Nhiari helped him with the tent and then packed the remaining camping equipment while Lee showered. She glanced around the cave. Their little haven was no more. It was time to face reality and the world outside.
She exhaled. They could do this.
Almost mid-morning. Dot should be picking Oliver up from the hospital soon. “I’m going up top to watch for Dot,” she called.
“I’ll be up there shortly.”
She climbed to the top for what was hopefully the last time and set up the telescope. The day was hot, the sun already strong as it heated the land. By mid-afternoon it would be scorching.
At the crunch of footsteps, she turned as Lee arrived next to her. He too had dressed in his cleanest clothes, though they were as wrinkled as hers.
“Any sign of them?” Lee asked as he sat.
“Not yet.”
They would wait until Dot drove past before they headed out to the Ridge. They could ensure no one followed her, and also give Dot time to explain Lee’s role to the Stokes.
A white four-wheel drive headed south along the road, and Nhiari looked through the telescope. It was full of passengers. “That’s Sam and Sherlock.” And with them, their partners Penelope and Gretchen, and Gretchen’s son, Jordan.
Georgie would have spent the night with Matt at the Ridge, so that left Dot and Oliver. Another twenty minutes went past before Dot’s blue sedan appeared on the road. “That’s her.” She peered into the telescope for confirmation and saw someone in the passenger seat. Oliver.
Lee broke down the telescope and they carried it back to the car. He took a final glance around the cave to make sure they had missed nothing. “Let’s go.”
Lee hadn’t dreaded anything more than he dreaded the upcoming meeting with the Stokes. Nerves thrummed along his skin and tied his insides into knots. While he was almost sure they wouldn’t kill him, he had a lot to make up for.
Hopefully the Stokes would accept the package he’d retrieved before joining Nhiari on the ridge top, and help ease his debt.
Nhiari stared out the window next to him, silent.
She was another reason for the dread pitting in his stomach. Arriving at the Ridge would signal the end of their time together. There would be no coming back to their cave. From here on, she was the cop, and he was the felon.
Was it fair of him to tell her how much he loved her, or would it make it harder for her?
He couldn’t decide.
“There’s a gate up here.” Nhiari pointed.
He slowed and pulled over while Nhiari jumped out to open it. They weren’t using the main entrance in case Lucas had people watching the Ridge.
After she’d closed the gate behind him, they followed the dirt track past the ridge which gave the station its name and the windmill he’d pulled down, before reaching the sheds.
“Park inside.”
He did as he was told. “Did you know there’d be space?”
“Yeah. This is where Bill and Beth used to park their car.”
Before it had been wrecked in the crash that had killed them. The guilt was sharp. As he got out, he retrieved the small bag he’d put under the driver’s seat.
“What’s that?” Nhiari asked.
“A token.” Though she looked confused, she didn’t question him any further. Appreciation at her trust swept through him.
Several cars were parked outside the farmhouse, including several utes, Dot’s blue sedan and Sam’s four-wheel drive.
Only two caravans were in the camping area. The car was gone next to one, indicating they had gone out for the day, and there was no one sitting outside the second one. He scanned the area and saw a couple of figures in the distance over by the red dunes behind the farmhouse.
“Ready?” Nhiari asked.
