Moonstone Promise by Karen Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

waiting for them to cook, he wandered over to the small grocery section.
    The first thing he noticed was some bundles of fresh asparagus. Jess’s family had an organic farm where they grew asparagus and other small crops; she used to bring bunches of it over to Harry’s place on the weekends. She reckoned it made you live forever. When Jess had found out Harry had lung cancer, she’d started bringing it around by the boxful, convinced it would save his life – packed with vitamin C, it was. Harry always sneaked the asparagus onto Luke’s plate while she wasn’t looking, which he didn’t mind as long as it wasn’t all soggy.
    Luke took two bunches lest he end up a wheezing old man attached to oxygen bottles. Then he grabbed a budget box of muesli bars and a net bag of apples.
    Outside, Bob was already getting back into the ute.
    â€˜Where are we going?’ asked Luke, climbing in and pulling the seatbelt over his lap. He pulled out an asparagus spear and chewed on it, then began to unwrap his sandwiches.
    â€˜Mount Isa first, then I’ve gotta catch up with some brothers up in the Gulf,’ said Bob, ‘then a station out there’s got some work for me.’ He screwed up his nose. ‘What’s that green stuff?’
    â€˜Asparagus. So I’ll live forever.’ He held them out to Bob. ‘Want one?’
    Bob eyed the green spears suspiciously. ‘I don’t wanna live forever.’
    Luke shrugged. ‘What’s in the Gulf?’
    â€˜Big river full of fish,’ said Bob, leaning in front of Luke and opening the glovebox. He placed in it something lumpy, wrapped in foil. ‘You like fishing?’
    â€˜What was that?’
    â€˜Bait,’ said Bob, starting the engine.
    â€˜Never been fishing.’
    â€˜You haven’t lived!’

8
    AN EXPLOSIVE BANG came from the back of the car and it swerved violently to one side. Bob swore loudly as he fought with the steering wheel.
    â€˜Blowout,’ he said, guiding the ute to the edge of the road. Each time he touched the brake, the ute pulled heavily into the middle of the highway. Bob let it roll to a stop, pulled on the handbrake and opened the door. He got out and cursed again when he saw the damage.
    Luke walked around to the driver’s side. The back tyre was in shreds. ‘Got a spare?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ said Bob, unclipping the big tarp off the back and throwing it aside.
    â€˜Need a hand?’
    â€˜Nah, won’t take long.’
    â€˜I’m gonna see a man about a dog,’ said Luke, looking for a good clump of bushes in the scrub along the side of the road. He spotted some small trees in the distance and began wading through scratchy golden grass and small prickly shrubs.
    He hadn’t gone far when there was a sudden burst of activity right in front of him. A small red horse sprang out of the grass and Luke jumped back in surprise. The horse slowed to an agonised hobble on three legs. It was terribly thin and scrambled along with its head lowered, ears flicking around and nostrils flared.
    â€˜Hey, you poor fella,’ said Luke. ‘What have you done to yourself?’
    He stood quietly, not wanting to force the horse on further, and looked it over for brands. There were none.
    â€˜You got a home to go to?’ he asked softly, squatting and making himself smaller. He folded his arms across his chest. The horse seemed to relax a little and, encouraged, Luke turned his eyes away from it. ‘I’m not gonna hurt you.’
    The horse closed its eyes and screwed up its nose, clearly in pain. Luke tried to see its hoof but it was obscured by grass. He kept his eyes focused well ahead of the horse and crept closer, talking softly. It shuffled a couple more steps forward. Luke raised himself up and got a better look at its leg. He couldn’t see any swelling. It must be in the hoof.
    Luke took note of where the horse stood and then turned