The Pacific Giants

by Jean Flitcroft

  It took Lee a considerable amount of time to calm Vanessa down. She sat on the side of the bed and stroked her hair, deeply worried. What on earth had happened to Vanessa? Why had she been on that deserted island at all?

  But Lee decided that she wouldn’t ask any questions. She would let it come from Vanessa in her own time.

  It didn’t take long for the whole story to come tumbling out, and Lee was appalled: the crab boat, the cut-up whale with the tag attached, Vanessa jumping overboard.

  Lee put her hands over her eyes and let out a deep groan.

  “My God, Vanessa, if you hadn’t taken that tag, we would never have found you.”

  “Taken the tag?” Vanessa echoed looking puzzled. And then her face cleared. “Oh, you mean you tracked me down by GPS like a whale? That was lucky, then.”

  “I thought I was going to find a tag on the beach, but I found you!” Lee looked pained. “You nearly scared me to death, Vanessa,” she added quietly.

  “Sorry,” Vanessa said meekly. “I only took it so you’d believe me about the whale hunters and Mr. Fox.”

  “I can’t bear to think what might have happened if we …” Lee didn’t finish her sentence but buried her face in Vanessa’s hair and hugged her so hard that Vanessa began to think she might suffocate.

  “I’m fine now, though, Lee. Honestly, I’m OK,” Vanessa said, pulling away to catch her breath. “You said ‘we’ just now. Who was with you? I remember a man’s face. It wasn’t Mr. Fox, though.”

  “No. It was Tom Tankard,” Lee replied.

  The answer was so unexpected that Vanessa sat straight up in bed.

  “Yes, that’s who it was!” she exclaimed. “But how on earth did he get there?”

  “Well, I couldn’t track Mr. Fox down. Nor could Dr. Mitchell. So I just had to find someone else with a boat.”

  Vanessa snuggled back down under her covers. “But he hasn’t been out on a boat since Ray’s accident, they said.”

  “True. But when I told him about the whales being killed by illegal hunters he was outraged. After that he still took a bit of persuading, but eventually he caved in and agreed to help me. And thank God he did.” Lee hesitated, remembering the look on Tom’s face on the beach. “He was pretty shocked when we found you. Said you had called to his house one day, but then he clammed up.”

  “Right,” Vanessa agreed noncommittally. She didn’t want to get into that conversation at the moment. “You do believe me about the whales being cut up and Mr. Fox being involved, don’t you?” Vanessa asked instead. But before Lee could answer, Vanessa gave a loud gasp and slapped her forehead dramatically. “Oh my God, Lee, I’m being so stupid. My camera, where’s my camera?” she demanded. “There are photos of Mr. Fox on the beach with the captain of that crab boat. The one that had the whale on it. If you zoom in you can see Mr. Fox has a GPS tracker in his hand—I’m sure he was selling it. There are pictures of the sliced-up whale too. That would be enough proof for Dr. Mitchell, wouldn’t it?”

  To Vanessa’s surprise, Lee didn’t look at all excited. Instead she turned her head a fraction, avoiding Vanessa’s eyes.

  “What is it, Lee?”

  “Your camera was in your backpack, Vanessa. I’m sorry, but the salt water will have destroyed it. There was a book too, and it was ruined.”

  Vanessa collapsed back onto her pillows and closed her eyes, too disappointed to speak. Her camera, and Jack’s last copy of the book about Caddy, destroyed! She felt sick to her stomach.

  CHAPTER 38

  The presence of strong jaws and sharp teeth suggest a carnivorous lifestyle. There is much debate as to whether Caddy is more likely to be a reptile or a mammal.

  Later in the afternoon, Vanessa got dressed. Although she had almost recovered physically from her adventure, she felt very depressed. She lay on her bed and stared at the flaking paint on the ceiling. She didn’t want to talk to anyone, not Frankie and certainly not Wayne.

  At about four o’clock in the afternoon, Lee came into Vanessa’s bedroom to tell her that Tom Tankard and Professor Noire had come by to see how she was.

  “Tom and Jack together? That’s surprising!” Vanessa said, sitting up and looking interested.

  Then she remembered the horrible task ahead of her—she had to tell Jack about his book. She felt so bad. It was out of print now, and that had been his only copy!

  “I’ll be down in a moment,” she said to Lee.

  Vanessa dragged herself reluctantly down the stairs.

  When she opened the door into the sitting room, she was surprised to see Tom chatting away to Lee. He looked more relaxed than she’d ever seen him.

  Jack greeted Vanessa warmly. “Glad to see you’re still in one piece,” he said with a grin.

  “Just about. Thought I was Caddy food there for a while,” she said to him under her breath.

  Jack’s eyebrows shot up.

  “I’ve only heard a little bit of the story from Tom. Obviously there is much more.”

  “Yes,” Vanessa replied. “And I’ve something awful to tell you.”

  Jack’s kind eyes watched her.

  “I had your book in my bag when I jumped over the side of the trawler,” Vanessa explained.

  “Jumped over the side of the trawler?” Jack repeated, shocked.

  “Yes,” Vanessa continued, “and now the book is ruined.”

  There was only a couple of seconds’ pause before Jack threw back his head and started to laugh.

  Vanessa looked at him in surprise, as did everybody else in the room.

  “What?” Vanessa asked, slightly hurt by his reaction.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You are,” he replied, still chuckling. “You’re a born cryptozoologist—mad as a March hare. Why would I be bothered about a book when you almost died, Vanessa?”

  Vanessa grinned. “I suppose. Thanks,” she said simply.

  She glanced over at Lee and Tom, who were talking earnestly again.

  “I heard you came with Tom,” Vanessa said lightly to Jack. “I didn’t know you two were pals.”

  “We’re not,” said Jack. “I saw Tom walking on the road and I offered him a lift—a neighborly gesture which he typically refuses. Except this time he accepted. Imagine my surprise!” Jack looked amused. “Anyway, I got an even bigger surprise when Tom told me about finding you half-dead on an island, Vanessa, and said that he was on his way to visit you. Naturally, I couldn’t resist calling in to see you, although I won’t stay long. You look like you need to rest,” he added with concern in his eyes.

  “I’m fine, physically. It’s the damage to your book and my camera that’s really bothering me,” Vanessa moaned.

  “Oh, forget the book,” Jack said breezily, “and tell me about your camera.”

  “It has some photos I really need. They prove that the whales are being hunted by those fishermen and that Mr. Fox is involved too.” Vanessa let out a long sigh. “But the camera got wet and the photos are destroyed. Apart from the tag, they were the only evidence I had.”

  Jack suppressed a smile. “Wow! Cut-up whales, illegal hunters, jumping ship—that’s some adventure. But just so you know, Vanessa,” he said casually, “although the camera may be damaged, the memory card will be OK. It’s like an airplane’s black box; it’s pretty indestructible.”

  Vanessa blinked a couple of times, trying to make sense of his words.

  “You mean …” Vanessa’s flow was interrupted by Mrs. Bouche wheeling in a rattling trolley filled with teacups and plates of scones.

  “It will be easier if I show you,” Jack said to Vanessa.

  “Do you really think you can get my photos back?” Vanessa said doubtfully.

  “Yes. Do you have a laptop here?” Jack asked.

  “Lee, Lee, is your computer in your room?” Vanessa yelled excitedly, knocking into the tea trolley and taking the stairs two at a time without waiting for an answer.

  “In my computer bag,” Lee shouted after her
, looking bewildered. “Sorry, Frankie. She’s still a bit excitable after yesterday.”

  Lee busied herself trying to rescue the few scones which were not now sitting in a pool of tea. She hoped that Vanessa wasn’t going to make a scene in front of everyone about Mr. Fox and the photos. It was something she was intending to investigate, but she wanted to do it quietly in case Vanessa had gotten the wrong end of the stick. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  CHAPTER 39

  In February 1954 a group of about thirty people watched Caddy basking on the surface some way from the shore at Nanaimo.

  They all stood around the computer while Jack inserted the memory card and brought up the photos. There were lots of pictures—mainly of home, but a few taken on Duquette Island.

  “Which one, Vanessa?” said Jack.

  “That one,” Vanessa said, pointing at a thumbnail, and Jack made it full screen.

  They all stared at the picture. It was Mr. Fox and another man on a beach.

  “That’s the captain of the crab trawler,” Vanessa said, pointing him out.

  It wasn’t exactly incriminating.

  “Can you zoom in, Jack? There. See that thing Mr. Fox is holding? It’s one of those GPS tracking things. I think he was selling it to the captain that day.”

  “What was the name of the crab boat, Vanessa?” asked Lee.

  “I don’t know,” Vanessa wailed. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice and I never thought to ask the girl in Jo-Jo’s. She was a bit odd, really. Not sure she would have told me anyway.” Vanessa stopped and blushed a little. She was straying off the point and everyone was looking at her.

  The sound of the front door banging made them all jump. They could hear Wayne’s voice chattering away but not the person he was with.

  The door opened and Wayne sauntered in, followed closely by Mr. Fox, who looked mildly surprised but totally unfazed.

  “We’re just looking at some pictures of you, Eddie,” Lee said, cool and unsmiling.

  Vanessa was surprised. She had never heard Lee call him anything other than Mr. Fox before.

  Mr. Fox looked at the screen.

  “Oh, yes,” he said casually. “That’s the captain of the Mayflower. I’ve known him for decades. It’s not often that our paths cross, though. Last time was in Hawaii, when we were both in the tuna fishing business.”

  It’s like trying to catch a squid with your bare hands, Vanessa thought, slippery and slimy.

  “We’ve got proof,” Vanessa said, tapping the screen with her finger. “You’re selling him one of the whale trackers that you stole from Brighton Island.”

  “Whoa there, little missy. That’s quite an accusation, you know.” Mr. Fox peered at the screen, angling his head this way and that. “Difficult to make out, really. Most spies use better cameras.”

  Vanessa felt her face flame red hot. He was so arrogant!

  “Well, what about these other photos?” she continued, indicating to Jack to pull up the pictures of the cut-up meat on the trawler.

  “Where were these taken?” Mr. Fox arched his eyebrows.

  “On the Mayflower,” Vanessa replied tartly. “Look at those photos. Cut-up whale meat on a crab boat?”

  “Did Captain Gudmunsson invite you on, or were you just snooping around on your own?” Mr. Fox smiled at Vanessa as if it was all a big joke.

  “How do you explain the whale meat, Mr. Fox?” Vanessa persisted.

  “Well, I’m not sure I’d know anything about Mr. Gudmunsson’s catch. Could be tuna, don’t you think?”

  “Perhaps a cetacean expert we both know on Brighton Island could tell the difference between tuna and whale meat,” Lee said quietly.

  “Of course it’s whale meat,” said Vanessa. “I found one of the Greenpeace whale-tracking tags embedded in it.”

  Mr. Fox gave Lee and Vanessa a sullen look.

  “What’s ‘cetacean’ mean?” Wayne piped up.

  “Marine mammals, Wayne, like whales and dolphins,” Lee explained.

  Mr. Fox said nothing.

  “We could match the GPS position logs of the trawler with the information from the tag that Vanessa found on board,” Lee continued to Mr. Fox. “That would prove the tagged whale had been on the boat.”

  Mr. Fox was beginning to look worried but forced a smile.

  “She’s just a kid. Who’s to say she was ever on the crab boat? Those photos could be from anywhere.”

  With that he turned and walked out the door, banging it hard.

  There was a moment’s silence, which Lee broke with a clap of her hands.

  “Well done, you!” she said to Vanessa, crossing the room to put an arm around her shoulder. “I’m going to take you right now to Brighton Island so that you can tell Dr. Mitchell the news yourself and he can file an official report.”

  Vanessa’s face lit up.

  “To the police?”

  “To the Department of Fisheries and Oceans,” Lee replied. “To be honest, I can’t see the police being interested, Vanessa, but there is always the possibility that the DFO could revoke these people’s fishing licenses.”

  “A possibility?” said Vanessa wildly. “A possibility of their licenses being revoked? Is that all, Lee? You mean they won’t go to jail for this?”

  “No, Vanessa, I’m afraid not. The best we can hope for is that we’ve brought it to light and that all the conservation groups will make a fuss. But it’s not considered a criminal act. The only people who have ever been jailed or arrested have been the antiwhaling groups that are trying to prevent it.”

  “But that’s so unfair. It’s wrong.”

  Lee squeezed Vanessa’s hand.

  “Yes,” she said. “I know, and that’s why it’s important that people learn the truth. Like you, most people would be on the side of the whales.”

  Vanessa stared at her blankly.

  “And, look, Vanessa,” Lee went on, “at least we have unmasked Eddie Fox. He’ll certainly never work for Greenpeace again.”

  Vanessa sighed.

  “How will we get to Brighton to talk to Dr. Mitchell?” she asked.

  “I’ll take you,” Tom offered immediately, “seeing as the fox has gone to ground,” he added with a chuckle. It was the first time that Vanessa had seen him smile. She gave him a smile back, but it was a very small one.

  “Can I come too, please?” Wayne said with a simpering look.

  “Not today, Wayne,” Lee said firmly. “Vanessa and I need to talk and then we have to pack. We leave tomorrow. I’m getting her home in one piece if it kills me.”

  CHAPTER 40

  On average there are four to six sightings of Caddy reported a year. They are more frequent in the warmer months—particularly July and August.

  The day of their departure threatened to be a stormy one, and there was some concern over whether the ferry would be running or not. Vanessa wasn’t worried. She would have loved to stay another couple of days and talk more to Jack about Caddy. But Lee’s work was finished for now, and they’d done all they could about the illegal whalers. Dr. Mitchell had been pleased with their report.

  And at least Vanessa was going to see the professor one last time before she left. He had rung earlier to offer them a lift. Now everybody was in the kitchen waiting for Jack to arrive.

  Vanessa clutched a large white envelope in her hand. It contained her eyewitness accounts of Caddy, describing the creature in as much detail as possible. She had to admit that the first time she had seen it off the boat had been really exciting. But the second time, when she was in the water with the creature, had been absolutely terrifying. Recalling it now brought the hairs up on the back of her neck.

  Vanessa looked around. Frankie had gone upstairs, but Wayne’s eyes were locked firmly on the envelope she was holding. Then she saw him look over at Lee, who was pulling her purse from her bag.

  Vanessa knew that Greenpeace would be paying for Lee’s stay at the guesthouse, but it was Lee who would be paying for Vanessa’s
room. She must remember to thank her properly when they were on the ferry.

  “Here’s fifty dollars, Wayne, to get your bike repaired,” Lee said, handing him the money with a smile.

  Wayne looked pleasantly surprised.

  Vanessa stared at Lee, stricken. Why had Lee done that? Did she not understand that Wayne had done the damage himself? Vanessa couldn’t just sit there and say nothing.

  “I didn’t burst his stupid tires, Lee,” she said angrily. “Why don’t you believe me? He did it himself. He was in cahoots with Mr. Fox. He’s probably been paid off already.”

  “Cahoots?” said Lee.

  “Yes. All this pestering—”

  “That’s enough, Vanessa,” said Lee. “We’ll discuss this later. But meanwhile, Wayne’s bike does need to be fixed.” Vanessa rolled her eyes. She knew she was right about Wayne.

  It was partly affection for Mrs. Bouche that made Lee want to smooth things over before they left. Besides, she would have to return to the island eventually to continue her work and would need a place to stay. It was just as well that Frankie hadn’t been there to hear Vanessa’s accusations.

  Wayne took the money with a cheeky grin.

  “Thanks, Lee,” he said. “You’re the best.”

  Vanessa turned away in disgust. Wayne was unbelievable. Really, the sooner Jack arrived and took them out of here, the better.

  Wayne stood up, shoved the money into his jeans pocket, and walked out of the room.

  Vanessa gritted her teeth.

  “He’s a horrible liar with not a single redeeming feature,” she said angrily. “He’s been deliberately making things hard for me, Lee, ever since we got here. Obviously, he’s been trying to get rid of me—which means getting rid of you too. Which is exactly what Fox wanted. That’s what I meant about being in cahoots.”

  “You don’t think Wayne knew all along about the whales being killed, Vanessa, do you?” Lee looked shocked.

  Vanessa shook her head. “No. I don’t think he did. But Mr. Fox did use him. He could see that Wayne likes to cause trouble and that he’s greedy too. Wayne enjoyed playing along, but that’s all, I think.”