Mad Men, Bad Girls

by Maggie Groff

  Tommy!

  But where was he? Hiding nearby? Or hurt? Softly, I called his name but there was no response. I crawled into the tent, picked up the book and shone light on the inscription: To Tommy, love Nana Marcia.

  Heaven knows how Tommy had got here, but got here he had and his mother had been bringing him food at mealtimes. No wonder Tildy had looked happier and seemingly unconcerned by Tommy’s disappearance. But, I realised grimly, if Serene Cloud had found Tommy when he followed Tildy, anything could have happened. And if Tommy had run into the rainforest he could be completely lost and in unspeakable danger—and alone in the dark I had no hope of finding him.

  Willing myself not to panic, I searched the immediate vicinity. Finding nothing, I returned to the tent in case there was something there that I’d missed. Above all, I needed to stay calm so that my blood sugar level didn’t go haywire. And I needed to think clearly. Somehow I had to inform Marcia and the police as soon as possible, but for the life of me I couldn’t think of any way of doing so, or even how to leave the compound.

  Suddenly my torchlight picked up a spray of blood across the side of the tent and I cried out in horror. ‘No!’

  Frantic now, I tried my phone but there was still no signal. Quickly, I stuffed the toy rabbit down the back of my jeans and set off towards the compound in a desperate search. As I moved I swung the torch into the trees on either side, but there was no sign of anyone.

  Once I’d reached the compound I snuck behind the huts and, keeping low, headed towards the demountables in the rainforest on the other side. As I approached the last hut I heard the unmistakable sounds of sexual activity emanating from the far side of the hut—the side leading to the demountables. Feeling my way carefully along the rear of the hut, I peered round the corner to find Prince Photon taking Dawn to a higher consciousness against the sidings.

  There was nothing I could do but make a run for it. I put my head down and sped into the rainforest; there I hid behind a massive tree and counted to a hundred. Once my breathing calmed and my heart stopped pounding, I could make out the continual rhythmic grunts and decided they hadn’t seen me.

  The tree canopy wasn’t as thick in this part of the forest and, guided by moonlight filtering through the branches, I trod warily towards the closest demountable. Leaning against the wall, I put my ear to the side but heard nothing. My heart in my mouth, I crept up the steps and tried the door. It was unlocked. Opening it, I stepped inside and switched on my torch.

  Before me was the shoplifting booty. The room was full of iPods, radios, mobile phones, laptops, you name it. It was like Harvey Norman.

  Suddenly a bright light shone in my face, blinding me. I froze. Shielding my face with my arm, I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.

  ‘Who’s there?’ I whispered.

  Chapter 59

  I was about to turn and run as fast as I could to the New South Wales border when a hushed voice said, ‘Turn off your torch.’

  ‘Solly!’ I cried.

  Solly shone her torch upwards towards her face and grinned. Removing a wallet from her jacket pocket, she flipped it open and shone light on her ID.

  ‘Immigration!’ I gasped. Relief flooded my veins. ‘And Laura?’

  ‘No. Laura’s a special operations technician.’

  I had no idea what that meant. ‘I thought you were both asleep in bed.’

  ‘Laura and a pillow. I take it you’re Scout Davis?’ Solly kept her voice low.

  ‘How did you know that?’ I was genuinely shocked.

  ‘Gerry Dunfey told me about you. He’s a Brisbane immigration officer. His cousin Brian had told him you might be contacting him as you were investigating an American cult that had moved to the Gold Coast. I wondered if it was you when I saw you take that glass. Where is it, by the way?’

  ‘In my backpack under a bunk. Was it you who went through my stuff?’

  Solly nodded slowly.

  For a moment I was annoyed that, once again, Brian Dunfey had interfered with my investigation, but then I realised this was a godsend. Solly and Laura could help me with Tildy and Tommy and maybe Casey, although I’d have to be careful how I played this—I didn’t know why Solly and Laura were at Bacchus Rising, and I didn’t want Casey languishing in a detention centre for illegal immigrants.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ I asked.

  ‘All I can tell you is that we’re both field operatives for a transnational organisation investigating corruption and crime involving people trafficking, the sale of children, international education scams and human rights abuses perpetrated by cults and totalitarian organisations. Our particular unit specialises in tracking cults and asset recovery. Part of our mandate is to gather information on how they evade immigration laws and relocate from one country to another to escape prosecution. Hence our interest in Serene Cloud.’

  ‘I had no idea such an organisation existed.’

  ‘Not many people do. If we’d existed years ago we may have been able to prevent the carnage at Jonestown and Waco. And maybe the Manson murders.’

  ‘Who do you answer to?’

  ‘I can’t tell you that either. We’re sanctioned by the UN and operate under guidelines established by an international federation of law enforcement agencies.’

  That was good enough for me. ‘I need your help. Tonight,’ I stressed, and as fast as I could I explained about Tildy and her son.

  Solly peered at me, assessing what I’d told her. ‘Let’s go,’ she said decisively. ‘Laura can get us out. We can call for help when we’re in phone range.’

  ‘No, they’re injured. We need to search now,’ I insisted. ‘If we don’t find them in the compound, then we’ll go for help.’ I didn’t waste time asking how she intended for us to get out.

  Solly made a move to go and I placed my hand on her arm to stop her.

  ‘There’s something else,’ I said.

  ‘What?’ Solly looked at her watch.

  This was going to take valuable time to negotiate, but it couldn’t be helped.

  ‘Does your asset recovery include humans?’ I said.

  ‘It’s a priority, why?’

  ‘There’s an American woman here,’ I explained quickly. ‘She is . . . a friend of a friend. She’s terrified and being held against her will. She thought she was coming here on vacation. Her young child is in America and she’s desperate to be home with him. I don’t want her locked up while authorities figure out what to do with her. She’s traumatised enough as it is. I want to get her home without all the . . . official rigmarole.’

  ‘Godammit,’ Solly said defensively. ‘We aren’t going to lock up someone who wants to leave the country and hasn’t been able to. Not unless they’ve committed a crime.’

  When I didn’t reply, Solly shone her torch around the room full of goods and then at me.

  Frowning, I nodded.

  ‘But she was forced to do that, right?’ Solly said, balancing the torch against her chest so the light shone between us, illuminating both our faces.

  ‘Mm. But it could still slow down her repatriation.’

  ‘It might,’ Solly said.

  To sweeten the deal, I said, ‘I can give you information on two possible illegal immigrants who are at present in Noosa, and I can give you all the information I have on Serene Cloud as well as the location where I think some of this stuff is being fenced. There’s probably more but I can’t think of it right now.’

  ‘I’d have settled for the water glass and the prick’s fingerprints and DNA!’

  ‘Will you help?’ I begged.

  ‘The American woman might want him charged with false imprisonment and assault,’ Solly suggested, taking a camera out of her other pocket.

  ‘I doubt it. We can ask, but I think she just wants to return home and be with her son.’ I was agitated, wanting to leave.

  ‘Has the slimeball got her passport?’ Solly asked as she took several shots of the goods in the room.

  ‘Yes.’<
br />
  ‘I’ll do all I can,’ she said, putting the camera away. ‘But I need your assurance you can get her safely home.’

  ‘I’m in contact with her grandfather in America. Between us we can do it.’

  Solly put out her hand and we shook.

  ‘What’s her name?’ Solly asked.

  ‘Symphony Starlight. Her real name is Casey Steinman.’

  ‘I know where her passport is,’ Solly said. ‘While we were having dinner Laura photographed a pile of foreign passports with out-of-date visas that she found in a safe in the admin hut. She’ll be there now, nosing around.’

  Solly hurriedly pulled a two-way radio from her pocket and switched it on. It was immediately apparent why she and Laura had kept their jackets on—Solly probably had a tool kit in there too.

  Before I could ask, Solly informed me, ‘We don’t have enough range on these to reach help from here—too many hills.’ She tried other channels and shook her head, then flicked back to her original channel.

  ‘Piper One to Piper Two, over,’ Solly said.

  ‘Piper Two, over,’ Laura replied.

  ‘Emergency evacuation,’ Solly said, ‘and collect Casey Steinman’s US passport from the safe, and the backpack from under the hack’s bunk. And bring blankets, we may have two injured. Have you found a landline anywhere? We need police and an ambulance, over.’

  ‘Negative to the landline. What’s going on?’

  ‘Injured woman and a lost child. See you at the minibus, over.’

  Solly switched off the radio and put it in her pocket.

  ‘The hack?’ I said.

  ‘Yeah, sorry about that. Laura will have the minibus ready and she’ll disable the security and open the gate.’

  ‘How long will that take?’ I asked urgently.

  ‘About half an hour.’

  ‘We’ll spend that time searching,’ I said, swiftly moving towards the door. ‘If we haven’t found them by then, we’ll grab Casey and drive until we can use a phone.’

  Chapter 60

  Navigating by moonlight, Solly and I crept through the rainforest. It was damp and cool and there was a strong smell of decaying plant matter. A tawny frogmouth swooped past and settled on a nearby branch, giving us both a fright.

  Of the four demountables, the first had housed the stolen goods, the second and third had been empty. We crouched at the rear of the fourth and pinned our ears to the outside wall. The deep resonant sound of snoring was coming from inside.

  Suddenly Solly flinched. Someone was moving towards us through the undergrowth. I grabbed her arm and we dropped to the ground and covered our heads. I wished I had my balaclava. And an elephant gun. The sound was strange, as though it was . . . hey . . . as though it was bouncing. We both realised at the same time and our relief was palpable as a wallaby hopped past.

  We remained motionless, listening intently, and then Solly cocked her head to one side.

  ‘Listen,’ she whispered.

  I shook my head. I couldn’t hear anything except snoring and the sounds of the forest.

  ‘That way.’

  Solly tapped my shoulder and pointed to a small structure about twenty metres away, under the trees. From where we stood it looked like a garden shed. Keeping low and moving carefully over vines and fallen branches, we edged towards it. My eyes played tricks with shapes in the rainforest. Everywhere, it seemed, gleaming pairs of eyes reflected the moonlight. It was unbearably spooky.

  Solly put up her hand and I stopped. Then I heard it. Crying. A child crying! I nodded at Solly and we crept closer. She tried the door but it wouldn’t open.

  ‘Is that you, Tommy?’ I called softly. ‘I’m a friend of Nana Marcia.’

  The crying stopped and I heard movement. Someone tried the door from the inside.

  ‘It’s locked,’ a young boy said.

  ‘Is your mum with you?’ I said.

  ‘Yes. She’s not well. I can’t see her. It’s dark in here, but she’s not speaking or moving. The man hit her very hard.’

  Oh, please no . . .

  ‘We’re going to get you out, Tommy,’ Solly said. ‘Hang on.’

  Solly switched on her torch and shone it on the shed door. It was padlocked. From her pocket, she removed a screwdriver and then handed me the torch. Yay, I’d been right about the tool kit.

  ‘Shine it on the hinges,’ she ordered.

  Working with amazing dexterity, she unscrewed the old-­fashioned strap hinges on the side of the door, and then we both pulled with all our might. There was a loud crack and the door opened. Scared at what we would find, I shone the torch into the shed.

  Tommy and his mother were huddled on the floor beside a ride-on mower. He was wearing red pyjamas and holding a hand over his forearm as if wounded. Tildy was alive, but looked like a zombie. She was staring at nothing and there was drool down the front of her blue dress. I couldn’t imagine how frightened Tommy must be.

  Solly moved into the shed and shook Tildy, but there was no reaction.

  ‘She’s catatonic,’ Solly said. ‘It’s going to be hard to get her to the bus.’

  ‘We have to,’ I stated. It was not negotiable.

  ‘Did the man bite you?’ I asked Tommy.

  He nodded and started to cry. I knelt down and took his hands. ‘Listen, Tommy, you’re going to have to be a brave boy and help us. We can all cry later, okay? Right now we need to help Mum.’ I shook his hands. ‘Right, Tommy?’ I said firmly.

  He stopped crying and nodded.

  As I watched his face, Tommy’s expression changed to one of sheer terror. He was looking over my shoulder. I stood up, turned quickly and saw the venomous face of Serene Cloud as he smashed me across the chest with a garden spade. A loud crack registered in my head just before I went down like a sack of sand. There was no immediate pain, but I knew important bits were broken.

  I looked up to see Serene Cloud in his underpants standing over me with the blade of the spade poised above my neck. Tommy was hysterical, screaming. In a flash Solly dived at Serene Cloud’s stomach. He flew backwards, dropping the spade and landing in a heap with Solly spread-eagled across him.

  ‘You bitches, you lousy bitches of Satan,’ Serene Cloud bellowed as he struggled to push Solly off.

  Solly was trying to pin him to the ground, but he was manic, his eyes wild, his nostrils flaring like a mad bull. I couldn’t move, couldn’t get up.

  He aimed a punch at Solly’s face. She moved in time, throwing her body to the side and jumping to her feet. Serene Cloud stood up and pulled his arm back, ready to hit out at Solly again. But he wasn’t quick enough. She kicked him hard in the groin with her goth boot and he doubled over.

  Suddenly Tommy stopped screaming and moved behind Solly and Serene Cloud. Before I’d had time to blink, Tommy picked up the spade and swung it in a huge arc. All I could do was screw up my eyes as the flat of the spade hit Serene Cloud in the side of the head.

  He dropped like a stone and Solly rushed over and knelt beside him.

  ‘Well done, kid,’ she said over her shoulder. ‘He’s out cold. You just saved our lives. And your mother’s.’

  ‘Please, help me up,’ I called weakly. ‘I think my ribs are broken.’

  Solly, moving at lightning speed, assisted me to my feet. Searing pain was starting to spread through my upper body and down one arm. Trying not to panic, I looked for Tommy—he was holding his mother, and it was then that I saw the terrible raw wound on his arm.

  The next instant something short, fat and white came running towards us through the trees. It looked like the Byron Bay lighthouse in John Lennon spectacles, but it was Cinnamon Toast wearing an enormous white nightdress.

  ‘What have you done? What have you done to the Master?’ Cinnamon shrieked and fell to his side. ‘He’s dead. You’ve killed him,’ she wailed.

  ‘Unfortunately, we haven’t,’ I said, although having seen Tommy’s arm, I didn’t much care if we had.

  Cinnamon Toast stood
up and angrily marched towards me with her little piggy mouth pursed and her fist ready to punch. She was two metres away when she suddenly stopped, grabbed her stomach and looked down. Fluid gushed onto the ground between her feet.

  ‘What’s that?’ she cried, alarmed.

  ‘Your waters have broken,’ I said, surprised that she hadn’t known what it was. ‘It means your baby is coming.’

  Cinnamon looked bewildered.

  ‘Absolutely bloody typical!’ Solly fumed. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

  Rather unexpectedly, I laughed out loud. And it hurt like blazes.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ Solly turned angry eyes at me.

  ‘You remind me of my sister. That’s exactly what she would have said.’

  Chapter 61

  Cinnamon started screaming hysterically and Solly slapped her across the face.

  ‘This is not about you,’ Solly yelled, ‘so shut up!’

  Cinnamon clasped her belly and doubled over in response to a contraction. Her labour had started—the quirks of life are endless, aren’t they?

  Holding one arm across my chest, I moved awkwardly into the shed and shone the light on Tildy. One side of her face was white, the other purple. Her eyes didn’t appear to focus and her breathing was shallow. We needed to get her to a hospital—and fast. Goodness only knew what else Serene Cloud had done to her.

  When I looked around, Serene Cloud was stirring on the ground.

  Solly saw him at the same time as I did. ‘We have to move, NOW!’ she shouted. ‘Through the compound and out to the mini­bus. NOW!’

  Tommy was trying to encourage his mother to stand up, but she wasn’t responding. Between them, Solly and Tommy hauled Tildy out of the shed, her legs giving way with each step. She was too far gone; there was no way that she was going to be able to walk to the minibus.

  ‘Wait!’ Tommy shrieked as he disappeared into the shed. All of a sudden I heard the mower start and in two ticks Tommy drove out of the shed. Solly and I glanced at each other. There wasn’t a nine-year-old boy in Australia who wouldn’t have jumped at the chance.