Red Hot (52 page)

‘
I’m certain I saw that look in his cold eyes. Dear God, what now? What else can go
wrong?
she thought, her mind whirling. A terrible thought flashed into her mind. ‘
All these fires, oh my Lord!’
She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. The jug boiled and she filled her mug. ‘
It can’t be. Like Ellie said, I must be mad,
’ she thought as a flicker of light caught her eye, causing her to glance at the window. She leaned forward and pulled the blind back to get a better look.

‘No!’ she cried out. ‘No… No!’ She dropped her mug in the sink. Hot chocolate spilled everywhere.

As she ran up the stairs to the bedroom, she clasped her hand over her mouth to stem the need to cry out, thinking of her mother sleeping in a nearby room.

‘Digger wake up… Quick, wake up!’ She shoved him as hard as she could.

‘What… What’sa matter?’ He was finding it hard to wake from his sound sleep.

‘A fire out the back. Hurry, get up… quick!’ Win stammered, her eyes growing wide.

‘Shit!’ He leapt out of bed and stumbled to the stairs in his pyjamas.

‘You wake Karl, love… Try not to wake Emmie.’ He was immediately worried for the old woman as well.

Win was heading for Karl’s room when Ellie opened her door.

‘Win!’ she whispered. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Another damn fire…’ Win burst into Karl’s room and shook him awake, telling him about the fire. He bolted out of bed and ran downstairs clad only in his pyjama bottoms. Ellie and Win followed close behind.

As they reached the mulberry tree, a furious Digger met them. ‘It’s Kath’s mini! The fuckin’ mongrel’s burned her car!’ The little car was a mass of flames. Black smoke belched into the air.

‘Run and call the fire brigade, Ellie! Our hose can’t cope with this… Come on, stand back, the petrol tank’ll go any second.’ The words had barely left Digger’s mouth when a huge explosion rocked the ground under them. Flames leapt higher in the air followed by smaller explosions.

The noise brought Francis and the girls running out. ‘Good grief!’ was all Francis could utter.

Hazel and Ted stood huddled together. Hazel was shaking all over.

‘Dad… Dad… My car!’ Kathy screamed. She ran towards the burning vehicle. Ellie grabbed her, pulling her back. Kathy struggled, crying hysterically.

‘My car… My little car… Why?’

‘Ssh, sweetheart, come here.’ Win pulled her sobbing daughter into her arms, stroking her hair. She couldn’t stop her own tears from streaming down her face.

‘I’ll have to go and tell Mum. She’ll have heard the commotion by now. I want to get to her before the sirens come screaming up the road!’ Ellie said, turning and heading back to the house.

The sirens were already wailing in the distance.

Tammi and Beth came to stand with Kathy. Francis was helping to dampen the grass and sheds nearby.

‘The bloody stinkin’ arsehole. What a dirty rotten thing to do.’ Digger was ropeable. ‘To burn the kid’s new car. The fuckin’ lousy bastard! If I could just get my hands on him, I’d rip his throat out!’ Dig’s face was dark with rage.

‘Mongrel gets sick pleasure from doin’ this. He’ll burn anything!’ Karl raised his arm to the fire brigade as it hurtled into the yard and the siren wailed to a stop.

Hoses were dragged from the truck and Frank Smith shouted questions at them.

Ten minutes later, Kathy’s mini stood a blackened shell. The sirens had woken the residents of the valley. Several people arrived in the yard to see what the firebug’s latest conquest had been.

‘Kathy?’

Kathy turned as she heard the deep voice behind her. ‘Eddie!’ she said, sniffing and wiping tears from her eyes. ‘I thought you were in Wagga?’

‘I came back yesterday. Kath… I’m so sorry!’

Tears kept running down her face. ‘Oh Eddie, my car. I only just bought it. Why?’ She sniffed and wiped at the tears again.

Eddie moved closer and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. ‘Here.’ He dabbed at her face. As fast as he dried her eyes, the tears would flow again.

Win looked at him. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. She knew that Kathy had said it was over between them, but watching them together now, she wasn’t so sure.

‘What a terrible thing to happen, Mrs Miles.’

‘Yes Eddie, Kathy’s distraught. She loved her car. It’s not fair at all. Whoever did this is a sick, sick coward.’ Her own tears threatened again. Win had to turn her head. She was finding this, on top of everything else, just too much to handle.

The police arrived and searched the area for any clues but,
as usual,
there was nothing. All family members were questioned and Frank Smith could be of no help either.

Detective Bennett asked to see Kathy. Win pointed to where she stood with Eddie. Detective Bennet strode over to them, nodding curtly to Eddie. He spoke briefly to Kathy about what time she had arrived home and whether she, Tammi or Beth had seen or heard anything. She told them everything seemed normal when they had returned home. The detectives left saying they would be back in the morning when it was light.

‘Fools!’ muttered Nat Willis. ‘Makes ya wonder. All they do is ask questions and more questions, meanwhile all we do is pay with our possessions and properties!’

‘Can’t blame them, mate,’ Sam said. ‘They’re dealin’ with a very cunnin’ bloke. None of us have come up with anythin’!’

Frank wandered over to join them. ‘Well, I’ve got no answers.’ He scratched his bald head. ‘I’m worried though, real bloody worried. Have any of you blokes looked around the valley lately? I mean really looked?’

The men all stared at him. ‘I’m serious fellas… The whole place is tinder dry! It’s ripe for a huge fire! God help us if this bastard has that in mind. I have a gut feelin’ he’s just bidin’ his time! We were lucky to get the Gap fire under control!’

Frank walked away to help wind the hoses back on the truck. Karl and the men were left to mull over his statement.

‘I’m so sorry, love.’ Digger put his arm around Kathy. He glanced at Eddie. ‘G’day.’

Eddie was staring at the burnt out remains of the car. ‘Yeah, g’day Digger.’

‘Last I heard you’d left town!’ Digger continued.

‘Yeah, for a while, but with Mum here and everyone, I kinda missed the place.’

‘This is a hell of a blow to Kath, seein’ her car go up like that,’ Dig went on. ‘Poor kid. She just got it, too!’

‘I s’pose the cops haven’t any clues as usual,’ Eddie said.

‘Nope… nothin’. They’ll be back in the daylight. Might find something then.’

‘Bet they don’t,’ Eddie replied quietly.

Digger gave him a long thoughtful look. ‘You seem pretty sure of that!’

‘No, not sure, but hell… They never find anything, do they? These fires have been goin’ on for years and no one’s found a single clue to who he is… Has anyone ever thought it could be a woman?’

Karl walked up behind them and overheard the last part of the conversation.

‘One day the rotten bastard’ll slip up, Chancellor, and we’ll have him… or her!’

Kathy had wandered over to her mother and sister, eyes red and swollen from crying. She trembled all over.

‘Kath, what can I say? What can I do to help you?’ Tammi put her arms around her sister and hugged her tightly. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Kathy burst into tears once more. Beth patted her arm and said softly, ‘Chin up, Kath. We’re all here for you.’

Ellie called from the veranda, ‘Come inside everyone. Hazel’s made cocoa and coffee.’

Eddie walked over to where Kathy stood with her mother. He took both her hands. ‘I’m goin’ now, sweetheart. You give me a call if you need anythin’, okay?’

Kathy looked into his eyes. ‘I’ll walk you to your car.’

Win sighed and followed the others inside.

‘I meant what I said, Kath. You let me know if you need anythin’.’

‘I will Eddie, thanks. I will,’ she said softly. Eddie leant against the side of his car. Kathy stood in front of him.

He reached out and caressed her cheek. ‘Sweet Kathy Miles, where did we go wrong?’

‘I’m not sure, Eddie. I just felt I needed some freedom. I want to see what it’s like out there, that’s why I bought my car.’ Kathy smiled at him. ‘We’re still friends though.’

‘Yeah babe, it was good while it lasted though. I s’pose I’ll see you ‘round then.’ He moved to open the door of the car, turning to look at her. ‘Kath.’ He reached for her.

She hesitated and then stepped closer to him. Eddie’s arms went around her. He bent his head and their lips met.

‘Oh babe,’ he groaned. ‘I’ve missed you so much.’

‘I’d better go inside,’ she said softly.

‘Babe, you still mean a lot to me, you know.’ He pulled her closer and kissed her again.

Kathy wriggled free. ‘Eddie, just go. Please take care of yourself… I do care about you, I do, but I also wasn’t prepared to share you.’ She squeezed his hand, looking him straight in the eye, then went back into the house.

Eddie got into his old car, thinking, ‘
She knows… She bloody knows.’
Feeling quite stunned and foolish, he drove away.

Kathy stood on the steps leading to the veranda. ‘
If only you had resisted Dot, maybe
we might have still been together
!’

‘Cops should be here soon,’ Karl said between mouthfuls of bacon and scrambled eggs. ‘I’d give my right arm for them to find something!’

‘There’s a bloody slim chance of that happenin’,’ Digger said angrily. ‘Beats me how the bastard keeps gettin’ away with it. How’s Kath, Win?’ he asked as she came into the dining room.

‘She’s still very upset and she looks terrible. I’ve told her not to worry about going to the salon today. I’m going to phone Barbara and tell her what happened. She’ll understand, she’s a good boss. She’s often said she doesn’t know how all of us up here in the valley cope with all this.’

‘Yeah, she’s a good egg. She’ll be upset for Kath. Poor kid must be heartbroken; she was so proud of her car. I was too when we picked it out together. She was so happy. I just don’t understand why… Why would the bastard do that to her? She hasn’t done anythin’ to anyone… None of us have, for that matter.’ Digger looked extremely upset. His frustration and anger was evident in his voice.

‘Well, we’ve still got plenty of work to do. C’mon Dig.’ Karl was not up to physical labour but he refused to sit around the house now that he was no longer confined to his bed. He insisted on going down to the orchard to try to help. He was more of a nuisance than anything, getting in the way and giving orders, but the men good naturedly tolerated him.

‘Yeah, I’d better get goin’. Win, when the cops come, tell them to come down the orchard to us. We’ll be there ‘til dark.’ Dig gave her a quick kiss and he and Karl grabbed the lunch Hazel dutifully had ready for them and left.

Ellie came in just as they walked out the back door. ‘Men left already?’

‘Yes, you only just missed them.’

‘It’s good that Karl’s getting around again. He hated being confined to bed.’

‘Yes, once that bandage is off and he starts the skin grafts, his face should look almost new. I hope and pray he won’t be heavily scarred.’ Win passed a cup of coffee to Ellie.

‘I worry about that too, Win. How’s Kath?’

Win told Ellie about Kathy and Eddie, and her concerns there.

‘The poor girl was devastated,’ Ellie replied. ‘Eddie was very supportive of her.’

‘Yes, well, I hope she doesn’t make a mistake by going back with him. Is Mum still asleep?’

‘She was when I looked in on her before I came downstairs. She’s a strong bugger but anything like this could be so detrimental to her health. Whoever is doing this, Win, must bloody hate us with a vengeance.’

Win nodded and remained quiet. Ellie noticed her tenseness and put it down to the car fire then decided to ask her as she sensed there was more going on with her sister. ‘Win… I know what’s happened has upset you, but talk to me… There’s something else going on with you.’

‘It’s this other matter, Ellie. It’s driving me crazy.’

‘You mean Mick?’

‘Dear God, Ellie… The eyes… His mannerisms… Everything…’ Win’s voice rose and she shuddered as a shiver ran down her spine. ‘Why didn’t I pick it up sooner? How
couldn’t
I?’

‘Win, you’ll have to put him out of your mind, love. He couldn’t possibly be the same man.’

‘I tell you Ellie, he’s so much like him it really terrifies me.’

‘All that happened years ago, Win. It can’t be him; we both know he’s locked away. We’ve got enough to worry about with this crazy firebug. Hell, if I thought there was the slightest chance that he was who you think, I’d be beside myself with fear. Forget him, Win, you’ll make yourself sick worrying about nothing.’

‘I just don’t like him, not one bit. He’s so smarmy!’

Ellie put her arm around her sister’s shoulders. ‘Me neither, but we’re letting our imaginations run wild. Put him right out of your mind, okay? That bastard from years ago is well and truly locked away, could even be dead for that matter.’

Win took a deep breath. ‘Okay, but you have a real good look next time you see him and you’ll see what I mean. You also have to tell Francis about Beth. The longer you leave it, the harder it will be to do.’

‘What will be harder?’ Francis asked. He had come into the dining room in time to hear the tail end of the conversation.

Win and Ellie glanced at each other. Ellie quickly took charge, smiling at him. ‘Good morning son, you look very smart this morning. There’s fresh orange juice and scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast. We were just talking about last night.’

Francis eagerly tucked into the hearty breakfast. The conversation moved to the horror of the night before. He was obviously devastated for Kathy, like everyone.

***

The truck backed up closer. Its motor whined and chains rattled as the long arm of the crane reached over the top of what was once Kathy’s mini.

Kanga Brown from Brown’s Auto Wreckers attached the chains securely to the blackened wreck and the motor whined again. The burnt wreck creaked as the chains pulled tight and lifted it high into the air. The long arm turned slowly until it came to rest on the back of the trailer.

Kanga jumped up and unhooked the chains from the crane. He secured the burnt wreck and, after double checking, was satisfied it would remain stable.

Kathy sat looking out of the dining room window. She hadn’t eaten any breakfast and her eyes were very swollen from all the crying. She watched as her once lovely little car was carted away on the back of a wrecker’s truck. Tears welled up again and trickled down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the back of her hand.

‘Don’t cry, Kath,’ Tammi said softly from behind her. ‘Dad said the insurance will cover it. You can get another car.’

‘I know, Tam, but it makes me feel so sad to see my little car looking like that, and to think someone must hate me enough to do such a thing.’ Kathy sniffed and wiped more tears away.

Tammi felt like crying herself; it really was sad to see the blackened remains of the little mini. ‘C’mon, don’t sit there watching, come and help me choose which wrapping paper to put around Gran’s Christmas present.’

Kathy looked at her sister affectionately. ‘Dear Tam, my sister and my best friend.’ She stood up and hugged her. ‘I love you, Tam.’

Arms around each other, the sisters walked away from the window and the sight of the truck pulling out of the yard with the grim reminder of what the firebug was capable of perched on the back.

***

The public bar at Sars Hotel was packed with local men. The fights from before had been put aside and they were all having a cold beer after a hard day’s work. They stood in groups talking loudly and tossing back middies of beer. The general conversation was naturally about the Hamilton Valley firebug.

‘I’ll shoot the arsehole fair between his eyes if I catch him!’ bellowed Nat. ‘Bloke’s not gonna work half his life buildin’ up his property only to have a crazy prick come along and burn it all. Shoot the bastard dead as a doornail, I will, if I get me hands on him! Bloody action… that’s what we need!’ He slammed his fist hard on the bar, demonstrating his anger. Nat was very drunk and the alcohol fuelled his pent-up frustrations.

‘Shootin’s too easy. Burn the bastard like he’s burnt everything of ours!’ shouted another farmer.

‘Hear, hear!’ agreed the majority.

‘Hey Jack, what the fuck ya think ya doin’?’ Sam shouted above the hum of voices.

Jack Pearce had just arrived. He had propped open the door to the bar and was leading his horse inside.

The buzz of conversation stopped as the men turned to stare at Jack.

‘Two middies please, mate,’ he ordered from the barman. ‘How ya doin’, mate?’ he asked Karl who was leaning on the bar nearest to him.

‘Not bad, mate. Not bad,’ Karl replied.

‘How’s the burns? Gettin’ better, I hope?’ Jack paid for the beer and took a large swallow from one of them. ‘Aah, just what a bloke needs on a hot day.’ He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Karl opened his mouth to ask Jack a question, but Jack had bent down and was busy tipping the other beer into the ashtray at the bottom of the bar.

The rest of the men gathered ‘round to watch. Jack was clearly having a good time. He encouraged his horse to drink from the ashtray, which it did deeply. Bellows of laughter rippled around the bar and Jack ordered two more beers.

‘Hey Jack, you’ll get that horse pissed if ya keep that up.’ Digger’s belly shook as he laughed heartily.

‘Bloody hot out there, mate. Me horse deserves a drink too.’

The barman pushed his hands through his hair in astonishment at first, but he was now busy trying to get Jack’s attention. ‘Jack, you get that damn animal outta here right now. If the boss comes in and finds a horse in here, he’ll sack me for sure. Get it outside now, ya old fool!’

Jack grinned his toothless grin. ‘Keep ya shirt on, mate. Keep ya shirt on.’ He whistled to his horse and the animal trotted along behind him as he led it outside. He tethered it up at the back of the hotel and went back inside to drink with the men. Several hours of solid drinking resulted in him being quite drunk.

The barman was relieved when closing time came and he could lock the doors after the last bloke staggered out into the night. ‘Shit,’ he said to Bob White, the proprietor of the hotel. ‘What a night. They’re all so riled up over this firebug, if there’s another fire they’ll go berserk! That Willis bloke’ll shoot anything that moves!’

‘Yeah, can’t blame ‘em though, they’ve had enough, poor bastards. What’s it been, three, four years that this bastards been terrorizing them?’

Bob spoke as he stacked the glasses. ‘How’d Jack finish up?’

The barman laughed. ‘Pissed as a fart. He’s gotta ride that bloody horse home too!’

‘Reckon it knows its way. It’ll take him home as long as he stays on!’ Bob grinned.

The two men laughed uproariously.

***

‘Shoulda picked it. Really, I shoulda. Got the hair, the face, everythin’! Those eyes….’
The man stood behind a rack of baby clothes in the Mates Department Store. Beth was attending to a customer and didn’t notice him.

‘Lovely lookin’ girl, just like her mother,’
he thought.
‘Her bloody mother, she’s to
blame for all this. Her and that bloody stuck-up family of hers.’
He rubbed a work-worn hand across his forehead. ‘
They’ll pay… They’ll pay
!’ His hand strayed to the breast pocket of his flannelette shirt
. ‘Specially her
.’

‘Can I help you, sir?’ a softly spoken voice said close to him. He turned abruptly and looked into Beth’s pretty face. He hadn’t noticed when she had finished serving the customer and it startled him having her so close. He stared at her and she felt goosebumps form on her arms. ‘Can I assist you with anything, sir?’ he said a little shakily, not really understanding why.

‘Nah, I’m just lookin’,’ he answered gruffly.

Beth politely answered, ‘Well, just ask if you need anything.’ She retreated behind the counter, not understanding why she felt nervous. The man stood for a few more minutes and then turned and walked away.

***

‘Same as before, mate, no leads… No nothin’!’ Detective Simpson growled.

‘Well, short of placing police on watch at every single bloody property in the valley, what can we do?’ Detective Bennett replied.

‘Mate, admit it, there’s nothin’ we can do! This mongrel’s got us well and truly stumped. Never in all my years on the force have I come across a case like this. It’s gone on for so friggin’ long!’

‘You’re right, Simmo. I dunno where to go from here. We go out there and comb the scene of one fire after another and what do we come up with…? Fuckin’ nothin’!’

‘I felt sorry for young Kathy Miles. Did you see the look on her face when the wreckers pulled up?’

‘Yeah, I did. The poor kid,’ Bennett sympathised. ‘I’m bloody worried that homes will become his next target.’

‘I know, mate. He’s already done two. I’m stuffed if I know who to question next. We’ve been over and over it with the blokes we thought most likely, but we can’t keep haulin’ them in, they’ll scream police harassment next.’

‘Yeah, I know. There’s one fella I’ve grave doubts about though.’

Simpson looked up. ‘You’re talkin’ about Chancellor?’

Bennett nodded.

Simpson added, ‘He’s a bad egg alright, but why would he stoop so low and do that to young Kathy? He was takin’ her out there for a time.’

Bennett chewed at his bottom lip. ‘Mmm, I dunno mate. It’s hard to say how this prick thinks. Anyway, didn’t she dump Chancellor? That’s motive.’

***

Monday night came and went without the valley being disrupted by any more fires. Tuesday was a typical summer day in Albury: very hot and very dry. Christmas decorations made the place festive and shoppers filled the stores, busy making their Christmas purchases. Carols were piped through the PA systems and Santa greeted excited children wide-eyed and eager to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

The people of Hamilton Valley tried valiantly to get into the Christmas spirit, but with the firebug hanging over their heads yet again, it was hard for them to feel very festive.

Wednesday was another hot day. Tammi and Beth were determined that Kathy would enjoy herself. She had been utterly miserable since her car was burnt.

Francis had been taken aback when Beth opted to go out with the girls instead of him. He was even further put out when she told him that it was girls only. He stood watching her as she walked up the driveway with his cousins. They decided to walk to the club seeing that it was such a balmy night.

Ellie came to stand beside him. ‘She’s a very pretty girl.’

‘She sure is,’ he replied off-hand.

‘What are your plans for this evening?’ Ellie asked.

‘Stayin’ home. Got nothin’ better to do.’

‘Why don’t you ask one of those girls out from that list you have in that little black book of yours?’

Francis sighed heavily. ‘Mum, I don’t want to take anyone else out.’

‘Why ever not? Beth will get up to the club and you can bet your life she’ll dance and flirt with other boys. Don’t try and tell me otherwise. Heavens, Francis, I know what girls nights out are like!’

Ellie thought if she could stir Francis up he just might look up one of his old flames and the problem with Beth might sort itself out.