Going through the motions, she bathed Ella, fed her and put her to bed. Then she got the dinner on and sipped the remaining wine while she waited for Matt to appear, the only sound in the house the ticking clock which seemed to move slower the more she watched it.
Seven pm came and went, eight, nine then ten. Anna began pacing the floor. Matt had never been gone this long before. She wasn’t sure if she should call the police or just keep waiting. If there had been a car accident surely someone would have rung or come and got her. Had it been six months ago, she would have been worried he’d tried to commit suicide, but now she couldn’t think of one damn reason why he hadn’t come home.
By the time 11.30 pm came and went, panic was churning in her stomach. When she couldn’t bear the waiting any longer, she gently picked up the sleeping Ella and strapped her into the car seat. Leaving a note on the table for Matt saying to ring her if he came home, she went looking.
Cruising the lonely, deserted country streets only to find nothing, she turned left and headed out of town towards a parking bay she knew he sometimes went to. But as she drove in and swung the car around to sweep the lights over the whole park, she could see no sign of his white Rodeo ute.
Next she drove to his father’s depot, but he wasn’t there. With a heavy heart, she drove out past the old farm, sure she would find him sitting in the moonlight, staring over what had been his land. But he wasn’t there either.
Driving back into town, the roads were empty except for a couple of kangaroos, a stock truck loaded with sheep and two passenger cars.
On a whim, she left the car running so Ella wouldn’t wake up and ducked across the road to the pub. Peering in the windows, she tried to see if Joe had taken pity on Matt, letting him stay while his staff cleared up from the night’s trade.
She looked over the whole bar, hoping to see Matt sitting against a wall, drinking coffee. Nothing.
She ran around to the car park at the back of the building. The parking lot was empty.
Finally she headed home. Pulling into their street, her heart sank to see there was still no ute in the driveway.
Inside, Anna put Ella in her cot and then threw herself onto her own bed, staring into the darkness, her ears straining to hear his rattling ute turn into the drive. But it didn’t. Where on earth was he? Was it so hard for him to call her?
When six am came and he still wasn’t home, she picked up the phone and rang Kate, bursting into tears as soon as her friend answered.
‘Anna, what is it?’ Kate asked, her voice full of concern.
‘Matt hasn’t come home. I don’t know where he is.’
‘What? Hold on, I’ll ask Sam if he knows.’
Anna could hear muffled voices in the background then her friend came back on the line.
‘Sam said he talked to him yesterday afternoon, told him about a bloke who had some chemical stolen over near Burra, but he doesn’t know where he was when they were talking. Hang in there, we’re coming over.’
But when a ute pulled into the drive ten minutes later it wasn’t Kate and Sam, but Matt himself. Anna ran out and threw herself into his arms.
‘Oh, Matt! Are you okay? I’ve been so worried. Where’ve you been?’
‘Just driving around,’ he answered, detangling himself from her.
‘Just driving around? Why didn’t you ring? I’ve been worried sick all night! I didn’t know whether I should call the cops, if you’d been in an accident . . . Matt, tell me what’s going on!’
‘Nothing is going on, Anna. Leave me alone. I’m tired. I’m going to bed, all right?’
Angry now, Anna grabbed his arm. ‘No it’s not all right!’ she shouted. In the silent morning, her voice carried and curtains shifted in the studio above Maggie’s shop. Matt tried to steer Anna inside but she shook off his hand.
‘Tell me where you’ve been,’ she demanded. ‘What was so important that you couldn’t call me? Have you been trying to find out who took the fertiliser?’
‘So what if I have?’ he hissed at her. His eyes were red with tiredness and the shadow around his jaw had flecks of grey just beginning to show.‘I’m going to do something about it, even if you won’t.’
Anna stared at him as everything fell into place. He’d been driving around, looking, watching. Waiting.‘Oh, Matt, really?’The heaviness in her voice betrayed her sadness.
They both turned as a diesel engine rumbled around the corner and drove down their empty street, turning into their driveway.
‘What the hell are they doing here?’ Matt asked, recognising Sam’s ute. He looked at Anna accusingly.
‘I called them when you didn’t come home. I thought you might have been wrapped around a tree!’
Kate bounded from the car.‘Matt, where on earth have you been? We’ve been worried sick since Anna rang us.’
‘No need to be worried,’ Matt said, his voice flat. ‘I’m fine.’
‘You might be, but Anna wasn’t,’ Sam said, with a hard edge to his voice,‘and neither were we.We had no idea where you were, what could have happened to you.’
‘It’s not actually any of your business,’ Matt said, his eyes cold.
‘It became our business the minute Anna rang us and, believe it or not, you’re our friend. Anna was worried and so were we. This has gone on long enough, Matt.’ Sam’s voice was low and angry.‘We’ve all been patient but you can’t do this.’
Matt stared at Sam.‘Look, mate,’ he said, raising his voice.‘I’m fine and, like I told you, it’s got nothing to do with you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m buggered and I’m going to bed.’
Anna gasped at Matt’s tone. She couldn’t believe he was talking to his best friend like this.
‘Hey, let me tell you something, Matt,’ Kate jumped in, her face set. ‘You’re being an arsehole and you want to be careful. You keep on treating everyone the way you are now, you’re going to end up really lonely. There might even come a day when Anna won’t be bothered to hang around.’
‘You know what?’ Matt fired back. ‘None of you, not a single bloody one of you, knows what I’m feeling, so just piss off home and mind your own business.’ He stalked inside, slamming the door shut behind him. They could hear his angry footsteps echoing on the wooden floorboards and a few seconds later Ella started to cry.
Anna stood staring after him and then took a step towards the door.‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, looking over her shoulder at Kate and Sam. ‘I’m so sorry, but thank you.’
‘Anna, I’m sorry. This might have been my fault. I told him about another theft,’ said Sam, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
‘I’m sorry,’ Anna repeated as she shook her head, then rushed inside to soothe Ella.
Chapter 11
The mobile phone rang. Picking it up, the man hit the answer button without speaking.
‘Tonight, ten o’clock,’ a female voice said. ‘Same pickup as last time, second left on the marked trailer. Use the back doors. Understood?’
‘Got it,’ the man answered, then hung up.
‘Hey, mate!’ called Shane, waving at Matt as he pulled up in the depot. ‘How were your days off?’
‘Good, Shane, and yours?’
‘Fine – other than a quick trip to the hospital. Daniel, the cheeky bugger, managed to plough his scooter into the garage door and split his chin open. He’s okay, thankfully.’
‘I’m glad I’ve got a girl,’ Matt said. ‘And that she’s not old enough to ride a scooter!’
‘Oh, it’s all still coming your way,’ laughed Shane. ‘So, ready for your long run? First one, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah it is and I am!’ Matt was just pleased to be out of the house. Anna’s reproachful looks were annoying the hell out of him. ‘Jimmy said I’ll have a co-driver. Do you know who it might be?’
Shane grinned and pointed at his chest. ‘That would be me!’
‘You? Didn’t think you did long runs.’
‘Nah, don’t usually, but the boss
says you’ve got to be trained right, so it’ll be you, me, white lines and the long paddock.’
The ‘long paddock’ was the Nullarbor, which he was looking forward to crossing. A long straight run, music up loud and nothing but the rig and the road. He reached into the ute and pulled out his overnight bag. ‘Well, then,’ he said, swinging it up over his shoulder, ‘we’d better go and see the boss and get ready. What are we carting?’
‘I’m off to the office to get all the paperwork, so I’ll let you know. Reckon we should aim to be outta here by five at the latest. It’s the Dublin sale tomorrow and we want to avoid all those farmers bringing their sheep into the sale yards.’
‘Righto, I’ll go and see Jimmy, find out if there’s anything we need to know about the truck or the road condition.’
They went their separate ways. Matt was glad to have a mate as his co-driver. Living in a two-metre cab with someone for four or five days without a break could be a strain, but Shane was a great bloke and Matt knew they’d get on fine. He trusted Shane’s driving ability – and as a co-driver that was the most important thing of all.
Matt knocked on the boss’s door. ‘G’day, Jimmy.’
Jimmy looked up and a grin spread across his face. ‘Matt, me lad, come in. Ready for the drive?’
‘Sure am, boss.’
‘Got Shane teed up to go with you, Matt. He’s the best bloke to show you the ropes. He understands this job well, even though it’s been a while since he’s done it. He knows the road and the good places to stop, have a feed and a shower. Plus he’s thinking he’d like to do a few more stints like this – money’s better doing these sorts of runs and his kids seem to cost him the earth. A run with you will be a good way for him to ease back into it.’
‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Matt assured him.
‘So, when you gonna roll?’
‘Shane said he wanted to be out of here by five to avoid the farmers coming to market day.’
‘Good idea. Some of those farmers bring their five lambs or three steers down in the most clapped-out trailers or old trucks held together by baling twine and wire. Scariest crew on the road, let me tell you. Last year, there was an old farmer bringing in his pigs – knew them all by name, mind! Got onto the Port Wakefield highway and his tailgate came unlatched. Good thing his ute didn’t go above fifty clicks ’cos those pigs fell straight out the back. Oh Lord, the CB was busy that day. Farmers, truckies and all sorts were calling in with reports of pigs on the loose.
‘Took a while, but they were all found. Few had a bit of gravel rash, but none were badly hurt.’ Jimmy frowned and shook his head. ‘Yep, best to avoid those farmers.’
Matt decided not to tell Jimmy he used to be a farmer and he used to cart his lambs to the Dublin sale yards in a truck.
‘It’s really only the hobby farmers who are a problem – not got the right equipment,’ Jimmy added, as if reading Matt’s mind. ‘Safe travels, Matt. If you need to talk to the office or check in with the mechanic, stop at the nearest roadhouse or parking bay and phone them, or call in on the CB. Make sure you don’t pick up the mobile phone while you’re driving or the cops’ll be all over you.’
Matt nodded and left the office, smiling to himself. Jimmy was the kindest, most eccentric bloke he knew. He was in his late sixties, Matt guessed, with wispy grey hair combed across his broad forehead. He lived in a small two-room transport hut in the depot and East-West Haulage was his life. Without a wife or children, his drivers were his family and he treated them as such. Other drivers had told Matt about the bonuses at Christmas, the long chats and fatherly advice when things weren’t going so well. It didn’t matter what time you pulled into the depot – it could be three in the morning – Jimmy would get out of bed to find out if your trip had gone well and whether the truck was in good nick. He liked to know his men were happy. Happy men meant happy families and all of this created a harmonious workplace.
In among the line of ten prime movers parked silent and still, Matt found his truck. A young boy who was employed after school as a detailer was giving the windshield one last buff. He said g’day, shoved the rag in the back pocket of his overalls and moved on to the next one. Matt did a quick run over the engine, checked the tyres and climbed into the cabin. He turned the key and the engine rumbled to life. Matt smiled. He was excited about this trip – he was the happiest he’d felt in what seemed like a lifetime.
Shane appeared a few minutes later with paperwork, and hoisted himself into the passenger seat.
‘To the satellite depot!’ he said jovially.
Matt put the truck into gear and headed out of the yard. The satellite depot was only five minutes’ drive but many streets away. It was where all the freight was delivered to and stored in large sheds. Men on forklifts zoomed around from one trailer to another, loading the goods. They were lined up next to each other, but in separate bays so there could be no confusion about which trailer went with which rig and driver.
‘Bay three is ours,’ said Shane, and jumped out as Matt swung towards their load.
Slowly reversing in, Matt watched Shane’s hand movements in the mirror, directing him. When he felt the thump of the dolly connecting to the trailer he eased his foot onto the brake and slipped the truck into neutral.
The two men did a quick check of the trailers, kicking the tyres and making sure the locking straps of the tautliners were tight.
‘Good to go,’ said Shane. ‘You want to take the first run while I have a bit of a kip? Then I can drive the night shift.’
‘No problem.You like the night shift best?’
‘Yeah, buddy. Much quieter than my house when the four ferals are squabbling and running around!’
They climbed back into the cab and got comfortable, then Matt stepped on the clutch and smoothly pushed the split-shift gearstick into low and they left the depot for the open highway.
As Matt drove towards the west the sun was sinking. It was a steady trip up the highway, passing the hobby farmers Jimmy had been so concerned about, to the open land of the farming area. Behind the wheel, Matt felt free, although he couldn’t help but think about the way he had spoken to Sam and Kate. He supposed he should apologise, but damn it, he wasn’t ready to and he was right when he’d said they didn’t understand. How could they?
Shane sat in the front for the first couple of hours and then climbed through into the sleeper cab. Before closing the thick vinyl curtains he said, ‘Wake me just before Ceduna.’
Several hours later, Matt pulled up at a twenty-four hour roadhouse in Ceduna. He and Shane got out, ordered a late dinner of steak, chips and salad and headed for the showers.
By the time they got back to the truck it was the early hours of the morning and Matt was looking forward to the bunk. The small bunk was like a cave, he thought, as he settled into his sleeping bag: pitch black and warm.
He lay awake, staring blindly at the roof, thinking of Anna and how he missed their closeness before they lost the farm. Then, to dispel the gloom settling over him, he thought of Ella and her trusting smile, her chubby fingers reaching out for his.
With this happy image in mind he let himself be lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the truck.
When he opened his eyes next, it was still dark and the truck had stopped.
He waited for Shane to call out and say it was time to swap drivers, but he heard the door open and Shane settle back into the driver’s seat. There was a clunk of gears and the truck started to move. Obviously Shane had stopped for a leak, he thought, as he slipped back into slumber.
Chapter 12
The panicked shouts echoed through his dreams, overlaid with the thumping of chopper blades, the burst of gunfire. And then there were the screams – and the bodies.
No matter how hard he tried to escape the horrors of the Vietnam War, the images were embedded in his soul to be relived nightly in his dreams.
The sound of the siren grew louder and louder until he awoke with a start. His breathing
came in shallow gasps as he took in his surrounds, realising the siren he had heard was actually his mobile phone. He snatched it up.
‘What?’ he growled, still tense.
‘Jimmy, it’s Janey here, mate.’
In a split second, Jimmy’s mind catapulted back to the here and now. He looked at the clock – 3.42 am.
‘What’s up, Janey?’ he asked. ‘Got a problem?’
‘Yeah, I’m about two hundred k north of you and popped a turbo charger. Any chance of getting one of the mechanics up here?’
‘No problems, girlie. I’ll get on to Frank. I think he took the service vehicle home. Whereabouts are you exactly?’
Janey explained where she was and Jimmy said, ‘Hang tight. I’ll give you a call back when I know what time he’ll be there.’
‘Thanks, Jimmy. Sorry to wake you.’
‘I’m glad you did,’ Jimmy replied, meaning it. ‘Do you need me to let Joel know?’
‘Nah, I’ll give him a ring when I know what time I’ll be home. Talk to you soon.’
They hung up and Jimmy dialled Frank’s phone number. Apologising for waking him, he passed on all the details and said he’d help him load up the new turbo charger.
Jimmy hit the disconnect button and went to make himself a coffee while awaiting Frank’s arrival. He wouldn’t sleep again tonight.As the kettle boiled, he stared at the kitchen counter, his mind crowded with memories. So many memories . . .
‘Mum! Hey, Mum? Uncle Jimmy’s here!’
‘How’re you doing, young Sandy?’ Jimmy asked as he got out of his Valiant. ‘Look at your face! Anyone would think you hadn’t had a bath in a week!’ Jimmy pulled out his hanky to wipe the boy’s snotty nose.
‘Uncle Jimmy!’ Sandy whined and twisted away, instead wiping his grimy face with the hem of his threadbare T-shirt.
Jimmy shook his head, but laughed. ‘So why aren’t you in school?’ he asked.
Sandy shrugged.‘Didn’t wanna go.’
‘That’s no excuse! Bloody hell, how do you think you’ll make a dollar when you get older if you don’t go and learn things?’
Purple Roads Page 7
