‘For God’s sake,’ she’d said. ‘Mal wasn’t worth one airfare, let alone two. Not before and especially not now.’
There had been a long argument and in the end Uncle Harry had gone with her.
‘How was it?’ Nathan had asked him later.
‘Quiet,’ Harry said.
‘Many there?’
‘Pretty much just us. A couple of cops turned up.’
‘Officially?’
‘I don’t think so. One was the local bloke from Kiewarra. Friendly enough but on leave. He was a bit –’ Harry had waved at his face, ‘– damaged. There was another one, tall guy who said he used to live around there but was based in Melbourne now. Didn’t say much else, seemed pretty pissed off about the whole thing. I think they were there mainly to check the old bastard was really dead.’
Nathan suspected his mum had gone for much the same reason.
At the thought of Harry, Nathan suddenly remembered the drive earlier. The man finding the hidden track in the rock face on the first attempt.
‘Cam never mentioned anything specific that was bothering him?’ he said. ‘Small stuff, even? Problems with Harry? Or Bub?’
‘I don’t think so. Like you said, Bub’s Bub.’
‘And Harry?’
Liz frowned. ‘Fine as far as I know. Why?’
‘I don’t know. Nothing. Just with Harry saying Cam might have been under pressure. I wondered –’
‘Wondered what?’
‘I don’t know. If they’d had a falling out or something.’
‘Not that I know of.’ Liz’s frown deepened. ‘Harry’s a good man. He’s been good to this family.’
‘I know.’
‘He’s been here longer than you have. And he’s always done right by us, wouldn’t you say?’
‘Yeah. I would.’
‘So what are you saying now?’
‘Nothing. Forget it.’
A pause. ‘All right,’ Liz said, but Nathan saw her eyes flick towards Harry’s four-wheel drive.
‘Listen, what happens to Cam’s share of the property?’ Nathan said, changing the subject. It came out more bluntly than he’d intended but Liz didn’t seem to notice.
‘It goes to Ilse.’ There was a faint stiffness in her voice. ‘With the day-to-day stuff, I don’t know. We’ll have to work out who’s going to run the place long term.’
She waited a beat as though half-expecting Nathan to propose something.
‘Hire a manager, I suppose,’ she said, when he didn’t.
‘Not Bub then?’
‘No.’ Liz’s answer was quick. ‘See what Harry reckons, but I don’t think so personally. Make sure you and Ilse include Bub in any conversations, though, would you?’
