Diamond Sky (Diamond Sky Trilogy Book 1) (20 page)

‘Now are you ready to start believing in aliens?’ she asked
him as they sat down to have dinner together. Val had earlier made a lasagne,
which Lucas heated up and tried to pass off as his own handiwork. Lucy was not
fooled.

‘Don’t you ever quit?’ he retorted. ‘It’s typical of someone
from the city to always look for the most complicated explanation to anything.
I’ve lived in this town my whole life and the only aliens here are the ones
that you brought with you in that crazy head of yours.’

‘I’m only asking you to consider it. I thought the idea was
ridiculous myself, but you’re the one that started talking about magic
chickens.’

Lucas shook his head despairingly.

‘Nobody mentioned magic. All I did was explain things as I
saw them. The mind plays tricks on us all. Sometimes the signal gets a little
mixed up as it makes its way to the brain. A car crash is a stressful thing.
For a while, my brain wasn’t functioning quite how it ought to. No magic, no
aliens, just simple human biology.’

‘Well, I still think there is more to it than that. Over
these past few days, I have opened my mind up to things I would previously have
thought impossible. Maybe it is not just this town. Perhaps these kinds of
strange phenomena occur everywhere, each and every day - we just choose not to
see them.’

‘Maybe,’ conceded Lucas, but Lucy knew that he was simply
humouring her.

She decided not to bring up the subject again for the
remainder of the meal. Instead, they talked about their past, their families,
their jobs, hopes for the future; all of the usual things that are discussed on
a first date. When all of the food had gone, they moved to the couch.

‘Would you like a drink?’ Lucas asked.

‘Sure,’ Lucy replied. ‘Do you have any wine?’

Lucas shook his head.

‘Maybe what I should have asked was “do you want a beer?”
I’m not a big drinker, but I like to keep a few
stubbies
in the fridge in case I have visitors. You can probably guess that I don’t
entertain often.’

Once more, Lucy could almost see the loneliness that
surrounded Lucas like an aura. It reminded her of how she felt after her father
was taken into hospital. Whilst she had nursed her dying father, Lucas had
taken responsibility for the wellbeing of an entire town. She could only
imagine the kind of hole that would open up inside of him.

‘You know, there was one part of your life that you left out
when we talked just now,’ she said.

‘What was that?’ he asked, handing her a bottle and keeping
one for
himself
.

‘You never mentioned any girlfriends. I don’t mean to pry,
of course.’

The policeman did not seem embarrassed by the question. He
took a swig of beer whilst he considered his reply.

‘I guess some things we just put off. I mean, obviously
there’ve been girls in the past, but not many people tend to stick around in a
town like this.’

Lucy thought about how she would be leaving in the morning.
She wondered if that was why Lucas acted so nervously around her. Was he scared
to make a move because he knew she would leave him too?

‘Have you ever thought about leaving, yourself?’

‘To do what?
They have no place for
a rural cop like me on a big city force. I’ve never had to stake out a
villain’s hideout or bust drug traffickers. All I do is offer the people of
this community somewhere to turn when they need a little help. It’s not what
you would consider real police work.’

‘So why not leave the force – try something new. You don’t
have to be a cop your whole life.’

‘Police work is in my blood – it’s all I’ve ever known.’

‘If there’s one thing I have learnt during this past week,
it is that change cannot be avoided. To have the chance to meet that change on
your own terms is a gift. There are plenty of jobs out there.’

‘Like what?’

‘You like protecting people; why not train as a lifeguard?’

‘I’ve grown up thousands of miles from the ocean. Does it
look like I swim much to you?’

‘Okay, so maybe that was not the best option. How about
becoming a park ranger? There are plenty of National Parks within a commutable
distance of the cities.’

‘If I wanted, I could do that here.’

‘You’re missing the point. It’s about
who
you are, not what you do.’

‘This is who I am.’

They finished their drinks, but the conversation did not
flow as freely as it had previously done. Lucy wondered if she probed too
deeply and inadvertently offended the policeman. She tried to make amends for
any possible faux pas by offering to help him wash the dishes. Her plan worked
and the tension soon lifted. Memories of past loves and missed opportunities
were soon forgotten as they playfully splashed each other whilst they worked;
somehow managing to create an even bigger mess than before they started.

Once finished, Lucy dried her hands and then threw the towel
down onto the worktop.

‘I guess I should be going to bed now,’ she said. ‘I’ve got
a long drive ahead of me tomorrow.’

She stood awkwardly in the doorway. Was this the last she
would see of Lucas? Saying goodbye was never easy, but at least none would ever
be as difficult as the one that instigated this whole trip.

‘I should too,’ he replied. ‘I certainly don’t want to risk
any more hallucinations like the one I had today.’

‘I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

Lucas stood sheepishly by the sink, not quite sure what to
do next.

‘Do I at least get a goodnight hug?’ asked Lucy. ‘I was
planning on saying goodbye before I leave, but just in case you get called away
on police business and I don’t see you.’

Lucas smiled and walked over and gave her a long,
affectionate hug. It was a while since Lucy had been hugged by a man and she
enjoyed it. So much so that she held on for little bit longer than she should
have. When they parted, Lucas took her display of affection as a sign and
leaned in to kiss her. She did not pull away from him, but as his lips touched
hers, she felt her mouth involuntarily clamp shut. This failure to reciprocate
did not go unnoticed.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Lucas, pulling away, clearly ashamed of
what he had done.

Lucy felt terrible. The last thing she wanted was to hurt
him, but it just did not feel right. If she kissed him back and allowed him to
take things further, the pain would ultimately be greater.

‘It’s my fault,’ she replied. ‘I shouldn’t have encouraged
you. You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s me; I’m just not ready.’

The more she lied, the more her guilt increased. She knew it
was wrong of her to use her grief as an excuse when the truth was that had she
felt an attraction she would have allowed things to progress much farther than
a mere kiss. The new Lucy was all about taking chances, but she simply could
not sleep with a man she was not attracted to.

If only she had known sooner, she could have been more
careful, but the fact was that she had been hoping for the kiss just as much as
he.

‘It’s okay, you don’t have to explain,’ said Lucas. ‘I
understand.’

When he did not look her in the eye, she knew that his
humiliation ran deep, but there was nothing she could think to say that could
make things right.

‘It will be better in the morning,’ she offered.

He just nodded and then passed her to go and make up his bed
on the couch.

She could not get to her room quick enough. Once inside, she
closed the door behind her and fell face down onto the bed. She buried her head
under her pillow and prayed for the night to swallow her up. If her most
painful goodbye was behind her, the one that was ahead may yet prove to be the
most awkward.

Chapter 21

A hastily scribbled note tacked to the fridge door spared
Lucy the embarrassment of having to deal with the previous evening’s awkwardness.
It stated that Lucas had been called out early and would try and get back to
see her off. She suspected the first part was a lie, but it would genuinely
disappoint her if the policeman did not make good on the promise thereafter.

She poured herself a glass of orange juice and popped a
couple of slices of bread into the toaster whilst she looked around for a paper
to read. There was none to be found, but at least the power was back. It would
have been one hardship too many to leave town without first having a shower.

A change of scenery could not have come at a better time for
her. The feelings of elation from the encounter with the kangaroos had
completely worn off and her failure to reciprocate the kiss only contributed to
the downer she was on.

Val was in the office and once her breakfast was ready, Lucy
went in to join the secretary. The other woman greeted her with a warm smile.
It was the kind of smile often used by elderly relatives when discussing
matters of potential suitors with their
embarrassed
younger kin. Lucy guessed this meant Lucas had not told her about the previous
evening.

‘I trust you slept well, dear.’

‘Very well,’ replied Lucy. ‘The bed was really comfortable.
I bet Lucas will be glad to have it back after I have gone.’

She hoped that by emphasising the fact that she was leaving,
it would deter the other woman from trying to press her into talking of a
romance that was never there in the first place.

‘He probably won’t even notice. The bed, I mean, not you
leaving; he will certainly be sad to see you go. Did you know that he actually
spent the night on that couch before you even moved in here? He works far too
hard and I do worry about him sometimes.’

‘I’m sure he’ll be fine. I’ve never met anyone who loves
their job as much as Lucas does.’

Val’s reaction was one of surprise.

‘Is that the impression you get; that he loves his job?’

‘Well, yes, why else would he care so much about it?’

‘Don’t get me wrong, dear, Lucas does indeed care about this
town, but sometimes I wonder if he is not merely using his job as a substitute
for other areas of his life that are lacking somewhat. What he really needs is
a good woman by his side.’

Lucy knew that it had been coming, but she still felt like
she had been ambushed.

‘I’m sure the right woman is out there,’ she said. ‘He just
has not met her yet.’

She worried that her tone was a little harsh, but Val seemed
to take the hint and did not press the matter further.

A brief silence followed as both women sipped their drinks.
As the instigator of the sudden change in mood, Lucy felt that she should try
to restart the conversation.

‘Did Lucas say what time he will back?’

The damaged police car was still outside. He could not have
gone far unless he had appropriated an alternative means of transport.

‘I shouldn’t think he will be too long,’ replied Val. ‘You
needn’t wait if it is an inconvenience.’

‘It’s not an inconvenience. I need to go and pick up my car
from the garage, but I’m in no hurry to leave. So long as I make it to Alice
Springs before nightfall, I will be fine.’

‘I’ll let Lucas know.’

Lucy noticed the beginnings of a scowl on the other woman’s
face. The expression was hardly perceptible amongst the creases and wrinkles of
age, but it was there nonetheless. Imagining how she now looked through the
secretary’s eyes actually improved her mood. Was she now a harlot; a city girl
of loose morals who had sauntered into town and led on the wholesome police
chief only to dash his heart against the desert rocks? The image was most
appealing. She had certainly come a long way since leaving home. It was stupid
of her to have worried so much about one kiss that never was. She was a strong,
independent woman and if she broke a few hearts along the way then so be it.

***

The professor did not plan on joining in with the day’s
experiment and he requested that nobody was to disturb him without exception.
Emmy
could understand why he wanted to be alone on this of
all days, but why could she not be afforded the same consideration? She picked
the framed photograph up off her dresser and sat on the edge of her bed whilst
she contemplated the image in front of her.

The picture had been taken just weeks before she was born.
It was the only one she had of her parents together. Her father looked content,
as any expectant father would be. He could not have known that a car crash
would take his life before he got to see his little girl come of age. Her
mother, however, had sadness in her eyes as if aware of the loss that was to
come.
Emmy
could see a part of herself in those eyes.

There was a knock at the door.

‘We’ll be starting in ten minutes,’ she heard Charlie call.

She looked back down at the photograph and ran her fingers
over the glass, which protected and preserved this image of her parents; the
late George and Felicity Rayne. One day she would get to meet them.
Maybe not in the flesh, but in spirit, at least.
Her
research was moving forward more quickly than she could have hoped. She had
found a doorway and when the time came to step through it, they would be
waiting for her.

***

Lucy heard the muffled beat of the music well before she
entered the garage. It was too loud for a place of business. It was too loud
for that time in the morning. Something was wrong. She quickened her pace,
eager to confirm if her fears were true.

‘
Davo
!’ she called out, but
received no answer.

When she got inside, everything at least looked normal.
Tools were laid out on the floor in an orderly fashion, carefully planned for
ease of identification. There was, however, something that did not seem quite
right to her. The dull thump of a concealed bass still throbbed in the air. The
office door was open and she went inside to turn the music down. That was when
she realised what was wrong with the scene. The CD player was not on; the music
was coming from elsewhere.

As she stepped back onto the work floor she was met with a
loud rev of an engine; her engine.
Davo
was sat
inside, behind the steering wheel. Lucy was relieved that she had worried for
nothing and that the mechanic had lived up to his promise. He had stayed sober
and he had fixed her car.

She tapped on the driver’s side window. There was no
response. She tapped again and when she was ignored a second time, she grabbed
the handle and opened the door herself. The smell hit her immediately. Her
father was a whisky drinker, although only in moderation. She never liked it
when he had the scent of it on his breath. The bottle was nestled between
Davo’s
thighs and she made a grab for it. It felt heavier
than she expected and as fluid dribbled over her hand, she realised that it was
still full; maybe even untouched.

‘Is this all that you had?’

He did not answer. With the music inside the car playing so
loudly it was ridiculous to have expected otherwise. She placed the open whisky
bottle down on the floor and leaned inside of the car to turn the music down.
Davo
grabbed her arm, forcefully, though not roughly.

‘I need this,’ he whispered in her ear.

His breath was warm, but it did not contain the unpleasant
odour of alcohol. She pulled away his arm and lowered the volume of the music
rather than turn it off completely.

‘Do you promise that was the only bottle?’

He nodded. His eyes were bloodshot and glazed with tears.
She thought back to their first meeting when he had been struggling to cope
with grief. At the time, she thought it wrong to pry, but now she wanted to
know. She needed to know.

‘When I came here before, I noticed a date circled on the
calendar. I assumed that the date commemorated some sort of loss. That day is
today, isn’t it?’

The mechanic did not answer, but his silence could be easily
read and taken as an affirmative.

Who was she?’ Lucy asked, knowing that pain of this
magnitude could only involve a woman. ‘Was she the girl in the photograph?’

As the words left her lips, a connection was made somewhere
in the back of her mind. She remembered the image of the young couple, how they
looked so happy and full of life. She listened to the music playing in the car
and replayed the lyrics in her mind. It was that band again; the one from the
eighties or nineties. What were they called – Guns n’ Roses; that was it. There
was something in the lyrics; something that she felt was significant. Then
there was the chance meeting in the bar, with a stranger who seemed so familiar.
Three disparate things that were all connected and when put together could help
to reveal the mystery of David
Armareth’s
pain.

She left the car and looked around for the picture frame,
which she had seen before. This time the couple in the image were no longer
strangers. Well, one of them at least; the girl. Lucy knew who she was and she
knew her name too – her real name. She put the picture down and ran back to the
car.

‘I want to come with you.’

Davo
twisted his face, not sure
what her motivation was.

‘I know where you are planning to go. That’s why the engine
is on. You weren’t testing it; you were going to take it for a drive.’

‘You don’t know anything about me,’ replied
Davo
.

Lucy took a deep breath. She knew where the line was and she
was about to cross it without knowing what reaction to expect.

‘I know that you are planning to drive to the observatory,’
she said.