Charlotte and the Starlet 2

by Dave Warner

  'Girls, it's time for bed.'

  It was Miss Batt doing the rounds.

  'We were just seeing how Charlotte was.' Emma spoke with the evenness of somebody used to a lot of lying.

  'I told you, she's sleeping.' Hannah shut the door in their faces. Her heart was beating fast. What if something did happen to Charlotte and nobody believed her? They might think she had made her run away ... or worse.

  She whispered to the ceiling. 'Please, Charlotte, look after yourself.'

  Whatever hope Leila had maintained throughout the day had vanished. She knew Charlotte would have done her best. But maybe the forest was too big and the rescuers just couldn't locate her. Were they even looking in the right forest? Australia had a lot of places where nobody lived for hundreds of miles. A plane had flown overhead at some point late in the day and Leila's hopes had risen but what chance did it have of spotting anything from up there? The bush was just too dense and Pat and his guys had camouflaged the clearing. No, in a life full of pits, this was the deepest of them all. Worse than when Leila's mom had left to go dancing in Vienna. Worse even than when Leila had turned up to Paris' party in the same diamante bridle as the security horses were wearing. Oh, the shame!

  But right now, shame seemed like a pretty attractive alternative. Either they would dispose of her (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had never been a favourite movie of hers) or else they would abandon her. How long could a horse live off nuts and berries?

  For fifteen agonising minutes that felt like a lifetime, Charlotte had been watching Leila from the shadows, waiting for her chance. There were two men sitting in a small clearing around a low light, talking in hushed voices. As her eyes grew accustomed, Charlotte was able to spy two camouflaged tents. She gathered from snatches of conversation that the rest of the men were asleep. Once she had picked up the trail it had been pretty easy to find her way to the logging area and from there to here. One of the men moved off to the south. That left just one.

  'I'm going to replace that blade,' he called out and then shuffled off. This was her chance.

  Leila stared down at her legs. Once glamorous, they were now nicked and swollen.

  'Leila!'

  She'd remember Charlotte forever. She could hear her voice even now as if she was right there.

  'Leila!'

  What? She was right there. Charlotte was coming towards her out of the shadows. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. And Leila couldn't help it, she was tearing up too.

  'Charlie, you found me!'

  Charlotte hugged her tight. As she untied her, she saw the welts and cuts on Leila's skin.

  'What have they done to you?'

  'Sssh. I'm fine. There are five of them. They're mean. Where are the cops?'

  'There are no police. Just me and Todd. He's waiting back there.' Charlotte jerked her head towards the shadows.

  'You came all the way here? Just you guys?'

  'I'd go to the end of the earth for you. You know that.'

  Leila was choking up. What a great kid.

  'Same. Well, I'd draw the line at some parts of Inglewood. I guess you tracked your way in?'

  'That's right.'

  'You're amazing. You must have eyes like a cat's. Trip-wire couldn't fool you, heh?'

  'What trip-wire?'

  'They surrounded the perimeter of the camp with a booby trap –'

  Suddenly the camp was flooded in light. Charlotte and Leila could see Todd clear as day, a stupefied look on his face. Leila completed her sentence with no enthusiasm, '... and there's the booby.'

  Charlotte jumped onto Leila and was preparing to ride off when Pat seized Todd from behind.

  'Let me go,' Todd shouted.

  'Let go a pair of horse thieves? I don't think so.'

  Other men were appearing from the tents. The bright light had already died and they were back in darkness.

  'This is my horse,' shouted Charlotte.

  'No, girl, she's mine. Now get down before your friend pays for your foolishness.'

  'You're not going to the police,' snapped Charlotte. 'We know what you're up to.'

  Leila wished the kid hadn't said that.

  'Really? What's that?'

  Don't say it, prayed Leila.

  'Illegal logging.'

  Leila sighed. She had to go and say it, didn't she?

  'Okay you two. Who else is with you? Don't lie now or your friend's arm is going to get very sore.'

  Too late Charlotte realised she had said too much.

  'Nobody. We came alone.'

  'I don't believe you,' said Pat.

  Todd said, 'It's true. This horse is hers. Somebody saw it and told her where to look.'

  Pat's eyes bore in on Charlotte.

  'Who told you?'

  'I don't know. Some girl,' lied Charlotte. 'We put a call out over the radio.'

  Jimmy said, 'Must have been the other night when I thought I heard something, remember?'

  Pat marched Todd over to Charlotte.

  'This caller, she said we were logging illegally?'

  'No. She just said she saw my horse.'

  The men swapped looks.

  'So what are you kids doing here? Where are your parents?'

  Todd tried a bluff. 'Waiting up by the track for us.'

  Pat pulled Todd's wallet from his pocket and looked through it.

  'You kids are lying. Milthorp,' he waved the wallet to the tall man. 'That's that riding school place. I think you kids are playing hooky.'

  Jimmy grinned, revealing gummy gaps where teeth should have been.

  'That can get you into a whole heap of trouble.'

  Jimmy pulled Charlotte off Leila.

  Pat said, 'There's a ranger's hut about two k's west. Lock them in that. We better move out in case somebody comes looking for them. Let's load the last of those logs.'

  'No, you can't.' Charlotte tried to break free but the man's arms were like steel bands around her. Her eyes met Leila's and discovered the same hopelessness she felt. So near, and now perhaps they were seeing one another for the last time.

  'Get the harness on the horse,' commanded Pat.

  Charlotte began to scream but the man's rough hand clapped over her mouth.

  'Leave her alone,' Todd shouted, trying to wriggle free and come to her assistance.

  Pat clamped his mouth too.

  Leila watched helplessly as Charlotte and Todd were lifted up and dragged through the bush. She reared up in one last desperate effort. But it was no use. The men holding her were too strong. She was going nowhere.

  Chapter 15

  Charlotte was dumped on the damp earth floor in the pitch dark. A shape, which she knew to be Todd, followed. Against the slightly lighter sky outside she could see the silhouette of the bald man who seemed to be in charge.

  'Stay there and behave yourselves. Not that you have any choice.'

  Before Charlotte could respond, the heavy door was pulled shut. They heard a bolt shoot into place and then the sound of a padlock being snapped on. There were no windows in the cabin, which Charlotte had seen from the outside was made of logs.

  'You okay?' Todd sounded breathless.

  'My knee hurts.'

  Charlotte's eyes adjusted to the dark. Up close she could just make out Todd's outline. The loggers had taken their phones. Even if they couldn't get a signal, at least they could have provided some light. The earthy smell of the floor, overlaid with a faint trace of oil, permeated the cabin.

  'I'm guessing the rangers use this as some storage shed,' she said.

  'Perhaps there are some tools here?' Todd tried to sound hopeful.

  They felt along the rough wooden walls. Charlotte was certain she would get a massive splinter in her fingers but had no choice.

  'I'm really sorry about tripping that wire.'

  'Not your fault. You weren't to know. I shouldn't have blabbed about them logging illegally. Did you see poor Leila?'

  Charlotte had no faith that the loggers would let Leila
go. 'I don't know how long she can last. I'm really worried for her.'

  'I'm worried for us too. How are we going to get out? I can't find any tools here.'

  'Me neither.'

  Charlotte felt something run up her arm. She let out a shrill squeal before she could stop herself.

  'You all right?'

  'Sorry.' She felt stupid. 'I think it was a cockroach.'

  'I hate cockroaches too.'

  She liked that Todd always tried to make her feel good about herself. But she still felt foolish. Snakes and rats she could cope with but there was something about cockroaches. Maybe it was that they reminded her of lobster! She began to giggle at the memory of Charmsworth.

  'What's so amusing?'

  'I'll tell you some day,' she offered mysteriously. 'I just remembered something funny.'

  'Well, I'm glad you can laugh.' He didn't say it as if criticising her, more like it was the truth. 'Dan, my roommate, will let people know we came here.'

  'Same with Hannah but it might be too late for Leila. She was so thin.'

  'The rangers are looking, aren't they?'

  'I hope so. But everything is camouflaged. We can't rely on them.'

  'What about the ceiling? Maybe there's a loose sheet of tin up there.'

  Charlotte was doubtful. No light shone through any cracks and it was too high to reach.

  Todd said, 'Why don't you climb on my shoulders?'

  'Where are your shoulders?'

  Charlotte groped in the dark.

  'Ow. That's my ear.'

  'Sorry.'

  She felt down his neck to his shoulders.

  'This is like pin the tail on the donkey and I'm the donkey,' said Todd good-naturedly. He was squatting. Charlotte climbed on.

  'Ready?' he asked.

  'Yep.'

  He stood. Charlotte's head hit something hard.

  'Yow! My head.'

  'Sorry. I'll stoop.'

  Todd stooped lower and Charlotte tried to feel above her head. It was difficult and there seemed to be no loose joins. Then Todd's foot hit a crack in the floor, he stumbled and they both fell in a heap.

  'You okay?' Charlotte asked.

  'Now I know how Warrior feels at the steeple.' They picked themselves up from the floor, no real harm done. 'Actually, that gives me an idea.' Todd let out a long low whistle.

  'What are you doing?'

  'If Warrior hears, he'll come for us.'

  Charlotte knew that was a big if. The walls in the cabin were very thick. She doubted sound would make it out.

  'Maybe we can kick the door in.'

  They had to feel in the dark for each other's hand. She reached for Todd.

  'You just poked me in the eye.'

  'Sorry.'

  'That's okay, Charlotte, there's nobody else I'd rather be poked in the eye by.'

  He found her hand. It felt really good to have him there too. They edged forward till they could touch the door, whose outline was visible through the thinnest edges of grey.

  Todd said, 'Okay, on the count of three we kick. One, two, three ...'

  They kicked hard. The door barely moved. They tried again with the same result. After another ten attempts they realised it was hopeless. Todd whistled again.

  'If Warrior hears, he'll kick it in easily.'

  Charlotte didn't hold out much hope. They needed some kind of miracle.

  Desperate times called for desperate measures and Leila had never known a more desperate time. Even being stuck in traffic on the 501 freeway late for a hoof pedicure from Consuela's of Culver City didn't come close. And whatever else they said about Consuela and her eating habits, her hands with a hoof-pick were the hands of an angel. But this, this left the traffic jam for dead. These guys were gangsters. Charlotte and Todd could identify them. Were they just going to let them go? Possibly, but Leila couldn't take the chance, she had to do something. Her opportunity came when Jimmy moved a short distance away to saw up a trunk, leaving a squat, muscular guy, Reno, alone with her. Reno might have been momentarily alone but he was watchful and he possessed a cattle prod, which gave him the advantage. He was looking Leila right in the eye, sipping a flask of coffee.

  Leila said, 'You know, Reno, you're not a bad-looking guy.'

  His eyes bugged out of his head.

  'Sssh,' Leila whispered. 'You don't want to let Jimmy know.'

  Reno's eyes were darting now.

  'Let Jimmy know what?'

  'That you realise he drugged you.'

  'What?'

  'Come on. You know horses can't talk. But right now, you would swear on a stack of bibles I'm talking, right? So either you're an out-and-out lunatic, or Jimmy put something in your coffee. He and Pat are close. Why do they want to share the profits with you? Hey, you wake up here tomorrow, them gone. You going to go to the police? I don't think so.'

  Reno tossed the rest of the coffee. He threw a crazed glance at Jimmy, who was still bent over the trunk, sawing it.

  'Come on, Reno. You know what you got to do. It's him or you.'

  Reno went to say something. Leila went back to acting like a dumb horse, blowing a little air through her nostrils. That did it. Reno turned towards Jimmy. He was almost on him when Jimmy turned and cut the chainsaw.

  'You're supposed to be watching the horse.'

  Reno shouted, 'The horse told me!' And zapped Jimmy with the cattle prod.

  As Leila backed quietly away through the undergrowth, she could hear Jimmy shouting the sort of rude words at Reno that you only ever heard on HBO shows. When she was out of sight she galloped hard in the direction she had seen them take Charlotte and Todd. Leila didn't know exactly where she was heading but she figured that if it was a shack used by the rangers then it must have a path leading to it. It took her about three minutes to spy the shack. She reached the door and saw it was padlocked. Normally a hard kick from her rear hooves would do the trick but she had the harness blocking her. She reared up and smashed it front on.

  Charlotte and Todd had no time to prepare. They only heard the approaching hooves at the last second. The next instant there was a thud and a splintering as the door caved in. Leila stood there.

  'What are you waiting for?' she said.

  Todd threw an amazed look at Charlotte, who covered quickly.

  'I think you hit your head.'

  'Must have,' he said, dazed.

  Charlotte quickly undid the harness as Todd checked outside. She whispered in Leila's ear.

  'How?'

  'Crooks are basically insecure. I just played on that.'

  Charlotte hauled up, threw out a hand and Todd jumped up too. Charlotte didn't need to dig her heels in, Leila was already powering. All she needed was guidance.

  Pat had heard the shouting. He ran into the clearing to find Reno and Jimmy facing off. Jimmy held a chainsaw and Reno the cattle prod. They were swiping and dodging.

  'What's going on?' yelled Pat.

  Jimmy, not taking his eyes from Reno, yelled, 'He attacked me with the prod.'

  Reno swung towards Pat. 'You guys want to dump me.'

  'What?'

  'Don't act dumb, the horse told me.'

  All three of them were distracted by the sound of hooves crashing through the undergrowth. The forest was flooded with light as the wire was tripped again, revealing the absconders. Pat reached for his two-way radio.

  'Dave, Joe. The kids are escaping. Stop them.'

  Leila galloped as hard as she could but the lack of food, the soreness all through her body and the weight of two riders were taking their toll.

  'Come on, Leila.'

  She tried to respond to Charlie's urging but could go no faster. She became aware of the sound of trail bikes at the same time as Todd.

  'They're going to try to head us off.'

  Now Charlotte could see a headlight intermittently through the undergrowth. It was behind and to the right but closing in.

  'He's trying to aim something at us,' yelled Todd.

&nb
sp; Leila knew the men had a net gun like those she had seen on TV, which were used to capture gorillas. She wasn't sure why they had it, maybe something to do with setting up their camouflage canopy. But they also had shotguns. Either way it was bad news. And if she hadn't been thinking about it, she might not have struck the tree root. Fortunately her leg was probably too tired to be strong and stiff. It went soft like jelly, which meant it didn't break. But she did knuckle over. Her breast actually hit the dirt but all those modern dance classes Joel Gold had sent her to paid off and she was able to maintain her balance, and somehow, keep Charlotte and Todd upright too. As Leila struggled back to her feet, though, she knew the delay had been fatal, and could see the angry headlight zooming towards them.

  Charlotte turned, alarmed. The man on the trail bike was raising the gun to shoot.

  Chapter 16

  What happened next was a blur. From out of the bushes came a dark shape that pounced like a panther, leaping at the bike. The rider gave a startled yelp and lost control. The shape cleared the tumbling bike and landed with grace.

  'Warrior!' cried Todd in delight.

  The man had fallen hard on his side and he and his bike slid hard before crashing into trees. Warrior pulled to a halt and twisted back to his master.

  Todd was off Leila in a flash and up onto Warrior.

  'Nice work,' neighed Leila in horse, ashamed that Warrior was seeing her in this state. Why was it you always ran into stallions when you looked your worst?

  'You too,' offered Warrior.

  Charlotte and Todd knew what the other was thinking. They sent the horses galloping towards the road.

  Leila found it so much easier without the weight of a second person. She and Warrior pounded side-by-side through bush. It was almost fun.

  Until the sound of a pursuing trail bike reached them. Obviously they still had company. This was unfamiliar territory. Warrior and Leila thundered on, the noise growing as the bike gained little by little. They burst through a strand of saplings and hit open ground blitzed by a recent bushfire. Bad news. This would help the trail bike.

  Charlotte saw the gully too late. Without warning the ground broke suddenly and deep – the gap seemed the length of a cricket pitch. Todd saw it at the same time. He roared and urged Warrior into a jump.