The Lost Man(86)

Steve nodded. ‘I sometimes think I should’ve encouraged Jenna to make things formal straight away. But it was my first posting out here. I was younger; I hadn’t been qualified for long. I’d do things differently now, but at the time, I did my best. Jenna said she needed to think about it, and I felt I should respect that. Then, of course, she’d left town a couple of days later, so the problem went with her.’ Steve shrugged. ‘But you’d know the reasons for that better than I would, anyway.’

Nathan frowned. ‘What are you taking about? I don’t know why she decided to leave.’

It was Steve’s turn to frown. ‘Don’t you?’

‘Of course not. How would I?’

The last of the crowd were climbing into their cars now. Cameron’s farewell was coming to an end.

‘You might not think you know, Nathan.’ Steve shot a pointed look across the yard to the two graves under the gum tree. ‘But can you really not take a guess?’

Nathan opened his mouth to protest, then stopped as he heard the distant thud of a car door. And another one. He shut his mouth slowly.

He’d been in that same yard, twenty-three years ago, not far from the spot Steve was looking at now. Nathan and seven-year-old Bub had been messing around with a cricket bat over by the fence there, back when the ground was still clear and undisturbed. Bub had been practising his bowling as Nathan tapped the ball back in his direction.

It had been a full day since the terrible phone call from the town’s sergeant had come through and Nathan had stood sullenly with Cameron in the hall while their dad demanded answers. A day since Nathan had been a fraction late coming to his brother’s defence, and since Cam had last spoken to him.

Nathan had let the cricket ball sail past him as Carl Bright’s dirty four-wheel drive had roared up the driveway and shuddered to a halt outside the house. Nathan lingered, keeping his distance, as he always did when he had a choice in the matter. Carl had been gone most of the day. That was not unusual. Nor was the fact that he’d failed to write down where he was going. He was bristling as he slammed his car door shut with a force that shook the vehicle.

Cameron had come out of the house.

Nathan had had the urge to whistle sharply, the way they’d always used to warn each other over the years. Watch out, Dad’s coming. He didn’t, though. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen and, if possible, he didn’t want Bub to see. Instead, Nathan tossed the cricket ball in the air and lobbed the bat at it, sending the ball a fair distance in the other direction. Bub scampered after it, swearing and complaining.

Anyway, it was too late for a warning, Nathan could tell as he turned back. Cameron had seen their dad, pounding across the driveway towards him. And their dad had clearly seen Cam. Cameron had paused. And then, instead of wheeling around and disappearing into the warren of the house, he walked down the wooden steps and waited at the bottom. As Carl Bright approached his middle son, he barely broke stride. He brushed past him, turning his head just once. And before disappearing into the house, Carl gave Cameron a single sharp nod.

It’s done.





Chapter 32



It’s done.

Of course it was.

Carl Bright never nodded at his sons. Not in greeting, certainly not in approval. He had disappeared from the property for a few hours, and the very next morning Jenna and her boyfriend had gone to their employer and told him they were leaving. No reason and no notice, they just wanted to be on their way.

Keith had tried to talk them out of it, Jacqui told Nathan later. Keith had, of course, heard about the events at the party, and had asked if that had anything to do with anything. No, Jenna had said. It was a misunderstanding. She had been embarrassed and had blown things out of proportion.

Nathan sat on the couch in the living room now, staring at the Christmas tree bulbs glowing weakly in the dying afternoon light. The debris of the wake lay scattered around, empty plates and cups cluttering every surface. Steve had been among the very last to leave, pressing an appointment card into Nathan’s palm. By the time he’d driven off, the rest of the family had drifted their separate ways, rattling around a house that suddenly felt too big and empty.

Keith’s attitude towards Nathan had markedly changed after Jenna left in such a hurry. Nathan didn’t see Keith that often, so it took a while for him to fully notice. But where Keith had always been civil, if a little cold, he suddenly became hard and unpleasant. Nathan’s visits were greeted with increasing hostility, until eventually he and Jacqui stopped meeting at her house. They still met, though, and had laughed with the intoxication of forbidden intimacy at Keith’s disapproval.

Nathan could still remember Keith’s face all those years ago at the service station.

I know what men like you do.

Maybe, Nathan thought as he sat on the couch now, the bloke had actually had a point. The thought was deeply depressing.

There was a noise in the hall and Bub appeared in the doorway. His shirt was creased and he was squinting into the low light.

‘Where is everybody?’

‘Gone. It’s over.’

‘Already?’

‘You’ve been asleep for a while.’

‘Oh.’ Bub flopped down on the couch and Nathan could smell the alcohol coming off him. Bub rubbed a hand over his face then peered at Nathan with bloodshot eyes. ‘What’s wrong with you?’