Malice (10 page)

Perdita

9:55 am

It had been raining since the early hours, so we built up the fire to warm ourselves. Repro seemed to be devoting most of his time to the jigsaw puzzle. I went over to check it out. What I saw surprised and pleased me. ‘Hey!' I said. ‘It's a picture of Perdita, from when the house was in its heyday. The only bit left to do is the grove. Maybe the jigsaw puzzle will show us what the building in the middle is.'

Boges had just arrived back at the house and came over to see, but I could tell that he had barely heard what I'd said. I understood. He could only focus on our caving mission and Oriana de la Force's next move.

‘Right now,' said Boges, ‘we've still got the upper hand. Oriana doesn't know how to get into the caves, but it's only a matter of time before Curly works it out. I've just had a look over the cliff and this bad weather is whipping up the swell, so I reckon we go for it tonight at the next high tide.'

6:11 pm

The hours ticked down to the time for the high tide and the rain continued to pour down. Repro got up from working on the jigsaw puzzle and came over, sticking out his hands in front of the fire.

‘Ryan,' I said, ‘maybe you could lend Repro something he could swim in?'

‘Um,' said Repro. ‘About this night swim in the caves … '

‘Don't tell me you don't swim?' I asked.

‘Like a fish,' he said. ‘But … '

‘But what, Repro?' I asked. ‘I thought you'd jump at the chance to navigate through dark tunnels again.'

He sighed. ‘I have to leave, or I'll be in big trouble with Correctional Services. I have to get the train back to the city. It leaves at 8:30.'

‘You can't possibly walk back into town in this weather,' I said. ‘All your layers will get sodden.'

‘Winter,' said Boges, passing over the keys to his truck. ‘Ryan and I can go get the metal box.
We don't need three people splashing around in there, and this rain is just going to make it miserable. If you run Repro into town, you might be able to get Rose by herself. Anyway, we won't be leaving until after ten—high tide isn't till midnight,' he continued. ‘It would be better if I set you up to monitor the live feed input from Skyshadow. If it looks like we're going to get some unwelcome company, you might have to warn us.'

‘How? You don't have underwater phones.' For once, Boges didn't have an answer. ‘OK, OK,' I said, taking the keys. ‘I get the feeling that Rose would love to help us—if she could. Come on, Repro. Grab your bag.' I picked up my phone and some money, and pushed them into my back pocket.

7:13 pm

We set off through the rain, windscreen wipers racing as I strained to see what was ahead of me on the road. Fortunately there wasn't anyone else around. We crawled along, fearing that we'd get bogged. I hoped that the rain was helping Harriet a little, but I was concerned about how Abercrombie House might stand up to this deluge, as I remembered the state of the roof.

It seemed to take ages to get into town. Eventually, we made it into the village and I dropped Repro off near the station under an awning. Rain poured off the edges and Repro danced to avoid the drips.

‘Any other problems you might have,' said Repro, ‘just let me know. I'll do what I can. Best of luck with solving the mystery. And by the way, I finished the jigsaw puzzle for you. My fingers just seemed to know which bits to put in.'

‘Fantastic, thanks! Bye, Repro,' I said, and watched his lanky figure disappearing into the booking office. From the doorway, he leaned out to wave to me one last time. I waved back, smiling.

I ducked into the shop, but Rose wasn't there. Instead, a young girl was behind the counter. ‘Wicked weather, isn't it?' she said, ‘And there's a cyclone system moving down the coast. You're just in time, we're about to close. What can I get you?'

‘Cyclone? What do we do?' I asked, alarmed.

‘We close everything up, batten down the hatches as they say. Tape up the windows and hope that they don't blow in. It's the flooding I worry about. But you should be safe up on Clifftop Drive.'

‘Oh, OK. I hope everything will be alright down here,' I said. I was wondering whether swimming through the cave system was such a good idea
now that the weather was getting worse. The slow drive into town meant I was running later than I'd expected. I was sure I'd be back before they set off. Just in case, I called Boges, but it went straight to voicemail. Ryan's phone did the same thing. I left a message ‘Call me!' on both of them. I hoped that the caves' narrow entrance would protect them if they did go down there early. But I had a really bad feeling about it.

Outside the shop, the rain increased in intensity, whipped almost horizontal by the fierce wind. A couple of the locals, weathered fishermen in their oilskins, climbed into a car next to me. ‘Nasty storm. There's a king tide as well,' I overheard the passenger say.

‘People died in the last one back in 1962,' said the driver, as the car took off.

I hesitated at the truck door.
Why did that date seem familiar?

8:35 pm

Back in the truck, I drove as fast as I could. The weather was really shocking now. Whenever I caught glimpses of the sea through the trees, I was alarmed to see how huge the swells were, with dim waves breaking well before the shore. My concern about Harriet also grew. I'd have to make a quick check on her, to see if she was OK. She had no-one else. The truck rattled and banged across the corrugated road. It kept sliding sickeningly as I braked at corners.

8:59 pm

I became aware of a vehicle coming up behind me, leaning on its horn and flashing its headlights. What was wrong? He was clearly trying to get my attention.

I drove on a little further, but the flashing headlights and the sound of the horn blaring through the rain made me think that maybe there was some big problem on the road.

I signalled and pulled over, waiting while the other vehicle drove up alongside. The driver wound down the window. Curly.

‘You've got a flat tyre at the back, young lady. You'll need a hand with that. Don't try and drive any further with it—you'll wreck the wheel.'

Of all times to get a flat tyre. I'd never changed a tyre in my life. I jumped out of the truck as Curly got out of his car, and with my head down against the driving rain, I squelched around to the rear of the truck. I squinted at both back tyres. I was turning to say, ‘they both look OK to me,' when my arms were suddenly pinned behind me. ‘Hey! What do you think you're doing? Let me go!!' I struggled, my feet skidding on slippery mud.

‘Take it easy, young lady, and you won't get hurt,' Curly growled, strapping my wrists behind me with something that I couldn't see.

‘Get off me! You can't kidnap people like this!' But he was already dragging me over to his car, and shoving me in the back seat. My arms were twisted behind me, and before I could manoeuvre myself to try to unlock the back doors, he was behind the wheel and driving away.

‘My boss just wants a little word with you,' said Curly. ‘Now don't try anything, especially in weather like this. You don't want us slipping off the road and crashing over the cliff, do you? Shame you didn't fall for my little ghost trick and leave town.'
I knew it!
It
was
Curly who'd tried to frighten me.

He was driving erratically, zigzagging from side to side on the muddy road, throwing me around in the back where I was helpless to save myself from being banged against the front seats or the door. I screamed, ‘Let me GO!' and strained as hard as I could against whatever was tying my wrists. I found it was just possible to grasp my phone. I needed to hide it before Curly realised I had it.

‘If you want me to drive nicely, you have to behave, OK? Just calm down.'

I could see there was no point in making a lot of noise. There was no-one to hear me. I calmed down and sat awkwardly back in the seat.

‘Where are you taking me?'

‘I already told you. The boss wants a word with you.'

‘You mean Oriana de la Force, don't you?'

Curly chuckled, and it wasn't a pleasant sound.

I craned my neck to try to see where we were heading when Curly suddenly swung off the road that ran from the town and headed up the rise towards the northern headland and the mansion. I knew I had to break free. My hands might be bound but my legs weren't. I waited for my moment.

9:24 pm

The car braked with a jolt. Rain lashed our faces as Curly opened the door and pulled me out. I pretended to stumble backwards, falling awkwardly on my side, and pushed my phone under some bushes near the back stairs of the house.

‘Come on, clumsy,' he grumbled, and pulled me to my feet. He pushed me up a few steps and through the back door. Mud and water dripped from my jeans. Fierce growling terrified me, especially now that I had no hands to fend off any dog attack. But the Doberman was sitting, ears erect and ready to spring.

Curly hauled me past the living room and into
the room where Oriana de la Force sat. It was the first time I'd seen her since her appearance on television, furious about being arrested and about the cat's whiskers that had been drawn on her cheeks. Now, thinner and meaner looking than I last remembered, she glared at me, her pencilled brows contracting in an angry frown under her spiky hair.

‘Look what the storm blew in,' she drawled. ‘Winter Frey. You didn't expect to see me again, did you?'

‘What do you think you're doing?' I demanded. ‘This is kidnapping. It's a major crime. You'll be back in jail.'

‘I don't think so,' Oriana said menacingly. ‘Curly, make sure she hasn't got a phone on her.'

Roughly, Curly searched my pockets. ‘Nothing here, except some money.'

‘I'll put that away somewhere safe,' smirked Oriana. Curly handed her the notes. ‘Now, I want to know what you found in the secret passage.'

‘Some steps,' I said, ‘going up into the third storey room at the front.'

‘Don't play smart with me, missy,' said Oriana, springing from her chair and walking around to stand with her face thrust into mine. I nearly passed out from the stink of the strong perfume surrounding her. She prodded me hard in the chest. ‘You know exactly what I'm talking about. A famous sea captain lived in that house and he left …
indications
concerning the whereabouts of a certain shipwreck. Ring any bells?' I stared at her, playing dumb.

‘It's no use lying. I know exactly what you and your friends are looking for. In fact, right now, your boyfriends are making preparations to go into the sea caves on the high tide. A friend of mine overheard some very helpful information being discussed at Perdita. We know about the metal box above the high tide mark and I'm pretty sure that in that box are the details of the Windraker's exact location.'

A friend of hers! The spy who was listening at the window! I looked suspiciously at Curly.

‘Your dumb friends are going to find it for me, and then I'm going to take it from them. I do love it when other people do the cold, dangerous, wet work for me.' She chuckled in a very nasty way. ‘Even more dangerous than they know,' she added.

‘What do you mean?' I asked, now even more worried.

‘They'll find out soon enough,' Oriana sneered. On her desk, Oriana smoothed out a large sheet of paper. ‘I even have a complete diagram of Perdita. You've no idea how much information I've gathered over the last few weeks.' She pushed
the diagram into my face as if she wanted to rub my nose in it, and as she did, I noticed something about the cellar. There was something on the floor … a mark that could have been a smudge, but I had a feeling it was something more.
If only I can get Oriana to keep talking
, I thought.

‘If you know all that then,' I said, ‘why have you kidnapped me?'

‘To get you out of the way, my dear. I don't want any more interference.' Oriana paused, but the gloating sneer shortly continued. ‘Your boyfriends don't know what I know. The Windraker went down with a cargo of 10,000 pounds—gold coins—in mint condition. One came onto the market recently and do you know what it sold for? Over $4,000. That was for just one little coin. Can you do the maths, little girl? When I find all 10,000, I'll be rich again. You destroyed my chances of recovering the Ormond Singularity. You will not ruin my plans this time.'

She pushed her face right into mine, so that our noses were almost touching, and spoke with such hatred, drops of spittle seemed like venom dripping from her fangs. ‘You and your pathetic friends will never get in my way again. Those noisy cyclonic winds blowing outside have come on top of a king tide. That's when the sun, the moon and the earth are all lined up at high tide, increasing the gravitational pull. So what does that mean? The water is much, much higher than normal. This monster tide rises way above its usual level. Only happens once or twice in a century.'

Fear gripped me, my blood ran icy. I thought of Ryan and Boges in that final cave with the high water mark a metre from the large cavern's roof. If the tide rose much higher, there would be no airspace left near the cave's ceiling. My friends would drown unless I got away in time to help them.

‘This monster tide has a special name,' Oriana sneered.

My body tensed up. I already knew the name of the monster tide! That torn piece of newsprint with the four words. It hadn't been a threat after all. There wasn't a serial killer in the city. Someone had tried to warn us, and it wasn't Oriana. Someone had even told us how many days there were until the monster arrived.

‘A group of people in 1962 were exploring the cave system and no-one survived. The water flooded the town and even more people died. They'd forgotten how others had drowned fifty years before, when a similar combination of conditions collided. They'd forgotten the existence of—' her sneer twisted into a snarl ‘—the Drowner.'