Sunlit Shadow Dance by Graham Wilson Read Free Book Online Page A

from the beginning.”
    So slowly and
carefully he told the full story and this time all Buck could say
was “Jesus, Well I be fucked.”
    Then Buck’s
rational brain took over. “Where are you and what are your
movements? I think you and I need to get to Darwin pronto and talk
to Alan and Sandy. I know they won’t spill the beans and we’ll all
need our thinking caps on for this one.”
    Vic filled him
in on the rest of the details. Buck told him to stand by in
Normanton while he sorted out arrangements. Soon Buck had it
organized, cover for Vic’s job tomorrow at Anthony’s Lagoon
Station. As he organized this he had Julie on the computer looking
up a flight for Vic from Cairns to Darwin. On a second phone Buck
confirmed it all with Alan, he and Sandy were available
tonight.
    Vic could hear
Buck talking on the other line, Buck did not tell Alan the content
that Vic had relayed, just that something of critical importance
about Susan had come up and they all needed to talk tonight.
    Soon Vic was
on his way for a five hour flight helicopter flight back to Cairns,
from where he was booked on a late flight to Darwin this evening.
Buck and Julie would take the station plane to Darwin this
afternoon. Vic’s flight arrived about 9 pm and they would all meet
soon after at Alan’s flat.
    It was after
9:30 that night when Vic arrived and the others were seated out on
the verandah around a big table. He was surprised to see three
extra people and felt apprehensive at seeing them, Susan’s mother,
father and Anne. Alan broached it directly with Vic.
    “ Mate, I am sorry to put you on the spot like this, but these
others are flying out in the morning, returning to the UK after
meetings over the last week with the police and coroner. We
promised each other to immediately share any leads we get, no
matter how small or inconsequential. Plus we all have exactly the
same interest, to find Susan and help her anyway we can.
    “ Buck has been tight lipped about what you know but I can read
between the lines and I know it has to be significant. You would
not have flown half way across the country and them up from VRD at
the drop of a hat, not unless it was really important.
    “ I don’t want to have to relay what you say, so it just seemed
the best solution was for you to tell your story to us all at once.
We have already agreed in advance that nothing you say will leave
this room and none of us will take any action on it without your
agreement.”
    Vic felt
pressured; he really just wanted a frank one on one chat with Alan
and Buck, to toss around what it all meant and what should be done.
But he took on board what Alan had said; they all had the same
right to know, he could not bear the idea that someone else would
have held back from him news this significant.
    So he nodded
and took a deep breath. Buck and Julie were nodding too.
    “ I think I saw Susan yesterday and again this morning. But she
did not show any sign of knowing me and I really am not sure about
it,” he begun.
    Vic saw the
shocked and dazed looks on people’s faces, struggling to take in
this naked fact and make sense of it.
    Buck put his
hand on Vic’s shoulder. “Mate, you should just start at very
beginning and tell it as you saw it, not what you think now.”
    Vic nodded and
the others nodded. So he began again. He told the story of his
week, deciding to leave out the exact location. He told of
mustering in Queensland, then about the booking to muster the
aboriginal station. He told them about him standing by the yards,
thinking he might head away, but how he enjoyed chatting to the
local kids; then how they called out, “Miss Bennet, come and see
the cattle.”
    He told how he
looked around to see who this Miss Bennet was and how his heart
almost stopped when he looked up and saw someone who looked just
like Susan walking towards him. This person was holding a toddler
with each hand, a boy and girl who walked at each side of her.
    He told of