The Cinema at Starlight Creek Read online

  ABOUT ALLI SINCLAIR

  ALLI SINCLAIR, an adventurer at heart, has won multiple awards for her writing. She is Australian and has lived in Argentina, Peru and Canada, and has climbed some of the world’s highest mountains, worked as a tour guide in South and Central America and has travelled the globe. She enjoys immersing herself in exotic destinations, cultures and languages but Australia has always been close to Alli’s heart. Alli hosts retreats for writers and presents writing workshops around Australia, as well as working in film on international projects. She’s a volunteer role model with Books in Homes and is an ambassador for the Fiji Book Drive. Alli’s books explore history, culture, love and grief, and relationships between family, friends and lovers. She captures the romance and thrill of discovering old and new worlds, and loves taking readers on a journey of discovery.

  Alli’s website is. www.allisinclair.com.

  Also by Alli Sinclair

  Luna Tango

  Under the Spanish Stars

  Beneath the Parisian Skies

  Burning Fields

  The Cinema At Starlight Creek

  Alli Sinclair

  www.harlequinbooks.com.au

  For my brother, Dave

  CONTENTS

  About the Author

  Also by Alli Sinclair

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Acknowledgements

  CHAPTER 1

  1994 – Ashton, Queensland

  Claire Montgomery sank against the cushions of the rattan chair on the verandah of the Queenslander guesthouse. Her legs were weary, but her heart was full after a long day filming. She gazed at the moon shining bright in the inky sky—the one constant in her hectic, nomadic life.

  Closing her eyes, Claire allowed the symphony of cicadas to lull her as she inhaled the magnificent scent of the myrtle nearby. Soon she could reward herself with a beach holiday in Bali—a stark contrast to her chaotic life in Melbourne. Not that she’d been in her hometown often since entering the film industry. These days, she spent a vast amount of time flying or driving, scouring the countryside for the perfect location for whatever TV show or movie she was working on at the time. One day, she’d move on to the role she’d dreamed about since she was a child—a documentary producer—although gaining this position had proved way harder than expected.

  Right now, though, she had to concentrate on the job she was employed to do and so the long days of negotiating and troubleshooting whizzed by in a blur. She cherished this rare moment to get her mind and body ready for another day of filming Little Cinema, Big Dreams, a TV mini-series set in the 1930s that dramatised the life of architect Amelia Elliott. Getting permission to film in one of Amelia’s renowned Art Deco cinemas had cemented Claire’s position as location manager for Wattle Films. She’d just been promoted from location assistant and it felt like she’d finally taken one huge step up the rickety ladder she’d been clinging to these past three years.

  She sipped her ice-cold glass of chardonnay. The taut muscles in her neck finally relaxed …

  ‘Claire!’

  She jerked forward. Wine sloshed out of her glass and onto the floorboards. Peering at the figure in the shadows, she spotted her long-time friend from film school, Phil Aitkens. He’d been living his dream of becoming a well-respected cameraman and she loved that they were working together on Little Cinema.

  Phil stood with his hands on his hips.

  ‘What is it?’ She put down the glass and rubbed her eye.

  ‘You need to get your butt down here. Now!’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘Nigel’s on the warpath!’

  ‘What for?’ Claire grabbed her satchel and slung it across her body. So much for a night off. Clunking down the wooden stairs, she made her way to Phil. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘You are never going to believe it.’ He took off and she had to rush to keep up. ‘Actually, you probably will.’

  ‘James has been boozing and started a fight?’

  ‘No, though it does have to do with our leading man.’

  ‘He’s been caught with his pants down?’ She laughed but stopped when she saw Phil’s serious expression. ‘Who with? And why is Nigel in on it?’

  ‘Given that Nigel is the director and James is the actor, Nigel gets to stick his nose in whenever he wants. Especially when James gets caught having sex with the cinema owner’s just-turned-eighteen-year-old daughter.’

  The tension that had slipped from her shoulders returned. ‘Oh no.’

  ‘Oh no, indeed.’

  Claire kept pace with Phil as they hurried towards the cinema. Even a block away she could hear a commotion of deep voices and a high-pitched female one, screeching indecipherably.

  As she drew closer, Claire noticed James slip away from the small cluster of mayhem. He disappeared into a dark laneway.

  Tony Karter, the location assistant, stepped in front of her. ‘Nice mess, Montgomery.’

  ‘It’ll be fixed.’ Claire went around him then stopped. ‘Perhaps you’d like to offer a solution?’

  Tony shrugged and it took all her willpower not to explode. Ever since she’d gotten the promotion over Tony, he’d had it in for her. Her job of location manager was hard enough without having someone like Tony trying to undermine her every move.

  Claire tried to shake off the negativity and approached Nigel, who clenched and unclenched his fists.

  ‘Montgomery, you need to sort this out. He’s threatening to pull out of the contract.’

  ‘The cinema owner?’

  ‘Who else do you think? You need to get him back on board.’ He paused and peered at her over his glasses. ‘I don’t need to tell you the significance of this, do I?’

  Her jaw tightened. Negotiating came naturally to Claire, which is why she was employed to do what she did. Already there’d been challenges along the way, like ensuring production staff didn’t damage property and all the right permits were in place with local municipalities. Though dealing with the irate father of a daughter who had succumbed to the charms of an international playboy was not an everyday affair—thankfully. ‘Where’s Robert?’

  Nigel cocked his head in the direction of the cinema owner, Robert Dennis, whose arms flailed as he yelled, ‘This is a disgrace!’ A few metres away his daughter, Annalise, sobbed in the arms of her mother. Camille Ford, the actress playing the role of Amelia, looked on, her expression one of helplessness. Tony sidled up to Camille and whispered in her ear. They both looked at Claire.

  Steeling herself, she approached Robert who now stared at his feet.

  ‘Robert,’ Claire said quietly. Clearing her throat, she said a little louder, ‘Robert.’

  He looked up, his face creased with anger. ‘I trusted you.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I—’

  �
��Save your apologies. It’s over. I want everyone off my property and out of Ashton by end of tomorrow.’

  ‘Robert, please—’

  ‘Forget it.’ The streetlights reflected in his eyes. ‘She is eighteen. Eighteen. What does she know about the world? How could he do that to her?’

  Since James had broken up with his fiancée six months ago, he hadn’t exactly led a clean and tidy life according to the tabloids. He’d left a trail of booze and women in his wake and his agent, and Nigel, had thought working in remote Queensland might have put James on the straight and narrow. So much for those grand plans.

  Robert rested his face in his hands.

  ‘Robert, I absolutely understand why you’d be upset—’

  ‘Don’t give me your understanding, just get the hell out of here.’ His expression was set hard, his eyes unblinking.

  She drew a long breath. This was the part of her job she dreaded. ‘I really don’t want to remind you about the contract you signed—’

  ‘I don’t give a damn about the contract! You broke that contract when you let my daughter be dazzled and seduced by that playboy!’

  ‘Mr Dennis, if we can just talk about this, find a way—’

  ‘I’m done talking.’ He turned and stormed past his wife and daughter. Annalise’s mother followed him into the cinema while Annalise stood outside, her eyes puffy.

  Claire turned to Annalise. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Everything’s been blown out of proportion,’ Annalise said.

  ‘Just give your dad time to cool off. Maybe he’ll—’

  ‘I’m done for,’ said Annalise. ‘Now he knows I’m not the virginal daughter he thought he had. And he walked in when …’ She gulped back a sob.

  ‘All fathers want to think their girls are pure, even if their daughter is forty.’

  Annalise sniffed. ‘I’ve ruined everything.’

  ‘It’s not your fault.’

  Annalise stared into the distance. ‘I’m not even his type.’

  ‘James’s?’

  ‘Yeah. We’re so different yet …’ She shrugged. ‘We work, you know? I’ve never met anyone like him.’

  ‘James is a great guy, but he’s got a lot going on. I’m sure he wouldn’t deliberately hurt or upset you. It’s just—’

  ‘He’s been nothing but kind and sweet to me!’ Annalise raised her voice, then it softened. ‘We’re in love.’

  Claire wanted to wrap her arms around Annalise, the young girl with stars in her eyes. Her life was so very different to James’s. She’d just finished school and was working in the cinema. James had been acting all over the world since he was fourteen. The pair were a complete mismatch, so how on earth could they ever work as a couple? Claire prayed this wasn’t a one-sided love affair because if so, poor Annalise was about to get her heart trampled on.

  ‘Annalise!’ Robert stood in the doorway of the cinema. ‘In here! Now!’

  She gave Claire a sad smile, then hightailed it into the cinema. The door slammed shut and the lights under the marquee turned off, leaving most of the street in darkness.

  Phil stood beside Claire and gently nudged her with his elbow. ‘Sorted?’

  ‘About as sorted as a bag of pretzels.’

  * * *

  Claire gripped the steering wheel of the ute as she negotiated the winding road that took her out of Ashton and away from the unease in the small town. The beauty of the cane fields, towering eucalyptus trees and rolling hills did nothing to allay her rising anxiety. She’d done her best to negotiate with Robert Dennis, but he’d refused to give in. He didn’t care about the production company’s legal team threatening him, as his pride and willingness to fight for his daughter’s heart overrode everything else. Claire admired his resolve in trying to protect Annalise but if he didn’t rethink things, he’d end up with nothing but the shirt on his back. He was a good man with a lovely family who deserved to catch a break. His cinema had been on the verge of closing until the production company had hired it. A legal battle and knowing about his daughter’s torrid affair were the last things he needed.

  In the meantime, Nigel and the team had rearranged the schedule and started shooting scenes outside Ashton, taking James far, far away from Annalise and her irate father.

  She guided the vehicle north, hoping that each passing kilometre would lead her closer to a solution. But her belief she could fix this problem dwindled dramatically as time wore on. If she couldn’t get a yes from Robert, then plan B had to come through. If it didn’t, then …

  Her mobile phone rang, and she jumped. Would she ever get used to being contactable on the road? Although it was convenient not having to find public phone booths every step of the way.

  Pulling over to the side of the road, she answered.

  ‘Hello?’ She was met with intense crackling. ‘Hello?’

  ‘It’s me,’ Phil said through the noise. ‘So … any luck?’

  ‘I’m ten minutes away.’ Claire took a long swig from her drink bottle. ‘Please tell me you’re ringing to say Robert’s changed his mind.’

  Silence.

  ‘Phil?’

  A distant voice came down the line. ‘No chance.’

  She didn’t know why she’d thought it would be any different. ‘How’s Annalise?’

  ‘She’s fine. Furious with her father. Embarrassed.’ Phil faded in and out. ‘Swears that she seduced James and not the other way around. I have a feeling it was fifty-fifty.’

  ‘But she’s okay? She’s not traumatised?’

  ‘She’s fine, don’t worry.’ Phil paused. ‘I hate to say it, but everything is—’

  ‘Up to me, I know.’ The incessant headache she’d endured for the past twelve hours reminded her exactly how dire this situation was. ‘So, none of the location scouts have had any luck?’

  Crackle. Crackle. Weren’t these mobile phones supposed to make her job easier?

  ‘Not a thing. It appears that the only other surviving cinema is the one in Starlight Creek.’

  ‘I’ll call you once I find it. Hey,’ she said, ‘thanks for being such a great support.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t I? You spend all your time helping everyone else, it’s about time something went your way—I just hope it’s in time. Good luck!’

  ‘I’m going to need it.’

  * * *

  The scent of eucalyptus flowed through the open window as Claire drove past trees and sugarcane swaying in the gentle breeze. A flock of bright green parakeets squawked as they flew in changing formation, dipping and rising across the clear sky. Stoic wooden Queenslanders sat back from the road, their beauty reminding Claire why she loved this region so much. The hot and humid days were a stark contrast to Melbourne’s dry summers and cold, wet winters.

  She passed a beautiful old red-brick building that hinted at secrets behind its dark brown doors, while the next property had gigantic metal sheds that reflected the sun and dominated the landscape. A stench of burnt caramel filled the air as she crossed the rail tracks that brought cane from the farms to the mill.

  Farther down the road was the Starlight Creek township sign. It leaned heavily to the left, its paint peeling. The numbers stating the population had been spray-painted over with leave while you can. Any other time Claire would have found it amusing but the current pressure had quashed her ability to find anything humorous.

  Her chest tightened, and the headache returned once more.

  Slowing the vehicle down, she drove through the main street, surprised at how rundown most of the shops and buildings appeared. The haberdashery store’s corrugated iron roof was rusted, and the materials in the window were faded floral prints. The newsagent’s had a Coca-Cola sign that looked like it was from the 1970s and the bakery needed a good slap of paint. She reached the end of the shops and did a U-turn, taking her time driving back in case she’d missed the cinema. Surely a cinema would stand out in a town like this. Where on earth was it? Or had it been torn down just like the others?
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br />   Bright colours caught her eye and she pulled over, taken by a rainbow of ribbons, spinning mobiles and lush plants in ceramic pots. Claire got out of the car and looked for traffic. The road was deserted. She quickly crossed over to the shop and was immediately drawn to a collection of metal sculptures of native animals and bas relief murals.

  Claire gently touched the grey, shiny metal, her fingers relishing the coolness.

  ‘They are spectacular, no?’ asked a short woman with thick, black, unruly hair. She stepped out from behind the counter and stood next to Claire. The woman gently touched a life-sized wallaby. ‘Such talent.’

  ‘They’re incredible.’ Claire had spent many hours wandering through galleries and art shops throughout Australia when travelling for work, but these sculptures were nothing like she’d seen before. It was as if the pieces had a living spirit. She could spend hours studying each groove, every curve … What on earth was she doing? Since when did she have time to dawdle? Turning to the woman, Claire said, ‘I’m hoping you can help me.’

  ‘Which one do you want?’

  ‘Oh!’ Claire looked longingly at the bas relief of vines and butterflies. ‘Sorry, I don’t have time to shop right now. I’m looking for the cinema.’

  ‘The Fitzpatrick cinema?’

  ‘Maybe?’ She’d tried to find it on the map, but the cinema was as elusive as the Tasmanian tiger.

  ‘It’s the only one in town but it hasn’t operated in years.’ The woman walked out the shop door and pointed down the street. ‘It’s right on the edge of town. Go this way and it is on your right.’

  ‘But it’s still standing?’ Hope clawed to the surface.

  ‘You’ll need to see for yourself.’

  The woman went back into the shop and Claire stared down the street. In a few minutes she’d know the fate of the mini-series and, quite possibly, her career.

  After jumping into the ute, Claire turned on the engine and reversed. She changed gear, took a deep breath and headed down the street past more faded shops, some boarded up. Starlight Creek had an odd feeling, not quite a ghost town but certainly not buzzing with energy like Ashton. There were no mothers with prams, elderly gentlemen with dogs, not even a group of kids hanging out on a street corner. Where was the sense of community?