Secret in the Clouds

by Christopher Cummings

  “Hey! Leave that alone you bloody thief!” Stephen shouted.

  The man coloured. Two men refuelling their cars stared at him curiously.

  Peter put down the phone and came over. “That’s my car. You keep out of it,” he yelled.

  By then the man had realised the pack was empty. He pulled the flaps open and shook it. Two empty waterbottles fell out and some dirt and twigs. “Where is it?” he snarled, tossing the pack on the ground.

  “Where is what?” Stephen replied.

  “The thing you took from the plane,” the man answered.

  “What plane?” Stephen replied.

  “Don’t mess us about kid!” shouted the man.

  Stephen was relieved to see the service station manager walking over. He turned to him. “Call the police please. These men are trying to rob us.”

  “We are not! We are the police,” replied the first man angrily. The manager demanded to see their ID and that led to more discussion. As they did Stephen noted Peter grinning and that made him sigh with relief.

  A minute later a police car came hurrying in. Two uniformed Queensland Police officers got out. Now the two men became really angry. Stephen pointed to the two men. “These men have been chasing us. I think they are paedophiles. Now they are trying to rob us.”

  Once again he noted the angry gleam in the first man’s eye and he knew he had really embarrassed him. ‘I hope we get out of this,’ he thought. ‘Otherwise this bastard is going to have my nuts on toast!’

  There was then quite a discussion and the two men again produced their badges. Radio messages were made and twenty minutes went by. Finally one of the uniformed policemen said, “They are Federal Police, attached to the Security Branch. So you kids do what they say.”

  The first Federal policeman held out his hand. “Give us what you took from the plane,” he ordered.

  “We haven’t got anything from any plane,” Stephen replied. “Search us if you want.”

  They did. The car was also searched. The men then moved aside to discuss the situation, then used a mobile phone to call someone. Looking really angry they came back and said, “You can go. We will be in touch.”

  “Breakfast first,” Peter said, looking so cool and calm that Stephen could only admire him.

  The two State Police left first, followed by the two Federal Police. As they drove away Stephen caught a savage glare from the second man. It made his stomach turn over with apprehension but it also caused him a surge of excitement.

  The three friends stood and watched them drive off, then went into the restaurant. Tom was still there, waiting at a table with four hamburgers. Stephen had forgotten about Tom but now his lip curled. ‘Gutless bugger!’ he thought. ‘Hid in here while we took the flak!’

  They sat down to eat and Tom asked what had happened. While they talked and ate Stephen’s moods kept switching from depression to excitement. Then Peter asked, “What are you grinning at Steve? That copper wasn’t amused when you called him a paedophile.”

  “I know,” Stephen replied. He grinned again, relief washing through him. “It’s just that I think we are now hot on the trail.”

  “What trail?” Graham asked.

  “To find out who the German spy was,” Stephen replied.

  “How? Was it the thing in your pack?” Graham asked.

  Stephen shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, but they don’t know that.”

  “What thing? What was it?” Peter asked.

  Stephen hesitated, then shrugged. “I suppose it doesn’t matter if I tell you now,” he said.

  CHAPTER 22

  MORE PIECES

  “Well?” Peter asked. “What is it?”

  Stephen hesitated and bit his lip in indecision. Then he shook his head. “No, maybe I’d better not. It might turn out to be important and if you don’t know what it is you can’t give it away, even by a slip of the tongue.”

  “Oh come on!” Tom cried. “You said you would. We have a right to know.”

  Still Stephen shook his head. It was Graham who came to his defence. “No, Steve is right. Better we don’t know. But you are onto something aren’t you Steve?”

  Stephen nodded. “I’ve got an idea.”

  “Is it about what happened to my grandfather?” Tom asked, his face contorted by intense emotion.

  “It might be,” Stephen agreed. “It’s only a bit of a hunch so far, not a theory. We need to do some research, and we need to be careful.”

  “Careful?” Peter asked.

  Stephen nodded. “I think there might be some risk.”

  “But those blokes didn’t harm us,” Graham pointed out. “They didn’t even try to arrest us.”

  “No, that is one of the things that I am thinking hard about,” Stephen replied. “I suspect that was because they aren’t sure and don’t want to overplay their hand if they don’t have to.”

  “What do you mean?” Peter asked.

  “I think someone very important is involved in this and is trying to cover his tracks. But he has to be very careful or it will have the opposite effect.”

  Tom snorted. “Oh that’s rubbish!” he cried.

  “Is it? Who has the pull to have a road closed off? Or to pay men to guard a plane crash for days while the area is searched? Who can have telephones tapped and has the power to whistle up federal policemen at a moment’s notice?” Stephen asked.

  That got them. He could tell by their faces they were thinking hard about that. Peter spoke first. “So who do you think it might be?”

  “I’m not sure but my best guess is that Jorgenson fellow who took the papers off us,” Stephen replied.

  Graham gasped in astonishment. “Why him?”

  “Just a little thing,” Stephen replied. “When we interviewed Major Barnes about the search back in Nineteen Forty One he mentioned that a man named Jorgenson helped them. He said he was a Swede, or a Dane, or something. He was a refugee or migrant. I remember it particularly because Major Barnes said that Jorgenson had the only bulldozer in the Black Mountain area and helped push out a campsite for them, then helped with the search.”

  “That’s not much to go on,” Peter said.

  Tom now became agitated. “But a bulldozer would be a convenient thing to cover up any ...any nasty evidence,” he said.

  Into Stephen’s mind sprang the image of a bulldozer burying a truck with two dead bodies in it. It was the image that had begun to haunt him. He nodded. “That’s what I think.”

  Graham looked appalled. He said, “So you think this Jorgenson is the son of that man and is trying to cover up the fact that his father was a German spy?”

  Stephen nodded “Possibly. But he’d be a grandson judging by his age.”

  “Oh that’s preposterous!” Graham said. “Who would care after all this time what their Grandad did in the war?”

  “Do you know what your Grandad did?” Stephen countered, knowing full well that Graham’s Grandfather had been a naval officer, and that Graham was very proud of that.

  “Well, yes.. but...,”Graham replied.

  “So there are people who might care,” Stephen said.

  Peter agreed. “It wouldn’t do anyone’s career much good to have a traitor or spy in his family background.”

  Graham looked thoughtful. “Jorgenson would have the contacts to organize things,” he added.

  Stephen nodded vigorously. “But he’s not sure and, as I said, I think he has to be careful or people above him will start asking difficult questions,” he said. “So we need to watch what we say and do.”

  “Are you thinking of going on with trying to find out what happened?” Tom asked.

  Stephen nodded. “Yes.”

  “Then I will help you,” Tom said.

  “We all will,” Peter said. “So what do we do next?”

  “Have breakfast,” Stephen said. “Then get home and cover up this little adventure so that parents don’t interfere while we plan our next move.”

 
; “What do you think that will be?” Graham asked.

  “Some research,” Stephen replied. He glanced up at the wall clock, noted that the manager was directing worried and unfriendly looks at them, and bit into his hamburger.

  That ended the discussion for the time. They ate quickly and were back in the car by 0730. As they drove back to Cairns Stephen outlined their next moves and worried about what to say to his mother to explain his torn clothes and appearance. To his surprise he found he was too keyed up to feel exhausted.

  It was 0745 when Peter dropped him and Tom off at home. As he expected his mother made a big fuss and looked very worried.

  “Oh Stephen dear! What happened to you?”

  “I fell in some mud,” he replied, trying to grin as he did. “And we ran into a bit of scrub thicker than we expected.”

  Stephen’s father raised one eyebrow. “Tom seems to have survived much better,” he observed.

  “He was at the back,” Stephen replied.

  To his relief Tom nodded. Tom’s mother said, “I’ve been very worried Tom dear. Now hurry up and have a bath and change. I’ve decided we are going home today and need to pack.”

  That was good news to Stephen but Tom was appalled. “But Mum! I don’t want to go yet. We...we... we might be able to find out what happened to Grandad.”

  His mother shook her head. “I doubt it. Not after all these years. Now be sensible and go and have a shower.”

  “But Mum!” Tom cried. Stephen felt a surge of pity for him and knew that he would feel the same way.

  But Tom’s mother was adamant. “We’ve been here longer than we should have been anyway. You children have missed nearly two weeks of school and it’s time we got home.”

  This time Nancy and Sally joined in, pleading to stay a bit longer, both giving Stephen ‘hinting’ glances as they did.

  “No!” their mother snapped. “We are booked on the five pm flight and that is that. Besides, we have been a burden on the Bell’s for long enough.”

  “Oh not at all,” Stephen’s mother insisted. “We’ve loved having you.”

  So the argument went on while Stephen and then Tom were put through the bath and breakfast. All the while Stephen’s mind was busy, despite his physical weariness. After dressing he asked his mother if he had to go to school.

  His mother shook her head. “Not if you don’t feel up to it dear. You look very tired,” she replied

  But Stephen had no desire to spend the day at home on his own. ‘Those men might come to get me,’ he thought anxiously. “I’d like to stay home but I don’t want to be the cause of you having to take a day off work,” he replied.

  At that Mrs Downey said, “Oh Stephen that will be alright. We are staying here for most of the day to pack.”

  At that Stephen decided he would stay, even though he guessed that Tom would take very opportunity to pump him about his theory.

  Nancy then asked, “Are you going to come and see us off at the airport?”

  “Of course we are!” Stephen’s mother replied. “I will come and pick Stephen up after school. Then we can all go.”

  It was arranged that the Downeys would spend the day shopping and packing. During all this Tom sulked around looking miserable. That made Stephen feel a twinge of sympathy. ‘Poor bugger!’ he thought. He knew that if the situation was reversed he would feel the same way.

  As soon as this was agreed Stephen announced his intention to have a rest. He went to his room and lay down. Only then did he begin to properly relax. Lying in his own familiar bed helped him. To begin with he had to consciously make his tense muscles ease up. As he lay there his mind raced, turning over and over his thoughts on the situation. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep but the background noise of his parents and the Downeys talking and moving about kept intruding. With a sigh of frustration Stephen rolled to face the wall and kept his eyes tight shut.

  He heard his mother come in to say goodbye as she left for work but pretended he was asleep. That worked. Soon he actually was asleep. He stayed that way till well after midday, waking with a washed-out feeling at 1:30pm.

  As he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes Stephen remembered the chase and experienced a surge of anxiety. Everything was so quiet. ‘Am I alone?’ he wondered. Feeling very tired and stiff he slowly got up and padded through the house. To his relief he found Tom asleep on the sofa. After washing his face and going to the toilet Stephen went to the kitchen and made himself some ham sandwiches for lunch.

  While he was sitting eating these Tom woke up and joined him. Tom looked very troubled. “I don’t want to go home,” he said. “I think we are close to finding out something important.”

  “We might be,” Stephen agreed. He didn’t want to talk about it. ‘It will only give Tom false hopes,’ he thought.

  But Tom insisted. “Please tell me Steve. I have a right to know.”

  “But it might all be for nothing. I don’t want to get your hopes up and then see you disappointed,” Stephen explained.

  “Oh fair go Steve! This will gnaw at me for ever if I don’t know. I will keep on wondering what it is that you know,” Tom said.

  Stephen had to accept that. He said, “I don’t really know any more than we have already discussed. I am trying to sort out the puzzle into the right order that’s all. But we don’t have all the pieces so the picture is very fuzzy.”

  They talked about what they did know and went over Stephen’s theory. Tom listened intently and made comments from time to time. But it did not get them any further. At last Stephen shrugged. “As I said,” he added, “We don’t have enough pieces to complete the puzzle.”

  The Downeys arrived home soon after so the conversation ended. A very dejected Tom got up to help with the packing. This process was continually interrupted by Nancy and Sally coming to talk to Stephen. Neither wanted to leave and both made it obvious that they liked Stephen, and that they were very jealous of each other. In other circumstances Stephen sensed he would have found this enjoyable, even amusing, but now it made him sad.

  At 3:30 pm his parents arrived home and the process of loading the cars began. Tom became quite agitated and made a last attempt to persuade his parents to leave him. “Please Mum!” he cried.

  “Don’t be silly!” Mrs Downey snapped back. “You haven’t got any solid information at all. Besides, you can always come back some other time when you are older.”

  Tom glanced at Stephen, his anxious desire plain to see. But the boys had not told the adults of their theories so all Tom could do was shake his head in frustration. He was near to tears by the time they climbed into the cars.

  Ten minutes later they were at the airport. Stephen helped carry their luggage in, a stony faced Tom beside him. The adults concentrated their attention on helping Mrs Hopkins. The old lady looked very tired. Seeing her thanking his parents for their help gave Stephen a real twinge of regret. ‘To come all that way in hope and to be disappointed,’ he thought sadly.

  Mrs Hopkins thanked Stephen as well, making him feel very self-conscious. Then Sally insisted on a goodbye kiss. That really embarrassed him. The sight of the jealous indignation on Nancy’s face helped, but she also demanded a kiss.

  Having freed himself from the girls Stephen helped carry the luggage over to the booking counter. As he did he noticed a TV crew go hurrying by. He only gave them a mildly curious glance till he saw another crew from a rival station hurry after them, then several other people. A crowd began to form near one of the entrances from the arrival lounge. Several uniformed police and airport security personnel moved to hold back the crowd.

  Stephen’s father gestured towards the arrival door. “I wonder who is arriving?” he asked as they all stared at the growing crowd.

  Stephen’s mother shrugged. “Some movie star maybe?” she suggested.

  “Oooh!” Nancy cried. “A movie star! Can we watch?”

  “I didn’t say it was,” Stephen’s mother replied.

  Stephen’s
father turned to an airline employee standing nearby. “Who are those people waiting to see?” he asked.

  “The Minister of Defence,” the man replied.

  “Who?” Sally asked.

  “Some politician,” Tom told her. At that she turned her nose up and sniffed.

  Stephen also lost interest and devoted his time to eyeing the pretty girls. There was then a flurry of activity at the entrance and the camera flashes began to flicker. Stephen caught a glimpse of the politician. He recognized him at once, one of those people who was always on the news.

  “They say he will be the next Prime Minister,” Stephen heard his father say to Mrs Downey.

  Stephen was about to look away when he suddenly experienced such a shock he felt as though he had touched a live wire. The politician was being shepherded through the crowd by his ‘minders’; the usual collection of aides and plain clothes security men. Walking behind the Minister, speaking into a hand held radio, was Jorgenson.

  Stephen stared hard, unsure if it really was the same man. Identification was made much harder because the crowd blocked most of the view. Just for a fleeting second Stephen got a clear view and then he was sure. He grabbed Tom’s arm and pointed. “Jorgenson, there, behind the politician.”

  Tom had never seen Jorgenson and stared hard. “You are sure?”

  “Definite,” Stephen nodded. He saw Jorgenson turn to look in his direction and experienced a wave of alarm. ‘I don’t want him to see me!’ he thought, but wasn’t sure why.

  Then he stiffened. One of the men in suits following Jorgenson was one of the two plain-clothes Federal Policemen who had chased them that morning. An intense feeling of suspicions welled up in Stephen, without any foundation in fact to support it.

  Then the politician and his entourage were gone, ushered quickly through the throng to waiting cars. Stephen turned to his father. “Dad, who was that man?”

  “Edward Potts, the Defence Minister,” his father answered.

  Stephen did not pay much attention to the details of politics but he was well enough educated to understand how important the Defence Minister was. “Leader of the Rural Revival party isn’t he?” he asked.