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Back Dead Horse Gap Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  3. DEDICATION
  4. Prologue
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. Forty-six
  51. Forty-seven
  52. Forty-eight
  53. Forty-nine
  54. Fifty
  55. Fifty-one
  56. Fifty-two
  57. Fifty-three
  58. Acknowledgements

‘There’s a company that run four-wheel drive tours. You choose the huts you’d like to see, and they take you out for a half day or full day. Of course, it’s easier in summer than winter. We’re lucky though, Buchanan Hut is close to the road.’

‘Where is it exactly?’ asked Flowers, noticing that Wendy was more comfortable discussing the hut than the old family homestead.

‘It’s just off the Alpine Way at Dead Horse Gap. There’s a lookout there where you can park. You’ll see the walking trails right away.’ She smiled. ‘You’ll need skis as this time of year, though, or snowshoes.’

Seventeen

‘I can’t wait to try these out,’ said Flowers, holding up the snowshoes he’d hired from the rental shop.

Ryder’s arms were crossed, his head bent against the wind as they hurried to the car. ‘I think you’re wasting your time.’

‘You could be right, but if Cate’s still up at Dead Horse Gap, I may as well talk to her today.’

‘Fine, but drop me off at Thredbo on the way through,’ said Ryder when they were in the car. ‘I’ll check in with the Sydney squad while you’re stomping around in the snow.’

‘Good idea. No point freezing in the car.’

Flowers pulled out of Nuggets Crossing and they travelled in silence for the next few minutes while they warmed up.

‘How did Cate seem when you met her yesterday?’ Ryder asked as they turned onto the Alpine Way, the chatter from the police radio white noise in the cabin.

‘Friendly enough. She made my coffee. I’m going to ask her about the feud. Hopefully she’ll tell me more than her aunt did.’

Ryder glanced over at him. ‘I’m not sure that has legs. Wendy practically dismissed it, and Temple told us Lewis Buchanan was one of the subdivision’s biggest supporters. If there was still bad blood between them, I can’t see him doing the Lorrimers any favours.’

‘You could be right,’ Flowers said, ‘but I’m intrigued, and anyway I want to see the hut.’

‘Watch yourself out there. I won’t be happy if I have to send in a search party.’

‘It’s five hundred metres from the lookout, Sarge. I’d have to be trying hard to get lost.’

‘Make sure you take the two-way radio anyway.’

Twenty minutes later Flowers dropped Ryder at the bottom of the Golden Wattle driveway, then headed back to the main road. It had stopped snowing, and a pale afternoon sun cast a golden light on the Crackenback Range.