by J A Scooter
“She stayed for ages, hoping you’d ring. I had to throw her out so I could lock up. Don’t know what her passenger thought. He didn’t look at all amused as they drove off, but something strange happened. I watched a car pull out and begin to tail them. Three men were in the second car, so I wondered what was going on.”
He changed the topic.
“Tell me you drove that load back from Bathurst,” and he pointed to the truck in the street outside waiting the new driver. It dwarfed the cars and buses going past.
“It was a handful.” Peter laughed. “I thought if I changed gears once more, I’d scream. My legs tremble at the thought of driving that through the traffic.”
“No wonder you look tired.” Joe moved to the door. “Have a rest for a while. You’ve earned it. I’ll try to make another million for you.”
Laughing, he left.
‘Rest’, Joe had said but Peter wondered how he could rest. Everyone was giving him orders. Joe said rest. Susie said fight. If that’s what his friends demand then he would obey.
With his hands behind his head, Peter stretched out and leant back in the chair. Unseeing, he didn’t think - he just stared, at the ceiling.
Suddenly the peace and quiet of the apartment was shattered as the door crashed open and Jennifer flew into Peter’s arms hurling them both to the floor where he lay spread-eagled under her.
“Oh, Peter. I missed you so much. Where have you been?”
As if, she didn’t know.
“I thought all kinds of things had happened to you. I’ve been so worried.” Violently she kissed him, not allowing him to draw breath.
“So this is the hooligan who has been pursuing my sister.” A wondrously warm voice burst into the room and a glorious chuckle bubbled from the chest of the man bending over them.
“What are you doing to her down there on the floor? Haven’t you Sydney men any decency at all?”
A strong hand dragged Jennifer to her feet and then Peter felt the grip of the same calloused hand haul him from the floor.
“Wait until I tell Mum her daughter is no lady.” His chuckle burst into a roar of laughter.
“Well, don’t stare at me as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Jennifer’s ‘someone special’ was laughing and gripping Peter’s hand with a firmness that showed he approved of Peter.
“I’m Andrew and I know who you are. I’ve heard nothing but Peter this and Peter that for months, not to mention this weekend.”
Peter realized he was looking into Jennifer’s green eyes. He was almost looking at Jennifer’s face but for the shadow where Andrew had shaved that morning. This man’s hair wasn’t exactly black but was definitely darker than his sister’s.
“Well, don’t just stand there. I need something to drink. Thirsty work traipsing around after Sis.”
Jennifer followed Peter into the kitchen.
“Jennifer, get back out here at once. I don’t trust him.” Andrew knew they were in each other’s arms.
Neither of the lovers stirred until two hands wrenched them apart. “I need a drink,” he laughed. “Come on, Sis.”
He dragged her out of the kitchen. “We’ll never get a drink if you don’t stay out here.”
She shook herself free.
“Oh, well - you two go out. I’ll make a pot of tea.”
“Peter, what happened? You said you’d be at the bar on Friday night. I asked Bob if he’d seen you and he gave me this silly note.”
“Well,” he allowed his eyes to skim over the note but he did not explain.
“Tell me,” with her hands on her hips she stood, her eyes flaring, demanding an answer. “I’ve been worrying until I was sick the whole weekend. The note doesn’t make sense.”
“I rang you,” Peter replied and she nodded.
“You were so excited you barely had time to speak to me. You gabbled something about ‘some-one special’ and hung up.” It all sounded so stupid telling her but her lips were two tight red lines and she was furious.
“I arrived at the bar and the two of you walked in. Andrew had his arm around you and you showed you loved his attention.”
“Why shouldn’t he and why wouldn’t I react like that?” Her eyes were flashing.
“And he smacked your tail when you sat as though he owned you. He was so handsome and you were so obviously a couple I could only think I had lost you.”
“Am I interrupting a lover’s tiff?” Andrew’s gentle voice broke in. He placed the teapot on the table and walked across to Jennifer. “Calm down, Sis. You’re lucky. If I’d been Peter and Peter me, there would’ve been murder done if Peter is half as serious about you as I believe he is.”
He put his arms around Jennifer’s shoulders. “Stand up straight, head up, chest out – oh god, well perhaps not,” and he began to laugh as Jennifer punched his ribs.
“Stand still.
“Peter, take a good look. No wonder we looked such a charming couple. We’re fraternal twins, although God in his wisdom gave me the height and the beauty. Sis only got the brains and those two bumps.”
Again, Jennifer punched him as he laughed. “As youngsters we couldn’t be separated but as we grew older my voice changed and my hair darkened. Sis didn’t have such luck.”
“Andrew, I'm such a fool but I love your sister so much it hurts.” Peter reached across and took Andrew’s hand in both of his own. Their warm handshake said it all.
Jennifer was glowing with happiness.
The phone interrupted Peter.
“You’re wanted. It’s urgent and I can’t handle this one!” Mark sounded worried.
“I’ll be back in a minute.” Peter tossed the words back at Jennifer and Andrew as he charged down the stairs to his office. Mark held out the phone. It was Susie calling from next door.
“Get in there and fight. I saw her enter the workshop. You know she’s special, so fight for her.”
“I am fighting for her, and yes, she certainly is special.” Peter threw in a quick reply but Susie had ended the call before she heard his words.
With Susie’s message etched into his brain Peter returned upstairs.
“What are you doing for the rest of the day, Andrew?” Peter asked casually. His tone of voice revealed that he had warmed to Andrew although he found it hard to believe that this calm, mature man was the same age as Jennifer.
“I’ll be with Jennifer all day but tonight I’m free. Perhaps we could all go to Chinatown.”
“No!" Peter interrupted. “You’re both my guests.” He was going to impress Andrew who would prove a valuable ally if Peter were to win Jennifer.
“How would you both like an Indian meal such as you’ve never had in your life? Promise it won’t burn your throat out. Alternatively, you may prefer perhaps Chinese or Thai. You decide.”
“Shall we say an Indian meal?” Jennifer spoke for them both. “I’ll bring Andrew around to your place at 7.30.”
Enjoying her position as boss of the two men in her life, she was all smiles.
“Wait a moment and I’ll check.” Peter dashed down the stairs again and called Joe over. “That car you mentioned. You said it followed Andrew and Jennifer on Saturday. Is it outside, today?”
“Yes,” Joe grinned, reinforcing how astute a thinker he was, as he continued, “I knew you’d want to deal with it so I have a car ready for you to drive straight out of the workshop to ‘road test’. It has more than enough power to keep with the car which is following Jennifer and her brother, no matter how fast they go.”
The car Joe had standing ready was an ex-police pursuit car he had purchased for re-sale. It was in the workshop for detailing.
“Good man. What would I do without you?” Peter rested his hand on Joe’s shoulder for a second and they grinned at each other.
Joe always enjoyed a new challenge.
Back with Andrew and Jennifer, Peter voiced his thoughts. “Right, that’s fixed.” He walked with them to Jennifer’s car. “See you tonight.”
&nbs
p; Immediately they left, Peter was in Joe’s car following the three men who seemed to have such an interest in Jennifer and Andrew. For the remainder of the day he tailed them.
It was a strange procession. Jennifer and Andrew in her green Mini Cooper-S followed by three large men, all generously tattooed and driving a Toyota Camry, followed in turn by Peter in Joe’s ex-police chase car.
From his position at the rear of the three car procession, Peter was well placed to observe the dynamics. When Andrew left the car, no one was interested. Whenever Jennifer left one of the tattooed men followed her, leaving Peter satisfied that they were interested in only Jennifer. It was late when he finally rushed home to shower, shave and change before hustling to meet his guests.
Waiting for her outside his apartment building, he watched Jennifer’s car pull into the curb and noticed the strange car kill its lights before stopping further up the street.
It was still on her tail.
Jennifer didn’t care that it was a crush with two big men in the Mini. She had her two men with her and was delighted. Peter gave directions and spent most of his time turning to talk with Andrew in the back while watching the headlights behind, as that strange car seemed glued to them.
At the restaurant, Jennifer handed the car keys to the car park valet.
Dressed in the uniform of one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army, the Madras Regiment, the Indian recognized Peter as he clambered from her small car. In an instant, he drew himself to attention and threw Peter a military salute, greeting him in Tamil.
Without any hesitation, Peter snapped to attention and replied in Tamil.
Another Indian, also in the uniform of the Madras Regiment, led them to their table and he likewise saluted Peter before arranging their seating. The military bearing of the man and his crisp salute showed he was no ordinary Indian.
Jennifer wasn’t surprised but her brother seemed nonplussed.
“The sahib shall sit here. Memsahib, you sit here beside the sahib, and the little sahib will sit here.” The Indian held the chair for Andrew.
Jennifer couldn’t help laughing at the look on her brother’s face. The little sahib was shocked at his new title.
When the waitress arrived - all dark eyes and beautiful sari - Peter stood to place his hands together in an attitude of prayer, bowing slightly before greeting her in Tamil.
Even Jennifer was surprised, particularly as he began to talk rattle-fire Tamil while the waitress nodded her head, writing the order on her pad. As she walked away, he called, “And add three bottles of ice cold Kingfisher.”
“Kingfisher?” Andrew was surprised.
“A Goan beer which is tart enough for an Indian meal,” Peter replied.
“Jennifer,” Andrew demanded more information, “you said this man was wonderful but you didn’t say how wonderful.” He laughed and patted her shoulder when, overcome by confusion, she didn’t know how to answer.
The Goan Prawns, the Kingfisher beer, indeed the whole meal was outstanding and Jennifer noticed Peter didn’t bother reading the bill but merely slid notes into the waitress’s hands. He seemed preoccupied and anxious to get them back into the car and away.
As Jennifer pulled into the circular driveway of his apartment block, Peter could see that mystery car still following them. He knew he would have to ask some questions.
“Give security your keys, Jennifer. They’ll park the car for you and we can just go without a worry.” The grimness in Peter’s voice brooked no argument as he’d seen that car pull out and begin to swoop down on them.
He rushed his two guests into the foyer and they were soon in the safety of his apartment.
“What was that all about?” Jennifer seemed ill at ease.
“Ask your brother, because I believe he knows the answer. All day you’ve been tailed by three heavily tattooed men and they’ve only been interested in you, Jennifer.”
Stunned, Jennifer stood open-mouthed, speechless and ashen faced. Staring at Peter as if unable to believe his words, slowly she began to understand his meaning. Terrified, she started trembling.
“Tonight they decided to swoop on you. Andrew - we need the answer please.” Peter became decidedly rough with Andrew, pushing Andrew into a sofa where he looked most uncomfortable as Peter, scowling fiercely, stood over him.
Jennifer tried to intervene but Peter whirled on her.
“Shut up, Jennifer. Stop carrying on like some teenage virgin who can only giggle and talk about boys.”
Ashen, Jennifer sank into the lounge. Shaken, she was unable to comprehend why Peter would be so offensive to her.
Moving to sit beside Jennifer, Andrew began.
“Ah, well, I do believe I owe you an explanation.” Placing an arm around Jennifer’s shoulder to console her he turned to her as if asking her permission to continue. “Jennifer, I must tell him what happened after that dance.”
Ignoring her confusion, he continued. “We need his help. No one else can help us and I believe he is the man to assist us.”
“What help? I don’t understand. Who are these tattooed men?” Jennifer began interrogating her brother.
Peter interrupted her questions. “Ah, stop all this bloody crap!” Peter was infuriated. “Just tell me what’s going on.’
Glaring at Jennifer, who was still extremely upset, Peter dismissed her from his mind for the moment. He turned back to Andrew.
“Now explain, because I’m completely out of patience. There’s so much I just don’t understand. Jennifer carries on as if I’m going to ravish her nearly every time I touch her, or goes all cold whenever she believes I am getting too close. She runs hot and cold like a Sahara Sandstorm off the Antarctica ice shelf.”
Peter was pacing the floor in front of them, gesticulating to emphasize each point.
“These men - who are they? Explain now. What’s going on?” Staring at Andrew, Peter paused demanding an answer.
He ignored Jennifer’s sobs and words, “I didn’t realize but really I don’t feel cold towards you.”
Annoyed by her sniveling, Peter barked, “Jennifer, go into the other room if you wish, but don’t interrupt. We have to resolve this now. What’s the bloody problem?”
As if gaining strength from each other, the brother and sister were now holding hands. Sighing, Andrew began his story.
“Something happened when Jennifer was 17 and she’d been to the school’s end-of-year dance. I’d been to cricket practice. Having had a few illegal beers, I was rather late leaving the pub. As I was driving towards our property, I noticed there was a car pulled to one side of the road and when I passed, I heard screams and moans. I stopped and got out of the car, grabbing my cricket bat out of the back seat before approaching the car.
“Suffice to say, I found three mongrel students tearing Jennifer’s clothes off and telling her how she would move her ass for them when they showed her what men they were. They were brutally punching her as they stripped her. They ignored her screams and laughed as they punched her repeatedly demanding she give in to them and to stop struggling, but I stepped in.
“The three bastards attacked me and their knives showed they were not playing games.
“Luckily a second car pulled up to help. Blue and Tiny, my mates, made certain I was not alone in protecting Jennifer. The three ‘would-be-rapists’ ended up in the hospital ward at the local prison and then looked at spending eighteen years in jail. They’ve recently been released prematurely for good behavior.
"Following that attack, Jennifer spent weeks in hospital recovering from their brutal beating, two broken cheek bones, a broken jaw and two broken arms. She went into deep depression and nothing seemed to get through to her. She was a walking talking zombie until she began her lectures at Melbourne University."
Sighing, he studied Jennifer. "Dad paid some of her fellow female students to be with her constantly while Tiny, Blue and I were her unofficial bodyguards. She has been unable to socialize with men and is so terrified
of their intentions she has never been able to form an emotional relationship of any kind with a man - that is, until you came along.
Turning to gaze at Jennifer who, realizing her tormentors were now free, was drained of color and trembling with fear, Andrew continued. “As for those criminals - last Thursday I received a phone call from them saying they intended to complete the rape and fix Jennifer for putting them away. They informed me they knew she was in Sydney and that the world wasn’t large enough to escape their vengeance. Of course, their message to me was that once Jennifer was disposed of, they’d return for me and make certain I never messed with them again.”
Facing Peter again, he calmly announced, “The three men who’ve been following us are outside in their car now. That’s why I am carrying this.” Looking distinctly ill at ease, Andrew reached under his coat to produce a pistol - a Colt Trooper Mark V.
With a contemptuous snarl Peter turned away to walk to the family altar. He reached behind it and returned with an expensive leather attaché case that he placed on the table. Staring fixedly at Andrew, he unlocked the case to reveal a Mini-Uzi.
Shivering, Andrew remembered he had read about this weapon and its effectiveness. It was the favorite choice of assassins. This machine pistol could fire from inside the case through a small hole, using a hidden trigger mechanism.
Andrew could only ask himself what kind of man was this.
Peter made a wry comment as he placed the large machine pistol, complete with silencer, on the table beside the pistol.
“I don’t know why you bother with a water pistol. This is a gun.”
Leaving the two to contemplate the arsenal for a moment, he walked to the balcony to stare down at the ferries and to think. Then, as if satisfied with a decision he’d reached, he went to his bedroom to prepare his mind and body. His life in the jungle had come to the fore as he realized that soon these strangers would be dead men.
Peter knew that killing was not such a difficult thing to do. Not when, in all his early years, killing and death had been a major part of his life. He could hardly remember a day when death wasn’t present - as much of a routine as cleaning his teeth with a piece of frayed bamboo after every meal or of scraping his tongue with a piece of bamboo.