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‘I’ll look forward to it. Call me when you’re free.’ Gina smiled and rolled her eyes as the little girl yelled from the room at the end of the hall. ‘I’ll really look forward to it.’ She gave Ellie her number and then lifted her hand in a wave as she went to attend to the children.

‘Bye.’ Ellie smiled at David and turned to leave but before she could take a step, his hand gently gripped her arm.

‘Ellie?’

‘Yes.’ She frowned as he slowly let her go.

His smile did not quite reach his eyes. ‘Please don’t mention to anyone you saw me here. Or that Gina and the kids are my family.’

Chapter 9

Sunday

Black Jungle Springs

On Sunday morning Ellie rose early. She briefly considered driving out to the farm – Kane had said his mother wouldn’t mind – but then remembered that she’d promised Heather she’d come out to Black Jungle Springs for the day. She still hadn’t caught up with Bill Jarragah and she wanted to ask him if he’d heard anything about Panos Sordina and the development along the river.

She slowed her speed as the car crossed the last causeway across Stove Creek on the winding Old Jim Jim Road. The causeway was almost dry – just a small flow of shallow water across the lowest point in the middle – but Ellie still glanced nervously to each side as the tyres sent a sheet of water arcing high in the mid-morning sun. But there were no crocodiles basking in the warm winter sun this morning. When she reached the other side, a couple of Aboriginal children – probably Heather’s cousins – ran along beside the car smiling at her and waving. She didn’t recognise them and a pang of regret shot through her as she waved back. Between their rosters, she and Heather rarely had time off together, and she didn’t get out here very often anymore.

After turning off the sandy road, Ellie parked beneath the old Darwin woolly butt tree next to the falling-down fence at the Jarragah house, smiling as she looked up at the brilliant orange flowers. On one of her visits with her dad, Bill had stood beneath the tree and shown her the buds. ‘The orange flowers tell us it’s time to start lighting fires, to clean up the country so we don’t have intense wildfires late in the dry season.’ Heather had rolled her eyes; she’d been more interested in the Dolly magazines that Ellie had in her bag than hearing about boring old trees.

‘Ellie!’ Heather pushed open the screen door and ran lightly down the steps to the car as she climbed out and stretched. ‘It’s so good to see you here, away from work. Just like old times.’

Ellie grinned at her. ‘It’s only two nights since we had a drink together.’

‘Yeah, but you rushed off early and took Fly Boy away before I could get to know him.’ Heather tipped her head to the side and examined Ellie as she reached into the car for her bag. ‘How was the drive to Jim Jim on Friday? Did you learn any more about him? I’m not stepping on your territory there if I make a move on him tonight, am I?’

Ellie laughed at the barrage of questions, and ignored the strange feeling that ran through her. ‘Of course not. You know my policy: absolutely no sex with staff. I have to work closely with him, so he’s all yours.’

‘Did you check out the muscles in his arms?’ Heather shook her fingers in front of her face. ‘I wonder how big his –’

‘Heather! You sound like we’re in high school again.’

‘I was only going to say I’d like to get a look at his six pack.’

‘You were not. I know you too well. But just for the record, his abs are as good as the rest of him. When I first met him, he wasn’t wearing a shirt.’

‘Oh, lucky you. All I get to see is Terry in his work shirt and a tribe of kids in the crèche!’

Ellie walked around and opened the boot. ‘I brought a cake from the kitchens.’

‘Yum. I’ll put the jug on.’ Heather took the cake from her, and Ellie kept an eye out for snakes as they walked through the long grass to the house.

The screen door creaked as Heather pushed it open, but the house was quiet. Ellie looked around. ‘Where’s your dad? Up in Darwin?’

‘No. Still in bed.’

Ellie frowned. ‘He’s not crook, is he? I haven’t seen him since I came back.’

‘No, he had a late night. He’s got a lot on his mind at the moment. Between you and me I’ve been a bit worried about him.’ Heather dropped her voice to a whisper as footsteps padded along the dark hallway to the back of the old house. ‘See what you reckon.’

Bill appeared in the kitchen doorway and Ellie frowned as he stretched one arm into the air and held onto his blue striped pyjama pants with the other. He’d lost a lot of weight in the month since Ellie had seen him and his chest was sunken. His face unshaven, with his hair unkempt, he looked every year of his sixty-plus age.

‘Ellie. You’re a nice surprise to wake up to.’ Bill hitched his pants up with an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry, I’ll go and get dressed before we have a cuppa.’

‘Hey, Bill.’ She walked over and kissed his leathery old cheek, relieved when no smell of alcohol greeted her. For a brief moment, she’d wondered if he had gone back to old habits. She caught Heather’s eye as he walked back down the hall.

‘See.’ Heather mouthed at her and Ellie nodded. He looked dreadful.