Wisps of Cloud

by Ross Richdale

  "Your offer?" Karla pushed.

  "I offered sell my third of Top Plateau Station to Ryan but he turned me down. Said he couldn't afford it and refused to discuss it any further."

  "I doubt if I could persuade him to change his mind."

  Trish refilled her glass and gulped half down in two swallows. "I know I come across as a hard old bat but I do love my Mum and this farm. I can also see through Alan but acknowledge that she appears happier than any time when we were growing up.

  What about this suggestion? I sell Ryan fifty-one percent of my third. That will give him controlling interest in Top Plateau Station to do with as he wished. As well, Mum will save face and probably her marriage by not having to support Alan's stupid idea."

  "How much?" Karla decided to remain firm.

  "Current government valuation. That's generous. Farm property is selling well above that at the moment. You only have to see that offer that overseas syndicate made."

  It was true. "Okay, to me it sounds a possibility but it is Ryan who will have to be persuaded."

  "Which you can do?"

  Karla pouted. "I'll talk to him but can do no more."

  "That's all I ask." Trish stood up. "Ryan's a lucky guy to find you. Sorry to interrupt this delightful occasion with business. Thank you for inviting me." She smiled and walked away.

  *

  It was close to midnight before Karla and Ryan finally drove off, again under escort of two lines of motorbikes until they reached the main road. They drove onto a motel in Masterton for their first night. At four the following afternoon they were booked to fly out for a week on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia for their honeymoon.

  *

  The week in the sunshine and in an apartment on the fifteenth floor overlooking the ocean was everything they had anticipated. They left early on their last day and headed back to Brisbane for an afternoon flight home. With several hours available, Ryan suggested they find Trish's home. They arrived in an outer suburb of modern but comparatively modest homes and found the street. Except for the trees and lack of a footpath it could have been a place in New Zealand. Trish was not home but they walked around the building.

  "Different than I expected," Ryan said.

  "It's a nice house but I'm not very impressed with the suburb," Karla remarked. "Seems to lack personality. Just streets of houses with little in the way of facilities." She glanced at the house as they drove away. "What did you expect?"

  "Some upmarket place overlooking parkland. Perhaps she's not as well off as I thought. She always hinted about how much better life was over here."

  "Well, she did have a breakup. Perhaps she moved into a more modest home after the separation."

  "No. This is the address she's had for five years or more. I think she just wanted us to think she was better off than she actually was."

  "So does that put a different light on the offer she made about the farm?"

  "Probably and that other bit she confessed, too."

  "That was?"

  "We were real friends when we lived at Top Plateau and went to school there. She was my big sister who sat in the seniors' quarter of the room and she used to help me with my schoolwork. Two years age difference is nothing for adults but when one is eight, a ten-year-old sister can be quite helpful. I think I told you; she never really came home to live permanently after she went to high school. We went our own ways and grew apart."

  "And now?"

  "Perhaps I misjudged her. What do you think?"

  "She reminds me of a more forceful version of your mother who I respect and like. I think she's been under stress and is pretty unhappy. That brings out the worst in people."

  Ryan nodded as he drove onto one of the city motorways. "So we should get that mortgage and accept her offer?"

  "I think so."

  "There's one more thing, too. I've all but persuaded Clive to stay on another year as manager. No matter what decision we make about the farm, nothing will happened before we have to think about this year's spring. It's only seven months before lambs and calves begin the farming cycle again." He grimaced. "It'll give me time to see whether my leg gets any better or I will remain with my weakened right hip."

  Karla stared at him. It was the first time he had actually admitted that he was worried about his rate of recovery. She reached across and kissed him on the cheek.

  "I love you Ryan," she whispered. "When I think of your sister, your Mum and even my Dad I think how fortunate we are."

  He smiled. "Yes, Mrs Spicer. We are." He stretched his arm out, hugged her shoulder and drove the car into a left lane to follow an overhead airport sign.

  *

  Six weeks later, Karla glanced around the spacious lawyers' office in a once grandiose home two blocks from Masterton's main street. As usual, the lawyer's fees seemed phenomenal but necessary for the legalities involved. She knew what Ryan and herself were paying and could only guess at the fees, Anne, Alan and an absent Trish were paying.

  "So this is the final agreement that we have arrived at," Corey Fitzgerald, their lawyer in whose office they had gathered, said. "As the result of gifting from Anne to both Ryan and Patricia represented by my colleague in her absence…" He nodded at a middle-aged man across the oval table. "...these are our figures. Ryan now owns fifty-one percent of Top Plateau Station, having purchased fifty percent of Patricia's original share bequeathed to her by her father and being gifted one point five percent by his mother, Anne. Patricia still owns eighteen percent having also being gifted one point five percent of the station's value, leaving Anne herself as thirty percent owner of the two properties that make up Top Plateau Station."

  He continued on for fifteen minutes with the legalities of every page that were initial by Ryan, Anne and Trish's lawyer who had her proxy rights. The other main items were that the animals and equipment were to be owned by the three using the same ownership percentages and that the claim that the two titles were illegal, withdrawn by Trish. It was also stated that any agreements on the sale or future use of the station was a separate issue not covered in the agreement. It was, however, subject to the voting percentages of the legal owners that meant Ryan had the controlling interest.

  Karla again looked around the room. Ryan looked serious, Anne had a tiny smile on her face and Alan appeared grim but had earlier accepted the result and had even agreed to Anne's gift, mainly Karla suspected, that it made little difference to the final outcome. Another item included an agreement already signed by Clive that he would have his contract as manager extended for one year. This suited everyone for there was now time to sort out what Top Plateau's Station future would be.

  *

  "Now to the physiotherapist," Ryan said after they had left the others a few moments later. "I must admit that the exercises she has suggested have loosened up my hip and leg a lot. I can now work for a morning without grimacing in pain but I doubt if I'll ever be able to run in a ten-kilometre race.

  "And you did before?" Karla replied.

  Ryan grinned. "Not really but you know what I mean?"

  "I do but every week is better than the one before, isn't it?"

  Ryan grinned at her. "Just like the school, I guess."

  Karla nodded. "Chrissie's so keen, it's almost embarrassing and the locals have taken to her, too. I think she loves the farm cottage she has rented from Sharon and Dillon. She stays here on the plateau most weekends now."

  "Yeah, plenty of young guys around to keep her amused."

  "Oh Ryan," Karla scolded. "She's not really that sort."

  "No but it's amazing how many tractors and quadbikes just happen to be cruising along the road when she goes on her Saturday morning run in those tight shorts and top."

  "Ryan!"

  "Not me. I'm an old married fellow. It's the young guys I'm talking about."

  "I hope so." Karla smiled and tucked her arm through her husband's one.

  *

  CHAPTER 16

  Ted Wilton sat
in the kitchen of the home, his wife and himself rented in Masterton. This was a temporary arrangement for he hoped that when everything blew over, they could return to Riversdale Beach to their home of the last eight years. He was by himself for a few weeks as his wife was overseas on a trip that they could never afford but with capitalisation of part of his superannuation it became possible. The idea of travelling abroad had not interested him anyway. He shrugged, pulled the tag off the can of beer and glanced at his watch. They said between eleven and noon. It was now almost the later time.

  Even though he was expecting them, the sudden noise of the door being flung open made him jump.

  Three men stood there, two gigantic brutes who looked their part, that is stand-over characters ready to use violence to get information, prove a point or at the whim of the third man. He was dressed in a business suit and could be a local businessman. Ted knew Corey Fitzgerald, of course, He was one of the top lawyers in town and had the advantage of also being the lawyer for Top Plateau Station and more recently had Ryan Purdon as a client.

  "So you are home?" Fitzgerald said in a smooth upmarket voice. "Thought you might have taken off or even headed out of the country with your wife."

  Ted shrugged. "Couldn't if I wanted to. Bail conditions won't let me leave the district."

  Fitzgerald sat down but the other two remained standing with their arms folded. "As if that would stop you." Uninvited, he reached for a second can of beer on the table, pulled the tab and gulped down a few sips. He purposely placed it in front of Ted and stared at him. "I'm disappointed in you Ted. We are close to a million bucks out of pocket right on harvest time. No only did the cops destroy the plantation near Top Plateau Station but they found the other three further back." He sipped more beer. "One would think they knew where to go."

  Ted shrugged. "It's not my fault Ryan Purdon returned home with a girlfriend who happened to be a teacher who managed to slip into my position at the school. Nor did I anticipate that Clive Windley would be retiring. It set the whole ball rolling with Anne Purdon's new husband wanting to subdivide the farm not helping either."

  Fitzgerald leaned forward and grabbed Ted by the shirt. "It was your job to know. Without your all clear we would not have used that land so close to the farm. You said the manager was getting a bit past it and hardly ever went to the back of the station. You also added that if he did see us coming and going he'd keep his head low and tell nobody."

  "He didn't tell a soul," Ted replied.

  "No but Purdon and his girlfriend did." Fitzgerald grimaced. "I must admit she's got guts. Not only did the firebombing not send her packing but she stayed on and look at it now, a new school with two classrooms, an increased roll and even a second teacher."

  Ted half stood, glanced at the other men and decided to sit again. "You will remember that it was not my idea to firebomb the school. In fact, I told you the district would rally around and it would have the opposite result to what you wanted. If you'd left it, the school would almost certainly have been closed from this February and Karla Spicer gone back to the city."

  "Now she's married to Purdon?" Fitzgerald frowned. "But enough of this pleasant chat. You know what you have to do, don't you Ted?"

  "What?"

  "Admit to fire bombing the school. That will take the heat off the rest of us and partly restore the faith we have lost in you."

  "But you did it, not me."

  Fitzgerald laughed. "Okay, Brian and Larry here did it on my orders but nothing is going beyond this room. Just in case you think you can squawk they will illustrate how we treat those who let the side down." He stood up and nodded at the pair. "Ted appears to take the whole business a little lightly. I need to get something from the car so I'll leave him in your capable hands for a few moments." His eyes turned hard. "He has to survive as he could be useful in the future." He smiled down at Ted. "Needless to say, your allowance over the last month will not be paid. You're damn lucky we don't insist on it all back."

  "But!" Ted stood and made himself appear scared.

  Just as Fitzgerald stepped away, one of the oafs took a savage looking knife from his pocket and ran a finger along the sharp side as he grinned sadistically at Ted. Without warning, a door leading to the living room as well as the outside one, burst open and six policemen in black flake jackets and armed with pistols and Tasers, appeared

  "Don't move anything except for your hands that I want in sight," one officer commanded.

  Fitzgerald stepped sideways, his hand moved in a blur towards his pocket and a shot rang out. He staggered, stared at blood squirting from his wrist and crashed to the floor. The police officer across the room lowered a Glock pistol while two others aimed Tasers at the other pair.

  "I would not advise any more heroics," the original officer said and turned to the white-faced, shaking Fitzgerald who sat on the floor. "Corey Fitzgerald, I am arresting you for arson and fire bombing of the Top Plateau Primary School. Anything you may say…."

  Fitzgerald stared at Ted with hate in his eyes. "You utter bustard," he snarled. "If you think this is the end of the matter…"

  "You'll what?" Ted whispered and took a small object from his lapel. "Everything you said has been recorded. It was nice of you to confess to the firebombing. That and the other evidence we obtained from the stolen car used should be enough to put you all away for a quite a while." He glanced up at the officer by the outside door. "Won't it, Inspector Hargraves?"

  The inspector nodded. "We are considering more charges such as attempted murder of Top Plateau School children and of course the charges of cultivating an illegal substance for sale and criminal use." He nodded at the policemen. "Remove any weapon from Mr Fitzgerald's pocket, cuff the other two and read them their rights."

  A wounded Fitzgerald and the other two sullen criminals were marched out to a police van that had arrived before Inspector Hargraves turned to Ted. "So it did work?" he said. "We've been onto Fitzgerald for months now but he was always too clever, yet to confess to that firebombing like a boastful teenager was completely out of character."

  "Was it?" Ted replied. "He had to prove how tough he was to the criminal fraternity; that and the view of my cut up face and body in the hospital would have helped to restore himself after the loss of the million dollar marijuana plantations."

  "Possibly," Hargraves replied. "Thank you. You've had a tough time over the last year or more. Can we help to restore the district's faith in you?'

  Ted shrugged. "With the school, no. I stuffed that up on my own account but was due to retire anyway. I wouldn't mind the locals and also Karla Spicer being told I had nothing to do with the school fire nor the marijuana crop, though. You can keep the bit about me being a police informer under your belt. Next time those thugs descend on me, your lot mightn't be outside the door." He grinned. "Yeah, you can get the charges against me withdrawn, too. I thought the judge was going to throw the book at me. Teachers committing crimes are not popular at the moment."

  "It's all done," Hargreaves said. "Even those charges about you faking those school documents have been removed from your record."

  "So I have a clean slate."

  "Yes."

  "So that's it," Ted replied. "If you ever want help again to flush out criminals, don't ask me. I've done my bit for society and just about lost a district of friends in doing it."

  "Fair enough." Inspector Hargraves held out his hand. "We will need you to testify at the trials, though."

  Ted grinned and shook the other man's hand. "I might just manage that," he said. "Afterwards I will enjoy my retirement back at Riversdale Beach."

  "Back there! Why?"

  "It has everything I need," Ted replied. "I might even buy one of those lifestyle blocks if Top Plateau Station is ever divided up and they come on the market."

  "But don't grow marijuana in your back yard."

  Ted laughed. "It'll probably be legal by then anyway."

  *

  In spite of the terrible weather
with a howling southerly gale blowing torrential rain across the grounds, the interior of Top Plateau School was a cocoon of warmth. The wood burners in both classrooms were still burning at two in the afternoon and not allowed to go out earlier as they usually were on better days, weather-wise.

  Karla was taking a social studies lesson with her fourteen children from Year Five to Year Eight. With the juniors now in Chrissy's capable hands next door, she could extend the seniors more. Above the roar of the fire and rain pinging on the windows, she never heard anyone arrive but wasn't surprised when someone knocked on the closed door. It was probably a parent coming to pick up children early.

  Lorena who was duty host monitor for the week, immediately jumped up from the computer she was doing research on and headed for the door. She opened it but because of the angle, Karla could not see who was there. Her pupil came back with a strange look on her face.

  "You have two visitors, Karla" She put a hand over her mouth and continued in a shaky whisper. "It's a police lady and Mr Wilton."

  "Thanks Lorena. Look after the class while I see what they want." A policewoman and Old Ted! She was curious rather than nervous.

  The policewoman greeted her while an almost bashful Ted stood back.

  "Hello Mrs Spicer," the policewoman said. "I am Constable Margaret Lyons. You probably don't remember me but I was here after the firebombing."

  Karla nodded and avoided Ted's eyes. "And that's why you're here with Mr Wilton?" she asked.

  "Can we go somewhere and talk or is it an inconvenient time?" the constable asked.

  Karla nodded along the corridor at two doors. "The one on the right goes into the staffroom. Excuse me a moment." She turned and caught Lorena's eyes. "I'll be in the staffroom. If I'm not back by twenty to three get everyone to pack up. Okay?"

  "Sure, Karla," Lorena replied. She gave Ted an icy look and turned back to face the class. "You heard Karla," she said. "Now get on with your work."