The Lost Man(8)

Sergeant Ludlow was still looking at Bub. ‘That’s what happened?’

To Nathan’s relief, Bub kept his mouth shut and nodded. The sergeant regarded him over his notebook, then scratched a few words. His expression was open, but again Nathan had the sensation of something lurking beneath. Nathan flicked his eyes towards Bub’s car. The front two tyres did look newer. He caught Xander doing the same thing and they both immediately looked away.

The sergeant at last turned his attention from Bub to Steve. ‘Do you have any thoughts on time of death?’

‘Probably sometime yesterday morning, at a guess. Given the temperature and the lack of shade or water, I’d be very surprised if he lasted beyond twenty-four hours. The autopsy should tell us more.’

‘That doesn’t sound like long.’ Sergeant Ludlow frowned. ‘What was he, late thirties?’

‘Forty,’ Nathan said.

‘He did better than some would’ve,’ Steve said. ‘Twenty-four hours might even be a bit optimistic.’

‘How far are we from Cameron’s home?’ Ludlow looked at the brothers again.

‘On foot, it’s about fifteen kilometres in a straight line north-west,’ Nathan said. ‘Driving from here, you have to follow the dirt track west then north if you don’t want to get sand-bogged, so that route’s probably over thirty. Safest way is another ten kilometres on top of that – east from here to the rocks, then north along the road.’

The rocks and road where they had found Cam’s car. Nathan exchanged a glance with Bub and Ludlow caught it.

‘So even the shortest distance, you’re looking at a few hours’ walk home?’ Ludlow said.

‘You can’t walk it, not in this weather,’ Steve said, his voice muffled. He was looking under the tarp again. ‘That’s what went wrong with those three contractors sand-bogged out at Atherton a few years ago. You remember, Bub? You were on that search, weren’t you?’

Bub nodded.

‘They were, what? Mid-twenties?’ Steve said. ‘Tried to walk back. Got about seven kilometres, if that. Two were dead within six hours.’

‘What else is around here?’ Ludlow walked to the fence and rested his hands on the wire. ‘That’s your land on the other side?’ he said to Nathan.

‘Yeah.’

‘Could your brother have been hoping to find you?’

Nathan saw Bub and Steve both look over. ‘No.’

‘You sound sure.’

‘I am.’

‘But –’ Ludlow opened his notebook again. ‘Cameron knew you and your son were out doing a fence check?’

‘Yeah, I always do this time of year. But we weren’t around here.’

‘Did Cameron know that for certain?’

There was a long silence. ‘No.’

Ludlow ran a hand along the top wire then opened his palm and looked at the dust. ‘Can you think of a reason why your brother might have needed to come to this spot?’

‘I don’t know why he would have needed to,’ Nathan said finally. ‘But he knew it well.’

‘Was he out here often?’

‘I don’t think so anymore.’ Nathan glanced at Bub, who shrugged. ‘But he used to.’

‘This is also the only bit of shade for miles,’ Steve said. ‘It might have been instinct to seek it out.’

Sergeant Ludlow contemplated that as he looked at the shape on the ground. Even beneath the tarp, it was unmistakably human.

‘How was your brother’s state of mind these past few weeks?’

The question was delivered gently, and it took Nathan a moment to realise it was aimed at him.

‘I don’t know. I hadn’t seen him in a few months.’

‘How many?’

‘Four, maybe? When were we all doing that track work, Bub?’ It had been the last time Nathan had seen either of his brothers, he realised now. Bub looked blank.

‘Four months,’ Ludlow said. ‘So August, September time?’

‘Probably a bit earlier.’ Nathan tried to think. ‘Actually, wait. It was around the first State of Origin match. Because we talked about that.’

‘June,’ Ludlow and Bub said in unison.

‘Yeah, I suppose.’

‘So six months,’ Ludlow said.

‘Yeah, must be then. We spoke on the radio sometimes.’

‘Often?’

‘Often enough.’

‘Was there a reason you hadn’t seen each other?’

‘No. No reason. I live nearly three hours away door to door. We’re all busy.’ He turned to Bub for help, and was rewarded with nothing. ‘You see him every day at home, what did you think?’

Nathan expected a shrug, but instead, Bub seemed to be thinking. Finally he took a breath. ‘Cam was a bit wound up lately.’

Nathan stared at him in astonishment. How bad had things been if even Bub had noticed?

‘Wound up in what way?’ Ludlow asked.

Bub did shrug this time. He looked a little edgy. ‘Dunno. The usual way.’

They all waited, but he apparently had nothing further to add on the subject.

Ludlow checked his notes. ‘Cameron lived on this property with who else?’