Page 6 of Between Two Shores

“There you are!” Lachlan’s voice came from across the way.

She swiveled, found him framed in the circle of her lens. An aqua shirt stretched across his muscled chest. Irrationally, she held the shutter button, taking a burst of photos as he strode toward her. What had come over her? She lowered the camera, flicked to view mode, and admired the model shots. A sigh escaped her lips. He looked even better out of uniform in shorts and a shirt.

She tilted her head. “Didn’t they have your size?”

“Only one large left in my favorite color.” He tugged at the cotton near the Rottnest logo. “The rest were medium or small.” Lachlan stood before her now.

She flicked her gaze away from his chest. “You look . . . good. Blue suits you.” She cleared her throat as Wally joined them. “So, any luck?”

Wally held out a business card. “Tim, the general store manager, believes littering is killing the Quokkas. Tourists’ toxic food scraps. The animals can’t cope with all the additives.”

Beth twisted her lips to one side and frowned. “But the Islanders have increased the clean-up efforts, and there’s no change in the number of sick Quokkas reported each week.”

Wally shrugged. “Call him. He’s happy to speak with you.”

“Did you tell him about me?” She placed a hand on her hip. “What I’m reporting for the newspaper?”

He blinked like a teenager in trouble with the teacher. “Wasn’t I allowed to say that?”

She huffed. “It doesn’t help for the word to get out. My colleague has already traveled here, and she suspects there’s more going on.” She slowed her speech. “That’s why we are undercover, Wally.” Beth crossed her arms. “How did you get into the Navy, anyhow?”

He tapped his nose. “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”

Lachlan smirked. “That about explains it.” He met Beth’s glance. An apology graced his features.

She breathed in deeply and released the built-up tension from her shoulders. “Have any of you seen a Quokka yet? They are nocturnal, but when I came here years ago, they were all over the place, scabbing food from the visitors.”

“Nope. Not one,” Wally said.

“The sign says not to feed the Quokkas.” Lachlan scrunched his forehead.

“True. But people pretend to offer them food so they can get close and take a selfie with one.”

“I have some crisps in my bag.” This from Wally. The name suited him so well. Didn’t he take note of what the local said—additives?

“I’ve brought something more appealing for the little creatures.” She swung her camera behind her back. “First, we need to find one. Keep a lookout among the shrubbery. They sleep in the shade.” She marched toward the bus stop, and the men followed.

Chapter Three

Lachlan

Lachlan looked forward to seeing a Quokka for the first time, but rather enjoyed getting to know the Australian woman sitting next to him on the bus, Beth Michaels.

They passed several yellow shacks with tin roofs. The bus driver made an occasional commentary when they passed something noteworthy. “This is where the cruise ship guests resided for quarantine during the breakout of Covid-19.”

Mostly bush scrub and native trees dominated the view. A lake popped up to his right, and now and then, the coast peeked from the left.

Wally sat on the back seat. But Lachlan chose to sit with Beth and ask questions. He took more than half of the double seat. A good thing she was tiny in comparison. “Other than working for the paper, what do you do with your spare time?”

Beth scrunched her too-cute freckled nose and paused for a moment. “My father runs a community centre for the homeless. I fill the role my mother would have—if she were still alive. Admin, fundraising, child care—anything that needs doing.”

He blinked, not expecting that response. “Sounds like you’re a busy woman. Sorry to hear about your mother.”

“She’d been unwell for a long time. I’m the eldest of six. When I was fifteen, Mum first became ill with chronic fatigue, which led to other illnesses later. I took on the mother's role with a toddler still in the home. I’ve only gotten my life back these last few years.”

“Incredible.” This woman lived for others and mustn’t have a selfish bone in her body. “That’s very admirable of you.”

She adjusted her position and faced him. “What about you? How did you end up as a counselor on a Navy ship?”

---