Ellie came in just as they walked out the back door. 'Men left already?'

'Yes, you only just missed them.'

'It's good that Karl's getting around again. He hated being confined to bed.'

'Yes, once that bandage is off and he starts the skin grafts, his face should look almost new. I hope and pray he won't be heavily scarred.' Win pa.s.sed a cup of coffee to Ellie.

'I worry about that too, Win. How's Kath?'

Win told Ellie about Kathy and Eddie, and her concerns there.

'The poor girl was devastated,' Ellie replied. 'Eddie was very supportive of her.'

'Yes, well, I hope she doesn't make a mistake by going back with him. Is Mum still asleep?'

'She was when I looked in on her before I came downstairs. She's a strong b.u.g.g.e.r but anything like this could be so detrimental to her health. Whoever is doing this, Win, must b.l.o.o.d.y hate us with a vengeance.'

Win nodded and remained quiet. Ellie noticed her tenseness and put it down to the car fire then decided to ask her as she sensed there was more going on with her sister. 'Win... I know what's happened has upset you, but talk to me... There's something else going on with you.'

'It's this other matter, Ellie. It's driving me crazy.'

'You mean Mick?'

'Dear G.o.d, Ellie... The eyes... His mannerisms... Everything...' Win's voice rose and she shuddered as a shiver ran down her spine. 'Why didn't I pick it up sooner? How couldn't I?'

'Win, you'll have to put him out of your mind, love. He couldn't possibly be the same man.'

'I tell you Ellie, he's so much like him it really terrifies me.'

'All that happened years ago, Win. It can't be him; we both know he's locked away. We've got enough to worry about with this crazy firebug. h.e.l.l, if I thought there was the slightest chance that he was who you think, I'd be beside myself with fear. Forget him, Win, you'll make yourself sick worrying about nothing.'

'I just don't like him, not one bit. He's so smarmy!'

Ellie put her arm around her sister's shoulders. 'Me neither, but we're letting our imaginations run wild. Put him right out of your mind, okay? That b.a.s.t.a.r.d from years ago is well and truly locked away, could even be dead for that matter.'

Win took a deep breath. 'Okay, but you have a real good look next time you see him and you'll see what I mean. You also have to tell Francis about Beth. The longer you leave it, the harder it will be to do.'

'What will be harder?' Francis asked. He had come into the dining room in time to hear the tail end of the conversation.

Win and Ellie glanced at each other. Ellie quickly took charge, smiling at him. 'Good morning son, you look very smart this morning. There's fresh orange juice and scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast. We were just talking about last night.'

Francis eagerly tucked into the hearty breakfast. The conversation moved to the horror of the night before. He was obviously devastated for Kathy, like everyone.

The truck backed up closer. Its motor whined and chains rattled as the long arm of the crane reached over the top of what was once Kathy's mini.

Kanga Brown from Brown's Auto Wreckers attached the chains securely to the blackened wreck and the motor whined again. The burnt wreck creaked as the chains pulled tight and lifted it high into the air. The long arm turned slowly until it came to rest on the back of the trailer.

Kanga jumped up and unhooked the chains from the crane. He secured the burnt wreck and, after double checking, was satisfied it would remain stable.

Kathy sat looking out of the dining room window. She hadn't eaten any breakfast and her eyes were very swollen from all the crying. She watched as her once lovely little car was carted away on the back of a wrecker's truck. Tears welled up again and trickled down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the back of her hand.

'Don't cry, Kath,' Tammi said softly from behind her. 'Dad said the insurance will cover it. You can get another car.'

'I know, Tam, but it makes me feel so sad to see my little car looking like that, and to think someone must hate me enough to do such a thing.' Kathy sniffed and wiped more tears away.

Tammi felt like crying herself; it really was sad to see the blackened remains of the little mini. 'C'mon, don't sit there watching, come and help me choose which wrapping paper to put around Gran's Christmas present.'

Kathy looked at her sister affectionately. 'Dear Tam, my sister and my best friend.' She stood up and hugged her. 'I love you, Tam.'

Arms around each other, the sisters walked away from the window and the sight of the truck pulling out of the yard with the grim reminder of what the firebug was capable of perched on the back.

The public bar at Sars Hotel was packed with local men. The fights from before had been put aside and they were all having a cold beer after a hard day's work. They stood in groups talking loudly and tossing back middies of beer. The general conversation was naturally about the Hamilton Valley firebug.

'I'll shoot the a.r.s.ehole fair between his eyes if I catch him!' bellowed Nat. 'Bloke's not gonna work half his life buildin' up his property only to have a crazy p.r.i.c.k come along and burn it all. Shoot the b.a.s.t.a.r.d dead as a doornail, I will, if I get me hands on him! b.l.o.o.d.y action... that's what we need!' He slammed his fist hard on the bar, demonstrating his anger. Nat was very drunk and the alcohol fuelled his pent-up frustrations.

'Shootin's too easy. Burn the b.a.s.t.a.r.d like he's burnt everything of ours!' shouted another farmer.

'Hear, hear!' agreed the majority.

'Hey Jack, what the f.u.c.k ya think ya doin'?' Sam shouted above the hum of voices.

Jack Pearce had just arrived. He had propped open the door to the bar and was leading his horse inside.

The buzz of conversation stopped as the men turned to stare at Jack.

'Two middies please, mate,' he ordered from the barman. 'How ya doin', mate?' he asked Karl who was leaning on the bar nearest to him.

'Not bad, mate. Not bad,' Karl replied.

'How's the burns? Gettin' better, I hope?' Jack paid for the beer and took a large swallow from one of them. 'Aah, just what a bloke needs on a hot day.' He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Karl opened his mouth to ask Jack a question, but Jack had bent down and was busy tipping the other beer into the ashtray at the bottom of the bar.

The rest of the men gathered 'round to watch. Jack was clearly having a good time. He encouraged his horse to drink from the ashtray, which it did deeply. Bellows of laughter rippled around the bar and Jack ordered two more beers.

'Hey Jack, you'll get that horse p.i.s.sed if ya keep that up.' Digger's belly shook as he laughed heartily.

'b.l.o.o.d.y hot out there, mate. Me horse deserves a drink too.'

The barman pushed his hands through his hair in astonishment at first, but he was now busy trying to get Jack's attention. 'Jack, you get that d.a.m.n animal outta here right now. If the boss comes in and finds a horse in here, he'll sack me for sure. Get it outside now, ya old fool!'

Jack grinned his toothless grin. 'Keep ya shirt on, mate. Keep ya shirt on.' He whistled to his horse and the animal trotted along behind him as he led it outside. He tethered it up at the back of the hotel and went back inside to drink with the men. Several hours of solid drinking resulted in him being quite drunk.

The barman was relieved when closing time came and he could lock the doors after the last bloke staggered out into the night. 's.h.i.t,' he said to Bob White, the proprietor of the hotel. 'What a night. They're all so riled up over this firebug, if there's another fire they'll go berserk! That Willis bloke'll shoot anything that moves!'

'Yeah, can't blame 'em though, they've had enough, poor b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. What's it been, three, four years that this b.a.s.t.a.r.ds been terrorizing them?'

Bob spoke as he stacked the gla.s.ses. 'How'd Jack finish up?'

The barman laughed. 'p.i.s.sed as a fart. He's gotta ride that b.l.o.o.d.y horse home too!'

'Reckon it knows its way. It'll take him home as long as he stays on!' Bob grinned.

The two men laughed uproariously.

'Shoulda picked it. Really, I shoulda. Got the hair, the face, everythin'! Those eyes....' The man stood behind a rack of baby clothes in the Mates Department Store. Beth was attending to a customer and didn't notice him.

'Lovely lookin' girl, just like her mother,' he thought. 'Her b.l.o.o.d.y mother, she's to blame for all this. Her and that b.l.o.o.d.y stuck-up family of hers.' He rubbed a work-worn hand across his forehead. 'They'll pay... They'll pay!' His hand strayed to the breast pocket of his flannelette shirt. 'Specially her.'

'Can I help you, sir?' a softly spoken voice said close to him. He turned abruptly and looked into Beth's pretty face. He hadn't noticed when she had finished serving the customer and it startled him having her so close. He stared at her and she felt gooseb.u.mps form on her arms. 'Can I a.s.sist you with anything, sir?' he said a little shakily, not really understanding why.

'Nah, I'm just lookin',' he answered gruffly.

Beth politely answered, 'Well, just ask if you need anything.' She retreated behind the counter, not understanding why she felt nervous. The man stood for a few more minutes and then turned and walked away.

'Same as before, mate, no leads... No nothin'!' Detective Simpson growled.

'Well, short of placing police on watch at every single b.l.o.o.d.y property in the valley, what can we do?' Detective Bennett replied.

'Mate, admit it, there's nothin' we can do! This mongrel's got us well and truly stumped. Never in all my years on the force have I come across a case like this. It's gone on for so friggin' long!'

'You're right, Simmo. I dunno where to go from here. We go out there and comb the scene of one fire after another and what do we come up with...? f.u.c.kin' nothin'!'

'I felt sorry for young Kathy Miles. Did you see the look on her face when the wreckers pulled up?'

'Yeah, I did. The poor kid,' Bennett sympathised. 'I'm b.l.o.o.d.y worried that homes will become his next target.'

'I know, mate. He's already done two. I'm stuffed if I know who to question next. We've been over and over it with the blokes we thought most likely, but we can't keep haulin' them in, they'll scream police hara.s.sment next.'

'Yeah, I know. There's one fella I've grave doubts about though.'

Simpson looked up. 'You're talkin' about Chancellor?'

Bennett nodded.

Simpson added, 'He's a bad egg alright, but why would he stoop so low and do that to young Kathy? He was takin' her out there for a time.'

Bennett chewed at his bottom lip. 'Mmm, I dunno mate. It's hard to say how this p.r.i.c.k thinks. Anyway, didn't she dump Chancellor? That's motive.'

Monday night came and went without the valley being disrupted by any more fires. Tuesday was a typical summer day in Albury: very hot and very dry. Christmas decorations made the place festive and shoppers filled the stores, busy making their Christmas purchases. Carols were piped through the PA systems and Santa greeted excited children wide-eyed and eager to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

The people of Hamilton Valley tried valiantly to get into the Christmas spirit, but with the firebug hanging over their heads yet again, it was hard for them to feel very festive.

Wednesday was another hot day. Tammi and Beth were determined that Kathy would enjoy herself. She had been utterly miserable since her car was burnt.

Francis had been taken aback when Beth opted to go out with the girls instead of him. He was even further put out when she told him that it was girls only. He stood watching her as she walked up the driveway with his cousins. They decided to walk to the club seeing that it was such a balmy night.

Ellie came to stand beside him. 'She's a very pretty girl.'

'She sure is,' he replied off-hand.

'What are your plans for this evening?' Ellie asked.

'Stayin' home. Got nothin' better to do.'

'Why don't you ask one of those girls out from that list you have in that little black book of yours?'

Francis sighed heavily. 'Mum, I don't want to take anyone else out.'

'Why ever not? Beth will get up to the club and you can bet your life she'll dance and flirt with other boys. Don't try and tell me otherwise. Heavens, Francis, I know what girls nights out are like!'

Ellie thought if she could stir Francis up he just might look up one of his old flames and the problem with Beth might sort itself out.

's.h.i.t, Mum, what're you trying to do? You must know how I feel about Beth. It's just a b.l.o.o.d.y girls night out and she's with Kath and Tam. h.e.l.l, no harm in that?'

'I'm not trying to do anything, love,' Ellie soothed. 'I just think you should see other girls besides Beth. Spread your wings a bit.'

'Mum, I don't want to see other girls. I like Beth. Maybe she's the one, who knows?'

Ellie sighed, realizing she would have to tell Francis everything... now.

'Come over here and sit down, love. We have to talk.'

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX.

'Dig, got a minute cobber?' Karl came up to where he was standing on the veranda at Kia-Ora.

'Sure, mate. What's on ya mind?'

Karl looked thoughtful and a bit embarra.s.sed.

Finally, he muttered, 'It's Mary.'

'Mary! What's wrong with Mary?'