Read Online Novels 02 Red Dust by Fleur McDonald - Free Book Online
Authors: Fleur McDonald
lips and had fuelled the local gossip. He wondered about the guys he had met at the pub – most of them seemed like decent blokes. Brad, though, made him uneasy. There was something malicious about how he spoke of Adam and laid the blame with no real evidence. He made a mental note to watch what he said in front of Brad in the future.
Chapter 9
Gemma looked at Bulla and Garry aghast. 'What do you mean you think the stolen sheep were here and now they're not?' They stood at the entrance to the shed, where they met every morning to talk about the day's work before heading off in different directions. But it wasn't often Gemma was dealt such bizarre news.
Bulla scratched his head. 'Well, I spotted a mob of about a thousand wether lambs yesterday just before lunch out in Reimer's paddock. We had things that were urgent to do yesterday out in other paddocks and when I went back this morning, the sheep were nowhere in sight.'
Gemma started to shake. She took a couple of deep breaths and tried to pull herself together. 'Right, I'll need to ring the police and let them know. We didn't have anything to do with it, so we have nothing to fear, right?'
'Yeah, right you are,' said Bulla doubtfully.
Neither of the policemen were available, so Gemma left a message and hung up. She was just about to head back outside when the phone rang.
'Hello?'
'Hello, lovely, what's happening?' asked Jess's happy voice.
'Jess, you wouldn't believe what's going on here. You always ring at the right time.' Gemma's voice cracked.
'What's wrong? It's not your dad, is it?'
'Not this time.' Gemma proceeded to fill her in on all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.
Jess was silent for a while and then said, 'Right, this weekend you're coming to town. That festival Taste of the Outback is on and there's a jazz concert over at one of the wineries. We'll have a meal out under the stars, drink some wine and listen to some music. And on Saturday we can watch Brad play footy. It'll do you good to watch some guys running around in footy shorts.'
'I don't know, Jess . . .' Gemma's voice petered out. 'I can't leave unless Bulla and Garry are around to look after everything. You know that.' As an afterthought she added, 'Maybe Jack can.'
'That's sorted then. See you Friday . . . No arguments. See you at my house at five thirty. Don't be late!'
Gemma put the phone down and it rang again immediately, startling her.
'Gemma Sinclair?' she answered, expecting it to be the police returning her call.
'G'day, sis, you're sounding very professional there. What's up?' It was her brother's familiar voice.
'Patrick, oh it's so great to hear from you. Are you in Adelaide yet?'
'Not yet, but I'll be there late tonight. I've talked to Mum and everything seems okay. The hospital is just running more tests and Dad is comfy so all's good.'
'How're you getting up here?'
'I was thinking I'd hire a car, but now I reckon I'll catch the bus up to Pirie. I'll use a farm ute when I get there anyway. Can you meet me?'
'Yeah, no worries. Actually that'll fit in well. Jess has just talked me into going to a concert over at a winery, so I'll be in town already. When?'
'Probably Sund'y. I want to spend a bit of time with the folks, ya know?'
Gemma smiled as she hung up the phone. Despite the worry that shadowed her, the thought of having Patrick and his happy-go-lucky nature around was cheering.
Jack's mobile phone rang just as he was emptying the last of the rum into his glass. 'Bugger,' he swore as he spilt the amber liquid onto his jeans.
''Lo?'
'How's it going, Jack?'
'Great. I was gonna ring ya tonight. The widow's away for the weekend. I'm looking after everything on Billbinya and the other two are doing 'er old man's place so they'll be out of the way. Good time to get into the house, I reckon.'
'Good. Talk to you after you've done it. You know what you're looking for, don't ya?'
'I ain't stupid.' He skolled the rest of his drink and pulled another
Chapter 9
Gemma looked at Bulla and Garry aghast. 'What do you mean you think the stolen sheep were here and now they're not?' They stood at the entrance to the shed, where they met every morning to talk about the day's work before heading off in different directions. But it wasn't often Gemma was dealt such bizarre news.
Bulla scratched his head. 'Well, I spotted a mob of about a thousand wether lambs yesterday just before lunch out in Reimer's paddock. We had things that were urgent to do yesterday out in other paddocks and when I went back this morning, the sheep were nowhere in sight.'
Gemma started to shake. She took a couple of deep breaths and tried to pull herself together. 'Right, I'll need to ring the police and let them know. We didn't have anything to do with it, so we have nothing to fear, right?'
'Yeah, right you are,' said Bulla doubtfully.
Neither of the policemen were available, so Gemma left a message and hung up. She was just about to head back outside when the phone rang.
'Hello?'
'Hello, lovely, what's happening?' asked Jess's happy voice.
'Jess, you wouldn't believe what's going on here. You always ring at the right time.' Gemma's voice cracked.
'What's wrong? It's not your dad, is it?'
'Not this time.' Gemma proceeded to fill her in on all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.
Jess was silent for a while and then said, 'Right, this weekend you're coming to town. That festival Taste of the Outback is on and there's a jazz concert over at one of the wineries. We'll have a meal out under the stars, drink some wine and listen to some music. And on Saturday we can watch Brad play footy. It'll do you good to watch some guys running around in footy shorts.'
'I don't know, Jess . . .' Gemma's voice petered out. 'I can't leave unless Bulla and Garry are around to look after everything. You know that.' As an afterthought she added, 'Maybe Jack can.'
'That's sorted then. See you Friday . . . No arguments. See you at my house at five thirty. Don't be late!'
Gemma put the phone down and it rang again immediately, startling her.
'Gemma Sinclair?' she answered, expecting it to be the police returning her call.
'G'day, sis, you're sounding very professional there. What's up?' It was her brother's familiar voice.
'Patrick, oh it's so great to hear from you. Are you in Adelaide yet?'
'Not yet, but I'll be there late tonight. I've talked to Mum and everything seems okay. The hospital is just running more tests and Dad is comfy so all's good.'
'How're you getting up here?'
'I was thinking I'd hire a car, but now I reckon I'll catch the bus up to Pirie. I'll use a farm ute when I get there anyway. Can you meet me?'
'Yeah, no worries. Actually that'll fit in well. Jess has just talked me into going to a concert over at a winery, so I'll be in town already. When?'
'Probably Sund'y. I want to spend a bit of time with the folks, ya know?'
Gemma smiled as she hung up the phone. Despite the worry that shadowed her, the thought of having Patrick and his happy-go-lucky nature around was cheering.
Jack's mobile phone rang just as he was emptying the last of the rum into his glass. 'Bugger,' he swore as he spilt the amber liquid onto his jeans.
''Lo?'
'How's it going, Jack?'
'Great. I was gonna ring ya tonight. The widow's away for the weekend. I'm looking after everything on Billbinya and the other two are doing 'er old man's place so they'll be out of the way. Good time to get into the house, I reckon.'
'Good. Talk to you after you've done it. You know what you're looking for, don't ya?'
'I ain't stupid.' He skolled the rest of his drink and pulled another
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