by Drew Lindsay
‘They don’t wash off easily,’ said Ben.
‘They’re not supposed to.’
‘I’ve never stayed in a honeymoon suite,’ said Ann as she popped another large prawn into her mouth.
‘Three bedrooms,’ said Ben. ‘No extra charge.’
‘I want the honeymoon bed,’ said Ann. ‘I hear it’s about the size of a football field.’
‘Do you want to kick a goal darling?’ asked Sophia sweetly.
‘Don’t be crude,’ said Ann.
‘Do you still have your chook and coconut five cent coin?’ asked Ben.
‘It was supposed to be my lucky coin,’ said Ann. ‘Then you put a piece of bloody timber against the door and I couldn’t get in.’
‘We’ll toss the coin for beds,’ said Ben.
Claudia smiled as she pushed some of her thick black hair away from her face. ‘You guys are hysterical.’
‘Either way, two of us have to sleep together because the new fale only has king size beds,’ said Ann. She glanced at Sophia. ‘I’m not sleeping with you. No offence darling.’
‘How could you possibly ever offend me babe?’
Ann looked at Ben. ‘Do you want to pick one of us?’
‘No way,’ said Ben. ‘How about you just leave me the lounge.’
‘You’re not sleeping on the bloody lounge,’ said Ann. ‘You’re too big for the lounge.’
‘Then you sleep on it,’ said Ben. ‘You’re only little.’
‘I might be little mate but you know how I’m built.’
‘Accidental viewing on both occasions,’ said Ben glancing at Claudia.
Ann sipped on the chilled white wine which had just been poured. She studied Sophia’s face for a moment and then took the coin out of her pocket. ‘Well then, let’s go for it.’
‘The first call is for the honeymoon bed,’ said Sophia.
‘I’m taking the chook,’ said Ann.
‘Flip it then,’ said Sophia.
Ann flipped the coin, caught it and slapped it over onto the back of her hand. ‘You can change your mind if you like.’
‘I didn’t choose,’ said Sophia. ‘You did.’
‘I’m staying with the chook,’ said Ann. She lifted her hand away from the coin. ‘Damn that coin to hell.’
‘You got coconuts darling,’ said Sophia.
Ann sipped more wine. ‘Your call Ben.’
‘I’ll take the chook.’
‘The bugger is unlucky.’
‘I’ll take him anyway,’ said Ben.
Ann flipped the coin again, caught it and slapped it onto the back of her hand. ‘Last chance.’
‘Chook,’ said Ben.
Ann moved her hand away. The chook was up. ‘That’s not fair,’ said Ann.
The coin flipping game went on as dinner was served. Ben watched Claudia Abrams’s face as the coin put them together in the huge honeymoon bed. She had been laughing and enjoying the game until the final flip of the coin. She looked at Ben. He avoided her bright hazel eyes.
‘We could always flip the coin again,’ said Ann.
‘No.’ said Claudia. ‘The chook has spoken.’
Ann and Sophia burst into laughter. Ben smiled but he didn’t laugh.
Ben closed the timber blind at the front of the main bedroom. He usually slept naked but tonight he left his underpants on. He never wore pyjamas, ever. Claudia turned out the soft lighting and walked around to her side of the huge bed. Ben could see the outline of her breasts in the dim starlight. She didn’t appear to be wearing anything. She slid underneath the crisp white sheet and lay back. ‘This is not the way I had expected things to work out,’ she said softly.
‘No,’ said Ben.
‘I imagine Natalie won’t be giving me any more work or recommending me to her friends.’
‘That may be a good thing,’ said Ben.
‘I did time in the UK,’ she said. ‘I got careless and got caught.’ She was silent for a moment. ‘I never want to go back to prison again.’
‘Then don’t accept work from people like Natalie Goodsong.’
‘I was trained by the Israeli army. I have a reputation in certain circles.’
‘Time to shift focus,’ said Ben. ‘It appears you already have to some extent.’
She propped herself up with one arm under the side of her head and looked at him in the dim starlight. ‘I had thought about hurting Sophia. I believed she had information.’
‘What stopped you?’ asked Ben.
‘You stopped me.’
He turned his head to look at her. ‘I didn’t do much.’
‘You had the balls to confront me. You were honest with me. The people I’ve worked with in this business don’t do that kind of thing. I was very confused.’
‘Perhaps I can introduce you to someone in Sydney who may be happy to use your services differently.’
‘Your boss?’
‘He’s not my boss,’ said Ben. ‘He’s my friend.’
Claudia didn’t speak for a long moment. She didn’t move. When she finally spoke her voice was soft and her choice of words was careful. ‘The last time I slept with a man was disastrous.’
‘Did he snore that loudly?’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘We’re in bed together because of the flip of a coin. It’s a huge bed. You have your side and I have mine,’ said Ben. ‘I’m tired and I’ve got a big day tomorrow.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I’m going back to the mainland for one more try.’
‘And you want me to keep an eye on the girls?’
‘Yes, although I think the danger is past.’
Claudia moved towards him. ‘Do you think you could hold me for a while?’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want to be held by a man.’
‘But your last experience…’
Her naked body was on top of his before he could complete the sentence. Her large breasts pressed against his chest and she moved her hips slowly. Their mouths and tongues met. Ben slid his arms around her waist. She moaned softly.
Ben was naked when he finally woke. His underpants had been flung across the room. He had a split on his bottom lip from her teeth and a tiny bruise on the side of his neck. The bed sheet was on the floor and he realised that both he and Claudia were lying close together with their heads at the foot of the bed and their feet at the bed head. All the pillows were on the floor. He attempted to get up but she gripped both his wrists in a swift movement and pulled him on top of her. ‘More please.’
‘Claudia…’
She writhed underneath him. ‘More!’
‘Bad night?’ asked Ann as they sat down on the outside deck of the restaurant. The bright coloured Koki parrot landed on their table looking for fruit.
‘I slept like a log,’ said Sophia.
‘I slept well,’ said Claudia, glancing at Ben.
‘You both look like you didn’t sleep at all,’ said Ann.
‘We had a lot to discuss,’ said Ben.
‘I’ll bet you did,’ said Ann.
‘Work things,’ said Claudia.
‘He’s good, right?’ asked Ann, leaning forward towards Claudia.
‘Fucking incredible!’
Ann sat back with a startled look on her face. ‘Damn that bloody chook!’
“****”
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Ben phoned Detective Inspector Lolohea as the yacht was half way to Nuku’Alofa. ‘It’s Saturday,’ said Ben. ‘Are you working?’
‘If you look left you’ll see our police launch passing you,’ said Lolohea Ben glanced at the grey police launch in the distance and waved. Lolohea waved back. ‘I’m taking one of your ladies on a bit of a picnic.’
‘Does she know?’ asked Ben.
‘By now she does and she is waiting on the beach at Fa Fa Island.’
‘Watch her,’ said Ben.
‘I can’t take my eyes off her,’ said Lolohea.
/> ‘Did Hogzuk talk?’
‘Yes, surprisingly. He’s under guard at the hospital. He’s after a deal with the king.’
‘Will he get one?’
‘Maybe he will think he has a deal. He has given up Sergeant Amasio as being responsible for the theft of the…item.’
‘What’s Sergeant Amasio saying about that?’
‘He’s gone AWOL.’
‘No surprise there,’ said Ben. ‘Did Nancy Fiumara talk?’
‘Not a word. We had to let her go and she took the first flight back to Sydney.’
‘Without her luggage,’ said Ben.
‘She can afford new luggage. I’ll speak with the island manager about her when we get there.’
‘Where did Hunter get the hire car?’ asked Ben.
‘Reliable Hire just opposite the jetty. What are you up to?’
‘Was his car damaged while he had it?’
‘No.’
‘What about damage to one of the wheels?’
‘No damage at all.’
‘Then he was off somewhere on the night he was supposed to be with Loa Tei?’
‘It appears that we’ll never know where he went,’ said Paul Lolohea.
‘Did he say anything to the dive shop people?’
‘Nothing,’ said Lolohea. ‘You are wasting your time in Nuku’Alofa. What do you hope to achieve by going there?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Ben. ‘I might visit Loa Tei one more time.’
‘Wherever he hid the item was something only he knew. He had made a demand of the king and once the money was paid, he may have revealed the location. Hunter was killed before negotiations were finalised. It’s a sad ending to what may have been an exciting achievement.’
‘Who stalled the negotiations?’ asked Ben.
‘James Amasio.’
‘I was told the police had stalled negotiations,’ said Ben.
‘We wanted to get back the stolen items but by the time we knew what was happening, Hunter was dead.’
Ben watched as the small police cruiser approached Fa Fa Island in the distance. ‘Enjoy your date.’
‘Stay out of trouble,’ said Paul Lolohea.
‘You’re the one in trouble mate,’ said Ben.
Ben walked from the jetty to the premises of Reliable Hire Cars. He hired a small Toyota sedan and drove it to the home of Loa Tei. George and Anga greeted him warmly. They explained that Loa was working at the chemist shop.
‘The police check on us several times a day,’ said George Tei. ‘They patrol past during the night. We feel very special and the neighbours are talking. We aren’t saying anything.’
‘How is Loa?’ asked Ben.
‘She’s a strong girl,’ said George. ‘We cannot thank you enough for taking care of us.’
‘I think you did fairly well yourself,’ said Ben. ‘Let’s hope you never have to deal with people like that again.’
‘I keep the pole handy,’ said George.
‘Good for you,’ said Ben as walked towards the door.
George left his wife’s side and accompanied Ben to the hire car. ‘Something deeply troubles Loa.’
‘She will need time to settle down,’ said Ben.
‘No,’ said George. ‘Something else is worrying her and she won’t speak to us about it.’
‘Perhaps she will tell me,’ said Ben.
‘Yes…perhaps.’
Her long black hair was pulled back in a pony tail. Ben watched her approach him. He recalled the moment she let her hair down and it cascaded over her shoulders as she unbuttoned her shirt. Loa kissed him gently on the cheek. ‘Do you need more sunburn oil?’
‘It’s fine, thank you.’
‘I’m off work at 4 pm,’ she said. ‘Do you want to meet me?’
‘I’m going back to the island,’ said Ben. ‘I hired a car and visited your parents.’
‘That was kind of you.’
‘He didn’t have problems with his hire car,’ said Ben.
She looked at him but said nothing.
‘He didn’t damage a wheel on the last night he spent with you.’
‘I don’t know where he went, I promise.’
‘Did he meet with someone else?’
‘He was fresh,’ said Loa.
‘What do you mean?’
‘He had showered and was fresh.’
‘Then he did meet with someone else,’ said Ben. ‘Perhaps a hotel somewhere else?’
‘No. He was ready for me. He wasn’t spent…worn out. I can tell.’
Ben was silent but his mind was running through a number of possibilities. ‘He drove you back to your parent’s home when you left the hotel on the last day you saw him?’
‘Yes.’
‘He stopped at the dive shop on the way?’
‘To drop off his rented diving gear.’
‘Did he have an underwater torch?’ asked Ben.
‘I don’t know.’
‘I was told that he brought a very powerful underwater torch with him on that last visit to Tonga.’
‘I didn’t see it,’ said Loa.
‘Did he ever go night diving?’
‘Not that I know of,’ said Loa. ‘He liked diving on the reefs with lots of sunlight.’
Ben nodded. ‘Can I ring you anytime?’
‘You’ve got my mobile number,’ said Loa. ‘Do you know something?’
‘I don’t think so,’ said Ben. ‘I’m grabbing at shadows.’
‘I’ve told you all I know.’
Ben watched her closely. She was trying to smile but her eyes were troubled. ‘Something isn’t right,’ he said.’
‘It’s been a very unpleasant experience recently. I need time.’
‘Is that all it is?’ asked Ben.
‘Yes,’ she said, but she avoided looking into his eyes.
A small Tongan woman entered the shop. Ben nodded at Loa. ‘I’ll ring you later.’
‘Yes, thank you.’
Ben walked outside to his hire car.
The Black Pearl Dive Shop was less impressive than the huge sign hanging outside above their door. Aqualung cylinders stood against the left hand wall with regulators hanging from hooks on the wall. A variety of wetsuits hung on racks at the back of the small brick building. Masks and fins were piled up on a table against the right hand wall. Buoyancy vests and weight belts lay on the floor behind a large timber desk. A bell rang as Ben entered the shop. A huge Tongan man came out of a back room and grinned at him. Most of the upper teeth in his mouth were missing. ‘You want to go for a dive trip to the islands perhaps?’
‘I’m staying on one of the islands,’ said Ben.
The Tongan man was in his early 30’s with short cropped hair and scars on the left side of his face. He appeared quite fit notwithstanding his huge body. ‘Do you want to rent some gear?’
‘No,’ said Ben.
‘Do you want to buy something?’
‘I’m an associate of Joseph Hunter.’
‘Jesus! The less I hear about that guy the more relaxed I’ll be.’
‘I gather the police have been asking about him,’ said Ben.
‘The police come here, the clients stay away. They think someone died or something.’
‘Joseph Hunter died,’ said Ben.
‘Not because of anything I hired him,’ said the Tongan man.
‘Of course not,’ said Ben. He wandered to the back of the shop and examined the wetsuits. Most were in a fair condition. Some were only fit for the bin.
‘What do you want mate?’
‘Did Joseph Hunter tell you where he was going to dive?’
‘I’ve already told the police. He said nothing about that.’
‘So he was going alone?’
‘How would I know? Perhaps you should leave. I don’t like problems.’
‘Do you hire out underwater torches?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did Joseph Hunter hire one?’
‘No. He had one
with him.’
‘Did he ask you for directions to anywhere in particular?’
‘Jesus man, I’ve told the police all I know. If you don’t want to spend money here, take off.’
Ben knew he was defeated. His shoulders slumped and he walked to the door of the dive shop. As he opened the door the Tongan man dropped into a chair behind the desk. ‘Bloody odd fella.’
Ben stopped and turned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Washed all his stuff.’
‘What are you talking about?’ asked Ben.
‘Everyone hires the gear but they never wash it in fresh water like you’re supposed to. I have to wash all the gear in fresh water to get the salt water out.’
Ben stepped back into the dive shop. ‘He washed his diving gear in fresh water?’
‘First time that has ever happened while I’ve been here.’
‘Just his wetsuit?’
‘Everything. Regulator, mask, fins. Everything.’
‘Perhaps he dived in a fresh water lake,’ said Ben.
‘Nothing to see in any lake on this island,’ said the Tongan man. ‘Most of them are just storage reservoirs.’
Ben turned back towards the door.
‘Other than the black pool in the cave but no one in their right mind would dive in there.’
‘What black pool?’
‘It’s deep underground on the eastern side of the island. People swim there from time to time but no one goes diving there. It’s a lava tube that goes down into God knows where.’
‘What’s it called?’ asked Ben. His pulse was racing.
‘Anahula Cave.’
‘How do I find this cave?’ asked Ben.
‘The people from the Haveluliku village arrange tours of the cave and the freshwater pool.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘The guide won’t be there by the time you reach the place and tomorrow is Sunday. Nothing opens tomorrow. We all go to church.’
Ben approached the desk. ‘I’d like a wetsuit, weights, tank and regulator.’
‘Are you qualified?’
Ben slapped down his PADI Divemaster certification.’
‘That will do it,’ said the Tongan man, getting to his feet. ‘Mask and fins?’
‘Yes.’