to them. We
disguise ours with Brava logos and a bit of paint, throw a tarp over the van,
and no one will bother us.
The guards, the driver?
They can stay in the van. If theres
a tarp over it they wont see where were taking them.
I tell you one thing, Snyder said,
it wont be me who wastes them.
No ones wasting anybody. Ive got
a .38, thats all we need, and I dont intend to use it unless I have to.
Snyder said nothing. He sat forward
in his seat again, taking note of their route. A short time later they came to
the Belcowie short cut. Wyatt slowed the utility and turned into it.
Here?
Wyatt nodded. He drove for two
kilometres and stopped where the road plunged steeply down into a dry creek
bed. The road was narrow, loose and shaly.
Snyder leaned forward and grinned. Couldnt
have picked a better place myself.
The truck parks here at the edge of
the incline, Wyatt explained. Our man stands in the road, looking down,
scratching his head like he doesnt know if he can make it. The van comes up,
sees that it cant get past, and stops. Theyll be wary, they always are, but
it will look genuine enough. They might even wind down the window, offer
to help. If they call their headquarters, it wont do them any good. Youll
have the radio jammed.
What if he backs up and turns
around?
See those wattles? We hide back
there in the ute. As soon as the van is in position we box it in.
Local traffic?
Snyder was asking all the right
questions. We put up road-closed signs at both ends, Wyatt said.
Snyder was still leaning forward in
his seat. He was a solid form in white and Wyatt could smell Old Spice
aftershave on him. There was a series of cracking sounds. Snyder was popping
his knuckles.
* * * *
TWENTY-ONE
Tobin
was the last to arrive. They heard him before they saw him. The sky that Monday
evening was vast, still and cloudless, carrying clearly the roar and snuffle of
the truck as Tobin negotiated the bends and washaways and shifted gear. They
stood on the verandah of the farmhouse to watch. Eventually headlights appeared
in the distance.
Wyatt walked down the track to open
the gate. Behind him, Snyder and Leah talked in low voices. Wyatt had been
watching both of them in the hours since his arrival with Snyder. If anything,
Snyder seemed to be a little amused by Leahs presence. Wyatt supposed that was
better than hostility. Apart from some eye-rolling about the basic food
supplies and the house dirt, Snyder was acting pleasant and relaxed. Snyder had
done jobs like this before. He knew about being stuck in other peoples
company. For her part, Leah made an effort to talk to Snyder. She seemed to
know that Wyatt had nothing to say to him. But in a snatched moment shed
revealed to Wyatt that shed never leave her daughter alone with Snyder. If she
had a daughter.
Wyatt reached the road gate and
waited. When he was sure about the truck, he opened the gate and stepped out
into the road, flashing a torch. The trucks headlights flashed back at him.
When Tobin was through the gate,
Wyatt closed it and climbed onto the running board below the drivers door.
Tobin grinned at him. The others
all here?
Yes.
The woman?
Forget about the woman. Tell me
about the truck.
Pinched it this afternoon. The
plates are off a wreck.
Tomorrow we paint it. When thats
done, we wipe off our prints. After that we wear gloves.
Tobin shifted into second, muttering
aggrievedly, You make me feel like thiss my first time or something.
Your feelings dont interest me. Weve
each got a job to do. Part of mine is to make sure nothing gets overlooked.
Tobin scowled. The headlights were
picking up the sheds, tankstands and farmhouse by now. Leah and Snyder were on
the verandah, shading their eyes.
Drive into the long shed there on
your right, Wyatt said. Ill close the doors behind you.
He got off the truck and watched.
When it was done, he led Tobin across the yard to the house and introduced him
to Snyder. Tobin also greeted
disguise ours with Brava logos and a bit of paint, throw a tarp over the van,
and no one will bother us.
The guards, the driver?
They can stay in the van. If theres
a tarp over it they wont see where were taking them.
I tell you one thing, Snyder said,
it wont be me who wastes them.
No ones wasting anybody. Ive got
a .38, thats all we need, and I dont intend to use it unless I have to.
Snyder said nothing. He sat forward
in his seat again, taking note of their route. A short time later they came to
the Belcowie short cut. Wyatt slowed the utility and turned into it.
Here?
Wyatt nodded. He drove for two
kilometres and stopped where the road plunged steeply down into a dry creek
bed. The road was narrow, loose and shaly.
Snyder leaned forward and grinned. Couldnt
have picked a better place myself.
The truck parks here at the edge of
the incline, Wyatt explained. Our man stands in the road, looking down,
scratching his head like he doesnt know if he can make it. The van comes up,
sees that it cant get past, and stops. Theyll be wary, they always are, but
it will look genuine enough. They might even wind down the window, offer
to help. If they call their headquarters, it wont do them any good. Youll
have the radio jammed.
What if he backs up and turns
around?
See those wattles? We hide back
there in the ute. As soon as the van is in position we box it in.
Local traffic?
Snyder was asking all the right
questions. We put up road-closed signs at both ends, Wyatt said.
Snyder was still leaning forward in
his seat. He was a solid form in white and Wyatt could smell Old Spice
aftershave on him. There was a series of cracking sounds. Snyder was popping
his knuckles.
* * * *
TWENTY-ONE
Tobin
was the last to arrive. They heard him before they saw him. The sky that Monday
evening was vast, still and cloudless, carrying clearly the roar and snuffle of
the truck as Tobin negotiated the bends and washaways and shifted gear. They
stood on the verandah of the farmhouse to watch. Eventually headlights appeared
in the distance.
Wyatt walked down the track to open
the gate. Behind him, Snyder and Leah talked in low voices. Wyatt had been
watching both of them in the hours since his arrival with Snyder. If anything,
Snyder seemed to be a little amused by Leahs presence. Wyatt supposed that was
better than hostility. Apart from some eye-rolling about the basic food
supplies and the house dirt, Snyder was acting pleasant and relaxed. Snyder had
done jobs like this before. He knew about being stuck in other peoples
company. For her part, Leah made an effort to talk to Snyder. She seemed to
know that Wyatt had nothing to say to him. But in a snatched moment shed
revealed to Wyatt that shed never leave her daughter alone with Snyder. If she
had a daughter.
Wyatt reached the road gate and
waited. When he was sure about the truck, he opened the gate and stepped out
into the road, flashing a torch. The trucks headlights flashed back at him.
When Tobin was through the gate,
Wyatt closed it and climbed onto the running board below the drivers door.
Tobin grinned at him. The others
all here?
Yes.
The woman?
Forget about the woman. Tell me
about the truck.
Pinched it this afternoon. The
plates are off a wreck.
Tomorrow we paint it. When thats
done, we wipe off our prints. After that we wear gloves.
Tobin shifted into second, muttering
aggrievedly, You make me feel like thiss my first time or something.
Your feelings dont interest me. Weve
each got a job to do. Part of mine is to make sure nothing gets overlooked.
Tobin scowled. The headlights were
picking up the sheds, tankstands and farmhouse by now. Leah and Snyder were on
the verandah, shading their eyes.
Drive into the long shed there on
your right, Wyatt said. Ill close the doors behind you.
He got off the truck and watched.
When it was done, he led Tobin across the yard to the house and introduced him
to Snyder. Tobin also greeted
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