Field Walking

by John Bishop

share of our attention. She knows, if that happened, her rival operators would see the weakness and look for opportunities to erode her business. By convincing us she has no further interest in Arajinna she takes the heat off her operations. If that was the purpose of the meeting, she’s had a win.’

  ‘I thought so.’

  ‘But so have we, Meg.’

  ‘I’m still listening.’

  ‘If you’d asked me before the meeting whether I would be satisfied if the only outcome of our visit was a belief that Miranda will cease pursuing our friends in Arajinna, I would have said yes. And that’s what we’ve come away with.’

  ‘Can you trust her? She hardly swore an oath with all that nodding and winking. I could have slapped the bitch at the end.’

  ‘I couldn’t say I trust her, but I believe what we’ve just been told because it all makes sense. Some criminals kill because they’re wired to kill, some because their psyche demands payback for any perceived wrong. I don’t think Mrs d’Aratzio is either of those. I think she sees herself at the beginning of an exciting new phase in her life—a middle-aged woman who is the respected boss of a successful operation. She doesn’t want to mess things up by continuing to seek revenge against a few people in a country town—especially if she perceives them to be suffering already, although I think she was laying the Blake’s suffering part on a bit thick.’

  ‘You don’t think she was behind the fire?’

  ‘Of course she was. But I believe her intention was always to hurt, not to kill. I doubt if she was even motivated to seek revenge for Lenny. I think the arson attack was deliberately planned to target property, not people. That’s why they chose that particular time on that particular day. Their intelligence was good. They did the homework and got the timing right. Well-run gangs know that deaths usually bring more heat than profit. Well-run gangs only target people when they think a death will remove a threat or help the cash flow. The successful arson attack on a personal enemy will allow Miranda to hold her head up at meetings with other gang bosses. They’ll all know who did what, and nobody will say she’s let Lenny down. She’ll make the occasional snide remark about the misfortunes of the Blakes. Lenny was dying for a long time and other gang bosses would have had designs on his empire. Miranda was determined to continue running the family business. To do that she had to establish she’s tough. I think she’s done so without the carnage others would have thought necessary. So, yes, Meg. I think she’s won. But I’m happy with our outcome too.’

  ‘What will you tell the folk in Arajinna?’

  ‘To stop looking over their shoulders. I’m sure it’s all they’ve ever wanted.’

  ‘Manny Cornelius?’

  ‘I’m not going to have Tom Jones sing for the entertainment of the underworld. We made no deals and there won’t be any. The protective custody was a ploy to create a belief we no longer need to sustain. Manny will be charged with crimes I am sure will see him put away for a long time. A jury might buy some lies about his intent, but you don’t break into a church with a loaded Beretta without damaging your credibility, not with three good witnesses on hand.’

  ‘What about Miranda’s brother and Lenny’s other helpers?’

  ‘Who can tell? You’ve been with the team long enough to know the drill. We plod along like the beat coppers of old. Sometimes we get to say “Allo allo allo, what have we here?” Sometimes we don’t. But we plod with purpose Meg. We keep on our desks the files of the bastards who bug us most. And if they make a mistake, we try not to miss it.’

  Suddenly, Meg laughed. When she finished she said. ‘Thanks for that. I am still learning.’

  An Extended Family

  Saturday 20th March 1993

  It was a week since the election marking Caroline’s retirement from politics. She would continue to be a member of parliament until 30th June and would attend any sittings of the senate in the intervening period; but in accordance with convention and her personal beliefs, she would act and vote as a caretaker member. She had already moved out of her flat in Canberra. Sean had put his Sydney house on the market, having recently entered into a partnership agreement with Gilbert Ross to start a new practice at Arajinna.

  Although residing temporarily at Banabrook, Caroline and Sean had decided to purchase a cottage close to the town, in walking distance of the main street where Sean would work.

  With bookings for The Banabrook Experience now consistently close to capacity for much of the year, the family rarely gathered in numbers at the homestead. Tonight, Tony had booked a table at Arajinna’s new restaurant, Andy’s, which had been opened by the proprietor of the successful local trout farm. With advice from Tony, Andy had devised a series of small menus catering for a broad range of tastes, with trout always a prominent item. Tony had personally recruited a young chef in Sydney. He had also designed the interior of the restaurant with an open kitchen on one side, allowing Andy to interact with his customers while supervising the preparation of the meals.

  There were eight at their table: Tony, Emily, Caroline, Sean, Judith, Max, their long time friend Ginny Underwood, and their new friend Marcus Loader. Tony had sat himself at one end, Emily at the other, “to keep the youngsters in order”. Tony had Caroline on his right and Judith on his left. Late in the evening, as they finished the champagne which Tony had ordered to go with the strawberries Romanoff, he spoke quietly to Caroline and Judith. ‘How nice it is to be surrounded by what appears to be almost our entire extended family, and to have all of us living together in Arajinna. For tonight we’re missing Tom and young Fred, and Cookie Cate. But we enjoy an abundance, my angels.’

  Judith said, ‘What a time we’ve had Tony. And now Justin thinks we’re finally free of the d’Aratzio threat, we can relax a bit.’

  He smiled and laid a hand on hers. ‘If losing Arramulta was the price we had to pay to satisfy the needs of Lenny’s family, I’m happy. We’re alive and together. A house can be rebuilt. I’m already having great fun working with Marcus on plans for the interior. I was never totally happy with the entrance. The front doors were too close to the foot of the staircase. We think we can overcome the problem without losing the feel of the old place. Marcus has some very creative ideas.’

  Caroline said, ‘I think it was wonderful of you to bring him home to Arajinna.’

  ‘I was taught that sort of consideration by two half-sisters. I know what it is to come home.’ With one hand still resting on Judith’s, he reached out to put the other on Caroline’s. ‘Thank you my angels.’ After a brief pause, he withdrew his hands, picked up his glass and held it out for them to clink theirs against it.

  Judith was aware the room had become a little misty.

  END

  ~~~~******~~~~

  NOTE TO READERS

  If you enjoyed Field Walking you might like to read What Lies Buried, a novel about the Blake family of Banabrook in the years before Lenny d’Aratzio sent Mad Charlie Magro to Arajinna on his quest to kill Max Kingsley.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thanks to:

  My wife Jan and my family for unfailing support in the things that matter.

  Dr Chris McLeod of Wordworks for his helpful assessment.

  My dear friends Jo and Brian Smith, for support and pertinent comments.

  Chris Coggin for his friendship, his perceptive notes, and his helpful suggestions.

  Joleene Naylor for working in the snows of Southern Missouri to produce a cover with the colours of outback Australia.

  Those readers of my first novel, What Lies Buried, whose favourable responses encouraged me to finish the second.