The Lost Man(20)

‘Did he say he didn’t want to go?’

‘No, nothing like that. Not to me at least. He got in his car and headed off and that’s when –’ Katy looked over at Ilse, attempting to pass the narrative along.

Ilse, who was sitting very still, did not take it up.

Nathan turned to her. ‘You saw Cam too?’

‘Yes,’ she said at last. ‘I was further along the driveway, bringing in one of the horses. He had to go past me to leave.’

‘Did he stop and talk?’ Bub said. He had stopped eating and started paying attention since Lehmann’s Hill was mentioned, Nathan realised.

‘Of course he did. He’s my husband.’ Ilse snapped. She took a breath. ‘Sorry, Bub.’

‘No worries. What did he say?’

Ilse’s face tightened. Nathan could understand she might be reluctant to share her final personal exchange with her husband with the group but he was as keen to know as anybody.

‘He said he would see me when he got back.’

‘That’s it?’ Bub said. ‘And what did you say?’

‘To drive safe and I would see him then.’

‘Oh.’ Bub looked disappointed and Ilse’s eyes were suddenly hard and shiny.

‘Well, I’m sorry, but what did you expect? I didn’t know –’ She fished a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.

Nathan turned to Bub. ‘And Cam definitely told you he was going to meet you at Lehmann’s?’

‘Yeah. We spoke the day before on the radio.’

‘But not on the Wednesday morning?’

‘No. No need, mate. I knew what we were doing.’

Harry was watching Bub. ‘How did he sound when you spoke?’

‘I already said. He seemed fine.’

‘Seeming fine isn’t the same as being fine.’ The voice came from the door and they all looked up to see Liz. She had been crying again. Nathan wondered how long she’d been standing there. She was still looking at Bub in mild despair, but he just shrugged, like he couldn’t see the distinction in what she’d said.

‘Did you see Uncle Cam before he left, Grandma?’ Xander said.

‘No.’ The weight of regret seemed to make the air in the room grow heavier. ‘But it was obvious something was wrong with him.’

Nathan saw Ilse’s expression harden.

‘Where were you? Out riding?’ Nathan said, and was relieved when Liz nodded. His mum rode almost every morning of her life. Nathan privately used it as a bellwether for her health and knew Cameron had, too. He looked pointedly at the table where her plate was still waiting, but Liz shook her head.

‘No. I’m going to bed.’

‘Who was on the phone?’ Harry asked.

‘Caroline from the post office.’

‘Word’s hit town then.’

‘Yes. Sounds like it.’

‘What did she want?’

‘Same as everyone else. She said she wanted to help.’ Liz shook her head. ‘But all they really want to know is what happened.’

Liz looked around the kitchen as though the answer might materialise, but Nathan could see only baffled faces staring back.

‘What are you telling them?’ he said finally.

‘I don’t know. I don’t know what to tell them.’ Her face creased. ‘I have to try to sleep, I’ll see you all in the morning.’ She was gone and the doorway was empty once more. After a moment, Katy stood up and started stacking the dishes.

‘What were you and Simon doing, Uncle Harry?’ Xander asked.

‘Checking a few of the north-eastern bores. Thanks, Katy –’ Harry passed his plate over. ‘We were gone before dawn so we missed Cam completely.’

‘Big area,’ Nathan said. ‘You get them all done or do you need some help?’

‘I think we’re mostly right,’ Harry said. ‘I did the eastern side and Simon did the north.’

Splitting up was the way to do it, Nathan thought. They’d cover an extra hundred kilometres that way, even if it meant working alone. They probably hadn’t seen each other all day. He looked from Simon to Harry and wondered why the thought had occurred to him.

Bub drained his water glass. ‘It’s bloody weird Cam being out there at the grave. It’s a bit like that story about the real stockman.’

‘Bub, mate. For God’s sake.’ Harry made a noise in his throat.

Simon frowned and looked over at Bub. ‘What’s that?’

Harry shook his head. ‘It’s ridiculous.’

‘It’s not.’ Bub nodded at Nathan. ‘Go on, you tell it, you know how it goes. The one with the campfire and the travellers.’

‘No,’ Nathan said.

‘But you know the one I mean. With the horses.’

‘Yeah, I know.’ He felt Ilse shift in her chair. ‘But not now.’

‘How does it start again? There was this group of blokes or something.’ Bub groaned. ‘I can never remember it properly. Just bloody do it, Nate. Go on, or I’ll have to.’

The room was quiet and the backpackers were watching expectantly. Nathan sighed.

‘It’s just this stupid legend they tell kids around here,’ he said. ‘It’s supposed to have happened back in the 1890s and the stockman wasn’t actually a stockman, he was a cattle rustler.’