Page 58 of Stockman's Stowaway

‘How come it’s not here with all of these other cars?’

‘I park in the caretaker’s sheds. This is the boys’ property and this shed is a better equipped area for mechanical repairs, like the pit and the hoist. It’s where Pop’s been spending all his time, ever since they dragged that thing out of the Stoneys, Pops has been obsessed with it like a Pandora’s box.’

‘How so?’ Porter’s brow creased with concern.

‘Charlie wouldn’t sleep. He was out here at all hours, going over every inch of this vehicle, repairing it. I was hoping he’d go back to normal when it was done.’

‘If Charlie lodged a missing person’s report with me, I guess he didn’t?’

Bree shook her head. ‘Charlie has dragged out photo albums, and all sorts of stuff from the storage shed, which dug up lots of the past, too.’ She stood squarely in front of Porter. ‘Before Charlie found this car—that should be namedPandora—he was happy. Charlie hadn’t forgotten about his brother, but he’d accepted it. Now, I don’t want him to have all this false hope come crashing down and fill him with disappointment.’

‘Charlie wants answers.’

‘I get that. But do you really think Harry wants to be found?’ She tapped Porter’s chest. ‘The truth. Just between you, me, and Mia, who won’t say anything.’

Porter took a long time to answer. ‘If Harry went to ground, then he’s hidden himself well. There’s been no movement in his bank account since the last deposit he made on the twelfth of November 1962.’

‘No withdrawals?’

‘Nothing.’

‘So, you’ve looked into it?’

‘Not any further than that. If Charlie asks me to, I will dig deeper.’

‘That’s what I’m worried about.’

Mia was dying to ask about the murder, but it wasn’t her place.

‘Don’t you want to find your uncle?’ asked Porter.

‘No. The man deserted his family sixty years ago. What worries me more is the stress this whole situation is putting on Charlie’s health.’ Bree watched her grandfather talking to Dex as they lifted the car’s bonnet.

‘Charlie seems healthy enough. He didn’t stop all day in the drafting yards,’ said Mia.

‘Charlie sees every day as an adventure, because he knows he’s running out of time. As much as he wants to keep up with everyone, he is exhausted.’ For the first time Bree showed a deep worry that was reflected in her voice. ‘I can see it. And that’s putting pressure on his bad heart.’

‘You know the doc in town was some big city heart surgeon,’ said Porter.

‘You don’t think I know that? I’ve already dragged the old sod in there by the scruff of his neck for tests. The doctor recommended surgery, but Charlie refuses to let them operate. Said he’s done his time in hospitals already.’

‘It is true Charlie got pretty banged up from a rodeo?’

‘Bull got him. Big time. He was in hospital for ages and then my grandmother nursed him back to health. It was a year before Pop got back into the saddle, but he never did a rodeo again.’

By the green antique Holden, Charlie pushed back his hat, revealing his white hair, and the deep crevices around his eyes of a man who’d been on this earth a long time.

‘I hate to admit this,’ said Mia quietly, ‘but I forget Charlie’s old when he acts as young as the brothers.’

‘Bless him, he tries so hard to keep up with them,’ said Bree. ‘And all I can do is monitor his health, feed him the good stuff and do what I can to minimise the stress factors—such as digging up old murder cases.’ Bree’s frown darkened as she glowered at the car. ‘I just wish they’d never found that damned car.’

Twenty

‘Well, hello there. Who might you be?’ The blond, wavy-haired cowboy stood at the kitchen table pushing back the brim of his big white cowboy hat. His bright blue eyes highlighted his deep tan that went with the smile, making him the most handsomest cowboy Mia had ever seen.Dayum. Dayum. Dayummmm.

Lying on the couch, she held her bedsheets up to her chin. ‘Who are you?’

‘Craig. Do you like pastries?’ He held up a white cardboard bakery box full of baked goods. She could smell them. ‘They were fresh out of the oven when I collected them.’ The microwave beeped, and he pulled out a tray of takeaway coffee cups, making himself right at home.

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