Raven Falls: Australian Rural Romantic Suspense

by Suzanne Brandyn

  A glance at Samantha confirmed she hadn’t moved. He reached out, and gave her shoulder a few shakes. ‘Hey Sam, wake up. We have a bed for the night.’

  Samantha didn’t budge and continued to let out a light snore. He opened the car door, grabbed the two bags he’d placed in the back and scooted up three steps to unlock the cabin.

  After setting their belongings down, and propping the security screen door open, he walked out to the car and opened the passenger door.

  ‘Sam, are you going to wake up?’

  With no response, and knowing how buggered she was, he scooped her up into his arms, and pressed the button on the keys to lock the car. He couldn’t believe how someone could sleep so soundly, although it’d worked out well. He didn’t want to give her a fright if she heard him during the night.

  He pulled back the covers on the double bed, laid her down and took off her boots. She was out for the count. He leaned closer, picked up a stray wisp of hair from her eye and dropped it back into place. He was about to turn back, but took a few moments to watch her sleeping. His gut twisted with regret. If he could turn back the clock, he’d do so without hesitation. He wondered how many times he’d said that. He ran a hand around the back of his neck. What if he'd taken another lane on the freeway that day, he could have avoided the accident?

  Knowing the past was unchangeable, he walked to the front door and secured the cabin. Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out his medication, and popped two white pills while he was in the bathroom, and splashed his face with cool water. Thoughts of taking a shower entered his mind, but he didn’t want to wake sleeping beauty. She needed all the sleep she could get. He switched off the bedside light, and pulled back the covers on a single bed. Stripping off to his jocks, he climbed into bed only to toss and turn.

  When he woke a few hours later, Samantha’s light snore comforted him in some weird way. He gathered it was similar to the snore his mother used to make. He shook his head and closed his eyes. He woke several times, but dosed up again and slept for a couple of solid hours.

  Samantha pried sleep from her body and pushed up onto her elbows. She noticed the ruffled bedding on a single bed a short distance away. A glance at the clock registered ten in the morning. Panic set in, and she scrambled into a sitting position, feeling drugged.

  The door to the cabin opened.

  ‘Well, bright eyes, about time.’

  ‘Brad, it’s ten.’

  ‘That I know.’

  ‘Why didn’t you wake me?’

  ‘There’s no rush. We told the doctor we’d be back at the hospital later on today, remember.’

  Samantha eased down on the bed, grabbed her hair and twisted it at the nape of her neck.

  ‘You fell asleep in the car and refused to wake. I didn’t want you to sleep in your clothes, but thought it best if I didn’t take them off.’

  She cleared her throat. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘I’ve got raisin toast, and coffee. Feel like some?’

  ‘Yes, thanks. I want to ring the hospital, find out how Chris is.’

  ‘I’ve spoken to Cameron and Steven. Filled them in on what’s happening...there you go.’ He placed the coffee and toast on a small circular table and Samantha made her way over and picked up the cup and sat trying to shake sleep from her body.

  Brad sat opposite her and unwrapped his toast. ‘Dig in. Cameron’s made a statement to the police, and the police at Raven would like Chris to make a statement when he’s well enough.’

  ‘I can’t believe it. I really can’t. Cattle rustlers and they have to turn up at Raven Falls.’

  ‘We’re not hundred percent sure it was cattle rustlers. Cam and Steve are heading out today with some of the workers. They need to undertake a count.’

  ‘I heard the rustlers were herding cattle across the border into Queensland. I didn’t think things like this happened until Tracey said something about them, and Marg mentioned they were closing in on Raven.’

  ‘It’s pretty serious. A few years back, one of the largest hits happened in Queensland. About 860 cattle were stolen from a property.’

  ‘Wow. That’s terrible.’

  ‘The fines have increased, but I don’t think it’s stopping them. It’ll have a major impact on all producers, especially when they’re dealing with drought, bushfires and the elements in general.’

  ‘And market prices.’ Samantha added. ‘Poor Christopher. He must have accidently run into them. What other reason would make them take to him like that? Bash a child.’

  ‘Eat up. We’ll find out when he wakes up.’

  Samantha stood, walked over to her bag and pulled out her mobile phone, noticing missed calls from her brothers. ‘Looks like Cam and Steven were trying to ring.’

  ‘Yeah, they said that. I explained why you weren’t answering.’

  ‘Have you got the number for the hospital?’

  Brad reached for his mobile sitting on the table and scrolled through it. ‘Here it is. I put it in this morning.’

  He recited the number and Samantha hit call and spoke to several people before hanging up. She let out a sigh. ‘They said Chris is doing well. He’s pretty sore and in some pain, but he’s strong and healthy.’

  ‘That’s good to hear.’

  Samantha glanced over at Brad. ‘Thank you for what you’ve done, for what you’re doing.’

  ‘I don’t mind Sam. I really like your family. I guess they’re the brothers I didn’t have, although I recall playing with a small girl at my property on a few occasions. I don’t recall having a brother or a sister. It’s weird.’

  ‘What’s weird?’

  ‘Well Mum whispered something before she died. It was about a sibling, my sibling. I couldn’t make much sense of it. Then I found the letter.’

  ‘You told me you found out about your father. What about this sibling?’

  ‘I didn’t tell you everything.’ He eased back in the chair, and stretched his legs out in front of him under the table. ‘I can’t make much sense of it. Perhaps I shouldn’t say anything.’

  ‘There was talk in Raven about your father taking his own life, although it was gossip at the time, you’ve confirmed it for me. They said he drank a bit.’

  ‘Don’t I know it. It’s also weird that I’m not a drinker in that sense. I’ll have a couple of beers, but that’s about it.’

  ‘What’s this about your sibling?’

  ‘The letter said find your sibling.’

  A shudder of a strange and different kind wobbled up her backbone. When she saw the photograph of his mother in Brad’s house she noticed some similarities, but Samantha concluded that a lot of people have similar traits and looks but aren’t related. But his mother also loved horses. She swallowed, cleared her throat.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Yeah. The letter confirms what Mum said on her last day.’

  ‘Did she give you any indication where he or she may be?’

  ‘That’s the problem. I don’t know where to start looking.’ He shook his head, and straightened his spine. ‘Anyhow, that’s for another day. Do you feel like a walk, perhaps some lunch? And then we can head to the hospital.’

  ‘I’d love a shower. I’ve got a change of clothes.’

  ‘I had one when I first woke. It’s a wonder you didn’t hear me.’

  ‘Out for the count.’ She smiled, and finished her coffee and toast but she didn’t tell him what else she knew about his father and his past. She didn’t know how.

  Chapter Eight

  Samantha was pleased to get back into routine, although Christopher took some looking after. She folded the washing in the lounge room to give him some company.

  ‘If I had a rifle I would have let them have it. I could have avoided this.’

  Samantha stilled, feeling a little guilty that she’d told Cameron and Chris before they headed out that morning that one rifle was enough. ‘I’m sorry you feel that way Chris. We can’t change what happened.’


  ‘Yeah, as I said, if I had some protection I wouldn’t have been banged up so much.’

  ‘Steady up Chris,’ Cameron said as he walked into the lounge room. ‘Sam’s doing the best she can. Give her some leeway.’

  ‘I’m sorry sis. I know you were only looking out for me. It happened so fast, and I didn’t get to see their faces.’

  ‘I’m sorry it had to happen to you Chris, too. But we have no cattle missing, so you must have made them think twice about stealing.’

  ‘Yeah, after they did this to me.’ He indicated his plaster.

  ‘You’ll heal. It’ll take time, but you’ll be okay.’

  ‘Imagine the scars over my face. It’s not going to look pretty.’

  ‘They’ll fade within time Chris. The doctor said so.’

  ‘They’ll never fade, well not completely.’

  ‘The scar on the side of your face may be still there, but it will fade over time. When you’re twenty-eight it will be hardly noticeable.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it Chris. Chicks dig scars on a man. They think it makes them manly.’

  ‘Cam.’

  ‘It’s true Sam, what about that actor guy on the tele? The older dude. He has this scar down the left side of his face and it’s prominent. It didn’t stop him from acting, or getting any woman he wants.’

  Christopher chuckled. ‘It doesn’t help knowing that they’re got away with doing this to me. They were probably laughing all the way back home.’

  ‘Laughing. What do you mean?’

  ‘Why don’t you tell her Chris?’

  Samantha glared at Christopher. ‘Tell me what Chris?’

  ‘Gee Cam.’

  ‘Cough it up. What is it I don’t know?’

  ‘It wasn’t cattle rustlers that beat me up, well not really. It was a few of the older kids from school. They staked me out, although they said some older men were there. They didn’t know who they were, but they said we’d have some missing cattle.’

  ‘What for? What reason would they have to do that?’

  ‘They asked me on the night of the dinner to go with them to round up some cattle on the other side of Raven.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘They asked me to help them steal some cattle. I refused. It didn’t go down well.’

  Samantha shook her head. ‘Well they’re cattle rustlers as well. They need to be reported.’

  ‘Sam ran the younger ones off.’

  ‘You what?’

  ‘I gave them a scare. There was three of them, although I counted five men on horseback before I returned for my rifle. I set back out and only spotted three.’

  ‘That’d be them, although I didn’t see the other men they spoke about.’

  ‘As I said, they need reporting.’

  ‘Let it alone for now Sam.’ Cameron stepped in. ‘I’ve given them a warning. There’s nothing more that needs doing. Isn’t that right Chris?’

  ‘Yeah. It’d only cause more trouble. They won’t let up if we dob them in. They’d probably come back for a second go at me.’

  ‘How can a person beat another person up and get away with it?’

  ‘If you’re the local cop’s son...he gets away with a lot.’

  ‘What Mark Johnson’s kid, what’s his name, Peter?’

  ‘Yeah, that’s him.’

  ‘It won’t happen again.’

  ‘It better not, otherwise I’ll be reporting this and any more incidents.’ Samantha shook her head.

  ‘Cam took care of it sis.’

  She speared a look at Cameron. Her lips thinned. ‘Well.’

  ‘I had a few words with Peter.’

  ‘A few words.’

  ‘Yes. I told him to back off or else. Warned to keep away from Chris and that if he mentioned anything about me, or Christopher I’d tell his father everything. I also added that I’d make something up with evidence to back us up so he and his mates would be put away for years. ‘

  Samantha stilled. ‘Did you really say that?’

  ‘It’s the only way to handle it at present.’

  Samantha shrugged, and continued to fold the last of the washing, flicking a tea towel with annoyance.

  ‘Has anyone heard from Brad?’ Cameron poured a bourbon.

  ‘No, not since we came back from the hospital.’

  ‘Me either.’

  ‘Add me to that list,’ Steven said, as he walked in and moseyed over toward the bar. ‘Did you scare him off, Sam?’

  ‘Very funny. He’s got some issues he wants do deal with. I guess that’s what he’s doing.’

  ‘What issues?’ Cameron looked up, waiting for Samantha’s reply.

  ‘I’m not too sure. Whatever it is, he’s pretty secretive about it.’

  Cameron laughed. ‘Secretive. I don’t think so. Like what?’

  ‘I don’t know Cam. But he’s hiding something. I know it.’

  ‘The guy’s here to install the irrigation system and to drum up some more business in the area. We’re lucky that Cameron found him,’ Steven remarked.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I asked him what was involved in setting up the irrigation system. That’s all. It went from there.’

  Samantha shook her head. Something fishy was going on. Her mind crammed with thoughts.

  ‘He did tell me when his mother died she whispered something about having a brother or sister.’

  ‘There’s no Harper kids hanging about in Raven, that’s for sure. We’d know it,’ Cameron pointed out. ‘Except for Brad, well they’d be an adult by now.’ Cameron chuckled.

  ‘That’d be a shock,’ Steven said.

  ‘The letter also said his father took his own life. It confirms the gossip about the place.’

  ‘Old Tim was a drunk. Everyone knew that.’

  ‘Is that a fact?’

  Samantha jerked at the sound of Brad’s voice emitting from the front door.

  ‘Is it safe to come in?’

  ‘You don’t have to ask. You’re a part of the family,’ Cameron jested.

  ‘Part of the family,’ Samantha said with a shaky voice. ‘I get enough whiplash from you lot, let alone add another brother to complicate my list of troubles.’ She pulled a lopsided grin.

  ‘Don’t worry, Sam. It won’t go that far,’ Brad said, and a slow smile curved his lips.

  ‘Sorry about that Brad. We were just talking. Wanna drink?’

  ‘Yeah, I need one.’

  ‘You seem a bit uptight.’ Cameron poured Brad a bourbon and handed toward him.

  ‘Thanks mate. It must be all the fresh air up this way. I’m not used to it.’ He laughed. ‘I gather Sam has told you about the letter I found in my mother’s office. I wasn’t aware that my father committed suicide. Mum told me he left us. That was it. I was young and accepted the fact he didn’t want anything to do with me. Now I find out he took his own life.’

  ‘I’m sure he cared for you, Brad.’

  ‘If he did he wouldn’t have killed himself.’

  ‘He must have had his reasons for doing such a thing.’

  ‘Yeah, he was drunk. Intoxicated to the max,’ Brad barked.

  ‘I don’t know. Don’t surmise. He could have been depressed about something,’ Cameron said.

  ‘Yeah. If you ever find out could you let me know? And then I’ve found out I might have a brother or sister around somewhere.’

  ‘That’s been kept quiet. There’s been no gossip.’

  Brad chuckled. ‘Yeah, no gossip, no sibling. But I have to try to find them. Mum asked me to, so I have to give it a shot and she repeated the same words in a letter.’

  ‘So where do you think you’ll start looking?’

  ‘They could be anywhere. With Mum gone, it’s pretty difficult to know where to start. I could try someone who still lives in the Raven area, perhaps old friends, if any. By the sounds of my father I doubt she had that many close friends. It’s squeezing it tight.’

  Brad took a gulp of his drink. He sat on one of
the single sofas and everyone followed, getting comfortable on the lounge. Christopher remained in his wheelchair. He’d moved into Cameron’s bedroom downstairs until his leg was out of plaster to save him the ordeal of getting up and down the stairs on crutches.

  ‘Your brother or sister could be looking for you. Have you considered that?’ Cameron glanced at Brad.

  ‘Surely someone in Raven knows something about another kid my mother had.’

  ‘I’m sure they will. A few of the old folk still live in the area. Did the letter say younger or older?’

  ‘No. No age. Perhaps they had an argument with Dad. Took off. But the strange thing is if my brother or sister was about, I don’t recall seeing them. I have no memory of ever having a sibling.’

  ‘I hope you sort it out mate. Something might turn up.’

  ‘I can’t imagine my mother having another kid and not telling me.’ He ran a splayed hand over his forehead. ‘Surely Mum would have said something years ago.’ He shook his head, ‘I’ll ask about in Raven tomorrow. I need to go in for some supplies.’

  ‘Sam’s going in as well, but I’m worried about the tyres on her car.’

  ‘Cameron.’

  ‘They’re bald Sam.’

  It was true. Her tyres wouldn’t stop her in an instant if a roo ran out across the road and the old ute was only fit to run over the property.

  ‘I can take your car Cameron. So all’s settled.’

  He shot her a mischievous grin. ‘No chance in that. You know no one drives my wheels except me.’

  ‘He has a thing for his car,’ Samantha said sarcastically. Cameron was making the situation between her and Brad more stifling.

  ‘Have you seen the way she drives when she’s by herself? It’s like when she’s riding Raven. If you blink when she passes you’ll never see her.’

  Her brothers chuckled.

  ‘My car is okay to drive. I’ll take it slow.’

  ‘Admit it, Sam. It’s dangerous. The tyres are bald. You aren’t driving it until the new ones arrive next week and that’s it. We don’t need any more accidents.’

  ‘It looks as though you’re outnumbered,’ Brad remarked. ‘Sam, I don’t mind. If you’d like a lift say so.’