Secrets At Wongan Creek

by Juanita Kees

  ‘I floundered between feeling helpless to stand up against him, wanting to leave, wanting to stay and wishing he was dead. Wishing that he would take his gun and shoot himself because that was the only way I’d ever be free of him. I made excuses for his behaviour. Poor Dad—heartbroken that his wife left him with a useless daughter to run the farm. I tried harder to please him, to make him proud of me for something … anything. And now I find out he knew I wasn’t even his daughter. He’d put up with me all this time. For nothing. No wonder he treated me the way he did.’

  She sighed, a shaky sound that ate at his heart until it ached, but he couldn’t help until she was done with her story, until all the hurt and blame had been purged from her system. He wanted to tell her she didn’t deserve to be emotionally or physically abused—no-one did—but she wouldn’t believe him until she believed it herself.

  ‘No wonder he took his temper out on me. I continually felt as if I was to blame for the situation he was in and if I left, I’d be responsible for his downfall. That Golden Acres would be lost completely. I loved the land too much to let that happen, never considering for a moment that it might never be mine. If I left Louis, I’d leave behind the memories, the only piece of Mum I had. I’d leave Ryan who didn’t deserve to die. And you, Harley. I’d leave behind my heart, my reason to keep breathing even if you weren’t mine to have.’

  She sank to her knees with her arms around Loki, who settled into her cuddle and rested his head against hers, his ice-blue eyes sad as he looked at Harley over her shoulder.

  ‘I’ll never be able to make people understand that while I had the choice to leave, I couldn’t, even though I knew I should. That I could never tell anyone what I’d seen him do to Ryan in case he did it to me too. Selfish of me, isn’t it?’ She gave a self-deprecating laugh. ‘And then he left me to die in that fire, the same way he did Ryan. Yet still I protected him. What kind of a weak fool am I?’

  Harley folded his arms across his chest to stop them from reaching for her. ‘That’s one thing you’re not, Tikki. You’re nobody’s fool.’

  ‘People will never understand that though. Not unless they’re victims themselves. Some days I don’t even understand why I stayed. I’m a fool for staying, a fool for letting him treat me the way he did, a fool for not leaving. Look what happened to Mum when she walked away.’ Tameka shook her head. ‘I’m a fool for that too. For believing she left me with him, that she’d deserted me and I wasn’t worth taking along. So I stayed with the parent who did want me until I learnt he didn’t want me at all. How messed up is that?’

  ‘You could have come to us. Mum would have taken you in a heartbeat.’ He wished she had so he could have spared her the horror of what she’d been through.

  ‘How could I? You were away in Perth studying, your dad wasn’t well even back then and your mum had her hands full helping him run the farm. She didn’t need my dramas added to hers. Besides, they were no match for Louis’ temper. Imagine what he would have done to your parents if I’d left to stay with them? He killed his own wife, chopped her up and buried her in a suitcase at the bottom of a dam. He let an innocent young boy burn to death for no other reason than Ryan was playing in his shed.’

  ‘Ryan’s death wasn’t your fault, Tikki. No-one thinks it was.’

  ‘That’s not true, Harley. You did. You believed it. That day in the kitchen when I told Riggs what happened. I saw your face. For a moment there, you blamed me.’

  ‘I was in shock. You were eight at the time. It’s not as if you locked that damn door yourself. There was nothing you could do to change what happened that day. Nothing I could do either.’ He had to make her understand that they were powerless to stop the events that took place that day, no matter how much it hurt knowing Ryan’s death wasn’t an accident. ‘No matter how much I wish life could have been different for all of us.’

  ‘You know what the worst thing is, Harley?’ She released her hold on Loki and stood to face him. ‘Every day I held onto the hope that things would change. He was the man I was meant to love like a father and couldn’t, the man I looked to for protection, a job and a roof over my head. I tried to change my approach. I thought if I did what he wanted, I’d make him happy, make up for my mother leaving, for the wreck the farm had become as he deliberately destroyed it bit by bit.’ She laughed, the sound raw and bitter. ‘All I succeeded in doing was to give myself false hope I couldn’t let go of.’

  ‘But you’re free now to start a new life, build new hope for the future. Let me help you be the person you want to be. I love you, Tikki. I always have. And I should have had the balls to take you away from him before now, except I wasn’t sure you’d come.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have come. I couldn’t. Not as long as I was tied to my father … my stepfather … by violence, guilt and failure. Heather helped me understand that. I’ve never stopped loving you, Harley, but I’m not who I used to be.’

  Finally she admitted to still loving him. Hope glowed in his heart. ‘Then let me help you be somebody you want to be. Who are you, Tikki?’

  ‘I am Tameka Nguyen.’ She whispered it as if testing the name with the universe to see if it brought her better luck.

  ‘There you go. A new name, a new start. Let it be with me.’

  ‘I’ll always be nobody.’

  ‘And do you really think that matters out here when we’re struggling to grow whatever we can and keep a town in balance? To stop it from being consumed by a hole in the ground that will be abandoned when the vein of gold runs out. When with every fire we put out, another one flares up?’

  The mention of fire made her wince and he regretted using the analogy. By now even the worst of her burns would almost be healed over, but the pain would stay with her forever and even when it faded, the scars would still be there to remind her. Like the hole in his heart left by the truth of Ryan’s death, even though his own guilt still ate at him.

  He should have told Dad that day that Ryan had gone into Louis’ shed, but instead, he’d become distracted by driving the tractor for the first time with Dad’s guidance and all thought of Ryan had been lost until it was too late. They were kids and it was no-one’s fault but Louis Chalmers’ who’d chosen to take a life that day.

  Harley reached out to touch Tameka’s face, his palm cupping her cheek. ‘You’re my nobody and I love you for who you are. Stay, Tikki. Stay and help me rebuild Bakers Hill. Be my wife, my partner, my ally. Be a mum to Loki and if you like it, we’ll have more—human or canine, whatever you want.’ He tipped up her chin. ‘Be Tameka Nguyen-Baker, and I’ll even wash the dishes after Loki’s put them through the rinse cycle and not put them straight back in the cupboard.’

  ‘You never did that anyway, you tool.’

  He felt her lips stretch in a smile under his, so he kissed her until her hands fisted into his shirt and her hips moulded against him then he kissed her some more.

  ‘You know how to tempt a girl,’ she whispered when he let her come up for air.

  ‘Come inside and I’ll show you my full line-up. If you’re not convinced by the end of it, I’ll drive you wherever you want to go, even if it’s Far North Queensland.’

  ‘The opposite end of the country? That’s a long way to drive to get rid of me, Harley. Can you be away from Bakers Hill for that long?’ she teased before her brow creased in a frown and she caught her lip between her teeth. ‘I don’t know …’

  He released his hold on her hips and took her hand instead. ‘Come with me. We’ll stop by my office where I’ll show you the plans to turn Bakers Hill into the Bed and Breakfast Mum always wanted, a hilltop adventure trail called Ryan’s Ridge and a dam called Mai’s Pond.’ Harley tugged her up the verandah stairs.

  ‘What about the research grant application?’

  Harley grinned. He was pretty sure she’d like his plan. ‘All going ahead. You know how Golden Acres was seized as the proceeds of crime?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Well, property and any
funds seized are deposited into a Confiscated Assets Account managed by the Australian Financial Security Authority. Since Wongan Creek is a town currently experiencing hardship on the agricultural front, I’ve submitted an application for the land to be used to benefit the community through a crop research and development scheme. The crop research facility will provide jobs for those who want to stay in farming rather than join the exodus to work for Wongan Creek Mining. The community is keen to work to bring stability to the area again in both industries. The proposal is on the Attorney-General’s desk as we speak and John Bannister has committed funds towards the scheme too.’

  ‘Wow, that’s big news, Baker.’

  ‘Yep, and because of the fire damage I’ve also made an application for funds to restore the homestead and list it as a heritage building as it was intended.’ He tugged her into his study over to his desk covered with roughly drawn plans.

  Tameka dragged her hand from his and picked up the one showing Mai’s Pond with a peaceful arbour next to the dam for shade and a swing surrounded by a Vietnamese-inspired garden. She put it down and picked up Ryan’s Ridge with its adventure trail that included an old ute exactly like the one Ryan had discovered in Louis’ shed. Her hands shook on the paper.

  ‘Still want to leave, Tikki?’ He bloody hoped not. Harley leant his butt against the desk and drew the plans out of her hands. ‘Say you’ll stay and build this dream with me.’

  ‘I had a dream once.’

  He tugged her into the V of his legs and held her steady by her hips. ‘Tell me.’

  ‘I wanted to open a cooking school at the homestead, grow organic veggies and create exotic dishes with my students.’

  ‘Then stay, and we’ll build your dream too. I don’t see the Heritage Council having a problem with that. It will go well with the proposed brewery facility and provide a lunch and dinner menu for the Bed and Breakfast guests.’

  She lifted her hands to his face and he pressed his cheek against her palm. ‘I’m sorry, Harley. For everything. I want to believe in love and acceptance and dreams that come true, but every time I open my eyes or turn around, I see only disappointment and destruction.’

  ‘Then let me change your view of the world. Things are changing for the better in Wongan Creek. Sure we’ll have more trials and disasters, but we’ve proved we have successes too.’

  ‘They’ll never accept me. Not after what my father … what Louis did.’

  ‘I think you’ll be surprised. No-one blames you. They’ll have questions, yes, but everyone in this town is battling to keep their own skeletons buried. No-one will be pointing fingers at anyone.’ He held her gaze, strong and steady, read the insecurity and doubt in her eyes. ‘You have people in your corner fighting with you not against you.’

  ‘Three people against a whole town? I’m not sure of the odds on that one.’

  ‘Never underestimate the power of a woman named Shirley Baker.’ He grinned. ‘Mum’s already paving the way for you in town. You’ve been invited to join the CWA. They’re planning an afternoon tea welcome as soon as you’re settled in.’

  ‘You’re that sure I’ll stay?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You’re a cocky bastard. What if I say no?’

  He trailed a finger down her throat, slipped it under the collar of her shirt and located the zipper on her onesie. He gave it a little flick. He was pretty keen to see how her burns had healed and to remove as many of the scars life had left on her as he could.

  ‘I’ll have to find another way to convince you.’ He gathered her in his arms, picked her up and held her close to his heart. Loki gave a little whine of approval and fell into step at his side.

  ‘I might take a lot of convincing,’ she whispered against his throat as he carried her down the hallway to his bedroom. ‘And a lot of healing too.’

  He grinned as he let her slide down his body, his hands steadying her as she went. ‘I was hoping you would, and I believe I’m the right man for the job. I’m happy to show you my credentials.’

  ‘I’ve seen your credentials.’ She lifted her mouth to his and whispered against his lips, ‘Now show me the reason to stay.’

  ‘I’ll never hurt you, Tikki. That’s a promise from the depth of my heart, and my heart is yours so I’ll tread very carefully. Please don’t go.’

  ‘I love you, Harley Baker.’

  His smile grew wider and his heart beat harder. He had the chance to make her happy again. He had the rest of his life to make sure she knew how much he loved her right back. Starting now.

  ‘Sorry, Loki, private party,’ he said as he pushed the door closed with his foot.

  Thanks for reading SECRETS AT WONGAN CREEK. I hope you enjoyed it.

  If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my web page www.juanitakees.com, follow me on twitter @juanitakees, or like my Facebook page www.facebook.com/juanitakeesauthor.

  You can also follow me through my publisher’s page here www.escapepublishing.com.au

  Reviews can help readers find books, and I am grateful for all honest reviews. Thank you for taking the time to let others know what you’ve read, and what you thought.

  If you liked this book, here are my other books: UNDER SHADOW OF DOUBT, UNDER THE HOOD and UNDER COVER OF DARK (Under the Law series), WHISPERS AT WONGAN CREEK (A Wongan Creek Romance)

  This book was published by Escape Publishing. If you’d like to sample some more great books from my fellow Escape Artists, please turn the page.

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