Josh sighed. Some gifts just kept on giving. ‘What do you mean by that exactly?’
His old schoolfriend cocked his head. ‘Nothing,’ he said after a pause. ‘Mrs LaBrooy told me you took her out for coffee.’
Well, that would teach him to jump down the throat of anyone who made a half-baked innuendo about his past. He grabbed Tom’s hand, shook it then pulled him in for a back-slap and hug. ‘Sorry. It’s been a long day. My daughter’s run off, and my old schmoozing tricks, as you so tactfully phrased it, are the reason.’
‘Hell, Poppy’s run off?’
‘Yep.’
‘Tell me what I can do.’
That. That was the reason he’d moved back to Hanrahan. More than the chance to get into his own vet practice. More than the majestic historic building he could live in rent free, the mountain air he could breathe, the gleaming blue of clear, cold lake water he could see from damn near every street in town, the row of Codys at rest in the cemetery.
Community. Friends who’d grown up with him, known him as a skinned-knee brat freewheeling through town on his battered BMX; sat shoulder to shoulder with him at birthday parties at the old ice rink while they woofed down milkshakes and hot chips and tried to out-belch one another. Friends who were ready now, without a prompt or a prod, to help.
‘I’m heading up to the bus depot on the main road. Beth thinks Pop might have booked herself back to Sydney when she ran out of here, and she’d need a bus to get her into the train station at Cooma.’
‘Let’s go.’
Josh gave the lead a tug and Jane Doe stopped sniffing the hem of Tom’s jeans and fell in beside him. As they let themselves out the side door, his brain worked around to the incongruity it hadn’t noticed until now. ‘What are you doing here anyway, Tom?’
Tom shot a glance up to the top floor, where lamplight shone from behind Hannah’s new curtains. ‘Don’t ask.’
Josh inspected his old friend’s set expression. ‘If you and Hannah are—’
‘We’re not.’
Hmm. If Tom had been upstairs, that would explain why Hannah hadn’t been answering his calls.
‘No sign of an hysterical fifteen-year-old girl up there?’
‘No, Josh. She would have been a welcome distraction, I can tell you that much.’
Okay. He could grill Hannah about Tom later. One drama a day was his limit, and Poppy being missing was the only thing he could care about right now.
He flicked on the torch, shone it into doorways and alleys as he and Tom walked down Dandaloo and cut through Quarry Street up to the main road at the back of town. He hunted around for a question to ask to take his mind off his worry.
‘So you left the Navy, I hear.’
‘A while back, yes.’
‘They finally wised up and booted you out.’
Tom gave an easy grin. ‘You wish. You’re looking at a decorated officer.’
‘Uh-huh. So why does a decorated officer ditch the Navy and head on home to the farm?’
‘Well, I’ve been working as a civilian for a few years, so it’s not like I ditched the Navy last week. I came back here to be with Dad. Mrs LaBrooy didn’t tell you?’
Josh frowned. ‘Tell me what?’
‘Dad has multiple sclerosis. It was me come home and keep the business going, or sell the horse stud. Easy choice.’
He doubted Tom would tell him if it had been the toughest choice of his life—he was a guy who played his cards close.
‘You got a good equine vet looking after those nags of yours?’
Tom punched him in the arm. ‘You are such an operator, Cody. And yes, your sister’s been known to come and look at my horses.’