The Road Home (16 page)

WHEN Lara went to feed the sheep two days later, she was feeling sore and sorry for herself. Her burns were peeling, her head was still tender, making sleeping hard, and Mel had gone back to the city. It was like a globe had blown and sent her into a grey darkness, like Mel herself was a happy shining light. Some people just have the knack of lifting your spirits and of knowing what you’re thinking without having to speak it. Mel was the sister Lara had never had.

The sheep she was meant to feed weren’t in their paddock. She’d forgotten to shut a gate. To make things worse – if that were possible – the paddock they’d moved into was the one whose fence needed fixing. So, of course, the sheep had wandered through the damaged fence and into the bush. There was nothing left for her to do but walk through the bush in the midday sun with the dogs and get them out. Hadn’t she been tested enough?

She called the dogs and together they walked the fence and then headed into the bush once they reached the boundary. Eventually
the dogs started barking as they found the sheep and moved them out. It was the next few steps through the bush that caught her by surprise. She stood there with one foot still in the air, frozen. A small rabbit fence edged a green crop, about three metres by three metres. She blinked a few times, just to make sure what she was seeing was real. Marijuana! What the hell? It had to be. It looked like the stuff on TV, and it’s not like someone would be hiding tomato plants in the bush like this. It spread out before her like a small sea of pale green among the dry, dull, natural bush. The plants were a foot high, their green spiky leaves hanging over and looking rather sick. ‘Oh my God,’ she said to herself, reeling.

Did Noah do this to feed his gambling habit? Instantly she felt sick at accusing him so quickly. But he could have done it. It was on their land. He was probably the first person the cops would check, after her. She saw the reticulation hoses snaking through the crop and considered the effort someone had gone to. In this heat, someone would have to be watering it frequently. Noah wasn’t here to do it, so it couldn’t be him. It was an awful lot of drugs, if you asked her. No doubt big bucks, once sold. She felt so scared just standing by the crop.

Carefully she stepped back, mindful of the prints she might be leaving. With her nerves on edge and not wanting to be seen anywhere near it, she headed back through the bush and made for the gate. The two dogs had already brought out most of the sheep, but she wasn’t hanging around to double check. She got in the ute and together they took them to the other paddock, where she shut the gate and checked it twice.

When they got back to the shed, she made sure the dogs were
rewarded. Dippa was looking a little the worse for wear but that sparkle was back in his eyes. He loved every minute of sheep work, even if it nearly killed him. At the edge of the shed, Lara sat on a crate and tried to think this through as she absentmindedly scratched at her peeling shoulders. Should she go to the cops, before they pinned it on her? But what about Noah? Surely this could have nothing to do with him. There’d be no way he’d just up and leave it all. Unless he had a mate. Jack? Maybe they were in cahoots?

Suddenly the penny dropped. Who else had an excuse to be on the farm and a record for drug possession? He fitted the bill exactly – dark, mysterious, moody … Her fingers twitched by her side in anger. He’d been using her land to grow his own crop and no doubt laughing at her behind her back. That’d be right.

Noah, Noah, s
he thought. Her head was struggling to make sense of it all. Noah would never talk to her again if she got Jack thrown in prison. Maybe she should just tell Jack to remove it all and to never set foot on the farm again; let it go, for Noah’s sake?

She rang Noah’s phone and watched storm clouds brewing in the distance. It rang out so she tried Amanda.

‘Hello?’

‘Hi, Mandy.’

‘Hey yourself. How’s it going?’

‘Um, yeah. I’ve got a problem and, well, that’s what I need to speak to Noah about. But he’s not answering his phone.’

Amanda sighed painfully. ‘I’m sorry, Larz. He won’t take your calls. He’s still very angry and won’t talk to me either. Things are a bit strained at the moment, and even worse if I mention you or even hint at money or gambling. I just want things to cool down.’

‘Oh, Mandy. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause this. I’m just worried for Noah. I want to be there for him if he gets worse, you know? We’ll just have to sit under the radar for a while, but can you …’

‘Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. I’m keeping an eye on everything. I just hope this blows over before the wedding. It’s only two months away,’ said Amanda miserably.

‘If you need to talk, call me any time.’

‘I will, thanks. And what about you? Can I help with your problem?’

‘Nah, she’s right. I’ll sort it out, but thanks. You take care.’

After hanging up, Lara kicked at a rock on the ground. Bloody Noah. Maybe she’d better try Jack before calling the police.

‘Hello?’ he said after a few rings on his mobile.

‘Jack, it’s Lara. I need to speak with you. It’s urgent. Can you spare time to come right over?’ She spoke calmly, trying to keep her rage at bay while fighting to keep an open mind.

She heard him yell out to his boss to see if he could spare him for half an hour.

‘Yeah, sure. I’ll be there in a tick.’

She paced the shed, her stomach flipping over on itself. Frantically she tried to think of the best way to bring this up with Jack. All too soon his ute pulled up and he was standing there in front of her, his long, strong legs set wide.

‘So what’s up?’ he said curiously. Damn, he was actually being polite.

‘Well, I’ve just stumbled across a crop, which as you can imagine I’m not too impressed about. So, for Noah’s sake —’

‘I beg your pardon?’ he cut in. ‘What?’

Her eyes drilled his. ‘A crop.’ Jack gave her a blank expression. She put her hands on her hips. ‘There’s a shitload of pot growing on Erindale and I want it removed if it’s yours.’ Lara resisted the urge to point her finger at Jack.

‘You’ve found pot growing here?’ She watched a muscle pulse in his jaw. ‘You’ve got pot growing here and automatically you think it’s me? What in hell ever gave you that idea?’

Her face began to burn. ‘Well, you’ve got … a record,’ she stammered.

Jack leant towards her, fury bubbling in his eyes. ‘Oh, so that makes me guilty, does it?’ He drew in a sharp breath. ‘That was years ago. I was just an angry kid.’

You still are
, Lara thought, but bit her tongue.

‘You really think I’d take advantage of my best mate like that, and grow a crop on
his
property?’

She cringed inwardly as she felt the force behind his words. ‘Well, what else am I supposed to think?’

‘You don’t know anything about me or my life, so just let it go.’ Jack turned around and began to leave.

‘Well, then, tell me about it. Give me a reason not to accuse you, Jack.’ He stopped but didn’t face her. ‘So … you have a record?’ She’d start there.

Jack didn’t move a muscle. She just waited, giving him space. Dippa and Roy settled themselves against the shed wall in the shade, as if they were waiting for his story too.

‘I was nineteen. I’d just come to Australia after some family problems,’ he began tensely. ‘I was so angry. A stupid, angry
nineteen-year-old. To dull the hurt I got into some drugs and the wrong crowd.’

Lara didn’t comment, letting him take the time he needed.

Jack rubbed the scar along his arm. ‘I rolled my car a few years later while I was wasted and the police found my stash, so that’s how I got my record.’

‘But you stopped?’

‘Yeah, I stopped. Finally grew a brain.’ He turned to face her now. The wind had gone from his sails, and her anger and judgement had deflated along with it. His eyes flicked to her and he smiled weakly. ‘It wasn’t until I got the job with your parents that things started to change. Angie and Dave were so giving and willing to treat me as their own son. And Noah … well, with him around, life just started to make sense again. The drugs were to get back at my parents and to make me feel better, although it didn’t do much of that.’ His face turned red and he dropped his shame-filled eyes. ‘Now I have the record to remind me of my stupidity for the rest of my life and that’s what I’ll always be judged on.’

What could Lara say? She’d been one of those judges who’d been quick to point the finger. She felt her own embarrassment grow.

Jack turned and walked back to his ute.

‘I’m sorry, Jack!’ she yelled but he climbed in and drove away. The breeze carried his dust away and blew loose strands of hair across Lara’s face.

Once she could no longer see his ute, she rang the local police station and talked to Constable Peters. He appeared on her doorstep soon afterwards, in his crisp blue uniform, and she pointed out where the crop was.

‘Do you need any other details?’ she asked as he put his notebook away.

‘Please just try and keep away from that area, and go on farming as normal. I must warn you that it’ll probably be a few weeks before it’s all sorted. The drug squad will be called in to deal with it. That means catching them in the act and tracking down any other persons involved.’

‘So I just go on as normal?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

That sounded easy enough to Lara. The main thing was that it wasn’t her problem any more, and hopefully, for her sake, they would catch the culprit.

LATER that evening, Lara eyed her reflection in the bathroom mirror at the pub. The powder was still covering the tinge of pink from her sunburn. Trent had stopped round in the afternoon to ask whether she wanted to go with him and, after the day she’d had, she’d been only too pleased to accept. Now feeling confident in a pair of black pants with a silky blue and grey camisole top, Lara went back out to join Trent at their table. On her way, three kids stopped in front of her, blocking her path.

‘Hello. You’re pretty,’ said the oldest girl, who was around six or seven.

‘Come on, you lot. Out of the way, please.’ Jack moved through the chairs and tables and lifted up the littlest kid. He held the child against his black button-up shirt as a tiny foot found one of the many pockets in his tan cargo pants. He tickled the little bundle in his arms and she squirmed and squealed in delight. He started to usher the kids away but a woman appeared beside him with a baby boy in her arms.

‘Hello. I hope my kids weren’t being a problem.’ The woman held out her hand to Lara. ‘I’m Jack’s sister, Bec.’

Lara was taken with Bec’s beauty. She looked so much like Jack, with her long dark hair and the same green eyes. She smiled and Lara liked her instantly.

‘Hi, I’m Lara. Are all these yours?’

‘This is my daughter, Michelle,’ she said as Jack swept back the girl’s brown fringe and kissed her forehead.

‘This is Ryan, who’s eight and the oldest. Little miss over here is Nina.’ Nina was clinging to Jack’s leg, smiling.

Lara bent down to Nina, trying not to notice Jack’s perfectly fitted pants. ‘And how old are you, Nina?’

‘I’m six and I go to pre-primary and I can write my name the best.’

‘Oh, well, you’ll have to show me sometime.’ Nina nodded her head vigorously.

‘It’s nice to meet you, Lara. I’m guessing you’re Noah’s sister. Jack’s being rude not introducing you.’

Lara felt herself blush. She hoped her light splash of make-up was enough to hide any redness. ‘Great to meet you, too. I can’t get over how alike you two are. Is the rest of your family the same?’

Bec’s laugh was sweet. ‘No. The other two take after Dad’s side of the family. Brown hair and hazel eyes.’ Jack ignored them, far more interested in his nieces and nephews.

Lara watched the squirming baby in Bec’s arms, who also had a shock of black hair. ‘And who are you, Mr Adorable?’ she asked, reaching out for his plump hand.

‘This is Joey. He’s nearly one but not yet walking. Nina likes to play mum and he gets carried around a lot.’

‘Well, don’t let us keep you,’ Jack cut in, obviously restless. ‘Don’t want to keep your date waiting.’ He glanced at Trent by the bar before motioning for the kids to go and play outside. ‘I’ll just check on the kids’ meals,’ he said before walking away. Lara stared after him with her mouth open. She wanted to correct Jack, tell him that it wasn’t a ‘date’ date, but he’d already gone.

‘Tell me, how are you finding farm life?’ asked Bec, turning to Lara.

‘I’m loving it, but it’ll take a while before I’m as good as Noah. Where do you live?’

‘We have a farm nearly two hours away near Katanning. We come up to visit Uncle Jack when we can. Not that I get to do much these days. Four kids keep me so busy.’

‘I can imagine.’ Lara touched the little boy’s hand.

‘You like kids, I take it? Joey usually doesn’t take to people he’s just met.’

‘I have a friend with a few kids, so I’ve had a bit of practice. Just need my own now.’

Screaming came from outside and got louder as the child missile ran to her mum. Nina was sobbing and hopping on the spot with a bloody toe. Jack came out of nowhere and scooped her into his arms. The vision took Lara’s breath away.

‘What’s all this noise? Here, let me have a look at that toe.’

Lara was absorbed as Jack rested Nina on the table. He grabbed a few paper napkins – one for Nina’s tears and the other for her injury. Quickly they ducked off into the pub kitchen. When they came back out Nina had a bright green bandaid on her toe. She handed Jack her snotty napkin and ran off to her brother. ‘Look
what I’ve got!’ she yelled to Ryan, her sore toe forgotten.

Lara’s eyes had been drawn to Jack and the easy way he had with Bec’s kids. There was no doubt about it: he was wonderful and loving. Whatever happened to the grumpy Jack she knew? He caught her staring and his eyes turned instantly away.

‘Well, I’d better go,’ she said as she noticed Trent coming back from the bar with their drinks. ‘Enjoy your meals.’

‘You too.’

Lara and Trent fell into easy conversation as usual and their meal was delicious. ‘This is the best mushroom sauce I’ve ever had,’ Lara said.

‘Yep, cook’s own recipe.’ Trent put down his fork and knife. ‘So, are you still planning to clean out the dams soon?’

‘Na. Think I’ll try and do it next year. It’s not something I can do on my own and I don’t want to deal with Jack. Just because Noah asked him doesn’t mean I want his help, especially when I know he doesn’t want to do it.’

‘I don’t get why Jack’s like that with you.’ Trent raised his eyebrows. ‘I mean, who wouldn’t want to help a gorgeous woman? If you still want to do it, let me know, hey? I’m happy to help.’

His comment made her blush. It felt slightly strange coming from him; she didn’t want their friendship to change. ‘Thanks, Trent.’

Soon after their meal they started a game of darts and Lara was happy she found the dartboard each time.

‘Have you been practising?’ Trent asked, giving her a gentle bump with his shoulder. Jack was walking a short distance behind them with a couple of drinks. ‘Hey, Jack, wanna play the winner?’ called Trent.

‘I’ll play you any time, Smithy.’

Lara swung around. ‘Hey, I might win! I could have beginner’s luck,’ she said, laughing. But sure enough, Trent won by a landslide. Lara handed over her darts to Jack, her fingers brushing against his. He was watching her with unaffected eyes but his jaw clenched tightly. She stepped back and took a seat over with Bec.

‘I suppose Jack is good at darts, too,’ Lara said flippantly.

‘Yeah, sorry. My brother can turn his hand to anything,’ said Bec. ‘Although he’s still rusty on doing dishes and washing.’ She laughed. ‘But he’s always been determined to accomplish things, you know? If he wasn’t the best at it, then he’d keep trying until he was. Drove Matthew nuts, as Jack was always that bit better.’

‘Is Matthew your brother?’

‘Yeah. Not that Jack’s talked to him in years.’ Bec shook her head sadly. ‘Matthew’s at home running the farm with Dad. He’s not as passionate as Jack but he’s more easygoing. Jack’s been put out ever since he was told he couldn’t stay on the farm. It caused a massive family rift.’

‘Wow,’ Lara said. Well, that certainly explained some of Jack’s behaviour. She also kind of sympathised with him. She knew how much it hurt to be told that you weren’t going to be the one to inherit the family farm.

‘We keep trying to get them to talk, but the Morgan men are all stubborn as mules.’

‘Really? Is that why Jack’s never gone home?’ Lara was fascinated. ‘It’s that bad?’

Bec nodded. ‘It was an awful mess. Dad managed to get Jack a job on another farm but it was bad for him there. He resented Dad,
blamed him for what happened, even Matthew. Dad felt responsible for how it all went down, but, being Morgan men, they’re absolutely crap at discussing their feelings.’

‘Oh, I see. Sounds like he had it pretty hard.’

‘Yep, and Jack, well, when he gets hurt, it cuts deep. He may look like a toughie, but on the inside he’s very vulnerable. God, he’d kill me if he knew I was telling you this.’

‘Then why are you?’ Lara asked curiously. ‘I don’t know anything about Jack, except that he’s Noah’s best mate and he doesn’t like me.’ Lara laughed.

‘Yeah, I noticed he was rather …’

‘Cold? Stiff? Unsociable?’

Bec laughed and nodded. ‘Yep. That sounds like Jack. My brother wears his heart on his sleeve and if something upsets him, look out. But don’t let that fool you – he still has a gentle soul. He’s just a passionate person.’ Bec glanced at her children and then back to Jack, and it was obvious to Lara how much she loved her younger brother.

‘Would you have any idea why he’s like that with me?’

‘Again, I’d be shot if I told you. But I will say this. He’s doing it purely to protect himself. He’s trying to keep you away.’

Lara screwed up her face. None of this was making any sense.

Bec reached out and touched her hand. ‘But please just give him time to come around. I promise you he has a gentle nature. He’s not normally like this.’

The boys cheered as one of them scored well. Lara watched Jack and Trent high-five. She studied them both. Trent was by far the friendliest but for some reason her eyes kept getting drawn back to
Jack. She rested her chin on her palm and leant on the table. She didn’t know what it was about him. She was sure Bec was right, and that underneath his gruffness was a wonderful man. She could feel it, and the way her body reacted when he was around was a constant indicator. It was more than just him being gorgeous; it was the mixed emotions she saw bubbling under the surface of his emerald eyes. He was intriguing and mysterious. She never went all tingly with Trent.

‘Gee, the boys look a bit serious,’ said Bec with a smirk. ‘I think the winner really wants to play against you.’

‘What? How many wines have you had, Bec?’

‘Lara, you’re up again.’ Trent beckoned her over.

She smiled to Bec and joined the boys. Trent gave her his darts while Jack started throwing his.

As she took her stance, Trent came up and took her hand. ‘More like this,’ he offered, guiding her. His body was pressed up against hers and, for the first time, she actually felt like Trent was making a move. And it felt wrong. It also felt like Trent was doing it on purpose, to upset Jack or to show that she was his. She wondered whether Trent had been interested all along. Had she missed the signs? Well, they were clear as cling wrap now.

Jack cleared his throat. ‘In your own time, Smithy.’

Lara felt relieved when Trent stepped back. They began to play. Her eyes kept watching Jack, especially after what Bec had told her. She couldn’t stop trying to read him, to figure him out. He caught her watching more than once and often held her eyes, on one occasion letting out a small smile. She hoped he’d forgiven her for what she’d said earlier in the day.

After slaughtering Lara in darts, Jack helped Bec gather up all four kids.

‘Hope I get to catch up with you next time we visit, Lara,’ said Bec, cradling a sleeping Joey. She glanced at Jack, who was heading to the door with two of the kids in tow. ‘And this thing with Jack … personally, I think he really likes you. Judging by what I’ve seen of him tonight, anyway. He just won’t admit it.’

‘You really think so?’

Bec nodded wholeheartedly. Lara laughed as Bec waved and followed Jack, who’d stopped to hold the door open for her. Jack gazed over at Lara, pausing for a long moment. Could Bec be right – and Mel, for that matter? Heat flooded her body as she realised just how much that thought pleased her. It felt like seconds ticked by before he moved and the door swung shut.

That’s when she saw Aaron watching her, staring up and down her body. He was such a creep. It was probably him who had grown the crop. He winked at Lara and it made her skin crawl.

‘Guess I should get you home before my car turns into a pumpkin, hey?’ asked Trent, coming up behind her and putting his hand on her shoulder. Straightaway she felt safe and she turned away from Aaron.

‘Please. Thanks for a great night.’ She grabbed her bag and together they walked to his car.

When he dropped her off, he walked her to her door in the moonlight.

‘There ya go, milady. Safe and sound.’ Trent bowed.

‘Thanks, Trent.’ Ever so slightly she felt him move in closer. At the last moment, she put her hand on his chest, holding him
millimetres from her lips. ‘Trent, I … I’ve just come out of a relationship and …’

He kissed her cheek sweetly before stepping back. ‘So, I’ll catch you later?’

That’s what she liked about Trent. ‘You sure will.’

Dippa and Roy sat by her side as she watched him leave and then let herself into the house. She leant back against the closed door, listening to Trent drive away, but all she could picture was the deep green of Jack’s eyes.