Leah, throwing his arm around her and grinning. We
meet again.
He held her for a beat too long and
she grimaced. So we do.
Yep, Tobin agreed, still grinning.
The atmosphere got genial after
that. They went into the main room of the house, where Wyatt and Leah had laid
out the supplies and set up a two-ring camping stove. While Snyder toasted
slices of bread on one burner, Leah heated a saucepan of tinned stew on the
other. Wyatt got out plastic plates and cutlery and poured mineral water into
enamel cups for each of them. Tobin, on the floor with his head on a football
hed taken from his overnight bag, said, You giving us poofter drinks? He
grinned at Leah and Snyder, looking for a reaction. Leah smiled at him
absentmindedly. Snyder ignored him. So did Wyatt.
Tobin crossed one ankle over the
other and clasped his hands together behind his head. What about the sleeping
arrangements? Leah, where do you sleep?
Leah jerked her head towards a door
at the end of the room. In there.
Right, right, Tobin said. He
paused, weighing up his words. I suppose women in one room, blokes in another?
We each get a room, Leah said.
No doubling up, kind of thing?
No.
Wyatt watched all this. Everything
about Tobin was loaded. He was saying he liked Leahs looks and might act on it
and what did you others intend to do about it?
Separate rooms had been Leahs
suggestion. Wyatt could see the sense of it. He realised again how every job
was ten per cent work and ninety per cent psychology. If there was any waiting
involved, the problem was compounded. Hed always known about the emotional
baggage people carried around with them, even when they should have been concentrating
on a job. He knew all about hidden grievances, attacks of nerves, insanity and
boredom. He didnt want to add sexual jealousy to that. He didnt want Snyder
and Tobin smouldering away in the darkness while he shared a room with Leah.
And he wasnt worried about Leah. She knew how to handle herself.
Been a long day, Tobin said,
closing his eyes and stretching. Reckon Ill sleep like a baby tonight. Give
us a call when teas ready.
A small table topped with green
linoleum had been left behind at the house. Wyatt dragged it to the centre of
the room, set it with the disposable plates and cutlery, and unfolded four
canvas and wood directors chairs. Like everything else, the chairs were chosen
for easy disposability.
He thought about Snyder. Wyatt never
judged whether or not he liked the people he teamed up with. He was interested
only in their skills and where the cracks were. Snyder hadnt made a good first
impression but once hed known what the job entailed hed put his mind to it.
Snyder was helping with the domestic work too. That mattered. It meant he knew
about teamwork. Somehow Wyatt didnt think they could expect that sort of
support from Tobin.
They ate at seven oclock. No one
felt inclined to do anything after that. They sensed the huge darkness and
silence outside, while here in the house the lamplight was too meagre to
encourage reading, card-playing or talk. They were all asleep by nine oclock
and no one moved until dawn on Tuesday.
They worked hard that day. While
Tobin made expert-looking road-closed signs from planks, beaten roofing iron
and tins of black and yellow paint, Wyatt helped Snyder paint the
breakdown-recovery truck pale blue, Bravas colours. The next day Tobin would
paint the black bull logo and the words Brava Construction on both
doors. It was clear that he had a good eye and a steady hand. The truck itself
was well-chosen. The tray was long and sturdy. The tailgate was easy to
operate, sloping nicely to the ground, and there was a powerful winch system.
At ten oclock Leah drove down the
track in the dusty utility. She wore jeans, shirt and scarf, and was carrying a
basket.
Wheres she off to? Tobin asked.
Every couple of days shes been
going to the short cut to pick wildflowers.
Tobin stared at Wyatt stolidly,
looking for the
meet again.
He held her for a beat too long and
she grimaced. So we do.
Yep, Tobin agreed, still grinning.
The atmosphere got genial after
that. They went into the main room of the house, where Wyatt and Leah had laid
out the supplies and set up a two-ring camping stove. While Snyder toasted
slices of bread on one burner, Leah heated a saucepan of tinned stew on the
other. Wyatt got out plastic plates and cutlery and poured mineral water into
enamel cups for each of them. Tobin, on the floor with his head on a football
hed taken from his overnight bag, said, You giving us poofter drinks? He
grinned at Leah and Snyder, looking for a reaction. Leah smiled at him
absentmindedly. Snyder ignored him. So did Wyatt.
Tobin crossed one ankle over the
other and clasped his hands together behind his head. What about the sleeping
arrangements? Leah, where do you sleep?
Leah jerked her head towards a door
at the end of the room. In there.
Right, right, Tobin said. He
paused, weighing up his words. I suppose women in one room, blokes in another?
We each get a room, Leah said.
No doubling up, kind of thing?
No.
Wyatt watched all this. Everything
about Tobin was loaded. He was saying he liked Leahs looks and might act on it
and what did you others intend to do about it?
Separate rooms had been Leahs
suggestion. Wyatt could see the sense of it. He realised again how every job
was ten per cent work and ninety per cent psychology. If there was any waiting
involved, the problem was compounded. Hed always known about the emotional
baggage people carried around with them, even when they should have been concentrating
on a job. He knew all about hidden grievances, attacks of nerves, insanity and
boredom. He didnt want to add sexual jealousy to that. He didnt want Snyder
and Tobin smouldering away in the darkness while he shared a room with Leah.
And he wasnt worried about Leah. She knew how to handle herself.
Been a long day, Tobin said,
closing his eyes and stretching. Reckon Ill sleep like a baby tonight. Give
us a call when teas ready.
A small table topped with green
linoleum had been left behind at the house. Wyatt dragged it to the centre of
the room, set it with the disposable plates and cutlery, and unfolded four
canvas and wood directors chairs. Like everything else, the chairs were chosen
for easy disposability.
He thought about Snyder. Wyatt never
judged whether or not he liked the people he teamed up with. He was interested
only in their skills and where the cracks were. Snyder hadnt made a good first
impression but once hed known what the job entailed hed put his mind to it.
Snyder was helping with the domestic work too. That mattered. It meant he knew
about teamwork. Somehow Wyatt didnt think they could expect that sort of
support from Tobin.
They ate at seven oclock. No one
felt inclined to do anything after that. They sensed the huge darkness and
silence outside, while here in the house the lamplight was too meagre to
encourage reading, card-playing or talk. They were all asleep by nine oclock
and no one moved until dawn on Tuesday.
They worked hard that day. While
Tobin made expert-looking road-closed signs from planks, beaten roofing iron
and tins of black and yellow paint, Wyatt helped Snyder paint the
breakdown-recovery truck pale blue, Bravas colours. The next day Tobin would
paint the black bull logo and the words Brava Construction on both
doors. It was clear that he had a good eye and a steady hand. The truck itself
was well-chosen. The tray was long and sturdy. The tailgate was easy to
operate, sloping nicely to the ground, and there was a powerful winch system.
At ten oclock Leah drove down the
track in the dusty utility. She wore jeans, shirt and scarf, and was carrying a
basket.
Wheres she off to? Tobin asked.
Every couple of days shes been
going to the short cut to pick wildflowers.
Tobin stared at Wyatt stolidly,
looking for the
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