Queen of the Road (30 page)

‘Those pies have been in the oven long enough!’

Coop hovered outside the back door. There was no mistaking Alice’s querulous tone and he thought it best to keep out of the way a bit longer. Joan was preparing dinner under very trying conditions. Coop felt sorry for her. Alice was sitting at the kitchen table, giving instructions and watching her every move. He thought Alice might have cleared out of the way and left Joan to it, like she had previously whenever Joan came to cook or clean, but not today. For the last two hours Alice had remained staunchly on duty.

Coop walked to the end of the verandah and looked again in the direction of the road. Truth be told, he was nervous. Not because of Alice or Joan, but the reason for the dinner: they were expecting Angela and Claudia. Jilly nudged his leg and he threw a ball for her. He hadn’t seen Angela since their camping trip. He’d either been out on the tractor or busy looking after Alice.

The first day his employer was home, she’d hardly moved from the bedroom. He coaxed her to eat a little but she was so weak he wondered if she was going to be okay after all. Then, on the second morning, she was up before him, bright and early, sitting at the kitchen table with tea and toast.

Joan arrived that morning and Alice had begrudgingly accepted her help to wash herself. Coop endured a right royal telling-off for organising their neighbour as the home help, but Alice had quickly run out of puff. Eventually he was able to convince her that without Joan, she wouldn’t be able to stay on the farm. Alice had grumbled but she knew her limitations well enough to accept that he was right. She couldn’t walk far or lift anything by herself yet.

While Joan was around, Coop got back on the tractor and out in the paddocks, but when she was gone he did jobs closer to the house. He was still sleeping in the spare room.

He hadn’t been inside when Angela had called that morning. Evidently she had invited Coop to go into town for a meal, but Alice had turned the tables, asking Angela and Claudia to come out to the farm. Now Coop was fretting as he awaited their arrival.

The screen door banged behind him. He turned to see Joan making her way along the verandah.

‘Everything’s ready,’ she said. ‘You just need to dish it up when your guests arrive.’

‘Thanks Joan, I appreciate your help.’ Coop noticed that her usually sallow complexion was almost pink. ‘Alice does too.’

‘In her own way, I know.’ Joan patted his arm as she passed. ‘Leave the dishes. I’ll do them tomorrow.’

‘No, I’ll make sure they’re done. You’ve got enough to do.’

She waved over her shoulder. Coop cast his eyes towards the main road one more time, then went back inside. The table had been set but there was no sign of Alice. Perhaps she’d decided to rest before Angela and Claudia got there. Coop got himself a glass
of water, pleased to taste fresh rainwater after the problem with the ash.

‘A lot’s happened while I’ve been away.’

He turned quickly at the sound of Alice’s voice. She was watching him from the loungeroom door. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips were coloured. She must have applied some makeup. He’d rarely seen her wear it before.

‘Thought I could do with some brightening up,’ she said.

‘Angela shouldn’t be too much longer.’

‘Everything’s ready. Why don’t we sit down?’ Alice took up the position at the head of the table and tapped the place beside her. ‘Joan’s burnt my ears off with all her talking. I need to filter the reality from the bullshit. You’re the only one I can rely on for that. We haven’t had a lot of time to catch up since I’ve been home.’

‘Well, I think I’ve managed everything while you’ve been away,’ he said. ‘I’ve recorded the important things in the diary …’

‘I read it. Seems I’ve got some sheep missing.’

Coop straightened the cutlery on the table in front of him. ‘I think I might know where they are.’

‘Really? Well, why aren’t they back then?’

‘It’s tricky.’

Alice frowned. He slid the knife forward a smidge.

‘Spit it out, man. Where are my five ewes and their lambs?’

Coop continued to fiddle with the cutlery before Alice swept it away from him. There was no avoiding it. He had to tell her.

Alice listened intently, asking the odd question but mostly remaining silent. He ended up telling her more than he intended, so that in the end she heard all about Claudia’s interest in lambs and that it was actually she who discovered them in the Camerons’ holding pen.

‘And you think they’re still there?’ Alice said.

He nodded. ‘They were last Sunday. I checked while we were camped out at the rock.’

‘You’ve seen a fair bit of this new truck driver,’ Alice said. ‘I can’t wait to meet her.’ She smiled at him across the table. Right on cue, Jilly barked and they heard the approach of a large engine.

Angela and Alice hit it off straight away. The older woman was charm itself. If only Joan could see this side of her. Angela offered to serve the meal and Alice happily let her. Coop looked from one to the other in awe, slightly discomfited by the situation before him. When Claudia asked him about the chooks, he eagerly snatched up the torch and took her out to see the hens tucked up in their roost.

By the time they returned, dinner was on the table and the two women were sharing a beer.

‘Alice asked me to bring a six pack,’ Angela said.

‘I enjoy a beer at the end of the day,’ Alice said. ‘Probably shouldn’t have too much though. They’ve got me on so many pills, I rattle.’ She took a sip from her glass and sighed. ‘That’s good.’

‘Would you like one?’ Angela asked Coop, pushing back her chair.

He nodded.

‘Man of few words, our Coop. Have you noticed that?’

Angela turned back from the fridge with a smile on her face that made his heart beat faster. He took the bottle she offered.

‘Thanks.’

‘You’re welcome,’ she said.

‘Let’s eat before this food gets cold,’ Alice said. ‘Claudia, you come and sit by me. How are my hens? I haven’t been able to go out and see them since I’ve been back.’

Coop sat next to Angela and was startled by a hand gently squeezing his leg. He reached down and pressed his hand onto hers.

‘I’m glad you’re here,’ he said.

‘Me too.’

They ate while Claudia babbled on about the chooks until Angela finally asked her to stop and eat her dinner.

‘So what’s happened in Munirilla while I’ve been gone?’ Alice enquired. ‘What’s news?’

Coop noticed she hadn’t eaten much of the food in front of her.

Claudia leaned towards Alice with a serious look on her face. ‘There was a fire and Mr Harris had a tack.’

‘Really?’ Alice said.

‘What fire?’ Coop turned to Angela.

‘Didn’t you hear?’ Angela looked from him to Alice.

‘Joan said something about a fire on the reserve,’ Alice said. ‘But …’

‘No, this was last weekend. The night Claudia and I stayed …’ Angela stopped herself and looked down at her plate.

‘The night we had the campfire,’ Claudia finished.

‘What about Ken?’ Coop asked, noticing the pink flushing Angela’s cheeks.

‘Some of his pallets caught fire,’ Angela said. ‘He was there for some reason; he tried to put it out. He burnt his hands and had a heart attack.’

‘Told you,’ Claudia said. She looked pointedly at Coop, folded her hands across her chest and put her head on one side.

‘Good grief.’ Alice folded her arms as well.

‘Yes, good grief,’ Claudia echoed.

‘Ken’s in hospital in Adelaide but it sounds like he’s doing okay,’ Angela assured them. ‘I might even get a chance to visit him tomorrow. Not for long though. I had a call tonight from the manager of the Highway Hotel. They’ve got some big concert on over the weekend and they want me to bring the lighting and sound equipment. It’s a good opportunity to show them that Ranger Transport can cover all their freight needs. They’ve been a bit hit and miss.’

‘Who brings their freight if you don’t?’ Alice asked.

‘I don’t know, maybe Berl Stock Transport.’

‘But they charge a fortune.’

Angela shrugged her shoulders. ‘They’ll soon find out who’s the better company.’ She turned to Coop. ‘I’ve been doing my sales pitch this week. On top of the IGA and the Munirilla Hotel, I’ve managed to lock down a few other businesses. There’s a lot of recyclable stuff lying around in town that could earn them money in Adelaide. The guy at the garage has a pile of old cars that need to be taken to salvage.’

‘Business is looking good then,’ Coop said. He was pleased for her, and for himself. If things went well, she would stay.

‘Apart from Ken’s trouble, yes.’

‘I assume the police are investigating,’ Alice said.

‘They even paid me a visit. I thought they’d come about the robbery.’

‘What robbery?’ Coop and Alice spoke at the same time.

‘Someone broke the office door and took Mummy’s laptop.’ Claudia was making sure she maintained her presence in the conversation.

‘Good grief,’ Alice said again.

‘Yes, good grief,’ Claudia mimicked. Her voice was such a perfect echo of Alice’s that Coop would have laughed if he wasn’t so concerned about Angela. There were too many odd things going on in this usually quiet town.

‘When was this? Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘It kind of got lost in all the goings-on with the fire, and I’ve been to Adelaide and back twice already this week. Even the police weren’t really interested once they finally followed it up. Anyway,’ she smiled, ‘you know now. This is the first we’ve seen of each other since Sunday.’

Coop took her hand. ‘I can always come in to town if you need me.’

She withdrew her hand and gently patted his cheek. ‘We’re fine.’

Alice pushed back her chair and eased herself up. ‘Do you play the piano, Claudia?’

‘No, do you?’

‘I most certainly do. Would you like to help me?’

‘Yes please.’ The little girl took Alice’s free hand and walked with her into the loungeroom. The door almost closed behind them.

Coop reached for Angela as the sound of the piano filled the small house. She responded to his kiss and then sat back.

‘Your boss is one smart lady.’

‘Cunning, I’d call it, but I’ll take what I can get.’

He reached for her again, quickly losing himself in the sensation of holding her and kissing her, and he knew right then that she was more important to him than anyone else. He didn’t want to let her go and he certainly didn’t want her to be in any danger. Something she said about finding out who was the better transport company worried him. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

‘You aren’t tackling Berls head on, are you?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Looking for trouble.’

‘I’ve got enough on my plate without doing that.’

‘I don’t like the sound of this break-in.’

Angela took his hands from her shoulders and clasped them in front of her. ‘Probably just kids. They don’t know the password, so the laptop will be useless to them and they’ll just dump it somewhere. At least, that’s what the police think. They didn’t even feel it was worth fingerprinting the office.’

‘But it happened the same night as Ken’s fire.’

Angela let his hands go but remained close. ‘That’s just a coincidence. Or maybe the same kids set fire to the pallets, just causing trouble.’

All the same, Coop didn’t like the sound of it.

The door to the loungeroom flew open just as he realised the music had stopped. Claudia wiggled between them, climbing onto his lap and putting her head on his shoulder. He hesitated, then carefully put his arm around her. She cuddled into him.

‘Looks like you’ve won two hearts,’ Alice said from the doorway. ‘Good night all, I’m off to bed.’

‘We have to go too,’ Angela said. ‘But I’ll help with the dishes first.’

‘No, you’ve got an early start.’ Coop could tell by the weight of Claudia’s body in his arms that she was almost asleep already. He carried the little girl out to the truck and tucked her into the bunk.

‘You’re so good with her,’ Angela said as he stepped back to the ground. ‘Thank you.’

‘She’s an easy kid to like,’ he said.

Angela let out a sharp sigh.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.

‘Nigel. He’s back in Adelaide. He wants to take her out for lunch tomorrow.’

Coop felt a pang of jealousy. Nigel didn’t deserve a kid like Claudia, but it wasn’t his place to say so. There was something he could say though, and he didn’t need words for that. Kissing Angela was much better than any conversation.

The GPS guided Angela to the address of the hire company. It was on a main road and being Friday, traffic was already congested, even though it was only lunchtime. As she drew level with the yard she saw the truck entrance – it didn’t look big enough for a rig the size of hers, but she’d been in tighter spots before and would be again, in more ways than one, if she wasn’t quick.

She hadn’t been entirely honest with Coop. The manager of the Highway Hotel
had
rung to check her availability, but his intention was only to use her as back-up. He had another company booked for the job, but they said they didn’t have a spare driver, that they’d have to put one on especially, and that the cost would be more as a result. Angela thought it was a story she’d heard a bit too often around Munirilla and got up the nerve to ask who the other company was. She wasn’t surprised by the answer: Berl Stock Transport.

She’d made some quick calculations in her head and suggested that if the manager was prepared to send more work her way, she’d
do him a good deal. He was an odd guy. She hadn’t taken to him the few times she’d dealt with him, and she wouldn’t trust him without a watertight contract in place, but right now he was just what she needed to play Cliff and Clifford at their own game.

She knew the Berls truck wasn’t due until three. The manager said if she could be on her way before that, the job was hers, and that he’d guarantee future deliveries. She was smart enough not to put her faith in his word but he obviously realised he was being held to ransom and he didn’t like it. She was willing to take the risk.

Now she felt like the little pig in the fairytale, sneaking about before the big bad wolf arrived. She grinned – it was a fitting comparison.

The hire company staff were helpful and she had the equipment loaded in good time. She’d already picked up the rest of her freight and the gear fitted perfectly. Loading trucks was a bit like Tetris at times and she enjoyed the challenge.

Angela stepped out of the company’s office with the paperwork and was startled by the blast of an air horn. She looked up and her heart sank. Rolling in the gate was a Berls truck.
Damn
. She’d wanted to be gone before they arrived. She started across the yard as the Berls rig rolled closer. The driver’s window went down and Angela looked up into the very angry face of Clifford Berl Junior.

‘What are you doing here?!’ he yelled.

‘Got a call from the Highway Hotel.’

‘That’s my load.’

‘Not according to my paperwork it isn’t,’ she said, trying to look braver than she felt. She waved the sheets in the air and Clifford began to yell obscenities at her. She’d been around a few truck yards in her time but his language was the worst she’d heard. It certainly was a case of the pot calling the kettle black, given that he’d accused her of bad language. She was glad Claudia wasn’t with her.

To get to her truck she had to pass in front of Clifford. He was idling in the middle of the yard and she avoided looking in his direction. As she walked past she heard something that made her heart skip a beat: the sound of his clutch letting out. His truck moved forward and she felt its vibration as it stopped just short of her. She didn’t turn her head or quicken her pace, she simply maintained her course across the yard and calmly climbed into her cab.

Once she was safely inside, she let out a big breath and her legs went to jelly. She started the engine but there was no way she’d have the strength to drive for a while, even if Clifford hadn’t been blocking the exit. He was out of the cab now and yelling at one of the poor office guys. She couldn’t hear his words but by the way he was pointing and waving his head about, she could easily imagine what he was saying. The hire company guy shook his head and walked back inside. Clifford followed him, still gesturing erratically.

A tap at her window made Angela jump. She looked down to see the forklift driver pointing to a large shed. She lowered her window.

‘There’s another way out,’ he said. ‘If you drive on past the shed you’ll see it. It’s only a laneway but plenty of trucks use it. Might prevent any further unpleasantness.’

‘Thanks.’ She nodded, sucked in a long, slow breath and tested her legs. They’d stopped shaking enough for her to get going, and she wanted to be out of sight before Clifford returned.

***

By the time Angela reached the truck stop on the edge of Adelaide she was much more relaxed, happy, almost jubilant. All she needed to do now was collect Claudia and they’d be headed for Munirilla.

Angela looked at her watch. Nigel was late. She hoped it wasn’t going to be like the day Janice had looked after Claudia. She was
convinced Nigel’s get-togethers with his daughter were only for show. Just why remained a mystery, but Angela was confident he wouldn’t keep Claudia any longer than he had to.

As soon as he was half an hour late she tried to ring him. She glared at her phone when his message bank cut in, then left a curt message. She checked the time again. She still had a full twenty-four hours to get the load to the pub. That was much more than she needed, but she didn’t like being under pressure.

Her stomach grumbled and she remembered that she hadn’t eaten lunch. She saw a guy come out of the roadhouse with a bucket of hot chips and that seemed more appealing than the sandwiches she’d packed last night. She headed for the shop and wondered what she’d get Claudia. Perhaps Nigel would have done a better job of feeding her this time, but she wasn’t counting on it. He really was clueless about parenting.

Angela finished the chips and one of the sandwiches when her phone finally rang. Nigel’s name appeared on the screen.

‘Where are you?’ she snapped.

‘In the city.’

‘What? You’re already an hour late. I have to be on the …’

‘Look, you’re the one who changed plans.’ He sounded defensive.

‘No I didn’t.’

‘Yes you did. Janice said …’

‘Janice?’ Angela rubbed her forehead. ‘When did you speak to Janice?’

‘She told me she organised it with you.’

‘Organised what?’ Nothing Nigel was saying was making any sense.

‘Claudia was so excited to see her.’

‘Janice is in Adelaide?’ Angela was angry now. This was going to be a repeat of the last time Janice babysat after all. ‘Didn’t you tell her you had to meet me?’

‘She said she’d spoken to you.’

‘So you handed over my daughter without question?’

‘Janice isn’t a stranger, Angela. She’s Claudia’s–’

‘How did Janice know to meet you?’ Angela cut him off. There was no time to listen to his excuses.

‘I told her where we’d–’

‘No.’ Angela waved her hand in the air. ‘How did she know you were going to be with Claudia today?’

There was silence from Nigel’s end.

‘Nigel!’ His name came out like a screech. ‘Where’s Claudia?!’

‘She’s with Janice.’

‘Where?!’

‘Listen, Janice told me you’ve been keeping Claudia from her. She’s been getting in touch recently. All I did was tell her I might come over for the weekend and …’

‘And she made it worth your while. Bloody hell, Nigel, Claudia’s not something you can trade for favours.’

‘I understand how Janice feels. You haven’t made it easy for me to see Claudia.’

‘Stop!’ Angela yelled into the phone. ‘I am not getting into a custody argument.’

‘Custody? I don’t want custody of Claudia. Look Angela, I appreciate that you’ve done the hard yards. I’m not in a position to be a good parent right now, I just want to keep in touch with my daughter.’

‘Where is Claudia, Nigel? Where has Janice taken her?’

There was silence for a moment, then Nigel spoke so softly she had to press the phone hard to her ear.

‘I think they were going back to Melbourne.’

Angela disconnected immediately and rang Janice. It went straight to voicemail. She tried her father’s number with the same result. He was probably still on the road somewhere. Angela tossed the phone onto the passenger seat in frustration.

What’s Janice up to? Why’s she ringing Nigel?
Half-remembered details flicked through Angela’s mind as she tried to make sense of everything. Claudia’s clothes and toys in her special wardrobe, the increased interest Janice was taking in Claudia before they moved to Munirilla, the expensive gifts and treats she showered on the little girl. Things were starting to add up. Angela had wondered how her father knew she’d been out for lunch and drinks – now it was clear that Nigel had told Janice and Janice would have whispered in her husband’s ear.
But why?

Angela’s phone rang and she snatched it up. It was Nigel again.

‘Have you spoken to her?’ Angela squeaked.

‘No. Look Angela,’ he said, ‘now that I think on it, I’m sure Janice has taken Claudia home.’

‘Home?’ Angela’s voice had nearly left her and her hands were shaking. ‘Her home is with me.’

‘Janice keeps rabbiting on about life in a truck not being good for a child. She’s also concerned about your drinking.’

‘My drinking!’

‘I saw how you behaved at Carmela’s wedding.’

‘Once, Nigel,
once
! I had a babysitter and decided to let my hair down. Once!’ she yelled.

‘Janice says there’ve been other times, but I’m not going to quibble. She thinks you neglect Claudia, and she said if I got custody, she’ll help me look after her.’

‘What?’

‘I told you I don’t want custody and I made that quite clear to Janice. She’ll probably ring you soon. I’m sure Claudia’s safe. There were lots of things for her in the car and Janice was saying something about a long trip and Grandpa. I think she’s taken Claudia back to Melbourne.’

Angela dropped the phone as fear gripped her. What was Janice thinking? She grabbed her phone again, disconnected from Nigel
and tried her stepmother’s number. Once more it went to message bank. It was either flat or turned off – and Angela was guessing the latter. She thumped the steering wheel. What was she going to do? She couldn’t let Janice steal her daughter from her, but she needed to deliver her load in Munirilla by lunchtime tomorrow.

She held her head in her hands and closed her eyes, longing for someone to just ride in and make this nightmare go away, but who could she turn to? Her father was out of reach and Nigel was useless. Jeremy was in Adelaide and Kate in Melbourne.

She was about to thump the wheel again when it suddenly occurred to her – there was one other person who might be able to help.