The Girl in the Hard Hat Read Online Free PDF

than she was anywhere else.
    But dark-haired Hector, the welder, with two toes missing on his right foot, a taste for red dust on his boots, and a bag on his back, seemed more like an Aussie myth than a miner with a daughter he’d never met.

The air conditioning in her car had long since died. So Wendy wound the windows down and cranked up a CD player, revelling in the freedom of the open road. The stark red space sported more shrubs than trees. Families of kangaroos bounced between them looking for food. It was nearly dusk and they were just starting to become more active. Some of the tension that had wound around her heart loosened as the Pilbara took over.
    A couple of CDs later, she turned her car into her hotel car park and was surprised to see her uncle waiting for her there, leaning against the side of a Barnes Inc ute that needed a good wash. He was still in his uniform. Pale blue shirt. Navy pants.
    She jumped out of her car. ‘Uncle Mike, what are you doing here?’
    He looked decidedly cranky. But then Uncle Mike always looked cranky. He was shorter than her, bald and heading towards a pot belly. She reckoned that he must frown often with those lines etched so deeply into his forehead.
    ‘What the hell happened?’
    ‘W-what?’ she faltered.
    He pushed off the side of his car and put his hands on his hips. ‘Dan Hullog was supposed to give you a job, so why on earth am I hearing rumours that a TCN spy is now working with us?’
    She lifted her chin. ‘They’re not rumours. Dan didn’t have a job for me so he helped me get one at Barnes Inc.’
    ‘That wasn’t the deal,’ he ground out.
    ‘Well, then you shouldn’t play dirty.’ She glared at him and he had the grace to redden.
    ‘Told you about that, did he?’
    ‘I don’t appreciate being part of some scam you’re running.’
    ‘It’s not a scam,’ he retorted. ‘I want to help you.’
    ‘Then why didn’t you get me the job at Barnes Inc instead of some dodgy deal over at TCN?’
    ‘Well, for one thing, I didn’t know about it and for another, do you think I want to be accused of nepotism? You better not have told anyone that you’re my niece.’
    The jab hurt, particularly because she’d told him a couple of weeks ago that she’d found out she wasn’t really his niece. She’d been hoping for a kind word, maybe a bit of information that she hadn’t already discovered. But he’d been as cold as the rest of the family, if not colder.
    ‘Don’t worry,’ she muttered sarcastically. ‘I’m not in the habit of lying.’
    His eyes narrowed. ‘Just because my brother isn’t your real father doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.’
    She tossed her head. ‘I’ll be the judge of that.’
    ‘You’re right.’ He glared at her. ‘It’s none of my business. In fact, I wish you hadn’t told me. The last thing I need is a female with issues on my back.’
    She gasped.
    He spread his hands with callous indifference. ‘Being adopted is not a big deal. You should be grateful that you had a roof over your head and food on your plate.’
    His complete and utter lack of sensitivity was like a slap in the face.
    ‘I can’t believe you just said that.’
    ‘Well, believe it.’ He nodded and turned as though he were about to get back into his vehicle. ‘I’ll see you when I see you.’
    She decided to throw her own dart out there. ‘It’ll probably be at dinner tomorrow.’
    He started. ‘W-what?’
    ‘I’ll be living in the camp.’
    ‘What for?’ he barked, spinning back with surprising speed.
    She folded her arms crossly. ‘Well, I can’t live in this motel: it’s too expensive and also inconvenient. I don’t want to drive forty minutes every day to get to work by six am. I’d have to get up at four!’
    ‘So get a house in Wickham!’ he cried. ‘That town is five minutes from site.’
    ‘What’s wrong with the camp?’
    ‘It’s not safe.’
    ‘Why wouldn’t it be safe?’
    ‘There’s no women there.’
    ‘I