by Sarah Barrie
The officer nodded and took off.
A moment later Manning reappeared. ‘You got Marshall off task, running errands?’
‘Yeah and I need someone else to tell me if there’s a designer’s name or any other kind of signature on that website.’
‘What are you getting at?’
‘Just a theory.’
‘Don Meeth. I’ve already had someone look into it. No hits on the name, no other sites designed by him that we can find.’
‘Don Meeth, Don Meeth …’ Ben closed his eyes on an angry curse.
‘What?’
‘He’s using anagrams. Nick Garter is an anagram for Carter King. Don Meeth is the Demon. We know King is a computer hacker and goes by the Demon screen name – he’s running the website. We got the date for the hunt off the site, told everyone to be prepared. That’s how he found out we were in. He’s played us.’
‘You can’t be sure of that.’
‘Sir?’ Marshall jogged back again. ‘You’re right, the HR group has a hunt listed for this location tomorrow morning.’
‘These guys are just coming in the night before to prepare for a legit day. She’s not here. He’s sent us on a wild goose chase.’
Manning had insisted on crashing the hunt despite Ben’s conclusions. By the time they’d confirmed what Ben already knew, Lee was in the car with Cam and Ben, speeding back to the station. Cam’s phone rang a few minutes out.
‘It’s Ally – shit. I don’t want to tell her this.’ But he answered, filled her in. ‘You what? Hold on, I’m going to put you on speaker. Lee and Ben are here.’
‘Mia went home to feed the animals for me and didn’t come back. I’m still not allowed to leave the hospital.’
‘Are you all right?’ Cam asked.
‘We – the baby and I – are fine. They just want to keep monitoring my blood pressure. The problem is Mia. I know we don’t need any more dramas but I’m worried. She should have been back. The home phone rang out so I tried to call her mobile in case she was coming back to the hospital, but it was out of range. If she was at the house, if she was even close to Mudgee, she’d have reception.’
‘I’m sure she’s okay. She’s probably just been caught up with the horses, maybe run into someone down there. Give her half an hour and try again. Let me know how you go. Ally, you need to look after yourself and the baby.’
‘I know.’
Cam hung up and sucked in a worried breath. ‘She’d play it down. Even if it’s serious, she wouldn’t say. Not now.’
‘She’s in the best place possible,’ Lee said quietly. ‘They’ll look after her.’
‘How do you keep your blood pressure down with all this going on?’
Ben pressed a button on his phone. ‘Indy, how many units are still out at Hunters Ridge?’
‘Just one I think. There’ll be more again in the morning.’
‘Get them to drive out to Ally’s farm and look for Mia, then head to the old military barracks. See if there’s any signs of intruders. I want to know immediately. And I want one of the choppers that was on standby for tonight ready to take myself and Cam and Lee back to Hunters Ridge in … ten minutes.’
‘Right.’
‘If anything’s going on, take Gibson and Marshall in the other chopper.’
‘You think the hunt is still on? That they’ve taken her back there?’ Lee asked.
‘He sent us a long way out of town. Rob called this hunt, and Hunters Ridge is his ground. Nick knows the place. Mia’s gone down to Ally’s and now she’s missing. It’s not exactly indomitable proof …’
But it was something. And Lee had more than a bit of faith in Ben’s hunches.
They were already in the helicopter when the report came through: no sign of Mia but there were people at the military range. Ben got on the radio and organised backup. Lee held on with everything he had and hoped they weren’t too late.
CHAPTER
36
Ebony was dragged roughly up the steps, hands bound behind her back, hood back in place. At the top, she was pushed against a post and the bag was reefed from her head. When her eyes adjusted, she found herself tied to one of many wooden beams in a shed – the main building of the military range, she supposed – staring at a group of seated men dressed in camouflage gear, rifles at their sides and hunting knives attached to their belts. They were murmuring and looking her up and down like a trophy to be coveted.
‘Gentlemen, I promised you something special. And now I’m delivering it. Take a good look at your quarter-mil investment.’ The conceit in Rob’s tone made her stomach churn.
She tried the knots at her hands again.
‘She all right? Awfully quiet,’ someone called out.
‘She’s fine. Feisty and biding her time, aren’t you, Ebony?’ Nick yanked back on her hair. She grimaced but remained silent. ‘Don’t be fooled. She’ll give you a run for your money, this one.’
A ripple of approval and excitement moved through the hunters. She was left on display while men wandered in and out, eating and drinking, chatting, laughing. Ten, she counted, just like Nick said – she was worth two and a half million. In any other circumstances that could have been flattering.
Then there was a separate commotion, wolf whistling, jeering, clapping. It got louder as the group approached. The door was pulled open and two men shoved through the door. They both had a grip on one of Mia’s arms. ‘Look what we found,’ one boasted.
Ebony stared in disbelief. ‘Mia, no!’
Nick pushed through the group and looked her over. Glared at her captors. ‘What are you doing with her?’
‘We were bored. Saw her feeding horses on the next property along. No one else around so we … acquired her.’
‘You fucking idiots!’
‘You bring in a bitch, you’re a fuckin’ Master. We do and you call us idiots?’ the taller of the two snarled back.
‘That’s Mia Morgan. They figure out she’s gone missing from Ally’s, they’ll be all over this place. Shit!’ Nick stalked across the room, stalked back. ‘They’re miles away. I sent them to fucking Timbuktu. They may not have even worked out they’re in the wrong place yet.’ His gaze shot to Mia. ‘Are Cam and Lee with Ben? Are they all at Goulburn?’
Mia didn’t answer.
He was in front of her with his knife out in two fast strides. ‘Where are they?’
‘I don’t know,’ Mia said.
‘What about Ally?’
‘She’s in Mudgee.’
‘Why would she be in Mudgee?’
‘Because after everything that’s happened, her blood pressure was up and that’s not good when you’re pregnant. She’s staying at the hospital for observation overnight while they try to lower it.’
‘Why aren’t you with her?’
‘Someone had to come back and take care of all the animals. They needed to be done tonight, and first thing tomorrow. Then I’m supposed to be going back in, by ten, to see if she can come home.’
Rob burst in. ‘What’s all the carry on – Mia. Well, well.’
Mia’s gaze raked over him with disgust. ‘Ew. The months have not been kind.’
Rob’s eyes turned to slits. ‘You got a problem with how I look?’
‘You look like your face caught on fire and someone tried to put it out with a hammer.’
He laughed. ‘Still got that same smart mouth. Shoulda come after you in the first place, after you didn’t die in the fire.’
‘Yeah, but you couldn’t handle it, could you? You didn’t kill Ebony, but you call yourself a Master hunter. It grated on you didn’t it? Just like it grated on you that you burned Ellie instead of Ally when you set the stables on fire. Come to think about it, you had me bound and gagged and couldn’t kill me either. You like to finish what you start, only you failed. You failed with Ally, you failed with me and you failed with Ebs. You’re a failure, Rob, and the fact you call yourself a Master is nothing more than a big fat joke really. A master
of what exactly? Stuffing up?’
Rob pulled a large knife from his belt and waved it in front of Mia. ‘You’re wrong, slut. Your sister’s alive because she’s useful. She dies, Blakely’ll likely sell off her farm – can’t have that. Didn’t want this one dead either – wanted to hunt her for years. Now I finally got that chance. But you – what am I going to do with you?’
Mia moved so quickly no one saw it coming, using the leverage she had from the men’s tight grip on her arms to kick up high and fast. She caught Rob’s hand under the knife and sent it up, straight through his left cheek.
Rob dropped the knife and clutched at his face. Blood flowed freely between his fingers and he let go of his face to rip off his shirt, bundle it up and press it against the wound. Swearing profusely, he clutched the knife in his other hand and launched at Mia, but was pulled up by a sharp cry.
‘Don’t cut that face!’
Ebony’s breath whooshed out as her heart kicked back into rhythm and her scream died just as it was about to erupt. She’d thought Mia was dead. Thought Rob would have killed Mia right in front of her. What was going on?
All the men crowded around to watch the standoff. They all looked as deadly as each other.
Nick walked right around Mia, looking her up and down with appreciation; a prize to be savoured. She struggled uselessly against the two beefy men holding her up for inspection, only amusing him more.
‘You. Really. Are. Special.’ He touched his fingers to her chin, angled her head up. ‘Get a good look, gentlemen. She’ll be next on the site.’ His gaze went from Mia to Rob. ‘For fuck’s sake, you’re making a mess. Outside. Make it quick.’
Mia grimaced as she was tied to a pole in the corner. Ebony hadn’t thought she had any tears left, but they fell.
‘Mia, I’m sorry you got caught up in this, it’s my fault …’
‘Ebs,’ Mia said quietly. ‘You need to keep it together.’
What for? she thought, but nodded. ‘Is Lee all right?’
‘He’s fine. He’s looking for you. He’ll find you, Ebs. He’ll find us.’
‘Not likely,’ one of the captors said. ‘Nick sent ’em all out to Goulburn. Take ’em hours to figure out what’s happened and to get themselves back. It’ll be all over by then.’
‘What do you get out of this?’ Mia asked. ‘You’re not a Master, are you?’
‘Not yet. Will be, one day.’
‘And you’ve got that sort of money?’
‘Don’t need it. If you supply the bitch, you get to hunt. Once you’re a Master.’
‘You giving away all our secrets, Jack?’ Nick asked, striding back in, followed by the other hunters. Rob came in last with one long, ugly, running stitch holding his swollen, oozing cheek together.
‘Yes I know,’ Nick said to Ebony, ‘not my best work. But it’ll hold until the hunt’s over. Time to go.’ He undid her hands and gave her a tug. ‘You ready?’
‘Nick, please –’
‘Nick,’ Mia said. ‘You don’t want to hurt Ebs. You must feel something for her?’
Nick pulled a face, shrugged. ‘Nope.’
‘You sick bastard!’ Mia spat. ‘You pitiful, inadequate little freak.’
A few chuckles before Nick walked across to her. ‘Pardon me?’
‘You need a knife like that to hunt a woman half your size and weight? You need a mob of big armed men to take on Ebony and you think you’re a fucking tough guy? Some kind of hero?’
What the hell was she doing? Did she want them to kill her? ‘Mia be quiet!’ Ebony gasped.
Nick’s eyes narrowed dangerously but his tone was cool. ‘Shut the fuck up.’
‘Or what? What are you going to do? Let a girl get the better of you? Let me run. I’ll give you the best fucking hunt you’ve ever had. I’ll even beat you at your own game. Hunt me instead.’
‘Mia, no!’ Ebony cried.
Nick’s face cleared. He chuckled. ‘Nice try, Mia. But Ebony is paid for. The money’s down. You’ll get your turn.’
He dragged Ebony to the door then stopped.
‘Rob, you up to leading out your girl?’
When Rob grabbed hold of Ebony, Nick came back for Mia. ‘You should come and watch. Don’t want to miss the excitement.’ Ebony’s heart was pounding, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow, her legs were weak and shaking. If Rob removed his hand from her arm, she’d probably collapse in a heap. The men were excited, eager for the kill. The cruelty, the heartlessness of it, her fear of death, overwhelmed her.
‘You can’t do this!’ Mia yelled at Rob. ‘You know her! She was your friend, for God’s sake!’
‘Women aren’t friends,’ Rob replied, ‘they’re prey. Ready, gentlemen?’
The men milled around, checking their equipment. One unsheathed an enormous knife that glinted menacingly. He caught Ebony’s eye and grinned. There was a bit more shuffling, sheathing of knives, changing of position, until the hunters were roughly lined up, an air of eager anticipation surrounding them.
‘Then we’ll begin.’ Rob checked his watch and shoved Ebony forwards. When she stumbled and looked back at him, he sneered. ‘You’re gonna want to run. You’ve got one minute.’
She looked around her like a deer caught in headlights. Her body wouldn’t work, her limbs were completely uncooperative. How could this really be happening? Was it all going to end like this? It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.
Men fidgeted, but their eyes were on their prey. They were eager to run, to hunt.
‘Thirty seconds.’
Help wasn’t coming, they were away, so far away. Mia, what would happen to her? Ebony wouldn’t live to find out. She’d never know. She glanced at Nick, silently pleading for help, saw nothing but bloodlust.
‘Ten.’
‘Run, Ebony!’ Mia’s scream echoed in the silence, snapping her out of it.
She ran.
Ebony ran blindly into the trees. Branches scraped across her face, her arms, her legs. For a few moments the only sounds were her desperate breathing and the leaves and branches that crunched underfoot. Was she going in the right direction? Was there a right direction?
A cheer erupted, followed by booted men crashing heavily through scrub. The sound wrapped around her, seemed to come from everywhere. She pushed harder, fighting her way through terrain lit by the full moon. She ran hard, even when her lungs promised to burst, through brush and over rocks, struggling over fallen trunks and slipping on loose ground.
Something poked into her eye, momentarily blinding her. She lost her footing, went crashing onto her side. Struggling to her hands and knees, she found a gap in the undergrowth and followed one of a maze of small animal trails, crawling desperately, nails tearing, hair catching in low branches, knees bruising on sharp stones. There was no time to be quiet, no way of telling if the noise she was hearing was all coming from her, whether the nearest hunter was miles back or a hair’s breadth behind her.
When she physically couldn’t keep going she held completely still, dragging in air as quietly as she could. Her arms and legs were stinging with cuts and abrasions, and though her feet were numb with cold, her cheeks burned from exertion. Tears heated then cooled her face. There were voices calling from behind her, beside her. Somewhere. Everywhere. The fear was sharp and strong.
Ebony could see nothing, but she heard the snap of a branch, the crunch of a foot on dry vegetation. Someone was close behind. That noise stopped, as though whoever it was had lost her trail and was listening. Her hand closed around a palm-sized stone. She hurled it up and out. It crashed closer than she would have liked, but none the less had her pursuer altering course. She forced herself to her feet, stayed low and continued more cautiously.
She saw a silhouette several feet ahead and caught a sob in her throat as it threatened to give her away. She ran from the shadow, changing direction so abruptly she smashed into a tree, disorienting herself even more.
A small creek was bordered by a steep bank. S
he slipped down into the knee-deep water and pressed herself back against the wall of earth. Overhanging vegetation and thick spider webs caught in her hair and stuck to her face. Something crawled across her right ear, tickling her. She wanted to scream, didn’t dare. What would a spider’s bite matter if she gave her position away? When the creature dropped to her neck she flicked at it quickly with a shudder. How many more were crawling around her? Over her? It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but keeping the hunters at bay. Her world tunnelled into one narrow line of thought: survival.
She knew this place. Had come in on many occasions, searching for injured wildlife while Martin had been illegally bringing hunting parties in here. As she listened for danger and shivered from a mix of cold and adrenaline, she thought about specifics. One hundred acres, mostly bushland, a few trails, some shallow waterways; the biggest – this one – headed east towards the river. Where was she? She scanned the darkness, tried to figure out her location. She couldn’t see the moon and she’d changed direction so many times she was completely disoriented.
The grounds were fenced off with tall diamond mesh topped by multiple strands of barbed wire. But the wallabies got in, so there had to be a way out. Several more small waterways crisscrossed the eastern end of the grounds, draining into the river. The ground undulated north east. Lots of small cliffs and dangerous ground, but if she could reach the bottom she might be able to get out. The water was moving to her right. She got her bearings and decided to follow it.
She made it several metres through the creek before a tangle of fallen branches and a short, steep drop forced her up and out. Chills wracked her and scratches stung. She ignored both as she struggled for a foothold up the bank. At the top, instantly back on alert, she checked the darkness for movement or sound. Nothing. She moved off again. Carefully, slowly, quietly. Tripping and slipping as she went.
‘Got ya!’
She couldn’t help the scream as the hunter reared up in front of her, snatching at her shirt. She kicked and fought, smashing her head painfully into a hard jaw. The hunter’s head flew back, and she somehow managed to slide from his loosened grasp. She ran for her life, crashing through the bush blindly. She tried to keep an eye on the ground but it was uneven and difficult to make out. She kept going, kept risking it, until the earth simply disappeared.