Charlotte and the Starlet 2

by Dave Warner

  Men's voices floated up to her and with them, something else, something that tickled her nose and made her want to sneeze – disgusting cigarette smoke.

  Two of the gardeners were smoking and chatting, positioned directly beneath her. She had to get away from the smoke before she gave herself away. She pushed upwards and her head reached the windowsill. Inside she could see Todd dressing for dinner. She leaned forward and tapped. He looked around in the room and called out to somebody, probably his roommate, thinking he'd been responsible.

  She tapped again. This time he saw her. His eyes almost fell out of his head. She read his lips. 'Charlotte?'

  Then he turned back, worried perhaps that his roommate would see. Another boy appeared, thickset with red hair. They were talking. Todd stood with his back to the window to block the sight of a Thornton Downs girl hanging onto their window sill.

  Hurry up! Charlotte was growing anxious, the foul smoke was crawling into her nostrils. She could feel a sneeze building. Through the window she saw the other boy leave the room but it was no good, she couldn't hold on any longer.

  Her eyes shut reflexively, her mouth opened and she sneezed so forcefully she lost her grip. Charlotte began to tip backwards. She clutched for the pipe but it was out of reach.

  Chapter 14

  Charlotte clawed the air, arms whirling.

  Whoosh! The window above her opened. Todd leaned out, tried to grab her and missed. Charlotte's fingers seized something ...

  Todd's tie. It stopped the fall just long enough for him to grab her arm and haul her up. His face was turning blue as she fell over the window ledge and into the room. Fortunately onto soft carpet.

  Below the gardeners looked up, confused.

  Todd gave a friendly wave and slammed the window back down.

  He turned to where Charlotte was unfolding from a heap on the floor into a human being again.

  'What on earth ...' he began but his words were flooded by Charlotte's.

  'Leila is in a forest in some illegal loggers' camp and Strudworth called the National Parks but they're looking in the wrong place because it wasn't a stream but a road and now I have to get there to save Leila myself and Strudworth isn't back and Hannah offered to help but she has to pretend to be me or I'll be kicked out of the JOES so I need somebody to get me there and you're the only person who can.'

  She stood panting, understandably breathless. Todd blinked.

  'Wow, you do talk fast.'

  Charlotte gathered her wits.

  'I'm sorry to put this on you but I figured Warrior could carry both of us and I can take it from there alone.'

  Todd was shaking his head.

  'No way.'

  'You won't help me?' Charlotte's voice was suddenly small.

  'I'll help you. But I'm not letting you do this alone.'

  Charlotte wasn't sure what was worse. Todd not wanting to help her or putting himself in hot water by doing so.

  'You could get kicked out.'

  'I'd like to see them try. Where do we have to go?'

  'Yirramandee.'

  Todd whistled.

  'Then we better get moving. Have you notified the Parks?'

  'I've tried but you can only ring an office and they didn't know when they would be in touch with the Head Ranger.'

  Todd was frowning.

  'Yirramandee is a huge park. We could search for a week and not find her. You need aerial coverage.'

  From her pocket Charlotte pulled a map she had copied from the large map on Strudworth's office wall.

  'She's got to be in this region here.' She stabbed a triangle she had coloured in pink highlighter. 'This is the only area where the parrot and ants she described co-exist that is also close enough to a highway for the sound to carry.'

  Todd was looking at her oddly.

  'Who described?'

  More fancy footwork required.

  'An anonymous caller,' Charlotte answered his next objection before he had a chance to voice it. 'But she described Leila perfectly.'

  Todd bought it but he was still concerned.

  'It's still a very big area and the bush is incredibly dense. That could take a day at least unless we get lucky. Very lucky.'

  'Then we need to get out of here as soon as,' smiled Charlotte impishly.

  Leila's body was racked with pain. She was bleeding from the sores caused by the harness and more and more flies were feasting on her. The last couple of times she had dragged logs to the clearing, Jimmy had taken a break for a cigarette. It seemed he was tiring too. She was debating what to do when she saw him fumbling in his pocket again. It might be her only chance.

  She broke as fast as her legs would carry her.

  'Hey!' called the startled Jimmy but she was already dashing away through undergrowth. She had no idea of the direction she was taking except that it was away from both the clearing where they camped and the logging area. Unfortunately, she was still harnessed. The contraption kept catching on saplings and black boys, hooking her back. She had to twist this way and that to free herself. In the distance she could hear Jimmy yelling. Her legs felt like they had concrete poured in them and she struggled to get beyond a canter.

  Whoosh!

  Straight into a giant cobweb. Where there was a cobweb there must also be a ...

  SPIDER!

  Right on her eyelash. She reared and threw her head to dislodge him. That cost more valuable time. Now she could hear pursuing trail bikes buzzing like angry hornets. She broke to the right and plunged on. The sound was all around her. She broke left, stumbled in a snake hole, righted herself, burst through a strand of tea-trees.

  Right into the young, bearded guy on the trail bike. He skidded to a halt, fan tailing dirt. She tried to turn back the other way but another rider was there. And this one held one of those dreaded cattle prods.

  Leila stopped in her tracks, offering her biggest and most winning smile.

  Emma Cross liked nothing more than another's misfortune. Even that of one of her best friends. She had found Lucinda's tumble quite amusing and, while it did engender some sympathy, that was counterbalanced by the knowledge that in the highly competitive world of equestrian competition, she had just got a few steps up on Lucinda. Emma stopped to tighten the girth and had consequently fallen behind the rest of her group as they moved off to tackle the hedgerows. From the direction of the bush to the west, she was surprised to see the silhouette of a rider returning with another horse in tow.

  Her initial hope was that somebody else had fallen. But now she could see the rider was not so much alarmed as wary, looking this way and that. Interesting.

  Emma pulled the grey mare she rode behind a flowering gum. The rider's golden hair was now visible. No mistaking Hannah. She and Charlotte Richards were thick as thieves so perhaps the other mount was Charlotte's. But no sign of Outback Annie anywhere.

  'Come on, Emma.'

  It was Mr Graham riding up from the other direction. Emma was forced to remount and ride off but she filed away what she had just witnessed. It bore further investigation.

  Warrior was a powerful horse, easily capable of carrying both Todd and Charlotte at the gallop. Charlotte sat right up behind Todd, trying to balance without using her hands, but when Todd threw Warrior around a tight bend she was thrust forward into Todd and had no alternative but to hold his waist. Charlotte had never had a boyfriend and she didn't really think of Todd as one but she had to admit that it felt nice to hang on to him.

  It was approaching sunset and they were resigned to not reaching Yirramandee before nightfall. They were following an old riding trail which ran all the way from the back of Milthorp to the park. With Warrior at top gallop they figured it would be around an hour and a half to the section of the park they sought. The time passed in a flash, Charlotte growing more hopeful with every stride. At least she was doing something and not just waiting around.

  From the direction they were arriving, there was no sign of where the park started. It border
ed private properties, all with their own thick bush so you couldn't tell when you'd entered it. They debated diverting to the north-east, which would take them to the public road that led to the park entrance where the ranger's cottage was located, but decided against it. It would add another half hour to their journey and there was no guarantee the ranger would be about anyway.

  Dusk settled. They heard the crashing of wallabies in the distant bush and invisible birds chattering to one another, probably warning of the approach of the strange beast with three heads.

  Todd checked his watch.

  'We must be in the park by now,' he called over his shoulder and slowed Warrior to a trot. Todd slapped Warrior on the neck affectionately. 'Well done, boy.'

  They came to a halt and dismounted. Charlotte gave Warrior the biggest kiss but he was more interested in the water Todd offered.

  Charlotte was starving.

  'Wish I'd brought food.'

  Todd reached in his saddlebag and produced an apple.

  'Go you halves.'

  They stood eating the apple. A piece fell onto the ground and was immediately surrounded by a swarm of black and green ants. With her mouth full, Charlotte couldn't talk but she jumped up and down, pointing.

  'They bite you?' asked Todd.

  Charlotte swallowed a chunk of apple.

  'No. But they are the ants she described. It's a good sign.'

  Todd looked around him, aware that he'd already said what he was about to say again.

  'It's a big park.'

  'I've spent my whole life in the bush,' Charlotte said. 'We have to keep our eyes open for a parrot with a yellow breast. From here we should go slowly.'

  They remounted and continued. After about twenty minutes, with it growing darker by the second, they spied a 'walking trail' sign.

  Todd said, 'That makes it official. We're in the park.'

  'We can be pretty sure the loggers aren't going to be anywhere near a walking trail.'

  Charlotte suggested they take the opposite direction to the trail.

  'Maybe we'll be able to hear them logging?' Todd asked hopefully.

  'I think they would have shut up shop by now.' Charlotte checked her watch. It was ten to seven. Back at Thornton Downs they'd just be finishing up in the dining room. She pushed the image out of her mind. Food was something she dare not contemplate.

  Hannah had finished dinner. She made a point of letting Mr Graham see her pick up some bread rolls and fruit.

  'No Charlotte?'

  Mr Graham raised his eyebrows.

  'She ended up not being well after all. I said I'd get her a couple of things in case she gets hungry.'

  'Perhaps we should call the doctor?' Mr Graham didn't like the responsibility of a sick child on his watch and Mrs Stapleton had gone home for the day so there was no nurse to consult.

  'Not necessary. She's just a little unwell.'

  Helping herself to a third of a piece of coconut crumble – all her diet would allow – Emma overheard. She hurried back to Rebecca.

  'Something fishy is going on with Outback Annie.'

  'What?'

  'I'm not sure but I intend to find out.'

  Stepping into the room, Hannah hoped she hadn't gone too far with the ruse. She had wanted to plant the seed in Mr Graham's mind that Charlotte was sick but she had the sneaking suspicion he might be worried enough to call the doctor. Or, she thought, look in for himself. The idea had only just identified itself when she heard up the hallway the unmistakable tread of Mr Graham's boots. She quickly adjusted the bed so the rubber glove that Charlotte had earlier inflated was just visible like a hand beneath the bed clothes. Then she turned off the main light and clicked on the faintest bedside lamp.

  The boot steps stopped outside the door. Hannah said loudly enough to penetrate the ply door.

  'No, Charlotte, don't feel you have to talk ...'

  There was a light tap on the door.

  'Girls? It's Mr Graham.'

  'Come in, Sir.'

  Seated on the bed Hannah turned herself to obscure most of the fake Charlotte.

  'Just thought I'd check on Charlotte.'

  Hannah held up her hand.

  'I wouldn't come any closer, Sir. Her throat is red raw, she could be infectious.'

  Mr Graham edged back a fraction.

  'Then I should get the doctor.'

  Hannah moved her foot under the bed so it squeaked.

  'Charlotte really would prefer that you didn't. She says she's not bad except for the throat.'

  Mr Graham peered through the gloom at the only part of 'Charlotte' he could see.

  'Her hand looks swollen.'

  'She says it doesn't hurt, Sir. I'll let you know immediately if she feels worse.'

  Graham nodded thoughtfully.

  'I wouldn't want Miss Strudworth to come back to another problem.'

  'May I ask how that's going?'

  Graham shook his head.

  'I have no idea. But I'm sure if there wasn't a problem I would have heard by now. I'll be in my room if Charlotte gets worse. Goodnight, Charlotte.'

  Hannah made the squeak again. Mr Graham left and Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. Close call. She wasn't sure how long she could keep it up. Nearly 7.30 and no word from Charlotte. They'd agreed that Charlotte would ring, pretending to be Hannah's sister, Georgia. Hannah looked out the window. It was very dark now. She was worried. What if something bad had happened?

  Charlotte tried the Thornton Downs phone number again but there was no signal.

  'The bush is too dense,' said Todd. 'You'd need a satellite phone.'

  Charlotte hoped Hannah didn't panic and spill the beans. That concern flitted out of her head as a parrot scooted past. It came to rest on a high branch.

  Charlotte pulled out her torch and clicked it on. Blue and yellow! She was excited. 'We must be getting near.'

  They continued deeper into the heart of the bush.

  'I hope you don't get into trouble at Milthorp on my account,' said Charlotte.

  'I'll be right. I left a note for my roommate Dan to cover. He's an inventive guy.'

  Something caught Charlotte's eye. She tapped Todd on the shoulder and he stopped Warrior. Charlotte jumped down and examined the bush.

  'This is interesting. Trail bikes.'

  'How can you tell?'

  'The way the undergrowth is flattened. Wait there.' Charlotte walked off for a few minutes and then came back. 'It's a long curve.'

  'Meaning?

  'Meaning I think it's probably an outrider. You know, somebody checking the perimeter.'

  'One of the bad guys?'

  'Possibly. The rangers usually drive four-wheel drives.'

  'Could be some kid just hacking through the bush.'

  Charlotte didn't think so. All the kids around Snake Hills who rode trail bikes liked to find dirt-tracks with areas they could jump.

  'And this is the same rider covering the same ground a day apart,' she said.

  'You can tell that?'

  'Sure. My friend Robbie Possum showed me.'

  Robbie Possum was a seventy-year-old indigenous stockman in Snake Hills. Nowadays he stayed closer to the homestead but he had been more than willing to pass on some of his skill to Charlotte. She wished she had Robbie there now. He would have been able to smell out the loggers' camp and be home in time for dinner.

  It was another half-hour of hard slog through thick undergrowth before Charlotte caught the faintest aroma.

  'You smell that?'

  'What?' Todd sniffed as hard as he could.

  'Bacon.'

  'Bacon? There's no bacon. Believe me, I'd smell bacon.'

  He was talking to thin air. Charlotte was already balancing on Warrior's saddle. She jumped, caught a high branch and hauled herself up.

  'What on earth are you doing?'

  'You want to smell something you have to get up high,' came the disembodied reply.

  Todd couldn't see her but could trace her progress
through the rustling of leaves in the branches above.

  It didn't take Charlotte long to make it to the top of the tree. There were plenty of higher trees but it gave her enough elevation to feel the air across her face. She was sure she had caught a whiff. She turned north-east. There it was, definitely. She started back down, dropping from the last branch to the ground, startling Todd.

  'You're like one of those ninja or something.'

  'Camp's that-a-way.' Charlotte pointed. 'Probably a few kilometres but we should be mega-careful from here.'

  They elected to walk rather than ride Warrior. Charlotte would go ahead and scout for a couple of hundred metres. Once she was sure the coast was clear she would call Todd forward. Todd was astonished at how silent she could be. One moment he'd be peering into the dark trying to catch sight of her, the next she'd be tapping him on the shoulder. Progress was slow but half an hour later Charlotte came back from one of her forays, excited.

  'Guess what I found?'

  'The camp?' Todd found himself whispering.

  'Not yet. Horse poo. And trail-bike patterns. We're close.'

  Though she didn't know it, Charlotte had located the area where Leila had been rounded up earlier in the day.

  Hannah agonised over whether she should tell anybody. It was nearly ten p.m. and there had been no word from Charlotte. She borrowed a phone from one of the girls in the next room and tried the number of the phone she'd given Charlotte. No signal. Perhaps in the park there was no coverage. Or perhaps something bad had happened and with every moment she delayed ...

  'Hi, Hannah.'

  It was Emma Cross standing at the door. Rebecca was with her. 'Just wondered how Charlotte was doing.' She began moving into the room. Hannah blocked her.

  'She's sleeping.'

  Emma threw a smug look at Rebecca. She got in close.

  'She's not here, is she? Has she run away again? Did you two have a fight? Perfectly understandable with her.'

  Rebecca said, 'Maybe she killed her. You know, and buried her in the bush.'

  Emma raised an eyebrow at Hannah as if to say, 'Maybe she did.'