The Turnaround Treasure Shop Read Online Free PDF

‘You work at the stables at weekends, don’t you?’ he asked.
    â€˜Yeah.’ She looked down at the buckled front wheel of her lifeline. ‘Or, I did.’
    Nick hauled the bike into the tray of the ute. ‘I can fix the wheel for you. Nothing’s impossible.’
    â€˜Thank you very much.’
    Nick liked the way her green eyes sparked in pleasure. He wondered if her mother’s eyes did the same. He wondered how much pleasure Lily had in her life. ‘If you work,’ he told Janie-Louise as they both got into the ute, ‘you ought to be able to put some money aside and buy a cage for your budgie — if you get it.’
    â€˜Oh, I will. Soon as I’ve saved for my ereader. Do you read?’
    Nick nodded. ‘Quite a bit.’
    â€˜How many books have you got on your ereader?’
    Nick opened his mouth to answer but Janie-Louise cut him off.
    â€˜I’ve got two hundred and forty-seven books lined up for mine. I’ll only be able to afford two or three books to begin with though.’
    â€˜Do you use the library?’ Nick asked.
    She pulled a face. ‘They’ve only got knitting and kissing books at the moment.’
    Nick couldn’t hold onto his laugh. ‘You don’t like the kissing books?’
    â€˜Too young. Mum said it’ll be another couple of years before I start looking at boys and hoping for yucky kisses. You don’t know much about 12-year-old girls, do you?’ she added, with a quaint look of shock on her face.
    Nick shook his head. ‘Not much.’
    â€˜I’ll fill you in on the way home.’
    â€˜Thanks. Do you think I should take notes?’
    She skimmed a sidelong glance down his torso, his cargo-pants and his boots ‘What did you do in the Navy?’
    â€˜I was a clearance diver.’ He said it softly, almost beneath his breath.
    â€˜A what diver?’
    He pulled himself up. ‘I can hold my breath a long time.’
    â€˜What good does that do you?’
    He threw her a grin. ‘Nothing. I’m just showing off.’
    She paused a moment longer than usual and Nick knew what was coming next.
    â€˜Did you shoot anyone?’
    He paused before answering. He could say no, but lying wasn’t the right thing to do to a 12 year old who was seeking knowledge about the real world.
    Captain Barton. Tactical Assault Group. Waterborne. Usual place of work — a 16,000 tonne warship or a fast insertion boat — anywhere explosive ordnance disposal or mine counter measures were required.
    Not much need for that around here. Thank God. ‘I was in areas of war,’ he said. ‘And things get seriously nasty before, during and after wars.’
    â€˜I bet you did shoot someone.’ She sighed. ‘I’m going to be a vet.’
    Nick put the ute into gear and spun the vehicle in a U-turn. ‘Good idea, landlubber.’ He’d joined the Navy when he was 18, game but green. There was nothing wrong with being in the forces, but after everything he’d seen he couldn’t rightly say he’d want any kids of his to go to war. As he wouldn’t be having kids of his own, he supposed the dilemma wouldn’t arise.
    â€˜Don’t you do a lot of babysitting?’ he asked, changing the subject.
    â€˜Yeah, but I don’t get paid for that.’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜It’s part of the Support to Survive program. Mum says we have to give our time and efforts freely.’
    Nick knew about the program. Started by the town committee a couple of years back, encouraging the townspeople to give and support others by committing themselves to volunteering for community jobs, like Keep Australia Clean day or visiting the older residents, doing their shopping each week or reading to them. Whatever was needed.
    â€˜Mum does her bit with the empty shop and the library and the museum.’
    So Lily didn’t get paid for those jobs. He’d