Matt took the glass of cold water his mother handed him and took a long sip. “Do either of you know about the animal traps over by the ranges?”
They both looked up at him, surprised. “No. Where?” his father asked.
“Near the men’s caves. I found anganarajiin one.”
“You should call Nhiari,” Bibi said.
“Get Colin to check it out,” Babu added.
Matt nodded. “Can I borrow the phone?” His mother handed him the landline, and Nhiari answered on the first ring. “Hey,gunyjan.”
Nhiari sighed. “Little brother, what’s happened now?”
He chuckled. “Can’t a brother call his sister for a chat?”
“Not at work, and usually not at all.”
Fair enough. “I found some smugglers’ traps out by the range near the men’s caves.”
“What were you doing out there?”
“Men’s business,” he lied. “I can show Colin tomorrow.”
“You telling me I can’t do my job?”
“It’s a sacred men’s area.” Nhiari would know if she’d paid more attention to her heritage, but Matt understood why she didn’t.
Her sigh was long and suffering. “You think anyone would know if I went?”
“I’m calling from Mum and Dad’s.”
She swore. “Fine. I’ll call you in the morning to arrange a time. Give Mum and Dad my love.” She hung up.
Matt handed the phone back to his mother. “I’ll take Colin out tomorrow,” he said. “Probably best to stay clear until the police can catch them.”
“It’s our land,” his father said.
“And they likely have guns,” Matt pointed out.
His mother patted her husband’s hand, and asked Matt, “Will you stay for dinner?”
He hesitated. The Ridge homestead would be full of couples now Tess and Ed had hooked up. Over the past couple of months he’d felt more and more like a third wheel. A night’s reprieve from that would be welcome. “Yeah, that would be great. What can I do to help?”
His father passed over the remaining potatoes with a grin. “Peel.”
Chapter 2
As Georgie reached the kitchen, Faith, Amy and Lara trooped in from their horse ride, all dressed in jeans and loose long-sleeved tops. Ed and Tess pored over the journal at the table and Lara plonked down in the seat next to them.
“Whatcha reading?”
Ed grinned at his young niece. “Lilian Stokes’s journal.”
“What?”
Faith rushed over.
“Georgie found a hidden pocket in the cellar wall,” Ed said.
