Right As Rain (35 page)

Before he reached the house, the driveway divided. He took the wider option, edged with thicker bush. It led away from the house towards some sheds. The noise of the sheep was much louder. Adam slowed and peered around a bushy branch. The cab of the truck was ahead of him. He studied it a moment. There was no sign of anyone, only the sounds of sheep, a man's call and occasional whistle as he worked the dogs. The back of the truck was out of sight behind the large shed. That's where all the action was.

He hesitated. He had the property's and its owners' names. He only had to wait and he would see the load Cam was taking and where he went with it.

“Can I help you, mate?”

Adam spun around.

Walking towards him was a lean bloke in a green shirt and dirty red cap, carrying a couple of empty hessian bags. The guy Adam had seen join Cam at the abattoirs had been wearing a green shirt and a red cap.

“I'm visiting the Bennetts,” he said, remembering the name on the gate. He took a risk that this bloke didn't know the people who lived here, apart from whoever was working the sheep.

“Is that so?” The man stopped right in front of him. He was about Adam's height. His pointy nose had a bump in it as if it had been broken and he had a scar under his right eye.

“Just checking what was going on up here.” Adam nodded towards the shed, deciding honesty was the best policy.

“Come and take a look then.” The bloke's beady eyes bored into him.

A prickle ran down Adam's spine. He didn't trust Cam as far as he could throw him and coming face to face with his mate didn't do anything to change his mind. They were both bad news.

“I have.” Adam took a chance this bloke had been away from the truck for a few minutes. “I'm on my way back to the house.” He nodded and walked steadily back down the track. He could feel the guy's eyes boring into him as he went. There was nothing for it but to take the path that led towards the house.

Through the trees he came to a fence, beyond which was a manicured bed of roses, a trim lawn and the house. There was no sign of anyone so he walked quickly around the outside of the yard and followed the house track to where it joined the main driveway back to the road. There was nowhere to hide along this stretch until he reached the bushes where he'd stashed his bike.

Adam risked a look back towards the sheds. Still no sign of anyone. He hoped the guy had believed his story but there was always the risk he might ask the farmer working the sheep if he had a visitor.

The sound of a vehicle moving slowly in his direction spurred him into action. He sprinted down the driveway to his bike and crouched down beside it as the vehicle approached. He held his breath as it slowed even more, drew level with his hiding place then continued on.

Adam peered out to see a farm ute driving away from him down the track. The arm that rested on the open window was wearing navy but he'd seen the backs of two heads through its rear window. He could only assume the bloke who'd seen him had gone back and asked questions and now they were looking for him. No doubt wondering what a guy on foot was doing hanging around the house saying he knew the Bennetts.

Adam's story had been a risky one but it was the best he could do on the spot. He watched through the trees as the ute went left along the road then did a U-turn and came back, passed the driveway and headed in the opposite direction. He crouched down on the other side of his bike. If they went far enough and looked back, they would be able to see it.

Behind him he heard the rumble of the truck motor coming to life. Cam must have finished loading. Adam held his breath. He watched as the ute continued on to the top of a rise. When they turned they'd surely see him. He'd have to get away now. The sun was dropping fast and it would be dark soon.

He pushed his bike out onto the driveway just as the lights of the truck lit it up. The bike roared to life beneath him and he shot off. There was no way the truck could reach him. He left his own lights off. Visibility was still good enough. Good enough for him to see the ute approaching the gate just as he did. He opened the throttle. He would make the entrance before them and be away down the road. Just as he reached the gate they flicked their lights on high beam, blinding him. He swerved, felt his back tyre clip the solid gatepost and lost control. The bike roared across the road, hit the gravel bank on the other side and then was gone from under him. Adam had the strange sensation he was flying. He pictured Mackenna just as his helmet and shoulder connected with solid earth in a jarring crunch.

Mackenna shut the door on the dog kennel and glanced up at the darkening sky. A thick bank of cloud hugged the western horizon, illuminated by the setting sun. Perhaps the weather forecast would be right this time and they would get some rain.

She walked past her family home and on down the driveway to the Gatehouse. Ever since Adam left she'd kept herself busy trying not to think about what he might be doing. She hadn't tried to ring him but the urge to do so now was overpowering. She rang as she opened the door to the Gatehouse. Her heart skipped a beat as she heard the jingle of his new phone. He was back and she hadn't heard the bike.

Her joy switched to worry again as she saw his phone on the kitchen table. He'd left the damn thing behind. She picked up the phone and turned it over and over in her hands. What could she do? If he was still following Cam he could be anywhere.

She needed to keep busy. She took meat from the fridge. Adam had cooked all sorts since his return so Mackenna hadn't been able to test her lamb shank recipe. It would be a good opportunity to make it tonight. She browned the meat, added stock, carrots and onions then took the torch and went outside to her herb pots. By the time she returned the delicious smell of the shanks and vegetables had filled the kitchen. There was a bottle of Bunyip shiraz open from last night. She poured a good half bottle into the casserole, tossed in the herbs then the rest of the red for good measure. She put the dish in the oven and cleaned up.

Once again she was sitting at the table with Adam's phone in one hand and her own in the other.

“Damn,” she muttered. “Now what do I do? Come home, Adam. Come home.”

Mackenna put the phones down and paced the floor, stopping in front of the oven to check the lamb shanks. It'd be at least another two hours till they were ready. She went into the bedroom and flicked on the television. The news was all doom and gloom and the bed reminded her of Adam.

She paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She leant closer and turned her head. There was a dark bruise on her cheek with a red graze beneath it. She touched the area gently with her fingers. It was tender. She'd probably end up with a black eye. Great. That would give the weekend's dinner guests something to talk about.

Mackenna went back to the kitchen and stared at her phone again, willing Adam to find some way of calling her. Then she remembered her conversation with Garry. He'd given her the property owner's phone number where he'd been crutching when he'd seen Cam driving the Woolly Swamp truck. She looked at the page in her notebook. Rob Watson was the farmer's name. She'd never heard of him but that wasn't surprising. He lived quite a distance from Woolly Swamp and Garry said he hadn't owned the property long.

She hadn't rung straight away, not sure what to do. A mobile number could easily be rung back. She wanted to sound the bloke out without him knowing who she was.

Mackenna paced the kitchen then clapped her hands together. Her parent's landline! Her mother always kept it as a private number, which meant it didn't leave caller ID. She swept both mobiles up from the table and ran out to her car. She would ring the bloke from her parents' phone and he'd not be able to trace the call if the conversation got tricky.

It was very quiet and cold in the house. Mackenna switched on the verandah, passage and kitchen lights, flicked the reverse cycle air conditioning to warm and turned on the radio before she finally got up the courage to call.

Rob was a friendly chap who was quite happy to tell her about the cash deal he'd made to have his sheep transported.

“There were two blokes. They were recommended to me by someone else but I can't remember who,” Rob said.

“Doesn't matter,” Mackenna replied. “Do you have a name and phone number for them? I've got a job needs doing and my truck's out of action.”

“Sure. I have it written down. I only got the one bloke's first name. I was flat out with the crutching. We didn't waste time chatting. Very efficient, they were. Let's see . . .”

Mackenna could hear rustling as Rob searched for the number.

“Here we are,” he said. “The name of the bloke I dealt with was Trev.”

Mackenna had to ask Rob to repeat the phone number twice before she hung up. She stared at the name and mobile number she'd written across her mother's notepad. She was pretty sure if she rang that number she'd get Trevor bloody Dingle. Goodness knows how many times Dingo and Cam had used the Woolly Swamp truck to do jobs on the side.

She wondered about the stuff Cam was supposed to be selling at the pub. It would be hard to miss a few bags of grain but it made her wonder what else he might be taking.

She went to the pile of mail she'd stacked up waiting for her mother's return and flicked through it looking for the account from the stock and station agent. There was nothing surprising on the itemised list, except possibly the amounts. If Cam went in to town to collect goods, he could ask for three rolls of wire instead of two or ten posts instead of eight. By the time the account came, small differences like that wouldn't be noticed.

Mackenna tossed the bill beside the pile. She moved around the kitchen straightening chairs, wiping benches, doing anything to keep busy. She reread her holiday postcards on the fridge. It felt like a lifetime ago. Finally, she plucked her phone from her pocket and rang Hugh. If she couldn't talk to Adam, at least Hugh would understand her anxiety.

His phone went to voicemail. She started to speak then thought better of it. She couldn't expect Hugh to drop whatever he was doing. Surely Adam would be home soon. She placed her phone beside his on the table willing one of them to ring, but both remained silent.

She glanced around her mother's kitchen. Only a few days and they'd be home. Mackenna looked again at the family photo on the kitchen wall. Now there was Yassie and soon a baby. They'd have to get a new one taken.

“Hello, boss.”

She spun around.

“Cam!” She put a hand to her chest. Her heart was racing. “I didn't hear you come in.”

“No boots,” he said with a grin.

She glanced down at his feet. He wiggled his toes inside his socks.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Her thoughts raced in all directions. Did his presence mean Adam was back at the Gatehouse?

“I live here.”

“You said you were staying in town tonight.”

He took a step inside the kitchen door. “Change of plans. Thought you might like some company.” His grin widened, his crooked teeth turning it into a leer. “You looked a bit lonely.”

Mackenna glanced towards the window. The blinds were still open. How long had he been watching her? Her skin prickled.

“Not at all,” she said firmly.

“You've lost your smile lately, boss. All the worry of running the place with your dad away. I brought us some drinks.”

He raised his hand to show a sixpack of beer.

“Where's the truck?” she asked.

“Come on, boss.” His grin slipped a little. He took another step forward and placed the beers on the table next to the two phones. “You're always so worried about that truck. I'll bring it back in the morning.”

“How did you get here?”

“Borrowed a mate's car.”

Mackenna glanced again at the window. Where was Adam?

“You expecting someone?”

“Hugh,” she said quickly.

They watched each other across the table. The radio played in the background. Adam's phone began to ring. She reached for it but Cam swept it up. Before he could look at it, her phone began to ring and he grabbed that with his other hand. He looked from one screen to the other then held them in the air.

“You got two phones?” He held Adam's phone up. “Mum's on this one.” Then he held hers up. “And Hugh's on this one. Maybe he's not coming after all.” He grinned at her again, turned the phones off and put them back on the table. “I really think this is our chance to get to know each other better.”

Mackenna's heart was thumping in her chest. Cam was still between her and the doorway. She could try to get past him but he was a big bloke. She couldn't rely on Adam or Hugh to turn up. She reached across the table and he placed his hand over hers.

“Just getting a beer,” she said.

He shifted his hand, ripped open the pack and offered her a bottle. They twisted the lids and he leant forward and tapped the neck of his against hers.

“Cheers,” he said with the Cam sparkle that gave her the creeps.

She held his gaze. “Cheers.”

They both took a mouthful. She put her bottle on the table and reached for the rest of the pack.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Putting these in the fridge.” She turned her lips up into what she hoped was a smile. “Don't want them getting hot.”

He let her take the bottles. She moved to the fridge, relieved to have her back to him for a moment. The fridge was all but empty but she delayed there, pretending she was making space, trying to think of what to do next.

“This is cosy.”

Mackenna shut the fridge with a thud and spun around. He had stepped close to her.

“Hell, what happened to you?”

She flinched as he lifted his hand and poked her cheek gently with his finger.