Heart pounding, Callie sank against the ute. ‘Take a deep breath, Mum. How long has he been gone?’
‘I don’t know. I heard him get up this morning and say something about going for a walk, but I was still half-asleep. I think it was about five-thirty or six o’clock. It was still dark then, Callie. He’s been gone for hours.’
Oh god. ‘Maybe he stopped to chat to someone? Have you called anyone yet?’
‘No … I didn’t even think. I’ve only called you.’ Hysteria crept into her voice.
‘Okay, Mum, just calm down. What about Josh? Is he home?’
‘No, he’s up north somewhere. He isn’t home for a few days.’
That’s right. She remembered him saying at their lunch. ‘I’ll ring the police. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.’ She drew in a quivering breath. ‘I’ll come out as soon as I can. Love you.’
She only realised when she hung up that Nathan was by her side, his eyes searching her face. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘My dad’s gone missing. If he’s had one of his turns, he could have gone anywhere. He could be hurt.’
He gripped her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. ‘Ring the police and let them know. Then you go to your mum’s and I’ll go searching.’
Guilt flooded her body. She’d just torn Nathan a new one and he was still ready to help. She couldn’t even remember why she was so upset. Was her independence worth so bloody much to her that she’d risk losing her best friend?
And he still was. His actions proved it.
He pulled her to him and held her tight for a minute. She breathed in his scent, drew strength from his embrace.
He’d always been there for her. Always caught her when she fell. From the day on the bus when he’d saved her from having to sit with the nose-picking kindy kid, he’d always tried to make life easier for her. That was who he was. There was no way he could be anything else.
‘I’m sorry.’ Her voice was muffled against his shirt.
He pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. ‘Nothing to be sorry about. I should have told you. Now let’s find your dad.’
His arm still around her shoulders, she dialled the local police station, hoping against hope that Derek Johnson wouldn’t be the one to answer her call. How he was still allowed to hold his position when he was rarely sober was anyone’s guess.
‘Good morning, Mindalby Police. This is Constable Ross.’
Oh thank god. ‘It’s Callie Ferguson. My dad’s gone missing out at Woodburn. His memory has been playing up since he had a stroke six months ago and we’re concerned he might be lost or in danger.’
‘Out near Woodburn?’ Callie heard the policewoman typing something into the computer. ‘I’ll need a few details about your father and get the SES to organise a search party.’
While Callie answered the constable’s questions, she sagged against Nathan. People streamed past on their way to the cars but she was only vaguely aware of her surroundings.
For once, it felt good not to have to be the strong one. To be able to fall apart in safe arms, just for a few minutes. To have Nathan to share her burden.
***
As soon as Callie left the carpark headed for her mother’s, Nathan pulled up the map app on his phone and studied the area around her parent’s house. How far could the old bloke walk in a few hours? He was nearly eighty. Six, maybe eight kilometres? That’s if he had gone in a straight line.
On a hunch, he enlarged the screen on a road about five kilometres north of the village. Callie’s parents’ old farm was there. If her dad had gotten confused, he might have headed for there.
Backing carefully out of the carpark, conscious of so many kids running around, he pointed the ute in the direction of Woodburn. After twenty-five minutes, he flicked on his indicator to turn onto the narrow gravel road he and Callie had grown up on. The Hackett’s old place looked abandoned as he pulled into the driveway. The sheds were falling down, fences in disrepair, grass reclaiming the gravel roads. Farming was a hard life and it was no wonder so many pulled the plug on the lifestyle.
He stepped out of the car. ‘Ray?’ His call rang out into the stillness.
No answer.
He pulled his jacket tighter against the chill wind. Wherever Ray was, hopefully he’d at least found shelter. It wouldn’t take long for someone of his age and frailty to suffer the effects of hypothermia.
Scanning the area around him, Nathan walked up the driveway. He couldn’t see any signs anyone had been here, but he couldn’t shake his hunch. He checked around the house. No signs of a break-in, no Ray.
‘Ray, it’s Nathan. Callie’s friend. Are you here?’ He listened but could only hear the sound of the wind in the trees.
Using his phone as a torch, Nathan checked inside the first of the sheds. One of the big wooden doors had half-fallen off its hinges and caved in and as Nathan stepped around it, his light shone on what looked to be a fresh footprint in the dirt floor.
‘Ray?’ His pulse raced. Was he in here?
A rustle in the far corner made him step forward and shine his light into the darkness. A huddled shape sat there, head bowed to escape the light.
Nathan lowered his torch and Ray looked up. The old man seemed disoriented, his eyes darting from side to side as if fearful.
Nathan approached him as smoothly as he could, like he was trying to get close to a wild pup. ‘Hey, Ray, remember me? I’m Nathan, a friend of Callie’s.’
Ray’s eyes latched onto Nathan’s and for a second there was a glimmer of recognition. He smiled, his chin quivering, then drew himself into a tighter ball. His arms wrapped tightly around his knees.
Nathan stepped away and tried to phone Callie. No signal. Damn black spots. He wished he could relieve Callie’s mind sooner but he’d take Ray home and they’d know soon enough.
‘Want to come for a walk with me?’ Nathan held out his hand but Ray shook his head. ‘We can go and see Judy. Judy’s been worried about you.’
Tears rolled down the man’s cheeks. ‘Don’t know where I am.’
Nathan squatted down beside him. ‘I do, mate. It’s okay. I’ll take you back to Judy.’ He moved around beside him and placed his arm under his shoulders. ‘I’ll help you up. Come on.’
Ray clutched at him like a frightened toddler. Nathan half-carried, half-led the old man to the ute and buckled him in. He stood for a moment with his hand on the door, swallowing hard and thanking the gods that he’d found him.
***
At the sound of a car door slamming, Callie shot up from the kitchen table where she’d been drinking bottomless cups of tea with her mum.
Oh thank god. Nathan had his arm around her father, supporting him to walk towards the house.
‘Who is it?’ Her mother raised tear-stained eyes to search her face.
‘It’s Dad.’ Her voice cracked. ‘He’s okay.’
Her mother half-rose before collapsing back onto the chair. Her body sagged with relief. Callie helped her stand and held her in a strong embrace. As Nathan reached the back ramp with her father, she gave her mother a final squeeze and rushed over to open the back door.
Her father’s eyes locked on her mother’s and he stepped out of Nathan’s hold. ‘Judy.’
Had her mother moved so fast in recent years? ‘Ray.’ She hugged him around the chest while he stooped to kiss the top of her head. ‘You scared us.’
‘I got lost.’ His face quivered. ‘I think you need to call the doctor for me, Judy. I keep forgetting things.’
The look on his face was so lost, so heartbroken, that Callie couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. Like a geyser, they exploded from her.
Nathan rushed over and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her closer into the safety of his embrace. My father is safe. The relief overwhelmed her as all of the worries and fears she’d had since her mother’s phone call played back through her mind.
For long moments she sobbed, while Nathan rubbed her back and made soothing noises. Gradually as reality returned, she realised she’d flooded his t-shirt with tears, and most likely snot. She pulled away and fumbled in her pocket for a tissue.
And then guilt hit alongside the mortification. She blew her nose and turned to face him. ‘I owe you a huge apology. I’m sorry I lumped you in with everyone else. You’re a good man, Nathan. I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.’
‘It’s okay, really. I should have told you everything when we started to get involved.’ He smoothed back a stray piece of hair that had fallen over her eyes.
‘So are we friends again?’
‘No.’ He stared at her with a funny half-smile.
The single word was like a pin to a balloon. Her stomach nosedived. ‘Oh.’
His grin broadened. ‘Well, I hope not just friends, anyway. I was hoping you’d give me a second chance. I know you need to concentrate on your business so we’ll take things at your pace. Besides I’ll likely be working in Bourke for the next three months through the week anyway. I’ll be out of your hair.’
‘Really?’ Did she dare believe she could have it all?
She’d missed him so much. Any business success meant more when she shared it with him. His support kept her on an even keel. With planning, they’d be able to work out a balance. A relationship may not have been in her plans, but she’d be damned if she let Nathan go again.
His grin faltered. ‘Is that a yes? Surely it takes more than a scheming ex-wife to keep us apart? It seems only right since we’ve been bound together our whole lives. We’re like one of those quilts you make—layers and layers of memories.’
She grinned and threw her arms around him, heart soaring like the plane flying above. ‘That’s a yes. Better late than never, right? And now we have years to make more memories together.’
He lowered his head to meet her lips. The kiss promised the rest of their lives to make up for the time they’d missed.