Forest Shadows (18 page)

‘Evelyn Grimshaw, Mr Quigley, you are under arrest for attempted robbery.'

‘N-not me,' Quigley stammered. Tiny moisture drops sprayed from his mouth. ‘I-I've been attacked by a praying mantis. N-no, two praying mantises th-that stank. They were huge and green a-and they wanted to eat us.'

The constable, dismissing Quigley's gibberish as a rather pathetic attempt to avoid arrest, handcuffed the pair of them and read them their rights. He then patted them down, searching for weapons. Satisfied, he straightened and stepped back a pace.

At that moment, Reg materialised from behind the car. ‘Hello, you two. We meet again I see.'

Evelyn glared at him. ‘Why couldn't you mind your own business, Carter? You and those kids!'

Joe took over. He walked Evelyn and Quigley to the police car and sat them in the back seat. Looking back, he called out to Reg. ‘They tell me they've been staying in a motel, and they haven't checked out yet, so let's go have a look. They could have left something there, some incriminating evidence perhaps. Use their car and follow me.'

Evelyn and Quigley were still muttering about praying mantises when they were escorted into the reception area of the Western Motel. After being given the keys by a speechless receptionist, the same one as before, they all proceeded to the first room.

‘What's this?' Collins asked, holding a book up and showing it to Quigley. ‘What's this doing in your room? And don't tell me it was for light reading.'

Quigley pushed himself forward, his eyes frantic and staring like a zombie. Reg held him back. ‘I-it belongs to me. I-it's a book on fishing,' Quigley stammered. ‘That's all.'Reg held out a hand. ‘Could I see that?' He rifled through the pages. Nothing. He held up the book. ‘I can't help wondering why you'd want this, Mr Quigley. We both know you had no intention of going fishing.'

‘I don't think so either,' Joe said. ‘In fact, I think a more thorough search of your person would be in order.' He took a step towards Quigley.

‘No, no. That w-won't be necessary.' Still shaking, he fumbled in his pockets, looking for the treasure map. He found it at last and thrust it towards the constable. ‘H-here. T-this is what you're looking for. Y-you'd find it anyway.'

‘My, my, what's this?' the constable said, screwing up his face. A riddle?' He turned the sheet over. ‘And a map? What do they mean?'

Reg spoke up. ‘I can explain, but it's a long story. I'll tell you back at the station.' He saw the bewildered look on Joe's face. ‘For now, let's just say it's about an old Chinese man, a treasure, a crystal called realgar and a Mr Yao, who died after getting wet from climbing a waterfall.'

‘And Quigley was part of all that?'

Reg laughed. ‘I guess so. In a way, he's had a part in solving a case – the mysterious death of Yao Ming.'

The policeman, Evelyn and Quigley all looked mystified.

‘W-will there be a reward?' Quigley asked.

Reg laughed. ‘You never know, Mr Quigley. You never know.'

I
t had gone three o'clock by the time Jim and the others joined Irene and Madeline, who were sitting in the Harbour cafe, drinking coffee. Jars, Snook and Quenton squeezed in next to them. Jim and Arnie remained standing. Irene pushed her cup aside. ‘Tell us exactly. What happened out there in the forest? And don't leave anything out.' She looked at each in turn, stopping when her eyes met her husband's.

He was quick to react. ‘I wasn't there. Reg and the kids know more than I do. You'd be better asking them.' He glanced at his watch. ‘Look, the time's getting on and I have to catch up with the processors. They owe me for the catch. Plus, I'd like to get
The Shandora
home before dark.' He looked at his wife and Madeline. ‘So Arnie and I'll leave you to it. We'll be back to say goodbye. Okay?' He started for the door but after seeing the dark looks that both women were giving him, he paused. ‘The kids will tell you everything on the ride home.'

Irene knew her husband. He was feeling guilty. So he should, she told herself. Leaving the kids in a strange forest like that, expecting Reg to look after them. Her husband knows what Snook's like, a magnet for trouble, an ailment that seems to find him more often than not. Raising her eyebrows, she gave Madeline a questioning glance. Her friend nodded her understanding. ‘Very well,' Irene said to her husband, ‘we'll take the kids back with us and we'll see you when you get back to Cray Bay.'

Looking relieved, Jim turned to Arnie. ‘You go and get the boat ready. I'll join you in a few minutes, as soon as I collect our cheque.'

‘Wh-what about R-Reg?' Arnie asked. ‘H-he's hasn't come back from s-seeing that p-policeman.'

‘He shouldn't be much longer; we'll wait for him at the boat.'

Jars prodded Snook. ‘We have to take the crystals back to the jewellery shop. Donald & Sons, I think it was called.'

‘What're we gonna tell this Donald fellah though? I mean we can't say some aliens gave 'em to us. Who's gonna believe that?'

‘We could tell the truth, that we discovered them in the forest.'

‘Or maybe he'd be that pleased to get them back he wouldn't care where we got them. Anyway, I'll go hand them over and see what happens. I won't be long, the shop's practically next door.'

Snook's mum and Mrs Quigley gathered their handbags and hunted for change to pay for their drinks. Snook slipped out of his seat and hurried out of the door.

Maybe the shop would be empty, he told himself on the way to the jewellers'. If it was, he'd leave the crystals on the counter and take off. That'd save him trying to answer a lot of awkward questions. Then a thought struck him, something he'd forgotten. They'd have to think of a plan for Pearson's stuff, too. They couldn't just hand it back. Twitchy would still think they'd stolen it. They'd have to think of another way to take the stones back, a way that would be convincing. Otherwise Twitchy would throw the book at them. He was like that.

Snook came to the shop and burst through the door. Joy of joys, it was empty.

I
rene climbed into the driver's seat of the station wagon. Madeline sat next to her. Snook and Quenton piled into the back. Jars, still clutching the gemstones, was the last to get in, except for Shadow that is. He leaped in after them and settled on the floor.

‘Wait for it,' Snook whispered to Jars. ‘The grilling'll start soon.'

He was right. As soon as they were underway, Snook's mother, keeping her eyes on the road, half-turned and said, ‘Righto! We're ready to hear your story. What happened out there? And we want to hear it from the beginning.' Quenton's mother nodded in agreement, turning to stare at her son.

With his mother's eyes boring into his, Quenton was the first to speak. ‘There was this Chinese man who tried to scare us. He said that aliens had landed in the forest and that they were dangerous. Then we found this treasure …' His voice went quiet. ‘My dad tried to steal it.'

The women exchanged puzzled looks. Irene turned to Snook and Jars. ‘What about you two? What can you tell us?'

‘Ask Jars,' Snook said giving her a prod. ‘She knows the most.'

For the next half-hour, Jars, with lots of interruptions and questions from her aunt and Mrs Quigley, told them all that had happened. The bit about Mr Twichette and how he'd accused them of stealing, almost made Snook choke. He wouldn't have gone that far.

‘Stealing! He accused you and Snook of stealing!' her aunt exclaimed, taking her eyes off the road for a second. ‘That's ridiculous. Just wait till I see that headmaster!' The car swerved to the centre of the road.

‘Hey, Mum, watch it!' Snook yelled.

‘Sorry,' she said, straightening up. ‘But he'll soon change his tune when you take everything back.'

‘That's the problem,' Jars said. ‘We can't just hand them over. He'll still think we took them.'

‘Surely not,' Madeline said.

‘He will,' Snook said. ‘He's got a twisted mind has Twitchy, but don't worry, I've been thinkin' and I've got a plan.'

‘What's that?' Jars asked feeling a thud in her belly. ‘What have you got in that crazy mind of yours now? You're not going to get us into trouble again, are you?'

‘Dunno about that, but I know one thing for sure; we're gonna pay Twitchy back for not listenin' to us!'

Jars' mind raced. What was her cousin up to now?

J
im, Arnie and Reg berthed
The Shandora
at the Cray Bay jetty then made their way to the Kelly household. It was barely 9.00pm. The rest of the Kellys plus Mrs Quigley and Quenton were sitting in the living room waiting for them.

‘The kids told us what went on in that forest and I have to tell you Madeline and I were shocked,' Irene said when her husband, followed by Reg and Arnie, joined them.

Jim found a seat. ‘I gotta tell you I was a bit shaken, too. I mean, who would have thought … I'm sorry if …' Reg cut him off. ‘Look, I'm the one who should be sorry. I had no idea things would get so … so messy. I only wanted a few days' break and thought the kids would, too. And with Mr Yao dying from arsenic poisoning, well, if I hadn't heard Wu Han talking about his rock collection and the realgar, I would never have made the arsenic-realgar connection. Not in a hundred years.'

‘Is that what really killed him?' Snook asked.

‘Yes, the police got onto it straightaway. There were traces of realgar on his clothing.

‘Well, I guess it's all over now,' Irene said.

‘Sort of,' Reg said. ‘But not for the crooks. When Constable Collins and I got back to town, the sergeant was all set to take them to the holding cell in Queenstown. From there it would be the court in Burnie.'

All the talk of thieves and police was starting to get on Snook's goat. He got up from his seat. ‘What about the fishin', Dad? Did you get many cray?'

‘Yep! There were plenty in the new grounds. We got our quota.' He put his arm around his deckhand's shoulders. ‘That's right, eh, Arnie?' Arnie grinned and coloured a little.

Quenton's mother looked at the living room clock. ‘My, it's nearly ten,' she exclaimed. ‘We'd better be off.' She and Quenton said their goodbyes and headed for the car, which was parked outside.

It was getting rather late and when Jars' uncle suggested that it was time to hit the sack, she was pleased. She felt dog-tired.

TUESDAY

T
he breeze, blowing from the ocean, smelled of salt and decaying seaweed when Jars and Snook, school bags strapped to their backs, made their way to the school bus stop. Snook was carrying an extra bag. It had Mr Pearson's missing goods in it.

As always, Shadow trotted alongside them as far as the bus stop. He liked to see them off, although he whimpered when they left. He knew the routine though, and always turned for home when the bus was out of sight.

Jars gave Snook a prod as they boarded the bus. ‘Are you going to tell me, or what?' Snook said nothing. During yesterday's car ride and that evening, Snook had refused to divulge his plan. It was his secret.

When they were seated, Jars asked him again, not because of curiosity but from worry. Snook's plan, whatever it was, could very easily blow up in their faces. They often did.

‘Like I told you, it's gonna be a surprise, but I'll tell you one thing. On the first day of every week, Twitchy always has a staff meeting before school.'

‘So?'

‘This is the first mornin' of the week.'

‘And?'

‘That's all I'm tellin' you.'

Jars' lips turned down in a pretend pout as, in a playful way, she said, ‘I'll go all
sooky sooky na-na
on you if you don't tell me.'

Snook laughed. ‘Don't worry, you'll find out pretty soon. It's all gonna take place in. .' He turned and looked behind, scowling. ‘They're still at it,' he mumbled under his breath, ‘still gossipin' and blamin' us. Well, we'll see about that. Just wait and see.'

They all hopped off the bus into the schoolyard. Snook waved the bag of precious stones in front of Jars. ‘Take a last look. It's payback time.' He turned and raced towards the quadrangle where several of the older students were standing in groups, talking and joking among themselves.

It was 8.40 am. He had plenty of time to put his plan together. He dodged around the other kids, who were generally just hanging around waiting for the school bell. He scanned the grounds, looking for two of his mates, Shrimp Sidebottom and Skinny Watson.

Shrimp was a legend. He was also the smallest student in Year 10 … in actual body size, that is. In other ways, he excelled. In fact, in the general scheme of school life, he was a star, not because of his scholastic or sporting ability, but because of something else, greatly admired by all … by all the students that is, not the teachers. Despite his appearance, socks around the ankles, shirt hanging out and school tie loose about his neck, Shrimp's greatness came from one major thing. He was game for anything, especially if it involved bucking the system. That's why the teachers didn't like him. To them he was a troublemaker, a larrikin, one to be watched.

Then there was Skinny Watson. As low-fat as skimmed milk and decidedly unhealthy-looking, he was Shrimp's offsider. They did everything together, including any shady deals that were in the offing, and like Shrimp, he was game for anything. He tapped his mate on the shoulder. ‘Snook's headin' our way. I wonder what he wants.'

‘What's up?' Shrimp asked when Snook drew to a halt alongside them.

Skinny, almost camouflaged by the verandah post he was leaning on, pushed clear. ‘Yeah, what's up?'