The Patsy

by Bruce Cooke

  “Still want to try?” yelled Scott. “Three down and five to go.”

  Another flurry of shots met him, so he nodded to Pipa. She lit another fuse and passed it to him. He dropped it over the edge and watched as it bounced down the slope. It exploded, and another scream was heard. Next thing Scott saw, four of them hurrying down the slope to their car as fast as they could move. They drove off in one of the cars, leaving one man behind, holding his shoulder. Scott made his way down and looked at the wounded man. He stared at Scott with fear in his eyes.

  “Don’t kill me. Please.”

  Scott aimed his hand gun at the man. “Depends. Tell me where Pallister is.”

  Fear filled the expression on his face. “He’s in Dalmeny just past Batemans Bay.”

  “The address?”

  “32 Fisherman’s Drive. It’s an isolated house.”

  “Okay. Here’s what you are going to do. You will go back to him and tell him I’m pissed and I’m coming for him. Understand?”

  The man nodded and stood up, still holding his shoulder. Scott watched him hurry down the slope to the other car, climb in, and drive off.

  “Hell,” said Pipa. “You are a very dangerous man.”

  “Me? I’m as gentle as you can find.”

  She squeezed his hand. “If I ever piss you off, are you going to kill me?”

  “God, no. Why would you think that?”

  “Just a thought.”

  He pulled her close. “I would never hurt anyone I love, no matter how much they piss me off.”

  “You are amazing, and I love you.”

  “Now there’s a coincidence. Ever thought of getting married?”

  “Not until now, but I can think about it.”

  “Just a thought. Waking up alongside you every morning would be a dream come true.”

  “For me, too.”

  “Okay, we are going to Dalmeny in the next couple of days.”

  “Won’t Pallister send more men after us?” Pipa asked.

  “Only if he can find some, and I seriously doubt that. Once the word gets around, he might have a lot of difficulty. I think he might be making plans to leave the country.”

  “Then we should tell the police.”

  “I will once we get to Dalmeny. Don’t want to miss the fun.”

  “God, you’re insane. Let the police handle it.”

  He smirked. “I never leave things undone if I can help it. He might get away, and we would always be looking over our shoulders. Do you want that?”

  “I don’t like it, but I understand. Could be another scoop here.”

  He grinned at her. “See, I knew you had a sense of adventure.”

  She slipped her arms around his neck. “I suppose someone has to keep their eyes on you in case you get hurt.”

  Chapter 21

  Pallister glared at the man standing before him. “Are you telling me eight of you couldn’t handle one man?”

  “He ambushed us. He shot two and blew another up with a homemade bomb. He’s dangerous.”

  “And where are the others?”

  “They ran like frightened rabbits. He had us in his sights all the time. He left a note giving us a hint of where he was. Then he lay in wait.”

  “In the National Park?”

  The man nodded. “He was up high and looked down on us. He knew what he was doing.”

  “And now you have no idea where the others went?”

  “They all fled. There was something else.”

  Pallister glared at him again. “What?”

  “He said don’t bother coming for him again as he was pissed off and coming after you.”

  Pallister’s face paled. Getting more men would be difficult, and Peters would be here before that could happen. “Right. Go. I’ll handle this myself.”

  * * * *

  Scott loaded his car up with all the gear he thought he would need. He even took the last bomb in case it was needed.

  “How long will it take to get there?” asked Pipa thoughtfully.

  “Two hours back to Canberra and another four hours to Dalmeny.”

  “It’s almost nine now. That means it will be afternoon before we reach Dalmeny.”

  “Yes. It will give us a chance to sus the place out. I will need to find this Fisherman’s Drive first.”

  “I’m sure there will be a tourist map somewhere.”

  The drive back was long and fairly silent as each thought about what will happen.

  “How do you think Pallister will react?” asked Pipa, breaking the silence.

  “Not well. I learnt in Afghanistan that when the hunters become the hunted, they start to panic and make mistakes.”

  She nodded. “So that’s why you sent back a warning that you were coming after him.”

  “Yes. Now he is alone and without his power. He has money to buy goons, but after what we did, he might have trouble finding more. If I were him, I would book a flight to some place where extradition with Australia doesn’t exist. I want to get him before he can leave.”

  She sighed. “You are too clever to be a motor mechanic.”

  “What’s wrong with motor mechanics?”

  “Nothing at all. They work hard and do a good job, but you have potential to do something better.”

  “Like seducing women. That sort of thing.”

  She punched him on the arm. “If you were into that then you would have a string of women chasing you. I like you just the way you are.”

  He frowned slightly and looked at her. “Have you given any thought about us once this is over?”

  “What do you mean?”

  He shrugged. “Look, you are a first-class journalist. You are in contact with all sorts of important people. You’re also gorgeous and must have plenty of temptation. Can you be stuck with a moron like me?”

  She smiled at him. “I was in a relationship with Greg for a while. Strangely, I never considered marrying him. I enjoyed what we did, but that was it. I wanted loyalty in a relationship and didn’t get it. I was never madly in love with him. We were good for each other, but nothing more. You, on the other hand, are different.”

  “In what way?” he asked, looking at her.

  “You are kind-hearted, loving, and loyal. You’re very smart and not a killer and have a strong sense of honesty. I never thought I could settle down with a man for a long time, but, fortunately or unfortunately, I love you. I never want to lose you. If you want to make this permanent, then just ask me. Never know what I will say.”

  “I’ve only been in love once before, and you know how that finished. Other women never interested me until now. Maybe we were waiting for each other.”

  She nodded. “We should talk some more about this once this is over.”

  “Agreed. I’ll look forward to it.”

  Both settled down to their own private thoughts until Canberra came up.

  “Let’s go to my place, and we can shower and change clothes,” Pipa said.

  “Sounds good to me. It will only take half an hour, and we can afford that.”

  They entered her home, and both went to the bathroom. Instantly, they shed their clothes, and Pipa turned on the shower. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the recess.

  “Half an hour, you said?”

  He grinned at her. “Maybe a little longer.”

  Soon, he had her up against the shower wall, and she stroked his body as he did with hers.

  “Oh, God,” she muttered as he entered her. She wrapped her legs around him as he thrusted into her.

  Later, they dried each other and quickly searched for their clothes. Scott looked at his watch.

  “We’re an hour behind time.”

  “How did that happen?” She smiled.

  “Shut up and get dressed, or we might be another hour late.”

  “Promises, promises.” She quickly dressed and waited for him to do the same.

  They climbed into the car and headed for Dalmeny.

  * * * *
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  Dalmeny was a small tourist town. Lots of holiday houses, great views of the ocean, and only a short drive to Narooma. They came off the highway to pass the town bowling green where some elderly people were indulged in their chosen sport. They came to a small group of shops, so Scott pulled in and parked the car. Both alighted to look at the local map, and they soon found Fisherman’s Drive. One shop sold groceries and other goods, so Scott entered and looked around. Nothing unusual, so he bought a small notepad and a packet of envelopes.

  “You’re going to write a letter?” said Pipa, again amazed.

  “Just a short note. Got a pen?”

  She handed over a pen, and he went to a desk by the postal area and began writing. When he finished, he handed it to Pipa, who shook her head.

  It read: We’re here, Pallister, and are looking forward to catching up with you. You know, of course, I can hit a bottle from five hundred meters. I look forward to seeing you step outside into the sunshine. See you soon.

  “You’re going to send him a note and warn him. Are you crazy?”

  “Not really. It’s getting towards evening and will be dark in a few hours. If you were him and you got a threatening letter like this, would you get a good night’s sleep?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He will sit up all night, not knowing when I’m going to strike, while we will go into Narooma and book a motel room and get a solid night’s sleep. By morning, he may not be able to keep his eyes open.”

  “You are the most devious man I have ever met.” She stared at him, understanding his tactics.

  “Nice of you to say so. Let’s go into Narooma and get something to eat, but first, the letter has to be delivered.”

  Outside the shop, he saw a young boy on a skateboard and smiled.

  “Say, son, are you interested in earning twenty dollars?”

  The boy looked at him suspiciously. “My mum says not to talk to strangers.”

  “And your mum is a very wise woman. All I want is for you to deliver a letter to an address here.”

  The boy looked at the twenty-dollar noted Scott held. “What is the address?”

  “32 Fisherman’s Drive, but you can’t put it in the letter box. You have to hand it to the man who lives there.”

  “What’s his name?” The boy reached for the note.

  “Mr. Pallister. Just tell him a man gave it to you, but you don’t know who I am.”

  “Okay, if that’s all you want me to do.”

  “That’s all,” said Scott and gave him the sealed letter.

  The boy hopped on his skateboard and headed towards Fisherman’s Drive.

  * * * *

  When someone knocked loudly on the front door, Pallister opened it just a crack and peered out.

  “What do you want, boy?” he asked, snarling.

  “I was asked to give you a letter, mister.”

  “By who?”

  “Don’t know his name. He was with a pretty girl and fairly young.”

  Pallister snatched the letter slammed the door. Pallister opened the note and gasped.

  “Fuck,” he uttered, and panic began to set in. He ran to his desk and pulled out a revolver, checking that it was fully loaded. His thoughts rolled over as to the best way to handle Peters. It was getting dark, and he expected Peters to come in the dark. Well, he was going to be ready. He checked all the doors and windows and sat to wait. He expected Peters to come probably in the early hours of the morning. He would be ready.

  Chapter 22

  Scott headed for Narooma, only a fifteen-minute drive away. Suddenly, he stopped the car and pulled into an off-road area.

  “Why are we stopping?” asked Pipa, staring at him. “This is not Narooma.”

  “Fancy some fish and chips?”

  He pointed to a shop on the other side of the road. She nodded.

  “I could be talked into it.”

  He grinned, and both entered the shop. Scott gave his order, as did Pipa. When they were served, they walked across the road and sat on the grass overlooking the ocean.

  They opened the paper parcel and began to eat.

  “This is wonderful,” said Pipa, enjoying herself.

  He passed over a can of soft drink he had also bought. “Beats sitting in a stuffy restaurant with a crowd of people. I guess I’m an outdoor man.”

  “Do you know I’ve never done this before? I’ve always been a city girl who can snatch a sandwich on the run to some story.”

  “Just shows the advantage of being with me.”

  “Do you know the last month has been the most frightening but wonderful experience I have ever had?”

  He continued eating. “Glad to hear it. I always try to give you pleasure.” He screwed up the paper and deposited in a nearby refuse bin. “Better go and get some accommodation. I will come back around ten tonight to give Pallister a scare.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Throw a rock through one of his windows. You don’t have to come.”

  “Why are you doing that?” she asked.

  “Because it will make Pallister stay up all night while we have a relaxing sleep in the motel. He won’t be game to put his head down.”

  “As I said, you are a very devious man. He made a huge mistake using you for his scheme.”

  They found a motel in Narooma and booked in for the night. At ten, Scott left Pipa to get some rest and returned to Dalmeny. It was very dark, with no moon, so he crept up to the house, found a rock, and hurled it into a back window. Grinning, he ran back to his car and drove to the motel. He could imagine the panic thought that ran through Pallister once he heard the glass break. He returned to Pipa in the motel.

  “Don’t know about you, but I need some sleep,” he said, sitting on the bed.

  “That makes two of us. It went well?”

  He grinned. “Yeah.”

  Both slept without a worry in the world and were woken by a knock on the door, signalling breakfast.

  Scott wiped his mouth on a paper serviette and turned to Pipa. “Time to go.”

  Soon, they were back in Dalmeny and parked down the road from Pallister’s house.

  “You’re not really going to kill him, are you?” asked Pipa as she watched him unload his equipment.

  “No, I’m just going to invite him to surrender.”

  “And he’ll be happy to do that?”

  “Watch and learn.” He took out the last remaining bomb. “You’ll see.”

  He crept to within a few meters of the house, keeping well out of sight. Scott stood up and threw a rock through the front window. The crash brought Pallister out of his semi-conscious state. It was answered by a few shots given in random, as Pallister had no idea where it came from. Scott smirked at the result. He called out.

  “Pallister. Better come out and surrender.”

  Another couple of shots were the answer.

  “Don’t want to kill you, but I will unless you surrender.”

  “Just try, Peters,” Pallister replied and fired another shot.

  “Do you know why your goons didn’t succeed?”

  No answer.

  “I threw a couple of bombs at them. Hurt a couple, and they ran like rats.”

  “Just try it and see where it gets you,” Pallister said.

  “Is that your final answer?”

  Another volley of shots rang out.

  “Too bad. I hate to destroy your house, but so be it.”

  Scott nodded to Pipa, who lit the fuse of the now dud bomb. He took it from her and hurled it through the window of the house. Seconds later, Pallister ran outside of the house. He dived to the ground with his hands over his head, waiting for the explosion. Scott stepped out with a rifle pointing at his body.

  Scott turned to Pipa. “Get the ties from the backpack.”

  Terror was still in Pallister’s face. “The bomb. It will kill us.”

  “It would if I hadn’t removed the explosives inside it.”

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p; He quickly tied Pallister’s hands behind him then reached for his phone.

  “Commissioner Harris.”

  “It’s Scott Peters, sir. I have captured Pallister and will wait until you send someone to pick him up.”

  “My God. Where are you?”

  “In a small coastal town of Dalmeny. He was living in the house at 32 Fisherman’s Drive.”

  “It’s past Batemans Bay, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. It may take you a couple of hours to get there,” Scott said.

  “Sit tight. I’ll get a helicopter. Should be there in half an hour.”

  “Right. We’ll be on the front lawn. Don’t shoot us.”

  “Us?” the commissioner asked.

  “Yeah, I have Pipa Barret with me. She’s itching to write her story.”

  “Okay. Don’t tell anyone what you have. Not even the local police.”

  “I think they would have to come from Narooma.”

  “Good. Sit tight.”

  Scott turned to Pipa. “They’re on their way.”

  “So we just wait.”

  “Don’t know about you, but I could do with a coffee. I’m sure Pallister has some in the house.”

  Pipa shook her head in wonder. “Doesn’t anything upset you?”

  “Yeah. When people try to set me up, I do get a bit stroppy.”

  He dragged Pallister into the house and boiled the kettle. He made the coffee and dragged him outside again while they drank it. Soon a helicopter arrived and landed on the front lawn. Three Federal Police leapt out and bundled Pallister into the chopper.

  “Where do you take him?” Scott asked.

  “You don’t want to know,” one of the officers answered.

  They watched the chopper take off and disappear.

  “Looks like you can write your scoop now,” he said, grinning at Pipa.

  “Yes, but I have to check in with Fred and the commissioner.”

  “You mean they might censor it.”

  “Not sure. I will have to see.

  * * * *

  Next day, they sat with the commissioner as they discussed what had happened.