Purple Roads

by Fleur McDonald

  Kate went to the head of the drafting race while Anna waded through the sheep to open the gate. She grabbed their heads, turned them towards the race, then gave a sharp, loud shout. The sheep were off and running through the draft.

  Their lambs followed suit, though some baulked as they reached unfamiliar ground, and Anna had to work hard to keep the mob running. Finally the back pen was empty, the front yard full of ewes and the side one packed with small lambs bleating for their mothers.The ewes looked through the railings, trying to push their heads through the gaps, wanting to find their babies.

  ‘It’s all right, girls,’ Kate told them. ‘You can have them back very shortly.’

  ‘Where’s all the gear, Kate?’ Anna yelled over the noise.

  ‘In the esky next to the cradle,’ Kate answered.

  Anna opened the lid, took out the vaccine, guns and needles, and started to set them up.They would hang on the steel post next to the marking cradle. Anna moved on to fill the bucket with water and disinfectant and count out the tags. Finally it seemed they were ready.

  They eased the lambs into a smaller pen then looked at each other.

  ‘All good?’ Kate asked.

  Anna nodded. ‘Okay, here we go - but I might be a bit slow at first,’ she warned. She grabbed a lamb, and gently lowered it into the cradle. She certainly hadn’t forgetten how to do this task. It was second nature to her as she expertly hooked the legs into the holders and thrust the needle into the cheek. ‘Yep,’ she said to indicate she’d finished and Kate swung the cradle around.

  ‘I think I’m going to be sore tonight,’ Anna groaned as she picked up the next lamb and it kicked out with its leg, catching her in the breast.

  ‘I think we both will,’ Kate said. ‘But tell me you don’t love it.’

  ‘I don’t love it,’ Anna said obediently.

  ‘Liar!’

  They worked quickly, knowing there was still a lot of work to do after these lambs.

  Finally Anna threw the last lamb into the cradle and bent over to ease the pain in her back.

  ‘That was fun!’ she groaned.

  ‘Really? Doesn’t sound like it!’

  ‘Oh, Kate it was. Far out, I miss this.’ She stood up and twirled around, her arms out and head back, ignoring the blisters on her hand and unfit body. Then she took Ella over to watch the ewes finding their babies.The last lamb to come out of the cradle had just found its mother and was drinking from her udder.

  Ella chuckled with delight.

  ‘Do you want to help shoo them up, Ella?’ Kate asked. ‘They need to go out the gate.’ She pointed.

  ‘Can I open the gate?’ Ella asked.

  ‘Yep.’

  Anna watched as the little girl walked confidently through the sheep, along the edge of the yards and unhooked the chain, feeling sad this wasn’t the sort of life she could offer her daughter anymore. She looked like a little farmer in her jeans, polo-neck jumper and rubber-sided boots. Her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and the beanie Anna insisted she wear was covered by a tiny Akubra Kate had brought back from one of her trips to Adelaide.

  Kate threw her arm over Anna’s shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. Anna knew Kate understood what she was thinking.

  ‘Come on,’ said her friend. ‘We need to get the next mob of lambs in so we can get them to the butchers. Otherwise we won’t have the meat to take to the market next weekend.’

  Chapter 35

  It was a week before Sam and Matt could put their plan into action, but on Saturday night Matt pulled up outside Sam’s house and hopped out of his ute, leaving his door open for Jasper.

  Sam looked out of the window, waved and said something to Kate, who appeared silhouetted in the kitchen light, a wide grin on her face as she gave him the thumbs-up. Then, as she saw Jasper, her face changed. She ran out the door, Sam close behind her.

  ‘You got him back!’ she called delightedly. ‘Jasper! Here, Jasper!’

  Jasper stood back, timid, then took a tentative step forward, almost like something had jogged his memory.

  ‘Don’t be offended if he doesn’t come straight away, Kate,’ Matt said. ‘He’s really shy at the moment, but I’m hoping with a bit of love and care he’ll soon get back to the way he was.’

  Kate dropped to the ground and held out her hand to let Jasper smell her, all the while crooning softly to him. ‘C’mon, fella, I’m not going to hurt you. Hey there, big boy, you wanna pat?’

  Jasper took another tentative step towards her, then another, and she was finally rewarded with a lick to her hand. She fondled his ears, talking quietly.

  Sam looked at Matt curiously. ‘I don’t suppose I should ask,’ he said.

  ‘Probably not,’ Matt said with a grin.

  Kate gave the dog a last pat then stood up. Jasper went straight back to Matt and leaned against his legs. Matt’s hand strayed down to his head and stayed there.

  ‘So how are you going to do this?’ Kate asked, looking between the two men. ‘The pub?’

  ‘Yep,’ Sam said. ‘Where else do you go when you want information?’

  ‘The hairdresser. Helen Gubbins and that bloody old gossip Mrs Harby seemed to have plenty to say last time Anna was there,’ Kate said.

  ‘Huh! Those old biddies wouldn’t know if their arses were on fire,’ Sam said. ‘But honestly, I think we’ll get more info from people talking to them face to face, than if we ring them.You sure you’ll be okay here by yourself?’

  ‘I’ll be fine. I don’t think they’ll come back a second time, do you?’

  ‘They haven’t yet,’ Matt reassured her.

  ‘Lock the doors in case,’ Sam said.

  Kate gave him a look. ‘Sam, this is a farmhouse,’ she said dryly. ‘Since when have we ever been able to lock the door? The bloody locks don’t work!’

  Sam looked sheepish and Matt clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Quit while you’re ahead, mate,’ Matt said. ‘Just keep that hockey stick close by, Kate. You’ll scare anyone when you’re holding it! C’mon, let’s see what we can find out.’

  He opened the door of the ute and, without being asked, Jasper jumped in and curled up on the passenger’s seat.

  ‘Sorry, you might have to share,’ said Matt.

  Sam opened the door and gently shoved the dog into the middle of the bench seat. ‘I don’t share my seat with anyone, let alone a dog, even if he has been rescued,’ he said jokingly, until Jasper growled.

  ‘Jasper, no,’ Matt said sternly. ‘You’ll have to be a bit careful,’ he warned Sam. ‘He’s not the same dog he was. I’m not sure I trust him not to bite.’

  They waved goodbye to Kate and headed down the drive, the puddles reflecting the spotlights.

  ‘So, come on, spill,’ said Sam. ‘How’d you get him back?’

  ‘Well it’s a bit of an odd story. I’ve never got around to telling you about the strange phone message I got, did I?’

  Sam shook his head and Matt relayed the story, stopping only to answer Sam’s questions.

  ‘Then I worked out whose the voice was.’

  ‘Really? How?’

  ‘I was at Maggie’s shop when I heard it. I didn’t really want to meet its owner - I mean, those guys had been talking about murder and owing huge amounts of money. So I thought I’d go around to the main street and see if I could recognise a car or something, never really thinking it could be someone I knew. And there was Jasper in the back of a ute.’

  There was silence and then Sam’s forehead crinkled as he connected the dots, then looked down at Jasper. ‘You’re not telling me it was Alec Harper?’

  Matt nodded.

  Sam shook his head. ‘Nah, mate, you’ve got it wrong. Old Harper has got more money than you and me and half the town put together. There’s no way he’s got money troubles; even though he’s a bit strange, he wouldn’t be involved in murdering someone.’

  ‘Well that’s not what he was saying in the phone message. You want to hear it?’ Matt passe
d over his phone.‘If he’s got himself into trouble then I reckon it serves him right.’

  Sam raised the phone to his ear and listened attentively. ‘Unbelievable,’ he muttered when the message had finished. ‘Are you sure? This bloke sounds a bit nasal.’

  ‘Yep.’ Matt’s tone left no room for doubt.

  ‘As does Harper some of the time. I probably wouldn’t have worked out it was him if you hadn’t told me. You sure you’re not just giving this bloke a hard time ’cos you’re pissed off with . . . Okay, okay!’ Sam raised his hands in self-defence as Matt threw him a sour look. ‘Just thought I’d ask.’

  Matt froze as he reached down to turn off the ignition. ‘I don’t suppose . . .’ He gave a funny laugh and shook his head. ‘No, surely not.’

  ‘What?’ asked Sam.

  ‘We agree it’s Alec’s voice on the message don’t we?’ Matt asked.

  ‘Well, yeah,’ Sam said slowly. ‘I wouldn’t like to swear on it in a court of law, though.’

  ‘I just wonder if he’s having money problems.

  Stealing would be a good way to make some more of it.’

  ‘Money?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Matt, you’re off on a wild-goose chase, mate. That bloke has got more money than a bull can shit and the stuff that is going missing wouldn’t pay off the farm debt.You know how much he paid for that piece of dirt.’

  Matt was silent for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders.‘Yeah, you’re probably right. But you have to admit it’s weird.’

  They pulled up at the pub and Matt shut off the engine. ‘It’s really too strange to contemplate,’ Sam mumured.

  ‘Ready to get out, mate?’ Matt asked Jasper gently. ‘C’mon then, you can come in; I’m sure Joe will find a spot for you.’

  ‘So, we ready?’ Sam asked.

  ‘Yep,’ Matt said solemnly. ‘Let’s go.’ He tried not to look across the road at the lights from his house. He imagined Anna reading Ella a story and tucking her in for the night. He knew then she’d allow herself half an hour to relax before cleaning up the kitchen. He shook his head. He couldn’t be distracted tonight. He might miss a crucial bit of information.

  The warmth from the open fire, laughter and beery fumes hit them as they opened the door and walked in. At a quick glance, Matt could see at least one man he wanted to talk to, but mostly it was the normal Friday-night crowd of young blokes and their girlfriends. He peered into the restaurant area and saw that a few of the tables were full, but there wasn’t anyone he knew.

  ‘Want a beer?’ asked Sam, pulling his wallet out from his back pocket.

  ‘Yeah, thanks.’

  ‘Hey, Matt,’ called Joe from behind the bar. ‘Good to see you, but you can’t bring the dog in here.’

  ‘Come on, Joe, he’s hurt and just getting better. He won’t be any trouble.’

  ‘The healthies will yank my licence.’

  ‘They here tonight?’

  Matt could see Joe was wavering. ‘Oh, stick him under one of the tables - but for goodness sake, don’t let him roam around.’

  ‘Cheers, mate. Thanks.’ Matt walked over to a booth and slid over against the wall. ‘C’mon, Jasper. Get under.’ He snapped his fingers and Jasper slunk under the table, curled himself into a ball and sighed happily. Matt reached down to pat him, wondering how on earth he had survived all this time without his mate.

  Matt looked up as Sam put down a schooner and saw Gavin Knots, the farmer who had a generator taken about five weeks before.

  ‘Matt, do you know Gavin? Gavin, this is Matt Butler.’

  Gavin put out his hand and said, ‘I’ve seen you around but I don’t think we’ve ever spoken.’

  ‘G’day. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.’

  ‘I don’t really know how I can help.’ Gavin sat down and took a sip of his beer.‘Do you really think it’s like an organised crime thing?’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about organised crime,’ Matt said, ‘but when you look at all the thefts, there’s a lot happening in the same area. I guess we’re just looking for any detail that might help us tie it all together - maybe you noticed something unusual in the days leading up to the theft of your generator?’

  Gavin sat back in his chair, brow furrowed in thought.

  ‘I don’t know. I had the machine down by the dam on the road. Anyone could have just driven past, and decided they were going to take it. Gina, my wife, did see a fancy black sports car down there the day before. She remembered it because she wondered if the driver was lost, our road being a dead end and all.And it’s not often you see a car like that out here! But I wouldn’t think a guy driving a car like that would need a generator.’

  ‘Nah, it sounds unlikely,’ Sam agreed. He drained his beer and held up his glass. ‘Anyone for another?’

  Matt shook his head but Gavin held out his glass. ‘A bitter, thanks.’

  ‘Where exactly do you live on the no-through road?’ Matt asked, as he shifted his drink from side to side.

  ‘Our house and sheds are about half a k off the main road.’

  ‘So Gina saw a sports car and you found the generator missing the next day?’

  Gavin shrugged.‘Well, yeah.’

  Matt wrote this in his notebook, his heart thumping. He’d had an encounter with a black sports car in that area before. Could it be the same one? Like Gavin had said, they weren’t exactly common around here.

  ‘Anything else?’

  ‘Not really. I’m sorry I can’t help more.’

  ‘Thanks anyway.’

  Sam returned with the drinks and pushed one over to Gavin. The three men chatted for a while about footy and farming, but as soon as the others had finished their drinks Matt slid out from behind the table.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry I can’t help you more,’ Gavin said, following Matt’s lead. ‘How about I ask around a bit, see if anyone else has noticed anything strange. You never know who is on the road at night.’

  ‘Ain’t that the truth,’ Sam said ruefully.

  ‘That’s dead right,’ Matt said at the same time and all three men grinned. ‘I’d really appreciate that, Gav. Here’s my mobile.’ He handed over a card with his contact details and held out his hand. ‘Catch you around sometime.’ He turned his attention to Sam and said, ‘Let’s head over to the Snowtown pub and see if Jamie Truton is there.’

  Sam looked surprised until Matt said. ‘There isn’t anyone else here that’s been affected.’ After thanking Gavin again for his help, he followed Matt and Jasper out into the night.

  The ute was cold and they had to wait for the engine to heat up. Matt finally gave up and looked over at his old house. All the lights were off. For a moment he wished Anna was sitting beside him, before reminding himself that she never would have agreed to help him in his investigation.

  He sighed, patted Jasper and accelerated out of the car park, heading for the lonely dirt road that would take them to Snowtown.

  Sam did the talking, bringing him up to date on some of the local news and for once it didn’t bother Matt. He was surprised to learn that the local merchandise store had changed hands and saddened to hear a local farmer had been diagnosed with cancer, his farm now on the market. His mind leapt automatically to the idea of buying it, until reality came quickly crashing in.

  As they drew closer to Snowtown, Matt noticed there were red tail-lights on the road in front of him. His heart started to beat a little faster and instinctively he pushed his foot down harder on the accelerator.

  Sam stopped talking as the speedo climbed to one hundred and twenty kilometres an hour and higher. ‘What are you doing, Matt?’ he asked calmly. ‘You’re on a dirt road. Slow down.’

  ‘Just want to catch this car.’

  ‘Why?’

  Matt stared at the red glow of the lights in front. ‘Well, like you said, we’re on a dirt road. Who’d be cruising along here at this time of night? It might be the sports car.’

  ‘And it might not be
– it’s a bit of a long shot, mate, and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to live. Slow down.’

  Matt hesitated then lifted his foot a fraction, and the car began to slow. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sam watching him, a puzzled look on his face. Matt supposed he did sound a bit obsessed, but now he was following a trail he couldn’t help himself.

  ‘It’s not so late that it’s strange to see a car on the road,’ Sam commented quietly. After all, we’re here.’

  ‘But that’s the point, isn’t it?’ Matt asked.

  They saw the car up ahead flick on its blinkers, indicating it was going to turn into a farm driveway. Suddenly from the edge of the darkness, a large grey kangaroo jumped onto the road and froze in the headlights. Matt swung the car gently to the left.

  He struggled for control as the car fishtailed to the right before straightening. The kangaroo bounded off unharmed.

  Matt heard Sam let out a breath.

  ‘Okay, okay, you were right,’ Matt said. ‘Sorry. I just thought it might have been worth following.’

  ‘None of this is worth your life,’ was all Sam said.

  Chapter 36

  ‘So, you ready?’ asked Kate as she lifted the last esky into the back of the minivan.

  Anna climbed into the front of the van, smothering a yawn. Being up and about at four am wasn’t her idea of fun, but at least Matt had agreed to come over early and spend the day with Ella.

  ‘I can’t believe we’re up this early,’ she said as Kate started the van.

  ‘Ah, stop your whingeing,’ her friend said jokingly. ‘You wait, Anna – you’ll love the markets. There’s heaps of stuff there: meat, fresh fruit and veggies. There’s even homemade sweets and jams. Cooking demonstrations. It’s awesome, I love it and, don’t worry, there’s a man with coffee. His name is – wait for it – Tootles.’

  ‘Tootles? Riiiight.’ Anna crinkled her brow and stared out the window as the bright headlights picked up bush on the side of the road, casting strange shadows.