Kimberley Sun

by Di Morrissey

  The news upset Lily more than she cared to admit. She was stressed, physically tired and apprehensive about the investors. The emotional impact of Biddy’s death was the last straw. She locked her cabin, something she never did before, but now that thousands of dollars’ worth of pearls were inside, she was cautious. Then she went down the creek to the bay, wishing Sami and Tim were here already, but the Georgiana wasn’t due in till sunset. She walked along the deserted dune following the lonely track. She wondered if the big, successful pearlers had doubts and fears like those she was feeling at the moment.

  She sat down on the sand, hugging her knees, her chin resting on her arms as she stared at the water ruffling in the slight nor’easter breeze. Her reverie was broken by a gentle touch on top of her head. Startled, she looked up to see Palmer.

  ‘I didn’t mean to scare you. I came to say goodbye. I’m heading back to Broome for a bit. The uni team are arriving to check out the fossil site and report back. Our funding should follow.’

  ‘The dinosaurs?’

  ‘Uh-huh.’ He sat down beside her and dropped his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. It was comforting, warm, loving. ‘I heard about Biddy. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Thanks. You’re a nice man, Ted.’

  ‘Biddy was a key link in your family, I gather. You’re never prepared to lose someone special.’

  ‘She was the first Aboriginal person I ever sat with and talked to, on my first day in Broome. Then to find out her link with Tyndall, our family connection . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’m just glad her last years have been so comfortable with Rosie and Harlan.’

  ‘Perhaps it’s right that Sami was there for her final journey. A link back to you and those days past.’

  ‘I was thinking that too. Despite Sami brushing off her Aboriginal connection, I think of all people Biddy made the strongest impact on her. In a positive way.’

  ‘Sami is culturally different from us. Youth, a different generation in different times. When she goes back to Sydney she might push all this to the edge of her life. But it’s there, inside her, and she’ll deal with it when she’s ready.’

  ‘She’ll have to deal with it every time she comes here, I’m afraid. I’m not going anywhere,’ sighed Lily.

  ‘I’m pleased about that,’ said Palmer softly.

  Lily looked into his face, the impact of his blue eyes and wide mouth, his lean face with rugged movie star looks hitting her with a jolt. He was so often casually dressed, unshaven, his leather hat and sunglasses hiding his features, that she’d forgotten how handsome he was. A slight greying at the temples, a few interesting wrinkles, a lean body – she thought half his female students were probably in love with him! ‘And you, what are your plans?’

  He glanced away from Lily’s green-flecked eyes and sweet face, thinking a man could get entangled in that soft blonde hair. ‘I’ll be around for a bit, dragging out my slow and painstaking research.’ He grinned.

  ‘Good.’ She smiled back at him and without effort or thought their lips met, at first tentatively, then in a hungry consuming kiss that surprised them both.

  When they drew apart, Palmer shook his head, looking a bit bewildered. ‘I didn’t think one could feel like a passionate befuddled schoolboy again.’

  Lily simply looked at him. Drinking him in, wondering why she hadn’t seen him in a romantic light before this. ‘Ted, “befuddled” is a good word. I didn’t know how to take you when I first met you –’

  ‘I irritated you,’ he said calmly.

  ‘Yes. But your personality wore me down over time and I have to say it’s a lot of fun, and life is a little more interesting, when you’re around. Most of all, you’ve become a good friend.’ She looked down for a moment and Palmer leaned over and kissed her tenderly again. ‘Is this going to spoil a lovely friendship?’ she finally asked.

  ‘Only if we let it, and I don’t think we’re that way inclined.’ He tightened his arm around her and suddenly she felt safe, secure and very calm. The stress and confusion began to flow away from her and Palmer felt her body relax.

  ‘Let’s just be here for the moment. You’ve helped me through a hard time. Biddy, family and the worry of this whole enterprise. Why did I do this? Why didn’t I just invest my nest egg and look through the travel brochures?’

  ‘Because you’d hate yourself in a week. You are an energetic woman just coming to consolidate the creative phase of your life. You were ready to apply all that experience and wisdom and take a flying leap into something new.’

  ‘I had a wobbly earlier. I couldn’t believe what I’m doing. Suddenly Tim isn’t here, Dave seems a bit off the planet and I lose Biddy. And I worry about my daughter.’

  ‘Yes. She’s my friend too,’ said Palmer a little apprehensively. ‘And that might be a problem now.’

  Lily bit her lip. Palmer was right. Lily was overcome with a feeling of guilt – she was falling in love with her daughter’s close friend. ‘How does Sami really see you, think of you, Ted? She reacted so strongly when she saw us just talking together, what would she make of . . . the last few moments?’

  ‘Jealous, angry, hurt probably. She wants to be the centre of your universe. In my case she wants me to be attentive to her needs – professionally in the academic sense and as a friend in, well not quite a fatherly sense, but as a mature wise owl. Children like to carve their relationships on their own.’

  Lily nodded in agreement. ‘It has been a bit tough working things out over the last ten years or so as she became more self-sufficient. Our family consists of just the two of us and the relationship has become competitive. She’s no longer the kid, if you get my meaning. She challenges me. Our roles have been shifting. I now appreciate her feedback and advice on all manner of things. Oh dear, this is going to be difficult.’

  Lily suddenly thought of her past lovers, her former husband. Sami’s father, her relationship with Dale. And then she looked at Palmer. She almost burst out laughing. It was so clear, so right. All the things she wanted in a man were here in this surprise package of the most unlikely yet obvious choice – Dr Ted Palmer. Philosopher, teacher, gentle man; humorous, poetic and musical, yet worldly and physically capable. He was respected by all sorts of people from traditional Aboriginal elders to workers and students. While he ambled around the bush quite at home, she realised he was equally at home with intellectuals, entrepreneurs and high flying executives.

  ‘I’ve always done what I felt was best and right for my daughter. I’m proud of her, I love her and she is the most precious thing in my life,’ said Lily.

  ‘So she should be. However, may I suggest you look at your life? Your personal life.’

  ‘Oh, God. It’s too hard. All I know is I was feeling so bereft, so overwhelmed and then you came along and kissed me, and suddenly everything seemed wonderful.’

  He leaned over and kissed her again, squeezing her shoulder and then got to his feet. ‘Think about that. I’ll be at my place in Broome. Your call. But I’ll always be your friend – friends are sometimes more important than family.’

  They walked side by side back to the camp and Dave came hurrying out to meet them. ‘Tim just called from the boat. They’ll be in sooner than we thought. He says he has some amazing news and asked if you were still here, Palmer. I said you were about to leave but they want you to stay on and see what they’ve got. All very mysterious.’

  Palmer shrugged and looked at Lily. ‘It’s no hardship to hang around with you guys.’

  They sat in Lily’s cabin with the door locked, the air-conditioning on and the louvres closed. Lily was at the table looking at a pendant through a magnifying glass. Sami, Tim, Dave and Palmer were crouched on the floor around the salvaged lead box with pieces of jewellery scattered in front of them. Dave was closely studying several of the coins.

  ‘They look like Greek coins to me. Third to fifth century,’ he declared. ‘My father had quite a coin collection and I related them to the ancient history
I was studying. About the only thing at school I enjoyed.’

  Palmer reached out to take some of the coins. ‘You could be right. There’s a very Indian look to some of the jewellery, though I agree with Sami, it’s predominantly Persian,’ said Palmer. ‘It’s bloody old. Where it came from, where it was going and who was smuggling it on an Indonesian fishing boat is a more important mystery at the moment, though.’

  ‘So what’s the next step?’ asked Lily.

  ‘Notify Customs and the Receiver of Wrecks,’ suggested Tim. ‘We think there’s a link between this loot and that sun icon thing Bobby got from Matthias Stern.’

  ‘There’s obviously a connection,’ declared Palmer. ‘Here’s the same medallion that Stern was carrying and someone wanted. Wanted it badly enough perhaps to kill for it. The note inside it must have been a coded message about when to expect this lot. Ross told me about a postcard Stern had sent his son. It said something about getting some stuff . . . on a Sunday,’ he said, trying hard to recall the details.

  ‘Did you say “Sunday”?’ asked Tim.

  ‘Yes, it made a reference to arriving on a Sunday.’

  ‘The wreck is not far from Sunday Island, a small spot that’s easy to miss, in treacherous waters. If there was a storm and they were off course they might have made a run for the mainland and gone down.’

  ‘Sunday Island!’ exclaimed Dave. ‘It’s a deserted mission island. The perfect place to bring in illegal goods.’

  ‘I bet that’s what it was. This explains someone like Stern being around here. Whoever he was meeting chose very remote spots to rendezvous,’ said Palmer.

  ‘So when Bobby turned up at the races instead of Stern, the other bloke nicked Stern’s backpack and shot through, thinking the sun medallion was inside,’ said Tim. ‘You met the guy, Lily, what do you remember about him?’

  ‘I can’t remember his name. He was smarmy, an evasive sort. Olive skinned. About the only thing I did get out of him was that he was an art dealer.’

  ‘Makes sense. In a wild kind of way,’ said Sami. ‘Mum, who else was with you that met him?’

  ‘No one that I recall. I did meet the couple from the caravan park, Kev and Bette. They were around, but they didn’t talk to him.’

  ‘Maybe Ross and I should talk to them in case they remember anything,’ said Palmer.

  ‘I think we’d better call the police straightaway,’ said Sami. ‘One murder, a couple of break-ins and a bash on the head for Pauline. This guy is serious.’ She went over to pull out the phone book from under Lily’s pile of papers to find the number of the Broome police.

  ‘I reckon whoever was meeting Stern has got some local heavy to do his dirty business and look for the medallion. He wouldn’t have to tell them why or what it was for,’ said Tim. ‘And I doubt he’s still around.’

  ‘If it’s someone local, then how the authorities handle the announcement of this little find here could be crucial. I agree, let’s call the police, but we could also ask Ross’ advice,’ suggested Palmer. ‘And I could get my art historian buddy at Curtin to give an opinion on where this stuff might be from. I’ll talk to the police and see if we can keep the lid on this for a bit,’ said Palmer. ‘Could be useful for a number of reasons.’

  ‘It’s getting late in the day,’ said Tim. ‘I want to get down and look at the next batch of shell.’

  ‘I’d better hit the road. Do I have permission to talk to Ross about this?’ asked Palmer. Everyone nodded in agreement.

  ‘Okay.’ He stood up and casually kissed Lily on the cheek. ‘Good luck with your investors. Maybe I’ll see you down in Broome.’

  The exchange, though brief, wasn’t missed by Sami, and an eyebrow twitched.

  ‘Sami, before you make that call, come see me off,’ Palmer said warmly and they walked outside. ‘When life settles down we have to discuss your thesis.’

  ‘The problem is that life doesn’t seem to be settling down,’ said Sami. ‘I have one drama after another. Is it always like that up here? I thought the Kimberley would be about the most laid-back place under the sun.’

  ‘And lo, international intrigue, mayhem and madness.’

  ‘Riches and romance too,’ said Sami, giving him a sideways look.

  ‘I hope the riches come your mother’s way. She’s worried about the state of the harvest. It’s been two years in the making so there’s not a lot she could do about it. Ask her for a run-down about it tonight.’

  ‘Well, riches aside, she seems to have found romance.’ Sami’s voice was tense. ‘Do you want to tell me what’s going on? I saw the way she looked when you kissed her just now.’

  ‘It wasn’t much of a kiss, just a peck on the cheek.’

  ‘Come on, Palmer!’

  ‘I could say it’s my own business, but anything concerning your mother involves you. But Lily will make up her own mind in these matters.’

  ‘What matters? I’ve only been away four days. But it’s obvious there’s been a very big shift in your relationship. I can’t help being a little surprised. At least her taste in men is improving.’

  ‘It doesn’t change anything between us,’ said Palmer.

  ‘Of course it doesn’t! Why would it?’

  Palmer shook his head. Women were mercurial creatures. ‘Great. Wonderful. But something has happened to you. You’ve changed too.’

  ‘You think so?’ She dropped the banter and said quietly, ‘It’s been a momentous few days. In lots of ways I’m not sure about yet.’

  Palmer touched her hand gently. ‘Don’t try to analyse it. An unscholarly judgment call, perhaps, but what the hell . . . let’s live a little. Take care, Sami.’

  The following morning Sami and Lily walked to Sami’s car where Rakka was sitting in the front but occasionally checking the back seat as if looking for Biddy. ‘I hope it all goes well. Just turn on the charm for the investors, Mum.’

  ‘Thanks. You’ll be out in the desert by the time I get back to Broome. We’ll meet up here again then?’

  ‘I’m anxious to hear what Harlan has pulled off for Leila. We’ll go straight out there. I think he’s looking forward to getting out of the Broome court for a bit.’

  ‘I’ll stay with Rosie. Does she have help with Lizzie while Harlan is away?’

  ‘It’s all organised. There’s always a cousin or rellie of Biddy’s around. Rosie’s doing an exhibition of the Dari women’s art and weavings that Leila helped to inspire.’

  ‘It would be lovely if Leila could be there, wouldn’t it?’ said Lily.

  ‘Yes, but if it gets press interest someone might ask awkward questions. If people knew Leila’s story and others like hers, and worse, they’d think again about our treatment of refugees.’ Sami kissed Lily. ‘Happy pearling.’

  ‘No guesses what you’re getting for Christmas!’ They both laughed, and Sami pulled away feeling a closeness towards her mother she hadn’t felt for a long time.

  Back in the old house Rakka settled outside the door to Biddy’s room. Sami had headed into town to meet Ross and Pauline, who had gone together to Pauline’s showroom. Bertrand had kept things running smoothly, but Pauline had felt some trepidation at going back there for the first time since the break-in. However, Ross’ burly figure and cheerful demeanour had helped her get past the initial trauma.

  Sami gave Pauline a hug. ‘You look fabulous.’ She admired the short skirt and cropped top Pauline had bought in Perth.

  ‘Thanks, I’m looking forward to going to California to really shop! After I’ve had a bit of a break at the farm with your mum and Tim, that is. Tim says he’s got some things up there to inspire my next collection. He was very secretive. But I have to meet your mum’s Japanese people first.’

  ‘These pieces should bowl them over,’ said Ross, looking at the work in the showcases.

  ‘Different from regular strings of pearls, I hope. They show the other directions we can go in with pearls.’

  Sami drew Pauline to one side as Ross went to
chat with Bertrand. ‘Pauline, the things Tim mentioned might not be there when you get to the farm, but he’s taken masses of digital photos. I’ll let them tell you the story. It’s incredible. Listen, though, can I ask you . . . what’s the deal with you and Tim? You went out a few times, I mean, is there anything between you two?’

  Pauline looked quite shocked. ‘Of course not! We only ever went out in a group. He’s just one of the gang, you know that. Why? What’s happened since I’ve been away? Tell all!’ She gave Sami a shrewd look, seeing her faint blush of discomfort.

  ‘It’s been a bit of a week. We were away together on the boat, nothing happened, but well, we had a few D and Ms.’

  ‘Deep and meaningfuls! Under the stars away from the world, the only two people in the universe. You talk, he talks. The sharing thing?’

  ‘Yeah. I guess so.’

  ‘And nothing happened? That’s generally when you get close to someone, feel vulnerable and one thing leads to another. You can tell me, Sami.’

  ‘Well maybe we didn’t get as close as you think. Physically. But I certainly know him better. And like him a lot more. We’ll see where it goes.’ There was a tinge of relief in Sami’s voice. ‘I’ll see you up at the farm or back here. Harlan and I are going out to the desert.’

  Pauline hugged her. ‘Good luck. Thanks for everything.’

  ‘I haven’t done anything. Mum and I think of you as family.’ Sami meant it. She was glad her mother had taken Pauline under her wing. She was talented and would no doubt make a name for herself and maybe settle overseas, but she knew they’d never lose touch. ‘I just wish they’d caught the bugger who’s been banging around town looking for the sun medallion.’

  Ross joined them. ‘Hey, we’re working on it. I’m going round to see Kev and Bette and explore a few other avenues.’

  Ross left Pauline Despar Designs and slipped his sunglasses on in the glare. Then he headed down to Buccaneer Caravan Park.

  ‘Hey, Kevin, got time for a cuppa or a beer?’

  ‘Ross! Great to see you. Absolutely, come on in.’ Bette was swinging in a hammock reading a book. ‘We’re going for a fish later, want to come?’