‘Y’know, simple brown ones.Same size as them nappy boxes we send up to the communities—only colder.’
‘Colder?’
‘Yeah.’He nodded.‘Like they’d been sittin’ next to an aircon all day.But they weren’t, which was odd, y’know.’
‘If it was a year ago, how come you remember them now?’
‘Coz they were labelled as conference packs for NT Tourism or some rubbish.All of ‘em had these little flags on the side that said they were brochures for some conference.How the heck they got out here, I dunno.’Mickey gave a snort of disapproval.‘If it’s one thing we don’t need is more flamin’ tourists makin’ a mess of everythin’.’
‘So, you don’t like strangers.’
‘Tourists, holiday-makers, camera-clacking yahoos with their caravans blocking the roads and parking spaces.’
‘I’m not a tourist.’
‘Whatever.I didn’t want them near the place.And that’s why I remember them boxes and that jet.It was real sleek, with two normal commercial pilots.Not military, like you’ve got there.’Mickey squinted at the jet on the runway, the crew doing ground checks in military uniform, preparing to leave.
‘I believe you.But are you sure it was the Commissioner?’
‘I may be old, but I got a memory on me like an elephant—even for junk I don’t wanna remember.’
‘Uh-huh.’
‘I remember coz that bloke came off that jet wearing a full flamin’ suit.You know the whole jacket and tie thingy.Do you know how rare it is to see a necktie round ‘ere.’
‘I’d imagine so.’It was a culture shock going from the land of boots, jeans and long-sleeved shirts and hats to a city full of men in suits with hands softer than hers.
‘I asked his assistant who the suit was, and he told me he was some commissioner for agriculture.Made sense he’d come out here.Thought it was election time meself, it’s the only time them pollies do a drive through, y’know.’
‘So, what else do you remember?About the boxes?’
‘Well… Then me and his snobby assistant—who couldn’t read right—he asked for the boxes.’
‘He’s an assistant to the Commissioner.I’m sure he could read.’
‘Nah, I meant he had trouble pronouncing the name.’Mickey paused to scratch the back of his head.‘Come to think of it, we both did.’
Her pulse skipped.
Plain boxes.Cold to the touch.Labelled with flags.
Taryn also had a copy of the Commissioner’s travel entries.All his dates and logs of every visit, every flight he’d ever made these past three years.And not once, anywhere, did it say that the Federal Agricultural Commissioner had ever physically visited Elsie Creek!
All his calendar meetings for the Stock Squad had been done by pre-booked video link.Even the ones he’d secretly held with Amara were noted.
‘Mickey,mate, do you think you’d have the paperwork somewhere?’
Mickey jutted out his ruddy jaw.‘It’ll cost ya another beer to look at a man’s privates, y’know?I don’t show my books to just anyone.Specially an auditor, like you.’
From her workbag, she dragged out her badge to order him, but changed her mind, slipping her federal badge into the back pocket of her jeans instead.Billy, Porter, and even Cowboy Craig had told her how best to handle the grouch.As the common enemy she shared with Stone, the more you pushed someone like Mickey, the more likely he’d tell her to get nicked.
‘Tell you what, how about a flick through your folders, and a lift to the pub in that nifty buggy of yours that you use to tow planes around, and I’ll pay you a carton of beer for your troubles?’She’d seen Mickey zipping into town and back on it, even waving at her once on her way to work.Big smiles, laughing at his joke of making her walk the long paddock the first time she’d arrived, just over six weeks ago.
‘You’re on.’Mickey opened the door to his office, with a wall of folders along one side and a service counter running down the centre.He pulled a bulky binder from the shelf.‘You flick through that lot, while I make sure that jet of yours has finished messin’ up my airstrip.’
‘Done.’She dumped her bag on the floor inside Mickey’s office.‘Hey, Mickey?’
‘What?’He caught the door and scowled at her, either from the light, the need for glasses, her, or it was just his personality.She suspected it was the latter.
