Half an hour later they all piled into Catfish, Freeman’s little runabout, collecting the leaky dinghy on the way. The rain had eased and Freeman was an expert boatman, but it still took an agonisingly long time to negotiate the powerful current. When they arrived back at Red Gums, Sophie was waiting with Jinx and the birds at the temporary tie-up place below the dam – a forlorn little figure huddled under an umbrella. Ric breathed a giant sigh of relief. Should he kiss her or kill her? He wasn’t sure.
When Sophie caught sight of the two geese on Catfish, her face shone with pure joy. ‘Odette, Igor. You’re safe!’
‘What about me?’ said Ric, jumping ashore and swinging her into his arms. ‘Are you happy to see me?’
‘Yes.’ She wriggled from his grasp. ‘Now give me my birds.’
Odette and Igor caught sight of Sophie. They honked in wild greeting, flapping their wings in Nina’s face. Freeman helped them over the side and they ran to the girl. She knelled down, hugging the happy birds to her, while their brothers and sisters crowded round.
Freeman handed Nina the camcorder, wrapped in plastic bags to keep out the rain.
‘How will you manage without it?’ she asked.
‘Like I used to.’ He grinned and pointed to his temple. ‘Keep the stories in here.’
‘Are you coming inside?’
Freeman shook his head. ‘Me and Warriuka, we’ll be back to see you when the Bunyip calms down.’ He fixed his dark eyes on Ric. ‘Something’s got her mighty stirred up, I reckon.’
Nina embraced him, and Freeman half-heartedly pushed her away. ‘That’s enough of that. Let an old man get on home, will you? There’s a thunderstorm coming. I can feel it in my bones.’ A final kiss and Nina jumped ashore. Freeman untied the dinghy’s tow rope and threw Ric the line. ‘I’ll keep an eye out for them other boats,’ he said. ‘They’ll turn up. And I’ll stay put for a few days till the cops get their statement.’ And then he was gone, letting the current carry Catfish downstream.
Ric sat with Sophie in front of the roaring fire, deep in thought. ‘Can my geese come in too?’ Sophie asked. ‘They’re cold in the kitchen.’ She cuddled Jinx tight, and glared at Ric when he shook his head. ‘I’m not going home with you,’ she said. ‘You can’t make me.’
He rubbed his hands together. The chill was finally leaving the marrow of his bones. ‘The bridge is out and I wouldn’t let you get in that dinghy, even if you wanted to,’ he said. ‘You’ll have to stay here for now.’
‘Not just for now,’ said Sophie. ‘I’m never going back.’
Nina rushed in, showered and changed, hair half dry, cheeks flushed with excitement. She’d never looked more beautiful. ‘I’m heading to Drover’s.’ She picked up the camcorder.
‘Can you hold off for an hour or so?’ said Ric, standing up. ‘Much safer to wait till the storm passes, and I have to go back to Donnalee for a bit, and don’t want to leave Sophie by herself.’
‘Can’t it wait?’
Ric moved close and whispered something in her ear.
‘Go,’ said Nina. Her goodbye kiss was soft on his lips, and he was more convinced than ever of what he had to do.
*
Ric shone the torch onto the body of the great cod. He’d braced himself for the smell of death, but the air in the coolroom was still sweet. He positioned a tarpaulin underneath and gently lowered her. Then he cut Guddhu free.
In a few minutes he’d hauled the tarp to the river’s edge. The floodwaters were just a few metres from the house now. He glanced uneasily about. The sky had grown even darker, if that was possible, and the air was electric with the coming storm. Rivers of rain poured down Guddhu’s body, glistening on her fine scales, bringing her once-bright colours back to life.
Ric crouched and held her head. He worked the vicious hooks loose from her jaw. Their razor-sharp points cut into his fingers, and red pearls of blood joined the raindrops on Guddhu’s gleaming skin. Forks of light flashed from the clouds, followed by a thunderclap so loud it shook the ground. The sky grew blacker still, and a dreadful urgency came over him. He stripped and stumbled thigh-deep into the lapping waters, dragging the tarp after him. The cod, at first a dead weight, grew lighter as she entered the river. Deeper and deeper he went, farther and farther into the flow, until at last she floated free. Ric gathered up the tarp and swam sideways, giving Guddhu clear passage. The current gathered her in its arms, buoyed her up, carried her downstream in a semblance of life. Lightning lit the sky, turning the water to shining quicksilver. And in that dazzling moment, he could have sworn that Guddhu swished her great tail, before vanishing into the flood.
Ric swam ashore and stood naked as the wind and rain raged about him. He was one with the storm, revelling in its power, rejoicing in this display of its might. He was transformed. Thanks to Nina he’d remembered who he was, and somehow, some way, he’d put things right.
Ric went to the house, into the dining room, and started to search. That letter from Bush Heritage, he had to find it.