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  Amelia sighed. ‘I know, I know . . .’

  ‘You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.’

  ‘Don’t talk in idioms, Aunty Kim.’

  ‘I’m just saying, don’t try to change his mind by being forceful and pushy. A man’s like a horse—you’ve got to direct him with your knees!’

  ‘Is that what you did with Dave?’ asked Amelia, before falling into fits of laughter. They were both laughing when the bell sounded again and Kim looked over the doors. ‘Speaking of a man being directed,’ she muttered, ‘here’s your brother and his fiancée.’

  Amelia jumped down. ‘They were picking up the engagement ring today,’ she whispered, ‘after thinking about it over the weekend. Nothing too expensive for his special girl!’ She wiggled her eyebrows. ‘Let’s check it out.’

  They walked out of the kitchen to see Graham with his arm around Danielle, looking as proud as punch. Kim rushed up to the counter, pulling Amelia with her.

  ‘Well, come on then, show us!’

  Danielle held out her hand and they all gazed at the bright, beautiful thing on her finger. ‘It’s so lovely,’ Kim breathed, and Amelia nodded. The ring wasn’t as flashy as she’d expected: a solitaire white opal set in an engraved white-gold band and surrounded by tiny pink gems.

  ‘Pink diamonds,’ Graham boasted, but his eyes were soft. ‘You’re worth every penny.’ He dropped a kiss on Danielle’s head, and she smiled up at him, moony-eyed.

  ‘It certainly is amazing,’ Kim said.

  ‘Incredible,’ Amelia echoed, her mind racing with dollar signs. ‘So have you set a date?’

  Danielle shook her head. ‘Not yet, but the engagement party will be in two weeks. On the anniversary of the day we first had coffee—two whole years ago, if you can believe it! The workers’ house on Granite Ridge will be renovated in the next few months, and then we’ll be fine to move in. We’ll have the wedding after that.’

  Amelia opened her mouth but shut it again. Who was paying for all of this? Could it be their parents, or Danielle’s? Had Natalie pressured John to contribute? The small amount Graham had made from selling his wool might have made the final payment on that ring. He’d said he’d been saving. Could that actually be true?

  ‘That all sounds just perfect,’ Kim gushed. ‘Will you have many people at the engagement party?’

  ‘It will be the biggest do around here in years!’ Danielle said, beaming. ‘It’s going to be the party to be seen at.’

  Kim squeezed her hand. ‘Looking forward to it. Well, it’s been lovely to see you both, but I really must get back to my chips. Can I take an order for you?’

  ‘No, no, we just thought we’d call in and show you. It was a bonus that Milly was here.’ Danielle gave Amelia a smile and then twirled to face the door. ‘Come on, Graham, we’d better get on and show some of my friends now! See you tonight, Milly—I’ll be over for dinner.’

  Obediently, Graham followed. As they left, Amelia let her breath out.

  ‘Aren’t those two suited to each other?’ Kim said, stalking back into the kitchen. ‘That boy has got more of my sister in him than his father, that’s for sure.’

  ‘How much would that ring have cost, do you reckon?’

  ‘Couple of grand, at least. Bloody hell!’

  Amelia shook her head ruefully. ‘Crazy. Imagine what else they could have bought with half of that—what it could have paid for on their house reno alone.’ She sighed, thinking of all the renovations that Paul’s place needed, with no money to spare. ‘Anyway, I’ll hear enough about them when I get home.’

  ‘Tell me more about the rodeo.’

  Amelia brightened. ‘Not much to tell—everything is in place, I think.’

  Kim put her hand on Amelia’s shoulder. ‘I know,’ she said quietly. ‘And I’m so proud of what you’ve achieved. Anne’s been in here singing your praises, so from all accounts you’ve done a brilliant job.’

  ‘I’ve really enjoyed it, especially the media and treasury side of things.’ Amelia paused. ‘I’m still so frightened I’ll forget something, though.’

  ‘If you’ve got Anne watching over you, it should be fine. You know she was the treasurer a few years back. She won’t let you fall, of that I’m sure.’

  ‘I hope not. All I want to do is prove to everyone that I’m a good person, not Muddle-Headed Milly. That I’m a grown-up.’

  ‘I understand, sweetie, but the sooner you realise that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about you, the better off you’ll be. You know in your heart you’ve done your best, and that’s all that matters.’ She gently pushed Amelia’s dark brown hair back over her ears. ‘Trust your Aunty Kim on that account, okay?’

  Chapter 6

  Dave shut his car door, locked it and looked around at the near-empty streets. There were a few cars parked across the road in front of the post office, and off in the distance he could see a young boy on a skateboard. Other than that, the town of Barker seemed to be asleep.

  He’d quizzed Kim about the district the evening before, when he’d dropped by her roadhouse and tried a slice of her delicious cherry pie. Torrica, he’d discovered, had only a thousand people within its limits, but that swelled to over five thousand when the rodeo was on. There was Kim’s Roadhouse, Torrica Farm and General, a pub, a bakery, the motel where Dave was staying, a bank, a small supermarket, a community centre and a footy oval with club rooms. There were a few shops, but from what Dave had observed on his way through the main street, a number of them were empty with boarded-up windows. The majestic town hall still stood tall and proud, a remnant of more prosperous times, beside a marble war memorial.

  Barker, on the other hand, had over six thousand people in town, so there were cafes, a couple of clothing shops and many other stores, including a shopping centre—maybe that was where everyone had congregated today, Dave thought. And Barker had a police station. That was where he was heading now.

  He was aware it was only a small operation, with two coppers and a lady who manned the phone and front desk. Taking care of a small town, the most these blokes usually had to deal with were pub brawls, the occasional theft, pulling people over for speeding, and randomly breath-testing drivers on weekends and public holidays. Unlike the poor coppers further south in infamous Snowtown, the worst thing the Barker police had dealt with was a little girl wandering away from a farmhouse and eventually being found dead in a dam—a tragedy but not a crime.

  As he entered the cement-brick station, Dave smiled at the grey-haired lady sitting behind the high Formica counter. Peering over her glasses, she said, ‘Yes?’

  ‘Detective Dave Burrows.’ He held out his ID.

  ‘What can I do for you?’ she asked, with a distinct lack of interest.

  ‘I’m here to meet the local blokes,’ he answered, puzzled. ‘I’ve exchanged emails with them both.’

  ‘Jack’s out and Andy is off duty.’ She pushed her glasses back up her nose. ‘I can call Jack on the radio and get him to come back if you want? I think he’s checking speeds in the eighty-kilometre zone.’ She stood and moved towards the radio that hung on the wall at the back of the room.

  ‘Thanks, I’d appreciate it. You weren’t expecting me?’

  The lady shrugged. ‘I’m sure they are, but I’m not. I get told nothing and just do my job.’ She picked up the receiver, made the call and, after they both listened to Jack’s terse reply, hung it up. ‘Guess he’ll be back shortly,’ she said.

  ‘Guess so.’ Dave wondered how much more laid back this office could be. ‘Tell me . . . uh, what did you say your name was?’

  She eyed him carefully. ‘I don’t believe I did. But it’s Joan.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you, Joan,’ Dave held his hand out over the counter. She shook it with a firm, wiry grip. ‘I’m Dave,’ he reiterated. ‘So, tell me about your job here.’

  She sat back down. ‘I man the station and help the boys with all the paperwork. Type up their reports and sen
d ’em off, answer the phone, do the filing and basically be the dog’s body.’ She shuffled some papers on her desk, then looked up at him. ‘Why are you here?’ The first sign of curiosity.

  ‘To investigate three crimes that seem to be linked. And give a talk on rural crime.’ He leaned on the desk. ‘Look, I don’t suppose I could come around and sit down? And I’d love a coffee or a cup of tea if possible. I can make it, if you point me in the right direction.’

  Joan waved him around, and he walked behind the counter. This station was so very different to what he was used to—and the lack of security was what interested him the most. He’d been in plenty of outback police stations, and certainly they were casual, but this one didn’t even have a deadbolt on the door between the front foyer and reception! Obviously there was a lot less violence out here.

  ‘Tea room’s through there—’ Joan pointed to an open door near the back of the room ‘—and toilets and offices are back there too. Oh, and the holding cell. In case you need it.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Dave found his way to the tea room, switched on the kettle and spooned some instant coffee into a mug. Leaning against the bench, he thought about the three crimes again. Yesterday he’d followed Kim’s instructions and visited the Guilds—the family who’d lost their chemical, far off on the other side of Torrica from Barker—and now he was hoping Jack might be able to take him out to the two other farms that had been hit. He knew it would take most of the day, but he felt it was imperative he spoke to the farmers and saw where the crimes had taken place.

  Out at reception, the phone rang and Joan answered it in a bored tone. ‘Barker police department. How may I help you?’

  Dave was looking around for a map, thinking there might be one on the wall, but there were only a few flyers pinned to a board. Disappointed, he made his way back out to the front once he’d filled his mug with boiling water.

  ‘Excuse me, Detective?’ Joan appeared before he got there.

  ‘Hmm?’ he said around the edge of the mug. Without thinking, he screwed his nose up at the instant-coffee taste as he gulped it down, and felt a twinge of embarrassment. Adelaide’s softened you up, mate. Then, as he glanced up at Joan, he realised she was looking a lot more animated—and not in a good way.

  ‘Linda . . .’ Joan began, and swallowed. ‘Linda Collins, a farmer’s wife, she’s on the phone sounding quite distressed. She says her husband, Ray . . . She says he’s been attacked. Jack isn’t answering the radio. It’s out on a farm, a fair way from town.’

  Dave stood still for a second, stunned. ‘Was anything taken?’ he asked as he moved towards the phone and set his mug down.

  ‘She didn’t say. Line two.’

  Dave pressed the flashing button. ‘Detective Burrows, how can I help?’ He listened, asked some questions, and assured the woman he would be there as soon as possible. Then he hung up and turned to Joan. ‘Can you call an ambulance to their farm? And does Jack have a mobile?’ She nodded, and he punched the number into the phone as she recited it. ‘Damn, message bank. Where the hell is he?’

  ‘Who you looking for?’ a male voice boomed as the door slammed.

  Dave glanced up and saw a blond man in a police uniform, who looked like he’d just graduated from high school and was heading to a costume party. Dave had to stop himself from shaking his head. These kids in uniform were getting younger and younger. Sometimes he felt like a bloody dinosaur.

  ‘Jack?’ he asked, and the young bloke nodded. They shook hands. ‘Good to meet you. Just had a phone call from—’ He looked to Joan as he hadn’t written the name down.

  ‘Linda Collins,’ she supplied.

  ‘Her husband’s been attacked out on their farm. She’s not sure what happened but it seems the culprit took his ute with a load of chemical in the back.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Jack’s pale eyebrows lifted so high they almost came off his face.

  ‘So let’s get going,’ Dave said impatiently.

  ‘Oh. Right. Sure.’ He sounded just like Dave’s daughters when they wouldn’t get off their phones.

  On the way to the farm, Jack filled Dave in on recent developments. There were none.

  ‘Not really sure why Adelaide seems to think we need you,’ he added. ‘All the burglaries around here this year have been different—well, maybe there’ve been a few more fuel thefts than usual, but prices are up. Isn’t most rural crime just opportunistic?’ He swung the car into a driveway lined with pine trees. There was a sign at the front gate declaring it to be the home of Collins and Son Grazing.

  Dave checked his temper. ‘As I said in my emails, I can see some similarities in the three most serious thefts over the past six months, so I believe they’ve been committed by the same person or persons. And yes, certainly, rural crime is eighty-five per cent opportunistic. However, I think these three were planned beforehand—planned well, too.’

  It was inbuilt in Dave to observe everything, even when he was talking, so his eyes were roving over the landscape, seeing how close the sheds were to the house, where the tractors were and what cover, such as trees and bushes, was around. The ambulance was parked near the sheds. Jack drove over and leapt out of the car, and Dave followed. A man in his seventies was seated in the back of the ambulance, a blanket around his shoulders, while a paramedic examined his hip.

  Dave introduced himself and Jack to the other ambo and got a quick update.

  ‘He’ll be okay,’ the ambo said quietly, ‘but this was an aggressive attack.’

  Staring at the victim, Dave was unable to see any physical injuries. ‘Why do you say that?’ he asked, pulling his notebook from his top pocket.

  The ambo gazed at him for a while before answering. ‘He’s been tasered.’

  Bloody hell, Dave thought, and it must have shown on his face, because the ambo nodded grimly. Jack just gaped at them both.

  Dave went over to the victim. ‘Are you up to answering a few questions, Mr Collins?’ he asked. ‘I’m Detective Dave Burrows, Adelaide Metro Police.’

  ‘Don’t really know what happened, lad,’ the elderly man answered with a wince. ‘I had pulled up in the shed and was going to unload the chemical I’d bought in town. I’m getting ready for the opening break, you see. There was a movement behind me and then all I know is there was an electric shock and I couldn’t move. Now I’ve got a damned thing in my hip.’ He leaned forward so Dave could see the two little dart-like electrodes underneath the wrinkled skin.

  Knowing they would probably have to be surgically removed, Dave felt a flash of anger on behalf of the old man, who seemed so small and defenceless. Whoever had done this was the worst type of coward.

  ‘Can you tell me what was taken?’ Dave asked, keeping his voice gentle.

  ‘Me ute!’ Mr Collins answered indignantly. ‘And all the chemical on it. I didn’t see anyone because when I went down I was facing the wall of the shed. All I could hear was shuffling, slamming of the car door, and then it driving off.’ He paused, looking shaken. ‘I’m pleased me dog wasn’t tied on the back,’ he finished in a small voice.

  Dave jotted down a couple of things and glanced around. Jack was at his shoulder, listening intently. Good. He might learn something.

  ‘Can you tell me how many car doors slammed shut?’ Dave probed.

  Mr Collins took a moment before answering, slow and thoughtful, ‘You know, young man, I think I heard two.’ He fell silent again, and Dave didn’t interrupt. ‘Yes, yes, I think there were two slams.’ He nodded to confirm what he’d just said.

  ‘Please think back to the movements you saw behind you.’ Dave paused to give Mr Collins time to digest his words. ‘What did you actually see?’

  ‘I was undoing the side of the tray. Guess I didn’t actually see anything, just sensed movement. Then there was a sound and I started to turn, but felt an electric shock—sort of like what you get when you hit yourself with a cattle prodder, y’know?’ He pulled the rug tighter around his shoulders. ‘Then me legs wouldn’t work a
nd I hit the ground, right flat on me face. Not sure how long I was down, then Linda found me and called you. Bit hard on her heart, the poor old girl. She’s having a lie down.’

  ‘Reckon you might have a bruise on your cheek, Mr Collins,’ the ambo who’d been examining him said. ‘Now, how about we get you to a doctor and checked out, and the detective can take a look around and talk to your wife when she’s ready?’

  Dave stepped back and gave a reassuring smile, and was pleased to observe Jack following suit. ‘No worries. If you could just point us in the direction of the shed, Mr Collins, we’ll do our jobs here.’

  Chapter 7

  ‘So who’s going to christen the throne?’ As they walked from Pushme, Paul put his arm around Amelia and she grabbed his hand.

  ‘That’ll be you,’ she answered, grinning up at him.

  ‘Me, huh? Why me?’

  ‘No reason.’ Amelia giggled. ‘Whoever thought I’d be so excited about a loo? Funny the things people take for granted.’

  Hand in hand, they walked up the steps of the Eastern Edge house and Paul held the door open for her. Amelia glanced around and saw the dirty footprints from the tradesmen—Paul obviously hadn’t thought to clean up after them. Oh well, can’t have everything. She walked down the hallway and peered into the bathroom. The place would still need repainting and she was determined there’d be a new vanity one day, but for the moment she was ecstatic. There, shiny white and brand spanking, stood a toilet where the bath had been. And perched delicately on the seat, with his head in the bowl, was Paul’s fat ginger cat, Peanut.

  ‘Yuck! Get out, Peanut!’ Amelia clapped her hands and the animal streaked past her. ‘Toilet’s already been christened,’ she called. ‘Peanut thinks it’s his local!’

  Paul appeared behind her. ‘Can’t train a cat.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ He grinned. ‘So you’re still planning to shift in right after the rodeo? That’s coming up soon.’ He sounded a little nervous.