The Cooktown Grave

by Carney Vaughan

  “Hey driver! See if you can find a drive through Kentucky, and then take us on to Greystanes, please mate.” Jan fell asleep with her head on his shoulder; she was still there when they queued in the drive-through.

  “May I take your order, sir?” asked the menu on the pole.

  “Hey wake up. Yep I’ll have a chicken. Can you eat half a chicken?”

  She nodded. “And potato…and gravy. I love that. And cold slaw…and little cheese cakes each.”

  “Fair go. How long do you think we’ll be staying?”

  Chapter

  27

  The cab arrived in Meredith Street, Greystanes, in the twilight of dusk. The streetlights of the district were twinkling on in sections. Their section became illuminated as they walked up the front path of Danny’s house.

  “Have you got a key?” Jan whispered and pushed close.

  “Of course.” he whispered back. “Why am I whispering?” he asked aloud, “I own the place.” He felt her soft body as she leaned against him and he involuntarily encircled her with an arm. “Oh, no!” he thought, “don’t start again,” as a nice warm feeling began in his groin and emanated through his body. He flicked a switch. No power. He hadn’t had time to inform the electricity authority yet that he was the new owner. They groped their way into the kitchen and found some light filtering through the window from the street. He placed the KFC on the bench top.

  He went through the cupboards. “No plates, or cutlery,” he told her, “looks like fingers.”

  “’Sokay. I can do wonders with my fingers.” She tried a couple of times to hop and perch on the bench top. He lifted her.

  “Ta.”

  They ate their way through the meal in silence. When the remains were balled up in the coloured plastic bag, he said, “Now that we’ve dined, would Ma’moiselle like a tour of my mansion?”

  “Oh! How enchaahnting.” she replied. She put her hand in his and together they inspected the remaining rooms.

  They sat opposite each other on the floor in the lounge room at the front of the house. Danny related his master plan for the renovations he was proposing. The street light was shining brightly on his earnest young face. As he droned on she wondered, “How can I stop him?”

  She stood and said, “I’ve got to go.”

  He made to get up and she pushed him down. “Only to the bathroom, I know where it is.” She sat on the bowl and peed. She realised that she’d had her pantyhose off for hours and nobody was any the wiser, except for the cabbie, and he was of no concern now. She giggled and wondered if she could leave it off at the office, she giggled again and wondered if she was still drunk.

  She ran the cold water in the bath and used tissues to freshen up. She remade her make-up, touched up her perfume, combed her hair and returned to the lounge room. This time she sat beside Danny on the floor and pressed against him. He felt his penis rising again.

  “I think I’d better get you home, it’s ten o’clock, your parents will be wondering where you are.”

  “No, they won’t. When I rang Missus Mitchell to tell her to pick up the boss I rang Mum and told her I was staying at my girlfriend’s for the weekend.” She ran her hand up the inside of his leg and his penis reached bursting point. “Kiss me, Danny,” she ordered, and pulled his head down to hers.

  Danny lost control, his mouth crushed down on hers. He undid her blouse as she fumbled feverishly with his shirt buttons.

  Their hands were everywhere at once, tongues locked in their own embrace. He removed her bra. As they got to their feet she undid his belt. His pants and his boxers slid together to his ankles. In the same instant her skirt was whipped from her body. Suddenly they were confronting each other completely naked. Jan at last held his man sized penis in her hand. Danny’s left hand was behind her head, pressing her mouth to his while his other hand explored her wet warmth. She moaned into his mouth and her legs became uncontrollable stilts.

  She arched her back and in a soft voice implored, “Now! Now! Oh please Danny! Now!” She moaned and her breath came in sobs as she anticipated her penetration. At last he was at the entrance; at last she would have the fulfilment she craved.

  Danny thrust and said, “Something’s wrong,” and thrust again.

  “Stop!” She screamed. “It hurts. I’ve never done it.”

  “Aah! Christ! Jan I’m sorry!” He looked at her with a great tenderness. “We don’t have to,” he said softly.

  She ignored him and pushed him to the floor. “Lay back,” she said and straddled him. Jan’s eyes had rolled upwards, only the whites were showing through fluttering lids, her jaw hung down and was trembling. She was mouthing something that Danny couldn’t make out. Suddenly there was a rending, and tearing. Jan let out a painful sigh, and the strength left her crouching legs. She slid down Danny’s penis until it was completely hidden in her convulsing warmth and her buttocks were nesting in his pubic hair. Tears were streaming down her face. Danny drew her forward and cuddled her to his chest.

  “Jan, Love,” he kissed her tears, “you’re crying. Did it hurt so badly?”

  “No! No! It doesn’t hurt, not now. I never dreamed it would be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done. You’re home at last,” she babbled. “It’s delicious. Thank you. Thank you. Oh I love you. I’ve never felt anything as wonderful in my life.” She started a natural movement up and down his penis which was now slick with her blood. She should feel embarrassment, she thought, but there was none, only a wonderfully warm, thrilling feeling that vibrated in every fibre of her body. She supported herself with her hands on his chest while she used her legs to raise and lower herself to comfortably accommodate him. As she reached the end of him in an upward movement her orgasm took over, her legs gave way and she plummeted to bump on his pelvis. The whole of him was inside her again. She was helpless to do anything but selfishly enjoy the moment. She couldn’t reach his face; she was raining kisses on his chest, and nipping him in her abandonment.

  Danny started to chuckle. Jan, after the first flush of rapture, frowned at him. “What’s up,” she demanded.

  He said “I’ve still got my shoes and socks on and my pants are around my ankles.” They both giggled.

  “I’ll fix them,” she said. She pivoted on him to face his feet. “I can’t reach them,” she ordered, “bend your knees.” The view that Danny was given, as Jan struggled with his shoes and socks, and her movements on his penis, were too much. His orgasm started, a huge jerking and pulsing ejaculation. It triggered another orgasm in Jan and they came together.

  “I’m sorry,” Danny said. “I wanted it to last all night.”

  “We still have all night,” she smiled. She eased herself off him and moved to kiss his lips. She caressed his now limp penis and exclaimed, “Amazing! It was so big and hard, now it’s so soft.”

  “Jan, why didn’t you tell me that you were a virgin?”

  “You might have got cold feet and I was determined to have you.”

  “How old are you?” He was suddenly nervous.

  “I’m nineteen, I’m old enough.”

  “Jan, I’m twenty eight, I’ve always thought you were my age, or near it anyway, and the reason I’ve never asked you out or...or did anything more than flirt with you was because...” He groped for words.

  “Well! Tell me.” she urged.

  “Well, because...because you are...well…so beautiful…and I naturally thought you must be in a permanent relationship with somebody.”

  “Oh you fool,” she said, “we’ve wasted all this time.”

  At midnight she was again astride him and off somewhere in her own ecstatic world. She crooned to the slow rhythm of her own gentle motion. “Danny… Danny… Danny” This time the contest ended in exhaustion for both. She fell asleep on his chest with him still inside her.

  When Danny woke it was light and someone was banging o
n the front door. Jan was still lying on top of him and they were still coupled. She looked a little embarrassed until he started to grow inside her and she shivered with delight. “The front door,” he mimed. She shook her head and wriggled on him until he grew to his maximum. He picked her up and together they moved down the hall to the front door. She, with her hands clasped around his neck and her legs locked by the ankles around his hips and he cradling her bottom.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me Bra, Dave,” came through the door, “open up.”

  “I won’t be long, I’ve got to find the key, it’s a deadlock.” Danny stalled.

  “Don’t bullshit to me, Bra. I saw you asleep through the front window.”

  Danny lowered Jan to the floor; her face was crimson with the knowledge she had been seen through the window by Danny’s brother. She collected her clothes and scurried to hide in the bathroom. Danny donned his clothes and opened the front door.

  “I’m sorry about last night, what’s the matter, Dave?”

  “It’s Jim Mitchell, he didn’t get home last night, either. His wife’s been on the phone all night. When you didn’t show up at the football or at home I guessed you’d be here.”

  “He wasn’t supposed to get home; his wife was going to pick him up at the office. What happened to her?” asked Danny.

  “She turned up but Mitchell and his car were gone and the place was locked up.”

  “What about Cade, he was still with Jim when we left, has anybody been in touch with him?”

  “Yeah Dan, Missus Mitchell rang him and he said that he was waiting for a cab on the other side of the street when he saw Mitchell back his car out, lock up and drive away.”

  “Well I find that pretty hard to believe. He knew he was over the limit, and he’d already called his wife to get her to pick him up. It’d be completely out of character for him to drive if he thought he was over point o five.” Danny defended his mentor.

  “Come on. You know what blokes’ll do for a bit of nookie, no one has been able to get in touch with his receptionist either. You don’t suppose they’re shacked up somewhere, do you?”

  Danny laughed. “Hell no, not Jim and Jan. Anyway Jan left with me, we shared a cab, I dropped her at Glenfield,” he lied, “she lives at East Hills.”

  “It’s a thought. It’s none of my business. Anyway, now you’re in touch you can take charge. I’m off home. See you, Bra.” David went off down the path and climbed into his van. With a wave and a nod he was gone.

  Jan came out of the bathroom, dressed. Danny drew her to him, he kissed her and said, “I love you Jan. I can’t believe I almost missed you. Want to hear something funny? Dave thought you might be shacked up with Jim. What’re you doing for the rest of the weekend?”

  Jan didn’t answer immediately and Danny asked “What are you doing for the rest of my life?” She still didn’t respond. “What’s the matter, Love?” he asked. “Do you regret what we did?”

  “No, it was beautiful,” she said, “but you don’t have to say you love me. I wanted us to do what we did, and I don’t regret it. It was wonderful. But I should go home, if they were ringing around then Mum will be worried about me.”

  “Would you like me to come with you?”

  “No,” she said, “I’ll think of something to tell her, but she’ll probably guess, mums do. You had better see if you can find Mister Mitchell.”

  Chapter

  28

  Monday morning and still Danny had not found any sign of Jim. In a move completely alien to him he had disappeared, perhaps he would show up at the office today and all would be explained. Danny pushed through the office door about half an hour late and immediately looked for Jan. He wanted to thank her again, with a sign, for her supreme gift on Friday night. Something was wrong, she was crying, she did have regrets. Overwhelmed by love and a little guilt he took her hand in his.

  “Jan,” he said, “I do love you, but about what happened Friday night, I’m sorr…”

  “Oh Danny,” her face contorted in tears, “they’ve found him, the police have found him. Mister Mitchell’s dead.”

  “WHAT!”

  “It’s true. They’ve just left. He was found in the burnt out wreck of his car somewhere out Windsor way. It’s too awful to think about.”

  “Go home, Love,” Danny said, “I’ll take care of the office today. Ring a cab.” He took fifty dollars from the petty cash tin and pressed it into her hand. She looked at him gratefully.

  “Thanks, Danny.”

  When she had gone he settled down in Mitchell’s chair and tried to make sense out of his death. Mitchell was an ultra conservative in all facets of his life. He and Danny often had friendly political discussions fuelled by arguments from both extremes of the social philosophies. Danny knew beyond a doubt that Jim would not in any circumstance have driven his car on Friday evening. He certainly hadn’t been affected enough by alcohol to have his judgement impaired. Something didn’t smell right.

  “They suit you.”

  “What!” Danny was startled.

  “The chair and the desk, they suit you.” It was Cade; he had entered the office silently. Danny felt his anger rising. Did this bastard really believe he would step over Jim’s corpse to promote himself as a replacement at a time like this? He felt insulted; he stood and advanced on Cade who backed up. Realising the young man’s mood was black, he bleated, “Danny! What’s wrong?”

  “You don’t know? You haven’t heard?”

  “Heard...What?” Cade lied, this was his first real test. The discovery of his part in Friday night’s murder lived or died right here.

  “It’s Jim. He’s dead.”

  “Oh my God! When?”

  “Sometime over the weekend. Somebody found his burnt out car with his body in it. The police were here this morning and told Jan. I sent her home, she was a wreck.”

  “I can imagine. You did the right thing, Danny. Close the office and go home yourself, there’s nothing you can do here. We’ll stop operations for a while as a mark of respect to Jim, God rest his soul,” Cade decided. “You go and I’ll lock up. Our clients will understand, I’m sure”

  “OK,” Danny answered, “I reacted a little strongly earlier and I’m sorry Mister Cade. Thanks.”

  Cade waited for a reasonable time after Danny left the office in case he came back for anything he might have forgotten. He then began to search the place for a sign of anything that might link him with Mitchell’s death in the mind of a suspicious person. His main objectives were Mitchell’s business diary and his electronic organiser for a scan of his personal memos. He wanted to delete any reference to requests to view the Valbac Pty Ltd spreadsheets that Mitchell had been harping about.

  After a couple of hours Cade left the office positive that he had scoured all notation on the subject. On the way out he picked up the briefcase with Mitchell’s initials on it. He and Salazar should have taken it on Friday evening. It should have been burnt with the body. From the briefcase he removed the red covered business diary which he would destroy. Although he didn’t know why Cade was comforted to know that Salazar, that cool bastard, had missed such an important detail. Mitchell went nowhere without his briefcase and Cade hoped it hadn’t been noticed by Jan or Danny.

  Horvath was waiting for Cade in Benson’s office when he returned. “Why are you here Charlie?” he asked.

  The QC gave him the look he reserved for intellectual inferiors and sighed. “The job is about half finished, John. You must realise that there are still loose ends to gather. We’ve got to weave them into a plausible and complete whole. The police are the least of our worries, they are convinced it was a DUI accident and the case is closed. Phillip has seen to that. What we must be aware of are the wild card investigations by people like young Brannigan, for instance, or the girl Joan… Jean… what’s-her-name.”

/>   “Jan, if you mean the receptionist. Jan Morrison.” Cade supplied.

  “Whoever. There is also the wife, and the daughters to placate. I’m sure if the mother is comfortable with the situation after the funeral then the daughters will not be a problem.

  “So I see your primary targets to be Brannigan, the Morrison girl and Mitchell’s wife.”

  You smug bastard, you’re so cocksure Sir Fucking Charles, Cade thought. Out loud he said, “Do you have a plan?”

  “Yes, but it can only be implemented by you. We at this end can’t become involved, observers would wonder why if we did. At the funeral which is tomorrow I believe, you should offer only condolences to the bereaved. But to the Morrison girl, who I’m sure will be quite upset after the service, insist she take time off with full pay. Suggest a month and if she is reluctant to take a full month then tell her that it’s her decision how long. But insist that you really believe she should take some time off to recover from her shock.

  “Make sure Brannigan is present when you are speaking to the girl. Take him aside later in the day and manoeuvre him into asking about the welfare of Mitchell’s family. Explain then, the other partner’s protection clause in the partnership contracts you exchanged with Mitchell. Tell Brannigan that of course you will see what can be done for the family. And also, that he should take time off if he needs it. Tell him that you’ll take care of the office while he’s away.”

  “We’d better go over this again.” said Cade.

  At the end of the rerun Horvath delivered the warning, “Whatever you do, don’t overplay it. You must ease your way through this very delicately; our whole operation is at stake.”

  Cade strutted out of the office; he felt important at last. He was the linchpin in this scheme. He’d show them he had the balls when they were needed.