“Yeah. It’s a pity the horses or motorbikes can’t carry rolls of wire and a heavy toolbox.” Matt wiped his greasy hands on a rag. “I’ll be back soon.” He headed across the yard to the homestead. A couple of families were sitting in the garden waiting for Beth’s famous scones with jam and cream. It was a new thing Amy was trialling to increase the campground income. Not that the café would necessarily bring in a lot of money, but the fact the station had a café would tempt people to stay there rather than other locations along the coast.
Amy was preparing scones in the kitchen when he walked in. She glanced at him, surprised. “What’s gone wrong for you to be home at this time?”
“The ute’s carked it,” he said. “I need to make some calls.”
She handed him one of the scones which had just come out of the oven and was slathered in jam and cream. “Take this with you.”
He smiled. “Thanks Ames.” He wandered down the corridor pausing at the wall of photos that displayed the Stokes family. It started with Bill and Beth’s wedding and then showed photos of each child when they were born, their first day of school, their graduation from high school, and in Georgie and Ed’s case university graduation. Matt examined Georgie’s graduation photo. She was beaming with a grin that always lit up her face and he couldn’t help smiling back. Her smile had always made him feel good. He tapped his chest and continued into the office, set his scone on the table and sat in Bill’s chair. Across from him was a cabinet full of old artefacts from the station’s life. Bottles, keys and knickknacks of past residents. There was history here, maybe not thousands of years, like his, but it was history nonetheless and he didn’t want to see the Stokes lose their only home.
He got the address book of their common contacts out of the drawer and started making phone calls.
An hour later he admitted defeat. His usual go-to guys had nothing, and though they recommended a few other places, none of them were able to help either. Matt then did what any self-respecting person would do and searched the internet. There were a few places in the United States he could get the parts he needed, but the cost of shipping was exorbitant. Was it worth paying so much today when tomorrow something else could go?
He’d taken the whole engine apart and it contained cracking and rust where there shouldn’t be any. Really the car was just waiting to fail and he didn’t want to be the one driving it when it did. It wasn’t safe anymore.
He sipped the dregs of the coffee Amy had brought in earlier and leaned back in the chair. Though Matt wasn’t responsible for doing the books, Darcy and Brandon had spoken openly about how bad the finances were. Something had to change. Maybe it was time he got more involved in the treasure hunt. That or winning Lotto seemed their best bet.
He hated relying on chance.
Amy wandered in. “Any luck?”
He shook his head. “Nothing that’s worth it,” he said. “How are the campgrounds going?”
“We’re at capacity most nights,” she said.
Good, the money was needed, but it wasn’t enough to buy them a new ute. They’d overreached on their credit as it was. “What’s the latest on the treasure hunt?”
Amy winced. “It’s that bad huh?” She sat in the chair across from him. “It’s not going well,” she admitted. “Maybe Lilian thought her clues were clear or maybe she wanted it to be obscure enough that not just anybody found it, but either way we’ve got no idea.”
“Mind if I read it?”
“Be my guest,” Amy said. “We’ve made a few copies. I’ll make sure you get one by the end of the day.”
“Thanks.”
Matt returned to the shed to give the bad news to Darcy. He outlined the cost and then the associated issues he’d found with the ute. Darcy grimaced. “It’s had it?”
Matt nodded.
Darcy sighed. “See if you can find a cheap second-hand ute for sale.”
Matt hesitated. It wasn’t a topic of conversation he was comfortable with, but it had to be asked. “Did insurance ever pay out on your parents’ car?” The four-wheel drive Bill and Beth had been driving when they’d crashed hadn’t been brand-new, but it had been in decent condition, and if there was money outstanding for that, it could go towards buying them a new vehicle.
Darcy frowned. “I don’t know,” he said. “Those first couple of weeks were kind of a blur. I’ll look into it.” Darcy took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair. “Listen, while we’re talking about this stuff…”
Matt’s gut clenched. Was this where Darcy fired him? They barely had the money for the ute, let alone wages.
Darcy placed his hat back on and stepped closer. “The thing is… I don’t want you to feel…” he sighed and took a second to think things through. “Let’s face it. The Ridge isn’t doing well. There’s a chance we’ll have to file for bankruptcy.”
The resignation on Darcy’s face was a new expression for him.
“I don’t want you to feel you have to go down with the ship,” Darcy said. “If you want to find another job now, before the shit hits the fan, neither Brandon nor I would blame you.”
Matt stared at his friend. “You think I’d abandoned you?”
“No, but you’ve got to do what’s right for you. One day you’re going to want your own place, and you’re going to need a job to get a mortgage.”
Was that a hint? “Do you want me to move out?” Matt asked. “Now you and Brandon have partners I guess it’s a bit awkward having me around.” He should have considered it himself. Maybe he really was too dense to pick up on signs. He’d spent years not knowing Georgie’s true feelings. He was an idiot.
