Heart of The Tree

Chapter 15

Rhys felt his anger at Matt’s obstinacy disappear. He could see how Shane’s hypothesis fit, and it also explained why Matt had gone to Mourton in the first place — even though he had said he wasn’t a close friend of Gary’s. Guilt can make people do strange things.

“Does this help us, though?” Rhys asked Shane.

Shane smiled, though without his normal exuberance. “I think so. It means that what we should be doing is helping Matt handle Gary’s death, and not letting him run away. To that end, this morning was good. You both said things that should make Matt feel guilty about abandoning Vince. I just need to work out how to link, in Matt’s mind, his helping Vince with making up for rejecting Gary.”

“I wasn’t there when Aunt Cynthia told Vince, Rhys and the others about the legend, but as I understand it, part of the cause was someone in the area being lost from love. It sounds like Matt might be in just as much need of help as Vince,” Warren said. “Be careful, Shane. Don’t make things worse.”

Shane frowned and nodded his head. “Yeah, I see what you mean. Matt’s hurting — I’ve already realised that — but I didn’t know why. Now, I think I do, and I’m sure Vince is Mattie’s best chance to get through this. They need each other — neither is going to be happy by himself.”

They talked for almost an hour, discussing various options. Contrary to his preconceptions, Rhys was impressed by Shane. When he looked past the mannerisms and way of speaking, Rhys found Shane to be highly intelligent and insightful. Between them, they came up with a few ideas of what to do.

“Uh oh,” Shane said, grabbing the keys and wallet that were still on the table.

Rhys followed Shane’s gaze to see Matt storming towards them.

Shane stood up. “I think it’s best if I go now. See you later!”

Warren and Rhys said goodbye and then watched as Shane intercepted Matt. The two friends had a short argument, but Rhys couldn’t make out what was said. Matt held out his hand and Shane handed over the keys. They then headed back in the direction of their rooms, Shane chasing after the faster-moving Matt.

“We should give them some time to clear out before we follow,” Warren said.

“Why do we need to follow them?”

Warren rolled his eyes. “Because that’s where my car is parked, idiot.”

Rhys maintained a dignified silence. His unspoken excuse was that a lot had happened that morning and the location of the car had slipped his mind.

“By the way, how did you go with your HSC?” Warren asked.

“Not too bad. Mainly 80s, a couple of high 70s and one 90. That should be good enough to get me into a course here.”

“Congratulations, then. What have you applied for?”

Rhys made a face. “I’m still not really sure what I want to do, so I’ve applied for Business and Arts. If I get the choice, I think I’ll end up doing the Bachelor of Business. That seems to give me the best chance for moving on afterwards.”

“Best of luck. It sounds like you shouldn’t have a problem getting in, and then you can try to work out what you want to do.”

“My dad thinks I’m going to be a professional troublemaker, but I couldn’t find an appropriate course, so I’ve eliminated that as an option.”

Warren laughed. “Well, you’ve got time. A business course will give you a solid base to work off.”

Rhys stared out over the mainly empty tables. “It’ll be better if Vince is here, too. What do you think the chances are?”

Warren dropped his gaze. He was silent for a long moment, which made Rhys look at him, and then started speaking.

“It’s something I don’t want to think about. This time yesterday I was wondering if I’d ever see him again. Then we learnt he’s still around, and I was hopeful. Now, I believe Matt is the key to getting my brother back, but I don’t know whether we’re likely to get his help. I’ve got this feeling that if Vince isn’t home by Christmas, he won’t be home at all. I can’t explain that feeling, but I can’t shake it, either.”

Rhys sighed. “I just want him back. I really don’t care about anything else, anymore.”

“Enough of the morbid talk. We have to be hopeful. What’s the schedule for releasing the HSC results?”

“They’re available today by phone, Internet or SMS if you registered ahead of time, and the letters are supposed to arrive on Tuesday. Our university ENTER scores come out tomorrow.”

“So, we’ll find out how Vince went on Tuesday — unless you know his password?” When Rhys shook his head, Warren said, “I didn’t think so. Hopefully he did well enough to join you here. I think Dad mentioned he had applied for a Farm Management course.”

Rhys frowned as he wondered if he should say what was on his mind. He decided there wasn’t any harm.

“I heard a rumour that even if he gets in, Vince isn’t going to go to uni. He’s going to defer a year, at least.”

Warren raised an eyebrow. “Do you know why?”

Rhys nodded his head, and hoped he wasn’t about to put his foot in it. “I was told that your dad isn’t able to keep things going by himself. Vince needs to stay behind to help him run the place, or they could lose the farm.”

Warren froze. A look of steely determination crept across his face. “It sounds like I’m about to start a new career, then.” His tone was flat.

“You’re going to become a farmer?” Rhys asked. He had heard enough from Vince to know that Warren wasn’t the farming type.

“No. Mass murderer. After I finish killing Vince for putting Mum and Dad through hell, I’m going to kill Dad for hiding this from me. I ring home regularly, and I always ask if there is anything I can do for them, and he always tells me everything’s fine. Why couldn’t he just be honest with me? What’s his problem with getting help?”

Rhys was stunned by the venom. “Can we hold off the killings until we get Vince back?”

Warren started. “What? Oh, sorry about that. Yeah, of course. We make sure Vince is safe and sound, and then I kill him.”

“I’ve got another idea, if you’re interested.” Rhys raised an eyebrow, trying to tempt Warren into asking.

“What?”

“Well… if everything goes to plan, we may have a wedding to arrange. I’m not sure how things work when it’s two guys, but there’s usually a buck’s night beforehand. That’s the traditional night for totally and completely embarrassing the groom. Do you think you can wait until then before you teach Vince a lesson?”

Warren’s mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. An evil grin appeared. “I like it! Hmm… I wonder…”

“What are you thinking of?”

“Just a few ideas. I need to work out which ones I can get away with. Do you think kidnapping him and taking him on a one-way trip to Sydney is going too far?”

* * *

“What are your plans for the afternoon, Fee?” Matt asked his sister as he pushed his empty plate away to indicate he had finished. He reached for his glass of water.

Fiona looked down at the table. “Well…”

“I know that look, Fee, darling,” Shane said, grinning. “You’re meeting a boy, aren’t you? Is he cute?”

Matt knocked his glass in surprise, but managed to grab it before the water spilt everywhere.

“Is it Todd?” Glenda Sterling asked, smiling at her daughter.

Fiona looked up, a shy grin on her face, and nodded.

“Again?” Trevor Sterling asked, rolling his eyes, struggling to keep a straight face. “When are you going to invite him around for a meal so your mum and I can get to know him?”

“You’ve got a boyfriend, and didn’t tell me?” Matt asked in mock outrage.

Shane bit his lip to stop himself from making a comment about Vince. He had made too many remarks on the trip home, and things were still tense between him and Matt. That didn’t stop Shane from inviting himself around for Sunday lunch — Mrs. Sterling had a soft spot for him and couldn’t say no — but he was trying to be careful.

“He’s not my boyfriend! He’s just someone I like to hang around with.”

Matt chuckled. “Where are you meeting him?”

“At the video store.”

“Would you like a lift?” Matt asked. “I feel like going for a drive, anyway.”

Fiona smiled broadly. “That’d be great! Can I drive, though? I can’t wait until next year when I turn eighteen and I’ll be able to drive without having someone supervising.” She then frowned. “You’re not going to do the big brother thing and try to scare him off, are you?”

Laughing, Matt shook his head. “Don’t worry about that, Fee. After all, he’s not your boyfriend, so there’s no need, is there? And yes, you can drive.”

She reached across and poked him in the chest. “And hands off, too. He’s mine.”

Matt’s expression changed to one of seriousness. “I’d never do that, Fee. I can promise you that.”

She paused and then gave him a wry smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. Anyway, when are you going to get yourself a boyfriend?”

Matt looked away. “Not any time soon. I want to finish my course, first.”

Mrs. Sterling caught Shane’s eye, her expression an unspoken question. He discreetly shook his head. He wondered if he had made a mistake earlier in mentioning to Matt’s mum the possibility of a boyfriend. She hadn’t said anything, but he could tell she wanted all the gossip.

“Thanks for the lunch, Mum. It was great, as usual,” Matt said, pre-empting his sister, who looked like she was about to say something. “Is it all right to leave the table? I need to take Fee to see her non-boyfriend.”

“Sure, Matt,” said Mrs. Sterling. “Are you going, too, Shane?”

Shane glanced at Matt and took the glare he received as a not-so-subtle hint. “No, Mrs. Sterling. I think I’ll do some last-minute Christmas shopping, instead.”

Trevor Sterling gave him a dry look. “Christmas isn’t until next Sunday, Shane. Last-minute shopping is reserved for Saturday. That’s what I do.”

“Yes, dear, we all know,” Glenda said, sighing exaggeratedly.

Trevor looked at his wife for a moment, gave her a cheeky grin, and then turned back to Shane. “Well, in that case, do you mind some company? It appears someone would like me to do my shopping early this year.”

Shane was surprised. Matt’s dad didn’t normally spend much time with him. He had been very supportive of Shane while he and Matt had been going to the local school together, but he had never made much effort to do anything socially with Shane, except when he was an adjunct to something Matt was doing.

“Not at all, Mr. Sterling. I’d be glad to have you along. I’m not planning on doing much, though.”

Trevor Sterling shrugged. “Anything I get done now will be something I won’t have to do on Saturday.”

Matt pushed his chair back and stood up. “Come on, Fee. Let’s get going. Time’s a wasting!”

“Give me a sec to get my purse, and I’ll be with you,” she said, getting up and heading towards her room.

Shane was watching Matt, wondering why he had seemed so adamant in not wanting him along, when he saw him stare after his sister, biting his lower lip. Matt’s moment of apparent uncertainty disappeared as Fee ran back to join him.

“Let’s go!”

Chased by the sound of their parents’ chuckles, they left the house.

“Do you know this Todd character, Mrs. Sterling? He’s not going to be a bad influence on her, is he?” Shane asked.

She smiled. “I know both him and his mum. He’s in Fee’s class at school, and I’ve done canteen duty with Sophie quite a few times. He’s a lovely boy — kind and gentle.”

“I’m sure we’ll see him around here, eventually. Until then, we might as well wait. Fiona’s inherited her mother’s stubbornness, so there’s no rushing her,” Trevor said.

“My stubbornness? Who was the one that took three years before he admitted I was his girlfriend?”

“Was it that long? It seemed to go so quickly.”

Shane stood up, not bothering to suppress a grin at their playful bickering. “I’ll just go clean up and then we can go, if that’s all right with you?” he asked Mr. Sterling.

Trevor waved a hand, dismissing him. “Sure, Shane. Go ahead. We can take my car.”

“Typical,” Glenda said, rolling her eyes. “Leave me to do all the cleaning up.”

As he headed off, Shane heard her husband’s retort.

“Now, dear, there’s not that much to be done. We’ll have most of it sorted before he gets back. Let’s get started.”

Shane sighed to himself as he continued down the hallway to the bathroom. He had been at that house so many times over the years that it felt like home. His parents were great, and he loved them dearly, but they were more reserved than Matt’s parents, and their home lacked the cheerful atmosphere he enjoyed with Matt’s family.

On the way back, Shane glanced through the open door to Matt’s room. He took a step past, stopped, and went back to look again. He frowned as he entered the room and picked up Matt’s phone, wondering why Matt hadn’t taken it. As he considered trying to catch Matt at the video store, a thought struck him.

Shane bit his lower lip while he tried to work out what to do. If his guess was right, Vince would be calling sometime that afternoon, and that was why Matt had left his phone behind. His friend was still too frightened or unsure to speak to Vince.

Making a decision, Shane put the phone in his pocket. If Matt wouldn’t speak to Vince, Shane would.

Shane and Trevor were heading into town when Mr. Sterling reached over and switched off the radio. Shane didn’t mind at all — he found the chat show boring.

“Matt’s mum and I are worried about him — he’s been very moody since he’s got home. Don’t think we didn’t notice that glare he gave you when Glenda asked if you’d be going with him and Fiona. He’s never done that before. Do you know what’s bothering him?”

Shane twisted his head to look at Mr. Sterling. He was surprised at the question.

“Is it the boy you mentioned to Glenda?” Trevor asked.

“I think so, but it’s really complicated.”

“What’s he like? If he’s playing with my boy’s mind, like that other guy did, I don’t want Matt to have anything to do with him.”

Shane hadn’t thought the Sterlings knew much about Nick, but it appeared that Matt had told them at least some of the details. Shane went into damage control as he tried to keep Mr. Sterling onside.

“I haven’t met him, but I’ve met some of his friends. I honestly think they want what’s best for both Matt and Vince, but neither guy is helping.”

“If you’ve met his — Vince, is it? — friends, how come you’ve not met him? It’s sounding more like you and the others are trying to do some matchmaking against the wishes of the two guys.”

Shane sighed and scratched his head as he tried to work out how to answer. When it was said like that, it did sound like a failed attempt to pair them up.

“As I said, it’s complicated. I haven’t met Vince because he disappeared as soon as he was outed. His friends and family are all worried about him. Matt appears to be only one who knows where Vince is, and he’s not saying.”

“That sounds like Matt is just protecting this Vince guy. He’ll talk him through his worries and then Vince can get back in touch with his family. It doesn’t explain why Matt’s so moody, though, unless it’s because you and the others really are trying to push them together.”

Shane felt that that last statement sounded ominous. There was a touch of steel to it that indicated that Matt’s dad was going to be on Matt’s side if there were any doubts about what was going on.

“But Mattie’s not talking to Vince! He’s saying he doesn’t want to get involved, that Vince is on his own.”

Trevor frowned. The concentration required for pulling into the shopping centre and finding a parking spot interrupted the conversation.

Trevor turned off the engine but made no move to get out of the car. He stared out through the windscreen at the concrete wall in front of him.

“That doesn’t sound like Matt. How old is this Vince character?”

“Eighteen, and he’s just been outed. He’s running scared and, as I said, it’s complicated.”

Mr. Sterling pulled the keys out of the ignition and his expression was grim when he turned to Shane.

“We’ve got time. Let’s go get a coffee and you can explain it. There’s something going on that you’re not telling me, and I need to know.”

* * *

With the picture frame and photo next to him, Shane sat at the table and sipped his peppermint leaf tea. While he appeared to be looking out at the other people doing their Christmas shopping, he wasn’t paying attention.

The chat with Matt’s dad had gone longer than Shane had expected. Trevor had interrogated him on almost everything he’d said. In the end, Mr. Sterling was still unsure of whether or not Shane was doing the right thing, but he said he wouldn’t stop him. Shane had received a blunt warning when they had stood up to start their shopping.

“You’re like another son, Shane, but don’t you ever forget that if it comes down to a choice between you and Matt, I’ll pick Matt every time. It’s his best interests I’m looking out for. If what you’re doing ends up hurting him, don’t expect me to forgive you easily.”

Mr. Sterling had then pulled Shane into a bear hug. “But good luck. I want him to be happy, and I know your heart’s in the right place. Just try to be sure before you cause too much pain.”

With that, Trevor Sterling had walked off, calling back a request to meet back at the car in an hour. Shane had dropped back into his chair.

Both the hug and statement about being like another son had been a shock to Shane. It was another ten minutes before he had felt able to move. The smile on his face hadn’t budged when he headed to the kiosk to get a photo printed from the USB drive on his key ring. Once that was done, and he had chosen a frame, he returned to the coffee shop.

With his shopping out of the way, Shane was wondering if he would have enough time after he finished his herbal tea to check out the latest fashions, when a mobile phone starting ringing. He reached for his own, before he realised it was Matt’s. He checked the caller ID, but it showed only a phone number.

He hit the button to accept the call. “Matt’s phone.”

“Umm… Is Matt there?” a masculine voice asked.

“Who’s this?”

“I’m a friend of his. I want to talk with him, please.” The voice was hesitant and unsure.

“Well, friend, my name’s Shane. What’s yours?” Shane asked, trying to sound cheerful, while mentally crossing his fingers about who he hoped was on the other end of the line.

“Uh… Vince.”

Shane pumped his fist, and then sobered. He knew he had to proceed carefully.

“Vince! Matt’s told me lots about you. It sounded like he had a really good time with you and your friends.”

“Yeah, well, thanks. Can I speak to him? It’s really important.”

Shane bit his lip for a second and then crossed the fingers on his free hand.

“Well, Matt’s not here at the moment. Can I take a message?”

“He’s not there? But I told him I’d be ringing! It’s not that much after when I said I’d call.”

The desperate tone was clear to Shane. He guessed that Vince was seconds away from hanging up.

“Wait! I think I know what’s happened. Did he ever tell you about his little sister, Fiona? Well, she dragged him out so quickly after lunch that he didn’t have a chance to think. He probably left his phone behind by accident, that’s all. Why don’t you give me a number so he can call you when he gets back?”

There was silence for a couple of seconds.

“Do you know when he’ll be back? Maybe I can call him then.”

“Sorry, I don’t know. I’ll take a message, if you like,” Shane said, trying to be as encouraging as he could.

“Well… can you please ask Matt if he could come and see me? It’s really important. He knows where I am.”

Shane jumped at the opportunity that Vince had given him. “Sure, not a problem. Just in case he’s lost it or forgotten, how about you give me the address?”

“Well… okay,” Vince said. Shane grinned to himself. “Tell him it’s the same campsite he used when he was in Mourton.”

Shane’s face fell. He tried to keep his disappointment from his voice. “All right. I’ll let him know as soon as I see him. I don’t know when he’ll get out your way again, though. It’s Christmas next weekend, you know, and everyone here is getting ready with last minute shopping and things. It mightn’t be until after then, or in the New Year. Is that okay?”

Shane thought to himself that if he hadn’t managed to get Matt moving by the New Year, he probably wouldn’t get him moving at all.

“I’m not sure if it can wait that long. Please, just tell him it’s really, really important.”

That plea hit Shane hard. He was tempted to stop pretending to be ignorant, but he didn’t know if that would help. He was concerned that if he mentioned anything about Vince being gay it might make him panic. With the approach he was using, he could act as if he didn’t know. An idea struck him on how he might be able to keep Vince’s hopes up until Matt stopped being stubborn.

“Okay. I’ll do that. Say, can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?” The tone was suspicious.

“Did you really go skinny dipping with Matt? He gets this goofy grin on his face whenever he talks about it. It sounds like you two had a great time that day.”

Shane crossed his fingers. He didn’t consider it, strictly speaking, to be a lie, though Matt hadn’t mentioned the episode to Shane. He had got the comment from Mia, based on something that Vince had said while drunk.

Vince was quiet for a few seconds. “Pat was there, too. Yeah, we did. It was one of the best days I’ve had for a long time.”

“I think Matt said you’d be going to Dubbo for uni next year. Maybe we’ll catch up then. Anyone who can make that big an impression on Matt must be someone worth knowing.”

“Umm… maybe. Look, I’ve got to go. Just let Matt know I need to see him, okay?”

“Sure, Vince. Take care.”

Shane put the phone down and stared thoughtfully to the west, in the direction of Mourton. He wondered if he had said enough to ensure Vince didn’t lose hope. He screwed up his face in disgust. “Damn! I should’ve suggested he drive out here to see Mattie. Stupid, Shane, stupid!”

He picked up the phone again and navigated through the menu to the call-received registry. When he found the number that Vince had called from, he smiled with relief and started looking around for a pen and paper.

“Idiot! What’s wrong with you today?” he asked himself as he pulled out his own phone and dialled the number.

When it rang out, he frowned and examined the phone number again. It was a country New South Wales number, not a mobile. Since he already knew that Vince wasn’t at home, that implied it was a public phone and Vince had already stepped away.

Shane started to put both phones away when he had an idea. Using Matt’s phone to dial the new number, he used his own phone to ring Mia.

“Mia, it’s Shane.”

“G’day Shane! Any news?”

“I’ve got some. I’ve just spoken to Vince!”

“You have? How is he? Where is he? Is he all right? What did he sound like? Did he say if he’s coming home?”

“Mia-mine, steady up! Give me a chance.”

The other phone rang out, so he hit the redial button.

“Vince rang Matt, and I happened to have his phone with me, so I took the call. He really wanted to speak to Mattie, but I chatted for a bit, trying to get some info. He confirmed he’s staying at the same place that Matt stayed, but he wasn’t…”

The other phone answered.

“Hello?” a young, feminine voice said.

“Just a second, Mia, this is important,” Shane said, before turning to the other phone.

“Hi! My name’s Shane. I know it sounds strange, but can you tell me which town you’re in?”

“Streecham,” she answered, puzzled.

“Thanks! You’re a life saver!” Shane said, and hung up.

“Okay, Mia. Five minutes ago, Vince was calling from a phone in Streecham. Do you know where that is?”

“It’s about forty or fifty minutes south of here. I’ve never been there, but I don’t think it’s a particularly big place.”

“Well, get the troops out, Mia-mine. Vince is probably heading back from there to wherever he’s staying. If you’re lucky, you might catch him on the road!”

“Shane, you’re a miracle worker. If you were here, you’d be getting a big hug. Thanks! I’ll get onto it straight away.”

* * *

Vince kicked the side of the phone booth in frustration. Matt hadn’t mentioned Shane, but Vince could tell he had to be a close friend or family member if he had Matt’s phone. He had at first been shaken by Shane’s effeminate voice, but it made him hopeful that Matt might be gay, if he had a close gay friend. He had then panicked, thinking that Shane was Matt’s boyfriend, until the comments about the skinny dipping episode made it sound like they were just friends.

He turned and strode towards his ute. He saw no point in sticking around, and equally no reason to head straight back to his campsite since it was obvious that Matt wasn’t on his way there. He felt like he needed a drink, but if he had one he would either have to stay somewhere for the night or risk getting breath tested.

He sat down on the front seat and pulled out his directory. After a few seconds of thought, he decided to head further south to Tullamore and do some more shopping. Two or three cases of beer were at the top of his list at that moment in time.

He pulled out and started heading down the road. He barely noticed the teenage girl talking on the public phone as he drove past.

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