She’s…she’s not well.’
Emily knew that other people listening in could make it uncomfortable to give personal details, but Jim Cooper sounded more than hesitant now. He sounded desperate.
‘What’s happened, Jim?’
‘She hasn’t been well for a few days. She got out of bed and she’s collapsed…I can’t get any sense out of her.’ A few words were broken by static. ‘Fence down…Her mother’s trying to round up the cattle…No way I can get her back into bed.’
‘How old is Megan, Jim?’
‘Nineteen.’
‘And she’s been sick for a few days?’
‘I dunno what’s going on. Flu, maybe. Stomach pains. She’s just lying on the floor now…Her breathing sounds funny…I dunno what to do…’
Emily exchanged a horrified glance with Mike. This man was panicking. He sounded close to tears.
‘Don’t worry, Jim. We’ll get some help out to you. Don’t go too far from the radio. As soon as I’ve got things moving I’ll talk to you again.’
Charles turned to Mike. ‘Do you know if they’ve fixed that problem with the sticky needle on the fixed wing’s altimeter?’
‘They’re working on it now.’
‘It’ll have to be the chopper, then.’
‘How far is it?’
‘Cooper’s Crossing station is Wetherby Downs’ closest neighbour.’ Charles tipped his chair back and then swivelled to face the series of maps covering the wall. They were marked with a series of black, expanding circles that represented units of ten nautical miles. ‘West. Here.’
Mike whistled silently. ‘That’s a long haul for the chopper, boss. We’d have to refuel.’
‘Not a problem. We have a long-standing arrangement with Wetherby Downs to provide fuel for any AMS emergency if it’s needed. I’ll arrange it with the station manager. They’ll be waiting for you.’
‘What’s the latest info from the weather bureau?’
Emily peered at the map as the two men engaged in a rapid-fire discussion about weather forecasts, GPS co-ordinates for navigation and flight times. Wetherby Downs station was where Charles had grown up. His brother Philip ran the vast station now. Why would Charles make it sound like ringing the station manager and not his brother to arrange a fuelling stop for the helicopter was the only option?
She cast a rather speculative glance at their medical director. How fair was it that he knew so much about all of them but managed to keep so much of his own life so private? Disconcertingly, Emily found herself receiving a stare from both men that spoke of an even more avid curiosity.
‘So, how ’bout it, Em?’
‘Sorry, I wasn’t listening.’
‘Christina’s on emergency flight call but she’s having a good time at the party.’ Mike grinned at Emily. ‘Charles and I thought you might like to cover for her.’
‘Oh, no!’ Emily took a step backwards. ‘Sorry, but I don’t do helicopters.’
‘Why not?’ Charles raised an eyebrow. ‘You’ve been in the fixed-wing aircraft often enough.’
‘That’s different.’
‘Why?’ Mike sounded genuinely puzzled.
‘A plane’s safer.’
‘Why?’ Mike was sounding amused now.
‘Because it’s got wings,’ Emily muttered. She could feel her cheeks heating but continued doggedly when confronted by silence. ‘If its engine conks out it can at least glide down. It’s not going to drop like a stone.’
Mike and Charles exchanged a glance. They both grinned at Emily. She pressed her lips together stubbornly and glared back. She didn’t like being laughed at.
Then, for the second time that evening, Emily felt the comforting weight of Mike’s arm around her shoulders.
‘I wouldn’t let you drop like a stone, Em. Honest.’
The promise was as comforting as the physical touch. It offered protection. Never mind that Mike wouldn’t want to plummet to the ground himself, he made it sound as though it would be Emily he’d be taking care of.
Right now she felt too bruised to remind herself that she was quite capable of looking after herself. Having someone else doing that, even temporarily, was attractive. It made her feel special. Safe.
Safe enough to actually consider confronting her fear of flying in something that didn’t have wings?
‘But it’s dark.’
‘Not a problem.’ Mike squeezed her shoulder. ‘There’s a lovely bright moon out there and I’ll turn the lights on when we need to land. I’ll keep an eye out for the mountains, I promise.’ The pressure he exerted on Emily’s shoulder was enough to force her to turn and look at him. ‘Hey,’ he said softly. ‘Neither of us really wants to go to that party right now. An escape is just what we need. Both of us.’
‘Hmm.’ Charles was looking at both Emily and Mike so thoughtfully she could almost hear wheels turning. ‘I agree. What’s more, you’ll be an even more valuable member of staff around here if you can get past your helicopter phobia, Dr Morgan.’
Emily gulped. ‘Are you ordering me to go, Charles?’
Mike’s head tipped sideways as he chased eye contact with Emily. ‘Ple-e-ease?’
It was the lopsided smile that did it. Made her think that Mike wanted her company rather than Christina’s. Made her feel that she would be safe doing anything as long as she was doing it with Michael Poulos.
‘Oh…all right.’ The grudging agreement came out as almost a snap but Mike didn’t seem to mind.
Neither did Charles. He was smiling benevolently as he waved them off. Then he reached for the microphone again.
‘Crocodile Creek Base Hospital to Cooper’s Crossing. You receiving me, Jim?’
By the time Emily was kitted out in the dark blue overalls, heavy black boots and the white helmet that contained the earphones and microphone for radio communication, Mike had done all his pre-flight checks and was waiting to help Emily into the cockpit of the bright red and yellow helicopter.
‘Charles has been talking to the girl’s father again. She’s conscious and has got herself back to bed. Sounds like less of an emergency but he’s decided she should still be evacuated.’ Emily nodded but knew she probably looked less than enthusiastic. Up close, this was even more daunting than she had feared. The machine was huge. Far too big for spinning strips of metal as flimsy-looking as those rotors to hold up. If her hand wasn’t being firmly held by Mike at that point, Emily might have turned and fled.
‘Step
