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to get another when she heard Mac clomping about inside. She waited a moment or two, wanting to be out of sight for a while.
    The phone rang and Mac answered. A beat or two and his rasping shouts, angry questions and replies reached her ears. Then silence.
    So the day hadn’t started well. She bet one of the tradies couldn’t make it today, of all days... It wasn’t her worry.
    Maybe it was the electrician, only the most vital of them all. And if that were the case, then maybe her idea about the verandah would make it—
    She heard Mac bellow with rage for Greg, and from a distance,
    Greg bellowed back. Another argument ensued.
    Forget it. There was no way she was going to stay here. Bugger the verandah idea. She ducked back inside to her bedroom to check the laptop again. Still nothing. She looked about her room as if an idea would leap out of the woodwork. “Come on, Clancy. Pull something out of your hat.”
    Then a knock sounded on her door. She pulled it open.
    It was Greg, his face ashen. “The truck. The whole bloody truck carrying everything down from Adelaide has tipped over outside Yankalilla. It didn’t even make the ferry last night. We’ve lost everything. All the kitchen stuff. Everything.”

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Clancy was stunned for a moment. Greg looked on the verge of bawling. Then all manner of thoughts jumbled at once. “Order more stuff... insurance would cover—”
    “This close to Christmas? Our supplier is already closed, and we’ve got no credit—”
    “That’s bad. I’m sorry.” Her thoughts were doing somersaults processing the news and at the same time trying to find a way to walk-drive-fly out of her now precarious position. And Greg sounded too desperate for her to feel comfortable. When he moved towards her, aiming, she thought, for a consolation hug...
    No way!
    Her hurried side step didn’t go unnoticed. The desolation on his face changed in an instant, the glitter in his eyes spooky with madness. He reached for her arm.
    She lifted it out of his way. “I’ll leave right away,” she said. “I won’t hold you to my contract.” She backed up a pace, giving herself as much distance as she could from the intense glare. “You won’t want me hanging around without anything to do. I understand. It’s okay. No hard feelings.”
    Greg stared her down for a moment. “You’ll be leaving us right in the shit. I’m not having that.” He spun on his heels and left.
    Clancy puffed out a breath. Things had just gone very bad. And not just for her, that was obvious. She had to get out of the place before bad went to omigod-so-much worse.
    She checked her phone for signal, waving it around the room. Nothing. She jumped up on the bed to hold it closer to the ceiling, but then of course she couldn’t see it. Frustrated, panicky, she stepped outside and on the edge of the verandah it tipped three bars – she’d have enough to call Berry Lockett, now her only ally – even if he didn’t know it – and beg for help. If she could raise him.
    And she hoped like hell she could. To drag her luggage four kilometres to the gate was not a great thought. And then what – hitch a ride from passing traffic?
    Maybe she should try and get Mac to drive her back to the pub. But approaching him right now would not be a good idea. So far he hadn’t stopped bellowing about the place, venting his anguish.
    She pushed her hands into her pockets searching for Berry’s card. Nothing. Where the hell had she put it?
    In her jeans from yesterday, balled up in the backpack.
    She could hear more bellowing from down the hall, rage and hysteria. Clearly both men were not just a little unhinged. The only thing to do was to get out now. On foot. Somehow.
    She’d have to wait to call Berry somewhere on the track.
    After figuring a way to move all her stuff – backpack on back, wheelie bag dragging behind, laptop secured to wheelie bag, handbag strap over her head and slung across her