The road is an evil mistress.
Morning at Drovers Run
The whole Drovers crew piled into the utes (as well as Alex and Nick.)
"Hang on, wait for Stevie." Alex said. Tess blasted the horn, Stevie came running from the quarters, a piece of paper in her hands. Wordlessly she passed it to Claire as she climbed in and they drove away. Claire didn't say a word, she just folded the paper and put it in her pocket.
Gungellan Saleyards.
As soon as they arrived, Claire went looking at the cattle. She had put a few in herself. It was no surprise to her that she found Heath leaning on the rails. Omnipresent smoke in his grip with a steaming cup of tea in the other. Leaning beside him she looked at him, her eyes piercingly looking through him, into his soul.
"Morning Miss McLeod." Heath opened.
Claire produced the note, "So what's this?" she asked, her voice crisp and cold.
"My notice."
"Why?"
"Because its time." Heath replied expansively, his gaze not wavering from the cattle as his cigarette butt hit the concrete floor of the pen.
"Time for what?" Claire implored, her voice searching, almost hoping.
"Just time. That's all." Heath replied straightening up as the auctioneer began calling for a bid.
"Right there we are buyers, got a brilliant string of young cattle here today, plenty of room for work. They'll grow with you, can I hear 220 cents a kilo anywhere? Who's got your 220? 15? 10? Who's got your two dollars?" Heath raised his hand.
"Yes!" came the yell from the spotters.
"And 200 cents I have, gotta bid 200, bid 2, bid 2, bid 2, gotta bid 205 now, bid 205, bid 205, 10 now, gotta bid 210 now gotta bid two one oh the money to me, make no mistake, the bids at the rail with the starter, your gone out left. Gotta bid 210 now gotta bid 215, 220 now, gotta bid 220 now, I'll take your 2's till dark if itll help you stay in, gotta bid 222, that's 222=, gotta bid 4, 224, thatsd 224 now 6, gotta bid 226 back with the starter, and I'll part em out at that, 226 and out where gonna go, 226 and out where gonna go bidding all done and silent, all done? Sold! 226 buys, goes to Heath Beresford, number 22 for the book, Number 22 at 226."
Claire grabbed Heath on the arm, "So that's it? Running out are you?" she hissed.
"I have nothing, I have no one." Heath said as he moved down the lane, buying more cattle as he went.
At the end of the sales, Heath again let the cattle of the yards and began to walk them to the stock route. Claire stood there watching him go, tears began to well in her eyes as she watched him turn Johnno around and trot back towards them all.
"I guess it's not right for me to just up and go without saying good bye and all that, I appreciate all that you all have done for me. I'll be back, I just need to move a couple of mobs around, so if I can do that. I'll make enough to buy a place. So until then, I guess it's not good bye, more of a ill catch ya in the soup n I'll have a pea with ya."
Claire walked over, placing her hand on his knee she looked at him, her eyes shiny and tears beginning to run down her face. "Be safe out there, and get back as soon as you can."
"I will." Heath murmured quietly. Looking up at the others he tipped his hat to them all. "Ill see you all soon. Look after yourselves."
With that he touched his boot heels to Johnno's flank and moved off after the cattle. Stevie and Tess stepped forward and placed their arms around Claire. They drifted to their cars and headed back to Drovers. No one said a word, even at dinner that night. Claire just pushed her food around the plate and stared at the chair that Heath had last sat in.
Out on the reserve, Heath stabbed at the fire and considered his options. Instead of heading North with this lot, he decided to push East. Across the Barossa and into Victoria. Sell em at Hamilton or somewhere like that. He grinned, then he'd grab another mob and head back to Gungellan, maybe by then Frank would have the missing evidence needed to right a wrong. He lit a smoke. He couldn't wait for judgement day to arrive.