Read Online Winter by John Marsden - Free Book Online

timber?’
    â€˜Timber? Timber? There’s never been any revenue from that. It’s always been a beef operation, as you know, and then there’s the remnant vegetation that your parents wouldn’t—’
    â€˜I’ve got news for you,’ I said, as brutally as I could. ‘Ralph and some mate of his have logged a huge patch of that remnant vegetation up the back there, on the western side. They’re trucking the stuff out. I’ve seen them at work. They had their own semi-trailer and forklift in there yesterday, taking another load. And it’s been going on for years. You only have to look at the stumps.’
    Mr Carruthers stared at me. In that moment I thought: Either this guy’s fair dinkum, or he’s a hell of an actor.
    He said: ‘I can’t believe what you’re telling me.’ He leaned back in his chair. He took off his glasses and stared at me. ‘Winter, if this has been happening, if this is true, I can only say . . . ’
    â€˜It’s been happening,’ I said. ‘It’s true.’
    â€˜As I think you know, the bush on this property is protected. It’s under a covenant. It would be entirely illegal for anyone, even you, to be logging . . . ’
    â€˜Ralph gave me some story about a firebreak. More bullshit. This is no firebreak. They’ve wiped out a huge area of bush, where I guess they thought they were safe.’
    â€˜Well, I still don’t know what to say. This is a very serious matter. I shall have to speak to Sylvia and Ralph. And perhaps get some other advice. I’d better . . . ’
    â€˜Yeah,’ I said. ‘I want you to speak to Sylvia and Ralph. And I’ll tell you what to say. They’re fired. Sacked. I want them off this property by five o’clock tonight.’
    Now, finally, I had him. His jaw went low and his mouth way out of control. He was like a cow chewing his cud, as though he were rolling something around in his mouth, over and over. His neck jerked away as if he had a chicken bone stuck in his throat.
    I just waited. I was extremely terrified doing this, sweating like a pig in a sauna, but kind of enjoying it too, in some strange way.
    â€˜Winter, you just can’t do that,’ he finally gasped.
    â€˜Yes I can.’
    â€˜No no, it’s not like a private matter between you and your relatives or your friends. It’s very different. It’s so different. There are all kinds of legal matters involved. It’d take quite some time. This has been their home for so long. I’d have to talk to our legal people.’
    â€˜Look,’ I said. ‘I don’t care what it takes or what it costs, they’re out of here today.’
    â€˜No no, Winter, you must listen to me.’
    â€˜Mr Carruthers,’ I said, ‘you’re the trustee of this estate. You have been for twelve years. I don’t know how the place can have been so neglected while you were in charge. That’s a big mystery to me. But in two years, when I turn eighteen—in less than two years—I’ll be in charge. In the meantime you can block me on pretty much anything. Or that’s how I understand the way it works. But if you block me on this now, the day I turn eighteen will be last day you have anything to do with Warriewood. If you want to stay on as my financial advisor, you better get those two good-for-nothing crooks out of here by five o’clock.’
    He went to say something, but I wouldn’t let him. I kept talking. I thought I knew him pretty well. I was dead sure that when it came to the crunch, if he had to choose between sacrificing Ralph and Sylvia and sacrificing himself, there was only one way he would jump.
    â€˜I suggest you tell them that if they’re still here tomorrow I’ll have the police in, to investigate the theft of my timber and the theft of my furniture. And I’ll ring A Current Affair and ask