Through a Camel's Eye by Dorothy Johnston Page B

mistrust had led Chris to focus on Erwin’s trailer.
    Chris knew everybody’s property - how many sheds, what kind of garage the townsfolk and surrounding farmers owned. He hadn’t examined every single one, but he’d been over Frank’s and Camilla’s with a fine tooth comb.
    Chris and Anthea sat over an early morning cup of tea on the station’s back veranda, while Chris outlined their tasks for the morning. He wanted Anthea to check on Julie Beshervase’s insurance.
    â€˜She said she couldn’t afford it, but she might be lying. Then I want you to go and talk to her again.’
    Anthea was quick to read the challenge, and wondered why Chris was palming Julie off on her. He seemed prickly and disagreeable, as though he’d got out of the wrong side of the bed.
    Julie shook her head in disbelief. ‘I ought to throw you off the premises for that. I know my rights, even if I can’t afford a lawyer.’
    â€˜I’d go as soon as you asked me,’ Anthea replied, ‘but it’s better if we clear this point up without wasting any more time.’
    â€˜Why would I lock my own camel in a garage when I’ve got a perfectly good paddock to keep him in?’
    Julie shot this over her shoulder as she took down a bunch of keys from a hook behind the kitchen door.
    Anthea observed that the room was in an even worse state than the last time she’d been there. Some people didn’t notice dirt. She’d come across a number of blokes who were literally blind to it. Though not Graeme: Graeme was fastidious.
    She realised that Julie was waiting for her to say something, and asked, ‘Where’s the Talbots’ car?’
    â€˜They’ve lent it to their daughter while they’re overseas.’
    â€˜I’d like her contact details, please.’
    Julie pressed her lips together and shook her head as though in disbelief.
    She stayed outside the garage, leaving Anthea to walk around it by herself. There was a work bench at one end, an old fridge, various tools and boxes.
    Anthea opened the fridge door, wondering if she was missing something obvious. She could search the garage properly, and felt confident of her ability to ride down Julie’s objections while she did so. But she did not believe that Riza had ever been hidden there. And the camel hadn’t been insured; Julie had been telling the truth about that.
    Dangling the keys by a forefinger, Julie strode back into the house.
    But once inside, she did not ask Anthea to leave. Instead, surprisingly, she offered tea. Anthea made herself look and sound appreciative, trying not to think about the grimy rings around the mugs.
    â€˜Have you given any more thought to what we were talking about the other day, about people who might have a grudge against you?’
    Anthea waited for another complaint about Camilla.
    She wanted to tell Julie about the bet to ride Riza, see how she reacted; but Chris had warned her not to. He’d said he wanted to investigate further before presenting Julie with the story.
    â€˜What about the shops - the newsagents, the supermarket?’
    â€˜You mean, have I made enemies of checkout chicks? Why would I bother?’ Julie shook her head again, impatiently this time. ‘I’m still paying rent, you know.’
    Anthea reflected that, if she’d been asked six months, or even six weeks ago, how long it would take to find a camel that had disappeared from a paddock on the outskirts of a small town, she would have laughed and said a morning max. Yet when faced with the actual problem, her skills and training seemed to be of little use. If she’d been asked whether she would have cared about a missing camel, her answer would have been a disdainful no. She shook her shoulders irritably. Her thoughts returned to Graeme once again, and how, if she’d been expecting him that weekend, she’d be buying the best coffee and fresh croissants from the