Free Black Mountain by Kate Loveday Page B

pink?’ Gai laughed aloud. ‘I can tell the signs.’
    Elly turned on her heel, not wanting to share her feelings about Mitchell with anyone at this point in time, not even with Gai. ‘You’ve been reading too many romances. Come and have a coffee and I’ll fill you in on what’s been happening.’
    Leading the way to the kitchen she poured coffee for them both, and as they drank she recounted all that had happened, ending by telling Gai of their planned trip to Wujal Wujal.
    Gai’s face sobered. ‘This is serious stuff, isn’t it?’ she said when Elly finished. ‘I wonder if Jackson really did take your Dad’s journal, and if he did—why? What would he do with it? Did he ever say anything to make you think he might be involved in the beauty industry at all?’
    Elly shook her head. ‘No, never, except to say his mother is interested in herbs and aromatherapy.’
    â€˜I wonder if he could have taken it to send to her.’
    â€˜But unless she knew enough to understand Dad’s work, and she would have to be a professional for that, it wouldn’t be of any use to her. An amateur wouldn’t understand it.’
    â€˜Perhaps he didn’t know that.’
    Elly frowned. ‘I suppose it’s possible. But surely he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths—arranging the weekend and all—just on the off-chance his mother would understand it?’
    â€˜Hmm.’ Gai tilted her head to one side, considering. ‘It does sound a bit farfetched, I guess. Maybe he didn’t take it, maybe someone else did, and you didn’t discover it until then.’
    â€˜That’s possible, of course. But then why did Jackson lie to me? And why has he disappeared? It’s all just going round in circles.’
    Gai nodded. ‘You’re right. And I guess we won’t know the answer to that unless he turns up.’ She paused. ‘Anyway, that’s not what I really came over for. On Friday night Tim and I are going out for a few drinks and a meal, and to listen to a band. Would you like to join us?’
    â€˜Sure. I could use a bit of fun to take my mind off all of this.’
    â€˜Good. We’re meeting at Galligans at eight.’
    â€˜I’ll look forward to it.’

Chapter 13
    The next morning the sky was heavy with dark clouds that had rolled in overnight, and the air was thick with humidity. The build up to the ‘wet’ was under way and Elly was grateful for the air conditioner in the Cruiser as they set off for Wujal Wujal.
    After a few words of greeting they drove in silence as they sped smoothly along the bitumen road on the first part of the trip.
    Elly was busy with her thoughts, turning over in her mind again the puzzle of Jackson’s deception. Why had he pretended to be a Qantas pilot? Was he simply trying to impress her, in which case there was no reason for him not to go to Brisbane for the weekend, or was there a more sinister reason behind his deception?
    Then her thoughts turned to what lay ahead of them. Would they find Della? And if they didn’t, would they ever find the plant? If they couldn’t find it, what then for the dreams her mother still had of creating the product she and Rob had hoped for? Could analysis of their trials reveal the composition of the components in them, and could they be reproduced somehow? Elly doubted it. And what then? It made her feel sick to think how demoralising this would be for her mother—just when she had finally seemed to shake off the mist of grief and unhappiness that had been with her since Rob’s death.
    Her mind came back to the present as they reached the Daintree River and joined the queue waiting to cross on the ferry.
    ***
    Mitchell looked across at Elly sitting beside him. She’d been very quiet on the way here. He guessed she’d been thinking ahead, hoping they’d be able to find this Della, and that