'Who are you talking about?' Ellie sauntered in and poured herself a coffee. 'How is everyone this morning?'

'As well as can be expected, considering the amount of bubbly we consumed last night,' Win answered. 'Read this.' She pa.s.sed Ellie the paper.

'Good grief! He's in a spot of bother now!' she said after she had read the article.

'Yeah, well Karl's right. Blokes like Eddie Chancellor don't change. From what I gather from that piece in the paper, he's been involved in several break-ins at service stations and now his luck's ran out,' Digger said.

'Stroke of luck the owner of that one returned when he did. It says he seen 'em in there and went to a house close by and called the cops. They got 'em red-handed! If that hadn't happened, they would've got away again. b.a.s.t.a.r.ds think they're real tough. Bet him an' his tough mates aren't feelin' so c.o.c.ky after the Albury cops got 'em!' Karl munched on a piece of toast, a grin spreading across his face at the thought of Eddie spending time in prison. He had never liked the bloke and never would, no matter who was going out with him or how much they said he had changed.

'He'll go to prison for this, won't he?' Win asked quietly.

's.h.i.t yeah, love. It says there that they were armed. He'll go a row. h.e.l.l, he even had me convinced he was ok. How wrong can ya be? See, gotta trust ya instincts!' Digger stated.

'Oh dear, I hope this doesn't upset Kathy too much.'

'Why should it?' Digger asked. 'She's rid of him, isn't she?'

'She is now, Dig, but they were pretty close for a while,' Ellie said.

'Maybe she'll realise what a bad b.l.o.o.d.y egg he really is now!' Karl added.

'I'll tell her before she's had a chance to read about it or hear it on the news,' Win replied. 'It's not a nice thing to read bad news in the paper about a friend!'

The day grew hotter and hotter. Win told Kathy about the serious trouble Eddie was in. She was upset and she realised that it was inevitable that he would go to prison. She knew in her heart that he probably would end up in strife again. She had really hoped that he had turned his life around. Obviously he hadn't.

No one felt like doing anything much that day; the hangovers from the night before and the heat of the day didn't mix well.

Everyone was sitting outside on the veranda, sipping cool drinks and reading or staring into s.p.a.ce, lost in their own thoughts. Francis seemed to be in better spirits and was lounging back in a chair with his eyes closed.

'h.e.l.l, it's hot!' Ellie remarked, fanning herself with a paper.

'Great weather, Mum!' Francis said.

'You've gotta be joking!' Tammi replied. 'You couldn't possibly enjoy heat like this. We should go have a swim in the dam. Who's game?'

'Quiet... Hear that? What's that sound?' Karl c.o.c.ked his ear to listen.

They all stopped to listen as the noise grew louder. 'Oh... Karl, what is it?' Emmie's voice quivered.

It was a roaring sound and it was getting louder. Karl and Digger went out into the backyard to see if they could locate where the sound was coming from.

'What do you think it is?' Hazel asked nervously, handing a cool drink to Emmie.

'Dunno, never heard anythin' like it!' Francis answered, bewildered.

Shouts came from the yard. 'Get inside... quick! Close the house up... Hurry!'

A huge dust storm had risen from behind the hills and was bearing down on the valley rapidly. The drought had caused the storm to develop further west from Hamilton Valley and, as it intensified, the force of it rose up over the surrounding hills and took the locals completely unawares.

Karl and Digger raced back, yelling to close the house up before it was engulfed in dust. They only just made it. Huge swirls crossed the yard as they ran inside. Hazel helped a very pale Emmie to a chair inside and held her hand. The others raced around, closing windows and doors. The dust was now so thick that they couldn't see outside. It became so dark that lights had to be switched on inside. The wind roared and whipped the dirt across the valley for what seemed ages. In actual fact, it was only about two to three minutes... very frightening minutes!

'I've never seen anything like it!' Emmie said in a timid voice. 'We've never had a dust storm like this before.'

'Yeah, well with this shockin heat, I've heard of these in the centre of the country.' Karl commented. 'It must be the heat that caused it.'

Dust storms emanate from the dry heartland. They are known to be more severe during periods of drought and are seasonal. In southern NSW and Victoria, wetter winters suppress dust storm activity until the hot summers arrive.

'Sure has made a mess out there,' Digger said, looking out the filthy window.

The storm had pa.s.sed, leaving a coat of reddish brown dust across the valley.

'We're in for a lotta cleanin' up!' he continued.

'Are you okay, Mum?' Win asked Emmie. 'You don't look so good.'

'Yes, Mum, you could well do with a lie down. You know you shouldn't get over anxious, so please go and rest. This dust can be cleaned up,' Ellie said to Emmie who finally agreed she would rest. Hazel went upstairs with her to make sure she was comfortable.

'She can't take any more shocks!' Karl spoke with anxiety in his voice. 'All these b.l.o.o.d.y fires and s.h.i.t that's goin' on, what next can go wrong? Is this valley cursed or what?'

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.

Eddie Chancellor dragged on his cigarette, inhaling deeply. He was deep in thought. 'f.u.c.kin' prison... of all the rotten luck!' He squinted against the brightness of the hot sun. He stood there until he finished his cigarette. Flicking the b.u.t.t onto the parched ground, he stubbed it out with his foot and walked around to the driver side of his old car.

He gunned the engine and spun the wheels, causing his car to fishtail on the gravel road as he sped off in the direction of Albury. 'Might as well have one last hooraa'

Darcy was cruising Dean Street. He was to pick Eileen up later in the afternoon; they were going out for dinner, a nice romantic dinner. Darcy glanced at the small velvet box on the seat beside him. He'd known how he felt about Eileen for a while. He was hoping she wouldn't think it was too soon. He smiled, visualizing Eileen's face when she opened it.

Eddie floored it as he wheeled into Dean Street from the railway station end. He was in a rotten mood. A glint of malice flickered in his eyes when he saw Darcy cruising along on the opposite side of the street.

'f.u.c.kin' Burke,' he swore, slowing down as the cars drew level. He stuck his hand out the window and gave Darcy the old 'finger in the air' gesture. Darcy smirked and returned the sign. At the same time, he spun his big pink chevy around to follow close on Eddie's tail.

When they got to the intersection of Olive and Dean Streets, Darcy drew up alongside Eddie. They nodded briefly at each other and, with a squeal of tyres, the two cars shot forward. They raced flat out down Dean Street towards the monument.

People turned to stare as the cars sped along. Other traffic pulled over to avoid them.

A police car was coming slowly along Kiewa Street as the two cars dragged across the Kiewa and Dean Street intersection. 'Chancellor and Burke...' one of the policemen said.

'They're b.l.o.o.d.y lunatics! They'll kill someone one of these days!' the other one replied.

'Wouldn't ya think Chancellor was in enough s.h.i.t? Idiot!'

Turning on the siren, they took off in pursuit. Eddie screeched around the Base Hospital corner and Darcy wheeled into a side street and they disappeared.

This was one time they both got away!

'Well I'll be f.u.c.ked!' the cop remarked.

'Well everyone, Christmas and New Year's is over and now back to work!' Beth looked around the breakfast table at everyone. Groans echoed. It was hard getting back into routine after being in holiday mode.

'I need a lift to the salon this morning, please Francis,' Kathy said.

'Me too please, Francis,' Tammi cooed cajolingly.

Francis looked from one to the other. 'What is this, a taxi service or something?' he joked.

'Please Francis, just this once, huh?'

'Well, I guess just this once!'

Beth hadn't said anything. Francis was still keeping his distance from her and she still couldn't figure out why. She hadn't said a word to him about their 'friendship'. She hadn't got around to it yet and she was totally confused at his sudden frostiness. She felt uncomfortable.

Ever since her girls night out, he had changed. They had exchanged Christmas gifts and pecked cheeks but that was all.

Now he looked up and caught her staring at him. His face reddened. He squirmed in his seat. He knew it would be nasty not to offer her a lift, especially as she worked in the same department store. Common sense prevailed and reluctantly he asked her to accept a lift too. He told the girls he would wait for them in the car. Informing Ellie that he wouldn't be home for dinner, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and left.

Emmie watched them all leave. 'I hope all this turns out alright,' she thought, worried.

'What a scorcher!' Karl wiped sweat from his forehead with his arm.

'You alright, mate? You look a bit off!' Dig asked, concerned.

Although sheltered from the sun by the shade of the fruit trees, it was still extremely hot. Karl looked a bit peaky and Digger felt worried. Karl should have been up at the house on such a hot day. He still wasn't a hundred per cent from the accident and everyone felt he was doing too much too soon.

'I'm just hot, cob. Just hot.' As Karl spoke, he sagged to the ground.

'Strewth!' Digger dropped the bucket he was holding and darted across to grab Karl. 'Hey, Tige, don't go pa.s.sin' out on a bloke now!'

He helped Karl to the shade of a nearby tree and sat him down. 'Come on, I think I'd better take you home, mate.'

'No... No... I'll be okay in a minute. Just the heat, mate... It got to me, that's all.' Karl was adamant that he didn't need to go home. 'Seriously mate, I don't need ta go home. I'll be alright in a minute.'

'Well s.h.i.t mate, just take it easy then. Just sit there and rest a while.' Digger pa.s.sed him a drink from the canvas water bag they always carried.

The day stretched on. Morning turned into afternoon and afternoon became early evening. Although the sky looked overcast now and the sun was shielded by clouds, it remained uncomfortably hot.

The evening shadows closed in and the shops turned on their lights. He stood outside watching the staff entrance to Mates Department Store. Waiting... watching.

Finally, she appeared, adjusting the strap on her bag before slipping it over her shoulder. She walked briskly along the dim footpath. She was alone and the laneway between Mates and the TNG building was not lit up. He followed her. Sensing something was not right, she turned to look behind her. There was n.o.body there.

He stood still after deftly slinking into the alcove of a small barber shop.

She moved on again, quickening her step. He followed. She crossed to the footpath on the opposite side. He did too! Quickening her steps even more, she hurried down the lane behind the Coles Supermarket, in the direction of the Olive Street taxi rank.

He made his move quick and silent. He swooped like a hawk on its prey.

Beth's handbag lay in the gutter at the edge of the laneway. The strap broken from the futile struggle she had put up.

'Beth's late coming home,' Win remarked as it grew darker.

'Mmm, she is,' Ellie replied absently. 'Maybe she decided to stay in town with friends.' She shrugged.

Win poured them both a sherry. 'Have you heard anything from Harvey? You haven't mentioned him since we spoke on New Year's Eve.'

Ellie sipped her sherry and frowned. 'I haven't heard a word from out that way since our argument. I'm a bit worried, to tell the truth. I've had an uneasy feeling for a while now.'

Win looked puzzled. 'Why? It seems pretty cut and dried to me. You refused him money, he abused you and you told him to go to h.e.l.l. It seems to me he's got the message.'

'Yes I know, but I just can't get rid of this uneasy feeling.'

'There... That should do nicely,' he thought, a smirk creeping across his face. 'I've been waiting for this day.'

Standing up, he looked down at his handiwork. 'They'll never guess in a million years who's been doin this,' he rasped. 'Nice little surprise. This'll keep 'em busy for a while.' He threw his head back and laughed loudly. It echoed around him, as if bouncing back from the tinder dry hills.

Rubbing his hands together excitedly, he turned and walked away. The lone figure vanished into the dark of night.

Beth was petrified. She feared for her life. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet bound to the rickety makeshift bed where he had dumped her. He had gagged her to silence her cries for help in the car while he drove to his destination. He hadn't taken it off and she was finding it hard to breathe.

She prayed silently for help and strength to get away from this lunatic.

When he had grabbed her in the laneway behind the supermarket in Albury, she had fought like a feral cat, but he had been so much stronger.

Beth had struggled desperately, biting and kicking her abductor. Her screams attracted no one as he kept m.u.f.fling them with his dirty big hand. He had picked the perfect time and place. While he gagged and bound her in the back seat of his car, she had got a good look at him.

She felt the hysteria rising inside her because she recognized him. He punched her in the face and then burst into tears apologizing, ranting how he was so sorry but she had to be quiet because he didn't want to hurt her. He kept calling her his little blue eyed beauty...

Now, as she lay on the old camp stretcher, she realised she was in the hands of a mad man. She asked herself over and over... 'Why?'