Catherine Jinks TheRoad (58 page)

While Noel explained, Del began to excavate among the blankets and boxes and tools in her vehicle for her collection of food tins. Mongrel watched her with pleading eyes. Ross disappeared behind the caravan (to empty his bladder, Verlie felt sure), and Alec approached Del hesitantly, asking if she intended to bring the gun with her.

‘Yup,’ Del replied. ‘And Mongrel, too.’ She scrambled out of the Ford, cradling against her generous bosom four battered tins with torn labels. Then she fixed Alec with a piercing look, one eyebrow raised and one eye narrowed. ‘But
I’ll
be ridin with it,’ she informed him. ‘And you can drive. Okay?’

Verlie was listening, and it occurred to her – with a pang of horror – that Del was perhaps not entirely satisfied that Alec posed no kind of threat. Or was it simply that she didn’t trust his marksmanship? Certainly he was a scruffy-looking fellow, with a somewhat unfortunate manner, but if he was dangerous in any way surely it would have become evident before now?

Oh dear, Verlie thought. This really is dreadful. What a dreadful situation. I don’t like this at
all.

‘Maybe I should go with you, Del,’ Noel offered. He, too, must have caught the gist of Del’s remark, for he looked uncomfortable, and was tugging at one ear. ‘I mean, if you feel that you might need reinforcements –’

‘Oh no!’ Linda was obviously appalled. ‘You can’t do that, Noel, you agreed that the family shouldn’t split up!’

‘Yes I know, but –’

‘What will the kids think, if they wake up and find you missing?’

‘They won’t,’ said Del. She had crossed to where Verlie was standing; all at once Verlie found herself the recipient of three tins of baked bins, and one of dog food. ‘We’ll be fine, eh, Alec? I’m more worried about you lot.’

‘Us?’ Noel sounded puzzled.

‘If I take the gun,’ Del explained.

‘Ah.’

‘We don’t need the gun,’ Linda said firmly. ‘We’re fine without it. We can’t shoot it, anyway.’ She stepped forward, stretching out a hand as if to relieve Verlie of her burden. ‘What are you going to do with those, Verlie? Warm them up? On the camp stove?’

‘Uh – I’m not sure . . .’

‘I can build yiz a fire. Make some billy tea.’

‘Shh!’ Alec’s sharp hiss cut through their disjointed conversation. ‘Listen! What’s that?’

Everyone stopped talking. Through the chirrup of tiny birds and the rasp of Mongrel’s panting, Verlie thought that she could hear a distant noise – a kind of hum . . .

‘Is it a car?’ asked Noel.

‘Shh.’

It
was
a car. The sound was unmistakable. Suddenly Ross reappeared, his feet crashing on the roadside litter of loose stones and dead grass.