The Word of God (21 page)

The man turned his face to the light and Peter almost froze in terror.
It's him!
he thought.
The Sniper!
As the man started walking towards the hotel entrance Peter wrenched the phone from Graham's hand.

“Captain Conkey sir! Come quick! They are here. They are at the hotel. We will hide. Quick!” With that he slammed the receiver down and grabbed Graham by the jacket. “Quick! Out the back! The Sniper!”

Graham grasped the situation instantly. Both boys fled along the hallway even as they heard the sound of the Sniper's boots on the veranda. The hallway lights were not on and the hall ended in a T-junction. The corridor to the right led to a lighted room which Peter thought might be the kitchen. To the left was darkness.

“This way,” Graham said. He led the way left. This took them past an open door which obviously connected with the bar via a storeroom. Beyond were several locked doors and then an open door which led out into the back yard.

“Outside,” Peter hissed. Instinctively he knew he was safer out in the dark bush than trapped in a building. They quickly went down a short flight of steps into the semi-darkness of the back yard. This was also a driveway with several large trees beyond it, plus a couple of outbuildings.

Peter led the way across towards the nearest tree. As he did the driveway further along was lit up by a vehicle's headlights. For a second Peter feared they would be illuminated by the lights but the vehicle was moving away from them as it came into view beyond the side of the hotel. It was the black 4WD. For an instant Peter thought it was moving to cut off their escape but it pulled to a stop in the shadows under another large tree further along.

The boys reached the shelter of the aerial roots of a large Banyan and crouched in the darkness behind it. By then Peter's heart was thudding as though he had run a race.

Graham peeked out. “I don't think they saw us,” he said.

“No, but they will soon know we are here. The drunks in the bar will tell them.”

“Do you think they have been watching us?” Graham asked. Peter noted that Graham had the pistol out and the sight of it sent another shiver of fear through him.

“No I don't. If they wanted to get us they wouldn't have allowed us to reach the hotel,” Peter replied.

“So what are they doing here?” Graham asked.

Peter shrugged. “Search me. Maybe they just want a drink.”

At that moment a man came into sight around the end of the hotel near the 4WD. He walked over to the vehicle and stood talking quietly to someone inside. Peter moved to get a better view. As he watched the lights of a truck coming down the Gillies shone through the windows of the vehicle, silhouetting two figures seated inside and lighting up the man standing beside it. He was the Sniper.

Graham looked as well. “Two more of them in the four wheel drive,” he hissed.

“Yes. I wonder if… Shhh!” Peter had been going to speculate if the figure in the passenger seat was the Black Monk as he thought the shape had looked odd in the light but a sound down to their left made him grip Graham's arm and freeze into silence.

It was the crunch of boots on gravel. A man came along the back driveway up the slope from the direction of the Little Mulgrave River. Peter and Graham crouched low in the shadows as the man walked past only a few metres away.

That their caution was justified was confirmed when the new arrival went straight to the 4WD and began talking to the people there. Peter strained his ears to hear what they were saying but their voices were just a murmur, half lost in the sound from the river of flowing water.

Ten anxious minutes passed. Peter began to feel cold and cramps began to set in. He carefully moved to change position and gently massaged his muscles.

Graham nudged him and whispered in his ear: “With a bit of luck Captain Conkey and the cops will arrive and catch them.”

Peter nodded, then shook his head. “Hello. Off they go.”

As they watched the Sniper passed something to the other man, then climbed into the 4WD which started up. Its headlights were switched on, starkly silhouetting the other man. It then drove off, turned out onto the Gillies Highway and roared off up the range. The man stood for a minute, then quickly melted
into the darkness, walking away from the boys. They glimpsed him briefly in the lights of a passing car before he was lost to sight in the darkness, walking quickly up the highway.

“I wonder what that was all about?” Graham asked.

“Co-ordinating their search probably,” Peter replied. “Come on, let's move to where we can watch the front so we know when Capt Conkey or the police arrive.”

He stood up, stifling a groan as stiff muscles protested, then walked quickly across the back of the yard. Keeping well over near the trees he went around the side of the hotel and then down the driveway towards the Little Mulgrave.

Both boys had been there before for swims and picnics at the picnic area just across the small river. They moved down to the line of trees along the river bank just near the end of the concrete highway bridge. From there they could watch the front of the hotel and both driveways.

Half an hour of waiting followed. They settled down under cover and Peter tried to relax but he knew he was scared. He kept straining his eyes for any sign of the other man returning, the fear fed by his inability to hear properly because of the rippling murmur of the river close behind him.

Graham seemed quite relaxed and even grumbled about being hungry. This only made Peter annoyed and conscious that he was also very hungry.

At last, at 7:30pm, three vehicles drove across the highway bridge and turned up into the driveway. Two were white cars and one was Capt Conkey's station wagon.

“Here they are,” Graham observed. “About bloody time too! I'm famished.”

They rose, stretched, then walked quickly up the driveway. As they did Peter recognized Inspector Goldstein and Capt Conkey as they went into the front door of the bar. The boys arrived to find them talking to a mystified publican who was explaining that they had been just here a little while ago.

As the boys stepped up onto the veranda Capt Conkey turned and saw them; “Ah! Here they are. Where have you two been?”

“Just down there resting sir,” Peter replied. He turned to the publican. “Excuse me sir, did anyone ask about us a while ago? We saw a man get out of a black four wheel drive and wondered if he was sent to find us.”

The publican shook his head. “Nope. That bloke was lookin' for a mate. Said he'd arranged to meet him here.”

“Thanks,” Peter said. He then pointed outside and said firmly: “We have things to tell you sir, but not here. Outside please.”

Capt Conkey did not argue. “Where are the others?” he asked as they walked down the steps and across to where the vehicles were parked. Peter noted two more men there, whom he presumed were plain clothes police.

Once they were safely out of earshot Inspector Goldstein snapped angrily at them: “OK you kids, what's the go? I've been dragged away from my dinner again and it had better be good. Tell me what is going on.”

As quickly as they could Peter and Graham outlined the day. Inspector Goldstein was instantly mollified. When they described the mysterious meeting at the back of the hotel he at once reached into one of the cars and began giving instructions over the radio. He then ordered the second car to drive on up the highway.

After hanging up the radio handset he turned to them. “OK, let's go to where the others are and make sure they are safe,” he said. “You can give us the details then. You lead the way. Move!”

Peter moved at once to Capt Conkey's car and sat in the front passenger seat. Graham climbed in the back. As soon as Capt Conkey was in and had the car started Peter said: “Thanks sir. Boy, are we glad to see you!”

“I can imagine,” Capt Conkey replied. “I got to Cardwell at about one O'clock and was back here at four. When there was no sign of you I drove back along the way to Gordonvale and checked out places you might have been. I was pretty worried by the time I got back here. Now I understand why I didn't see you.”

“Sorry sir. We didn't mean to cause you that much worry and inconvenience,” Peter replied. He was very conscious that Capt Conkey was giving up his time and would probably rather be at home with his family.

Capt Conkey drove quickly along the farm road till he came to the side track. Here he swung the car to face the track and stopped. In the headlights the long grass and wheel ruts looked almost impassable. “Can I get along that in my car?” he asked.

Graham answered. “Easily sir. It isn't rough,” he replied.

Capt Conkey grunted a reply and set the car in motion. The car nosed forward and began pressing flat the tall grass between the wheel ruts. But as Graham had said, it wasn't rough and within two minutes they were driving slowly up the steep slope onto the mound at the edge of the trees.

“Stephen should be just up here,” Peter warned.

“But he won't know it is us,” Graham cautioned.

As they reached the top Capt Conkey stopped and Peter called through the window: “Steve! It is us with Captain Conkey.”

From out of the long grass almost at Peter's elbow Stephen materialized. He stepped out so quickly that Peter got a fright.

“About bloody time! I'm half frozen,” Stephen grumbled.

“So are we, and hungry,” Peter replied.

Stephen chuckled. “Oh well I'm not. I've at least had tea. I thought you would have had a roast dinner at the pub.”

The lights of Inspector Goldstein's car showed behind them so Capt Conkey engaged the gears and drove on down onto the river flat. In the light of the headlights all that could be seen was a campfire and red taillight reflectors on the Devil Worshipper's 4WD.

“Nobody here,” Capt Conkey observed.

“Hiding. They won't know who it is,” Peter replied. Capt Conkey parked the car and they climbed out. Peter called out and out of the darkness came Gwen's cry of relief. She walked quickly into the firelight followed by the others. Stephen came down to join them, followed by the Inspector's car.

Joy came straight over to Peter. “Oh I'm so glad you are back. I've been so worried,” she said, touching his sleeve as she did.

“We were alright,” Peter replied, patting her shoulder, and very conscious that Megan was watching them.

Inspector Goldstein strode over to the fire. “Right, let's hear the story in full. Jacobs, go up to the top of the hill and act as lookout.”

“Stephen is on guard up there,” Graham cautioned.

Inspector Goldstein nodded and called, “Send him back here Jacobs.”

The other plain clothes policeman walked quickly up into the darkness. Gwen piled several dead branches on the fire and fanned it to life. Megan looked anxiously around.

“Shouldn't we just get out of here?” she asked.

Inspector Goldstein shook his head. “Not till I know the details of what has been going on. Now, tell me everything, from the moment you left us at Gordonvale this morning.”

Chapter 14

NIGHT BESIDE THE RIVER

T
he group settled around the fire. Inspector Goldstein, looking very grim in the flickering firelight, told them to start. Graham did most of the talking but from time to time he would pass the narrative to Peter. While he was listening Peter studied the scene intently. Inspector Goldstein, he noted, was wearing old clothes and a short windcheater type jacket. Capt Conkey was in cadet uniform. The knights were in their soiled suits and Mr Jones his work clothes. He looked thoroughly worn out and miserable.

Peter also realized that Megan was giving him frequent looks across the fire. That caused him to study her when he thought she wasn't looking. Did she really like him? It was a novel thought as girls did not figure strongly in his life.

She is certainly very pretty,
he decided.

The play of the firelight on her cheeks and hair was fascinating and he noted that her blue eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked his way. He also saw with some surprise that she had her top button undone so that when she leaned forward to push sticks into the fire he was granted tantalizing glimpses of the soft white swelling of her breasts.

Heavens! That is nice. How can I tell her that the button has come undone without drawing everyone else's attention to it?
he wondered.

Even as he puzzled over this Megan leaned forward again and gave him an another glimpse. As he glanced she met his eyes and smiled, then leaned over even more to move a smouldering branch. Something in her look and actions made Peter become suspicious.

Maybe her button didn't come open by accident?
He shook his head. No. It had to be an accident. She wasn't that sort of girl; and girls didn't do that sort of thing to attract his attention.
But then, maybe…?

Joy was seated beside Peter and to his consternation and surprise she moved so that her knee touched his. She moved away but soon after it happened again and this time she left it pressing against his.

Is that deliberate?
he wondered. Whatever it was he found it arousing and unsettling.

As Graham explained how they had captured the Devil Worshipper and taken his gun Inspector Goldstein held out his hand. “Give me the gun please.”

Graham took it out of his pocket and passed it over, butt first. “Loaded sir, and at ‘Action'.”

As Inspector Goldstein took the pistol to check it Peter glanced at Stephen to see if he was going to surrender his pistol as well. Stephen however just sat and quietly stoked the fire and made no move to admit he had the gun. That made Peter both uncomfortable and annoyed but he could not bring himself to dob his mate in. Nor did any of the others say anything about it.

When the story of the day's events had been recounted Inspector Goldstein turned to the two knights and Mr Jones. “Well, it seems that these cadets have once again saved your bacon. Well done kids. Now, we will get you gentlemen to safety so grab your gear and hop into my car.”