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Back The Orchardist's Daughter Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  4. DEDICATION
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART I SEEDS
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. PART II GERMINATION
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. PART III GROWTH
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. PART IV UNDERSTOREY
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. EPILOGUE
  57. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The wind tore at the men as they strode to Shane’s ute—Miki saw the way it pressed their trousers to their legs and flung their hair about. They took off in a cloud of diesel fumes, the engine roaring while Shane revved down the street. When they were gone, the hollow sound of the wind seemed to intensify, butting against the house and moaning under the eaves. Wendy had sagged a little. She lit a cigarette then laid an arm around her daughter’s shoulders and stroked the child’s hair, a look of immense devotion on her face. Miki couldn’t remember snuggling with her mother like that. There had never been much physical affection at home; love had been reserved for God. It was sad. This kind of intimacy looked so comfortable.

‘I’d better call the police and let them know you’ve seen Max,’ Wendy said. ‘I rang them just before to say he was missing.’

‘I’m sure you’ll find him now,’ Miki reassured. She imagined the men overtaking Max on the road, Leon jumping out and jogging back to him, leading the boy to the car.

Wendy took a drag on her cigarette, cheeks hollowing as she sucked in the smoke. There was something desperate about it, as if she needed the nicotine to help stop the shaking of her hands and maybe also her heart. Her free hand kept stroking Suzie’s mop of dark hair. ‘Thanks for coming.’ Her eyes connected meaningfully with Miki’s. ‘That can’t have been easy with Kurt.’

Miki thought of her brother in the shop. ‘I have to get back.’

Wendy shook her head. ‘He’s like Jaden, love … only bigger. Just you watch out. If you ever need help, you know where to find me.’

As Miki passed Robbo’s log truck on her way down the hill, she wished she could climb into the cab and drive away. A whole world of roads was waiting out there, a universe of choices and decisions. But the only way to go right now was back.

35

35

Max jogged along the road with Bonnie trotting beside him. Trot, trot, jog, jog—they were both breathless, but they kept going. Every time a car came past, Max grabbed the dog’s collar and pulled her off the road. She still had no road-sense, even after being hit by a car, but it was good to have her with him. If Max looked after her, maybe she would look after him. When the cops came to get him, she could be his guard dog.