The Lost Man(93)

Nathan remembered her kneeling at the grave, bent over in the sun, the small movement in her shoulders. ‘So you got it back?’

Ilse shook her head. ‘No. That’s just it. The envelope wasn’t there anymore.’

Nathan stared at her. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Completely.’

‘But if it’s not there, and it wasn’t with Cameron,’ he said. ‘Then where is it?’

The shadows of the dawn light stretched across her face. ‘I don’t know.’





Chapter 35



Nathan stared at Cameron’s painting. The house was still quiet, but only just. He and Ilse had stayed tangled in the blanket in the back of his car as long as they could, whispering as the sky grew lighter. Finally, they’d had to prise themselves apart. It was Christmas morning. The girls would be on the move.

‘It could have been a dingo,’ Nathan said, his voice low as he zipped up his jeans. Despite everything, he still felt a warm buzz when he looked at her.

‘I know.’ Ilse ran a hand through her hair. ‘That’s what I wondered too. I’d always been a bit worried about that happening. A dingo could dig up that hole, couldn’t it? Take the envelope?’

‘Yeah.’ Dropped it somewhere when it lost interest. It was probably under a pile of sand by now. ‘And Bub said there were dingoes sniffing around.’

‘Oh, right. Well, then.’

They both fell quiet at the same time.

‘I know Bub was out there by himself for a bit, but –’ Nathan pictured the rumpled tarp, and Bub’s face after Cameron’s body was moved. ‘He was as surprised to see that hole as anyone.’

That didn’t necessarily mean he couldn’t have taken something from Cameron’s pockets, though, Nathan thought. He didn’t say that out loud.

‘I feel like Bub would have said something to me by now if he’d found it.’ Ilse was whispering now, as they approached the house. ‘Especially with him being so annoyed about the property.’

They hesitated at the foot of the verandah steps. Nathan took a breath.

‘There’s no way Jenna might –’

‘Realistically, she couldn’t –’

They both started and stopped at the same time. Neither said anything.

‘I really don’t think –’ Nathan said.

‘No.’ Ilse shook her head firmly. ‘I don’t either. I don’t.’

They stood for a moment longer, just looking at each other, then turned to go inside. As he held open the screen door, she brushed his fingertips with her own as she passed.

‘Thank you, Nathan,’ she said, politely.

‘You’re welcome, Ilse.’

He could see her smiling to herself as she disappeared down the hall.

Nathan sat now on the couch, looking at Cameron’s artwork. He could pinpoint the spot beneath the headstone where the earth had been dug up in real life. In the painting, that piece of ground was smooth and untouched. In the corner of the room, the Christmas tree shivered in a draught of air. Someone had put it back up since yesterday.

The pounding of small footsteps filled the hallway and the girls piled into the room. They were holding presents under their arms, and even Lo seemed interested for once. Liz followed, carrying a tray of coffee mugs. There was the sound of a toilet flushing along the hall and a minute later Bub appeared. He hovered at the edge, leaning against the door. He had a beer in his hand.

‘What? It’s Christmas,’ he said, as Liz frowned.

She turned to Nathan. ‘Where’s Xander?’

‘I’ll get him.’

‘We’re not waiting to start opening, Uncle Nathan.’ Sophie’s voice floated behind him as he got up.

‘I wouldn’t dream of asking you to.’

Xander was fast asleep in bed, his hair dark against the pillow, and Nathan felt a pang of nostalgia. It had always been Xander who had woken him up on Christmas morning, every second year. This could realistically be the last Christmas they would spend together, Nathan thought. And either way, his son would be fully grown up next time. The room felt a little bare and Nathan realised Xander had already started packing a few things. He stared at his backpack and sighed.

‘What are you doing?’

Nathan looked over to see Xander awake. ‘Watching you sleep, my son and heir.’

Xander smiled. ‘That’s weird.’

‘Then you should have got up earlier. Happy Christmas.’

‘You too.’ Xander seemed in a better mood than yesterday, at least. He nodded at Nathan’s bruise. ‘Your eye looks bad.’

‘It’s all right. You should see the other guy.’

‘I did, last night. Bub was fine.’ Xander was watching Nathan with a bemused look. ‘What’s up with you anyway?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know. You seem sort of . . . happier.’

‘Oh. Well. It’s Christmas, isn’t it?’

‘Yeah. I suppose.’

‘There you go. The girls are opening their presents.’

Xander pulled himself up to sit against the pillow. ‘So we’re really doing this? Christmas like nothing has happened?’