Yesterday's Dust by Joy Dettman

they’re homicide bigwigs, love,’ she said, watching her sister for reaction. There was none. ‘You don’t want them up here,do you, sniffing around, asking everybody bloody questions about him again? We only just got rid of the nosy bastards.’
    â€˜I’m not going down to Daree today. I’ve got to wash my hair and you know it takes hours to dry. Ring them up, Bessy. Tell them Jack used to go to a dentist somewhere in Melbourne. I never knew where. If he had a toothache, he’d just take off and go. You know that.’
    â€˜You paidhis bills. You’ll find the dentist’s name on something. What about your old cheque butts?’
    â€˜I never paid for his dentist. He must have paid, or May and Sam might have. He kept his private things in his briefcase, and I told you a dozen times that Annie took it with her that night. I haven’t got anything. Ben and Johnny burned most of the papers when they moved me over from the old place.’ Ellielooked towards the house across the river, looked at the trees, their branches tossed by the wind. ‘Ring Jeff and tell him that Annie might have something with the dentist’s name on it. There might have been some old bills in the briefcase – that’s if she’s still got it.’
    â€˜She’s told you she hasn’t got it. I heard her tell you.’
    â€˜She has so got it. I saw her take it. She took it that night beforeJack came home. I saw her put it in her car boot.’
    â€˜Yeah. Well, I’d keep her out of it if I were you. They annoyed Christ out of the poor kid when they found his gun. She’s got enough on her plate these days, I wouldn’t go mentioning hisbloody briefcase to the cops or they’ll be into her again.’ She pulled a weed from the geranium pot, her fingers delving deep into the earth. She’d been lookingforward to a trip to Daree, to getting the lowdown straight from the horse’s mouth.
    â€˜Come on, love. Fix your hair and put a nice dress on and we’ll get it over and done with. It will only take us a couple of hours and I’ll dry your hair tonight with my hair dryer.’
    â€˜You tangled it the last time you tried to do that. Anyway, I’ve got to get the eggs before the chooks start pecking at them, andI’m worried about the little brindle heifer. I wish you’d keep your bull locked in, Bessy. She was too young when he got to her,’ Ellie said as she walked off towards the river.
    â€˜That bridge is dangerous in this wind. I’ll drive you around. And why don’t you wear the tracksuit I bought for your birthday?’
    â€˜The pants are too tight when I bend over, and Benjie built that bridge for me. It’s safeif you’re careful.’
    â€˜If you crawl on your belly! The bloody thing will be alive today.’
    â€˜It’s solid as a rock.’
    â€˜Rock being the operative word.’ Bessy walked behind her sister through the side gate. ‘I’m warning you. Those Sydney cops will be coming up here if you don’t go down and talk to them. It’ll be better for everyone if you keep it out of town.’
    â€˜I can’t tell them anything that theydon’t know already.’
    â€˜You’d recognise his clothes, for Christ’s sake.’
    â€˜So would you.’
    â€˜Not his underdaks.’
    â€˜Tell them . . . tell them he always wore Bonds briefs, size eighteen. And he never wore singlets. He wore black socks and black shoes, size nine. And he only ever bought Pelaco shirts because they have different sleeve lengths and he had long arms. And he was wearing sports trousersthat night. Grey.’ Ellie walked ahead. Bessy attempted to keep up with her sister, who had extra inches and weight, who had longer legs and shorter years.
    â€˜For Christ’s sake, wait up, will you?’
    â€˜Don’t you come over the bridge, Bessy. You’ll get blown off. Go and