One by one they drank. She counted nine, including a joey which popped its head out of a pouch to blink at Charlotte through curious eyes. If only she’d brought her phone, she could take pictures. But that’s what the brain was for. Keeping precious memories like this.
Unless you have Mother’s diseases.
As the kangaroos moved off, she wished she was free like them. No fears of being a genetic walking timebomb. Nothing to stop her living life to the fullest. Falling in love. Having her own family. Remembering them when she was old.
Grief kicked her in the guts. She put both hands on her stomach and pressed lightly, eyes closed. Until she found the courage to take the genetic tests to find out, her life was on hold. Any thoughts of a family to love were unwelcome reminders of what she probably would never have. It wouldn’t be fair to them.
“It wasn’t fair to me.” Saying it helped. That’s what she always told her patients. Say the fears aloud to take away their power. “I’m scared.” This was a whisper. “I don’t know what to do.”
From the pond came a different sound. A high-pitched whistle of pee-ee, pee-ee, a thin but piercing sound broke her thoughts apart and she opened her eyes.
On a branch above the pond, and only a few metres away, a small bird watched her. A second later it dived and, in a motion, almost too fast for Charlotte’s eyes, captured a tiny fish. It flew past, its wings a vivid blue, with yellow on its neck and a long black bill.
Only when it disappeared did she work out what she’d just seen. An Azure Kingfisher.
Charlotte’s car bumped along the road to the Christmas Tree farm without incident. No sign of speeding utes or law enforcement—if you could still call Sid that. There were no cars going either way. Only Charlotte. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Was ten too early?
After seeing the kingfisher, she’d floated home. What an incredible moment. The little endangered bird with its bold whistle and speed was unbelievably beautiful. Charlotte knew it wasn’t endangered worldwide, but here, from what she’d been told and read, it was rare to see them.
She parked in an otherwise empty carpark. This time, she concentrated on her environment. On two sides of the carpark, the trees were tall, creating a natural and peaceful boundary. They were cleared on the third side to make way for the sheds and sales area. And then there was the house. Still striking with its two floors overlooking the valley on the other side, its paint was peeling and the garden around it overgrown.
“Pretty rundown, huh?” Darcy appeared from the trees behind her with a grimace. “I’ll fix it. Just got other things to fix first.”
“Hi Darcy. I was admiring your house. What an amazing view you must have.”
“If there was ever time to enjoy it.” He carried a chainsaw. “Sorry. Been one of those weeks and now I find this out in the middle of the trees.”
“The chainsaw?”
Darcy headed for the sheds and Charlotte caught up.
“Why was it out there?”
“Asking myself the same thing. This was stolen a couple of weeks ago from the back of my truck. Had to buy another. At this time of year.” His voice gave away a frustration and anger. “What kind of person steals a man’s livelihood?”
Let me guess…
“We’re doing our best up here and don’t hurt a soul, no matter what some of the gossips say.”
“Ignore them is my advice. The bookshop’s Facebook page is being trolled by fake accounts with a bunch of lies right now.”
Darcy gave her a look of disbelief. “The bookshop? Even worse. Rosie is one of a kind and always there for anyone who needs a hand. Has this whole town lost the plot?”
“Where was the truck when this was stolen?”
“Um…far end of the northern boundary, I think. Yeah. I’d been cutting back some undergrowth near Glenys’s fence line. This time of year, fire is a risk and with all the other stuff I’ve had to do, controlling the undergrowth was miles behind.”
They passed the sales shed. There was no sign of any movement there. Then, toward a large shed further back.
“So, you were using the chainsaw and then it disappeared?”
“Are you a police officer?” Darcy grinned.
“Sorry, don’t mean to interrogate. No, just someone who is a bit alarmed by what’s going on around this town.”
“Okay. I tossed it on the back and went to where I’d been cutting. It took maybe half an hour for me to drag a heap of branches back with me to bring back to my mulcher. Didn’t even notice it missing until I got back. Damned annoying.”
They were at the shed and Darcy went straight in. “I’ll be right back.” He took the chainsaw to a long workbench and left it there. The shed was huge, holding a tractor, his flatbed truck, and an assortment of tools. Charlotte stepped back so it didn’t look like she was casing it.
On his way out, he pulled the door closed and locked it. “Can’t lose anything else.”
“Darcy, last question. The chainsaw—you said you found it just now. Was it anywhere near where it disappeared?”
“Other side of the property and under some old branches. It didn’t get there on its own.”
“No idea who took it?”
He shook his head. “Thought it had fallen of the back and I spent hours looking for it. Gave up and got another one. Who would take it and then leave it where I’d find it?”
Who indeed.
“I know you must think I’m nosy, but I have seen the work of these Christmas Tree thieves close up. They had a chainsaw, Darcy. I wonder if it is worth having yours fingerprinted?”
Darcy folded his arms, deep in thought. All was quiet apart from birdsong in the trees. “Short of taking it out of the area to find someone who could help, what good
