Nineteen
The front door of the cottage swung open, and Bree swaggered out, tossing her thick red plait over her shoulder, her face still dirty and her eyes blazing green. She was carrying a big jug full of a lemon-coloured liquid, with cut limes, and a handful of glasses.
‘Here, Mia. Try this.’ She poured Mia a glass.
‘I thought you were having a shower?’
‘I’ll get there. Gin first. It’s a new bottle. Don’t worry, I’m breaking you in gently. Come on.’ With her hip, she pushed open the gate, allowing the dogs free.
‘But I’m supposed to look after the dogs.’
‘Cap will have those new dogs in their kennels by now, or they’ll follow you.’ Bree held open the gate. ‘Come check out the car we found.’
Trying not to spill her glass, Mia and the three dogs trotted after Bree. ‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Sure. Just don’t ask about being a bother, again. You’re not.’
‘Um, well…’ She was.
Bree stopped. She was so much taller, and stronger that her shadow engulfed Mia’s. ‘Fine, I’ll say it again. You’re more than welcome to stay as long as you like. Don’t worry about me, I just get cranky sometimes. It happens and I won’t apologise for it, especially when I live here.’ She held out her jug to Mia and clinked it against her glass. ‘You know how family put up with each other’s faults?’
‘Yeah, of course. That’s family.’
‘Do I need to explain what my faults are? Because we’ll be here a month before we even get halfway through my list.’ Her grin was wide, her eyes sparkly, full of mischief.
‘Does that mean we’re family? Charlie told me you’d be an instant best friend.’
Bree’s laugh filled the air as she nudged one of Mia’s shoulders. ‘That. Or you can just call us your found family. But you should also call your family.’
‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘How about telling them where you are, for starters? Was that what you wanted to ask me about?’
‘Um… no.’ She stopped and stared at the dirt. ‘It’s silly.’ Her fingers fidgeted with the cool glass. ‘Is it wrong to be attracted to someone when I’m…’ She pointed at her face.
Bree tilted her head and didn’t speak for the longest time. ‘You and Cap, huh?’
‘I just copped the don’t hurt my brother speech from Ryder.’
‘Really?’ Bree spun around on her boots to face the farmhouse wearing a cheesy grin. ‘Maybe there is a heart beating under that cupcake’s ice fa?ade, after all.’
‘You don’t think it’s wrong? Or too soon?’
‘No one can tell you what’s right or wrong. Only you can know that. My grandmother always said a girl has to trust her intuition. For some it’s that feeling in their heart, or that shifting in the gut, or that tingly feeling on the back of your neck. But it’s there for a reason, if you listen. And I bet its saying nice things about Cap.’
Mia shrugged. What was there not to like about the guy who filled her with hope and warmth. Yet, she did feel a deep gratitude for him every time he asked her a question about the job she loved, that he’d hired her to do. But it was much more than that. Especially when those malt-whisky eyes locked on hers to give her a curt nod when she did something right, she wanted to smile at the sun.
He’d been so gentle teaching her to work with the muster dogs. Those moments when he’d stand right behind her, keeping his tone low and smooth as if nothing would ruffle him, and how his voice slid across her skin like silk to wrap itself around her, unleashing a shiver to skate down her spine.
‘You like Cap. He likes you. What’s the problem?’ Bree shrugged.
‘I’m supposed to be heartbroken over Gavin.’
‘Oh, right? Because who said so?’
‘I don’t know.’ She tugged at her hair in frustration, feeling the dirt and dust embedded in it.
‘Okay, how long were you with Gavin?’
‘A few months. It was pretty serious. He wanted me to look at the farm, said it could be ours.’
‘So he knew what you wanted to keep you happy?’
Mia nodded. ‘Gavin accepted my faults.’
Bree arched an eyebrow.
‘I—I—’ She swallowed hard. ‘I can’t have children.’
Bree didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t react at all. ‘And this bothers you because…’
‘When I was younger, I grew to accept it. As I got older and with my first few relationships, I didn’t say anything. But when they found out, the good guys left me.’
‘No, sweetie, good guys don’t do that. You’re not a heifer, you’re a human being.’
‘But Cap is a good man, and he’s amazing with his nephew. He’d make a wonderful father.’
‘Sure. He’d be brilliant at it.’
Mia dropped her head, feeling Bree watching her. ‘I’ve never had difficulty falling in love. It’s the staying in love I can’t seem to figure out. I know this makes me sound pessimistic , but when a woman can’t have children, I learned that only a certain type of guy will accept that idea. And Gavin he was…’ She didn’t want to say it, but Bree patiently waited. So with a deep breath, and on a whisper she finally admitted the truth, ‘Gavin wasn’t the best. He wasn’t a good guy.’
She lifted her head expecting to be judged for her poor judgement. ‘I think I knew that already, but...’ Again, another long pause, she couldn’t help but give a pleading face to Bree to fill that awkward silence.
‘Let me guess, I’d say he’s not the forever type of guy, but the chemistry is just too damn intense to ignore, especially when his touch sets you on fire and his kisses make you crave more. Oh, and don’t forget how he draws you in with his charm to not only break the rules, but your heart, and sometimes your bones, before you learn that everything about him is wrong. Yet you can’t stay away, while he cleverly pushes all your friends and family away leaving you to think that all you have is him.’
Mia’s eyes widened and she stepped back from the redhead who had somehow cracked her open to peer deep into the well of secrets that Mia had hidden from herself.
‘Maybe the reason you can’t stay in love is because you’re picking the wrong kind of guys because you don’t think you deserve better. When you deserve the best kind of guy. A good romantic partner makes everything in life easier and they will add value to your life,’ Bree said. ‘A bad romantic partner makes everything more difficult. You learn to walk on eggshells, watching for the signs, the secret codes, the unwritten rules that bend and twist the way light flows through a prism, waiting, wondering when he’s going to snap. Most of all, you learn to not feel, because they’ve pushed you so much that if you don’t feel, you have nothing to fear because they can’t hurt you then.’
Mia felt the tears stinging her eyes, never feeling more exposed. ‘How do you know?’
Bree remained eerily calm. ‘I know. Believe me, I know. I also know the power of learning to fight for yourself, for what is right for you. You need to be true and fierce in your beliefs. And all that can be summed up in one word: Fearless .’ She then pointed at Mia’s chest. ‘You have that inside. I saw it today in the yards. Pop saw it in you, last night while spotlighting. You are far stronger than you realise, Mia.’
Bree then sighed, her voice and stance softening. ‘You shouldn’t see the fact that you can’t have children as a fault. It’s just a part of who you are, like me, with my red hair. I know I’m simplifying it, but you said you’d accepted it already, which shows how strong you are. And if a person can’t accept you for you, and decide to use your infertility—that you see as a flaw—against you as a form of control, they don’t deserve to even share the same air you breathe. You, my friend are imperfectly perfect.’
Mia wanted to hug the woman, standing there sipping gin, while covered in dust and dirt.
Bree once again nudged Mia’s shoulder. ‘If you feel Cap is right for you, go for it. Forget what the world is telling you, when it’s you who has to live with your decisions. And if I had a vote, I’d say fate brought you here for a reason.’
Hope filled her chest as she looked up at Bree. ‘Cap believes in fate.’
‘I know he does.’ Bree gave a schemer’s wink. ‘Come on, let’s go hassle these boys, before Pop spills too many secrets to the police.’
The men’s voices greeted them as they walked into the shed. ‘Anyone care for a thirst quencher?’
The shed was like a garage with a wide workbench, filled with assorted tools, that ran the length of one wall. On one side was a deep pit with stairs to allow them to work under the cars, the other bay held a hoist.
‘Not another witch’s brew?’ Dex mumbled by the workbench.
‘My best one for the day. It’s full of goodies to help us replace the salt and sugars we all used up today, or we’ll all be suffering with night cramps.’ Bree poured Dex a glass, then one for Charlie. ‘Porter?’
‘How potent is that mix?’
‘Mild. You can breath-test yourself later, and then you can charge yourself for DUI. But you can’t have the couch. Mia’s got it until we paint her room.’
‘Yeah, alright, small glass. I don’t mind your mixes. When are you guys having another pizza night?’
‘Not this week.’ Bree passed Porter a glass.
Mia took a sip from the glass she’d been carrying. The cool lemon drink wasn’t too fizzy or overly sweet, but smooth and refreshing. ‘Mmm, this is good.’ She held up the glass. ‘I can’t taste the gin, though.’
‘That’s the problem,’ said Porter, also taking a sip. ‘Bree’s gin goes down so smooth you’ll drink half a jug before you know it and start wearing wobbly boots.’
Charlie laughed, clapping Porter’s shoulder. ‘Talking like a man who’s been there before.’
‘I can see why.’ Dex drained his glass and held it out for more. ‘It’s a thirst quencher. And as you are my favourite friend, Bree, let’s have another, eh?’
‘Please, don’t give yourself false hope that we’re friends, Dex. I’ll still pretend I don’t know you in public.’ But Bree poured him another glass. ‘What do you think of Pop’s car, Porter?’
‘I gotta hand it to the Riggs brothers, they did a great job helping me restore it.’
‘It’s in great condition.’ Porter stepped back from the pale green antique car. It was so big and shiny, like a gangster car, but a retro green.
‘It’s gorgeous. I love the colour.’ Mia peered inside. The leather work was immaculate. ‘How long have you had it, Charlie?’
‘We found it hiding in the Stoneys a few months back. It belonged to my brother. I was there when he bought it spanking new in Melbourne. We took turns driving it home when the Stuart Highway was just an old wallaby track, when roadhouses never shut their doors or their pub, making it one long pub crawl to get here. We blew our savings that trip, making it back with only spare change in our pockets and half a tank of gas, just in time for the musters.’ Charlie pulled out some papers from the glove box and passed them to Porter. ‘This is Harry’s rego papers, the service book and everything.’
‘What are you going to do with this car?’ Mia asked Charlie. ‘It looks like it should be in a museum.’
‘I’ve gotta hand it to the lads, Dex and his brothers did a helluva job restoring it. But we’ll keep it in the family. Bree drives me to the pub on Fridays on account I’ve got no licence for the road. Why pay, I say—’
‘Pop.’ Bree hissed at Charlie. ‘Stop.’
‘What?’ Charlie shrugged.
‘This car’s registration ran out in 1962.’ The policeman held up the paperwork.
‘Now you’ve done it, old man.’ Dex chuckled, leaning back against the workbench covered in tools.
Charlie pulled up his breeches. ‘Now hang on a second. Why should I pay for some smancy registration when we drive it just to blow the dust off, on dirt roads, where there is no traffic. I’m not paying—’
‘I can get you a specialised registration,’ cut in Porter. ‘This car is over sixty years old, so it’d qualify for a historic car classification, and you’ll pay a reduced rate. But it does mean there are restrictions on where and how often you can drive it.’
‘I agree with Porter.’ Bree took a sip from her jug like it was a big beer stein.
‘That’d be a first.’
‘It needs to be registered if we’re going to insure it, Pop.’
‘If you want, I can do a vehicle inspection on it now to start the registration process?’ Porter shrugged. ‘Got the MVR book in the car.’
‘Can you do that here?’ Charlie asked.
‘Unless you want to tow it to the pits all the way in the city, where I hear it’s a five hour wait these days.’
‘Take the inspection, Charlie.’ Dex pushed off the bench and started moving tools and equipment aside. ‘I’ll put it over the pit for Porter to inspect. I’ll even bet a carton that it’ll pass muster, no sweat.’
‘Well, alright then. Obviously, there’s a reason you came out, then.’ Charlie patted Porter’s shoulder. ‘I’ll give Dex a hand.’ He climbed in behind the wheel of the car. The six cylinder wasn’t nearly as loud as the Razorback, as he backed it out of the shed, to do a slow wide circle in the red dust.
‘It’s a nice car.’ Porter’s head tilted as he watched it shine under the sun. ‘I’ve always liked the 1957 FJ Holden. They make good hot rods.’
‘I didn’t know you were a car fanatic,’ Bree commented.
‘I used to race. Started with the fender benders in Speedway, as a kid with my dad.’
‘Did you keep racing?’ Dex asked, moving a large toolbox aside.
‘I got Street Stock Champion just before I moved out here. Now I just use the buggy for bush bashing on my day off, going hunting with my mate, Luke.’
Dex patted the policeman’s shoulder. ‘Remind me to never get into a car chase with you. But if you ever need a passenger or want someone to race on the street, give us a hoy.’
Mia peeked past the truck and farming machinery. Nearby, sat the silent Razorback that commanded attention, parked beside their horse truck and assorted motorbikes. Beyond them the shed stretched out to hold other vehicles.
‘Whose cars are those?’ Mia pointed to the many utes. ‘I know the mustard Tojo is Cap’s. I’m guessing the beat-up Hilux belongs to Dex?’
Porter chuckled. ‘No. That’s Ash’s. The sleek black, V8 ute in the corner is Dex’s ute.’
It looked like a mean street-racing machine. Now she understood why Dex would take on Porter in a road race. ‘Is the black pick-up truck Ryder’s, then?’ It was huge.
Bree nodded.
‘And the sleek Audi?’
‘Harper’s.’
‘What do you drive, Bree?’
‘A bright yellow combi van. I’ve always wondered if it glowed in the dark.’ Porter grinned.
‘How come it’s not here with all of these other cars?’
‘I park in the caretaker’s sheds. This is the boys’ property and this shed is a better equipped area for mechanical repairs, like the pit and the hoist. It’s where Pop’s been spending all his time, ever since they dragged that thing out of the Stoneys, Pops has been obsessed with it like a Pandora’s box.’
‘How so?’ Porter’s brow creased with concern.
‘Charlie wouldn’t sleep. He was out here at all hours, going over every inch of this vehicle, repairing it. I was hoping he’d go back to normal when it was done.’
‘If Charlie lodged a missing person’s report with me, I guess he didn’t?’
Bree shook her head. ‘Charlie has dragged out photo albums, and all sorts of stuff from the storage shed, which dug up lots of the past, too.’ She stood squarely in front of Porter. ‘Before Charlie found this car—that should be named Pandora —he was happy. Charlie hadn’t forgotten about his brother, but he’d accepted it. Now, I don’t want him to have all this false hope come crashing down and fill him with disappointment.’
‘Charlie wants answers.’
‘I get that. But do you really think Harry wants to be found?’ She tapped Porter’s chest. ‘The truth. Just between you, me, and Mia, who won’t say anything.’
Porter took a long time to answer. ‘If Harry went to ground, then he’s hidden himself well. There’s been no movement in his bank account since the last deposit he made on the twelfth of November 1962.’
‘No withdrawals?’
‘Nothing.’
‘So, you’ve looked into it?’
‘Not any further than that. If Charlie asks me to, I will dig deeper.’
‘That’s what I’m worried about.’
Mia was dying to ask about the murder, but it wasn’t her place.
‘Don’t you want to find your uncle?’ asked Porter.
‘No. The man deserted his family sixty years ago. What worries me more is the stress this whole situation is putting on Charlie’s health.’ Bree watched her grandfather talking to Dex as they lifted the car’s bonnet.
‘Charlie seems healthy enough. He didn’t stop all day in the drafting yards,’ said Mia.
‘Charlie sees every day as an adventure, because he knows he’s running out of time. As much as he wants to keep up with everyone, he is exhausted.’ For the first time Bree showed a deep worry that was reflected in her voice. ‘I can see it. And that’s putting pressure on his bad heart.’
‘You know the doc in town was some big city heart surgeon,’ said Porter.
‘You don’t think I know that? I’ve already dragged the old sod in there by the scruff of his neck for tests. The doctor recommended surgery, but Charlie refuses to let them operate. Said he’s done his time in hospitals already.’
‘It is true Charlie got pretty banged up from a rodeo?’
‘Bull got him. Big time. He was in hospital for ages and then my grandmother nursed him back to health. It was a year before Pop got back into the saddle, but he never did a rodeo again.’
By the green antique Holden, Charlie pushed back his hat, revealing his white hair, and the deep crevices around his eyes of a man who’d been on this earth a long time.
‘I hate to admit this,’ said Mia quietly, ‘but I forget Charlie’s old when he acts as young as the brothers.’
‘Bless him, he tries so hard to keep up with them,’ said Bree. ‘And all I can do is monitor his health, feed him the good stuff and do what I can to minimise the stress factors—such as digging up old murder cases.’ Bree’s frown darkened as she glowered at the car. ‘I just wish they’d never found that damned car.’