New Guinea Moon by Kate Constable Page B

bench and begins to flick through the slim directory.
    Nadine is wide-eyed. ‘Who are you ringing?’
    â€˜Your dad. Curry.’
    Julie finds the number for Highland Air Charters and dials it, her heart thumping. As the phone at the other end begins to ring, she stares at Ryan. He won’t meet her eye. ‘Jeez, Julie,’ he mutters. ‘It’s not my fault.’
    After an eternity, there is a click on the line. A breathless voice says, ‘Hello? Whoops — this is HAC . . . ’
    â€˜Hi, Teddie, it’s me, Julie.’
    â€˜Are you after Tony? I think he’s out on a flight,’ says Teddie vaguely; even Julie knows by now that Tony would be out on a flight at this time of day.
    â€˜Actually, I was wondering if I could speak to Allan?’
    â€˜Really? What —?’
    Ryan snatches the receiver from Julie’s hand. ‘Teddie, this is Ryan. I need to talk to Dad. It’s important.’
    Julie clasps her hands. Thank you! she mouths soundlessly, and Ryan pulls a face that says, you’re not giving me any choice.
    Julie crosses her fingers while Ryan tells Allan the story, and Nadine wrings her hands. Her frightened eyes dart to the door, as if she expects Barbara to charge in at any moment. Julie can hear Allan Crabtree’s voice all the way from the airport — a furious roar, only slightly muffled by the telephone line.
    â€˜Yep,’ says Ryan. ‘Okay. Uh-huh.’
    At last he hangs up the receiver and lets out a long breath that puffs the lank hair off his forehead. ‘Bloody hell.’
    â€˜What did Dad say?’ whispers Nadine.
    Ryan shrugs. ‘Go and get her back. And if she won’t come back, give her a month’s pay and a good reference.’
    â€˜Good,’ says Julie. ‘Good. That’s fair.’
    Ryan heads for the back door. ‘I’ll get my bike. You okay to stay here, Jules?’
    â€˜Of course.’ She puts her arm around Nadine’s shoulder. ‘What about that game of Monopoly?’
    She speaks with bravado, but as she and Nadine shake the dice and move their tokens round the board, they are both on high alert, silently praying that Barbara will stay safely shut in her bedroom until Ryan gets back.
    But when she emerges, an hour later, Ryan still hasn’t returned.
    â€˜Where’s Ryan?’ Barbara asks at once.
    Nadine swings wide, scared eyes onto Julie’s face.
    â€˜He’s gone to find Koki,’ says Julie.
    â€˜Why?’ Barbara’s voice is icy.
    â€˜Allan asked him to.’
    â€˜And how did Allan find out about it?’
    Julie swallows. ‘I — Ryan — we told him.’
    There is a silence. ‘I’m not quite sure why you found it necessary to get involved,’ says Barbara pleasantly. ‘It’s not really any of your business, is it?’
    â€˜Well, I did borrow —’ Julie falters. ‘I suppose not.’
    â€˜I know you made a mess of hiring your own meri. But there’s no need to interfere with our household arrangements, is there?’
    Julie stares at the Monopoly board. Then she scrapes back her chair.
    â€˜Maybe I should go.’
    â€˜Maybe you should,’ says Barbara.
    â€˜But we’re in the middle —’ Nadine falls silent.
    Julie mutters, ‘Get Ryan to ring me.’ Nadine nods. Julie collects her shoulder bag and walks across the living room toward the front door. The trek across the acres of parquetry, with Barbara’s eyes boring into her back, is the longest walk of her life.
    About an hour later, Ryan rings her at Tony’s place. He mumbles into the phone, ‘Can’t talk long. Mum’s in the next room.’
    â€˜Did you get Koki back?’
    â€˜Yeah, I told her it was all a big mistake and we wanted her to come back. She was pretty upset, but she finally agreed.’
    â€˜Oh, good .’
    â€˜Listen, I’d better go. Hey, this is a bit