“Sheila, do you have any photos of Wiley?”
She shook her head. “Digital detox and clutter free.”
Cath smiled at the simplicity of it all. “Sheila, having lime in the water was so refreshing. Might develop that habit.”
“It’s a good one. Come outside and I’ll give you some limes to take with you.”
Cath looked at Jack. He nodded and picked up his glass to finish off his water. He smiled at Sheila. “We need a picture of Wiley. We may be able to put an image together from CCTV footage. If not, we may need your assistance. We would get one of the local officers to organise a time with you and put together a sketch.”
“No need. I enjoy sketching and I have been blessed with visual memory. I can put a sketch together for you.” She looked at the Jack’s card. “I’ll email it to you.”
Cath looked as puzzled as Jack felt. No mobile, but email?
“The local library is good for the digital detox person.”
Cath gave Sheila her card. “Email it to me. I monitor my email a bit better than Jack.”
They went into the backyard to get the limes. The backyard was like a farmer’s market and the magnificent sunset added to the atmosphere. They walked past a tomato patch. Sheila stopped and gave them each a tomato.
“Take a bite of that.” She watched in anticipation.
Scrumptious. Jack realised he was hungry. It was later than he’d realised, so dinner wasn’t far away.
“Does that thing in the sky have anything to do with the earthquake?” Sheila pulled limes from the tree and placed them into what was obviously a recyclable plastic bag. “I have the feeling it does. Something spiritual, supernatural, I believe. That’s right—I am an amber person, seeking spiritual connection.” She gave a soft smile.
As they left, Cath said she’d love to catch up with Sheila for a coffee and they could discuss the thing in the sky in detail. Sheila warmed to that idea.
Jack started the car. “What a lovely lady,” he said as they drove off.
“Maybe it has something to do with her digital detox. She’s not influenced by social media and the like. A nice, simple life,” Cath said.
“Yes, a nice, simple life, and weren’t those tomatoes off the planet?”
“They were, and you used appropriate words.” Cath stared out the car window.
“Any sign of Adventus?” The conspiracy was growing. “The media keep pushing this planet or thing in the sky into the background. They don’t seem to want to talk about it. I find that strange.”
Not far from Sheila’s, workmen were fitting a tarp onto the roof of a house. It must have been damaged in the earthquake. There was a For Sale sign out the front. That would be delayed somewhat.
“I think it’s good that they’re not plugging Adventus. Less panic,” Cath said.
Jack leant forward. “Is this our motel, up here on the right?”
“Believe so.” Cath rubbed her legs. “I can’t wait to get out of these clothes. We look like outsiders.”
They pulled into the motel parking lot. It was a cream coloured two-storey building with small balconies and surrounded by large palm trees with their fronds swaying in the light breeze. Jack hoped his unit was upstairs and had views over the water. He parked the car and turned to Cath.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Wiley and the group he belongs to are trying to eliminate ‘amber people’ because those people are seeking a spiritual connection. The group somehow connects that to Christianity.”
“I’m thinking the same. A hate group wanting to use any excuse.”
They opened their doors and got out of the vehicle. Their feet crunched on the pebble surface as they headed towards reception.
Cath touched Jack’s arm. “Jack.”
He turned to look at Cath and wondered what was coming. Surely, she wasn’t going to suggest they share a room? What would he say?
“You’re an amber person. We need to talk sometime.”
19 - A friendly town
They went for a stroll along the river. Jack was thankful he’d brought shorts and a cotton t-shirt and his feet were thankful to be set free and breathing in a pair of sandals. The breeze coming off the river gave him a feeling of wellbeing. Now he needed to top that off with some food, then hide from Cath to avoid a discussion about him being an amber person.
They found a fish and chip takeaway shop, studied the blackboard menu, ordered some crumbed coral trout and chips, and sat down at a table outside while they waited for their order.
Cath looked around. “Things get back to normal quickly. Perhaps not as many people out and about as normal, not that I’d know. Some areas would be hit worse than others—perhaps this area isn’t so bad.”
“Aftershocks are what’s on my mind.” Jack looked at the large tree shading the picnic table. “To be honest, I feel a bit uneasy just sitting here.”
“You’ll be right, mate.” Jack turned towards the voice, an older man with a weathered face and brown leathery skin sitting on a nearby concrete garden wall. “Apparently aftershocks can go on for years, so you’re best not worrying about things you have no control over. What ya reckon?”
“Sounds like good advice to me,” Jack said.
“Ninety-four,” a server called.
Cath checked their ticket and shook her head.
“It is good advice.” The man stood and held up a ticket. “That’s my number. People will be a bit twitchy but we’ve got to stay cool.” He gave a wink and wandered in to collect his order.
