Queen of the Road

by Tricia Stringer

  ‘Steady, old boy.’

  Jilly came and sat beside Rusty, both of them dropping down, side by side, as Coop opened the laundry door. It appeared that Rusty had finally given shared ownership of his domain to Jilly.

  The tiles in the laundry gleamed and Coop noticed that the towel was fresh. A new mop and bucket were propped in the corner. Joan must have got a head start on his request to do some housework and home support for Alice.

  He flicked the outside light on again as he passed the switch. Joan had no idea of its significance but keeping that light on was symbolic, linking Alice to her home. Coop said he’d do it and he meant to keep his promise.

  When he turned the light on in the kitchen, the sparkle from the sink nearly dazzled him. He glanced into the loungeroom. Every surface shone back at him. Joan must have gone through with a good dose of furniture polish and elbow grease.

  In the bedroom he was using, everything had been tidied. He frowned at his swag. It was laid out straight and neatly made up, not at all how he’d left it. His clean clothes were set out carefully on the bed and the dirty clothes were gone. A pair of jeans and a couple of work shirts hung on hangers on the back of the door.

  Coop turned back to the kitchen and flicked on the kettle. Joan could clean for Alice, and he didn’t mind if she did some cooking, but he didn’t like the idea of her organising his things. He could manage that himself. Once Alice was home, he told himself, he’d move back to the quarters and keep right out of Joan’s way.

  As he went to the fridge for the milk, he noticed the light blinking on the answering machine. He pressed the play button out of habit, not actually expecting to hear anything. People usually hung up as soon as Alice’s gruff message began but this time there was a response.

  He closed the fridge door and stared at the phone as Jeff’s voice asked him to return his call. When was the last time they spoke? It must have been before Christmas, several months ago now. This was strange. Normally if Coop wasn’t available, Jeff would just ring back later, but there was a note of urgency in his message.

  Coop glanced up at the clock, working out the time in Queensland. Jeff would already be up doing his rounds and organising the workers for the day. If they weren’t mustering or they didn’t have any other big jobs on, he’d be back at the house by now, having his ritual second cup of coffee.

  Coop ignored the click of the kettle as it switched itself off. He picked up the phone and dialled one of the only numbers he’d ever committed to memory.

  ***

  Angela climbed into the cab, settled back in the driver’s seat and closed her eyes. Trying to conjure up the feel and taste of Coop’s kisses, she allowed herself a minute to relive the pleasure of the short time they’d spent together. It was hours ago now but the warmth still washed over her, and she took in a long, slow breath.

  ‘Are you tired, Mummy?’

  Angela flicked open her eyes. Claudia’s concerned face was only a short distance from hers. The little girl was kneeling on the seat, leaning towards her.

  ‘Just a bit,’ she replied.

  ‘But you said we could go to the footy.’

  ‘We will.’ Angela glanced at her watch. She’d been pushing her work hours to the limit recently and it was taxing her reserves. Thankfully she didn’t have to drive back to Adelaide for two more nights. She’d managed to catch a few hours sleep before calling in at Leanne’s to pick up Claudia, but it hadn’t been enough. Since then, she’d spent a good part of the morning unloading the second trailer at the pub and the IGA. Frank had been there, which had given them a chance to talk business. After Ken, he was her best customer, and she was pleased that he liked her new ideas.

  ‘Can we go now?’ Claudia was getting impatient.

  ‘We’ll take Big Red back to the yard and then go to the footy.’

  ‘Goodie.’ She clapped her hands and bounced up and down chanting, ‘Footy, footy, footy.’

  ‘Do up your seatbelt, Claud.’ Angela wasn’t quite as excited as her daughter was to be attending the local football game, but being the only home match for a while, it was a good chance to meet a few more people. Claudia had tagged along to the older boys’ football practice with Leanne and had liked playing with the other kids there.

  They parked the truck in the yard. Angela did a quick tidy up of the office before Claudia’s whining forced her to turn off the computer. She’d have to come back tomorrow, but it was probably for the best. Between fatigue and thoughts of Coop, she wasn’t really thinking straight. Tomorrow she’d feel fresh and able to finalise her ideas before talking them over with her father.

  The football oval was just a short walk across the highway. They could hear the horns tooting and the siren sounding from the truck yard, which was yet another agitation for Claudia.

  Angela was surprised by the number of vehicles parked around the oval. They walked towards the brick clubrooms where everyone seemed to be milling about. Several children were playing on the brightly coloured play equipment in a fenced off area at the back.

  ‘There’s Amy,’ Claudia said, tugging on Angela’s hand and pointing at some children on the climbing frame.

  ‘Take it easy, Claudia.’ Angela pulled the little girl to a stop as a car backed out beside them.

  ‘Can I play with Amy?’

  ‘As long as you stay in the playground.’

  Claudia skipped away, leaving Angela feeling like a new kid in a school yard. There were quite a few men on the clubroom verandah watching the game, but she couldn’t see anyone she knew. She hesitated, not sure whether to head inside or simply follow Claudia.

  ‘Hello Angela.’

  She turned around and her heart sank as Ken waved to her from his vehicle. There were things they needed to discuss, she just hadn’t planned on doing it this afternoon. She glanced in Claudia’s direction. The little girl was now climbing the frame with several other children. Angela sighed. She moved to Ken’s open window.

  ‘I’m glad you’re here,’ he said. ‘I was going to ring you later. We need to talk.’

  He sounded almost cheerful and Angela was relieved to see a smile on his face. The last time she’d seen him, she was concerned for his health. Now he looked like a man without a care in the world.

  ‘Would you like to sit in?’ He indicated the passenger seat.

  ‘No thanks. I want to be able to see my daughter.’ Angela nodded her head over the car. ‘She’s in the playground.’

  Ken glanced past to the car behind Angela. He lowered his voice. ‘I just think we should keep this conversation private for now.’

  Angela turned around. A woman sat in the car with the window up. ‘I agree,’ she said and leaned closer to Ken.

  ‘I’ve spoken to a few farmers,’ Ken began. ‘Clifford Junior has been approaching them in a casual way, when he’s been delivering stock or when he’s run into them in the street. Sneaky devil made it seem quite by chance, but now it’s as plain as the nose on your face.’ Pink flushed Ken’s cheeks. ‘I wouldn’t want to believe it but I’ve heard it from three different people so far and–’

  ‘What have you heard?’ Angela tried to keep her tone calm but her patience was running low. Ken was working himself up again – at this rate he’d never get to the point.

  He cast his eyes about and kept his voice low. ‘Clifford has been insinuating, in a roundabout way, and in a different way for each–’

  ‘What?’

  ‘He’s offering lower rates for stock freight in return for a guarantee they’ll get Berl Stock Transport to carry all their freight. Seems he keeps offering cheap deals for the first load of general freight. I had a tractor lined up for you to collect next week for one of them, but now Berls are doing it.’

  ‘So they really are going all out.’ Angela shook her head.

  ‘Not only that, the new lad who works for me, I don’t know if you’ve met him. He’s not the sharpest knife in the block, but he’s a good worker and a nice kid. One of his mates k
nows the youngest Berl – can’t remember his name, but he’s not here much. Usually does the long-distance stock runs. I must admit I never liked him much. He’s a lot younger than Clifford and Adrian and I reckon he was spoilt by–’

  ‘What did the lad find out?’ Angela tried to keep Ken on track.

  ‘Evidently, the young Berl has been making calls to your Adelaide office on the pretext of booking freight. Now I reckon that’s how–’

  ‘They find out when I’m on the road,’ Angela finished the sentence for him. A shiver ran down her spine. She remembered the truck lights on her tail then the rig that rattled past. She couldn’t prove it was a Berls truck but it was looking more and more likely.

  ‘It could have been him that made those changes to your orders. Didn’t you say Frank had some mix-ups too?’

  ‘Yes.’ Angela looked over to the playground where Claudia was still playing with the other children. Berls were playing a tough game. Angela felt the anger burning inside her. She could look after herself, but there was Claudia to consider. She thought again on what might have happened if she had been run off the road.

  ‘So. What did you find out?’ Ken’s question drew her eyes back to his.

  ‘Berls lost their mining contract.’

  Ken let out a long, low whistle. ‘I’d heard a rumour, but …’

  ‘It all makes sense now. They want Ranger Transport out of the picture. Question is, what am I going to do about it?’ She looked back at Claudia, who was now at the top of the frame. Angela waved at her daughter and got a quick hand wiggle in response.

  ‘No, the question is, what are we going to do about it?’

  Angela held Ken’s gaze for a few seconds, then gave a small shrug of her shoulders. Ranger was the newcomer here. Her plans to improve business were on shaky ground.

  ‘Like you said, Berls are locals,’ she said.

  ‘What they’re doing is not sustainable and,’ he paused, ‘it’s not honest.’

  ‘They’re playing rough, Ken. I’ve a daughter to consider.’

  ‘And I don’t want to put anyone in danger, but there’s also the town to consider. Berls can do sweetheart deals with farmers because of their stock, but what about me, or Frank, or Barb and Bill at the pub?’

  Angela looked to the ground. She rolled a rock back and forth under her boot. She’d really wanted to do this work, but now that she had proof that Berls were playing dirty, she wasn’t so sure.

  ‘If you go, we’ll be back to the exorbitant prices Berls were charging before you came along. We need Ranger Transport.’ Ken’s voice had a pleading edge.

  ‘Mummy.’

  Angela glanced up. The kids had left the playground and Claudia was heading in her direction.

  ‘Give me some time to think this over, Ken,’ she said.

  ‘We don’t have a lot of time.’

  ‘I know. Look, I’ve put a lot of thought into improving things. I know I can do a better job, both for Ranger Transport and the local businesses. If I can make improvements, maybe the farmers will come back on board.’

  ‘That sounds promising.’

  ‘I want to make better use of my return trips. Sometimes my trailers are half-empty going to Adelaide. I’ve already cleared some of Frank’s backlog of cardboard. I notice you’ve got a lot of pallets – so do the pubs. I’ve got an idea that’ll make returning recyclables cheap for you and beneficial for me.’

  Claudia reached Angela’s side. ‘Mummy, Coop’s here.’

  Angela looked around as Ken pushed something into her hand. She glanced down at a battered card with his phone number and address printed on it.

  ‘I think we need to talk more,’ he said. He was smiling again. ‘Ring me when you have time. I’ll be home all day tomorrow.’

  ‘Let’s go see Coop.’ Claudia tugged Angela away from the car.

  ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’ She raised her free hand to Ken then turned her attention to her daughter. ‘Are you sure it was Coop you saw, Claud? There are a lot of people here.’

  ‘He drove that way.’ Claudia pointed in the general direction of the playground.

  They moved towards the people on the verandah but Angela suddenly stopped in her tracks. On the edge of the crowd was the huge frame of Clifford Berl. He was staring right at her and Angela got the distinct impression he’d been watching her for a while. She glanced at Ken but he was now looking at the players on the oval. When she turned back to the crowd, Clifford was gone.

  ‘Come on, Mummy.’ Claudia tugged insistently on her hand again.

  They followed the road with the playground and clubrooms on one side and a fence lined with gums on the other. Claudia began to skip but Angela pulled her up as Clifford rounded the corner of the building ahead. She didn’t want to speak to him just yet, and certainly not here. She searched the grounds beyond the playground, to the canteen, then smiled. Claudia was right, Coop was here. He was standing side on to her, looking towards the oval, but to reach him they’d have to pass Clifford. Angela took a firm grip of Claudia’s hand and strode forward.

  ‘Nice to see you again, Ms Ranger.’ He moved from the building towards her.

  ‘Clifford.’ She nodded in his direction but didn’t slow her pace.

  ‘And this must be your daughter.’ His face split in a jeering grin.

  Claudia stared up at Clifford then turned away. ‘There’s Coop, Mummy. I told you I saw him.’ She pointed to Coop, who was now walking towards them.

  He gave a small wave and Claudia dashed ahead. Angela followed and smiled as she watched her daughter grab hold of Coop’s hand, leaving the hulking frame of Clifford Junior behind her.

  ‘I was hoping I’d find you here.’ Coop smiled shyly.

  The heaviness lifted from her shoulders. ‘I’m glad you did.’

  ‘I saw Clifford Berl talking to you. Is there a problem?’

  She glanced back but there was no sign of the burly truckie. ‘Not now.’

  ‘Can we go to your farm, Coop?’

  ‘You wanted to come to the football, Claudia,’ Angela said.

  ‘I like Coop’s place better.’

  Angela’s eyes met Coop’s and she laughed. ‘So do I.’

  Chapter 42

  ‘This is wonderful.’ Angela sucked the last of the flavour from the bone. ‘Thanks for dinner.’

  ‘Mutton chops from the farm are better than anything you can buy in a supermarket, and Jilly will enjoy the bones.’ Coop poked a stick at the fire he’d made to cook their barbecue. In the last rays of the setting sun he removed the plate and put some more wood on.

  Angela held her hands towards the flames, glad for the warmth.

  ‘I like sausages,’ Claudia said.

  ‘And sauce,’ Angela laughed. Her daughter’s face was smeared with sausage grease and tomato sauce. She’d even managed to get some on her forehead.

  Jilly sat up from her position on the other side of the fire and watched them closely.

  ‘Save some room for marshmallows, ladies,’ Coop said. ‘We’ll toast them next.’

  ‘Can we do it now?’ Claudia dropped her crust and turned expectantly to Coop.

  Angela opened her mouth to speak but she was too late to stop Claudia from wiping her greasy hands down her clothes. Angela relaxed and leaned back against the rock. What did it matter? They were camping, this was no time to be fussy.

  Coop took the bones and scraps and gave them to Jilly. ‘Right,’ he said, turning back to them. ‘Marshmallow time.’

  Claudia clapped her hands in delight and Angela smiled as she watched Coop instruct her daughter in the finer points of toasting marshmallows. Claudia’s eyes shone in the firelight and she listened carefully to Coop’s every word. He was having fun too – joking, yet careful and patient at the same. He had a natural ability with Claudia and she lapped up the attention.

  Angela had only hesitated briefly when Coop asked them to camp overnight at the rock. She had a big day planned for tomorrow and she really
needed a good night’s sleep. But the prospect of spending the night with Coop was so appealing, and Claudia had been so excited, there was no way to say no.

  Angela now felt a small pang of regret. Coop had made no secret of his desire to move on from Munirilla, while she was on the verge of staying on indefinitely – providing they could get this business with Berls sorted out. She shivered and held her hands towards the fire again.

  ‘Are you cold?’ Coop asked.

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘I’ll build the fire up again once we’ve had our marshmallows.’ He put a restraining hand on Claudia’s arm. She was wiggling the marshmallow on the end of her stick towards her mouth. ‘Careful,’ he warned, ‘the inside will be very hot. You blow it and take a little bite, like this.’

  As he demonstrated, Angela helped Claudia. The little girl soon had gooey pink strands all over her. Angela dug out her phone.

  There was no signal, but she could take a picture and send it to her father later.

  By the time they’d toasted a few more marshmallows, Claudia wasn’t the only one who was a sticky mess. Coop put some water in a bowl and topped it up with hot water from the billy. He passed it to Angela along with a cloth. She wiped Claudia’s sticky fingers and face and then her own, impressed again with Coop’s ability to manage with so little. When she told him they didn’t have sleeping bags or swags, he’d created a bed for the two of them to share under a tarpaulin. He’d put it together while the meat cooked and lay his own swag on the other side of the fire. As much as Angela longed to be in his arms and enjoy the pleasure of his kiss again, she appreciated that he was being discreet around Claudia.

  Angela trembled as she imagined his mouth on hers.

  ‘You’re still cold,’ Coop said, putting a coat around her shoulders.

  Claudia cuddled into Angela and together they watched Coop put a large log on the fire. Sparks crackled in the dark night.

  ‘Fairy lights,’ Claudia said.

  ‘It’s a magical night.’ Angela kissed the soft but slightly sticky top of her daughter’s head.