Down Among the Dead Men (Entangled Ignite) Read Online Free PDF Page B

rock from one area and leave an overhang, for instance. They have no regard for the miners’ lives, so in return, the miners don’t waste any sympathy on them. I’ve heard of houses being bombed on suspicion of ratters living there. Gelignite justice, it’s called.”
    Caitlyn gasped.
    “In fact, if you’re under suspicion of being a ratter, it’s better to leave town and disappear rather than wait around to be proven innocent.”
    Had Wally left town to save his neck? It was a possibility from the sound of it. But what about his daughter’s safety? He sank even lower in her estimation. Even if he was innocent, he’d done the wrong thing in leaving Max alone to face the consequences of his actions.
    “Will this help you?”
    She nodded, but as she lifted her glass, her hand shook. Max hadn’t told anyone her father had gone, which meant she could have been at risk at any time. She hoped their story about Wally going away would make people think twice about burning the house down. They wouldn’t target innocent family members, surely?
    “Is there anything else you want to know?”
    “I don’t understand how the ratters know when someone has found opal. Surely the miners don’t go around telling everyone?”
    “No, they certainly don’t. But ratters are observant. They see who has opal to sell to the gem buyers who travel here from the cities. They notice who has money to spend on new furniture or appliances. Anything out of the ordinary attracts attention.”
    She couldn’t resist a furtive glance around. Could any of the pub’s customers be ratters? More to the point, would any of the pub’s customers blow up the servo?
    She turned back to Dale. She felt she could trust him, felt secure talking to him. Max seemed to like him, too. Maybe she should have faith in her own instincts and ask him for help?
    He leaned closer. “Can I ask you something?”
    She nodded.
    “Have you struck opal?”
    “Me? No, no. Nothing like that.” She shook her head.
    He sat back. “What is it, then? Why do you look so scared? Are you in some sort of trouble?”
    “Yes, but it’s not because of something I’ve done.” She hesitated, but the concern in his eyes convinced her to continue. “I kind of stumbled into it, and now I think I’m in over my head.”
    He sat forward. “You can’t just walk away?”
    “No.” God, she would if she could.
    “Well, I don’t know if I can help but, if you want to talk to someone about it…” He shrugged. “I’ll listen.”
    “I don’t know who I can trust.”
    His eyes narrowed. “No, you don’t. It’s good to be cautious.”
    She swallowed, and sent up a silent prayer that she was doing the right thing. “Wally has disappeared.”
    “What are you talking about? I thought he’d gone away and asked you to look after Max?”
    “That’s what we’re telling people, but actually, Max thinks he might have been ratting.” She kept her voice low, and shielded her mouth with her hand to prevent anyone lip-reading. “She thinks something might have happened to him.”
    His voice was neutral when he said, “What does she think happened?”
    “I don’t know exactly. She’s told me something vague about the night he left, but she doesn’t know anything for sure.”
    “Did he tell you where he was going when he asked you to look after Max?”
    “I haven’t had any contact with my father since I was eight years old.”
    His eyes widened. “Then how did you come to be involved?”
    “Pure fluke. I came up here looking for him, but I didn’t know he owned the servo. I drove in looking for help with the car, only it turned out that Max needed help as much as I did.”
    “Crikey.” After a moment’s silence he said, “I’ll get some more drinks.”
    She handed him her empty glass. While she waited, some instinct told her she was being watched. She turned her head and sure enough, Michael Peterson was staring at her from the next table, and not in an appreciative