_______________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The next morning Rory came down to find Darius having already
eating. There was no sign of Tania.
"Morning Mr. Darius.”
The older fellow looked up, fork still in hand. "Gooday. We're off to the mine today. Eat up, you probably need to keep up your strength.”
Rory blushed then remembered his arm. "My arm. Yes.”
Darius wiped his mouth. "It wasn't your arm I was thinking about. You are sleeping with my daughter?”
This time however, Rory didn't blush, just a gentle freeze. Then he sat down. "Yes." He didn't add any more, waiting for the eruption. There was none.
"I can read her like a book. Late for breakfast only confirms it. What do you think the future holds for you two?”
Rory poured a coffee and took a sip. "No future. We both see that and it's finished. We enjoyed the time though." Rory was mystified a little. 'Even as a man, I can't believe I can sit here and tell a bloke I slept with his daughter.'
"Good," said Darius, "best find out now and no one gets hurt later. It is finished. I'm sure you understand me.”
Rory looked at him and kept drinking. Daddy had spoken.
Tania joined them a short time later. She was quite relaxed with Rory.
"Do we front Hopkins?" It was Tania who brought up the subject.
"No," replied her father, "there seems no point. If it is the same man, he'd only play innocent and we'd be no further along the trail. Best to try and find if there is a connection with him in Lightning Ridge somehow.”
Rory made a polite cough. "I'm not very up in the subtleties of this business, but if it is our Hopkins, wouldn't he just buy or move stones direct from Bedford, who gets them direct from your mine venture?”
"Maybe. But when you deal with people, like I do, a shrewd man would put another buffer between him and his source. Especially with the values concerned.”
"Something Adrian may not have done." It was Tania who spoke.
Darius nodded. "Time to go. By the way Mason, got a contact at the Ridge who knows what's going on?”
Rory looked blank, then gave a slight laugh. "I'm not exactly a local, unless getting shot qualifies me."
"I'm well aware of your status," snapped Darius.
"However we can try Dusty Dan. He seems to be the eyes and ears around there.”
Darius stood up. "Know where to find him I hope.”
"Shouldn't be hard," replied Rory and helped Tania up out of her chair. He didn't know why he did it. More of something to counter Darius's attitude. Make him wonder if he had got the message. As for that status, it was over, but very amicably. Last night was great and they both said so. Both agreed that their paths were different and that was it. It only made for a very stimulating and long parting.
The trip to the opal capital was uneventful. No kangaroos to have near misses with, and hardly any traffic. Darius said little. Tania put on the radio and asked her father about the United States business. Rory looked at the passing trees and mulga scrub. There were lots of startled galahs and he mused that wouldn't it be nice to be a bird and just fly. Then one nearly hit the front, just missing by a metre or so, and he decided maybe not.
"That was close. Silly bird." Tania's comment was unanswered, and she drove on.
In town the traffic was already starting for the day, not that there was a ever a lot. Easter was the time to avoid town. The tourists came in their thousands. Cars everywhere. A lot of mediocre opals being sold for a lot of not so mediocre prices.
Darius wanted to talk to the police, so Rory and Tania dropped him off and them went to look for Dan. They tried the hotel but it was shut. Too early.
"What now," she said.
"I don't know. Maybe he lives somewhere.”
She looked over her sunglasses at him. "That took a lot of brain power." Then she looked away and back again. "Look. I'm sorry for that. No animosity. It just wouldn't have worked. But I like you and believe me, you were great."
Before he could answer, she burst out. "Bugger it Rory. Why didn't it work? You have a great looking body and your good in bed. And we got on together, Why?" She was blushing.
"There's more to getting on well and sleeping together for us. For anyone I suppose. It's either there or not. You just know it.”
He put a hand on her arm. "I thought it was there. But there were other things. Our worlds. They will never be brushed aside.”
They sat not saying much, just looking out the car window at a street of buildings and people.
"We can still be friends," said Rory, and he meant it. The anger had passed a long while back. "Besides. What you just said about me equally applies to you.”
"Maybe some time.....”
"Maybe.”
Just then Rory sat up straight and pointed. "Talk about the mountain coming to us. There's Dusty Dan just getting out of that truck in front of the newsagent.”
They jumped out and waited near the store entrance. It seemed ages but he finally emerged. A great big smile erupted on his face.
"Well, well. Didn't expect you back so soon. Must have opal fever or something. How's the arm?”
"It's fine. Sore as hell and I cant' bend it, but I'll live to see another day.”
"It better. How else can I get my thrills around here.”
Tania butted in. "Can I join this conversation?”
Dan looked at her and gave a slight bow. "Certainly. What brings you two back. Still looking for Bedford's killer?”
Rory nodded. "We're looking for some one and just hope you might have the answer.”
"Me? Fire away, but let's get comfortable. You don't mind sitting in my limousine I trust?”
They got in. 'What a mess' thought Rory. It hadn't been cleaned since the day he bought it.
"Who?”
"Oh yes," said Rory, "Do you know a Maurie Hopkins?”
Dan just looked out of the window. "Name's familiar but can't place him.”
"Real estate. Maybe down south a bit, say Coonamble.”
Dan laughed. "Buying a house you two? No, suppose not. Now that you mention it I have seen his face. In the paper.”
Tania's lip fell. "You don't know him?”
"Sorry. Never seen him around here. However," he said with a flourish, "not to say he doesn't come around.”
The town was starting to come alive with tourists, and the day was promising to be a warm one. Opals were certainly a draw card and there were always people looking for that bargain. Certainly this was the place for bargains. If you knew what you were buying. Often fools were parted from their money, but for the most part it was fair trading. Whilst the Ridge was the Mecca for the tourist and the home of Black Opal, good stone could be found also out at White Cliffs. Only it was further out and not so pleasant and easy to get to. It had had it's day but maybe someone would find that elusive vein, that glitter of colour running through the rock, as they spent half their life gouging and scraping and hoping.
Many came from the far away cities to try to make that fortune. The mullock hills looked like giant ant hills, all alive with people noodling. Looking for that trace or that overlooked stone in the tailings. Sometimes a shower of rain might pass and it would be like a festive holiday. For the rain could show up colour that wouldn't otherwise be found. The town needed Easter and it capitalised on it. Anything that could turn a dollar, was. "Like art?," said Dan. "Not my style," replied Rory, "my art is in the real thing. Out there. A hill at dusk. The sound of birds. Why?”
"Thought whilst you're here you might find something. Good friend of mine has the Bird of Paradise Art Gallery, down the way.”
Tania's eyes lit up. "If I mention you're name, I'd expect a discount, or to be thrown out?”
Dan's face showed mock pain. "Miss.”
"Just kidding. Actually I do like the odd painting or whatever. When we finish what we can do here, I'll pay it a visit. Well, I guess we better let you get on with your day....”
"Actually," said Dan, "if you have ten minutes I could collect a couple of vegetables.”
"I don't think so," said Tania.
"Trust me. You'd be surprised at the veges you might find.”
Rory had a sixth sense about the way he said it. "May as well. Your father could be a while.”
Tania shrugged her shoulders and looked straight ahead. Dan pointed down the road and she hit the accelerator and they shot off. She was a little peeked at being told what to do. Just on the outskirts of town they turned into a house that had seen better days. An old truck was parked at the front door. Dan beckoned them to follow and they walked around the back. In a land of saltbush and gravel and mulga the last thing they expected was a market garden. Not large but green and glowing. An old man stood up, a trowel in one hand, and spinach in the other. A nod when he saw Dan.
"This is Sam," said Dan. "Used to call him Vege Sam but people confused him with Bill, so it's Sam.”
This went over Rory and Tania's head but they didn't ask.
"Rory and Miss Tania, Sam. The folks that were in that shooting business.”
"Yep. Heard it on the wireless." The voice was squeaky. "Lucky to be here, so they say. The world's full of rotters. You here to buy something or take photos?”
Before they could reply, Dan cut in. "Dare say they could do with something but first you might help them.”
The old man's eyes went up a second, then he started walking towards a shed. They followed.
"You get around town a lot. Ever see Maurie Hopkins up here. That real estate bloke who has his face on all his ads in the paper."
Dan seemed to be in charge.
Sam threw down his trowel and placed the spinach on a bench. "Oh him. Yes, he's been up here a bit recently, that I seen.”
Tania got in. "Who with?”
"Let me think." He looked at Dan who nodded imperceptibly. "Once he was just leaving the Bowling Club when I went to deliver some vegies. Was alone but three or four were inside. Know 'em all. Locals. The other time he was just leaving again when I was getting there.”
"Same place?", asked Rory.
"No. Want some caulies?”
This digression inwardly infuriated Tania. For Rory, life in South East Asia had taught him patience. There would be a price for information, even if it was only a cauliflower.
"Yes," she half yelled, " I'll take six if I need to.”
Sam would keep her to it. "Out at Merrel Mullent's place. They run sheep outside town.”
"Why would he be seeing her?," asked Tania.
Sam picked up a small bunch of carrots. "These go well in a stew. Wasn't her he was seeing. Her husband was one of those in the Bowling Club, now I think of it. See, even I can work things out.”
They thanked him and got back in the car. The vegetables went onto the back seat. Dan was thinking he hadn't lost on this visit either.
"I can take you," said Dan.
Tania had anticipated him. "No thanks Dan. You've been a big help but this we can do alone. Just show us the way out. Would you
like some vegetables?”
"That's very kind Miss."