Riverboat Point (7 page)

“Jaxon said you knew lots about boat engines.”

“I'm a mechanic.” It felt good to say that. Mechanic was how he wanted to be known.

“Do you have this ticket?”

Ethan hesitated. He had done the training with Jaxon. It had been interesting at the time, something different, but he was only ever meant to be back-up in case of emergency.

“I was hoping you might be able to show me what he means for me to do.”

Ethan could see it had taken a lot for her to ask for his help. She looked desperate and even though he wasn't sure what Jaxon was up to, he was a mate. There was nothing for it but to help.

“I can try,” he said. “Although it's probably a bit late to start tonight.”

“I don't expect you to do anything now,” she said. “I just wanted to catch you. You don't seem to be home during the day.”

“I'm working away at the moment.”

“Oh.” The worry lines deepened. “The first booking arrives on Monday.”

“That's tomorrow.”

She nodded.

Ethan ran his fingers through his hair. It felt greasy after being jammed under a hat. One of the downsides of letting it grow longer. He wasn't sure how this would work. There was still plenty to do at the farm.

“From what I understand the boat is ready to go,” Savannah said. “But I have to be able to show the people how everything works and how to drive it. In a few days when they come back there will be lots more jobs to do.”

“I could rearrange things,” Ethan said. “Be here tomorrow to check all's okay.”

“And be here when the people arrive?”

Ethan opened his mouth and closed it again. He could stay home, not go to the farm tomorrow. It didn't matter to him which days he worked.

“Sure,” he said.

“Thank you.” The relief in her voice hadn't removed the desperate look from her face. “I'll leave you in peace. See you in the morning.”

“Sure,” he said again.

She turned away then back. “You have a boat licence?”

“Yes, but you don't need one for a houseboat. Just as long as you have a driver's licence.”

“That's one tick for me then.” The hint of a smile crossed her face. “Thanks.”

He watched her disappear from the edge of the light and round the corner. Jasper rubbed his head against Ethan's leg and he bent to give the dog a pat.

“What am I getting us into, old mate?”

Savannah was up at first light the next morning. She did a quick work-out, showered and dressed and took her breakfast out onto the verandah. The air was crisp. A bank of fog clung to the river but above it there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

It was the first time since her sleepover in the car that she'd been outside so early. She stared towards the river. Trees began to appear, gradually becoming sharper as the fog slowly dispersed. The colourless sky was turning azure blue; funny how she didn't remember noticing those kinds of things in the city.

In the four days since her arrival she'd given the shack a total clean, mowed the rough grass and the lawn, weeded the tiny vegie patch and inspected the sheds. She'd read one of the Matthew Reilly novels from Jaxon's shelves and rearranged the rest of his books into some kind of order.

There had been no further sign of mice since the one she'd caught in the trap. The little devil had got past her steel wool. She'd plugged the hole firmly since then. She'd gone over Jaxon's notes till she knew them by heart and worked out the system in his office. Yesterday she'd taken the keys from the hooks inside the cupboard door and she'd inspected the inside of each houseboat. She was surprised at how well-appointed each one was. They were floating motels with all mod cons. Another revelation had been the name
‘Tawarri'
fixed to the front of the houseboat above the windows. Somehow Jaxon had ended up with the large sign that had originally hung on the gate to their grandparents' farm. She'd taken her pot of tea and sat on the sundeck of
Tawarri
, imagining herself on holiday and pondering her little brother's link to their family heritage.

A distant bark brought her back to the task at hand. No doubt Ethan was taking his dog for a walk. They hadn't made a time to meet, just said this morning. He could be over any minute. Apprehension gnawed inside her. Jaxon had obviously trusted him enough to ask for his help with the engines but what about the day to day? And what about this turnaround business? Jaxon knew she didn't have any experience with boats and certainly not the piece of paper Ethan had said was required. Why had her brother ever thought she could just turn up and know all there was to know about houseboats? She had to get help and Ethan was the only one available. She'd just have to keep an eye out for anything odd.

She went back inside, washed her dishes, made her bed and tidied away her gym gear. There was absolutely nothing more she could do until Ethan came. She picked up Jaxon's notes. She'd given up trying to call him but she knew exactly what she was going to say when she did get to speak to him. Anger was always ready to resurface when she thought about her brother.

A tap at the back door made her jump. She took a deep breath, counted to three and picked up Jaxon's instructions and the houseboat keys. She needed Ethan's help but she didn't want to appear too eager.

When she opened the door, the welcoming smile she'd planned barely stretched her lips. Ethan looked terrible. His eyes were bleary and his hair dishevelled. The light stubble that had given his face a rugged look a few days ago had grown into a thicker but ragged covering. It wasn't appealing. Perhaps this was the real Ethan coming out. Had Jaxon found him not truly trustworthy?

“Good morning,” she said.

“Ready to check out these boats?” he replied.

With barely a look to see if she followed, he turned and set off for the river.

She pulled the door shut behind her. The cool of the early morning had been chased away by the sun and a swirling breeze of warm air. A set of keys fell from her fingers taking the paper with it. She made a sudden lurch forward to stomp her foot on the page to stop it blowing away and gasped as a stab of pain coursed down her leg. She stepped forward gingerly. The pain receded just as quickly, replaced by a dull ache. Ethan had disappeared around the end of the house. She gritted her teeth and set off after him.

By the time she reached the river he was inspecting the front of the first boat. It was pulled up onto the sloping bank just below Jaxon's lawn. Ethan was intent on what he was looking at and obviously didn't hear her approach. She reached him just as he stepped back, colliding with her. The force of his body knocked her backwards. Her feet went out from under her and she sat with a jolt on her bottom in the damp sand.

The pain that surged through her forced a guttural cry from deep in her throat. She closed her eyes against the wave of nausea. She took in a deep breath and held it.

“I'm so sorry.” Ethan's alarmed voice reached her ears. “Don't move. Where are you hurt?”

The smell of stale alcohol and unwashed body odour worked like a dose of smelling salts. She flicked her eyes open. Ethan's face was close to hers, full of concern.

“I'm all right.”

“You've lost your colour. Are you sure you're not hurt?”

“I'm okay,” she snapped.

Ethan hesitated then offered his hand.

Savannah sucked in another deep breath. Damn her broken body. No matter how hard she worked it could still let her down. The pain was always there just below the surface ready to strike. It was hardly Ethan's fault she was a cripple.

She took his hand and used his strength to carefully ease herself upright.

“I thought you'd broken something,” he said.

“I'm fine. The ground's soft.” She let go of his warm hand and brushed at the back of her jeans. “Just a muddy behind, I suspect.”

His eyes studied her, still full of concern.

She pulled her lips up in a grin. “Just an old war wound. It bothers me every so often.”

The worry on Ethan's face turned to a frown.

“You've been in service?”

“Service?” Savannah rubbed her hand down her leg. He must mean the armed service. “No. It's just an expression.”

Ethan pulled himself up straight. He was a good head taller than she was.

“Well, if you're okay we'll get on with it.” His voice was distant now. All trace of concern gone.

Savannah frowned. People said she was prickly. Obviously Ethan had a dark side too. Maybe this was what Jaxon had wanted her to look out for. She'd certainly not seen signs of any other neighbours since she'd arrived.

“Have you got Jaxon's list?”

His voice snapped her out of her pondering. The paper and keys had fallen from her grip as she'd put out her hands to save herself. She eased herself down to gather them up. The ache went with her but no more sharp pains.

She looked into his eyes. Once more he was watching her closely.

“It's an old injury,” she said. “Plays up every so often. I'm fine.”

She handed over the slightly muddy, crumpled piece of paper. He looked down and studied it.

“Seems like Jaxon got them all ready to go before he left. Most of the work will be when the boat comes back. Which one's going out this afternoon?”

“
Tawarri
,” she said and nodded at the boat directly behind him.

“Right, keys then. We'll take her for a spin.”

“On the river?”

He gave her a look one might give a child then turned away to step onto the boat. “First we'll start the engine,” he said.

“We?” The word came out in a whisper and was lost in the sound of the cabin door sliding open. She stepped carefully along the narrow gangplank and followed him inside to the open living area at the front of the boat.

“Make sure the throttle is in neutral,” he said as she moved to stand beside him at the console. “Then you turn one key.”

A motor sounded from the back of the boat.

“And then the other.”

“Two keys?” she said as the motor sound grew louder.

“Two engines.”

Ethan stepped around her.

“Now the ropes,” he said over his shoulder as he went back outside.

Savannah followed him, watching as he loosened the ropes, coiled them and placed them aboard.

“Now the gangplank.”

She shuffled out of his way as he dragged the metal walkway aboard and shut the gate filling the gap in the guardrails. She felt useless. Once again she wondered how on earth Jaxon had thought she could do this. It was as foreign to her as flying a plane.

“Let's go,” Ethan said. “You whip down the back and check to see if anything's coming.”

He winked at her and ducked back inside.

She made her way along the side of the boat and looked up and down the river. Nothing in sight. She retraced her steps. Ethan's wink played over in her mind. It had transformed his face. He'd appeared boyish, full of fun. Her thoughts spun in confusion. He'd greeted her in a surly manner, been both brooding and caring and now he was almost flirting with her.

“All clear?” he asked as she reached the door.

“Yes.”

The blast from the horn startled her. She stepped back inside the cabin and looked around. There were couches in one area and near the front window a table with eight chairs. She wasn't sure whether to sit or stand. Behind Ethan there was a large swivel chair intended for the driver but he stood, his hands gripping the wheel. She opted to stand beside him. The sound of the motor changed. She put a hand on the console to steady herself as the boat reversed slowly from the bank. Ethan's look was now one of concentration.

Tawarri
slipped past its fellow houseboats and out into the space of the river.

“You need to make sure at least one of the people hiring the boat is competent at driving it,” Ethan said.

Savannah turned from the view through the huge front windows to look at him.

“You stay on board while they back out and make sure they can turn the boat around.”

Savannah glanced out the window at the swirling water made by the turning boat and back at Ethan.

“Jaxon did this for every customer?” she asked.

“He did or I did if he wasn't able to.”

Savannah watched as Ethan checked the river around him, moved a lever and spun the wheel.
Tawarri
did a complete turn and they were facing the other direction.

“This is the throttle,” he said tapping the black levers in front of him. “This way's forward and the other way's reverse. Straight up and you're in neutral.”

He moved the throttle then the wheel and the boat did a complete turn the other way.

Savannah watched through the glass as the scene changed from up the river to down the river.

“I could never do this,” she said. She rubbed a hand across her forehead. How was she going to keep Jaxon's business turning over and save both their homes?

“I'm sure you'd learn but without your ticket it's no good anyway,” Ethan said. “You have to be qualified to be able to supervise others in doing this.”

Savannah gripped the back of the swivel chair.

“I guess I'm sunk,” she said and grimaced at the irony of her words. “Figuratively speaking.”

Ethan manoeuvred the boat back towards its mooring space. He cleared his throat and glanced her way.

“Not on my watch. I'm throwing you a lifeline.” His lips turned up in a silly grin. “I can do this bit for you.”

Savannah locked her gaze on his. Was he making a serious offer of ongoing help? “But there are so many other things to do besides driving the boats,” she said.

“I know.”

Savannah thought about Jaxon's booking schedule. “Maybe it won't matter too much. There are no more bookings until the weekend. Perhaps Jaxon will be back by then.” Her voice projected a hope she didn't feel.