by Sam Jasper
In no time at all, the dull coloured bags and Gull’s backpack are stored safely in the boot of Shirley’s car.
Hopping into the front seat of the car, Gull waits hopefully for Shirley to start telling her about the files. As they pull out and head for home, Gull asks casually, ‘So, what did you find in the files?’
Shirley takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. ‘I know you want to talk about the files, Gull, but I’m just so mad at the moment that I think I might explode!’
‘Er, yuk,’ she says horrified. Glancing over at Gull and seeing the expression on her face, Shirley bursts out laughing. ‘I’m so sorry, honey. I know you’re dying to find out but …’
‘It’s okay,’ Gull says trying to smile. ‘Anyway, I guess it’s the right file after all. And we’re almost home. Oh, look! There’s Ted’s ute, and Jimmy’s too. Now you can tell us all together,’ she adds just as they turn right into the Folly. As they climb out of the car, go around to the back and start taking the bags out of the boot, Gull says, ‘Oh, no!’
‘What?’ Shirley says as she hands Gull her backpack.
‘The keys to the Bank! You forgot to push them through the door.’
‘Did I?’ Shirley replies innocently. She smiles. ‘You know, Gull, on second thoughts, I believe you’re right. There should be a better security system for the Bank. So, I think it would be better to hand these keys over to someone who’ll keep them safe,’ she says gathering up the other bags and slamming the boot forcefully.
‘Like …?’ Gull asks as she pads after Shirley, walking briskly towards the busy kitchen full of cousins, Harry, Ted and Jimmy.
‘Haven’t quite decided yet,’ Shirley continues as they walk up to the screen door. ‘But someone I know I can trust,’ she says as they push through the screen door. Just as they walk in, Gull hears the tail end of the conversation and Harry’s last words, which seem to hang in the air.
‘… we need is some evidence.’
‘Did somebody order evidence?’ Shirley asks beaming.
Almost immediately, Gull opens her backpack. Quickly clearing the kitchen table of tea and coffee mugs, Shirley and Gull begin to empty the files onto the table.
‘Well, well, well,’ Harry murmurs as he picks up a folder at random. Ted and Jimmy do the same. Lucy opens another folder on the table and standing over it, begins to read while Jake and Tom look over her shoulder. Everybody is quiet for some time, reading voraciously.
Feeling left out, Gull notices seven rolls of paper lying on a chair, including the gang’s sheets of butcher paper. Picking them all up, she walks quietly into the lounge room and starts laying them out on the massive coffee table. Looking around for something to weigh the corners down, she notices Tom’s dusty collection of treasured rocks from around the property. Running over to the shelf, she grabs several of them. Finally, looking down at the three main maps on the coffee table, she frowns and then smiles. Mmmm, she thinks to herself, they join up. This must be the Folly. And, she muses straightening another, this would be Ted’s farm next door. So, this one, she smiles as she adds another rock to the corner, is Jimmy’s farm on the other side. So, what are these? she wonders glancing at the four remaining rolls of paper. They feel like tough greaseproof paper.
Taking extra care, Gull begins to unroll the last four onto the floor. Jumping up and grabbing more of Tom’s rocks, she unfurls all of the tough paper. Gull stares at them perplexed. Then she swivels around and looks at the maps of the three properties. Quickly, she stands up and goes back to the coffee table. Shirley walks into the study with two steaming mugs of tea and hands one to Gull.
‘What have you got there?’ she asks as she stares across at the maps.
‘I’m not quite sure what they are,’ Gull says scratching her head. ‘I thought it must have been about our three properties. But there are seven maps. I wonder if there are more somewhere.’
As Shirley sips her tea, she stares at the maps in front of her, curious. ‘They could be surveyors’ maps. Let’s ask the others.’
Holding their mugs, Shirley and Gull walk back into the kitchen. All the folders are now open and overlapping on the kitchen table.
‘Well!’ Harry says sighing deeply and sprawling in his chair. ‘The Bank seems to know all about the farm.’
‘What do you mean?’ Gull asks.
‘Well, from what I can gather, it looks like the Bank’s been trying to find out whether the land my great-great-grandfather bought was all fair and above board. It looks like the Bank’s been looking for any excuse to steal our land. But as I was telling Jimmy and Ted, old Fred only got what he paid for.’ Harry stands up and stretches to his full height before sitting down again and flipping over another folder.
‘So what’s all this mean?’ Lucy asks gesturing at the mountain of paper covering the kitchen table.
Ted says, ‘It looks like the Bank has set out to steal our farms.’
‘Yep,’ Jimmy nods. ‘This paperwork shows all there is to know about our properties. After all, the three of us have overdrafts with the Bank. And the three of us were “banking” on this crop paying off our overdrafts.’
‘Something the Bank would have known,’ Ted says. ‘Mainly because we’d told the previous bank manager, Mr Silver.’
‘And he would have made a note on our files,’ Jimmy adds.
‘So, whoever replaced him would know that they’d have to work fast before we were able to harvest and sell our new crop,’ Jake sighs.
‘And that could only be …?’ Shirley adds, winking at Gull.
‘The one and only new bank manager, Mr Cyril Sprogg,’ Jake says.
‘Uh!’ Tom says, shaking his head. ‘I’m confused.’
‘What about?’ Jake asks.
‘Well who’s the real baddie? Is it the Bank? Or is it …?’
Before Gull can finish her sentence, Ted jumps in, his eyes narrowing. ‘Mr Whisper Quiet himself, Cyril Sprogg.’
‘Mr Invisible,’ Tom adds impishly.
‘And don’t forget “Forgettable”,’ Jake pipes up.
‘Exactly,’ Harry says. ‘You’ve hit the nail on the head. But what I don’t understand is why he’s after our three farms. Which reminds me,’ he adds, looking around the kitchen. ‘What happened to those plans I had?’
Suddenly, Gull says, ‘Do you mean those rolled up maps?’
‘Yes,’ Harry replies. ‘Where are they?’
‘I laid them out in the lounge room but I can’t understand them,’ Gull frowns.
‘Right,’ Harry says vastly relieved. ‘I’d hate to lose them. They’re really important, Gull. They’re our evidence against that blackguard bank manager himself.’
‘Evidence of what?’ Tom asks.
‘Skulduggery! Come on and I’ll show you,’ Harry grins as he closes a few folders on the kitchen table. Gull glances down at them and shakes her head at the huge piles. Then she follows the rest of them into the study.
As they squat around the massive coffee table, Harry begins to explain as he points to the maps. ‘Now here,’ he says, ‘are quantity surveyors’ maps of our three properties. See, here’s Ted’s big dam,’ he says pointing, ‘and here are Jimmy’s stockyards,’ he says looking at another plan. ‘And here’s the Folly,’ he adds as he indicates the last plan. ‘Now here,’ Harry states as he stands up and walks over to the maps on the floor, ‘these are aerial views of our three properties.’
‘Looks like one big property,’ Jake says as he looks down. Harry raises his eyebrows and says, ‘You’re cleverer than you think,’ giving Jake a fatherly pat on the back. ‘Just dash out to the ute, Jake, and bring in the last of the rolls. And then I’ll show you why you’re so clever.’
Within minutes, Jake has run out to the ute bringing back a thick roll of paper.
As Harry unrolls it, Ted winks at the others. ‘And now for Harry’s next magic trick.’
He grins at Ted and Jimmy as he spreads the large transparent paper over the aerial views o
f the three properties on the floor. He grabs some more rocks and holds it down at the corners.
‘Hey, there are a whole lot of little boxes all over the Folly,’ Tom says peering at the plans. ‘And squiggly lines! What is all this?’
‘Those little boxes,’ Harry says grimly, ‘are houses, Tom.’
‘What?’ the gang gasps.
‘Yep, that’s right,’ Jimmy nods. ‘And those squiggly lines, Tom, are roads.’
‘You’re kidding,’ Lucy says. ‘But what’s going on?’
‘Remember those words Gull overheard at the Bank?’ Harry asks.
‘Yep,’ Tom says confidently, ‘breeze, er, three farms. Oh, and state.’
Gull laughs and shakes her head. Then she remembers the scrappy piece of paper she’d left on her bed. Flying out of the room, she rushes in and grabs the piece of crumpled paper. Flying downstairs, she thrusts it into Harry’s hand.
‘What?’ Tom asks.
‘Almost but not quite,’ Harry grins, taking that scrappy piece of paper from Gull. ‘Let’s see what this says. Hmm, our spy,’ he says winking at Gull, ‘overheard some words. And they were, “three farms”, “enough”, and the other man said “beginning”. And then two more words from the bank manager, “drafts” and “state”.’
‘Well I was pretty right,’ Tom smiles. ‘A draught is a breeze.’
Harry looks thoughtfully at the words in front of him. Finally, he says, ‘I think that this “draft” may have been “overdraft”. And that “state” is actually “estate”. Gull simply heard the last part of some of the words.’
‘And we know now that the “three farms” they were talking about are ours,’ Jimmy adds.
‘And I think,’ Shirley says who’s been quiet for some time, ‘that “enough” may have been the beginning of a phrase, like “enough for now”. Remember, Gull couldn’t hear the whole conversation. Which means they have even bigger plans for taking more farms. After all, lots of farmers have overdrafts. And are sitting ducks.’
‘Exactly,’ Harry nods. ‘So, it looks like the bank manager is in cahoots with someone to steal our land …’
‘And build an estate …’ Tom adds.
‘An estate?’ Lucy exclaims. ‘You mean, lots of boxy houses with dead-ends and no trees or character.’
‘Yep,’ Jimmy says. ‘No vegie gardens, no chooks, no cows, no horses …’
‘But can they really do this?’ Gull asks timidly looking even paler than usual.
‘And do it tomorrow?’ Lucy asks, looking almost as pale as Gull.
‘Oh, no,’ Jake says. ‘I’d almost forgotten. Tomorrow’s the day the Bank forecloses. They’ll be taking our three farms because we haven’t paid the overdrafts. It’s 31st January tomorrow.’
‘But Dad, now you’ve got all this information, you must be able to stop the Bank from foreclosing?’ Jake asks hopefully.
‘Well,’ Harry answers looking deep in thought, ‘we can try but what we really need is …’ Without explaining, Harry continues, ‘I think we’ll still be getting a visit from Mr Cyril Sprogg tomorrow.’
There’s a deadly hush as everybody tries to take in what this will mean for all of them. Harry, Ted and Jimmy look around at the stricken faces. Shirley looks over at her husband who gives her a quick wink.
Abruptly, Harry tries changing the subject. ‘Gull, did you know your cousins finished off the harvesting today? And without any help from me.’
‘Fat lot of good that’ll do now,’ Tom says kicking a coffee table leg. ‘We still haven’t got any money from the crop. It’s got to be baled and taken to market to sell, you know. And you said the Bank’s not going to give us an extension. Or is it?’ he asks, hope shining through.
‘No chance,’ Ted says quietly. ‘We’ve tried that.’
‘Uh, besides all that, I just thought we’d have a bit of a party to celebrate,’ Harry says with a slight smile at the corners of his mouth.
‘Honestly, Dad,’ Lucy says hotly. ‘How can you think of a party at a time like this? Tomorrow, we could all be homeless. And all you can think of is having a party. What’s got in to you, Dad?’
‘Well your mum’s coming home tomorrow,’ Harry smiles. ‘So, we could always celebrate that, don’t you think?’
‘Coming home to what?’ Jake says angrily. ‘A big “Sold” sign right across our front gate!’
‘Now Harry! Stop teasing them. Can’t you see how upset they’re getting?’ Shirley announces firmly. ‘Obviously, you three have got something up your sleeves or you wouldn’t be acting so calmly. Come on spit it out. What’s really going on?’
Harry looks sheepish. ‘Well the truth is we do have a plan. Of sorts,’ he adds. ‘And if everything goes according to that plan, the three farms will be as safe as houses. At least, safer than our houses have been.’
‘Ah, Ted and I’ve been ringing around the district,’ Jimmy explains.
‘Yeah! Everybody knows the bank manager is coming here tomorrow morning to serve a foreclosure notice on Harry,’ Ted says.
‘So we thought we’d make it easy for him if the three of us were here together. That way, he doesn’t have to travel to the three farms. He’s already told us he’s coming to the Folly first,’ Jimmy continues.
‘Anyway, we’ve agreed that tomorrow the public auction for the three properties should be held here.’
‘Auction?’ Lucy explodes. ‘You didn’t say anything about an auction?’
Ted gazes out the window at the darkening sky. ‘Well the Bank was organising it for Sunday anyway. So the three of us agreed to have it on the day the Bank forecloses. That way, it wouldn’t be unusual to see a whole lot of farmers over at our place.’
‘So what’s going to happen tomorrow?’ Tom asks now suspicious.
‘Yeah,’ Jake says. ‘One minute you’re saying not to worry. And then the next you’re saying our home’s going to be auctioned. What are you doing, Dad?’
The three farmers look down at the floor and say nothing for a few moments. Then Harry says gently, ‘Look, I know it’s dreadful being kept in the dark but it’s a bit of a juggling act right now. And the three of us have agreed it would be better if we’re the only ones “in the know”, so to speak. Even Shirley doesn’t know what’s going on, do you?’
‘That’s right,’ Shirley nods. ‘I just have to trust that these three scallywags know what they’re doing. Otherwise,’ she says fixing Ted with a steely look, ‘there’ll be trouble.’
Ted gulps nervously. ‘Yes, dear,’ he manages to croak. And the gang bursts out laughing despite the tension.
‘Right then, there’s work to do before tomorrow,’ Harry says standing up. ‘You need to get all the chores done that you can. And then, start helping Jake cook up a storm. I’m picking up your mother at nine from her sister’s place in town. And the bank manager is coming at ten o’clock. And the party … ’
‘Or the wake,’ Shirley adds darkly.
Harry grins at her. ‘Or, as Shirley says, “the wake”, starts at eleven o’clock. Everybody’s bringing a plate …’
‘With something on it,’ Shirley says to Gull hurriedly.
‘And everybody’s invited. Of course, a lot of farmers who think they might be next will be arriving about the same time as the bank manager. So,’ Harry says, rubbing his hands together, ‘what about those chores? And that cooking? Look, don’t worry, kids. Your dad’s fully awake,’ he says stifling a yawn, ‘and back in charge.’ He looks around at four suspicious faces. ‘At least you believe me, don’t you, Gull?’
‘Er, sure, Harry,’ she says trying to smile at her uncle.
Slapping each other on the back, Harry and his two best friends stand up and start packing up the rolls of plans. Handing them to Lucy to put away safely, the three men walk out through the kitchen to stand in the dark, looking relaxed and careless.
‘You coming, Shirley?’ Ted sings out from outside the kitchen door. ‘Bye kids. See you tomorrow, bright and early.’
‘Really?’ Lucy asks hugging Shirley back.
‘Of course,’ Shirley says confidently as she walks out the door.
‘Well I feel a whole lot better if Shirley believes them,’ Tom says.
Lucy looks at him grimly. ‘She also had her fingers crossed behind her back.’
‘Oh!’ Tom, Jake and Gull say simultaneously.
‘Exactly,’ Lucy sighs.
‘At least Helen will be back tomorrow,’ Gull says trying to smile.
Jake gazes at his feet. ‘Yeah! In time see the Folly go under the hammer.’‘What a horrible homecoming,’ Tom says equally despondent.
‘We don’t trust Dad, do we?’ Lucy says.
Dead silence. ‘Of course I do,’ Jake says quietly.
‘Yeah, me just as much,’ Tom mumbles.
‘Gull?’ Lucy asks.
‘Er, sure,’ Gull shrugs half-heartedly.
‘So, no one trusts him, do they?’ Lucy asks.
‘True,’ three small voices chorus.
‘Well I’d like to,’ Lucy sighs. ‘Guess all we can do is chores and cook, and hope like mad that Dad knows what he’s doing. After all, Ted and Jimmy seem to be happy with whatever he’s done. And they know him really well.’
‘I thought we did too,’ Jake says glumly.
‘Is that why we don’t trust him?’ Tom grins.
‘Maybe,’ Lucy nods. ‘Or maybe it’s just because we’ve seen him fall asleep a lot lately.’
‘Or maybe,’ Tom says quietly, ‘we’ve just seen Dad go from being the “Dad can fix anything” Dad to someone who makes mistakes like the rest of us. A human kind of Dad.’
Lucy gets up, comes over and gives her young brother a big hug. ‘That was very profound, Tom. I keep forgetting Dad’s human just like the rest of us,’ she says smiling. Gull and Jake catch each other smiling at Tom.
Tom beams.
‘I don’t smell any cooking,’ Harry calls out from outside the kitchen door. Immediately, the four get up and run out of the lounge room and into the kitchen.