Page 10 of Andrew’s Outback Love

“No, this is my first time. I’m looking forward to getting to know the place. My dream is to settle somewhere like this.”

“So, you prefer somewhere like Bourke over Dubbo or Broken Hill?” Could this woman think as I do?

“I certainly do. One of the reasons I left Broken Hill was because it was too busy for me. Even though Dubbo is larger, I’ll only be there every second week so it’s not so bad.”

Cam stuck his unwanted nose in. “So, the reason you took this job was so you’d get to spend time in the outback?”

“That was the main reason.”

“What were the others? Break-up?”

Linda frowned and I expected her to tell Cam to mind his own business, instead she stopped walking and when we realised, we backtracked to join her.

“I might as well tell you, you’ll find out soon enough. I was in an abusive relationship. The restraining order had no effect on the bastard so when Ally told me her job was becoming available and she didn’t want to return after having her baby, I asked my boss if he could arrange to have me replace her.”

“Are you in danger? Do you think he’ll follow........ wait, are you the RFDS staffer who was shot in the shoulder by her partner and left to die?”

“One and the same. The people I worked with won’t breathe a word of where I am but I can’t honestly say he won’t just check out all the bases to try and find me. He knows how much I love my work and that I wouldn’t leave it so, yeah, I could still be in danger.”

I wanted to fucking kill the arsehole for hurting this beautiful woman. Yeah, I know – doctor – preserve life - yada yada. It didn’t apply in the case of abusers. I mean, I am human.

We continued towards our destination and I endeavored to find out more. “How long were you together?”

“Two years. Blane was always verbally abusive but when I grew a backbone and started answering back, he became physically abusive. I left him after the first time he knocked me unconscious. That was seven months ago and he’s been at me ever since to go back to him. Three months ago, he cornered me in a laneway I used as a shortcut from work to home. When I refused to go with him, he shot me and left me to die. He said if I wasn’t with him, I wouldn’t be with anyone. Luckily, Solomon – one of the doctors at the base, uses the same lane and he found me. We worked out I’d been lying unconscious for about thirty minutes. I’d lost a lot of blood but as you can see, I survived.”

“Hang on.” I placed a hand on Linda’s arm and we all came to a stop again. She had said she might be in danger from him and it didn’t make sense. “He’s not in jail?”

“Nope. It was my word against his and three of his mates who said he was in the pub with them. The police said they believed me but they had no cause for a warrant to search his house for the weapon. There was nothing they could do but they did warn him they’d be watching.”

“Fucking arsehole. We’ll take care of you now. I’ll buy a gun and if he comes near you, I’ll put a bullet in him.” Ruby spoke angrily and patted Linda’s arm.

“No, you won’t Ruby, violence isn’t the answer. He probably won’t come all the way out here but if he does, we’ll leave it to the police,” I cautioned.

“Fucking police. They had their chance. They do fucking nothing.”

I hadn’t quite worked out why Ruby didn’t like the police and she wouldn’t volunteer the information. On occasion, when we ran into an officer, Ruby was downright rude. But, if we encountered Sargent Phil Thacker, who’d just returned to town after working in Brisbane for a number of years, she bordered on being aggressive. It seemed she had a grudge against the police force and Phil in particular. I’d asked around town about her attitude but all people knew was, it was something which had happened out in the settlement where Ruby had lived. The community was extremely tight lipped about the matter. Considering she hadn’t lived out of town for twelve years, it was a long time to be holding a grudge.

“It’s okay, Ruby. I understand why they couldn’t do anything. There was no weapon, he had an alibi and it was my word against his. It’s not right but I understand.”

Ruby huffed and hurried away to Barry’s office.

“Ruby is fiercely protective of those she cares about. You’re now a part of our team which is the same as being part of her family.” We followed the angry nurse down the street. “Have you organized somewhere to stay?”

“The Major Mitchell Motel.”

“Of course, it’s where we all stay for the couple of days we’re in town. They give the RFDS a reduced rate because we’re here so often.” Hmm, I’d forgotten we would be in the same hotel. Ruby had her own place in Bourke because she worked here full time.

“Here we are.” Cam pushed open the door and indicated for Linda to go through first.

He had the hide to settle his hand on her back as he guided her through reception and down a hallway which led to a kitchen in the back. I wanted to detach his hand from his arm. Go figure. Five minutes ago, I was telling Ruby violence wasn’t the answer and here I was having violent thoughts myself. And, there was no rational reason for them.

***

BARRY WAS IN THE KITCHEN making a coffee when we walked in and when he turned from what he was doing, I saw the glint in his eyes as he checked out my nurse. I wasn’t impressed but Linda was a woman who would attract a great deal of attention. I made the introductions and then Barry excused himself to return to his patients, while Cam left to head to the hospital where he helped out when we were in town. He had an afternoon of surgery which was usual while we were here. I thought I was finally alone with Linda until James sauntered in. I glanced at my watch to see it was 11.53 and noticed Linda doing the same.

“Do you mind if I join you?” The words tumbled out before I had time to think about the fact I was crashing their....date?

James gave me a scowl; the man was not happy. He was even more unhappy when Linda agreed I should join them. We were getting ready to leave when Ruby sauntered in, she’d been setting up my room for the afternoon.