by Margaret Way
“So what you have to do is change Grant’s perception you’re not a terribly suitable candidate for Outback wife. It’s up to you to make it all happen.”
“Ditto!” Francesca smiled.
CHAPTER SIX
JANET MASSIE arrived that same day and immediately slotted in. Though there were thirty years and more between them she and Ally fell into an easy rapport. Both were Outback women, after all.
“You leave it to me, love,” Janet told Ally firmly “no one will go bothering you with me around. What’s the world comin’ to? It’s not manly to harass a young woman. It’s a coward’s role. Rafe is worried about you. Remember how he solved who was heading up that cattle duffing gang in ’96? With a bito’ Iuck he’ll be catching this fella who’s been bothering you. Right bastard he is, love, pardon my French. Just let him try and hide from Rafe.”
The thing was he’d been doing a very successful job of it, Ally thought.
The next morning when Janet went to collect Ally’s mail her attention was directed to a long yellow office-style envelope on which someone had printed Ally’s name and address. It wasn’t neat. It stuck out ijaggedly like a threat. Janet badly wanted to open it and read what it said-herself. She couldn’t stand the idea of Miss Alison of Kimbara Station, a real lady, being in this kind of trouble. It must be a dreadful strain, but it wasn’t her place to rifle through Ally’s mail no matter what it was.
Mercifully, Rafe was flying in midafternoon. He would know what to do. Rafe for all his gentlemanly ways was as tough as tempered steel.
*
“How many more takes before we finish?” Ally asked the show’s director, Bart Morcombe, testily and she wasn’t testy often. .“Why can’t Matt ever get his lines
off?”
“Because his tiny brain keeps getting in the way?” Zoe Bates who played the affable wife of the local pub owner, in the series, suggested.
Morcombe, looking decidedly frazzled around the edges, tried to soothe his star. It was most unusual for Ally to get this uptight, but then she had a lot on her mind lately. They all had with Ally being harassed. It affected every single one of them. Except Matt Harper who had grown up in a very tough neighbourhood and was very nearly punk. “The thing is he’s not asprofessional as you, Ally, and he doesn’t have your photo-graphic memory.”
“He’s an imbecile, that’s why,” Zoe, who had a pounding headache, cut in. “It’s all that coffee.”
Morcombe looked at her thoughtfully, scratching his head. “I thought coffee was good for you? Isn’t that what they’re telling us these days. Anyway it doesn’t help much griping, Zoe. We have to keep telling ourselves Matt has gone over big with the viewing public. Our ratings are sky-high. Ally and Matt generate sparks on the small screen.”
“‘Struth, I thought he was gay!” Zoe snorted beneath her breath, though there was no evidence to support her supposition. Most people in the business tossed the idea around because Matt Harper, an extremely good-looking young man rarely had a girlfriend in tow. His dangerous wrong-side-of-the-tracks looks had won him a lead role in Ally’s series. He’d had no training whatsoever, nevertheless he had a definite brooding presence on screen that translated into fireworks.
Without really liking him Ally had tried to help him in all sorts of ways for which he always appeared grateful in his highly defensive fashion, but sometimes, like today, she felt like jamming the script down his throat. Bart was too soft on Matt when he was known to be pretty scathing with lesser lights when it came to getting things right.
It was nearly five o’clock in the afternoon and they’d been hard at it since their 6:00 am. call.
Matt eventually sauntered back from his dressing room and gave them all a what-the-hell-are-you-looking-at-me-for look.
“What’s taken you so long?” Bart surprised them all by barking…
“I’ve been teasing my hair.” Matt had insolence down to an art form.
Ally exhaled sharply. “Do you think we can wind up this scene, Matt? I’m really tired.” “Sure, princess.” He gave her a smile that displayed perfect teeth courtesy of the studio. “Don’t have a nervous breakdown. If you all just relax I might be able to remember my lines.”
“Please do, Matt,” Ally pleaded.
He looked down at her, not tall but looking very strong. “I love it when you beg.”
The scene called for Matt, the town’s angry young man, to come into Ally’s surgery, aggressive and slightly drunk.
Matt did it in a single take.
They were just wrapping the episode up when Bart’s senior assistant, Sue Rogers, came rushing in like a small tornado. “God, the most exciting man I’ve ever seen in
my life is outside talking to the boss. I tell you he’s better than Redford in his prime.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Zoe gave a languid wave. “I see you re not wearing your glasses. No one but no one looks like Redford.”
“Just see how you react!” Sue sounded faintly hysterical. “He’s big and tall and lean and he’s got hair a woman would spend a fortune on. I tell ya it’s pure gold!”
“Could be a hallucination,” Zoe suggested, getting her gear together. “It’s been a rough day.”
Ally was the only one who knew exactly who it was. It had to be, from that description. Rafe. He’d finally arrived but she never thought he would come to the studio to collect her. Now he was here and her heart rose in her breast like a bird taking flight. She was desperate to see him.
“It’ll be a friend of mine,” she told them, smiling in Sue’s direction. “Rafe Cameron.”
“Lordy, lordy, I think I’m going to faint.” Sue pretended to stagger. “This is the Cameron, the cattle baron?”
“One and the same.”
“There!” Sue rounded on Zoe. “What did I tell you? I knew he was someone special. The walk! Boy, oh, boy, stand tall. The scent of the great outdoors! The cattle baron comes over loud and clear.”
“I’d like to meet him.” Bart sounded fascinated.
“Thank you very much but I’m on my way.” Matt spoke rudely, staring hard at Ally. “From the look on your face you really fancy him?”
“Rafe is a sort of a big brother.” Ally deftly hid her annoyance. It was none of Matt’s business. “With my own brother away on his honeymoon, Rafe wants to look into this harassment business.”
“You don’t think the cops are doing enough?” Matt couldn’t keep the snarl out of his voice “They gave me a bad enough time.”
“A good thing you can’t write.” Zoe’s voice was flat and unkind. Matt Harper brought out the worst in her but even she didn’t see Matt as Ally’s tormentor.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Matt marched right up to her, his blackeyes on fire.
“Nothing, Matt, just silly comment.” Ally checked him by putting her hand on his arm and clutching it hard.
“It’s OK, OK.”
“I take it back,” said Zoe with a little shudder.
Matt seemed to quieten, looking down at Ally’s elegant, long-fingered hand on his arm. “You’re a real lady, Ally, you know that. The only one I ever met in my life.”
“Didn’t you say you were going, Matt?” Bart asked, not wanting any trouble. He tried to take it easy with Matt, damned near raised as a street kid, but he was an arrogant little bastard and he had a mean temper.
That wasn’t about to happen. Before Matt could make a move, Rafe walked onto the set accompanied by the boss of the station, Guy Reynolds, a top executive with the national channel.
“Now I know what you mean about the golden boy aura?” Immediately Zoe turned to whisper to Sue. She was highly impressed but Matt’s face took on an extra ard edge.
“God, the cattle baron born with a sterling silver spoon in his-mouth,” he said. with amused contempt. “I bet he’s got a handshake that could crack coconuts.”
Ally shrugged slightly. “Why don’t you stick around and find out?.”
They all focused on Rafe Cameron as he
approached. A full head taller than Reynolds, he was dressed casually in beige trousers, an open-necked shirt and an classic blazer, but his height, his walk, the perfectly coordinated body, the tanned golden skin and the mane of shimmering gold hair, lent him a powerful drawing power. All of a sudden the familiar set seemed to teem with light.
Up close they saw the authority, the real authority, the high intelligence in the iridescent eyes, the way little sun crinkles radiated out from their corners, etched in
white. A cattle baron if ever there was one.
They could all see how he would look astride a horse, a bandanna around his neck, a rakish akubra pulled down over his eyes. It took all of them a few moments more to realise they were staring. Even Ally who had loved him all her life couldn’t take her eyes off him.
Matt didn’t get a chance to leave. Introductions were made all round. Rafe was as charrning as ever, so charming the cast and crew appeared to be exulting in his
presence and his easy, friendly ways. Even Matt smothered his aggressions opening up unexpectedly to the sheer manliness of their visitor, the commanding aura that made for respect.
All frustration with the long day seemed to fall away. Though it was easy to see Rafe Cameron could, if the occasion demanded it, be extremely formidable, a man to be reckoned with, if he liked and approved of you, if you did nothing to harm Alison Kinross, he couldn’t be nicer. Even when he put out his hand to shaker Matt’s,
Matt hadn’t shied away from it, rather he look flattered.
Twenty minutes later Rafe and Ally were out on the road joining the peak traffic, Ally driving her small BMW
“So what did you really make of my work mates?” She flashed him a glance, the golden carved, profile.
“Pleasant people for the most part,” he observed. “But you never can tell.”
Ally surrendered to a deep sigh. “The police questioned everyone, as you know. They spent most of their time questioning poor Matt. I believe there’s a little file on him downtown. Nothing terribly serious. Years ago when he was a kid, but it all sticks.”
“I’d say the guys had a hard life.” Rafe knew all about hardships. “He’s like a wound-up coil.”
“A terrible life!” Ally confirmed. “In and out of homes. I don’ t know that I like him. I try, but he makes it difficult for all of us. I have to make allowances.”
“What he wants is to start caring about himself before he can start caring about anyone else,” Rafe said. “He probably has a poor self-image. I damned near felt like
offering him a job. That usually straightens these troubled young guys up. I’ve seen really bitter kids nobody cared about turn into different individuals when they’re
given a bit of responsibility.”
Ally knew Opal Downs worked in with a welfare program for troubled youth. Rafe had taken it on board after he was approached. Her father had refused point blank.
“The land works its magic,” Rafe said. “Being around horses. I don’t think Harper’s at home with the acting business.”
“Just a way to make money,” Ally said. Matt had told her that a thousand times. “The strange thing is, he has a decided screen presence. The talk is, believe it or not, people love to talk, Matt’s gay.”
Rafe gave her a very straight look. “No, he’s not, Ally. No matter the rumours, or how they got started. I’m quite sure he fancies himself in love with you.”
The traffic was too heavy for Ally to take time off to stare at him. “Wha-a-t?” she cried. “Matt hasn’t looked sideways at me, Rafe. Not ever. We play a part. It’s called acting.”
“Obviously the camera sees what you don’t,” he said crisply.
“I don’t believe this.” Ally shook her head. “Matt has no girlfriend…”
“Maybe he’s focused on you.” Rafe, who had gone to the studio deliberately to size up the people Ally worked with, began to speak his thoughts aloud. “Let’s think about this.” Maybe he’s allowing the rumours to circulate. Maybe it suits him. Protective cover. Maybe he doesn’t know what to do with his passion. You’re Ally Kinross. You have a name. A privileged, background. You’re a heroine to him in a way, but he’s afraid of you. And how does he overcome his fear? His shame in his own background? He harasses you,”
Ally’s hand gripped the Wheel in rejection of Rafe’s theory. “It’s not true, Rafe. We’ve worked together for quite a while. Heck, he’s right under my nose. He had to endure being spoken to by the police for nearly half a day.”
“Do you think the police don’t know what they’re about?” he countered. “The last person you suspect might be all right for the late night movie, but most crimes against women are committed by men close to them. ‘Ex-husbands, ‘ex-lovers, jealous boyfriends; men they come into contact with in the workplace. Men who become obsessed with them. Unfortunately for him Harper does have a police file. We all regret the fact he had to grow up in a violent enviromnent but Harper could have a demon in him and don’t you forget it.”
He timed his departure, waiting until they pulled out of the car park.The Woman was driving. That struck him as funny. The big cattle baron actually allowing a woman to drive! Something he never did. Women had no feel for machinery, no road sense. They were rotten drivers. Men were the masters of the world.
Except, for a woman, Ally Kinross was special. Rich, well-born, sexy and very beautiful. He’d give anything if only she would look his way, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not with guys like the millionaire boyfriend around. How did these people get to have so much money, anyway? So much power. He had none and his breeding was questionable, as Well. Hadn’t his slatternly mother taken the trouble to tell him early. ‘ ‘You’re not Danny’s kid.” He hadn’t understood then but he did by the time he was seven and already into petty crime. Anyway, Danny’s real brood wasn’t handsome. Being handsome had earned him good money. Some silly bitch had stopped him in a shopping centre one day and asked him if he’d like to get into modelling, maybe even a TV show. It was unbelievable the way she made it all sound.
“Sign up and leave it to me!”
He had. His looks had even been improved especially since they got his teeth fixed. The perfect whiteflashing smile. What he hadn’t expected was for the silly bitch to fall in love with him. She had to be damned near forty and he hated the colour of her brittle blonde hair. But Ally Kinross! Thunderbolts on sight! Ally the untouchable. That was when he decided to punish her.
Send her letters. Phone calls. It was extraordinary the thrill they gave him. The feeling of power over her. Clever him. He was clean as far as the cops were concemed.
He knew where Ally lived. He had her latest ex-directory number though it wouldn’t be so easy to get the next if she changed it. He knew all about the brother’s wedding though he hadn’t followed her to Brisbane. He knew about the aunt in the great big mansion on the harbour. Now he knew about the boyfriend. The Greek god cum cattle baron.
He had to know what was going on between Ally and her old buddy. Somehow he knew in his bones Cameron was a dangerous new element. But then, all his life he’d
enjoyed playing wild garnes.
When they arrived at Ally’s apartment block she ran her car down towards the underground car park, pausing for a moment to activate the huge security door. With Rafe beside her she was spared all sense of nervousness. She knew he was wrong about Matt Harper. It came as a bit of a surprise. Rafe was an excellent judge of men.
Obviously he wasn’t letting anyone off his list.
On the way home she learned he had already spoken to the detective assigned to her case. The sad fact was the police had no evidence on anyone. They were waiting for whoever was harassing Ally to make a mistake. No one wanted an actual confrontation but the possibility had to be addressed.
Janet was waiting with the yellow envelope. Rafe took it from her, opening it up carefully with the paper knife she passed him.
“Is your name Ally Kinross?” Ally asked him wryly.
“Yes, is it,” he replied, his eye glued to a single sheet of ordinary white typing paper, the contents not ordinary at all. Written in misshapen block letters it was ugly,
melodramatic, scary.
“What does it say?” Ally sat down hard, her whole body vibrating with upset.
Rafe waited a moment before he answered. “There is something here that might be checked out by an expert.”
He ran a finger along his clean-out jaw line. “An odd kind of speech pattern common to all the communications. It could be feigned, again the obvious misspelling could be, too.”
“Matt can spell,” Ally said with relief, knowing Rafe’s doubts about Matt. “The police checked that out.”
“You mean you have someone already. What a blessing!” Janet visibly brightened.
“Rafe suspects everyone,” Ally said.
“So would you if you had any sense.” His golden brown brows were drawn together in a heavy frown.
“So what does it say?” Ally repeated. “Am I going to get to know?”
He laughed shortly, no amusement in it. “It’s not that interesting.” Rafe went to refold the letter to put it back in the envelope when he checked abruptly, a decided glint coming into his eyes. “Well, well, well.” He focused on the yellow envelope. The back flap had been reinforced with a strip of transparent tape as the glue wasn’t all that effective. “Maybe our friend has left a calling card, after all?”
“Tell me, Rafe,” she begged. “I feel ill.”
He passed her the envelope. “Notice anything under the tape?”
Immediately the sick feeling dropped away. She looked back at him, her whole expression sharpening. “If I’m not mistaken that’s a tiny hair. Maybe the sort of hair off a man’s wrist.”
“Exactly.” Rafe took the envelope back from her.
“I’ll hand this over to the police first thing in the morning. l might even give Detective Mead a ring.”
“We’re talking DNA?” Ally’s expression retumed to brooding.
“Hasn’t it revolutionised crime fighting?” Rafe nodded. “I’m certain we might get something from this.”
