up. What a slimeball Greg was.
Surely no one could believe the crap he told Marlie McEwen.
She lay down and was counting the ceiling tiles when she heard voices at the car outside her room. Heidi was saying goodbye to her mother, yes, she was fine.
Marlie spoke too quietly for Clancy to hear her reply, but the car door opened, closed and moments later the engine fired and the vehicle backed out of the driveway.
She heard the crunch of footsteps on gravel, then a knock on her door. Heidi poked her head in. “Sorry about that.”
Clancy sat up. “What can I say?”
“No need to say anything to me. I have arguments with Mum over the Thomas’s all the time. Greg and I have history. Short thankfully, and not pleasant. Mum never got it then, either.”
“I don’t think I have a job.”
Heidi snorted and eased herself down on the bed beside Clancy. “Don’t think like that.” She nudged Clancy’s shoulder with her own. “I really have to show you the ropes, so unless you’ve pinched Berry’s dog, don’t worry about not having your job.”
Clancy’s gaze drifted across to her bags. “No chance you could run me to the bus?”
“No chance. That sounded pretty half-hearted to me and besides, I think Berry would draw and quarter me. I don’t know you from a bar of soap, but I can tell you like it here.”
“Mud sticks.”
“Not Greg’s sort of mud. And certainly not with Berry.” Heidi gave a little wince. “Help me get up, would you? Got to keep moving.”
Clancy stood and Heidi hauled herself up. “How far—?”
“About five weeks to go. Should have stopped work a couple of weeks back.” She stretched. “Don’t worry about what Mum said. She’ll cool off when the old bastard survives to give her shit again. Now, let’s go over a few things more then I’m going to go home before I can’t get behind the wheel. I feel like I’m growing by the minute.”
Clancy stopped. “You don’t think it could come early? Like tonight?”
Heidi pulled a face. “Don’t reckon. But if it does, you just do what you can. You’re a chef. You’ll be fine. Come on.” Her hand under her belly, she headed off talking to her unborn baby.
Clancy stood by the door a little while weighing her choices. There wasn’t really a choice. Short of stealing Berry’s car she couldn’t get off the property.
Well, only one thing to do. Get into that kitchen and cook. After all, there was a killer dessert to create.
Operation Dessert Storm.
And she had just the one for the job.
Chapter Eight
Berry was at the ponds checking the pumps, the fuel levels and the nets covering each tank of marron. Now nearing sundown, he and Rommy decided it was time to head back home.
Fucking Greg Thomas. How many times had that screwed up little bastard conned someone into his sick little web.
And Marlie should know better by now.
He jumped back in the ute. Rommy sat up in the passenger seat and they headed back.
Clancy had looked funny, as though stricken when he’d come to tell her what Marlie had reported. What was that about? He’d never believed a word about anything Greg Thomas was up to, didn’t expect anyone else to be bothered by him either.
He’d thought better of going to her when she was protesting the accusation. No point muddying the waters. Better to let everything calm down.
Tomorrow would look better for everyone and things would settle down. The Greg Thomas factor would have lost its heat. There’d be nothing to worry about.
He parked at the house and went inside, Rommy following. He could see a light on in the restaurant but no light on at the bedsit.
Heidi must be going over a few things with Clancy. That was a good sign. Seems those two got along okay. Maybe not a crisis after all; no thanks to his prick of a neighbour.
He opened a beer, and walked out on to the verandah. Rommy nudged his food bowl so Berry lifted the lid on the barrel of dog nuts, grabbed a couple of
Surely no one could believe the crap he told Marlie McEwen.
She lay down and was counting the ceiling tiles when she heard voices at the car outside her room. Heidi was saying goodbye to her mother, yes, she was fine.
Marlie spoke too quietly for Clancy to hear her reply, but the car door opened, closed and moments later the engine fired and the vehicle backed out of the driveway.
She heard the crunch of footsteps on gravel, then a knock on her door. Heidi poked her head in. “Sorry about that.”
Clancy sat up. “What can I say?”
“No need to say anything to me. I have arguments with Mum over the Thomas’s all the time. Greg and I have history. Short thankfully, and not pleasant. Mum never got it then, either.”
“I don’t think I have a job.”
Heidi snorted and eased herself down on the bed beside Clancy. “Don’t think like that.” She nudged Clancy’s shoulder with her own. “I really have to show you the ropes, so unless you’ve pinched Berry’s dog, don’t worry about not having your job.”
Clancy’s gaze drifted across to her bags. “No chance you could run me to the bus?”
“No chance. That sounded pretty half-hearted to me and besides, I think Berry would draw and quarter me. I don’t know you from a bar of soap, but I can tell you like it here.”
“Mud sticks.”
“Not Greg’s sort of mud. And certainly not with Berry.” Heidi gave a little wince. “Help me get up, would you? Got to keep moving.”
Clancy stood and Heidi hauled herself up. “How far—?”
“About five weeks to go. Should have stopped work a couple of weeks back.” She stretched. “Don’t worry about what Mum said. She’ll cool off when the old bastard survives to give her shit again. Now, let’s go over a few things more then I’m going to go home before I can’t get behind the wheel. I feel like I’m growing by the minute.”
Clancy stopped. “You don’t think it could come early? Like tonight?”
Heidi pulled a face. “Don’t reckon. But if it does, you just do what you can. You’re a chef. You’ll be fine. Come on.” Her hand under her belly, she headed off talking to her unborn baby.
Clancy stood by the door a little while weighing her choices. There wasn’t really a choice. Short of stealing Berry’s car she couldn’t get off the property.
Well, only one thing to do. Get into that kitchen and cook. After all, there was a killer dessert to create.
Operation Dessert Storm.
And she had just the one for the job.
Chapter Eight
Berry was at the ponds checking the pumps, the fuel levels and the nets covering each tank of marron. Now nearing sundown, he and Rommy decided it was time to head back home.
Fucking Greg Thomas. How many times had that screwed up little bastard conned someone into his sick little web.
And Marlie should know better by now.
He jumped back in the ute. Rommy sat up in the passenger seat and they headed back.
Clancy had looked funny, as though stricken when he’d come to tell her what Marlie had reported. What was that about? He’d never believed a word about anything Greg Thomas was up to, didn’t expect anyone else to be bothered by him either.
He’d thought better of going to her when she was protesting the accusation. No point muddying the waters. Better to let everything calm down.
Tomorrow would look better for everyone and things would settle down. The Greg Thomas factor would have lost its heat. There’d be nothing to worry about.
He parked at the house and went inside, Rommy following. He could see a light on in the restaurant but no light on at the bedsit.
Heidi must be going over a few things with Clancy. That was a good sign. Seems those two got along okay. Maybe not a crisis after all; no thanks to his prick of a neighbour.
He opened a beer, and walked out on to the verandah. Rommy nudged his food bowl so Berry lifted the lid on the barrel of dog nuts, grabbed a couple of
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