The Red Dirt Road

by Alissa Callen

Lizzie giggled from where she sat cross-legged beside Hewitt. A large lump in her purple dressing gown wriggled before Poppy’s tiny face appeared. Quinn reached behind him to produce the puppy named John Deere.

  Fliss laughed softly. ‘I might have known. I don’t suppose anyone would like pancakes this early?’

  Quinn and Lizzie scampered off the bed.

  While Lizzie and Quinn took the puppies outside and helped Fliss cook pancakes, Hewitt took a shower. Ten minutes later, he entered the kitchen. His heart warmed. Fliss understood the twins so well. Lizzie had her own area of the bench, which was clean and neat. Quinn stood on a chair on the other side of Fliss, the bench beside him dusted with flour and smeared with batter. With Fliss’s help, he slid a pancake that looked like the shape of Australia onto a plate.

  Fliss glanced at him. ‘Perfect timing. Quinn’s cooked his first pancake. How was the shower?’

  ‘Let’s just say it’s moved to the top of my to-do list.’

  ‘That bad?’

  ‘It would have been warmer swimming in the creek.’

  Quinn’s eyes lit up. Hewitt shook his head with a smile. ‘Not so fast, Quinn. After all this rain the creek’s running too fast to swim in. But there’s a dam where we could catch yabbies.’

  Ava joined them for breakfast. While Quinn’s fingers and chin grew sticky with syrup, and Lizzie’s face stayed clean, plans were made for a morning of yabbying. Despite the overnight rain shower, today promised to be clear and fine. When the final pancake had been eaten, Ava came to her feet to collect the empty plates.

  Fliss stood. ‘Please leave them. You’re my guest.’

  ‘Are you sure? I might have a quick shower before we leave.’

  ‘Yes.’ Fliss flicked Hewitt a teasing grin. ‘I happen to know someone who’s very good at washing up.’

  Hewitt didn’t miss the widening of Lizzie’s eyes or her contented smile. She loved her fairy tales and anything with a happy ending. He had to be very careful her busy brain didn’t have her believing that he and Fliss would end up together, let alone walking down the aisle.

  When Ava returned, they piled into Hewitt’s ute and her four-wheel drive. The convoy drove along the dry track on the higher side of the paddock to the dam. There was no missing the large body of water that reflected the sky and shimmered in the surrounding blanket of spring green.

  Hewitt parked close to a flat area of the bank so the twins would have a safe area to throw in their yabby strings. Fliss laid out the picnic rug and unpacked the large basket she’d brought. Ava came to help and soon both women were laughing and chatting.

  Quinn reeled in his first yabby. Hewitt looked away as Fliss came to watch. The black straps of her swimmers were visible beneath the collar of her pink shirt. He didn’t need any reminders of how well she filled them out, or how she felt, wet and curvy, wrapped round him.

  Quinn’s yabby clung to the meat at the end of the string until, at the last minute, it let go. Quinn’s frown would have stopped a road train.

  Hewitt tousled his bright hair. ‘You’ll have better luck next time.’

  His words proved true. It wasn’t long before Quinn hauled another yabby to shore. Hewitt scooped it into the bucket. Lizzie caught a second yabby but then abandoned her string to sit on the picnic rug with Fliss and Ava.

  Hewitt and Quinn took a break and everyone enjoyed a morning tea of lamingtons and fruit. Quinn didn’t sit still for long and was soon running along the dam bank after a dragonfly. On his way back, he stopped to throw stones into the water. Spying a pile of larger rocks, he sped over, then slipped in the mud and fell. His instant cry was sharp and pained.

  Hewitt reached him first and as Quinn lifted his head, blood dripped from his chin. Fliss knelt down beside them.

  ‘You’re okay, Quinn, just stay still.’ She reached into her first-aid kit to unwrap a sterile white gauze pad. ‘I’m going to hold this on your chin and then we’ll sit you up.’

  Fliss’s voice was calm and reassuring but Hewitt didn’t miss the unsteadiness of her fingers. She applied pressure to Quinn’s chin and together they eased him into a sitting position. A single tear ran down his muddy cheek. Ava hugged him and kissed the top of his head. An uncertain Lizzie clung to her mother’s arm.

  Fliss met Hewitt’s gaze. ‘You’ll need to go to … Woodlea.’

  She hadn’t said the word ‘hospital’ on purpose.

  Fliss smiled across at Lizzie. ‘Do you know where Quinn’s tractor is? He was ploughing while he ate his banana. Maybe you could find it and wash it for him?’

  Lizzie nodded and walked away, giving all the rocks a wide berth.

  Hewitt helped Quinn to his feet. The white square patch of gauze was now red.

  Fliss glanced at Ava who held Quinn’s hand. ‘Are you right to hold this on Quinn’s chin for the drive in?’

  She nodded.

  Fliss showed Ava where to place her fingers. When Ava took over holding the gauze in place, Fliss pulled out her phone. She checked for signal before texting.

  Hewitt carried Quinn over to Ava’s four-wheel drive. While he settled him in his seat, Fliss read the reply text. ‘Janet says Dr Sam’s on duty. Quinn will be in safe hands.’

  ‘Hear that?’ Hewitt removed Quinn’s cap and brushed his auburn hair off his too-pale face. ‘You’ll be feeling better soon.’ He kissed Quinn’s forehead. All the while Ava kept the pressure on his wound.

  Lizzie came to the car door and passed Quinn his tractor. Hewitt’s heart broke at the fear pinching her small face. He hugged her, whispering in her ear, ‘We’ll be back soon, sweetheart. Quinn will be all right.’

  When he straightened, Fliss put her arm around Lizzie’s shoulders. ‘It looks like it’s just us to finish our picnic. We get to drive Uncle Hewitt’s ute home, play with the puppies and make something special for when Quinn gets back.’

  Lizzie gave an uncertain nod, her bottom lip quivering.

  Hewitt turned to Fliss. As strong and as calm as she sounded he didn’t miss the way her shoulders were braced. Treating Quinn had unleashed all her fears and heightened her anxiety. Before he could think through what he was doing, he cupped the fine line of her jaw. Beneath his touch he could feel her tremble as reaction set in. Uncaring of his audience, he brushed his mouth over hers.

  CHAPTER

  14

  ‘Some veranda furniture wouldn’t go astray,’ Hewitt said with a grin as Fliss passed him his morning coffee.

  She nodded, thankful Hewitt had lightened the mood. They’d just farewelled Ava and the twins who’d stayed an extra night after Dr Sam had stitched Quinn’s chin. Bundara already seemed too quiet.

  She took her usual place on the top veranda step. Molly flopped down beside her. ‘Are you complaining?’

  ‘Not at all.’ Hewitt patted the floorboards. ‘These are as comfortable as the sofa I slept on last night.’

  Hewitt had stayed in the stables to help Ava should Quinn have had a bad night.

  ‘A sofa Lizzie and I covered with blankets and cushions to make sure your shoulder wouldn’t be sore. It wasn’t our fault you took them off and your feet hung over the edge.’

  ‘A man does have some pride. I’m not sleeping with a fairy blanket or using a unicorn soft toy as a pillow no matter how much Lizzie pouts.’

  ‘She does have that pout down to a fine art.’ Fliss’s tone sobered. ‘Were you really uncomfortable?’

  Hewitt took a sip of coffee, the tanned skin of his throat moving as he swallowed. ‘No, I slept well and so did Quinn. It probably would have been better if he’d had a bad night as then he’d sleep on the way home. It’s a long enough drive without him being in pain.’

  Concern deepened Hewitt’s tone as he stared in the direction Ava’s four-wheel drive had taken.

  ‘He’ll be fine. They all will be. I’m not sure if it’s a good sign or not, but I did see him poke Lizzie before they left.’

  As she’d hoped, Hewitt’s lips curved. ‘Thanks again for all of
your help.’

  ‘It was a team effort.’ Warmth crept into her face. ‘Thanks too for … your support.’

  His kiss had been designed to offer comfort. And it had. But it had left her wanting much more. One brush of his mouth on hers wasn’t enough.

  ‘No worries.’ His gaze turned serious. ‘Except I think my timing could have been better. Was it just me or did there seem to be a lot of wedding references from Lizzie this morning?’

  ‘There was. She ran me through her favourite fairy tale couples and what she would wear if she was their flower girl.’

  Hewitt closed his eyes. The grooves beside his mouth deepened.

  She reached over to touch his denim-covered knee. ‘Lizzie will understand. She just wants you to be happy. Besides, there still could be a wedding if everything works out for Ava and Dean.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. Lizzie’s already experienced so much loss and uncertainty. As for a real wedding … Ava’s going to talk to the twins about Dean when Quinn’s feeling better. She’s also going to chat to my parents. I offered to be there when she did, but she says she needs to do this on her own.’

  ‘Which is great. Dean sounds like a nice guy and if everyone already knows him perhaps it won’t come as such a shock.’

  ‘I hope so.’

  Fliss leaned back to dig in her jeans pocket for her phone as it buzzed. A picture of Ella holding a fluffy white puppy popped onto Fliss’s screen.

  ‘Hi, Ella. Any news?’

  ‘Is Hewitt there?’

  ‘Yes. Hang on, I’ll put you on speaker.’

  ‘Morning, Ella,’ Hewitt said from where he sat on the other side of Molly.

  ‘Morning. So … it’s all been happening. A certain missing border collie was delivered to me this morning.’

  ‘He was?’ Fliss couldn’t contain her joy or her relief. She shared a smile with Hewitt. ‘Is Max okay?’

  ‘Yes, he’s thin and on edge but otherwise fine. That rego plate number you gave Daniel worked a treat. The ute was registered to a farm owner who didn’t live far from the stock route you rode on. He was already under suspicion for being in possession of stolen property, so parked his ute there so the dogs wouldn’t be seen. And get this. They were all stolen.’

  ‘You’re kidding.’

  ‘No. Needless to say it’s been a very busy morning.’

  ‘So what happens to Max now?’ Hewitt asked, stroking Molly’s back.

  ‘Thanks to the floods in France his owners are home from overseas early and are sending through the necessary paperwork. They’ll drive up tomorrow to collect him.’

  Fliss’s stomach went into freefall. She hadn’t ended up with an extra three weeks with Molly after all. ‘Does that mean Molly and the puppies are going as well?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Fliss, they would be. But the owners did ask if Max could stay with you tonight. They know once he’s with Molly he’ll feel safe. Apparently when the thieves swapped vehicles Max bit one of them, giving Molly an opportunity to escape.’

  ‘Of course.’ Fliss kept her words even to mask her sadness and deepening sense of loss. ‘Do you want us to get him?’

  ‘No, I’ll bring him over after lunch. I have a foundered pony I need to see out your way.’

  ‘Ella,’ Hewitt spoke again, ‘this guy who stole the dogs … did he say where Molly escaped and if he’d been looking for her?’

  ‘Yes, they lost her on Old Dairy Road which means Molly had a long way to travel to reach Bundara.’ Ella paused. ‘Daniel seems to think the guy knew you had her as he mentioned something about Molly having six puppies and how he could have made a fortune.’

  Hewitt nodded. ‘All he’d need to do was call the pound, or look on the local lost-and-found internet groups, and Molly and her details would have been easy to find.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Ella said. ‘I need to get back to work but I’ll be there after lunch at one.’

  ‘See you then.’ Fliss ended the call.

  Hewitt slid out his phone. ‘Do you have Daniel’s number?’

  Fliss tapped her phone and held up her screen for Hewitt to see. She stayed quiet as Hewitt spoke to Daniel at the Woodlea police station. It soon became obvious that the white sedan that had paid Bundara a night-time visit had been the thieves assessing their chances of getting Molly and her puppies back.

  Fliss only half listened as Hewitt chatted with Daniel about what would happen to the two men. She threaded her fingers through Molly’s silken coat. What was she going to do without her? The border collie’s bravery and sweetness had carved out a place in her heart. Molly nuzzled her hand.

  Fliss hadn’t realised Hewitt had ended the call until he leaned over to tuck the hair brushing her cheek behind her ear. ‘I’ve no doubt Molly and Max are much loved. Their owners would have been worried about what had happened to them.’

  ‘I know. This day had to come. I’m just wallowing.’

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with wallowing. Molly’s a special dog.’

  After Hewitt left to look at the hot water system, Fliss settled into her home office. She hadn’t done much DNA work while Ava and the twins were visiting and she needed to see if she could find any birth, death or marriage certificates for Valda or Patrick Ryan.

  The names hadn’t been familiar when she’d checked with Cressy. But Meredith had thought she’d recognised the Ryan surname from when she’d known their mother in Sydney. Old electoral rolls had confirmed that a number of Ryan families had lived in the beachside area where their mother had grown up. Her father may very well have been a neighbour, school friend or family acquaintance.

  Fliss re-read a paragraph on the internet page in front of her. When the content still didn’t register, she shut her laptop. It was no use trying to distract herself. She couldn’t forget that tomorrow Molly and her adorable puppies would be gone. She’d spend what little time they had left together outside playing and gardening.

  Right on one o’clock, the Woodlea vet vehicle pulled up at the wrought-iron garden gate. Ella’s time management was legendary. Fliss was already seated on the veranda step with Molly. From over in the shed the puppies yipped. For the moment they’d stay behind the wire panel. Molly and Max needed space. Hewitt emerged from around the side of the house.

  Fliss walked across the garden, Molly by her side. As soon as the border collie saw the dog the vet had on the lead, she whined and rushed forwards to jump the post-and-rail fence. Max swung around to meet her. The two dogs sniffed each other before licking each other’s faces. Fliss had never seen Molly’s tail wag so frantically.

  Hewitt came to stand beside her.

  ‘Now there’s Lizzie’s happy-ever-after.’ Fliss wasn’t surprised to find her words husky.

  ‘It sure is.’

  Ella led Max through the gate. Molly stayed close to him before running up to Fliss and Hewitt.

  Fliss ruffled her thick neck. ‘I know. Max’s here. It’s very exciting.’

  Ella introduced Max to Hewitt and Fliss and the male border collie showed no fear or aggression.

  Fliss rubbed behind his ears. ‘You’re a sweetheart, just like Molly.’

  ‘He sure is,’ Ella said as Max’s tail wagged.

  Ella unclipped his lead. Max bounded away, Molly following. Every so often Max stopped to sniff at a plant or a pot before lifting his leg. The whining and excited howls from the six fluffy faces pressing against the shed wire increased. Then his black nose touched those of his tiny offspring and peace fell over the garden. Molly sat close by, tail still wagging.

  Ella checked her watch. ‘As much as I’d like to stay and watch Max get to know his too-cute babies, I’ve a pony to see.’ But instead of turning towards the gate, she glanced between Hewitt and Fliss. ‘Neither of you have been to town lately, have you?’

  Fliss shook her head.

  ‘I thought so. Next time you go in, be warned, rodeo fever has nothing on this year’s ball fever. The matchmaking has become worse than my year twelv
e formal.’

  ‘That bad?’

  ‘Believe me, it is.’ Ella focused on Hewitt. ‘Your name keeps cropping up, especially in connection to Bethany. Tanner’s already sent me an SOS, otherwise I’d go with you. Taylor’s bringing a mystery man so she isn’t free to save you, which only leaves …’

  Ella didn’t complete her sentence, just raised a brow and stared at Fliss.

  ‘Surely it hasn’t come to that? We don’t usually need partners for a charity ball.’

  ‘Let’s just say it’s spring, the season of love, the yarn bombers have hung knitted red hearts all over town and Edna’s in charge of the table seating.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Yes, oh. On our table six spots have been taken, which leaves four. So either you and Hewitt go together or you’d better find partners before Edna assigns you ones. Otherwise we all know who’ll be sitting next to Hewitt.’

  Fliss frowned. ‘But Edna knows it’s unlikely Hewitt will even be here. Hewitt told her himself.’

  ‘According to Mrs Knox, who was in the surgery today with her prize poodle, she heard from Harriet, who was talking to Christi, that Hewitt will still be in town. And we both know if Mrs Knox knows, Edna will know.’

  Hewitt rubbed his chin. ‘Christi was at the hospital when we took Quinn in. She chatted to him while we waited for Dr Sam.’

  Fliss looked across at Hewitt. ‘Even if you are here you don’t have to go. I don’t know if I’m going yet.’

  ‘Yes you are,’ Ella said, voice firm. ‘You’re going to have some fun.’

  ‘Have you been talking to Cressy and Taylor? I’m starting to think there’s a conspiracy going on.’

  ‘No.’ Ella slipped her arm through Fliss’s as they walked towards the gate. ‘But you should be talking to your sister. She’ll tell you when it comes to getting the Knight girls out and about, I won’t take no for an answer.’

  Fliss groaned. Ella had made sure Cressy maintained a full social calendar in the years Denham had been riding on the American pro-rodeo circuit.

  Ella looked sideways to where Hewitt walked beside her. ‘We’re all going to have a great night and raise lots of money for the hospital.’