Fool's Gold

by Fleur McDonald

  Smiling, Dave leaned over and kissed her. ‘The best, I would’ve thought.’

  Chapter 10

  Dave looked across at Melinda—she was still asleep. His stomach flipped as he looked at his wife, her copper-coloured hair spread out across the pillow. She was beautiful. Sometimes he felt he was punching above his weight when he looked at her, or when he saw other men staring. Which they did. Often. She was a tall, slim woman who carried herself with poise and self-confidence and Dave found that very sexy. Especially when her hair was out of its usual ponytail and she let it hang loose over her shoulders.

  Quietly he slid out of bed and pulled the sheet up to her chin before kissing her cheek gently and pushing a stray hair from her face.

  In the kitchen he put on the new electric drip coffee maker bought with some of the money they’d received for their wedding. Leaning against the bench in his boxer shorts, he thought back to what Melinda had said last night.

  He was sure if she got a job she would be happier. A job would mean meeting new people, potentially making new friends. And there couldn’t be much happiness in staring at four walls every day, he supposed. But there was something different about her—almost like she’d found a new energy. The glow was in her face again, and her grandmother’s jewellery was back in the safe.

  Opening the fridge, he saw there was bacon. After rustling around a little, he found the eggs. A few minutes later the bacon was sizzling and the coffee maker had produced its second cup. Taking it to the bedroom, Dave put the cup on the bedside table before sitting on the edge of the bed and kissing Melinda awake.

  ‘Good morning, sleepyhead,’ he said softly.

  Melinda groaned and opened her eyes. ‘Morning. What’s the time?’

  ‘Just after eight. I’ve got bacon cooking and I’m about to throw on the eggs. I thought I’d take you for a drive. How does that sound?’

  ‘Where to?’ Melinda sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

  ‘A little place I’ve been to on an investigation. Oakamanda. Got a cool pub. I reckon you’ll like it. And it’s a really pretty drive out there.’

  ‘Sounds like fun.’ Melinda reached for her coffee. ‘God, that’s good,’ she said after her first sip.

  ‘Yeah, God bless all the people who gave us money as a present,’ Dave laughed. ‘Couldn’t have bought it without them.’ He got up. ‘Breakfast won’t be long.’

  Melinda reached up and ran her hand down his chest and looked up at him from under her lashes. ‘Got time for you to come back to bed?’

  Dave groaned and bent down to kiss her. ‘The bacon will burn,’ he whispered.

  ‘Let it,’ she sighed against his lips.

  Dave cranked up the stereo as they left the town behind, John Williamson blaring.

  Melinda reached over and took his hand. ‘This country is stunning,’ she said. ‘Really vivid. The redness of the earth is beautiful.’

  ‘I know. Even in the Flinders it’s not like this—well, that country is more purple than red, but the colours aren’t as intense.’

  ‘What are the trees called?’

  ‘The shiny-trunked ones are gimlet trees. And the ones that only have the bark on the bottom, they’re blackbutts.’

  Melinda giggled. ‘Never thought about a tree having a butt,’ she said.

  ‘Can’t say I had either.’

  ‘What grabbed your attention about this little pub?’ Melinda asked, turning in her seat to face him. She kept hold of his hand and brought it up to kiss his knuckles. Dave felt a thrill run through him again.

  ‘There’s loads of history there and it’s got a lovely little beer garden out to the side. But the main reason was Dee, that’s the publican, mentioned she runs what she calls “Contiki tours” around the town. I wanted to take you on one.’

  Melinda smiled at him, then dropped her eyes. ‘Thanks for putting up with me when I was being such a cow.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. I didn’t “put up” with you. And you weren’t a cow. Just a bit stressed and sad.’

  He started to slow down just before the town sign and turned the stereo down.

  ‘Look, there’s a cemetery.’ Melinda pointed to the sign on the left-hand side of the road. ‘Can we have a look there when we come back? I love old cemeteries! I bet there are some stories in there.’

  ‘I’d reckon.’

  Pulling up at the pub, Melinda let out a gasp of awe. ‘Look at the stonework. I wonder if it was built by hand?’

  ‘It’s over one hundred years old, so I’d guess it was. They would have got the rock from around here. This crime scene I went to last week—the mine was under an overhanging rock, chiselled out between the ridges of granite. Amazing.’

  Melinda fiddled with her camera and took a couple of photos before taking his hand and walking across the road to the pub.

  There were five cars parked out the front and loud music pumped from inside. Dave pushed open the door and ushered Melinda inside.

  As he stepped into the cool, he blinked a couple of times to adjust to the dimness and realised Tim Tucker was sitting at the bar. Beside him sat a man of Asian descent, his brown hands wrinkled, bruised and cut. On the other side sat an Aboriginal man with greying hair and a beard.

  ‘G’day, Tim,’ Dave nodded. He wondered if this was China and Killjoy. He remembered Tim saying they were going to catch up this Saturday. Maybe they’d decided on Sunday too.

  Tim looked over his shoulder and nodded. ‘G’day there, cobber.’ His gaze rested on Melinda for a second. ‘Brought the missus out to see our little local?’

  ‘Sure have. We’re still sightseers. Haven’t been here long.’ As he talked, he realised Melinda hadn’t stiffened at the word ‘missus’. ‘Tim, this is Melinda.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you, I’m sure,’ Tim said, tipping an imaginary hat.

  ‘Hello.’

  Dee came out from the kitchen, the tea towel over her shoulder. Dave hoped it wasn’t the same one from when he’d been here last time.

  ‘Well, bugger me dead, look what the cat dragged in. Didn’t you get enough of my history lesson the other day?’ Dee put her hands on her large hips. ‘And you’ve brought a different sidekick. Who might you be?’

  Dave glanced at Melinda, who had a half-smile on her face. ‘I’m Melinda. The wife of what the cat dragged in.’

  Dee gave a chuckle. ‘Hi there, Melinda. Welcome to the Oakamanda Pub, where the beer is cold and the service warm.’

  ‘Geez, Dee, can’t you do better than that?’ Dave asked, dragging out a bar stool and sitting down.

  ‘Why would I want to do better? It’s all true! What can I get you both?’

  ‘Have you got a white wine?’ Melinda wanted to know.

  ‘Sure, love. We’re not as uncouth as we look. Dave?’

  ‘Just a lemon, lime and bitters. Driving.’ He glanced at Melinda and saw she’d flushed at Dee’s words, even though they were friendly. ‘I was telling Melinda about your Contiki tours. We were hoping you might have time take us on one.’

  ‘Can do. I’ll get my daughter to come and mind the bar.’ She plonked the drinks on the bar and picked through the change Dave had put down. ‘What do you want to see?’

  ‘Whatever you want to show us,’ Melinda answered, picking up her glass. ‘The country is so pretty and I haven’t seen a mine shaft yet.’

  ‘Dime a dozen round these parts. Gotta be careful walking around out here. Can easily fall down into one if you don’t know what to look out for. Like the poor fella you guys brought up the other day.’ She nodded at Dave.

  Immediately Dave wanted to ask how she knew the dead man had fallen in but as he opened his mouth the Asian man next to Tim spoke up.

  ‘Now, Dee, you’re jumping to conclusions again.’ His accent was pure Australian, which took Dave by surprise.

  ‘What do you mean?’ he asked the man.

  ‘Just that. You got no idea whether he was out walking in the night and fell in or was pushed down
there on purpose.’

  ‘China, this fella here is Dave Burrows, Spencer’s new sidekick,’ Tim quickly put in.

  China turned and regarded Dave silently before saying, ‘You’ll have your work cut out for you then,’ without offering his hand.

  ‘Meaning?’

  ‘Lots of blokes around here are sick of people trespassing. You lot don’t seem to do much about it. We’re getting a bit fed up with calling the coppers and no one turning up to help.’

  Dave felt Melinda shift uncomfortably next to him. He fished around in his pocket and brought out his wallet and handed over three business cards. ‘You have any problems, you ring me. I’ll come out straightaway.’

  The other man reached out and took one. ‘It’s hard to do anything, China. You know that. By the time the coppers get out to us, the trespassers have usually pissed off. Especially if they know we’ve rung and made a complaint.’

  Dave held out his hand. ‘Dave Burrows.’

  ‘They call me Killjoy.’

  ‘Are you?’ he asked with a grin.

  ‘I don’t reckon. My dad called me that when I was a young fella. Been called it for so long I’ve forgotten me real name.’

  Melinda laughed. ‘Why did he call you that?’ she asked.

  Killjoy gave her a wide grin that showed two missing teeth. ‘Apparently I wouldn’t sleep at night and I stopped my parents from conceiving any other siblings.’

  Dave and Melinda were the only ones who laughed; it seemed the others had heard the story before.

  ‘I take it there’s only one of you then?’

  ‘They broke the mould when I was born,’ Killjoy answered, raising his glass in a salute.

  ‘And thank God for that,’ Tim said, clapping his mate on the shoulder.

  The back door opened and Dave felt a blast of hot air follow the young woman who walked in. Tall and slim, she was smiling and immediately he could see she was related to Dee. It was the smile: wide and welcoming. Holding her hand was a little boy, blond hair sticking out in all directions and his cheeks red. It looked like he’d just woken from sleep.

  Dee held out her arms to the little boy and he shook off his mother’s hand and ran to her.

  ‘How’s my little man?’ she asked. ‘Have you been asleep?’ ‘Tim!’ the girl said. ‘I haven’t seen you in an age.’ Rounding the bar, she gave him a hug before giving one each to China and Killjoy. ‘Had any luck?’

  ‘The luckiest I’ve been is since you walked in,’ Tim answered with a grin. ‘How are you, my girl?’

  ‘Aw, you old silver fox.’ She patted his shoulder with fondness. ‘Always know how to make a girl feel special.’ She sighed. ‘I’m fine, although I wish Jasper would sleep a lot more.’

  ‘Giving you a hard time, is he?’

  Dave listened to them chat as he wandered around the room and looked at the pictures and slices of history on the walls.

  The small town of Oakamanda and its pub is at the centre of attention as detectives and forensics swarm over it looking for clues as to why a shooting occurred there last night, one newspaper article wrote.

  Police are at a loss as to why the shooting, which claimed three lives, took place at the Oakamanda Pub three weeks ago. They are calling for more witnesses to come forward, appealed another.

  Dave felt Melinda come and stand at his side. ‘Have you seen the other room?’ she asked quietly.

  ‘Haven’t been in there yet.’

  ‘Come and have a look.’ She took his hand and led him through a doorway. The first thing that struck him was the coldness of the room.

  ‘Maybe it’s the presence of the ghost,’ Melinda said in a stage whisper, then rolled her eyes.

  Giving half a chuckle, he glanced around and pointed at the air-conditioner on the wall. ‘Not unless her spirit is coming out there,’ he said.

  ‘And the walls. They’re really thick—much thicker than the ones in the front bar, so they’ll help keep the heat out,’ Melinda suggested.

  Dave ran his hands over the pool table as he walked around. There were old couches and stuffed chairs pushed up against the wall. They looked like they’d been there since the pub had first opened. The fireplace had a large spray of dried flowers and gum leaves in the hearth, and even though the room looked very old and worn, it had a welcoming feel to it. A display cabinet showed off relics from the area: old mining picks, broken cups, a photo of a woman sitting on a log by a campfire.

  ‘Wonder who that was,’ he said, pointing at it.

  ‘That’s our resident ghost, Mary,’ Dee said, coming into the room. ‘She died right in this room, you know. Dropped dead while she was mopping the floor. Obviously loved the place so much she didn’t want to leave.’

  ‘You don’t really hear her at night, do you?’ Melinda asked, disbelief in her voice.

  ‘Sure do! Lots of clattering about.’

  ‘I don’t believe in ghosts. There must be some kind of logical explanation for the noise.’

  Dee gave her a hard look. ‘There is a logical explanation,’ she said. ‘It’s Mary. Now you ready to go? Caitlyn is looking after the bar so we can head off.’

  Chapter 11

  Dave and Melinda followed Dee outside, walking over the carefully mowed lawns and through the gardens, which had the old staples that would survive the summer heat: geraniums, bougainvillea and gums. The outdoor tables were covered by shade cloth, and fairy lights hung from the trees. Dave could imagine it would be a beautiful setting to have beer on a warm evening.

  ‘Hopefully the old bitch’ll start,’ Dee said as a battered old ute came into view.

  At a glance Dave could see it wasn’t roadworthy; the front end looked like it’d had a collision with a roo, and there didn’t seem to be any glass in the front windscreen. He watched as Dee put her hand in through the window and yanked on the door handle. She didn’t seem worried he’d put a sticker on it.

  ‘You’ll have to do the same,’ she indicated. ‘Handle’s given up. Unless you want to sit in the back. I wouldn’t today though. The sun’s got too much bite in it for your skin.’ She aimed the comment at Melinda. ‘But if you really want to, I’ve got sunscreen somewhere.’ She looked under the seat in a half-hearted effort to find the tube, then knocked the gear into neutral.

  ‘We’re fine in the front. You let people ride in the back? That must be a bit dangerous,’ Dave ventured.

  ‘What do you think the couch is for?’ Dee asked as she turned the key. They listened as the engine turned over without firing. It didn’t sound very healthy.

  Dave wondered if it would even get them to where they were going, never mind back again. He counted ten empty Four X Gold cans on the couch, which was tied onto the tray with a piece of rope. Dave felt a glimmer of excitement. He remembered the fishing trips he and the footy team had taken when he was a teenager, the sand dunes they’d driven over, the drinking they’d done. The ute reminded him of those times and he was sure this Contiki tour was going to be fun.

  Taking them by surprise, the ute suddenly roared to life and Dee gave a whoop. ‘Good girl!’ She got into the driver’s seat and patted the steering wheel. ‘Never let me down, do you?’

  Melinda climbed in, kicking a few more beer cans out of the way. Dave followed, slamming the door behind him.

  ‘Right, I’ll take you to the first mine I ever came across,’ Dee said. ‘Mel, have you ever seen a mine before?’

  Dave was about to correct her with the name, knowing how much Melinda hated her name being shortened, but Melinda spoke before he could.

  ‘I haven’t. They sound fascinating.’

  He wanted to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Could one pep talk make all the difference? Would this new ‘Mel’ last? He hoped so.

  ‘Oakamanda has a really interesting history, even without the shooting. The town used to be about ten kilometres from where it is now. There was a mine right on the edge of it. People lived there in canvas tents and cooked over campfires. This is back in th
e 1800s when gold was first found. But then a miner by the name of Wallace Parker found a larger reef where the town is now.’

  ‘They moved the town?’ Dave asked in surprise.

  ‘Sure did. Packed up and shifted everything. There was water here, see? And water is almost more precious than gold out here. No point in walking an extra ten k to work and water, not when the town was moveable. That’s when they built the pub.’

  Dee changed gears and the gearstick struck Melinda’s leg. She tried to shift closer to Dave. ‘Sorry,’ she apologised.

  ‘Always a bit of a tight fit in here. That’s another reason for the couch,’ Dee said, crunching gears again.

  ‘Great idea,’ Melinda agreed, smiling. ‘There is something about this country. I don’t know what it is, but it’s so picturesque. Even with the heat.’

  ‘I know what you mean. Gets under your skin. I fell in love with it the minute I came here.’ She veered off to the left, throwing Melinda against Dave’s shoulder. ‘Mine’s down this way,’ she pointed, following a track that didn’t look like it’d been used in years.

  ‘What brought you here in the first place?’ Dave asked.

  ‘My mum and stepdad owned the pub. My stepdad won it in a card game. I’d had a marriage break-up and didn’t really know what to do with myself. Tried living in Perth and didn’t like that, so I moved to a little country town called Wickepin and liked that even less. Caitlyn was off my hands—had her young—so one day I jumped in me car and drove up here to see the olds. Haven’t left since. Don’t want to be anywhere else. Enjoy talking to the people coming through. Met some interesting ones, I tell you. When it’s tourist season, the hustle and bustle of this joint is more than enough for me. Here we are.’ She pulled up with a jerk and threw open her door before Dave and Melinda could say anything.