Emerald Springs

by Fleur McDonald

‘This your writing?’ he asked Amelia. She nodded and he put the money bag into one of the evidence bags, then asked, ‘Do you recognise these money bags?’

  ‘Yeah. That was how I was certain it was from the rodeo. It’s exactly how I packed it for the bank, except the plastic bags were held in big calico sacks.’

  Dave was silent as he added up the amounts. ‘There’s a hundred k here,’ he called across to Andy and Jack. ‘Can you write it down?’

  ‘What? Where’s the rest of it?’ Amelia asked.

  Dave squatted down and stared at the placid spring. ‘Could be lots of reasons it’s not here,’ he answered. ‘How deep is it?’

  Amelia shrugged. ‘Never seen the bottom.’

  ‘Can you take this?’ He handed her everything he’d bagged up and then started to scramble up himself.

  There was fear and confusion in Amelia’s face. ‘It had to be Graham, didn’t it?’

  ‘Let’s get all the information first,’ Dave said kindly.

  ‘How could he do that, though?’ she burst out. ‘Did he hurt me? I’m his sister. How could he?’

  ‘Tell me a bit more about Graham,’ Dave said. ‘Did he go out much, who are his friends, that sort of thing.’

  Amelia grabbed hold of a bottlebrush branch and pushed it out of the way so she could get down towards the little beach. ‘Yeah, he went out a bit. To the pub, mostly. Played footy during the season, mucked around with his sheep, that sort of thing. Loved living the high life with Dani recently.’

  ‘What do you mean “high life”?’

  ‘Just that Dani expected a higher standard than just the pub—oh, she’d go there, but only for a drink. I think it was a little beneath her. She preferred to go over to Barker where there was more variety, some restaurants and bars. That sort of thing. And Graham liked that side of life too.’

  ‘And friends?’

  ‘Well, he had some good friends from high school, but a lot of them moved on from town. He’s . . . he was mates with the Andrews boys and the blokes from his footy team.’ She stopped and thought about it. ‘But you know, they weren’t that close—he’d just have a beer or two with them at the pub.’

  Dave nodded, his mind beginning to work overtime.

  Chapter 34

  Dave sat hidden in the depths of the bushes, his night-vision goggles on. He picked up every movement: the gentle rustle of a tree branch and the rabbit that hopped out to get a drink at the pool.

  Tomorrow he was due to get a call from Coops about the truck and the taser cartridge, so he hoped that might lead somewhere. And after a hurried conversation with Steve, he’d managed to get all the more recent fingerprint and forensic work fast-tracked. He’d also requested Graham’s full phone and internet records. Hopefully he’d have that information sometime in the next week. It frustrated him that fast-tracking still meant up to a week’s worth of waiting, but there was no choice. At least the police divers would be up from Adelaide tomorrow to see if anything had sunk to the bottom of the springs.

  For now, Dave watched and waited. Earlier in the day, he’d set up some static alarms along the track, just in case someone else knew the money had been hidden at the springs. If it was linked to Graham’s death, they might be stupid enough to come sniffing around for it—and the best way to nab them would be red-handed. Yes, it was a long shot, but the only thing Dave could do for the moment.

  He found himself thinking about a case he’d worked a while ago. Gemma Sinclair, from Billbinya Station, had had stolen stock planted on her land. Dave and Craig, the officer he’d been working with, had spent a fair bit of time examining the land and stock, thinking Gemma was the culprit. The investigation had included a stakeout: it was the way they’d caught one of the offenders. If only it would turn out to be that easy here.

  Dave unscrewed his thermos and took a sip of coffee. Kim had packed him enough food to last weeks, and he was grateful; food would help keep him awake. It was easier doing a job like this with two people, he reflected. One slept while the other kept watch, or at least they could keep each other alert.

  Dave looked around again, but there was nothing. Stretching out, he lay back and looked at the stars. Out here, away from the city lights, they looked like diamonds encased in black velvet. He watched a satellite scurry across the sky, all the while listening intently. A gentle breeze made the leaves rustle together.

  And then he heard something.

  Quietly, Dave rolled over onto his stomach and cased the area. It all looked the same. He listened so hard, he began to wonder if he was imagining something. Then a vibration started in his pocket. It was the static alarm going off! His hand flew down to switch it off, then reached slowly for his video camera. He pushed himself upright, trying not to make any noise.

  A thump, thump like heavy footfalls sounded.

  Dave readjusted his night-vision goggles and stared at the path, expecting the intruder to appear. There was movement at the path’s entrance, but Dave couldn’t see who it was. He didn’t move his eyes from the spot and he held his breath as the shrubs shifted again. It was like someone was hiding behind them and moving the branches out of the way to check what was on the other side. Who was it?

  Come on, come on, he thought.

  As Dave leaned forward in anticipation, all was revealed.

  A young kangaroo hopped cautiously into view, its nose twitching as it looked around.

  Amelia drifted in and out of sleep all night. Past dawn she was still lying on her bed with her arms around herself, trying to fight off her disbelief and horror. Her brother might have been involved in her attack. Had his been the familiar voice? She couldn’t comprehend that. Oh, she could see the reasoning behind it. Graham had needed money; he always overspent and didn’t know how to plan ahead.

  A thought hit her. Who was the woman her attackers had mentioned? Could she be Dani? Amelia remembered the young woman’s anger towards her on the night of the brawl: You’re the reason this has happened. And then there was all that time Graham had been on the phone outside his engagement party. She’d known something was off with that. Dani and Graham had argued that night, too.

  Another thought struck her. Where was his phone now? Had it ever been found after the party? It hadn’t been mentioned at all, not since she’d talked to Graham for the last time. Maybe it had turned up. There could be something on the phone that would help her work out what the hell was going on.

  Getting up, she walked quietly to her mother’s bedroom. She was careful to press open the door without making it creak. The curtains were drawn, and the room was dark and smelt stale. ‘Mum?’ Amelia asked gently, going in and sitting on the bed. ‘Mum, are you awake?’

  Natalie mumbled something that Amelia didn’t catch, so she leaned forward, only to be struck by the odour of an unwashed body. Oh, Mum, Amelia thought sadly. Out loud, she said, ‘Mum, how about I bring you a cup of tea and you get up and have a shower? Let me strip the sheets and put clean ones on the bed.’

  Her mother rolled over and looked up at her, the dark circles under her eyes obvious even in the murky light. ‘Why?’ she asked in a dead voice. ‘What’s the point? There isn’t a point to anything now.’ She rolled away. ‘We can’t even organise a funeral yet. Dave said that it might take ten days. Ten days!’

  Amelia stroked her shoulder and wondered what to say. She wanted to take offense. Wanted to cry out: What about me? Aunty Kim had told her to expect something like this and not to take it personally. It was all part of the grieving process. Of course, things were more complicated now. The selfish voice inside Amelia also wanted to yell: Hey, I miss him too, but I’m angry as hell with him and wish he was here so I could ask him a whole lot of questions. But someone needed to be the strong one, and at this point it had to be Amelia.

  She struggled to find something positive and wise to say. In the end she settled for: ‘There’s a point, Mum. Dad is still here, I’m still here and I’m really sure that Graham wouldn’t want you to be like this.’
It sounded lame, even to her ears. She stood up. ‘I’ll bring you that tea.’

  In the kitchen Amelia went through the motions of making the tea, while her mind was full of her mother and Graham’s mobile phone. Her thoughts flicked back and forth between the two. She needed to ask Natalie if the phone had been found and handed back by someone, but why would she be asking about Graham’s phone at a time like this? Maybe she should just ring Dave and ask him.

  Putting the cup onto a tray, she went back down the passage to find her mother up and opening the curtains. But the effort tired her and she sank down onto the camphorwood chest, her hands trembling. Amelia put the tray next to Natalie and turned to start stripping the bed.

  ‘Do you remember how he was always smiling, Milly?’ Natalie asked, staring out of the window. ‘Always such a happy child.’

  Amelia didn’t answer. Death turned everyone into a saint, and Graham certainly hadn’t always been happy. He was moody and temperamental, sometimes downright irritable and arrogant. But he did have a charming side to him, which he could turn on whenever he wanted. And he’d been kind and thoughtful to Amelia after her bashing.

  Although that hadn’t really been kindness, had it? Guilt, Amelia thought, scowling. That’s what that was all about. Bloody guilt.

  She stood up and gathered the sheets and doona cover. ‘I’ll just pop these in the washing machine, Mum, and be right back.’

  When she returned with fresh sheets, Natalie hadn’t shifted. Quickly, Amelia started to make the bed, still trying to work out what to say.

  ‘Such a quiet boy, too,’ Natalie muttered. ‘And gentle. It was no wonder Dani fell in love with him.’

  Amelia turned to her mother. ‘Have you spoken to Dani, Mum?’ she asked. ‘I’m sure she’s having a tough time too. Maybe you’d be good for each other. You know, be able to talk about the man you both loved.’

  Natalie didn’t seem to hear, so Amelia went back to the bed-making.

  ‘Maybe you’re right.’

  ‘Sorry?’ Amelia asked as she tucked in the sheet.

  ‘I should go and talk to Dani.’ Natalie stood up. ‘I must have a shower.’

  ‘I’ll take you over there if you like,’ Amelia said, pleased that she’d suggested something worthwhile.

  ‘Thanks, Milly, I’d like that.’

  ‘Mum, I’ve got something to ask you,’ Amelia said tentatively. ‘When the hospital . . . when you were given . . .’ She stopped and looked over at Natalie, who was staring at her. ‘Have you and Dad put all of Graham’s things in his room?’

  ‘Yes. But don’t touch them.’ Although Natalie’s voice was quiet, it had a steely quality to it. ‘Don’t even go in there, Amelia. That is not your space. I want it left exactly as it is.’

  Amelia was silent for a moment. She knew the room wouldn’t be staying as it was for long. Dave and the cops would be in there sooner or later, picking through Graham’s things. She was surprised they hadn’t come already. The day before, at Emerald Springs, Dave hadn’t given much away. He’d asked her some standard questions, then told her to head back to the house and not return to the springs until he gave permission. ‘Might be a few days,’ he’d said regretfully.

  Amelia had shrugged. ‘If you get to the bottom of everything, it’s worth it.’

  Now she wanted—no, needed to get into Graham’s room and look for the phone before Dave did. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust that he’d do a good job, but she wanted to know who Graham had been talking to, and Dave might still be looking at her as a suspect. For all she knew, he could even suspect Natalie.

  Bloody hell, Amelia thought, that’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve come up with yet. You’re paranoid.

  Struggling to clear her head, she turned to her mum. ‘Go and have a shower, Mum. I’ll ring Dani and see if she’s home.’ If there was any chance that Dani was involved with all of this, then Amelia would just have to trust that Dani would never hurt Natalie, especially while her own parents were in the house. Good thing she still lived at home.

  Then a comforting thought occurred to Amelia. There was an opportunity here for her to take her mind off things by losing herself in numbers and calculations as she’d always been able to. ‘While I’m out that way,’ she said, ‘I might ring Anne and see if I can go check over her accounts. Make use of the time while you’re with Dani, since their places are so close together.’

  Natalie shook her head sadly. ‘I don’t know how you can continue on as if nothing has happened.’

  Opening her arms, Amelia hugged her mum. ‘I don’t know either. All I know is if I don’t keep going, if I stop, I’ll be in trouble.’ She let go and picked up the tray before walking out to the kitchen. Then she went into her room and waited; within minutes, she heard the shower running. Ten minutes from now, she thought, glancing at her phone clock.

  She ran to Graham’s room. Pushing open the door, she stopped dead in her tracks. The smell of his aftershave hit her and she had to gulp down tears. Then she reminded herself of what he’d done, and anger coursed through her.

  On the bed was a box holding his car keys, his wallet, a handkerchief, and some other odds and ends—no phone.

  Amelia was about to leave when she had an idea. Could Graham have hidden the phone in his room and pretended to lose it for some reason? To conceal evidence, or use it against someone?

  She threw open the wardrobe door and felt in the pockets of his clothes. His desk! She pulled open the drawers and sifted through papers, but it netted her nothing. Then she peered under the bed and felt around beneath the mattress.

  The shower stopped. Amelia shut the drawers, tried to make the room look like she hadn’t been there and slowly backed out, closing the door tightly behind her.

  So where was the phone? Had it really been stolen?

  Sitting at his motel room table, Dave had just taken his first bite of Weet-Bix when his phone rang. He snatched it up when he saw the forensics number.

  ‘What did you get, Coops?’ he asked by way of a greeting.

  ‘The cartridge is as clean as that paper was. Sorry, Dave. And since you didn’t find any of the pellets, that’s a bit of a dead-end too, because they have the serial number on them.’

  ‘Bugger.’ Dave thought quickly. ‘So, going back to the cartridge, how does someone get hold of a taser gun?’

  He could hear Coops scratching his scruffy chin, a habit he had when he was thinking. ‘I guess,’ he said slowly, drawing the words out, ‘you can buy them online. Black market-type jobs.’

  ‘So a civilian can access one easily enough?’

  ‘Sure can.’

  Dave frowned. ‘What about the oil?’

  ‘We can certainly match that if you ever find the truck. Now, speaking of the truck, it has a rigid body. I’ve run a check on the regos out there and emailed it to you.’ Coops paused for a second. ‘You do know how to get emails, don’t you?’

  ‘Smart arse,’ Dave muttered under his breath. ‘Many hits on the regos?’

  ‘Surprisingly, yes. Farmers usually prefer tippers, but there are quite a few rigid trucks up that way.’

  Dave groaned. ‘Great. Cheers, Coops. At least I can check the oil. And I reckon the tyres are missing a chip of rubber.’

  ‘But who’s to say it’s even registered?’ Coops asked.

  ‘Geez, who made you the detective? Any other info?’

  ‘Not from me.’

  ‘Thanks for rushing this through. Buy you a beer when I get back?’

  ‘Up for it anytime. Hey, and Dave, before you go? Don’t stay too long up there in the sticks, will you? We’re beginning to think you like it.’ Coops gave a short bark of laughter and hung up.

  ‘So what if I do?’ Dave muttered to dead air.

  He scoffed the rest of his Weet-Bix and pulled on his jacket. The first thing to tackle this morning was the unpleasant task of disturbing the Bennetts and going through Graham’s room. Then the divers would be arriving.

  Chapt
er 35

  Amelia knocked on the front door of Anne’s house. Reaching down, she patted the cat who was winding himself around her ankles. A few moments passed. She didn’t hear footsteps approaching the door, so she knocked again and was greeted with silence. She walked around to the side of the house, calling out, ‘Hello! Anne?’

  There was no answer. That was strange—she’d called ahead and Anne had told her to just knock at the front. Was the older woman all right?

  Hearing the sound of barking dogs, Amelia walked towards them. Maybe the Andrews had all been caught up doing sheep work over in the yards. But no, there was still no one to be seen. Two dogs were tied up near the shearing shed, straining at the end of their chains. When they saw her, they let out another great round of barking.

  ‘Sorry boys, can’t let you off,’ she told them, ‘but I’d be real appreciative if you could tell me where Anne is.’

  A noise came from inside the shearing shed. Was it just a chain banging against tin? Maybe Anne’s had an accident and needs help. Amelia eyed the shadows inside the shed warily. Anyone could be in there. A shiver went up her spine. No, she told herself, you have to get over this!

  Her footsteps echoed around the shed and it quickly became apparent that there was no one inside. Instead of leaving, Amelia walked towards a shaft of sunlight that streamed through a dirty window. Shimmering dust particles seemed to dance in the golden light, and she swished her hand through them, making them twirl in agitation.

  She felt a little bit like they did. One minute floating peacefully through life, with everything going according to plan—and the next, with the slash of a hand, everything in chaos.

  Breaking away from her dark thoughts, Amelia glanced around, hoping to see some fleeces. She loved the smell and feel. Stepping around the wool table and running her hands along the work-worn bench against the wall, she made her way towards the back of the shed where the wool bins were, but they were empty.

  A gleam caught her eye. Near the grinder sat a pile of steel ear tags.