Whitsunday Dawn

by Annie Seaton

  21

  1 May, 2018

  Fynn tapped on the cabin door as the first rosy fingers of dawn tinted the eastern horizon.

  ‘I’m starting up the motors. We’ll be out into the channel in the next ten minutes,’ he called.

  By the time Liv stretched and climbed out of bed, Fynn had gone back up on the deck and the motors were vibrating beneath the cabin floor. She had a quick wash and grimaced as she pulled on her skirt and Sheridan shirt. Padding barefooted up the stairs, she paused and looked out over the water. Fynn was at the helm, and the boat was under power on a flat sea. It was hard to believe it was the same Whitsunday Passage that she’d crossed in the ferry yesterday morning.

  ‘We’ll motor across and then the wind should be up by the time we come back. It should be a good sail back later this afternoon. The sou’ easterlies have finally arrived.’

  ‘Is that why it was so rough yesterday?’ Liv knew her voice held a little bit of trepidation. She didn’t want to have a repeat of the sickness from yesterday. ‘It won’t get rough like that again today, will it?’ The wind was puffing gently this morning and the sky was clear. The turbulent water of yesterday had settled into small waves, only the occasional one breaking in a burst of white foam behind the yacht as Fynn steered them into the Passage.

  ‘It’ll be fine, don’t worry.’ He turned with a smile. ‘Make yourself comfortable, it’ll take us a couple of hours to get to Hamo.’

  She settled into the small lounge area behind the helm and stared out over the water as they passed a huge mansion on the point at the edge of the bay. Her thoughts were stuck on the events of yesterday. The words she’d had with her father replayed in her mind, but she didn’t have any regrets. The more she thought about it, the more determined she was to help Fynn and the journalist as best she could. Eventually, she put her head back on the cushion and drifted off, the movement of the boat lulling her into a light doze.

  Fynn woke her as they were entering the marina at Hamilton Island, and Liv went below deck for her shoes and jacket. She smoothed her jacket, tucked her hair back into a tidy roll, and went back up on deck carrying her high-heeled shoes, her bag and her computer. Fynn had secured the boat at the last mooring near the channel.

  ‘We can only stay here for a couple of hours. It’s where boats come in to top up their water,’ he said as he locked the saloon door behind her. ‘I’ll come with you. We’ll grab a buggy,’ Fynn said. ‘Did your father know where you were staying?’

  Liv nodded. ‘Not directly, but the company booked my flights and accommodation, so he’d be able to find out easily enough.’ She bit her lip and frowned. ‘Do you really think there could be a problem?’

  ‘I think we need to be careful. Until we see what’s on your computer and get it backed up, anyway.’

  ‘Will I bring it? Or leave it here? Or do you think that’s a bit risky?’ She looked around nervously but the marina was quiet. Apart from a deckhand pushing a trolley along the finger wharf two wharves along, there was no sign of life.

  He ran his fingers through his curls. ‘I don’t know. It should be safe if I lock it downstairs but I’m reluctant to let it out of our sight.’ He looked across at the building. ‘I’ll take it to the marina office and get them to lock it away. I know the girls in there really well.’

  Despite the tension tugging at her, Liv lifted an eyebrow and couldn’t help smiling. ‘Really well?’

  He grinned and waved his hand. ‘You know what I mean.’

  It took less than half an hour for them to go to the hotel. Fynn waited in the living room while Liv had a quick shower and changed into the one pair of shorts and T-shirt she’d packed.

  She walked into the living room rubbing her wet hair with a towel. ‘I really appreciate this, you know.’

  ‘What’s that?’ he said with his trademark grin as he looked around the room. ‘A luxurious hotel room?’

  ‘No. You looking after me. Bringing me over to get my stuff. I’m sure you had other things to do today.’

  Fynn walked over and took the towel from her. He put it on the side of the cane lounge before he held both of her elbows and looked down at her. ‘Until we know you’re safe, and we get that data safely off your computer, I’ll be looking out for you, Liv.’ He reached up and tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I’d already told Byron I was taking some time this week to work with Greg, after we heard what Sheridan had to say at the community meeting.’

  ‘And you didn’t expect what you heard either.’ Liv’s arm tingled where his fingers touched her skin, and she held his eyes for a moment before she stepped back. ‘I’m going to do the best I can to help.’

  In less than half an hour, they were back at the marina. Fynn collected her computer from the office and handed it to Liv before he took her suitcase from the buggy. The wharves were busier now and she looked around nervously as they walked to the boat, but there was no sign of Phillip or Anthony. She shook herself mentally. Of course there wouldn’t be. They’d be back in Sydney now, reporting to her father.

  ‘Where do you want me to put my bag?’ Liv looked around as she stepped onto the yacht. The deck was small and the saloon where they’d sat last night didn’t have much room to spare.

  ‘I’ll put it in one of the cabins.’

  ‘Wait. Before you take it down.’ Liv held her hand out for the bag, and he passed it to her.

  ‘To new beginnings.’

  He smiled as she pulled her Sheridan work shirt and jacket out of the suitcase and put them in the bin on the portside of the deck.

  ‘You don’t want to think about that?’ he asked with his usual smile.

  ‘Unless you have a need for some cleaning rags on Footprint?’ She zipped the bag up again.

  ‘No. Only the best quality for us, so no old Sheridan shirts for my lady.’

  Liv put her computer on the table on the salon and followed him back up to the deck.

  ‘I’ll put the mainsail up when we get out into the Passage. I’ll get you to help with the ropes,’ he said as he lifted the fenders. ‘We can take our time to get back to Airlie.’

  ‘I’d love to. I used to sail when I was a teenager, but not in anything as big as this.’

  ‘Same principle. Wind and sail.’ He grinned at her and Liv shook her head as she headed towards the stern.

  The mood between them this morning was light and full of banter after the drama of yesterday. As the boat sped over the smooth water, Liv sensed that Fynn was working hard to keep her spirits up. She chuckled as she walked up to the helm and stood beside him once they were underway. ‘You know all about me, family warts and all, so now it’s your turn, Captain Jay. How long have you lived in the islands?’

  ‘All my life, apart from my uni days and a few trips overseas. My parents are yachties and my mum went into labour with me out in the Passage. We didn’t make it to shore. They’re in Vanuatu these days, they’ve turned into landlubbers.’ Fynn rested his forearm on the wheel and leaned back to look at her. ‘I was born on their old yacht in Muddy Bay. The bay’s gone now, or most of it. Another win for progress. It’s where you came in on the ferry the other day. Muddy Bay is now Port of Airlie, a multimillion dollar marina development. The locals fought that development too, but we lost out. Thirty-eight hectares of mud flats were reclaimed and the impact on the wildlife was immeasurable.’ A frown creased his brow. ‘But a coal loader will have a much greater impact.’

  ‘No wonder you’re so passionate about the place, living here all your life. I’ve only been here a few days and already the thought of a coal loader plonked out there in that pristine water is unthinkable.’ ‘It is,’ he said quietly. ‘And we’re going to fight until we beat it.

  If this mine and coal loader get approved, it’ll be the death knell for the reef. They’ve kept very quiet about the dredging required, and the creation of a port to manage the increased volume of shipping. We already know the ecological damage that overdevelopment and natural pr
edators have caused. Half of the coral making up the reef is dead or dying. Pesticide runoff, muddy sediment from land clearing, predatory starfish, and coral bleaching have had a detrimental impact. This coal mine development will pose a dire threat to a reef that can take no more.’ He glanced down at her as she leaned against the side of the deck. ‘I’m pleased you’re going to work with us, Liv. And not just because of what you might be able to bring us.’

  Her face heated and she turned away into the breeze. ‘I hope I can help.’

  His smile was wide as he held her gaze. ‘Oh, don’t worry, darlin’. I’m sure you will.’

  As they sailed past Gulnare Inlet, Liv stared at the eerily familiar flat hills at the end of the bay. Maybe she’d seen them on Getaway or some other travel show.

  She turned away and yawned as the boat sailed past the inlet and pushed north past Whitsunday Island. Despite sleeping most of the way across the Passage, she was still tired from yesterday. It had taken her ages to get to sleep in Fynn’s cabin last night. He’d insisted on taking the smaller cabin on the other side of the boat. Her thoughts had been full of the conversation with Greg and his insistence about keeping the computer—and themselves—safe. Phillip’s veiled threat yesterday had worried her. Dad might be a ruthless businessman, but surely he wouldn’t hurt anybody?

  Once she’d managed to get to sleep, her dreams had been about snorkelling through the shoals of beautifully coloured fish that darted in and out of the coral. When she was a small child, her favourite story book had been one about a tiny fish living in the coral. She’d forgotten all about it until now. Or had it been a colouring book? Funny, how old memories surfaced when you were stressed.

  As unfamiliar as these islands might be, Liv was quickly falling in love with the Whitsundays. Exhilaration filled her as she moved to the front of the yacht, Fynn’s lady as he affectionately called her, while he steered them back across the Passage. The brisk wind whipped Liv’s loose hair around her face as the yacht almost flew across the deep blue water.

  An hour later, Footprint was moored back in the pen at Abell Point Marina.

  ‘You grab your handbag and computer, and I’ll bring your suitcase. It’s only a short walk around to the apartment block.’ Fynn secured the last rope. ‘I’ll text Byron. He’s going to meet us there with the key.’

  * * *

  The aroma of barbequing meat and onions drifted into the apartment from the balcony. Aunty Tat sat on the sofa in Liv’s new apartment, her handbag clutched on her lap, as Liv tipped a packet of salad into a bowl that she’d found in the well-stocked kitchen. A loaf of bread was warming in the oven. Her laptop was sitting on the benchtop charging, but she had made sure it wasn’t turned on.

  ‘It was very thoughtful of you and Byron to stock the fridge and pantry for me.’

  Aunty Tat pulled out a lace-edged handkerchief and fanned herself.

  Liv walked back to the entrance foyer. ‘If I can figure out how, I’ll switch the air conditioner on.’

  ‘Have you been back home yet?’ the older woman said.

  ‘I came to visit you last Sunday. Remember?’

  ‘No, Lil. Not my place. Home to the island, to see Mama and Daddy.’ Her voice was querulous. ‘I need to take some groceries out there too.’

  ‘No,’ Liv said slowly. ‘I haven’t had a chance yet.’

  ‘Did they take you back to Japan?’ Aunty Tat’s eyes were intense. ‘What did you do there? Couldn’t you write to us?’

  Liv’s eyes pricked with tears as she heard the sorrow in Tat’s voice. She walked over and sat beside her on the sofa. Aunty Tat put the handkerchief in her lap and picked at the lace with her long fingernails.

  ‘I’m here now. You tell me all about your family, about your grandchildren.’

  ‘No. I don’t want to,’ she said stubbornly. ‘I want to know why you didn’t come back. Daddy talked to all the boys on the launches, but none of them had taken you off the island, so we knew you were there somewhere. I looked and looked, every day.’ A sob broke from her throat. ‘Then I heard Daddy telling Mama about the Japanese coming to our island and I knew they had you. And that they had taken you away.’ She dropped her voice to a whisper. ‘Don’t tell Daddy, but I even climbed up to the top of the peak where Jack told us the Japanese were hiding.’

  Liv didn’t know what to say, so she lifted the old woman’s hand from her lap and squeezed it gently. Lily of the Valley perfume surrounded her as Aunty Tat moved over and put her head on Liv’s shoulder.

  ‘But you weren’t there. So, you know what I did then?’

  ‘No. What did you do?’

  ‘Every night, I would sit in your hammock and I’d tell the little ones your story about the fairy garden. I told them that I would tell it to them every night until you came home.’

  ‘That was very kind,’ Liv murmured.

  ‘Yes, they loved that story.’ Gradually, Tat calmed and when Fynn called out that the meat was cooked, she sat up with a smile. ‘Good. I’m hungry.’

  ‘Would you like me to set the table inside or out?’ Liv stood and crossed to the door and took in the view from the balcony. Balcony was an understatement. The outdoor area was as large as the rest of the apartment, and to her delight, a small lap pool was set along the edge that faced the bay. An elegant and huge outdoor dining setting sat in the middle of a tiled area, and a profusion of brightly coloured flowers spilled from glossy black pots set along the glass wall that edged the balcony. From the doorway, she could see Fynn’s boat in its pen in the marina below, and that was reassuring.

  Not that I should feel lonely.

  Liv had lived alone in her apartment in Sydney since the first year she’d started work at Sheridan Corp. It had only been a short walk along Pitt Street to the office and often she’d gone for weeks without getting her car out of the underground parking area. If she was going to stay up here for a while, she’d have to see about getting a small car to get around. The way she was feeling, she was even considering looking for a job up here. As strong as she’d been with her father, the whole experience had left her feeling pretty shattered and, if she was honest, a little bit lost. Not that she’d admit that to anyone, except maybe Mum. Sheridan Corp, and her work there, had been her life for a long time, to the exclusion of everything else. It was going to be strange to find a different focus. In the meantime, she’d do all she could to help Fynn and Greg.

  ‘Outside would be good.’ Fynn’s reply pulled her from her thoughts. Liv inhaled the fresh, salty air before she went back to the kitchen to load the plates and cutlery onto a colourful wooden tray she’d found on the benchtop. A ripple of excitement ran through her. She had a lovely apartment to stay in, with a view to die for. She’d made some connections up here already and had been made to feel very welcome by Byron and his family. And there was Aunty Tat. She looked over at the elderly woman with affection as she stood beside Fynn, telling him how to place the meat on the tray.

  And then, there was Fynn James himself.

  A frisson of anticipation fired long-neglected nerve endings and Liv tipped her head to the side as she walked out to the balcony. She would be wary, and she would be careful, but she was looking forward to spending more time with him. There were some things to organise. Her computer was charging, and she needed to go shopping. Fynn and Byron had gone out of their way to look after her, and the apartment was beautiful, but she needed to get to town—apparently the shopping precinct was a short walk around a boardwalk—and buy herself some clothes, and an external drive to back up her computer, and then she could settle in and relax. Another thrill of anticipation shot through Liv and she smiled as she placed the tray on the table. It was the first time for many months that she could honestly say she felt happy. Not worrying about the next meeting, or what was ahead of her at work for the day. Not trying to impress her father or gauge the mood he’d be in.

  Fynn must have noticed her smile. ‘Our Whitsunday air is working its magic already, I think,’ h
e said as he pulled out the chair beside her.

  ‘It is. I think I could settle in for a long time.’

  ‘That’s what we like to hear, hey, By?’

  Byron nodded. ‘As the tourism rep for the council, what more can I add?’

  Sitting around the table was relaxing, the conversation was light-hearted, and the company was entertaining. Byron made them laugh with stories about the Tuesday night sail he’d won last week at the yacht club, even though he’d had inexperienced backpackers as his sailors. Aunty Tat sat quietly, but with a constant smile on her face. After the elderly woman insisted on helping Liv clear the table while Fynn cleaned the barbeque, Byron signalled it was time for them to leave.

  ‘See you next Sunday at our place, Liv? We’d love to have you visit again. Please come.’

  ‘I’d like that very much.’ Liv smiled and stepped forward as Aunty Tat opened her arms for a hug. A sweet floral fragrance engulfed them.

  ‘Oh, Lily. It’s so good to have you home.’ Aunty Tat held her close, her soft papery skin brushing Liv’s cheek.

  ‘I’ll see you soon,’ Liv said quietly as she walked to the lift with them.

  Byron caught her eye above Aunty Tat’s head. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

  ‘I’ll take the stairs.’ Fynn stood beside Liv as Byron and his grandmother waited for him to step in. ‘So, you’ve got everything you need?’ He turned to her as the lift doors closed. Liv watched as he reached his hand out to her and then suddenly pulled it back.

  ‘Yes. I thought I might walk into town this afternoon.’

  There was an awkward silence between them and then they both went to speak at once.

  ‘You first,’ Liv said with a laugh.

  Fynn cleared his throat. ‘When you go out, you be careful.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I will. I think you and Greg might be overreacting, but I’ll keep an eye out.’

  ‘It’s not an overreaction, Liv.’ Fynn’s voice was quiet. ‘You’ve made it clear which side you’re on, and you have quite an intimate knowledge of the project from the inside, not to mention the data that you now have in your possession. That’s not going to sit well with … with some people.’