Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2)(7)

‘Sorry.’ The driver grinned. ‘I’d better get a move on so you can set off. Give you enough time to reach the site before dark. The only thing worse than a wet campsite is a rushed wet campsite.’

He hauled out the last of the backpacks and turned to Jill Bailey, who was struggling to thread her thick arm through the shoulder strap of her pack. Bree stepped forward to help, taking the weight of the pack while she scrabbled.

‘Do you want to make a start?’ the driver said to Jill. ‘I can get you ladies on your way. Or would you rather wait until everyone’s arrived?’

With an effort, Jill thrust her arm through and breathed out sharply, her face red with exertion. She glanced down the approach road. It was empty. She frowned.

‘With a car like Daniel’s, he should have beaten us here,’ one of the men said to polite laughter.

Jill gave her thin corporate smile but didn’t say anything. Daniel Bailey was her brother, but he was still the chief executive. Bree supposed he was allowed to be late.

Bree had watched Jill take the call ten minutes before the minibus was scheduled to depart from BaileyTennants’ Melbourne headquarters. Jill had wandered out of earshot and had stood, legs planted and hand on hip as she listened.

As always, Bree had tried to decipher the chairwoman’s expression. Annoyance? Possibly. Possibly something else. She often found Jill hard to read. Either way, by the time Jill had hung up and returned to the group, the look was gone.

Daniel had been held up, Jill had said simply. Business, as usual. They would go ahead without him. He would follow in his car.

Now, as they milled about the lodge carpark, Bree saw the woman’s mouth tighten at the corners. The clouds were definitely heavier and Bree felt the odd spatter of rain hit her jacket. The approach road still lay empty.

‘There’s really no point in us all waiting.’ Jill turned to the four men standing by the van with their packs. ‘Daniel shouldn’t be far behind.’

She didn’t apologise for her brother and Bree was glad. It was one of the things she admired most about Jill. She didn’t make excuses.

The men smiled and shrugged. It was fine. Of course it was, Bree thought. Daniel Bailey was the boss. What else could they say?

‘All right.’ The driver clapped his hands. ‘Let’s get you ladies on the road. This way.’

The five women glanced at each other, then followed him across the carpark, his red fleece bright against the muted green and brown of the bushland. The gravel crunched under their boots before giving way to muddy grass. The driver stopped at the mouth of the trail and leaned on the old wooden sign. Below a carved arrow were two words: Mirror Falls.

‘Got all your bits and pieces?’ the driver asked.

Bree felt the group turn to look at her and she checked the pocket of her jacket. The map was folded crisp and tight and she could feel the unfamiliar plastic edge of the compass. She had been sent on a half-day course to learn how to navigate. Suddenly it didn’t seem like much.

‘Don’t worry,’ the driver was saying. ‘You’ll barely need them for this bit. Follow your noses and you’ll find the first campsite clearing. You can’t miss it. There are a few more twists and turns after that, but keep your eyes peeled and you’ll be right. I’ll see you at the other end on Sunday. Someone wearing a watch? Good. Noon deadline. Penalty for every fifteen minutes you’re late.’

‘What if we finish early? Can we drive back to Melbourne sooner?’

The driver looked at Alice.

‘Good to hear you’re feeling confident.’

She shrugged. ‘I need to be back for something on Sunday night.’

‘Right. Well, yeah. I suppose so. If both teams reach the meeting point early –’ The driver glanced over at the men in the distance, chatting and leaning against the van, still one team member short. ‘But look, don’t break your necks. The traffic’s never too bad on a Sunday. As long as you’re at the meeting point by twelve, I’ll get you back to the city by late afternoon.’

Alice didn’t argue, but pressed her lips tight together. Bree recognised the look. It was one she generally tried to avoid generating.

‘Any other questions?’ The driver looked at each of the five faces. ‘Good. Now, let’s take a quick group snap for your newsletter.’

Bree saw Jill hesitate. The company newsletter was questionable both in its regularity and newsworthiness, and Jill gave her pocket a half-hearted pat.

‘I haven’t got –’ She glanced at the van, where their mobile phones lay in a ziplocked bag by the driver’s seat.

‘It’s all right, I’ll take it,’ the driver said, pulling out his own phone from his fleece pocket. ‘Bunch up. A bit closer. There you go. Put your arms around each other, ladies. Pretend you like each other.’

Bree felt Jill slip her arm around her waist, and she smiled.

‘Great. Got it.’ The driver checked the screen. ‘All right, that’s everything. Off you go. Good luck. And try to have fun, yeah?’

He turned away with a wave and the five women were alone. They stood frozen in their pose until Jill moved, then each untangled their arms from the others.

Bree looked at Jill and found Jill looking straight back at her.

‘How far is the first campsite?’