by Drew Lindsay
A day to relax by the huge swimming pools of the Sheraton Mirage was just what the Doctor had ordered for Ben Hood. Brenda, Elizabeth and Susan hired a Mini Cooper S and headed for the shopping areas in the Port Douglas Village a few kilometres away.
The day was perfect with few clouds and a constant Coral Sea breeze. Faint sounds of hammering and sawing came from the eastern corner of the resort as carpenters and other tradesmen worked on a movie set. Ben read a newspaper and went to sleep in the sun. He was later thankful that he had thought to smother himself with 30+ sunscreen before venturing to the pool. His tan deepened.
The girls joined him in the mid afternoon. By this time Ben had dragged his deck chair into the shade of the palms. Brenda in a white bikini was mind blowing, but surprisingly, Elizabeth, whose body was remarkable and whose impressive breasts were accentuated by a dark blue push up bikini bra, held his attention most of all. He could hardly take his eyes off her and she knew it. The hotel guests respectfully kept their distance, but most eyes were on Brenda. Susan was stunning in a jet black one piece swimsuit. Ben was in heaven. Surrounded by three incredibly lovely women; one a famous movie star! Was this actually work? This was definitely not work.
‘I got you a lovely floral shirt to wear to dinner tonight.’ Susan winked at the others and they laughed.
‘It’s got dolphins on it,’ said Susan, ‘and sharks.’
‘I’m not wearing anything with dolphins and sharks,’ said Ben firmly.
‘I think you better do what we tell you,’ said Elizabeth. ‘We don’t want to be embarrassed at dinner.’
Ben pulled the newspaper over his head. ‘I’m going out for a run this evening. I’m getting soft with all this laying in the sun and sipping beer.’
‘Pity,’ said Elizabeth.
Ben pulled the newspaper off his face. ‘About what?’
‘Getting soft.’
Brenda and Susan laughed hysterically. Ben got to his feet, grabbed the beach towel and flopped off to his room in bright green thongs.
Joy Mackay had only intended on being in Port Douglas for half an hour that Sunday evening. She posted off some letters and bought a newspaper. Joy was well known in town however and she bumped into a few friends and they chatted. As twilight came and shadows deepened, she walked back to the Marina Mirage car park, approached her old Holden and fished around in her large leather handbag for her car keys. The car park lighting, as usual, was not good.
The rumbling of motor bikes was not uncommon in Port Douglas but their close proximity to Joy on this occasion, startled her. Three large black motor bikes turned into the car park and moved slowly towards Joy. She could only see the headlights. Semi darkness hid the riders. Fear gripped her heart and she fumbled faster to find the car keys. She didn’t know why she was afraid as she had done nothing to these people.
The bikes swung into a straight line facing Joy and her car. The riders left the motors idling. The three bright headlights blinded her.
One of the riders got off his bike and took something out of a bag attached to the side of the bike.
‘What do you want?’ Joy called out. Her voice was trembling.
A very gruff voice rumbled back. ‘I’m going to do some before and after shots Mrs. Mackay.’ An electronic flash went off and Joy was blinded even further.
‘That was the before shot. I’ll do the after one in a second.’
The very large and massively built man moved towards her and before Joy could react he pushed her hard in the chest. She fell back against her car and cried out in pain. Laughter came from one of the other males but they remained straddling their machines.
Ben had slowly jogged down to Port Douglas from the Sheraton Mirage. It was only a few kilometres and the evening was mild. He had hardly raised a sweat. He ran close to the harbour and up through the Marina Mirage car park towards the town. He heard the motor bikes first and then, rounding a clump of trees, saw the headlights illuminating Joy Mackay as she was pushed roughly backwards and fell against her car.
This situation registered instantly as definitely alarming. Severely alarming. Ben sprinted towards the group. His highly trained instincts kicked in and the adrenaline pumped. This was not a situation which called for conversation as to what was going on. The huge man confronting Joy Mackay had pulled back his right fist and was obviously going to strike her. Ben determined that a blow from such a big man could likely kill the elderly woman.
He came silently out of the darkness and caught the big man by surprise. The fingers of Ben’s right hand chopped savagely into the side of the big man’s neck. The punch intended for Joy’s face, never landed. Ben’s left hand instantly formed a one knuckled fist and he drove it hard into the big man’s temple. He crashed to the bitumen without a sound. Out cold. A digital camera clattered to the ground beside him.
Two bike stands clicked down and two more large men were on their feet. The one closest to Ben didn’t know what had hit him. Ben delivered a savage chop to his wind pipe and the man went down screaming and choking. The third man made the mistake of pulling a metal bar from the back of his bike. Ben took it off him as easily as taking candy from a kid and smashed it across his right collar bone. There was a loud ‘snap’, followed by a more sickening thud as he brought it down hard on the man’s head.
Two men down and silent. One thrashing about, screaming and trying to breathe.
‘They are supposed to wear helmets’, said Ben as he dropped the metal bar and approached Joy. ‘You OK lady?’
Joy was dazed and shocked but she was still on her feet. She looked up at Ben. ‘I just want to get out of here and go home.’
‘Then I better drive. You look a bit shaken. Where are your keys?’
Joy fumbled in her bag a bit more and handed the car keys over. Ben unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for Joy. He went back to the first man he had subdued and picked up the camera lying beside him. He then deliberately kicked each bike off their stands. They crashed heavily to the bitumen, motors still rumbling.
Ben slipped into the driver’s seat and started the motor. ‘Where to lady?’
Joy pulled her seatbelt on with a grimace of pain. ‘To the highway and north.’
‘I don’t know where the highway is.’
‘Head south and I’ll point the way.’
‘Is south that way,’ said Ben pointing vaguely.
‘Yes.’
The old Holden moved out of the car park and Ben drove south until he recognised the entrance to the Sheraton Mirage. He drove past. Joy directed him to the highway and they headed north.
‘What on earth was all that about?’ said Ben after a few minutes of silence.
‘What’s your name?’
‘Ben Hood. I’m a Policeman from Sydney. I was out jogging and saw them trying to hurt you.’
Joy studied him for a moment. ‘Mr. Ben Hood. I think you may have just saved my life.’
‘Why were they trying to hurt you?’
‘I have no idea in the world.’
‘It’s all rather confusing,’ said Ben.
‘I think those men may need medical assistance,’ said Joy.
‘Stuff that,’ said Ben. ‘Let them look after themselves.’
They drove in silence for the rest of the trip to Rocky Point. Joy gave directions until they pulled up underneath the large deck of her home. She led Ben up the stairs and into the lounge. She turned on the table lamps and he sank into one of the white leather chairs.
‘Would you like a drink?
‘I think you should be the one having a drink. I don’t know your name by the way.’
‘Joy Mackay. I live here alone now. My husband disappeared at sea some months ago.’
Ben looked around the lavish room. There were many treasures on display; evidence of a couple who had been together a long time.
‘OK, I’ll have a drink if you will.’
/> ‘Scotch straight.’
‘Done.’
Joy opened a cabinet and poured two fingers of scotch each, into two thick glasses. She handed one to Ben and sat down in a lounge chair opposite him. They sipped in silence for a long moment.
‘I seriously think you may have killed one of those men,’ said Joy.
‘I think that’s quite likely.’
Joy said nothing.
‘There has to be a reason they attacked you Mrs. Mackay.’
‘Joy, please.’
‘Joy. What did you do to upset them?’
‘Nothing! I put up a few damn posters of my missing husband. Perhaps that is what this is about. A man in a Lincoln also threatened me because I was putting up the posters.’
‘A Lincoln?’
‘You know those big American limos. He threatened to burn down my house.’
Ben put his drink on a glass table beside the chair. ‘It’s not making sense. Tell me about your husband’s disappearance?’
Joy looked closely at Ben’s face. This was the first time anyone who actually seemed interested, had wanted her to talk about Winston. ‘He took the timber runabout across to the low isles one morning for some reason. That’s the main thing that puzzles me. He never told me where he was going or why. Just up and left. That’s not like Winston. That was almost 4 months ago and he just disappeared. His boat washed up on Woody Island about 20 k’s straight out there,’ she waved a hand in the direction of the ocean. ‘Bashed about and holed on the coral they say.’
Ben was silent.
‘It’s just not like him Mr. Hood. Winston knew the Coral Sea and those reefs out there like the back of his hand. No way he’s going to crash his boat into one of those reefs. The sea was like glass the day he disappeared.’
Ben cleared his throat and glanced at a framed photo sitting on the baby grand. He concluded it was Winston Mackay. ‘I agree. It’s not adding up. There’s a lot more going on here. One of those guys had a camera. What was that for?’
‘He took a photo of me and told me it was a ‘before’ shot. Then he was going to do an ‘after’ shot.’
‘Leverage.’
‘Pardon?’
‘They were going to use the photos for pressure on someone.’
‘Who in God’s name?’
Ben looked at her and remained silent.
Joy rose and moved to the liquor cabinet. She returned with the Dimple scotch and topped up her glass. She was about to re-fill Ben’s glass but he stopped her. ‘I’ve got to make a phone call if that’s OK?’
She waved in the direction of her phone. Ben unclipped his mobile phone from a belt underneath his T shirt. It was not operating. Ben assumed the recent violent altercation had somehow shut it down. He turned the phone on and hit a speed dial button.
‘Where the hell are you?’ Susan was not happy.
‘I’ve had a bit of a problem.’
‘Yeah well so have we.’
‘Is everyone OK?’ said Ben, confused.
‘The platform for the underwater filming was hit this evening. One of the engineers was beaten up and an underwater cameraman is in Mossman hospital with a spear stuck in his leg.’
‘What!’
‘Our movie platform was targeted by someone who didn’t want us filming there. They apparently came out of no-where in a Zodiac. Some hit the platform and one went after the divers.’
Ben ran the fingers of his left hand across his short cut hair. ‘Did you call the Police?’
‘Of course we called the Police. They have done nothing. They are telling us nothing.’
‘OK. Are Brenda and Elizabeth OK?’
‘They were here with me at the Sheraton when it happened. All the stars are OK. It’s just the diving platform crew. They are not keen on going back.’
Ben was silent. His mind was in turmoil. ‘Look, I’ve also run into a bit of trouble tonight but I’m on my way back. Sit tight. I’ll be there soon.’
‘What trouble?’
‘I’ll tell you later.’ He pressed the hang up button.
Joy Mackay was carefully watching him.
‘I need to borrow your car Joy. Got to get back to Port Douglas fairly quickly.’
‘The bikies?’
‘No. Something else. I’m up here taking care of some movie people and something has gone wrong.’
‘That Grant woman?’
‘Yes, her.’
‘Is she alright?’
‘Yes. Something has happened out at sea where they were preparing to shoot some underwater scenes over the next few weeks.’
Joy stood and walked to the huge windows facing the Coral Sea. She could only see reflections of her table lamps and the darkness beyond. ‘Where were they going to film these underwater scenes Mr. Hood?’
‘I have no idea,’ said Ben. ‘Can I borrow your car please?’
‘Can you ride a motor bike?’
‘Yes.’
Then take my husband’s if you like. It’s yours for as long as you want. It’s in the garage with his helmet.’
Joy led the way to the garage underneath the house and pulled a white sheet off a large, gleaming Harley Davidson. Ben stood back. ‘I’ve never ridden something this big.’
Joy handed him keys. ‘Winston’s helmet should fit you although it may be tight.’
Ben slid the helmet on. It was tight but that had advantages.
‘It’s a kick start. He said electric was for sissies.’
Ben straddled the huge bike, flicked up the stand with his right foot and moved the kick starter into position. He turned on the petrol switch and ignition. The bike roared into life with the first kick. Joy stood back with hands to her mouth. There were tears in her eyes.
Ben held out his right hand. ‘You got a pen?’
Joy picked up a Texta pen from a nearby bench.
‘Write your phone number.’
Joy wrote her number on the back of Ben’s hand.
‘I’m going to ring you tonight when I get back to Port Douglas. OK?’
She nodded.
‘You lock up tight and stay put.’
Joy nodded again.
‘You OK?’ Ben shouted above the noise of the motor.
‘I owe you my life Mr. Hood.’
Ben took hold of her hand and squeezed. ‘You got a computer Joy?’
She nodded. She didn’t feel like competing verbally with the rumbling Harley motor.
‘The digital camera that guy dropped is in your car. Download anything on it if you know how.’
Joy nodded again.
‘I’ll come back tomorrow for a chat about this.’
Joy moved closer to Ben. ‘You sure you don’t know where the movie people were going to do their underwater scenes Mr. Hood?’
‘I’ve got no idea,’ said Ben. Out beyond one of those coral reefs I gather.’
‘Which reef?’
Ben clicked the bike into first gear with his left foot. ‘Don’t know.’
‘Was it Batt Reef?’
‘Don’t know Joy. Why?’
Joy gazed out into the blackness of the Coral Sea and then looked up at Ben, studying his face intently. ‘I’d almost given up hope that my husband was still alive Mr. Hood. Everyone said he had perished at sea.
‘And now?’
‘And now you have made me see that it’s possible my husband is very much alive but there are lots of missing pieces that we have to put together.’
‘You know I’ll help you.’
Joy grasped Ben’s arm. ‘I do believe you will. You can start off by finding out exactly where that film crew were setting up out there and let me know.’
‘OK.’
Ben let out the clutch and the huge bike moved down the driveway and out onto Mossman-Daintree Road. The big motor growled with a deep throated roar. The wind grabbed at his face and chest in a familiar, unforgettable and comfor
ting embrace.
“****”
Chapter Twenty Three