“Frank gets me and four other Chinamen lined up, and he says to the men, ‘Which one did you see take the hammer?’ And the man says, ‘I can’t tell. They all have the same face, like sheep.’ And then he points to the wrong one and says ‘Maybe this one?’ But that one just arrived on the coach, and Frank tells them that.”
“And they let you go?” said Mette.
Hop Li nodded. “And then Frank says to me after, ‘Where did you put hammer?’ And I gave it to him and he put it in the grass for the men to find.”
“But I thought you said you didn’t steal the hammer,” said Mette.
“Just borrow,” said Hop Li. “But I can’t tell the men that. They wanted to throw me off the cliff into the river. I can’t swim, even if I survived the fall.”
Mette smiled, and walked into the kitchen. “This is such a lovely house. Frank will love it as well, I know he will. But we can’t move in until we’re married. And that may not happen for a while now. Frank will have to clear his name first. Did the Armed Constabulary leave town?”
“The man with Frank’s face left,” said Hop Li. “Karira says he went back to Wanganui. And some of the troopers. But I saw one of the constables here. One we played cards with, me and Frank. The rest left town. Maybe he came back to watch the Maori meeting.”
“There’s a meeting?” asked Mette. “I wondered who all those people were coming in to town.”
“Big hui,” said Hop Li. “Be careful when you go outside today. Men racing up and down on horses; you’ll get run over if you’re not careful.”
Despite Hop Li’s warning, Mette crossed the Square looking for Karira, pushing her way through the throngs of Maori. She had to see Frank, to reassure herself that he still loved her, and even, a little bit, to make sure she still loved him after what she’d found in the English magazines. Karira would tell her where Frank was, and when he’d be back. If Mountjoy and most of the Armed Constabulary were gone, she hoped that meant Frank could have a brief respite in town.
The mood was lively, with men standing in circles talking, and woman seated in groups with legs crossed and shawls wrapped around their shoulders. In one group, Wiki sat with some younger women. Mette waved to her, but Wiki did not return the wave. Perhaps for Wiki, too, all the Scandies looked the same. It was an odd thought.
In the centre of the Square someone had left a trap, the harness empty. An older man stood on top looking at the crowd, ready to speak. Interested, Mette made her way towards him. He wore a cloak that she knew meant he was a chief, and his face, long and distinguished, was heavily covered with moko over every part. A long white object hung around his neck – it looked like a horn, or a tooth of some large animal. She hoped he would speak in English, but even if he didn’t she wanted to see the reaction of the people watching. She pushed closer and waited.
Someone beside her said a name – Peete te Awe Awe. Unlike English, the vowels in the Maori language were consistent, and she was learning to hear it, if not to understand it. That was the first step. She could still remember the day when she could suddenly hear English. A woman had bumped into her and said, “Pardon me,” and she’d heard and understood the words separately: “Undskyld mig.”
The man on the trap raised his arms. The crowd was instantly silent, and those who were further away began to move towards him, jostling her forward with them and hemming her in. She felt suffocated, unable to move in the dense crowd.
Peete te Awe Awe began to speak. In Maori, as she’d expected. She watched him, enjoying the rhythm of the language and the rapt expressions on the faces of the listeners. He must be saying something very special. A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped between her and the speaker, and she leaned left to get a better view. He moved again. “Af vejen,” she said loudly, assuming no one near her would understand. “Get out of my way.”
Although the tall man was more than ten feet away, he turned slowly in her direction, as if he’d heard her and understood.
And she found herself face-to-face once more with Anahera.
There was no doubt in her mind. The size, the stance, the unforgettable tattoo on his face … it was him. She pushed away from him and through the crowd, holding the eyes of the man who had killed so many people, and who had tried so hard to kill Frank. He would kill her now, when Frank was not here to save her.
He stared at her for what seemed like several minutes, his eyes half-closed, expression unreadable as she put as much distance between them as she could. Then a slight, very slight smile, so slight that she was unsure if she was seeing it, lifted his lips, and he dropped his head in a nod. As she watched, he moved away into the crowd, his head remaining visible for several seconds.
Surprised, she started to push forward in the direction he’d gone, but bumped into someone and stumbled, stepping on her own skirt, and falling to her knees. Hands reached out, lifted her to her feet and helped brush dirt from her skirt. She stood on her toes, searching for a glimpse of Anahera. But he had gone. She had to find Karira, let him know that Anahera was in Palmerston, so he could warn Frank. She could not stand the thought of his enemy killing Frank, who she once again was sure she loved, and did not want killed. That would kill her as well. She would die of sadness.
15
Gathering in the Square
Frank and Karira saw Mette as she came from a group of new-built homes and headed across the Square, which was filled with tents and people bustling around setting up cooking fires, chatting, and selling goods. In front of the telegraph office a group of elders sat in a circle in a deep discussion.
“There’s my uncle,” said Karira. “We’d better talk to him first. We’ll find Mette later…”
Hakopa gave them a small nod of greeting as they dismounted, but continued speaking in Maori to the men in the group.
“They’re talking about land confiscations,” said Karira. “The government confiscated the land of any iwi involved in the wars between Maori and Europeans, and they want to test the legality and ask the government to do so by the law and not by the sword.”
“But your uncle sold his land,” said Frank. “It wasn’t confiscated.”
“He’s firmly on both sides of the argument,” said Karira, smiling wryly. “Depending on who he’s with. This group wants to take their case before the Supreme Court – they’re formulating a letter, because the government has just delayed doing anything one more time.”
“What do you think? Will that work?” asked Frank, curious.
Karira shrugged. “They have to try, I suppose. I think those who fought against the Crown can’t expect to have it their way now. That’s why they’ve brought in Hakopa. They know what he’s done, but he has good standing with the government, and can talk to them.”
Frank and Karira sat outside the circle of men as the discussion went on, each man speaking at length. Eventually the talking stopped, and the men stood, nodded to each other, and moved off towards their tents.
Hakopa came towards them and greeted Frank warmly.
“Sergeant Hardy,” he said in slow and cautious English. “I must thank you once more for saving us when the rebel Anahera attacked Captain Porter. He brought disgrace on my hapu.”
“Sergeant Hardy needs our help,” said Karira. “The Armed Constabulary troopers are looking for him. We need to hide him for a few days. He’s done nothing illegal…wrong…but…”
Hakopa avoided Frank’s eyes, not inspiring much confidence. “Haere mai ki toku whare,” he said, having run out of English words. “Ka nga te ra.”
“He says, go to his house at sunset,” said Karira. “For now, just lose yourself in the crowd. There’ll be food over in the centre of the Square all evening. Lots of good food. Roast pig, smoked eel, dried fish, potted birds…and potatoes of course.”
“Are you sure we can trust him?” asked Frank. “I know he’s your uncle, but…”
“You could be right,” said Karira. “I wonder if we should head up to Wanganui…”
�
��To investigate the Mountjoys?” asked Frank. “That seems like a good first step. We could go now. Why wait until tomorrow? I’d just need to have a word with Mette, get some fresh clothes, and then…”
Karira nodded his agreement.
The crowd in The Square started to increase in size, and there was a sense of celebration. Frank and Karira led their horses through the melee, watching the reaction of the Maori to Frank’s disguise. He was sure he was fooling no one, but then there were no Europeans here, other than Constable Price who could be seen in the distance outside the police station, watching and waiting for trouble, Jimi by his side.
A cluster had formed in the centre of the Square, and Frank saw a chief mounting a trap, ready to make a speech. The chief stood there like a statue of a Greek philosopher, one hand under the fold of his short, feathered cloak, the other at his side, and began to speak. The people in The Square moved towards him, mesmerized.
“Who’s that?” asked Frank, feeling himself pulled to the centre as well.
“Peete te Awe Awe,” said Karira. “Chief of the Rangitane iwi. He was instrumental in selling the Manawatu block to the government more than ten years ago. If it weren’t for him, Palmerston wouldn’t be here.”
“You don’t sound happy about that,” said Frank.
Karira shrugged. “I used to think we were doing the right thing,” he said. “Moving forward, becoming like you – the British – but now I’m not so sure.”
The crowd was starting to respond to Peete te Awe Awe’s speech with shouts and movement. Over in front of the police station an altercation had broken out, and they could see Constable Price and Jimi struggling with a man.
“We’d better help Price,” said Frank. “I think he’s in trouble.”
“I’ll go,” said Karira. “He knows you and probably trusts you, but he’d feel bound to turn you in if he knew the troopers were after you. Take the horses to the paddock and I’ll give Price a hand.”
Once in the paddock, Frank removed the saddles and brought the animals water and bags of oats, stroking Copenhagen’s mane affectionately. “Haven’t seen you much lately, have I?” Copenhagen butted Frank gently on the shoulder with her head and snickered softly. He’d had her for almost three years, one of the best mounts he’d ever owned.
Hop Li came from his kitchen carrying a billy can. “You’re back boss,” he said happily. “You see Mette yet? She’s been pretty sad I think.”
“I saw her in the distance,” said Frank. “But I haven’t spoken with her. I will as soon as Copenhagen is settled and I change my clothes. Don’t mention to anyone that I’m here. Have you seen any troopers about?”
“They were here earlier,” said Hop Li. “But they left for Ashhurst.” He waved the billy can at Frank. “I’m going to pick pea pods in my garden. Just coming in. Good taste. I’ll give you some later.”
Frank picked up a curry comb from a box by the kitchen steps and started brushing down the horses. He was happy Hop Li was out in the garden, acting like an early alert. It was in this paddock that Anahera had attacked Frank, almost killing him with hard slaps to his face. Hop Li had saved him with his unexpected skill with a push dagger, plunging it into Anahera’s belly. It had slowed him down, but not killed him.
He was almost finished when Karira arrived, more ruffled and upset than Frank had ever seen him.
“What happened to you? Did you have trouble helping Constable Price to subdue his prisoner?”
Karira looked despondent. “Not really. Jimi and I got him under control, but then the women came at us.”
“The women?”
“The Maori women. They threw themselves at us, and Warena – the man Price was trying to arrest – escaped. He ran into a hotel and smashed the glass in the door. Then he disappeared.”
Frank grinned. “You were beaten back by women? Shame on you man.”
“That wasn’t the worst part,” said Karira. “One of the women was Wiki, from the pa.”
“Hmm,” said Frank. “I’m not surprised. She’s a rebellious young woman.”
“She called me a traitor,” said Karira. “And slapped me across the face. That was the hardest part, because I’m afraid that she’s…”
“You think you’re a traitor?” asked Frank. “That’s nonsense. You’re one of the most honest, loyal men I’ve ever met.”
“Loyal to the Crown, you mean,” said Karira. “Sometimes I think I should… here’s Mette.”
Mette came through the paddock gate, looking distraught. Frank dropped his curry comb and took hold of her hands. “What’s happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I think I did,” said Mette. “I saw Anahera. He was over by the trap in the centre of the Square listening to Peete te Awe Awe. He looked right at me and smiled.”
“That doesn’t sound like Anahera,” said Frank. “I don’t think he’s smiled in his entire life. Are you sure?”
“It was Anahera,” said Mette. “I know it was. And he recognized me. That’s why he smiled…it was almost not a smile. His lips just moved the tiniest bit. It almost seemed he was trying to tell me something, but I don’t know what.”
“I’ll finish with Copenhagen and we can go to the office,” said Frank. “We need to talk in private, and think things through, about Anahera, and about Wiki as well.”
“Wiki?” asked Mette. “What has Wiki got to do with anything? I saw her sitting with a group of women earlier, but she ignored me.”
Frank and Karira exchanged glances.
“We’ll talk about it inside,” said Karira.
“Wiki slapped him,” said Frank quietly to Mette. “She was one of a group of women who got in the way of Constable Price while he was arresting a Maori for furious riding.”
“She’s rebellious,” said Mette. “You know when we were out at Pieter’s farm, and he went out to replace the pegs … he told me that groups of Maori women had been out there pulling them up. And at the pa when Constable Price found Gottlieb’s body, I saw a pile of pegs. I thought nothing of it until we were at Pieter’s farm, and then I realized…”
Frank shook his head. “I hope she isn’t doing that. She’ll get herself in trouble.”
“I think it’s very brave of her,” said Mette. “She’s living at a pa that used to be a wonderful place, and now it’s in ruins, and the land is going to people like us who’ve come from other countries.”
“That’s the way the world works,” said Frank. “Although I agree it’s unfortunate.”
“More than unfortunate,” said Mette. “It’s unfair. Oh, and I forgot. The telegraph boy gave me this for Will. I said I’d leave it at the office…”
Karira reached for the envelope, but Frank took it and tore it open. “It’s a reply from Captain Porter.”
“What does he say?”
Frank scanned the contents. “Constable Karira. In Feilding on Thursday for land sale. Stop. Meet me there. Stop. Arrest came from highest level. Stop. Captain Porter. That’s tomorrow…I should be there when he arrives.”
“He’s expecting me,” said Karira. “I think it would be best if I…something’s up with Hop Li.”
Hop Li had come out of his pea garden waving frantically.
“What’s happened?” said Frank.
Hop Li gestured towards the garden. “Something to show you, boss. Something not good.”
He hurried ahead of them through the garden to the edge of the bush. His billy can was lying in the dirt, the contents spilled across a pair of scuffed Blucher boots. The boots were lying beside a blossom-covered manuka shrub, which was alive with honey bees.
“Someone left his boots…?” said Frank.
“No, no,” said Hop Li. He picked up one of the boots and dropped let it go. It fell heavily. “Someone is inside the boots. He’s dead.”
Frank pulled aside the branches of the manuka to reveal a bare leg above the boot. “My God. There’s a man here. How the hell…?” He turned to Karira. “Help me pull him ou
t.”
Karira and Frank each took hold of a leg and pulled the body from its hiding place. It appeared slowly from beneath the bush, face down, the head flopping loosely from one side to the other.
“This is not good,” said Frank. “He’s a trooper. Help me turn him over and …my God. It’s Wilson.”
Sergeant Wilson of the Armed Constabulary lay with his head at an uncomfortable angle, his face bright red, eyes popping. He’d died with terror in his heart.
“What happened to him?” asked Mette. “And who is he? How do you know him?”
“He was here in September, searching for Anahera,” said Frank grimly. “Hop Li and I played cards with him. And I ran into him again at the prison. He shot at prisoners trying to escape a bush fire. Killed most of them. And he took a shot at me and Anahera as we stood beside the river.”
“Should I fetch Constable Price?” asked Karira.
“No, not yet. Mette was right. Anahera is back and he’s killed Wilson. See those red marks on the cheeks, the lines? They’re hand prints. Anahera tried to kill me by slapping me on the face, and he came close to finishing the job.” He patted Hop Li on the shoulder. “I’d be dead if Hop Li hadn’t come to my rescue.”
“No problem, boss,” said Hop Li. “And I can be a witness this time if you need …”
“Witness? Why does there need to be a witness,” asked Mette. “Frank…will they think…?”
“You’re right, Hop Li. I could be blamed for this murder,” said Frank. “They’re searching for me because I left a trail – stupidly – and if they know I’m here they’ll blame me for this.”
“You need to get away from Palmerston right now,” said Karira. “Before too many people know you were here.”
“You can’t leave again,” said Mette. “I can’t have you leave again. Please Frank, can’t you stay in hiding until…”
“I saw him in the bush with a troop,” said Frank. “I wonder why they left him behind?”
“They’ll be back,” said Karira. “They don’t travel alone. When he doesn’t catch them up they’ll come looking for him. Sorry Mette, but Frank had better get as far away from here as he can…”
Recalled to Life Page 14