst out laughing and withdrew his hand. He held his fingers to his mouth and blew on them.

  ‘That’s a way to make an impression,’ he said in between breaths.

  Laura threw her head back and laughed. It felt good. The wine had made her feel mellow and here, in Tim’s company, she felt suddenly happy.

  ‘Are mine cold?’ Laura wiggled her fingers at him. He took them.

  ‘They’re just about perfect.’ They held hands in the dark. Laura could feel Tim’s thumb running over hers and it sent little shivers down her spine.

  ‘So, did you have a good time tonight?’ he asked.

  ‘I did,’ Laura admitted. ‘I really didn’t want to go. I shun those sorts of events. I’m sort of happy with my own company, but I did enjoy tonight.’ She paused, then said, ‘You know what really surprised me? I found I had more in common with the people we went to school with than I realised. It might sound stupid, but I always felt I was on the outer back then. Like I never really fitted in. It’s funny when you revisit that time as an adult. People and attitudes aren’t the same as I remember.’

  ‘We all grow up,’ Tim said. ‘People face different things in their lives that shape them, make them who they are. Thank goodness none of us are the same as we were in high school—self-absorbed, selfish teenagers!’

  ‘Weren’t we just?’ Laura nodded. ‘We knew everything and didn’t have any more growing up to do.’

  Tim nodded. ‘So you think you might like to do it again?’

  Laura pursed her lips. ‘What?’ she asked, teasing. ‘Go to another fundraiser? Or grow up?’

  Tim glowered at her. ‘You know what I mean. Have another meal with me.’

  She paused before answering, ‘Yeah,’ unsure where that one small word would lead them. ‘Yeah, I would.’

  He leaned towards her. ‘You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.’

  He touched his lips to hers and Laura could feel him smiling. She slipped her arms around his neck, but she pulled away soon after, feeling embarrassed.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Tim asked.

  ‘Nothing. It’s just been a long time.’ She gently eased herself back to the other side of the car and tidied her hair. A mental image of Josh’s face just after he’d kissed her intruded and she remembered their strange encounter that evening.

  Why now? she wondered. Howie had explained everything to Josh, back when she was in hospital. Against her will, he’d tracked him down and made him listen. Josh had tried to see her, but she’d refused. The accusations had been too hurtful and to see him would have made it worse. That relationship ended, never to be revisited, in the hospital room.

  Tim changed the subject.

  ‘You know, as vets we see some strange things.’

  Laura snorted. ‘You think we don’t in farming?’

  ‘What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen?’ he challenged.

  ‘Um, let me think. Oh, when Papa still had cattle, a calf was born with five legs. The fifth one grew off one of the other legs, so it wasn’t sharing any major blood vessels or anything like that.’

  ‘What did you do about it?’

  ‘We put a rubber ring on it—you know, like the ones used when marking lambs? It just dropped off.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Tim sounded surprised. ‘Was the animal still saleable?’

  ‘It must have been. We didn’t know which one it was after a while.’

  The windows had fogged up so Laura rolled hers down a crack and breathed in the cold air.

  ‘You know, I surgically removed a second penis from a crossbred lamb once,’ Tim said.

  ‘You’re joking.’ She was appalled.

  ‘No, I’m not. It was growing out of his head.’

  That made Laura snort. ‘New meaning for the word dick-head, then. But you’re making it up, I know you are.’

  ‘I’m not. I’ll show you the photos if you want.’

  She could tell from the tone of his voice it was a promise.

  ‘I can’t even begin to imagine!’ Laura laughed.

  ‘You know,’ Tim continued. ‘I had a dog come in recently and I would have sworn he was hyped up on marijuana. After he started to come down he had the munchies.’

  Allie immediately came to mind but she didn’t say anything.

  ‘It seemed a bit coincidental after Random’s little incident.’ Tim looked over at her.

  ‘Whose dog?’ she asked quietly.

  ‘Can’t really tell you that.’

  ‘So what are you telling me?’

  ‘I’m not sure. I just don’t believe in happenstances.’

  ‘Different drug,’ Laura stated the obvious.

  ‘Yes,’ Tim drew out the word. ‘But two animals drugged in our little town, within a few weeks of each other? See, that’s where I have a problem.’

  ‘Tim, I think you’re grasping at straws, unless you know something more than you’re telling me. Random was
doped in Adelaide. Not here.’

  ‘Hmm. I don’t know,’ he said finally, with a sigh. ‘It was weird, so I wanted to get your opinion. It’s probably nothing.’

  ‘Okay, can you answer this? Did the dog come from anywhere near where I live?’

  ‘Ah, yes.’

  ‘Have you ever seen it before?’

  ‘A dog hyped up? Yeah. A few times,’ he admitted. ‘But not for a couple of years.’

  Laura nodded. ‘I had one of my students come to me today and tell me that she thinks one of the other girls is smoking weed. Could there be a connection?’

  Tim grimaced.

  ‘I’m joking!’ she said.

  He shook his head as if it was all too confusing. ‘Anyway, I’m on call tomorrow, so I’d better get a good night’s sleep. I’ll walk you back to your car.’

  They got out and Laura’s gaze shifted again to the stars above. She felt his hand on the small of her back gently propelling her towards her ute.

  ‘Thanks again for a lovely night,’ she said, smiling. In her heels she was almost as tall as he was, so he didn’t have to bend far to kiss her.

  ‘I’m planning on seeing you very soon,’ Tim said as he pulled away.

  ‘Good. But don’t bring those photos,’ she answered as she unlocked the door and got in.

  As she backed out, she could hear his laughter. She waved again and drove off. As she did so, she caught sight of Josh’s ute still down the far end of the parking lot. She narrowed her eyes, wondering if he’d been watching them.

  Lying in bed later, Laura thought back over the snippets of information Tim had given her. She couldn’t work out how there could be any connection between her ram and Josh’s dog.

  ‘Different drugs,’ she muttered as she drifted off to sleep.

  She dreamed of marijuana smoke curling through the trees. Animals were lying, dying, everywhere she turned.

  Tim appeared, a wispy figure. He bent down next to one of the dogs, but she couldn’t see what he was doing.

  Then they all disappeared behind the sweet-smelling smoke of the drug and were gone.

  Laura’s eyes flashed open and she stared into the darkness, her heart pounding.

  Chapter 29

  2008

  The sick feeling Laura had when she woke was still there. It had nothing to do with the amount of wine she’d drunk last night, and everything to do with Allie.

  She was finding it impossible to think of anything else. Laura had to do something, talk to someone. Finally, she picked up the phone and dialled her father’s house. But to her annoyance, Poppy answered.

  ‘Hi, Poppy.’ She paused, waiting to see whether her sister would recognise her voice. ‘It’s Laura,’ she said when there was no answer.

  ‘Laura,’ Poppy answered flatly.

  Remembering her dad’s plea, Laura asked Poppy how she was.

  ‘Fine. How are things down there in the sticks?’

  Laura felt her anger flare. ‘Damn it, Poppy, you can’t help it, can you? You have to have a go at me every time we talk.’

  ‘So-orry.’ Poppy drew the word out, and Laura could imagine her sister’s mouth in a pout. She couldn’t believe this woman was actually twenty-two. She acted like she was sixteen.

  Laura knew she’d been completely different at the same age. Responsible, driven, with dreams, and ready to meet challenges head on. In contrast, Poppy seemed immature and lost—drifting, as her father had said when he visited, which, for a young person, wasn’t good. It gave them more time and ability to get into trouble.

  Laura took a breath. Come on, she chided herself. You’re the older one. Act your age. ‘But since you ask, everything’s going really well down here “in the sticks”. How about you?’

  ‘Fine.’ Poppy’s tone was sulky now.

  ‘Seen any good bands lately? Dad said you were going to a few when he was down here last.’

  ‘Yeah, I like to go to the clubs. There’s good ones and bad ones.’

  Laura could hear the distaste in her sister’s voice. It was as if she was forcing herself to have a conversation with someone who obviously wouldn’t know anything about the Adelaide nightclub scene. How had it come to this?

  She persevered. ‘What’s the best band you’ve heard in the last couple of weeks?’

  ‘Like, as if you’ve heard of any,’ Poppy scoffed.

  ‘I might be a bit older than you, Poppy, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like good music or dancing or clubbing. I have done it once or twice before, you know.’

  ‘Oh yeah? And where did you go?’

  ‘I spent a bit of time at Lennie’s down at Glenelg,’ Laura shot back.

  ‘Never heard of it.’

  ‘I think it’s closed now. Heaven was a bit of a hangout back then. I think that’s what you guys call HQ, now.’ Laura smiled at the memory. Josh had been by her side, sporting a mullet. Her own hair had been puffed out with hairspray; she may have looked like a witch. She remembered St Tropez coolers and Sambuca shots, ra-ra skirts and body suits that did up at the crotch.

  Poppy’s tone changed slightly. ‘I don’t mind HQ. Of course, it’s not as happening as the Red Square. Good music there.’

  ‘Bryan Adams was one of my favourite singers back then. But we used to dance to lots of great music. Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey. That’s when the Spice Girls were huge too.’ She laughed and sang the opening line to ‘MMMBop’ by Hanson. ‘The music was between terrible and brilliant back then.’

  ‘The Spice Girls?’ Poppy’s tone was laced with disdain. ‘Hanson?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry.’ Laura was enjoying the memories. It beat thinking about Allie, anyway. ‘They weren’t my favourite’s, but I didn’t mind them.’

  ‘There’s a good band called Sinking Blizzard.’ Poppy was suddenly enthusiastic. ‘They’re pretty rocky, with a huge sound. It’s good stuff. They play at HQ. The lead singer’s a bit of a dish, so they’re not hard to watch.’

  Something stirred in Laura. The name was familiar. ‘Sinking Blizzard,’ she said slowly. ‘I don’t know how, but I think I’ve heard of them. Maybe we could do it together some time?’

  ‘Whatever.’ Poppy’s guard was back and Laura knew it was time to move on.

  ‘I was looking for Dad. Is he around?’

  ‘No, he’s at work. Mum’s here, though, if you want her.’

  ‘That’d be great. Nice to chat with you, Poppy.’

  The phone clunked down without another word.

  ‘Bye, Laura,’ she muttered to herself.

  ‘Hello, darling.’ Georgie sounded upbeat, as usual. ‘How are you?’

  At the sound of her stepmother’s cheerful voice Laura felt a lump in her throat. Bloody hell, how could a mother and daughter be so different?

  ‘Good and bad, Georgie.’

  ‘Well, then, you’d better tell me what’s going on.’

  Laura heard Georgie sit down and pictured her in the bright warm kitchen of their Adelaide home.

  ‘One of the students came to me on Friday and said she thinks one of the other girls is doing drugs.’

  ‘Oh. A curly one.’

  Laura gave a short, harsh laugh. ‘Yeah.’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I have no idea. At the beginning of the week, Allie came to me and said she was sick. She was complaining of a sore throat and headache and, you know, with the change of season and everything, I didn’t think anything of it. There’s a nasty virus going around town.’

  ‘That could have been a hangover too,’ Georgie observed.

  ‘I guess so. I only went on what she told me. She didn’t end up coming to work for the whole week. But I’d never have put whatever was wrong with her down to doing drugs. I don’t know much about this sort of thing, but I’d have thought if she was smoking weed after work, it wouldn’t affect her that much.

  ‘What I do know is, there’s something going on with the girls. They’re not getting along, for some reason.’

 
; ‘So what differences have you noticed, or are you just realising something is amiss because you’ve been told it is?’

  Laura paused. ‘I think,’ she said slowly, ‘it’s because I’ve been told. It’s made me see something isn’t right.’

  ‘Ah.’ They were silent for a moment. ‘It’s hard, isn’t it?’ Georgie said. ‘I’m assuming you don’t want to confront her in case it isn’t true?’

  ‘That’s what’s worrying me,’ Laura confessed. ‘Robyn was the student who talked to me. What if she is wrong, and I say something to Allie about it and it’s not true? It would be terrible. There’d be a breakdown in trust and everything else that goes with that. Plus the repercussions between Allie and Robyn. Not that I would name her, but it’s going to be pretty obvious that one of the other girls spoke to me.’

  ‘Have you considered just watching and waiting?’

  ‘That’s the trouble, Georgie. I’m not sure I can. Robyn seemed to think Allie’s doing something stronger than just marijuana. What if I leave it too long and something really bad happens?’ Laura twisted the phone cord around her finger and looked out the window as she spoke.

  She frowned. There was a ute coming up the drive.

  ‘What a horrible position to be in, Laurs. You must be so worried.’

  ‘I feel sick.’

  ‘Well, darling, I can’t tell you what to do.’

  ‘I know . . .’

  ‘But would you like to know what I’d do if it were me?’

  ‘Yes!’ Laura could now hear the approaching ute and she looked out again. She bristled at the sight of the vehicle. Why was he here?

  ‘If it were me, darling,’ Laura heard Georgie say, ‘I’d watch and wait. Listen and see if you can hear things you’re not supposed to. A bit like a detective gathering evidence.’