The Reef (50 page)

‘Wait till Tina comes back. She won't like it if Jenny has done that. And she won't like it if we leave her here.'

By the time the doctor arrived at Isobel's Lizzie had delivered the baby with Isobel supporting Jennifer.

‘A girl! Bella, bella, I knew it was!' cried Isobel, hugging Jennifer, who couldn't believe the exquisite infant Lizzie placed at her breast.

‘A little light, but sound. Well done, ladies,' commented the doctor, after examining the baby and Jennifer.

‘What are you going to call her?' asked Lizzie, making a notation on her file.

Jennifer smiled at Isobel. ‘Why, Bella, of course.'

The doctor was leaving the big white bungalow as Don, Vi and Christina hurried up the steps to the verandah.

‘Ah, family. Hello, Mrs Campbell. Congratulations.'

‘You mean it's
here?
It's all over?'

‘Mother and child doing splendidly.'

‘So what did she have?' squealed Vi.

‘A little girl. She was lucky she got back to dry land when she did. Good evening.'

Jennifer was sleeping as Isobel settled Christina, Vi and Don in the sitting room.

‘I'm making Lizzie a pot of coffee. Would you like some, or tea? Or champagne?' asked Isobel.

‘Can't we see the baby?' asked Vi.

‘Of course. Jennifer is exhausted. More from the trip than the labour. I'll bring Bella out so we don't wake her.'

‘Bella? Bella? She's not naming the child that!' exclaimed Christina.

‘You mean like Isabella? I think it's pretty,' said Vi.

‘It means beautiful in Italian. I think it suits her. She's beautiful,' Isobel said over her shoulder.

She reappeared, holding a small bundle in a pink shawl, and Christina bit back tears. Part of her was angry at Isobel being there and holding her granddaughter before her, but, as Isobel placed Bella in Christina's arms, she could only stare at the sleeping baby in wonder.

Vi cooed and touched the downy head, and Don couldn't stop grinning.

‘Careful, Vi, don't wake her up. Hmm, Jennifer did well,' announced Christina.

‘She's a jewel,' said Isobel.

‘Can I have a hold?' asked Vi as the phone rang.

‘That might be Blair. I've been trying to reach him.' Isobel hurried away.

‘Shall we just run out the door and steal this precious little thing?' laughed Vi. ‘Oh my, oh my.' She planted a kiss on the baby's cheek.

‘Now, Vi, be careful. Germs. Give her back to me.' Christina took command. ‘The sooner we can get her and Jennifer back home, the sooner we can all look her over.'

‘Ooh, she's going to be cuddled and cuddled,' sighed Vi, wishing she'd had children and could luxuriate in being a grandmother.

‘Vi, we will not be spoiling this baby,' said Christina firmly. ‘And I certainly hope Blair doesn't go along with this Bella business.'

Isobel came back into the room. ‘That was Tony, he is very happy and relieved. Seems they had a bit of an adventure out there.' Isobel decided not to spoil the moment with Tony's news about what had happened.

When everyone had left, Isobel tiptoed into Jennifer's room and looked down at the sleeping child in the carry cot next to the bed.

‘She's beautiful, isn't she?' Jennifer rolled over, leaning her head on the side of the bed.

‘She is, of course,' said Isobel. ‘Your family were here. Your mama does not like the name Isabella.'

‘It's Bella. She'll have to get used to it,' smiled Jennifer. ‘Did you speak to Blair?'

‘Not yet. Tony rang. He is very, very happy. And proud of you.'

‘Is there any news of
Kicking Back?
Have they caught them?'

‘He said they wouldn't know for a few hours. He was very brave doing what he did.'

‘Was a bit drastic. I'll have a story to tell Bella about the night she was born.' Jennifer paused. ‘Isobel, it was strange. That trip over. I suppose I was hallucinating or out of it a bit, but I kept imagining I was in the water again . . . I kept seeing all these sea creatures, imagining Gideon's fish was there in the boat with me, talking to me. Now what the hell does that mean?' She laughed, but her eyes held questions.

‘Who am I to say? Perhaps at times, emotional times, we see things . . . that fish is Gideon, the wise old man. The grandpapa you wish for Bella. Your past is linked to the sea, and so is your future, Jenny. We shall talk about this more. Another time. You still have unanswered questions in your heart.' She reached down as the baby stirred and whimpered and lifted her to Jennifer's arms. ‘She is hungry.'

‘So am I. My last meal was the picnic on the boat . . . God, how long ago does that seem!'

Finally, scraping over the reef, the
Kicking Back
had made its rendezvous at sea with the rusting, stained old freighter. The transfer of the cartons in a rope sling had been swift if precarious. Gordon had been the one to make the perilous climb up the metal ladder to negotiate payment. Holding, Fanzio and Willsy watched anxiously.

The two crew, one with a sore head, held the
cruiser in position as the two craft wallowed in the swell. Gordon appeared on the deck and gave a thumbs-up.

‘Did you check the stuff? Make sure it's pure,' yelled Willsy.

The sling was lowered with large cartons wrapped in plastic.

Gordon climbed back down and jumped onto the deck. ‘It's good stuff. No worries, mate,' he mimicked Willsy.

The painter rope was disentangled from the oily freighter and the engines got under way.
Kicking Back
revved up and sped through the dark water the way it had come. The crew were told to remain on deck in the flying bridge. Even with the rush of wind and water they could hear the raised voices. Holding was shouting. Especially at Fanzio.

‘Listen, you're in this! All the way. You can't be half bloody pregnant,' yelled Fanzio.

‘When we started in on this it was a straight sale of collectible species. Not bloody drug-running and money laundering,' Holding said.

‘You weren't knocking back your share of the profits. So you share the risks too.'

‘It's too risky. I want my money and out. No more.'

Fanzio stepped away. ‘Gordon, get over here.'

‘He won't talk, don't worry,' said Gordon in a low voice to Fanzio.

‘I'll give him what cash we've got on board as a down-payment. We keep the stuff. But I don't
want him to know where it goes. We have to keep him quiet, frighten him a bit so he won't talk,' Fanzio said.

‘Get Willsy to rough him up,' said Gordon.

‘No, too obvious. Where's that poison stuff you got? Jab him with that. It knocked out that other bloke in the lab, didn't it?'

‘Shit, we don't know how strong it is. thought it'd be worth experimenting with it on animals as a knock-out drug. Untraceable too, as no one knows what it is. Rudi conked out just breathing fumes of it.'

‘So, experiment. Shut the bastard up. He's running shit-scared. We don't need this right now.'

‘What's happening?' Willsy joined them. ‘I don't trust Holding. Is this an act he's bunging on, or is he for real? If he doesn't get his share he'll talk to someone, believe me.'

‘Pour drinks, keep him quiet and occupied. Gordon will handle it, won't you?'

The young man shrugged. ‘Whatever you say.'

Holding sat cradling his drink, watching Willsy and Fanzio as they opened a box and unwrapped a small parcel of white powder wrapped in thick plastic. Willsy tipped a scoop of the powder into a metal dish over the small flame of a gas bottle.

‘Just testing the strength. This will cut down real nice.'

As Holding watched intently, Gordon sat at the table next to him. Holding didn't see the syringe in Gordon's hand until it was too late.

His Scotch went flying as he leapt up, rubbing his arm. ‘What the fuck! You're not injecting me with that stuff . . .' His eyes rolled as a wave of nausea hit him and his knees went.

Gordon caught him and laid him on the seat bench. ‘Out like a light.'

‘For how long? What's in that thing?' asked Willsy.

‘Damned if I know. When I heard what happened to that guy at the research station I figured it might be useful,' grinned Gordon. ‘So what's the plan now? What do we tell the boys upstairs?'

‘Those pricks on Cookshead must've come in by boat. They'll be in Headland by now if they had any kind of navigation gear with them,' said Fanzio. ‘We go back to Cookshead, find their boat, put the stuff in it, and you and Willsy take the boat to Branch. If they've notified the cops they'll be looking for this boat. We'll be clean.'

‘What about him?' Willsy pointed at the slumped Holding.

‘Too much grog, sleeping it off. Or heart attack, or something. See how he goes.'

‘I'll tell the boys,' said Willsy.

‘You sure you can trust your blokes?' asked Fanzio.

Willsy grinned. ‘This isn't their first deal going down. They're greedy. They'll want more. They're sweet.'

Tony hadn't been to bed. His eyes were bloodshot and he was tired as he sat in the small office in the customs shed at the waterfront, listening to the crackling conversation between the patrol boat and the police search and rescue plane.

‘There's only one boat in the vicinity they could have made a rendezvous with . . . a freighter. Got Chinese characters on her stern.'

‘That'd be the one,' said Tony. ‘Where's the cruiser
Kicking Back?
'

‘Making for Headland Bay or thereabouts by the look.'

‘Get a search warrant. She'll have illegal cargo for sure.'

The customs official looked at Tony. ‘That's not easy.'

Very early the next morning Tony rang Rosie and told her about the baby, and all that had happened. ‘Sorry to wake you but thought you'd like to know the whole story.'

‘Bloody hell,' said Rosie when he'd finished. ‘What do I do if any of them lob back in here?'

‘Nothing. You know nothing. But I'd tell Patch to keep his head down. They know he's been talking to me. And what he's told me is crucial evidence now.'

When
Kicking Back
made it back to the Headland marina the ambulance Fanzio had called was waiting. Everyone assumed Holding had had a heart attack.

Then lawyers in suits appeared and Fanzio made outraged comments to the media about the ‘wild' rumours and ‘illegal' search of the company boat during which nothing untoward had been found.

As the weather cleared Tony caught the chopper over to Branch later that morning.

‘You look dreadful,' said Rosie.

‘No sleep. I'm still chasing loose ends.'

‘Listen, grab a room and have a kip. When you're ready we'll have a meal. No one is going anywhere.'

‘I have to get Lloyd's boat back. I just hope those bastards didn't sink it.'

‘Later. Come on, I'll get my new assistant manager to show you to an empty suite.'

Tony raised an eyebrow. ‘Blair has been replaced?'

‘Let's say I think he's going on to bigger things. Apparently he made a swift move to distance himself from the slick boys. He must have had a tip-off.'

‘Not me. Jen doing the right thing. She'll always have a tie to him.'

When he woke up and pulled back the curtains, Tony saw a brilliant sunset. The storm had passed totally and the lingering clouds made a spectacular show. He showered, borrowed a staff shirt from Doyley and joined Rosie in the bar.

‘All my gear is on the boat. Well, here's to Miss Bella. And Jen.'

Rosie clinked glasses. ‘Here's to you for a mighty job. By the way, Lloyd's boat is back. Willsy and Gordon sailed her.'

‘What? I thought they were on
Kicking Back?
'

‘Their story is they were sheltering from the storm at Cookshead. Their launch was stolen, they found the yacht and knew it belonged to Lloyd, so kindly sailed it back over.'

‘Oh shit. When did they get here?' Tony leapt to his feet.

‘Hours ago. They've moored it round at Gideon's. Why? What's the drama? I thought it was decent of them to bring Lloyd's boat back.'

‘I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound kosher to me. I don't trust that Willsy bloke.'

‘Willsy is here to unwind, he says. He and Gordon are taking a fishing charter out tomorrow. Business as usual.'

‘Where's Patch?'

‘Up round his area, I'd say. What's up? You haven't finished your drink.'

Rosie stared in astonishment as Tony bolted from the terrace bar.

He couldn't find Patch and a knot of fear began to tighten in his belly as he raced to the deserted research station. When he couldn't find anyone, he cut through the pisonia trees to Gideon's.

At the Shark Bar, neatly moored in the lagoon, was Lloyd's sloop. On board nothing was out of place. Tony searched the boat, puzzling over the reason Willsy and Gordon had sailed it back.
Obviously they didn't want to be caught on
Kicking Back,
even though by the time the police launch had located it there was no illicit cargo on board. The poor birds and whatever else had probably been dumped overboard or transferred to the freighter.