Deadman’s Track

by Sarah Barrie

  ‘I can tell you some?’

  ‘Go for it. The only thing I found was that a mystery sailor drowned and washed up on a beach out here somewhere,’ Libby said.

  ‘True,’ Tess said. ‘There was a sailor who drowned off the coast and washed up not too far from here. Deadman’s Bay is named after him.’

  Jasmin nodded. ‘They say his ghost still haunts the place, trying to get home. People have seen unexplained lights on the beach at night.’

  Tess bit back the smile. ‘I’ve never heard of anything paranormal related to him. Who says that?’

  Jasmin shrugged. ‘It’s stuff I’ve read on the internet. I printed out some photos of orbs and weird zig-zagging lights.’

  Tess took the offered book and looked closely. She suspected most of what she was seeing was the result of raindrops on camera lenses but didn’t say anything, simply handed it back.

  ‘Poor guy. I wonder what happened,’ Libby said.

  ‘I believe he was a whaler, but I don’t know a lot of details,’ Tess said.

  ‘Even though I’m the one that can’t swim, drowning is actually your worst fear, right, Brock?’ Jasmin asked. ‘’Cause you nearly drowned once, as a kid.’

  ‘No one likes the sensation of not being able to breathe,’ Brock snapped, as though annoyed she was threatening his tough-guy image. ‘I’m sure they’ve got one too,’ he said, looking pointedly towards James.

  ‘I hate snakes and spiders,’ Riley admitted. ‘They’re my worst nightmare.’

  ‘Worse than fire?’ Jasmin asked. ‘I can’t even stand to burn my fingers eating hot chips. Imagine being burned alive.’

  ‘No thanks,’ Riley said. ‘What about you?’ she asked James.

  ‘Dunno,’ he said with a lift of his shoulders. ‘I’d just want it to be over quick.’

  ‘Not sure either,’ Libby agreed, then playfully she wrapped an arm around James’s shoulders and squeezed. ‘But as long as we end up together, forever, it wouldn’t be so bad, right?’ She kissed him noisily on the cheek and he chuckled, turned his face to kiss her properly.

  ‘Sure,’ James agreed.

  ‘Boredom!’ Chris said with a smirk. ‘Dying of boredom. Kind of like at uni.’

  ‘Agreed,’ Alex said emphatically. ‘Hanging around doing nothing all day when you could be doing something extreme.’

  When they high-fived each other again, Tess decided they reminded her of characters from some old movie Connor and Logan had made her watch years ago. Bill and Ted something or other, she remembered. That movie was probably older than they were, but it could have been modelled on the two idiots.

  Riley bumped Jai, who’d gone quiet. ‘Well?’

  ‘Falling,’ Jai decided. ‘Knowing you’re going to die and just waiting to hit the ground.’

  Tess’s stomach flipped. ‘Have to agree with you there,’ she muttered.

  Riley bumped Jai again, harder, then glanced meaningfully at Tess.

  ‘Oh, shit—sorry, Tess,’ Jai said. ‘Didn’t mean to bring that up.’

  ‘Bring what up?’ Libby asked.

  ‘A near accident, that’s all,’ Tess said, then fought for a smile. ‘This is all very morbid. Why don’t we change the subject?’

  ‘Sure. What else have you got in there, Jas?’ Riley asked.

  ‘Okay, so actually there’s lots of reports of strange things in the sky.’

  ‘Look out, she’s got the aliens coming after us now,’ Brock said, but without any of the snap of earlier.

  Jasmin smacked him playfully. ‘You never know.’

  Jai whistled a few bars of The X-Files theme and the group laughed. After barely being present for the last couple of days, Tess was relieved to see him relaxing and joining in. She knew about his grandfather being in respite and thought it must be difficult having to leave him in a place he didn’t want to be.

  ‘And there’s the guy who lived out at Melaleuca all alone until he died,’ Jasmin continued. ‘Some people reckon he never left.’

  ‘If Deny is still there,’ Tess said, ‘I hardly think he’d be wasting his time scaring away tourists when he was renowned for his incredible hospitality.’

  ‘Who was he?’ James asked.

  ‘An amazing man who almost single-handedly made Melaleuca what it is. He was an outstanding bushman, naturalist and environmentalist, and he’s a big reason this place is a world heritage area. He was a legend. If anyone’s made up any rubbish about him, I don’t want to hear it.’

  Jasmin looked at whatever else she had on the page and very pointedly turned to the next one. ‘How about those escaped convicts that ate each other?’

  ‘Well, that’s more like it!’ Chris said enthusiastically.

  ‘Are you serious?’ Riley asked.

  ‘Alexander Pearce,’ Jasmin said. ‘He was an Irish guy sent to Australia for seven years for stealing some shoes, but he escaped and ended up with a worse sentence in an even worse prison. They reckon the place drove the prisoners mad. Anyway, in 1822 he and seven of his mates escaped but they got lost in the bush and were so starving they ended up drawing straws to decide who they were going to eat.’

  ‘Ew!’ Riley exclaimed.

  ‘Serious!’ Jasmin said. ‘And they just kept eating each other until Pearce was the only one left. He got caught again and the authorities didn’t believe the others had been eaten. They thought the other prisoners had escaped and he was covering for them. But then he escaped yet again with another prisoner and when he got caught that time they found parts of the other prisoner in his pockets.’

  ‘This conversation just gets better and better,’ Libby said with a shudder.

  ‘What happened?’ Riley asked.

  ‘They hanged him.’ Jasmin looked around. ‘Imagine being lost out here and being starving enough to eat each other.’

  ‘Actually, that was further north,’ Tess said, amused. ‘They weren’t ever in this part of the wilderness.’

  ‘No, but the seven of us are,’ Alex said in a spooky voice.

  Everyone groaned. ‘Wouldn’t you rather sing campfire songs or something?’ Tess prompted.

  ‘I know what I’d rather be doing,’ Libby said. ‘Snuggling up in a warm sleeping bag. I’m exhausted.’

  ‘And on that note,’ James said. ‘Goodnight, everyone.’

  Tess wished them goodnight. If nothing else, this trip may have saved a marriage. She got to her feet and walked away to take one last look over the ocean. The moon had made a tentative appearance, struggling for space between the heavy clouds. Perhaps tomorrow would be a better day after all. She heard the waves, the ferocious smash, smash, smash against the shore. It was powerful yet soothing in its regularity. A branch snapped nearby, then another. Someone was still up, probably visiting the pit toilet before bed. Cold, she walked back to her tent, noticing torches were out and tents carefully zipped up. What she’d heard must have been an animal. She hoped everyone had done a good job of double bagging and protecting their food. It was amazing the damage some of the wildlife could do while scavenging.

  Though the morning sky had broken with streaks of blue and the wind had dropped back to a breeze, the tannin-stained water of the creek in front of them was still restless and angry, spewing froth and tossing debris in swirling patterns out to the ocean.

  ‘Can we cross it?’ asked Jai.

  Tess looked helplessly at the line of hopeful faces. She wasn’t keen to try. ‘Look, even at knee depth on a good day this water has got a strong flow about it. I’m not sure—’

  ‘We can’t stay here forever,’ Brock said.

  A currawong sang in the branches above them while she considered that. ‘It’s dropped its level since earlier this morning,’ she said. ‘We can wait it out, hope it continues to go down. I warned you this might happen.’

  ‘What if we form a chain?’ Chris asked. ‘Strongest help the weakest?’

  She shook her head. ‘Best way to cross is to use your poles, face upstream and watch your footin
g—it’s difficult to tell in the dark water. I’m pretty sure we should let it drop a bit more first.’

  ‘Okay, well, it’s a nice morning, so how about we get some photos?’ Riley suggested.

  ‘Good idea. Will someone take some of James and me?’ Libby asked.

  ‘Of course,’ Tess said. ‘How about over there? Brock!’

  Brock had moved further upstream and was wading into the water. ‘It’s fine!’ he called out. ‘Not too strong.’ But the water was pulling at him, eddying in a deep groove behind him as it dragged at the top of his thighs. He stumbled once, righted himself and braced. He held out his hand. ‘Come on, Jasmin.’

  ‘Brock, if you’re set on crossing, it’s actually better to be down here, closer to the ocean,’ Tess called out.

  Jasmin looked from Tess to Brock, chewing her bottom lip. ‘Maybe you should do what Tess says.’

  ‘Jasmin, I’m standing in it. It’s fine. Trust me!’

  ‘Jasmin can’t swim, remember?’ Tess snapped. ‘Don’t be stupid!’

  Brock ignored her. ‘Last night you told me you trusted me, Jas. You said I was being stupid worrying that I wasn’t enough for you. Prove it.’

  ‘Seriously? How juvenile can you be?’ Tess demanded.

  ‘Yeah. Come on, man,’ Chris surprised Tess by calling out. ‘Even if we can do it, it doesn’t mean Jas should.’

  Tess had a quick moment of guilt over the mean things she’d said about him in her head last night, then noticed Jasmin heading reluctantly towards Brock. ‘Don’t do it, Jasmin,’ she called. ‘By this afternoon there’s a good chance it’ll be much safer.’

  Jasmin looked from Tess to the others. ‘Brock, I think I’d rather wait.’

  ‘Fine!’ he snapped. ‘You’re full of shit, Jas.’

  ‘Okay! Okay wait.’ Jasmin sent Tess an apologetic smile and hurried into the water.

  ‘Jasmin, undo your belt clip and chest strap!’ Tess ordered, and was relieved when she did that, at least.

  Jasmin waded in. She was a foot shorter than Brock and the water reached her waist. She was moving backwards, being pulled down the beach more than across the rivulet. Tess dropped her pack and reached the water’s edge closer to the inlet, watching, tense, as Brock sidled towards Jasmin. He took her hand and they went slowly, inching their way across. Obviously deciding it was safe, Chris and Alex went in after them.

  ‘Watch your step just ahead,’ Brock called. ‘There’s something in the water.’

  ‘Right, thanks!’ Alex called back.

  Brock threw a smug look at Tess over his shoulder. She fought the urge to sneer back before a wave of panic hit her. A dead tree came at them fast in the strong current, its branches twisting and tossing in the water. She opened her mouth to warn them but it was too late. Brock and Jasmin seemed to rise out of the water before being pitched violently forward, disappearing underneath it. Jasmin’s pack slipped from her shoulders and a moment later she rose to the surface, coughing and struggling. Brock’s pack was still attached, making it difficult for him to surface. He fought desperately against the weight of it, but Jasmin was being carried away quickly by the strength of the water.

  ‘Damn it!’

  Tess went in. It was difficult keeping her feet under her. As Jasmin was carried right at her, Tess felt the impact smash into her and lost her footing, struggling to get it back as she held Jasmin’s jacket in one hand and dragged at the water with the other to keep upright. Then Jai was there, and James. Somehow they managed to get out, back on the same side they’d started from.

  Jasmin collapsed on the sand, coughing and shaking, crying.

  Brock had gotten himself out on the other side. ‘Jasmin! Are you all right?’

  ‘No,’ she shot back, then coughed again.

  ‘You just won’t listen!’ Tess snapped. ‘I’m so sick to death of men who think they know better! The last one is dead. You’re lucky not to be!’

  ‘Give me a break! If it hadn’t been for the log we would have—’

  ‘Shut up!’ she yelled. ‘Just shut up!’

  He looked as shocked by the outburst as she was for having made it. She was trembling with adrenaline, angry, but she knew she shouldn’t behave that way. Telling herself to find some control, she bent back over Jasmin. The girl was freezing.

  ‘We need to get you into something dry.’

  ‘My pack. It’s gone.’

  Tess looked around. ‘There’s a chance we might get it back but everything is going to be soaked. You’ll have to borrow some of my clothes, and we’ll dry off the ones you’re wearing.’

  ‘And use some of mine, too,’ Riley offered. ‘Between us we’ll have enough to go around.’

  ‘Come on, up you get. We all need to get dry.’

  It was lunchtime before Tess managed to coax Jasmin safely across the creek. The water level had dropped and with Jai on one side and James on the other, she made it without too much trouble. Brock had waited on the other side, alone, for hours. He had everything out of his pack, drying. He’d somehow also managed to salvage Jasmin’s pack and her things were laid out with his.

  ‘Never miss a chance,’ Brock muttered at James for helping Jasmin out of the water. Tess had trouble biting her tongue.

  James walked up to Brock and punched him in the jaw. ‘Grow up.’

  ‘Hey!’ Tess snapped. ‘That’s enough!’

  Brock was brought down on one knee by the force of it. He stayed there, head down. Then he nodded, pressing his fingers to his eyes. ‘I’m sorry.’ He stood up, his jaw red, his lip split. ‘Jas, I’m sorry. We would have been okay—’

  ‘Yeah, well, we weren’t.’ Jasmin walked past him up the beach and started shoving her things haphazardly into her pack. ‘Are we going?’ she asked Tess.

  ‘In a minute,’ Tess answered. ‘Once Brock’s packed up.’

  Without argument, Brock limped over to his things. Tess frowned. ‘What have you done?’

  ‘Just a small gash from that tree. It’s not bad.’

  ‘Want me to take a look? We’re really going to have to push ourselves to get to the next campsite before dark.’

  ‘I said it’s—no. No, thanks. It’s fine.’

  ‘We’ll help you pack up, bro,’ Alex offered.

  Brock kept up along the beach, even ascended the timber stairs that led back into the bush without slowing them down. Tess took that as a good sign and relaxed about whatever injury he’d sustained. They continued along a track dominated by beech trees, the otherwise grey landscape broken by the startling lime green of native grasses. Then the track opened out into more muddy plains where they slogged through shin-deep mud, the earth suctioning their boots and making walking exhausting. The light, scrubby bushland beyond was a welcome relief.

  ‘Hey, is this our campsite?’ Libby asked when they reached a clear area of ground.

  ‘It’s a campsite, but not ours,’ she told her. ‘Unless Milford Creek is uncrossable. But we should stop here, take a break.’

  ‘How much further?’ Riley asked, taking a long, thirsty drink.

  ‘About four k’s.’ Tess saw Brock rub his leg, his face reflecting discomfort. ‘If it’s too much, we can stay here, but it’ll mean a more difficult day tomorrow.’

  ‘No,’ Brock said, catching her watching him. ‘Four k’s is nothing.’

  ‘The last part of today’s track is a difficult climb up some dunes. But whatever you say.’ She gave them ten minutes, her own calves aching. Then she got them on their feet. ‘We don’t want to be setting up tents in the dark. We’re going to have to move fast.’

  CHAPTER

  35

  Tank was sitting up in his hospital bed. One eye was completely swollen shut, bruises covered his face and arms, and a long row of stitches marred his left temple. The skin that wasn’t bruised was sallow and he looked older, softer. But his one good eye sharpened when he saw them. ‘Detectives.’ Even his voice sounded weak.

  ‘Tank,’ Jared said. ‘Good to
see you awake.’

  ‘Thanks for coming to get me. Not sure I would have ever woken up if I’d been there much longer.’

  ‘Can you tell us what happened?’ Indy asked.

  ‘I went home to freshen up to see you two about what we talked about and got jumped. They wanted to know where the ring was. Told ’em I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about.’

  ‘And did you?’ Jared asked.

  Tank took a sip of his water and shook his head.

  ‘Did you know Jai Wharton was working for them?’ Indy asked.

  Tank dragged his fingers over his head. ‘Jai isn’t one of them.’

  ‘He delivered a ring to them,’ Indy said. ‘Except it wasn’t the right one. Cochrane seems to think you told him to swap it for another one.’

  ‘I don’t know what they’re on about! Real one, fake one … And if Jai took something to those morons, it was because Pax blackmailed him to. The bastard couldn’t leave him out of it. Got him all wrapped up. Poor kid was a mess.’

  ‘I hope you’re not covering for him,’ Jared said. ‘Because he’s out in the middle of nowhere with your daughter.’

  Tank scowled. ‘You could torture that kid to within an inch of his life—he’d never hurt Riley. Never hurt anyone on purpose. I’m telling ya, he’s a good kid.’

  ‘That good kid had more than ten thousand dollars stashed in a backpack in his wardrobe,’ Indy said.

  ‘That’s what Cochrane does. Throws money at you to get you in, keep you quiet. Did Jai go out and buy a new car, flash it around? He wouldn’t have asked for that money, but he was desperate enough to keep it. What’s he spending it on? His pop’s care, no doubt.’

  ‘Just how wrapped up did Jai get?’ Jared asked. ‘And what is it you think Orvist could blackmail him about? Is he the other killer?’

  Tank shifted gingerly and reached for a glass of water. When he sighed heavily, he seemed to age ten years. ‘It was an accident. Look, I told you I’d tell you all of it and I will. Sit down.’

  Jared took notes. ‘So Cochrane’s belief the ring was being held as a bargaining tool is off base?’ he asked when Tank had finished.