Chapter 20 #2
‘Well, that little lesson in history and fashion totally normalises the concept of giving one of our good friends their dead pet to wear,’ Justin said sarcastically.
‘Not sold on the idea of dog-hair clobber, mate?’ Hamish said, his mind scrolling faster than a digital photo album, selecting and rejecting ideas and possibilities. ‘Hey, that pair of eagles you carved for the gateposts at the winery? They were pretty epic, right?’
‘Don’t want to oversell myself, but I’ve had some decent feedback.’ Justin held out his arms, modelling the impressive wingspan of a wedge-tailed eagle.
Hamish nodded. ‘Perfect. You still coming round to mine this week? I’ll nut something out and have a word to you then.’
The conversation fractured into multiple separate discussions, the groups expanding and contracting as people moved around the shed.
Hamish wandered toward the barbecue, stopping to swap a yarn here, a comment on the weather there.
Pierce and Sam, along with Jack and Lucie and their kids, were setting up Evie and Paul Schenscher in a warm spot near one of the fire drums, so he made his way over to them.
‘Pops, just sit down. I’ll fix you a plate,’ Sam was saying, unfolding a camp chair.
‘It’s not the plate I’m worrying about,’ Paul replied, waving his walking stick around dangerously. ‘These young fellas will knock back all the beer. I’ve paid for my ticket and I want my drink.’
‘It was a donation to the CFS, Pops, not a ticket price,’ Jack said. ‘Besides, wouldn’t you rather have a port, ward off the cold?’
‘I’ll get you one, Pa-pa,’ Keeley piped up.
The kid was cute enough, but Hamish couldn’t fathom how Jack had managed to go from being happily single to having a ready-made family in the space of a few months.
The thought was enough to scare a guy celibate—though it obviously suited Jack, as he and Lucie Tamberlani had built on the family he’d adopted.
‘No, you won’t!’ Lucie scolded her daughter. ‘Tell you what, though, miss. You can go and put a plate together from the tea table for Ma-ma and Pa-pa.’
Keeley grinned cheekily and a little calculating glint came into her eye. ‘They can have the good stuff, can’t they?’ Lucie was big on organics and whole foods, and Hamish had heard around town that she ran a strict household.
Lucie chuckled. ‘They can.’
Keeley hovered and Hamish could feel her question brewing. Her eyes went to her baby brother, who was toddling along, holding Jack’s hand for balance. ‘And Gus can have some?’
‘He’s not even a year old yet, Keeley! So, no, he can’t.’ Merriment danced in Lucie’s eyes. ‘But it’s lucky you’re a whole lot older than him, isn’t it?’
Keeley stared back, silently processing her mother’s words. ‘I can have the good stuff?’ she said eventually.
‘No. But you can have the bad stuff,’ Lucie said. ‘Go on, scoot over to the table. I bet you’ll find some of Mrs Albright’s angel food cupcakes over there.’
‘You’ll find my jelly slice there,’ Lucie’s mother, Monica, cut in as she joined them, making it clear which treat her granddaughter should choose—if she’d stayed to listen.
‘How are you keeping, Paul?’ Hamish asked, shaking hands with the older man.
‘Well, I’m keeping myself out of mischief, young MacKenzie, more’s the pity,’ Paul replied with a wink. ‘Guess I’ll just have to live through you now. Though it seems I’ve not heard much of your exploits lately. Or should that be sexploits?’
Hell, he was blushing hotter than a teenage girl. Hadn’t seen that one coming from the grey-haired old farmer.
‘Pops!’ Sam snorted, trying to hold in her laughter.
‘What?’ Paul said innocently. ‘Maybe I’ve not been hanging around drinking—I mean, chatting—with the lads enough lately, but it seems to me I’ve heard nothing since that bingle last year.
’ He nodded at Hamish’s bad arm. ‘Evie, what’s the gossip from the CWA?
Why haven’t you filled me in on anything from young MacKenzie here? ’
Although she’d only just managed to lower herself into the canvas chair, Evie sat up straighter. ‘I’ve not heard a thing, either.’
‘That’s because there isn’t anything to hear,’ Hamish protested. ‘I’m trying to behave myself.’
‘Now why on earth would you do that?’ Paul asked. He propped Evie’s walking stick against his and took his wife’s hand, patting it absently.
‘That’d be your fault, mate,’ Hamish said. ‘Looking at you two sitting here like royalty. I reckon maybe I might want something similar for myself one day. So I guess I’d better clean up my act.’
Evie perked up. ‘Oh, is there someone special?’ she said, looking around.
‘No, no, there’s not,’ Hamish blurted.
‘Is Jemma coming, Pierce?’ Evie asked, her too-quick connection unsettling.
Pierce shook his head. ‘Nope. She’s got a function in the city.’ He glanced across at Hamish. ‘I’m guessing you didn’t end up arranging to go with her?’
‘Sorry, mate. She wasn’t keen.’
Paul cackled. ‘First time those words have left your lips.’
Pierce ran a hand through his hair. ‘I wish she’d listen to reason once in a while.’
Hamish moved aside as Keeley rejoined the group, her plate piled high. ‘You really think there’s something to stress about? When I spoke with her, she seemed chill about it.’
‘She downplays. But I reckon “three strikes, you’re out” is cause for concern.’
Hamish’s fingers tightened around his beer. ‘Wait, what do you mean, “three strikes”?’
‘That’s what the note said,’ Sam explained.
The alcohol churned in his gut. ‘I thought someone chucked a rock at the restaurant window; I didn’t realise there was a message.’
‘There have been several,’ Sam said, her forehead furrowed. ‘But this one seems more … I don’t know, aggressive?’
His jaw tight, Pierce grunted. ‘Three notes, each one more direct. Two to her home, one through the restaurant window. Jemma doesn’t have a clue who they’re from—or at least, she’s not saying. And the police have even less idea.’
Hell, had he screwed up by coming here tonight? ‘I’ll head down to the city now.’
‘If Jemma didn’t ask you to, you can’t,’ Sam warned.
‘She kind of did. Not for the work do,’ he said as Pierce glared at him. ‘To meet afterwards. For a drink,’ he added lamely, realising he was probably making Pierce even more pissed off.
‘Knew it!’ Paul guffawed, slapping his knee.
‘Hush now, Paul,’ Evie said. ‘Do we need to worry, Pierce?’
Pierce shook his head, but his tone was far from confident. ‘She’ll be fine. She’s got her phone on. I made her put a tracker app on it.’ He managed a grin. ‘Let’s just say, she was not too impressed.’
Hamish tossed his empty bottle toward the drum.
Lucky he’d only had the one—he needed to get to the city.
Hell, he’d screwed this up. He’d seen the prospect of a relationship with Jemma as a challenge, pitting their wills and egos against one another, and had resolved that she wouldn’t just click her fingers and summon him to her bed.
But his need to play the game had potentially put her in danger.
‘I’ve got to—’ Across the room, he caught sight of Tara’s sister, Chloe, and his farewell died on his lips. He had a responsibility toward Tara, too. ‘Got to see someone,’ he finished, giving the group a nod before heading across the shed.
‘Hey, Chloe, how you doing?’
Like her sister, Chloe blushed the moment he spoke. He groaned inwardly. Was this another teenage crush he’d have to fend off? Why had he ever thought unwanted female interest was some kind of measure of his worth?
‘Good, thanks … Hamish.’ The breathless reply confirmed his concerns.
‘Pretty great turnout, hey?’
‘Reckon it’s about everyone in town.’
He seized on the perfect opening, pretending to survey the crowd.
‘Just about. I saw your folks a couple of minutes ago. And caught up with Gabs and Hayden. Haven’t seen Tara yet, though.
’ Shit, if it got back to Tara that he’d been asking after her, he’d never manage to convince her that he wasn’t interested.
‘Nah, she said she’s going to hang with Charlee tonight. So she stayed home to get ready.’
His stomach clenched so hard his skin seemed to shrivel.
He hadn’t noticed that Charlee wasn’t at the fundraiser.
Even if he had, he would have assumed that she was with Ethan.
Or, more correctly, that she was following Ethan around, oblivious to the fact that he was only interested in helping her keep clean.
‘Get ready for what, if she’s not coming here?’ he said tightly.
‘Who knows? She’s a moody cow lately, anyway. Keeps saying she’s over this town, that everything—and everyone—here is boring.’ Chloe adjusted her stance, jutting a hip. ‘No loss, though, right?’
He forced a chuckle and turned away, his mind racing. Strode out of the shed. The early evening air might clear his head. Dammit, what the hell was Tara getting into?
He tugged his phone from his pocket.
‘What’s up, mate?’ Ethan answered.
‘Hey, Ethan. Look, I’m worried about Tara.
Apparently she’s hanging out with Charlee.
’ He grimaced, realising he was throwing shade at Ethan’s protégé, but he didn’t have time to pussyfoot around.
‘Her sister said that Tara’s been acting weird.
Mood swings. And she’s not at the fundraiser, which is totally out of character.
’ She never missed a chance to hang out near him or Justin. ‘I think you’re right about—’
‘It’s okay. I’m with Charlee and Tara right now,’ Ethan said.
Hamish slumped against the wall. ‘Awesome. Thanks, that’s a load off. You at mine tonight?’
‘Maybe. Got to go,’ Ethan said, and disconnected.