Down Among the Dead Men (Entangled Ignite) (3 page)

And if he was alive, she’d be tempted to kill him herself for what he’d put them all through.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Caitlyn stubbed her toe getting out of bed in the tiny room. It was painful enough that when Max frowned at her as she limped into the kitchen, she snapped, “What?”

“You’re late. It’s the middle of the morning. I’ve already done two hours’ work.”

“For pity’s sake.” Caitlyn picked up the coffee Max had made and hobbled to the table. “I don’t work here,” she said as she sat down, “and if I choose to sleep late, it’s none of your business.”

Max stomped out of the house and Caitlyn sighed. So this was what it was like to have a sister. Brilliant. She drank her coffee and ate a muesli bar from the supplies Max had bought. She’d have to find the shop herself and buy some fresh fruit and vegetables. Max was obviously used to surviving on processed foods, but it might improve her mood if she had some proper nutrition. First, Caitlyn wanted to do some more cleaning, starting with that excuse for a bedroom.

If she had a plan for her search for Wally she might be less snappy with Max and less irritated with life in general, so while she cleaned, she put her mind to finding a place to start.

For more than an hour she took out her frustration on the house, sweeping and scrubbing until her muscles ached. When she dropped the scrubbing brush into the bucket of soapy water and surveyed the results of her work, the house was as clean as it would ever be. Probably cleaner than it had ever been. Except for Max’s room, she guessed. Wary of invading her privacy, she hadn’t ventured into there, but she’d offer to help clean it later.

Her hands were no longer neatly manicured with buffed nails, but shriveled appendages that would need obscene amounts of lotion to look human, and she ached more than she did after an hour at the gym, but her bad mood had all but vanished.

She disposed of the dirty water in the most environmentally conscious way she could think of—by pouring it onto the only surviving plant on the block—and then made two mugs of tea. She really should cut Max some slack, she thought as she stirred sugar into hers. Her father was missing and she had to be worried about him, not to mention the uncertainty of her own situation. It wasn’t the same for Caitlyn; she hadn’t seen Wally for twenty years and what she knew of him, she didn’t like.

She carried the mugs out to the workshop and handed one to Max.

Max took it with a nod. “Thanks. Sorry I was such a cow.”

“It’s fine. You have good reason to be grouchy. I’m sorry, too. I should have been more understanding.” She looked at the ancient Holden parked behind her mum’s hatchback. “Did this come in this morning?”

Max nodded. “Needs a new alternator among other things. I’ve ordered one. Oh, and I checked on progress with your radiator while I was at it.”

“How long will it take?”

“They have to get one in from interstate, then freight it up here. At least two weeks, maybe more if the interstate supplier doesn’t have it in stock.”

“Crap.”

“At least you’ll have plenty of time to search for Dad.” Max hitched herself onto the solid workbench and swung her legs. “You haven’t said why you’re here looking for him. It’s not like you knew he was missing, so why did you come up here to find him?”

Caitlyn glanced around for a chair, then opened a door of the Holden and perched on the rear seat. She kicked an oily rag that lay on the workshop floor near her feet. “Mum and I really struggled financially, but Mum wouldn’t have a word said against him. According to her, he’d been generous letting her keep the house and she didn’t want to make a fuss.”

Max sipped her coffee and made no comment.

“A few weeks ago, Mum received a letter from a solicitor acting on behalf of our father, telling her that the house was up for sale and she’d have to move out, as if she was just any old tenant. I rang the solicitor asking for a phone number or an address for him so that I could contact him and convince him to change his mind, but of course, they were no help at all. They wouldn’t give me any information.”

“If you’d had a phone number, you wouldn’t have been able to speak to him because he wasn’t here.”

“Well, I know that now, but I didn’t then, did I? I decided to track him down and tell him what he’s doing to Mum. She’s worried sick. If he has any kindness in him at all, he’ll change his mind and let her continue to live there, or just sign over the house free and clear. And if he doesn’t, I’ll sue him for unpaid child support. I don’t know if that’s possible, but I can threaten it, at least. He won’t like that, will he? He won’t want the authorities to know that he’s married to two women either, will he?”

Max shook her head.

“The trouble is, while I’m looking for him, his solicitors are going ahead with the sale of the house, so the sooner I find him, the better. I don’t fancy having to pick up the pieces if Mum gets thrown out of her home.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll start by asking around to see if anyone knows where he might have gone. I’m going to tell people that I’m writing a book about opal mining to cover the fact that I’ll be asking questions. I don’t want to make people nervous.”

Max handed her empty mug back. “Don’t be surprised if people still don’t want to talk to you. Nothing personal, they just don’t like anyone nosing into their business. Will you look after the pumps while I go babysitting again?”

“Sure. Do you think Dale would be a good person to talk to about opal mining?”

“I guess. I’ll tell him you want some info.”

…

Caitlyn had a steady stream of customers. She’d cleared a mini-rush when Dale’s vehicle pulled in.

“What’s wrong with you?” Max called as she got out. “You look weird.”

Ginny ran toward Caitlyn, and Dale followed. He caught the little girl and lifted her onto his hip. “Those buckles are supposed to be childproof,” he said. “I wish someone would tell Ginny.”

“I’ve been busy,” Caitlyn said in answer to Max’s question. “I need a coffee.”

Dale cleared his throat. “Before you go, Max mentioned that you were after some information on opal mining. She said you’d like to ask me some questions.”

Caitlyn stopped. “Oh, yes. Sorry, I forgot that she was going to ask.”

“I don’t have time to chat right now, but what about over dinner tonight at the pub?” He stared past her ear. “I’m not talking about a date. It’s just that I’ll be there anyway. I don’t want you to think I have an ulterior motive.”

“No, I don’t,” she said quickly. “But I was planning to cook a meal for Max tonight.”

“I don’t mind,” Max said. “I want you to get the information you need for, you know, the book.”

While Caitlyn fixed a time to meet with Dale, Max walked away. After he had left, she reappeared and held out a bunch of keys.

“What are these?”

“A spare key for the house, and you can take my mum’s old car when you go to the pub tonight, save you walking. You can use it all the time you’re here.”

“Oh, thank you, Max. I appreciate it. Have you got your learner’s permit to drive yet?”

“No. I’d have to have a supervising driver and Dad said he wouldn’t do it.”

Caitlyn liked Wally less all the time.

Max guided her to a big old Valiant parked in the shed next to the workshop. “I’ve checked it over and it’s safe,” she said. “Don’t go far out of town, though. It might not make it back.”

Caitlyn couldn’t help herself—she gave Max a hug.

“Watch out.” Max blushed as she pulled out of her arms. “It’s not like it’s a great car or anything.”

“Even so, it’s a nice gesture. Sisterly.”

…

Caitlyn took the long way to the pub that evening. She wanted to get her bearings and check out key locations in the town.

She was a chef, not a private investigator. She had no problem admitting to being a coward. She didn’t mix with criminals, and she wasn’t a rule breaker. She preferred her conscience like her kitchen: clean. Already shocked at the ease with which she’d lied to the police officer about Wally, she wondered how he’d react if he heard she was planning to investigate a man’s disappearance. A man who could very likely be involved in criminal activity. She made a mental note of the location of the police house in order to avoid it as much as possible since she didn’t want to run into him if she could help it. If he didn’t see her around he might forget about Wally, at least for a while. She noted the general store’s position, too, and now she knew where it was, she would make a point of shopping there soon.

She parked in front of the pub. Inside, a bar stood against the longest wall of the single large room. She shifted her gaze to the couple behind the bar. A cheerful-looking woman smiled indulgently at an elderly man who shuffled about, wincing as he reached for a glass, frowning as he took an order.

The woman caught her eye and beckoned her over to the bar.

“Haven’t seen you in here before, have I, lovey?”

Caitlyn shook her head as she settled on a bar stool. “No, I’ve just arrived in town.”

“On holiday?”

“Yes. Well, no. Sort of.” She told her about being Max’s sister and being asked to keep her company while Wally was away, but Brenda squinted at her as if she’d dropped in from another planet.

“I’ve never known Wally to care whether that poor girl was alone or not. He’s never, to my knowledge, so much as asked anyone to drop by and check on her.”

Ah, that might explain why the police officer had seemed to doubt her story. It must seem odd that Wally would suddenly gain a conscience. Then Caitlyn had a brainwave. “I’m writing a book about opal mining, so it’s a win-win.”

“Are you now?”

“Yes, and I was asking my father for information when he said he had to go away, so we thought that this would be a good idea. I can immerse myself in the culture of the opal fields.”

“I see. Very dedicated, I’m sure.”

“Oh, you know. I like my books to have an authentic feel to them.”

“Well, that’s good. And Max gets a female influence in her life—she’s been too long without one.”

Caitlyn nodded. “Not that I’ll have time to make much difference, but I’ll try to interest her in something other than cars. Actually, do you know someone called Dale McMillan?”

“I do.”

“I’m meeting him here tonight. Dale’s going to answer my questions about opal mining.”

“Ah, yes, he’d be the one to help you. Clever man, Dale. What would you like to drink?”

“Dry white wine, please.”

As Brenda poured wine into a glass she said, “And Wally, did he say where he was going?”

“Er, no. He just said he had to go away.”

“Well, that would be just like Wally. Always been secretive, he has.”

“Really? Have you known him long?”

Brenda nodded. “Oh, Lordy, yes. I remember Max being born. Her mother was a funny one.”

“Funny how?” Caitlyn asked, curious.

“Timid. Nervous. She didn’t live up to the color of her hair. There was nothing fiery about her.”

“Was she scared of Wally?”

“Oh, I’m sure I don’t know about that.” She made a production of dragging a bar towel off her shoulder and wiping the bar with it. “She didn’t talk to people much, you know, and definitely not about her marriage.”

Well, she wouldn’t if she knew about Wally’s former life, because she’d realize her husband was a bigamist. Caitlyn sipped her wine. “Wally’s not frightening, though, is he?”

“No.” Brenda grimaced. “Bit of a con man, mind you. Would promise you the world and give you a map.”

“I see.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t say that seeing as how he’s your father.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m under no illusions about him.” She watched the ceiling fan turn, hardly making an impression in the airless bar. She’d harbored no hopes that her father would turn out to be a model citizen when she came here. Would have been nice to be proved wrong, though. She looked at Brenda. “Has he ever stolen from people around here?”

“Oh, I’m sure I couldn’t say, lovey.” She began to wipe again. “But people know what they know.”

What did that mean? He had?

“Now, you’ll have some of my meat and potato pie for dinner, won’t you?”

Caitlyn didn’t see how she could refuse. “I’d love to. Thanks.”

Brenda bustled off to the back of the pub.

“I hope you live to regret that.”

She hadn’t seen Dale come in. He leaned against the bar a few meters away. “Brenda’s meat and potato pie. You’re a brave woman. Pastry…” He sucked a breath through his teeth. “And as for the meat, I think she has a secret method for toughening it.”

“And yet you invited me to dinner?”

“It’s all about choosing well. When you eat here as often as I do, you learn which meals to trust.”

“Well, you were late. You weren’t here to advise me.”

“No, I wasn’t,” he said. “Sorry about that. Shall we find a table?”

He went ahead of her to claim a corner table and she took a moment to admire the way his jeans hugged his rear end and his black T-shirt stretched across his muscular back.

She sighed. Nice, but not for her, and not only because she was still stinging from her ex’s betrayal and wasn’t going to put herself in a position to be hurt again. She wouldn’t be around any longer than she had to be and she’d never been cut out for casual relationships.

“You look nice,” he said pulled out a chair for her.

“Thanks.” She only had the clothes she’d shoved into a bag before leaving home, and five days into her stay she’d worn all of them once and some twice. Her red sleeveless top with jeans was the best outfit she could manage. “I’m not exactly dressed up.”

“For around here you are.”

She still wished she’d packed more than the minimal amount, but she’d manage. It was lucky that her contact lenses only needed replacing once a month. With luck, she’d be home by then. She had her glasses for emergencies, but she didn’t like to wear them all the time.

Brenda burst through a door at the rear of the pub and placed a meal in front of her, handed her some cutlery, and turned to Dale. “Chicken curry’s on the menu tonight, Dale. Your favorite.”

“Excellent. Thanks, Bren.” He winked at Caitlyn as Brenda hurried away. “That’s the best of the lot.”

“Thanks, I’ll remember.” She took the first mouthful, chewed without enthusiasm, and swallowed with relief. Picking up her glass, she said, “You’re a single dad?”