Nina retreated down the drive, out of earshot, to make the phone call. ‘Dad’s back, thank God,’ she said. ‘But there was some sort of fight. He’s all beaten up.’
‘Shit,’ said Ric. ‘I was afraid of that.’
Was that it? No ‘I’m sorry for what my crazy father did’. No ‘Max is a lunatic’. Just ‘I was afraid of that’.
‘What about Max?’
‘He’s still not back.’
Nina hung on the phone while the silence yawned between them. She twisted the unfamiliar ring on her finger as she ended the call. That feeling was back, the unease she often felt at day’s end. Her knees began to tremble with weariness and she hurried back inside.
In the kitchen Mum had a washcloth and the Dettol out. She winced in sympathy with each dab at Dad’s battered face. ‘We’d best get your father to the doctor, Nina. I think his nose is broken.’
‘You should see the other fella,’ said Dad.
Mum scowled and dabbed harder. ‘This is no time for jokes.’
‘Who’s joking? Got in a couple of good ones myself before he clocked me that last time. Went out like a light, I did. When I came to he’d shot through. No sign of the coward.’
‘Stay still.’ Mum sponged the dried black blood on his lips and chin. ‘Hold this.’ She handed Dad the bowl of antiseptic.
‘Ow.’ He dropped it, splashing the cloudy liquid over the table.
Mum held up his swollen right hand and peered at it. His middle finger looked crooked. ‘Serves you right, Jim Moore.’
Lockie, sitting on the counter beside Nina, leaned close and whispered, ‘He’s dislocated the knuckle.’
‘A grown man,’ scolded Mum. ‘Fist-fighting like a teenager, worrying us all sick.’ She turned to Nina and Lockie. ‘Max used to be a boxer, a middle-weight champion.’ She kissed her husband tenderly on his sunburnt head. ‘Nina, do you have frozen vegetables, anything like that?’
Nina got a packet of peas from the freezer. Dad’s face had turned various shades of red and shiny blue. One eye was squinted shut. It must have been one hell of a fight. ‘Do you want me to get the Skyhawk ready?’
Mum pressed her lips together. ‘No. I’ll take him to Doc Bowman at Drover’s tonight. Get his opinion first. If we have to go to Moree, I’d rather drive, so I have the car.’
Nina took a few photos of Dad’s smashed face. He tried to smile for the camera and failed. ‘Go to the police first thing, Mum. An assault on top of theft? Max is in big trouble now.’
Her mother looked doubtful and beckoned Nina out onto the verandah. ‘Let’s hold off till I can talk to Max, find out if he’s hurt too.’ Her face shone pale in the porch light. ‘It might be your father who’s in big trouble here. After all, he was the one who went down that river spoiling for a fight. You heard him. Sounds to me like he started it.’
‘How can you blame Dad for this? Look at him. And since when do you go talking to Max Bonelli? It’ll just make things worse.’
‘It won’t.’ There was a steely insistence in her mother’s voice. ‘It never hurts to hear both sides. We’ve got to know about Max.’
Nina was ready to argue, but something about her mother’s expression made her bite her tongue. ‘I’ll ring Ric.’
Mum creased her brow, then nodded. ‘Yes, you do that. Find out what Max is saying.’
Nina made the call. ‘Ric? Max back yet?’
‘No. It’s gone dark and I still can’t raise him. We’re here with his birthday cake and I’m trying not to scare Sophie. Reckon it’s time to go looking.’
‘What is it?’ asked Mum. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Max still isn’t home. Ric thinks we should go look for him.’
‘Yes,’ said Mum quickly. ‘That’s a good idea. Get Ric over here and take the Pelican downstream. See if you can find Max.’
‘What about Sophie?’ said Nina. ‘Ric’s little girl.’
‘Isn’t there someone at Donnalee who can look after her?’ Nina shook her head. ‘Well, I guess she’ll have to come too.’ Mum reached for Nina’s hand and squeezed it tight. ‘I hope Max is all right.’
Red Gums’ little kitchen was getting crowded; an awkward gathering. Ric stood behind his daughter’s chair, gripping its bentwood back. Jinx sat beside Sophie, licking her arm. The girl’s mouth curled down, and her eyes held a sadness that not even Jinx could shift. Lockie stood in the doorway, lounging against the lintel, chewing gum with a sour expression. Dad sat with his bandaged hand on the table. Nina sat beside him, spooning a little more sugar into his coffee.
Mum pulled a tray of banana muffins from the oven, and drew in a deep breath. ‘I do miss this stove,’ she said. ‘Things always turn out just so.’ She placed a plate of muffins in the middle of the table. Lockie spat his gum outside and helped himself. ‘What’s the verdict, Lockie?’
‘Perfect, Mrs M,’ he said. ‘Are you sure that’s the same oven your daughter uses?’
Nina pulled a face. Ric frowned, clearly unhappy that Lockie seemed so at home in her kitchen.
‘What is it you say, Nina?’ Lockie continued. ‘Dinner will be ready when the smoke alarm goes off.’
‘Go on with you,’ said Mum with the ghost of a smile. She folded her tea towel, put a muffin and glass of milk in front of Sophie, and sat down. ‘Right, Jim. One more time. Just exactly where did you and Max fight? Can you think of any landmarks?’
His voice came soft and muffled through stiff lips. ‘Five or six k’s downstream, I guess, a bit before the Kingfisher comes in.’ Nobody spoke for a while. However would they find it in the dark?
‘Was it past the old jetties?’ asked Nina.
‘Yes, come to think of it, I think so. Somewhere round the next bend.’
‘There’s a big fallen red gum further along,’ said Nina. ‘Was it near there?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Dad. ‘So many fallen trees . . .’
‘This one looks a bit like a bridge,’ said Nina.
‘A bridge,’ said Dad. ‘That rings a bell.’ He flinched as he opened his mouth too wide for comfort. ‘Yes, that’s where we had the blue all right. That bastard had —’ Mum shook her head and indicated Sophie with a tilt of her chin. Dad started again. ‘Max had pulled over against the opposite bank. Looked like he was baiting hooks with yabbies.’
‘I know the spot.’ Nina kissed her parents swiftly. ‘Let’s go. There’s a portable floodlight in the boat.’
Ric kneeled down beside Sophie and held her shoulders. ‘You stay here,’ he said. ‘I’m going to look for Poppi.’ Sophie nodded, her eyes wide.
‘We’ll take care of her till you get back,’ said Mum. ‘And remember, no trouble, you hear me? Lockie? Ric? We’ve got enough as it is.’
Lockie’s gaze flickered to where Ric stood in the corner of the kitchen, arms folded. ‘Won’t be no trouble, Mrs M,’ he said. ‘You’ve got my word on that.’
Mum heaved a relieved sigh. ‘And Ric? Do we have your word too?’ He nodded assent. ‘Good. Nina, you keep them to it.’
‘Sure, Mum.’
‘Well, you’d better all get out of here, get down that river and find Max.’
The three of them trooped from the kitchen. Nina looked back and saw her mother’s dark figure framed in the bright window. She’d forgotten what a fine peacemaker Mum could be.