The Red Coast Read online

  ‘I used to. Now, what would you like to drink? How about some Champagne to start? Nice and refreshing.’

  ‘Seeing as I can walk home from here, why not,’ said Jacqui.

  She studied Cameron as he ordered a fine Champagne – an excellent vintage, she noted – sparkling mineral water and pearl meat canapés. He was casually dressed but she noticed his expensive watch and the brand logos on his glasses and shirt. ‘So, you’re just passing through again? I guess you’re not still with the law firm you joined after uni?’ she prompted.

  ‘Heavens no, I’ve moved on. Can’t stay in the same place too long these days. I find that what I do now can be exciting, especially as I get to see some of the country up here. And stumble across you. How are you?’

  ‘“Stumble”? Lydia told me that you knew I was here.’ She cocked her head expectantly.

  ‘Yes. I did.’

  ‘I just assumed it was a random meeting. So how did you find me?’

  ‘Not difficult. You’re listed as a member of the Broome Chamber of Commerce. “Jacqui Bouchard” is not a common name, so I guessed it had to be you, and it was. Easy!’

  ‘I see,’ replied Jacqui. ‘And may I ask what business you’re on that involves you looking at the Broome Chamber of Commerce?’

  Cameron chuckled. ‘It’s not very interesting. I’m just doing a bit of checking for a client interested in this part of the world. I’d much rather hear about you.’

  ‘I got in first with the questions. Tell me, are you still in Sydney? Do you have a family?’ she asked, as it suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea if Cameron was married, divorced or single.

  He smiled, unruffled by her questions, and paused as the waiter brought their drinks and the delicate pearl meat served in a spicy sauce on large half-shells. They ordered the remainder of their dinner and, when the waiter had gone, Jacqui raised her eyebrows questioningly. She was not letting him off the hook.

  ‘No family,’ Cameron said with a wry smile.

  ‘So, does that mean you’re not married? No lovely person in your life?’

  He lifted his glass. ‘They come and go.’

  ‘Well, that hasn’t changed.’ Jacqui laughed. ‘My friends and I often used to wonder if you gave your girlfriends a time limit to prove that they measured up to whatever criteria you’d set, or whether you just got bored with them. Let me see, as I recall there was a beauty queen, a couple of aspiring actresses and singers, and the youngest female CEO in the state. Was she a threat, or more interested in her career than yours?’

  ‘Don’t believe what you read in magazines, Jac. But does this mean that you’ve watched my romantic career with interest?’

  ‘Of course not. But you did have an interesting reputation, you know.’

  ‘I always made it perfectly clear in my relationships that we were adults, looking for fun and pleasure without any commitment,’ said Cameron defiantly.

  ‘Ah, that’s such a cop-out.’ Jacqui sighed. ‘I bet that means, “Don’t call me, I’ll call you.”’

  ‘I never promised to call, but I can’t help it if they still expected me to.’ He leaned forward. ‘The trouble with women is their ego. They think they can take hold of you. Every woman thinks she has more to offer than anyone else. They tend to try too hard. I tell them I’m there to enjoy the moment, that’s all. At least I’m always honest with them.’

  Jacqui rolled her eyes. ‘King of the one-night stands? That’s not something I’d boast about.’ Had Cameron always been this insufferable, she wondered, or had she just forgotten?

  ‘Oh. I’m not boasting. It’s just a fact of my life.’

  Jacqui was tempted to tell him to watch out or he’d become an ageing lothario with dyed hair and a girlfriend who was young enough to be his daughter dangling on his arm. But she bit her tongue. It was none of her business, though she pitied any girl who got involved with Cameron North.

  He shrugged. ‘So, Jacqui, what went wrong in your marriage? I heard a rumour that you got hitched to a Frenchman and were living over in France with him. So how did you end up all alone here in Broome?’ said Cameron.

  ‘Quite frankly, I can’t see that it’s any of your business,’ replied Jacqui coldly. His questions unsettled her. ‘And I am not going to tell you anything about either my marriage or my divorce. As far as I’m concerned, it’s private.’

  ‘Is that so?’ said Cameron dryly. ‘So it’s fine to talk about my personal life, but not yours.’ Suddenly he burst out laughing. ‘This is fun, isn’t it? We sound like an old married couple, bickering away.’

  Jacqui looked at Cameron and, taking a deep breath to let the tension drain away, she smiled. ‘I don’t know about that. I do remember once riding my bike past your house and you were swinging on the front gate. You must’ve been about eight. You were pretty upset. Or angry. I tried to talk to you, but you weren’t interested in my help.’

  ‘I probably wasn’t interested in girls then,’ said Cameron.

  Jacqui laughed. ‘Based on your record, that would have been the only time in your life.’

  Cameron turned his attention to his pearl meat and then, changing the subject, said, ‘I stopped in to the art gallery in town. All Aboriginal talent. Very interesting. Do you know any of the artists?’

  ‘A few. Are you thinking of buying something?’

  ‘Not really, just asking, although I know some Aboriginal art fetches a lot of money here as well as overseas. I’d just like to meet some of the painters. Who’s the big local name?’

  ‘The artists live in an art community a long way out. Meeting them might not be much help to you, though, as I don’t think their English is up to much. You should talk to Julia Peters, who runs the gallery in town. She’s their dealer and friend and she has all their stories and information.’

  ‘Their work does their speaking for them, eh? Who would you say is the mover and shaker among the local Aboriginal people up here?’

  ‘Teddy Narrapula. He comes into town occasionally. His English is good and sometimes he buys art books from me. Used to paint, but I’m told his daughter is the really gifted one. His son is a musician. It’s a really talented family.’

  ‘If the old man has given up painting, what does he do instead?’

  ‘He’s a respected elder. I think he could also be on the Aboriginal Land Council. I’m not up with all the details. I just know he’s a lovely man and the locals like him and look up to him. Lydia is the one to ask about the elders – she knows a lot more than I do.’

  ‘I might just do that,’ said Cameron. ‘Tell me, how long have you been in Broome? You must know a lot of the locals.’

  ‘I’ve only been here a couple of years, I’m still a newbie, but I do have a few friends. Actually, there are a lot of small communities up here, like the pearling industry, people who work in tourism, the different Aboriginal families, the cattle folk and the miners, and there are others I don’t know much about at all. A lot of pieces make up the whole of the Kimberley, and I’m just beginning to work it all out.’ She took a sip of her Champagne.

  ‘So why did you decide to run a business in such a godforsaken place as this?’ Cameron asked as he leaned back in his chair.

  Jacqui was slightly taken aback. ‘Are you really curious about that?’ she asked. ‘I came here originally as a tourist. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at that stage of my life. I felt aimless and really undecided about my future. Then I saw a “For Sale” sign in the window of the bookshop – it was owned at the time by a brother and sister, twins would you believe, who wanted to sell up and travel the world! – and I thought, why not? Time I put down roots somewhere. So, I bought it. It was really a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I’ve never regretted it. Broome’s a great place to live, even if it is remote, or perhaps it’s the remoteness that makes it so attractive.’

  ‘Ah,�
�� said Cameron, as though he didn’t really believe her.

  ‘But it’s true,’ protested Jacqui. She paused as the waiter placed their fish of the day with rice and Asian greens in front of them. They were silent for a while as they began to eat their meal. After a few minutes, Cameron put down his fork and spoke again.

  ‘I doubt you’ll make your fortune running a bookshop,’ he said sceptically, ‘so why stay here?’

  ‘The business makes enough money. I have a life here. It’s a special place,’ said Jacqui, trying to keep her growing irritation out of her voice. What right did Cameron North have to pass judgement on her life choices?

  Cameron topped up their glasses, and as they continued to eat they moved away from awkward questions. They asked each other about their respective parents, and Cameron told her that his father had died but that his mother still lived on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, although their old suburb was now very trendy and expensive. Then he asked her to recommend some other places he should visit while he was in the Kimberley. Jacqui told him about her experience at the Buccaneer Archipelago and the Horizontal Falls.

  ‘I’ve flown over it,’ said Cameron. ‘You’re right, it is a stunning place.’ Putting his knife and fork down on his plate, he smiled. ‘That fish was delicious, now voulez-vous un peu dessert?’ he asked.

  ‘No, thank you,’ Jacqui replied, somewhat sharply. Was Cameron deliberately trying to provoke her, with his terrible French, into talking about her French marriage? Well, she was not going to rise to the bait and changed the subject. ‘What are you planning for tomorrow?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m looking at some properties for a client. But this country is so big, there’s a lot to look at.’

  ‘Well, there’s certainly a lot of big stations in the Kimberley. Is your client into cattle?’

  ‘Could be. Maybe a tourism development as well.’

  ‘Is your involvement part of a real estate deal, or a business venture?’

  ‘Aren’t they the same? I’m advising on acquisitions. Know any big guns up here in the north who might be worth meeting?’ He gave a disarming smile.

  ‘I don’t move in those sorts of circles,’ said Jacqui.

  ‘That’s a shame.’ He finished the last of his Champagne and smiled at her. ‘This has been a very pleasant evening. If I find any potential sites for my client, I could be back in the area. Perhaps we can do this again.’

  Cameron drove Jacqui home in his rental car, neither of them saying much.

  ‘Good luck with your exploring,’ said Jacqui as she got out of the car. ‘And thanks for dinner. Give me some warning next time and I’ll cook you a meal.’

  ‘French food? That’d be great. Good night, Jac.’

  As Jacqui opened the door of her house, she smiled to herself. It had been an unexpectedly interesting evening, enjoyable in some ways, but at the same time frustrating. Cameron could be scintillating company, but he was also stubborn, supercilious, enigmatic and opinionated. She had surprised herself when she had extended Cameron a dinner invitation for the next time he was in town. She wondered if he would take her up on it. Never mind, perhaps he wouldn’t be back.

  *

  ‘Hi! I haven’t got time for a proper chat, sorry, I’ll have to take my coffee on the run,’ said Lydia early next morning as she hurried into the bookshop. ‘Have to pre-record an interview from the east. How was dinner?’

  ‘Nice, I guess,’ said Jacqui. ‘We reminisced a bit. Cameron seems just as ambitious as he always was, and just as arrogant, and I’m none the wiser about what he’s doing here in the Kimberley.’

  ‘What did he have to say, then?’

  Jacqui gave Lydia the gist of their conversation.

  ‘I wonder who would send an expensive lawyer to shop around on spec in the Kimberley?’ said Lydia.

  ‘No idea, but I think he was looking for me to arrange some personal introductions. I said I couldn’t help. I don’t know the sort of people he’d want to meet. By the way, he told me he’d found me via the Chamber of Commerce.’

  ‘He’s done his homework,’ said Lydia with a smile. ‘Obviously, he’s checked out significant locals and spotted your name. Only natural to then come and pick your brain.’

  ‘Not very flattering for me, though,’ Jacqui replied.

  Lydia nodded in agreement and then asked if Cameron had wanted to talk about anything else.

  ‘I think he’s also interested in indigenous art. Probably because he thinks it could be a good investment. I told him that Julia is the best person to talk to.’

  ‘Maybe I’ll have a chat to Julia and see what he was after.’

  Lydia took the cup that Jacqui handed her.

  ‘Thanks for the coffee, Jac. I’ll see you later. That man has me curious. Just what is he after? Lots to think about.’

  ‘Lydia! Why would you bother?’ Jacqui laughed. ‘I doubt he’ll be back.’

  When Lydia had gone, Jacqui tidied the front counter of the bookshop, lost in thought. She hadn’t ever expected to be here in Broome, running her own shop, but as things had turned out, and no matter what Cameron thought, it had been a good move. She was still discovering how immense this landscape was, and how intriguing its history, and she relished meeting the colourful characters that inhabited it and soaking up the energy of the small, diverse community. Mostly, she enjoyed the challenges that living here threw at her. Even so, her dinner with Cameron had started to stir some unwanted old memories.

  ‘No, not going there,’ she told herself, grateful that her phone suddenly rang.

  ‘Hey, Jacqui, it’s Damien Sanderson . . . how’re things?’

  ‘Hey there, great, thanks. Can you hang on a minute? I just have to serve a customer.’

  After a couple of pleasantries across the counter, she rang up the sale, slipped the book in a bag and said with a smile to her customer, ‘I know you’ll enjoy it. Have a good time in Broome.’

  She picked up her mobile again. ‘Hello, Damien. How nice to hear from you. Where are you?’ Hearing Damien’s voice suddenly made her feel curiously happy.

  ‘I’m in Perth, busy finishing off the tourist film project. It looks good. Of course, you only have to point a camera at that spectacular scenery and you can’t go wrong.’

  ‘That’s great. I’d love to see it sometime. Have you anything new on the agenda?’

  ‘Actually, I took your advice and rang Lily Barton. We had a long chat and you were right, she sounds fascinating and just seems to be a lovely person.’

  ‘Oh, she certainly is,’ Jacqui replied enthusiastically.

  ‘Anyway, she also put me in touch with some other people she thought might have a tale or two for me, and I’ve decided that there might be enough material for a TV series. We’ve budgeted to shoot a few more sequences on spec so that I’ll have enough to be able to pitch the doco to one of the television networks. The upshot is that I’m coming up to Broome soon. I wanted to make sure you’re around.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I am. Can I help you in some way?’ Jacqui replied, thinking how interesting it would be to help Damien with his project.

  ‘Hope so, I’d love to run some ideas past you, especially with your knowledge of Broome. But even if you can’t help, it would be nice just to catch up.’

  ‘Absolutely. What are you thinking of doing?’

  ‘Lily Barton told me about a friend of hers, James Brown, and I’ve been in contact with him at his Cygnet Bay pearl farm. He’s invited me up to see how the place works and to film whatever I want. It’s a fantastic opportunity. Richie’s coming as well.’

  ‘Great. If you give me the exact dates, I can arrange things for you from this end.’

  ‘That’s kind of you. We’ll need to hire something that can take our gear on the rough roads. Say, why don’t you come up to Cygnet Bay with us? Could your assistant mind the store?�
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  ‘Oh, that’d be wonderful! I’m sure that Sylvia can hold the fort for a couple of days. I’ve wanted to go to Cygnet Bay for ages, but I haven’t had the chance.’

  ‘Excellent. I’ll call you again in a day or so with the dates. Take care.’

  ‘Cheers, Damien. Say hi to Richie for me.’

  Jacqui began to feel ridiculously excited. Even though she’d travelled along the coast on the Kimberley Sun, going up to Cygnet Bay would be an adventure.

  *

  Lydia raised an eyebrow when Jacqui told her about Damien’s invitation later that day. ‘So, you’re running away to the peninsula with the movie man,’ her friend said.

  Jacqui laughed. ‘Don’t exaggerate. Stick to the facts, Madam Journo.’

  Lydia smiled. ‘Good for you. I’m sure you’ll have a brilliant time,’ she said, looking at Jacqui knowingly.

  ‘Lydia! I’m not running away with him on some tryst,’ protested Jacqui. ‘There’s a crew – well, Richie – and Damien will be working! He just thought that I might like to go somewhere I hadn’t been before. And I have to admit, watching Damien and Richie and how they film is interesting.’

  ‘Who’s doing the interviewing?’

  ‘I assume Damien. Why? Should I suggest you come along? Wouldn’t that be great!’

  ‘I was kidding you. I can’t get time off work, because Jason will still be away. But I think it’s terrific you’re heading up to Cygnet Bay. Good mob up there.’

  ‘Don’t tell me, you have relatives up there too?’ said Jacqui fondly. Every time she’d gone anywhere with Lydia, they’d run into someone connected with her extended family.

  ‘Not too far off, at Beagle Bay. You know my mob, they’re everywhere! Now, let me know when Mr Movie Man gets into town. He might have a bit of a story for me.’

  *

  Damien and Jacqui spoke several more times on the phone to discuss plans for the trip. At the end of the week, Damien walked into Red Coast Books with a big smile on his face.