Page 94 of Outback Secrets

She gave a few more housekeeping instructions, then turned to her assistant. ‘You ready?’

Susan O’Neil nodded but as she opened her mouth to read out the first name, Ruby held up a hand. ‘Hang on. Where’s Logan? He’s supposed to be taking photos.’

She glanced towards Drew and Mike, who were standing at opposite sides of the marquee looking very official in their uniforms. When they both shrugged, she tried Frankie, who was right at the back next to Henri and Liam.

‘Um?’ Frankie glanced around frantically.

‘He’s here,’ yelled someone across the other side of the crowd.

‘Sorry! Coming!’ Logan shouted and wound his way through the kids to the front.

Ruby glared at him and then gave the nod to Susan to begin.

‘I’ll kill him later,’ Frankie muttered under her breath.

‘What’s going on?’ Henri asked.

Frankie dropped down beside her and spoke quietly so that only Henri and possibly Liam could hear. ‘He’s on the scent of the mysterious benefactor. He was hoping with so many locals in one place, he could talk to a few more people. Did you hear he or she has struck again?’

‘No?’ Henri had been focused on very little but the sex machine kneeling beside her.

Frankie nodded. ‘You know Jim Nash? His house was infested with termites and he couldn’t afford the treatment to get rid of them. Well, on Friday, one of Phil McDonald’s guys just turned up. Told Jim someone had dropped an envelope into Phil’s mailbox with cash for the exact amount and a typed note saying what it was for.’

‘Wow. Hard to track cash, I guess.’

‘Yes, but the benefactor doesn’t always give cash. For the really big amounts, it’s always an anonymous cheque from a bank in Geraldton. Logan’s tried to get the staff to tell him who comes in for the cheques, but of course they won’t.’

‘So, is that what he’s trying to find out now? Who banks in Geraldton? That has to be half the town.’ Although why anyone went into an actual bank when you could do everything online these days, Henri had no clue.

Frankie nodded.

‘Who did Jim tell about his problem?’ Henri whispered, finding this conversation marginally more interesting than the repetitive giving and receiving of presents.

Frankie rolled her eyes and sniggered. ‘Literally everyone. He was in the supermarket and the doctor’s surgery the day he got the quote, complaining about how expensive it was.’

‘And the pub,’ Liam said, confirming he’d been listening. ‘He was mouthing off about it the other night. I gave him a free beer and burger to shut him up.’

‘So, Logan’s really going to try and out this person?’ Henri asked.

‘No, although he agrees with his boss it would make a good story and I think it’s really annoying him not knowing—journalists can’t stand unanswered questions—but he’s decided that if he can pitch a story about all the things the benefactor has done, focusing on the people and groups who’ve received donations, maybe his boss will be happy with that.’

‘You reckon that’ll work?’ Liam asked.

Frankie shrugged. ‘Who knows? But I’m hoping so. I get Logan needs to keep his boss happy, but I don’t really want to upset the apple cart here just before we leave.’

Laughter rippled through the crowd and Henri looked back to the front to see Faith and Monty trying to get Clancy to stay on Ryan’s lap long enough for a photo. The poor toddler looked terrified, and she guessed this would be a story told in their family for years to come.

She slipped her hand into Liam’s and leaned closer to him. ‘Thanks for coming with me, or rather bringing me here.’

He squeezed her hand and met her gaze. ‘You’re welcome. I hope you’re having fun.’

‘I am.’

There was another half-hour of present-giving and at least a dozen kids bursting into tears as soon as they got close to Santa Claus, and then the official part of the event was over and everyone dispersed to various parts of the beach.

Henri was surprised when Stella’s daughter ran up to them and threw her arms around Liam, almost whacking Henri with the bright pink fishing net Santa had given her in the process.

‘Hey there, Heidi girl,’ he said, gently yanking one of her pigtails. ‘How you doing?’