Page 6 of Dawn Skies (Stormcloud Station)

CHAPTER THREE

WAZZA HOPED HIS mouth wasn’t hanging open. This woman’s sheer lack of knowledge about driving in the outback, her lack of common sense appalled him. Were all city people like this? Woefully unprepared, thinking that driving into the desert was the same as going to your local park for a picnic? Because it wasn’t. Didn’t she realize people died out here? This land was a harsh and unforgiving mistress. The fact that she and her daughter were in relatively good shape after two days in this heat was a miracle. Thank God she’d stayed with her vehicle and not tried to walk back to civilization. That was a sure path to death by heat stroke and dehydration.

Wazza mentally shook himself. There was no point in lecturing her now. They were just lucky they’d broken down where they had, and that he’d come out to investigate the blocked camera. Which raised another question. Why had she blocked the camera? Did she not want to be rescued? Too many questions and not enough answers. He tucked that away in the growing list of issues he needed to discuss with her.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. I can show you the correct road later. We need to get your car fixed, first.” Wazza turned toward to his vehicle. “I’ve got a sat phone. I’ll see if Lefty can come out to tow your vehicle back to Dimbulah for you.” Although Lefty wouldn’t be pleased about having to come all the way out here, he’d charge a hefty bill for this recovery effort. What had Kee been thinking when she took this road? It wasn’t signposted, and probably wasn’t even on Google Maps.

“Can’t you get someone out here to fix it? I’ll wait here with the car until they come,” she asked, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

Was this woman for real? A mechanic coming to her? That might’ve worked if you lived in the city. But not out here. They were over a hundred kilometers from the nearest town.

“I don’t want to go to town,” she added. Her voice was subdued, but there was a steel running through it, like she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“What do you mean? Where else are you going to go while you wait for your car to be fixed? It will most likely take days; they’ll have to order the part in.” Was it a matter of money? Could Kee not afford a few nights’ accommodation while she waited for her car to be repaired? Perhaps he could organize a lift back to Cairns for her. But then, he didn’t even know where she’d come from. That might be just as bad, and accommodation was certainly more expensive in the coastal tourist town.

“I don’t know,” she answered with a belligerent jut of her chin. “But I’m not going into that town. Not any town,” she added hastily.

“Well, you can’t stay here.” Even as he said the words, he knew how absurd they sounded. But a little voice told him that was exactly what this woman might do.

“Why not?” she retorted, confirming his worst fears.

“Mummy, I’m hungry.” Wazza spun around to see the little girl staring up at them with beseeching eyes. Benni’s presence surprised them both; they’d been so caught up in their conversation that for a moment he’d forgotten she was there.

“Oh…I’m sorry, bunny.” Kee brushed past him as she hurried over to the makeshift tent and got down on her knees in front of the child. “Can you wait until I’ve finished talking to Warwick? Then I’ll get you something to eat.” There was a strange hesitancy in Kee’s voice that Wazza didn’t understand.

“But I’m hungry now,” the little girl sniffled. “I want some cornflakes.”

“I don’t have any cornflakes, my bunny.” Kee’s shoulders visibly sagged, and she hugged her girl to her chest.

Sudden realization hit Wazza. They didn’t have any food. No water and no food. This woman was either breathtakingly stupid…or something else was going on here that he couldn’t figure out. “I’ve got some apples in the car,” he volunteered.

Benni’s eyes brightened at the mention of fruit. Kee didn’t say a word.

“I’ll get them for you.” He strode around to the rear door and pulled out his little cooler bag. It was only on a whim that he’d grabbed the bag and the fruit as he strode through the kitchen on his way out the door. Now, he wished he’d asked Skylar for a sandwich to add to his haul. He handed the apples to Kee. They both heard her stomach growl loudly at the sight of food. But she ignored it and handed both pieces of fruit to her daughter.

“Here you go.” Then she watched with satisfaction as Benni bit hungrily into the fruit. An apple in each hand, Benni went and re-took her seat in the shade of the tent.

Wazza watched the whole scene play out with growing certainty. There was something wrong here. And he needed to find out what it was.

Kee didn’t look at him, but murmured, “Thank you, that was a nice thing to do.”

They needed to talk. He went to take her by the arm, but she flinched away from him. “Sorry,” he apologized. He’d forgotten how distrustful she was. Was it just him? Or all men? Another thing to add to the growing list. “Come over here.” He beckoned her to the front of the vehicle that was still partially in the shade. Far enough away for Benni not to overhear what they were saying.

He stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at the petite woman in front of him. She finally returned his stare, her big, brown eyes watchful and guarded. Beads of perspiration had formed on her brow and on her top lip. They glistened like jewels against her brown skin, and for a second, he forgot where he was. Forgot what he wanted to ask her. Instead, wanted to run his thumb over her lip, taste her skin. With a flick of her wrist, she swiped at her forehead, and his daydream was broken. What had he been thinking?

He sucked in a lungful of hot, desert air. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what you’re running from.”

Her brown eyes filled with fear at his words, and she took a step away from him.

“What are you so frightened of?” he demanded.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She flipped her long braid over her shoulder with a disdainful grimace. “I told you. We’re on our way to see my aunty. We just got a little lost, that’s all.”

Bullshit.He wanted to say, never bullshit a bullshitter, but instead, he asked, “Oh yeah, what’s her name, this aunty of yours?”

“Her name? Oh. Ah…” Kee’s eyes widened, and put her hands on her hips, mimicking his pose. “It’s…ah…Beryl. Yes, Aunty Beryl, that’s it.”

Bullshit.Again, he only just stopped himself from saying the word. “Hey, Benni,” he called out. “Are you looking forward to seeing Aunty Beryl?”

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