by Perry, Kyle
‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me this sooner? Georgia is dead!’
The door to Jack’s room opened and the nurse approached them. ‘He needs to see you – he won’t calm down. He says it’s about the girls.’
Con stomped inside, Eliza trailing behind. Another nurse was helping Jack drink from a glass of water, but when he saw Con he let it fall and it spilled down his side, his face pale but for points of colour on his cheeks.
‘It was Madison’s idea,’ said Jack. His face was still covered in sweat. ‘Cierra had to be part of it, ’cause Madison’s viewers know her. Georgia . . .’ Jack’s voice trailed off. ‘She thought it might help her museum. That in a few months, when they came out of the mountains —’
‘Months?’ said Con. ‘They planned on being missing for months?’
Even the nurses looked shocked, both watching Jack with morbid fascination.
‘Were they planning to kill Georgia?’ said Con.
‘Everyone loves Georgia!’ Jack’s face was pale, as the implication that he might be responsible hit home. ‘The plan was to claim they’d been kidnapped . . . The only one they hated was Bree.’
‘But she’s part of it,’ said Con.
‘She’s a bloody nightmare,’ said Jack. ‘Madison only let Bree in on it because she thought it’d help her. Bree wanted to fake her death so everyone would realise how much they miss her – Madison still blames herself for Denni’s death, and that’s what made Bree depressed in the first place. She thought if Bree could fake her death, she might stop being suicidal.’
Eliza’s stomach lurched at the mention of Denni.
‘And you thought that made sense?’ said Con. ‘That any of this was a good idea? You let someone who was suicidal walk into the woods and fake their own disappearance?’
‘They were gonna do it whether I helped —’
‘They’re teenage girls,’ Con roared. ‘They’re in your care! You should’ve told their parents, the school, the police, anyone!’
‘Please, detective,’ said one of the nurses weakly, but the other just nodded in agreement.
Gabriella walked into the room, closing the door behind her. ‘Started the party without me?’ She scowled.
‘Let me bring you up to speed: the girls did plan it,’ said Con, not taking his eyes off Jack. ‘Cierra wanted views for Madison’s YouTube channel, Georgia wanted attention for her museum, and Bree was desperate for people’s sympathy. We’re about to hear what Jasmine’s reason was. Aren’t we, Jack?’
‘Jaz didn’t tell me.’
Oh, Jack, thought Eliza. It was a lie, an obvious and complete lie.
‘It didn’t trouble you that the girl you were sleeping with wanted to disappear?’ said Con with awful patience.
‘I dunno, I didn’t wanna pressure her . . .’
‘But you were sleeping with her? And if you lie now, we’re going to have problems.’
Jack hesitated. ‘Yeah.’
‘For how long?’
‘A while.’
‘How long?’
‘Nine months . . .’
Con took a deep, calming breath through his nose. When he opened his eyes, his emotions were hidden again, a semblance of professionalism back on his face. ‘So let me get this straight: you helped them with this plan, just out of your love for Jasmine?’
‘Well, yeah, that . . . plus Madison said she’d tell everyone about me and Jasmine . . . and she promised me money,’ he muttered.
‘How much?’ said Con.
‘Five grand.’
‘Where the hell did she get that kind of money?’ said Con, glancing towards Eliza and Gabriella. ‘Just how rich are her parents?’
‘Kevin Mason works in real estate, has investment properties,’ said Eliza, her voice small, still feeling chastised.
‘Con, with her YouTube numbers, she’d make thousands in ad revenue, easy,’ said Gabriella.
‘And what did she ask you to do, exactly?’ said Con, turning back to Jack.
‘Find them somewhere to hide. Drop their bags up at Fisherman’s Hut. Gonna camp there for a while . . . pick them up and drive them to a farmhouse in Ridgley . . .’
‘But they weren’t there when you came,’ said Con.
‘Detective, I think this time he really does need to rest,’ said the nurse.
Jack’s eyes were closed but he continued to speak. ‘Jasmine and Cierra’s bags, nowhere to be seen . . . would’ve been on the town side, or mountain side . . . would’ve . . . would’ve found them by now . . . someone has taken them.’
‘Two backpacks. If Georgia died before she made it, that explains her bag being there,’ said Gabriella. ‘If Bree didn’t take her bag . . . where is she?’
‘I don’t know. The SES are now searching exclusively around Lake Mackenzie, and between there and Lake Nameless,’ said Con, watching the nurses bustle around Jack. ‘Our next step is to call Madison’s parents.’
‘No!’ shouted Jack, lurching forward. ‘She’ll ruin my life! She’ll ruin yours too, detective!’ He started coughing and couldn’t stop. Blood fell on his chest.
‘Out, everyone out!’ hissed the nurse, bustling them out into the corridor.
Eliza followed Con and Gabriella out. Con was already on his phone, stalking down the corridor towards an exit to a courtyard, Gabriella close behind him, shaking her head as she came to grips with the new information.
Eliza’s legs grew weak and she rested against the wall.
Please be okay, Jack. Either way, it was out now. And I’ll become Public Enemy Number One. Not that I deserve any better.
At least she could hope that, when it all played out, Madison wouldn’t know that Eliza had corroborated Jack’s story . . .
As though summoned by the thought, there came the sound of high heels clipping down the tiled floor.
‘Hello, Miss Ellis.’
It was Madison Mason. Her hair and make-up were perfect, and she wore a green, high-end vintage jacket, starched and stiff around the collar, with an albatross brooch.
Eliza straightened. ‘Madison —’
‘I heard Mr Michaels was shot. I was worried. I made Mum drive me here. Because I had to check.’ Madison’s lips pursed even as her eyes moved towards the doorway of Jack’s room. A doctor bustled through there, and another nurse came rushing out. ‘But if you’re here, now things make sense.’
‘Madison, please, before you say anything —’
‘Jasmine’s dad came to visit me last night. We had an interesting conversation. See, the only person who could’ve told him we planned the disappearances is Mr Michaels. But Murphy hates him, so someone else must’ve backed up the story for him to believe it.’ There was a faint twitch above Madison’s left eye. ‘Now, Miss Ellis, you didn’t know about the whole plan . . . I’m guessing one of the other girls told you more? My guess is Bree – she and Denni were joined at the hip. But didn’t we have a chat about what would happen if you interfered? Don’t I know things about you, Miss Ellis, that would destroy you?’
‘Madison, please listen to me. I didn’t tell Murphy anything,’ said Eliza. ‘The girls are really missing now. Georgia is dead —’
‘I know,’ said Madison, voice harsh, a momentary crack in her mask. ‘It’s tragic. I loved Georgia. But . . .’ She forced the pain back behind her mask. ‘Georgia’s dead. There’s nothing we can do. I can’t imagine how horrible an accident that must have been, but now the other three are scared that they’ll get blamed.’
‘Madison, you have to understand how serious this is!’ said Eliza. ‘The publicity isn’t worth it!’
‘Publicity?’ said Madison incredulously, eyes wild for just a moment before she got them back under control. ‘Miss Ellis, you have no idea what we’re doing here, what we’re going to achieve . . .’ She adjusted her jacket. ‘We agreed it would be too difficult if the girls saw any media about their own disappearances, but on the off chance Jasmine breaks the rules and has been looking at her phone or o
therwise getting news of what’s happening . . . I can’t have her seeing Jack or her dad being blamed. She’d come back to protect them. But you . . .’ she said. ‘You, I don’t need to keep out of the news. So you’ll be seeing me soon, Miss Ellis.’ She spun and walked away down the corridor.
‘Madison! Please!’ Eliza rushed after her. ‘Madison, you have to call this off! Please!’
‘Even if I could, I won’t!’ She turned on Eliza. ‘You’ll have enough problems to deal with very soon.’ She flicked her hair back. ‘And just for the record, it’s your fault that Denni killed herself.’
Hot rage, unlike anything Eliza had ever felt, rushed through her. It took everything she had not to kick her in the mouth.
‘I always love our little talks, Miss Ellis. Remember: Big Hoop Energy!’ she said, in a cutesy voice. ‘Permission to be empowered!’
Madison sauntered down the hall, high heels clicking.
CHAPTER 27
CON
Con stood in the hospital courtyard, free of the disinfectant smell, but the dial tone was doing his head in. For the third time, only Nelly Mason’s voicemail answered.
‘Call me as soon as you get this, Mrs Mason. It’s very important I speak to you.’ He hung up the phone as Gabriella was ending her own call. ‘Did you get Tran?’ he asked.
‘Yeah, she was with the search controller when I called, Constable Darren Cahil.’
‘Wait, why do I know that surname?’ said Con.
‘His sister was Rose Cahil. Taken during the 1985 abductions.’
Con rubbed at the corner of his eye. ‘Coincidence?’
‘He would have been ten years old,’ said Gabriella pointedly. She clapped her hands. ‘But I love this case, Con. All these little connections, and now it turns out the girls abducted themselves? What a twist. Thanks for not getting us kicked off the investigation just yet.’
Con felt his stomach drop.
‘Follow me, I need to tell you something,’ he said heavily.
Her face lit up. ‘Another plot twist?’
‘You’re not gonna like this one.’ He walked back inside, Gabriella in tow, and found a spare room. ‘In here,’ he said.
‘Oh, detective, you scandalous man,’ said Gabriella, flicking her curls back and putting a hand on her hip. ‘Can’t you wait until we’re off the clock?’
Con grimaced. ‘Gabriella.’
She caught his mood. ‘Why are you using my full name? What’s happened?’
‘Yesterday, when you spoke on Madison’s live stream —’
‘You mean when I correctly predicted she was hiding something?’
‘Yes, well, Commander Normandy spoke to me and . . . I think it’s an overreaction – no, it is an overreaction – but she said that . . .’ He swallowed. ‘What you did, on the live stream, has made the department look bad, has turned a lot of people against us . . . has brought her, the commander, into question, and . . .’ He could barely bring himself to say it. ‘You’re off the case.’
Gabriella blinked. ‘Pardonne-moi?’
‘Effective as of yesterday. And Agatha is on her way here, so I can’t even hide it.’ His voice turned into a pleading whine at the end. ‘I’m sorry, Gab, I have —’
She drew herself up. ‘You’re taking me off the case?’
‘No, I’m not. The commander is. You’ll have to go past the station and sign your gun in until you’re reassigned. Go home, Gabriella.’
‘Did you fight for me?’ she demanded. ‘Did you fight for the girls?’
‘Of course I did,’ he said, stung.
‘Not very hard, obviously,’ she said waspishly. ‘I wonder if she’d be willing to keep you on if she knew what you’d been up to? The locks you picked last night, for example. Without a warrant! Oh, look at me, so noble and successful, Mr Post-Traumatic Stress But I Still Get to Keep My Job Because Everyone Ignores What a Liability I Am.’
‘Hey,’ said Con, face red, voice rising to match hers. ‘It’s not my fault you called out a teenage girl on her own live stream. What the hell made you think that was a good idea?’
‘Instinct, Badenhorst,’ she hissed, her cheeks burning, obviously ashamed for her comment but too proud to back down. ‘All good detectives have it.’
‘You acted like you were still in high school, and look at what it got you – kicked off a case that could’ve made your career,’ said Con. ‘Worse, it’ll turn everyone against me, the professional who still has to try and solve this case.’
‘Oh no, “I’m the hero of the Jaguar case, I need everyone to love me.” Not everyone likes you? The horror!’
‘Why are you getting angry at me? It’s not my fault.’
‘Why are you yelling at me?’ she shouted.
‘I’m not!’ he shouted.
‘You think you can solve the case without me? Fine. Good luck, dickhead.’ She stormed out of the room.
The unfairness of it made Con bristle. It was made worse by the fact she was right – it was good instinct on her part.
He turned to head after her – he wanted to give her another serve, he wanted to make sure she was okay, he didn’t know what he wanted – then pulled up short. He’d forgotten something.
He ran back to Jack’s ward. The young man was being wheeled out of his room, unconscious and with a breathing tube down his throat. Nurses and doctors buzzed around him.
‘What’s going on?’ said Con, even as he squeezed against the wall to allow them past.
The nurse from Jack’s room spoke to him. ‘He’s on his way to surgery. There may be more internal damage than we thought.’
Con felt a stab of guilt that he angrily pushed aside: the harsh questioning had been necessary. Three girls’ lives were hanging in the balance.
‘What about the other woman? Eliza – blonde, glasses. Did you see where she went?’
The nurse shrugged, already catching up to Jack’s bed. ‘Haven’t seen her.’
Con watched them go, then headed for his car.
Should he call Gabriella or the commander first?
He called Gabriella.
She rejected his call.
He swore and called the commander.
‘Cornelius,’ she said. ‘What do you have to tell me?’
CHAPTER 28
ELIZA
Eliza gripped tightly to Darren’s back, the search controller’s jacket rough against her cheek, the seat of his dirtbike worn and hard. They raced down the track past Lake Mackenzie, hugging the sandy shoreline, which gave a full view of the cold alpine lake, its dull sage green and navy blue tones, reflecting sky and mountain peak.
If Madison had her way, this would be Eliza’s last chance to join the search. Her last chance to guide the search towards where Georgia had seen that figure and maybe, just maybe, find something that’d find the girls, and maybe stop Madison before Wren’s life was ruined.
Inflatable orange dinghies bobbed over the waters of the lake, police divers occasionally surfacing. Above was the chopper in the blue sky, darting in and out of view. At least two-thirds of the search party had already relocated to this area, here on the shores of Lake Mackenzie but also all around it. If the motorbike wasn’t so loud, she knew she’d hear their cooees and shouts of ‘Jasmine! Bree! Cierra!’
She’d instructed Darren to ignore the turnoff for the wallaby trail that led to the hut and instead continue further on the four-wheel-drive track. He explained that because Jasmine and Cierra’s packs had been taken, they knew they’d made it out of the bush they were now riding into, back up the mountain, but she had insisted.
They came to a stop and Darren switched off the motor. ‘Well? This is the place, right?’ He untied their hiking packs from the bike, handing Eliza’s hers.
They were on a rise in the trail, beside a small grove of twisted white gums, their roots wrapped around large blocks of pale grey dolomite. Aside from this grove, the landscape was largely open: plains of low shrub with rocky points and small lakes. In the distan
ce was the moody-blue haze of Ironstone Mountain. Insects buzzed, crickets chirped.
‘You know where we are?’ said Darren. He watched her with a stranger’s intensity now.
‘I think so,’ said Eliza.
‘I know what happened with Jack last night was . . . difficult. But what’s really changed from the last time we tried this?’ said Darren. His tone was polite and curious, but his sharp eyes gave away his suspicion.
I shot someone last night. I thought he was a bear-man. I felt that same terror.
‘It brought back a lot of feelings,’ said Eliza. ‘And with that came some patchy memories.’ She pointed towards Ironstone Mountain, then drew her fingers back towards a nearby ridge. ‘But I’m sure that Georgia thought she saw someone up there.’
Perhaps 500 metres distant, a stark sandstone ridge jutted out of the land like the fin of a sailfish. On top of it was a single large white gum, its leaves reaching to the sky. It was so large and out-of-place that Eliza was sure it was the same one.
Darren surveyed the ridge. ‘You remember the ridge where Georgia saw the figure?’
‘I remember the tree. I remember the fin of rock.’
‘There are a lot of trees and ridges around here,’ said Darren.
‘I remember Ironstone Mountain in the distance. I remember we’d not long passed the trail to Penny Royal Hut. I remember Lake Nameless being somewhere to our east. And I remember that large white gum on a fin of rock, because Georgia claimed whatever she saw was hiding behind it.’
‘Then we should’ve brought more searchers,’ said Darren, pulling his satellite phone from his pocket.
Eliza put her hand on his to stop him. ‘The less people here, the better: if Georgia truly saw someone, whoever it was has managed to avoid the searchers all this time. That means we’ll have to be quiet. Plus . . . I mean, if he’s . . . what Georgia saw —’
‘This isn’t something we can go rogue on, Miss Ellis.’
‘That’s not what I’m saying,’ she said, a hint of exasperation in her voice. ‘Look, don’t you want to be the one who finds the Hungry Man? For your sister, Rose?’