The Search by Margaret Clark Read Free Book Online

day.
    The surfers lounged about on the seats outside eating and eyeing off the other surfers who were rolling in. The really eager ones had hit the waves straight away without fuelling up, but the cool ones knew it was better to feed up first so they could stay out there longer.
    ‘Ho Bobby, hi Randy, hi Tom,’ said Liz, grinning at the bunch near the door.
    She knew most of the regulars because their parents had holiday houses too, and these boys had been surfing at Coolini Beach since they were practically out of nappies. They’d been the junior grommets and now were the experienced Coolini Beach crew because they surfed all through the year, rain, hail or shine, when they could get weekends off. The icy cold wintry waters of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean didn’t worry them at all. So long as there were top waves and a big swell with even sets they were in surf heaven.
    ‘Josh down yet?’ asked Tom.
    Liz felt her cheeks going red. Why did she alwaysblush when good-looking guys like Tom talked to her? Or when someone mentioned Josh?
    ‘Dunno,’ she mumbled as she hurried indoors to wash her hands and put on her apron.
    Several campers were waiting to be served, clutching their morning papers, bread and milk.
    ‘Gunna be a scorcher today,’ said one man as she took his money.
    ‘Do you know if the fish have been biting out at Maggoty Point?’ asked another man.
    ‘Is it a total fire ban today?’ asked a third. ‘I want to burn some rubbish.’
    Like Kay always said, the store was really a general information depot. Yes, the fish have been biting, and you’ll have to check the paper to see if it’s a total fire ban day, Liz told the customers. Yes, we’ve got two brands of Factor 30 sunscreen, she told a woman with two little kids. Yes, we’ve got tent pegs, she said to a young and harassed-looking man. It was amazing how many people set off to go camping and left their tent pegs behind.
    The morning went quickly and before Liz knew, it was time for a break. Just as she sat down outside to have a quick caramel malted, Angela strolled round the corner.
    ‘Hi, Liz.’
    ‘Hi Angela. I like your hair.’
    Privately, Liz thought it looked ghastly. She wasn’t exactly sure what colour Angela’s hair was without highlights or a dye job. She suspected mousy brown. Now it was vivid red, brassy in the sunlight. She looked like she’d set herself on fire!
    ‘It’s called Blazing Sunset,’ said Angela cheerfully.
    More like Blazing Bushfire, Liz thought to herself, as Angela perched on the seat opposite her to chat.
    She’d also got herself more earrings and one through her right eyebrow. Kay would have a fit!
    ‘Anyone worth knowing about here yet?’ asked Angela, lazily scratching her midriff with one purple nailpolished fingernail.
    Liz knew that she meant any good-looking guys.
    ‘Nope.’
    ‘Typical.’
    Angela shrugged, stood up, and marched confidently into the store to the accompaniment of wolf-whistles and hubba hubbas from the crew having shakes and sandwiches outside, ready to start her day’s work. And little wonder she was getting the attention.
    Angela was wearing a brief white halter top and dark green shorts, with a large blue tote bag slung over one shoulder. She had impossibly high platform sandals on her feet.
    Liz thought there was no way that Kay was going to let Angela tromp round the store in those ridiculous shoes. For a start it was a health risk. The sandals offered no protection if she dropped something heavy on her feet. Plus she wouldn’t last eight hours tottering round on those orthotic accidents! And the brief top wouldn’t go down too well with Kay, either. She’d have Angela covered up with a neck-to-knee apron quicker than you could blink!
    By the time Liz had finished her break and reentered the store, Angela was in the kitchen bawling her eyes out. Kay had set her to work peeling and slicing a mountain of onions. She didn’t look quite so attractive now. In fact