The Codebreakers

by Alli Sinclair

  ‘That’s it, isn’t it?’

  ‘What is?’

  ‘If people stopped and thought about what they were doing, that there were real people inside those buildings they bombed, that these civilians were mothers and sisters and children, wouldn’t you think the killing would stop?’

  ‘How can it? War is an eye for an eye—always has been. Don’t you want revenge for what happened to your brother? What would you do if Harry—’

  ‘Do not finish that sentence.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Florry said. ‘But, Ellie, even though I get your sentiments you can’t keep saying these things. It’s already got you into trouble. Plus, it upsets people.’

  ‘I just don’t understand the human race,’ she grumbled. ‘What hope is there for the next generation like Shelagh and her friends? If everyone wants to blast each other to pieces then peace is impossible. We might as well give up now.’

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ellie reached under her bed and pulled out the shoebox that contained Harry’s letters. The collection had grown since he’d returned from Townsville six weeks ago and she often read them before falling asleep. It was the perfect way to combat the persistent nightmares about work that stole her sleep.

  She picked up the letter Harry had written only two days ago. This one was folded in the shape of a love heart.

  18 September 1943

  To my darling Ellie,

  Not a day goes by when I don’t thank God for putting you on this earth. Having you in my life makes everything richer, my heart fuller. I know you worry about the future when so many people have lost their tomorrows, but I want you to remember that I am dreaming big enough for the both of us. And in that future world I see us growing old and grey with our children and grandchildren by our side. It will happen, my love, we just need faith that the world will come to its senses.

  Forever yours,

  Harry

  She gently folded the paper once more and placed it back in the box.

  Vivian flung the hut door open and stomped across the floorboards. She threw herself onto the bed face first and let out an almighty scream into her pillow.

  Joy put down her book and made a hasty exit.

  ‘Everything okay, Viv?’ Ellie asked.

  ‘What do you think?’ She looked up with an icy glare.

  ‘Will it help to talk about it?’

  ‘Why do you care?’ Viv sat and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  ‘Why wouldn’t I? The Garage Girls are family. We look out for each other.’

  Viv scoffed. ‘You can’t be serious.’

  ‘Of course I am.’ Should she be? Did she really think Viv would change?

  ‘You are unbelievable.’ Viv set her hair free from the pins holding it up and brushed it vigorously. ‘Others might buy your saccharine-sweet act, but you don’t have me fooled.’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ mimicked Viv. ‘Cut it out, O’Sullivan. It just makes you more annoying.’

  Ellie studied Viv, unable to comprehend where this venom had come from. She stood and said, ‘I’m not going to put up with your vitriol. I am who I am and too bad if you have an issue with it. We’re in this together whether we like it or not. And’—a rush of anger and hurt surged through Ellie—‘you’re not exactly the most pleasant person I’ve met but I’ve found a way to accept you for who you are.’

  ‘Will you listen to yourself?’ Viv pointed at Ellie. ‘I come in here and hurl abuse and you are all about peace and acceptance. This is not how life works. It is messy and cruel, and you’d do well to face up to the fact that this world is full of nothing but heartbreak and death. Men will lie and hurt and even kill everyone until there is nothing—and no one—left.’

  ‘Viv—’

  ‘I don’t want to hear your sunshine and daisies view. Will you stop pretending to be so perfect?’ shouted Viv.

  Ellie stormed to the door then turned and said, ‘You need a serious attitude adjustment.’

  She pulled open the door and pounded down the steps. Loud sobs resounded from inside the hut as Ellie fled to be with Joy, who was under a tree talking with Cassandra and Lillian.

  Ellie nodded in the direction of their hut. ‘I wouldn’t go in there for a while.’

  ‘She better not break my clock,’ said Joy. ‘I’ll kill her if she does.’

  ‘What’s got into her?’ asked Cassandra.

  Ellie rested against the rec hut wall. ‘No idea, but wow, she has a mean streak. I’ve never seen that before.’

  ‘That’s because you always see the good in everyone.’ Joy didn’t take her eyes off their hut.

  ‘I try,’ said Ellie.

  ‘I hate to say it,’ Joy said, ‘but not everyone is good. There are plenty of mean people out there who don’t care about anyone but themselves.’

  Ellie swatted a fly. Viv’s words still stung, and now Joy was doing something similar. ‘Do you think I’m naive?’

  ‘I wouldn’t say naive …’ Joy stopped when Cassandra shook her head.

  ‘But?’ asked Ellie. Did she really want to know?

  Joy coughed dramatically and said, ‘But this whole belief that most people are good and people will stop hating each other isn’t realistic.’

  ‘Agreed,’ said Cassandra. ‘It’s lovely that you believe this, but it can cause all kinds of problems.’

  ‘Like?’ asked Ellie.

  Joy glanced at their hut, which had quietened. ‘No one expects us to be mercenaries and want to blow up all of Japan, but we must support our men fighting overseas.’

  ‘Of course I support them!’ It came out with force but Ellie refused to reel it back. ‘Are you saying because I don’t want people killing each other I’m a traitor?’ What had got into everyone today?

  ‘No—’

  ‘I can’t believe this.’ Ellie pointed at the hut. ‘Viv abuses me, yet I’m the one whose integrity is in question and I’m accused of not supporting our men?’ She looked at Lillian, who had stood by in silence. ‘Do you feel the same as these two?’

  ‘I love you, Ellie,’ said Lillian, ‘and your hope for peace is the light we need in this darkness. I just can’t see how the world will find harmony when it’s full of bloodshed and hatred. Our men are buried on foreign soil, many in unmarked graves. Some don’t even get the chance to have a respectful burial.’

  ‘And we’re not saying you’re a traitor.’ Joy rubbed her forehead. ‘We’re just concerned that you being so open about your beliefs might get you into trouble.’

  ‘With Central Bureau?’ asked Ellie. Oh no. Florry had warned her to be careful.

  Florry appeared in the doorway of the rec hut. ‘I had planned to talk to you about this tonight.’

  ‘You don’t need to be concerned,’ said Ellie. ‘My beliefs don’t affect my work.’

  ‘You and I know that. The others know that as well,’ Florry said and the women nodded. ‘But you’ve been too open about your views. It makes them uneasy.’

  ‘Them? As in Central Bureau? Why is it a problem now?’

  ‘They’re worried about leaks. The longer this war goes on, the more outsiders question what we’re up to. Central Bureau has managed to fly under the radar but there are concerns about people sniffing around, asking questions.’

  ‘Who?’ asked Ellie.

  ‘We don’t know who.’

  ‘Do they think I’m responsible? That I’ve been swanning around Brisbane telling everyone about what we do?’

  ‘I’m not saying that,’ Florry said. ‘Your beliefs are not a crime but they do make people question your motives. For example, why would someone who doesn’t believe in war work for an organisation that spies on the Japanese?’

  ‘I am working for Central Bureau to end the war.’ The muscles in her jaw tightened.

  ‘Whereas everyone else is working to win the war,’ Florry said. ‘Look, I have no doubts about you and your work, Ellie. I just want you to be aware�
��all of you—that everything you say and do will be under tighter scrutiny from now on.’

  ‘I’m sorry about yesterday.’ Viv sat down next to Ellie in the courtyard at Nyrambla.

  Ellie shuffled a few inches away. ‘I didn’t deserve your anger.’

  ‘You’re right.’ Viv offered Ellie a piece of cake on wax paper.

  ‘No thanks.’ Since Florry’s talk yesterday, she’d lost her appetite.

  Viv placed it next to Ellie. ‘Maybe you might want it later.’

  ‘Maybe,’ she mumbled. Viv’s words had stuck and it annoyed Ellie that the hurt wouldn’t subside. ‘I thought we were in this together.’

  ‘We’re in this for our own reasons.’ Viv picked up a stone and threw it against the brick wall.

  ‘I’m going back in.’ She stood but Viv grabbed her hand.

  ‘I’m really sorry.’

  Ellie pulled her hand free. ‘Thank you for apologising but it doesn’t excuse your behaviour.’

  Since Viv’s tirade yesterday, Ellie had started questioning her own actions, wondering if she needed to toughen up, to accept the way she saw the world may not be the reality. That she was fooling herself and, in the process, possibly causing damage to others.

  ‘Can I make it up to you?’ Viv asked.

  ‘I can’t be bought.’ Although it was nice that Viv was making an effort.

  ‘I know.’ Viv stood and smoothed down her skirt. ‘I promise I’m not trying anything. I just …’

  Ellie waited for Viv to finish. ‘Just?’

  ‘Just find it hard, you know? All of you girls get along and I always feel like an interloper.’

  ‘It doesn’t have to be that way,’ said Ellie. ‘We’ve always tried to include you.’

  Viv stared into the distance. ‘Maybe we could get a cup of tea at Rafferty’s?’

  Ellie looked over at the garage and saw Florry standing out the front. She pointed at her watch.

  ‘Sounds good.’ Ellie hurried over to the garage.

  Florry waited at the entrance. ‘What was that all about?’

  ‘Maybe the quest for peace starts in our own backyard.’

  Ellie adjusted her hat as she walked down Adelaide Street towards Rafferty’s Tea House. Viv had the day off so she’d gone into town earlier to window-shop then planned to meet Ellie after her shift. Ellie passed Kelvin House, a hostel for army, navy and air force women on leave in Brisbane. Three women left the building, chatting excitedly as they made their way over to three American soldiers on the corner. Each woman linked an arm with a GI and they took off down the road.

  Ellie continued down the street but her path was blocked by roadworks. She took a detour down a laneway and picked her way across the cobblestones.

  A man’s gruff voice brought her attention to the end of the laneway. Viv was heavily involved in a discussion with a man in a beautifully tailored suit and hat. Ellie wasn’t close enough to hear, but she didn’t like his aggressive stance.

  He grabbed Viv’s wrist and she shook it free. ‘Leave me alone!’

  He pulled Viv close and she struggled but couldn’t break his grasp.

  ‘Hey!’ Ellie bolted towards them.

  The man looked up, pushed Viv to the ground and disappeared onto the main street.

  ‘Are you hurt?’ Ellie bent down to help.

  ‘I’m fine.’ Viv’s voice cracked. Her body trembled. She eased away from Ellie. ‘You’re early.’

  ‘I’m always early,’ said Ellie. ‘What happened? Who was he?’

  ‘Why do you always need to know everybody’s business?’

  ‘When I see someone attacking a friend—’

  ‘I’m not your friend.’ Viv’s icy tone cut through Ellie.

  ‘Fine. When I see someone attacking a colleague, I’m going to jump to their defence,’ she said firmly. ‘Please don’t tell me he’s the man you’ve been seeing.’

  ‘I’m not telling you anything.’ Viv’s eyes wouldn’t meet hers.

  ‘Come on, Viv. You could have got hurt.’

  ‘But I didn’t, all right?’ She pulled her compact mirror out of her bag and checked her lipstick. ‘It was a slight misunderstanding.’

  ‘If that was a slight misunderstanding, I’d hate to see what he’d do if it was a full-blown argument.’

  Viv shoved her compact back in her bag. ‘Leave it alone.’

  ‘I am.’

  ‘I’m serious. Leave it alone.’

  ‘Viv—’

  ‘Stay out of it.’

  ‘Why are you hell-bent on keeping everyone away?’ Ellie threw her arms wide. ‘Jeez, Viv. Let people into your life.’

  ‘I am perfectly fine by myself, thank you very much.’ Viv sniffed and looked away.

  ‘I honestly thought this afternoon would give us a chance to get to know each other. To think I used to feel sorry for you because you found it hard to make friends.’

  ‘I don’t need friends. I don’t need anyone.’

  ‘You’re an idiot,’ said Ellie.

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘I said you’re an idiot.’

  Viv blinked slowly. Her mouth dropped open.

  ‘You are part of a group that have to work and live with each other twenty-four hours a day. Our common goal is to end this war.’

  ‘It’s to obliterate the enemy,’ Viv said with gritted teeth.

  ‘Look,’ she said, trying to quash her exasperation, ‘the secrets we hold are monumental and it’s a lot easier to handle when you have a group you can talk to. Keeping everyone at bay doesn’t help. Can you just make an effort? Even if it’s as simple as sitting with us in the rec hut for dinner.’

  ‘I have nothing in common with any of you. I’m not interested in singing hit songs or the latest shoes or hats and I don’t care about movie stars.’

  ‘What about reading?’

  ‘I like that.’

  ‘Anything else?’

  Viv hesitated. ‘I do like sketching but I haven’t done it for a long time.’

  ‘You do?’ This took Ellie by surprise. ‘I love sketching, although I haven’t done it for a while, either.’

  ‘Maybe we could sketch together.’ For the first time in a long time, Ellie witnessed Viv smile.

  ‘That would be nice.’

  Ellie sat on the log outside the rec hut with a sketchpad on her knees. Viv was next to her, head down, skilfully sketching a koala and baby.

  ‘Hey Viv, thanks for taking in my clothes off the line before,’ Joy said as she walked past.

  Viv looked up. ‘I had to take mine in, so it was no problem.’

  ‘Well, thanks anyway.’ Joy continued to the hut, novel in hand.

  Viv turned to Ellie and grinned, as if to say ‘See? I’m making an effort’.

  ‘Good work.’ Ellie had let the incident with Viv and her beau the week before slide for the sake of peace. She’d also tried to forgive Viv’s outbursts and personal attacks, but she hadn’t forgotten them and remained wary.

  ‘You were right,’ said Viv.

  ‘About?’

  ‘About trying to get along.’ Viv rested her pencil on her sketchpad. ‘I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult to live with.’

  ‘You haven’t been difficult, you’ve just been … unique.’

  Viv puffed out her cheeks. ‘You’re too kind.’

  ‘You said I was annoying.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I’ve said and done a lot of things I wish I could change. And,’ Viv tucked a curl behind her ear, ‘thank you for not saying anything to anyone.’

  ‘About?’

  ‘About what happened. You know … in the laneway.’

  ‘It’s your business, like you said. However, if you’re in danger, then please ask for help. I’m here for you. We all are.’

  ‘There’s no danger, honest,’ said Viv. ‘He was just a bit angry. It was all my fault.’

  ‘He was about to hit you.’

  Viv fell silent.

  ‘Are you still seeing
him?’ Ellie really should learn when to stop.

  Viv sighed. ‘It’s complicated but I’ll be fine.’ She turned her attention to her sketchpad once more.

  ‘I’ve got some watercolours if you want to use them. What’s your favourite colour?’

  ‘Yellow,’ Viv said without hesitation.

  ‘Because you like the sun?’

  ‘No. My aunt had a yellow door. She’s the only family member I like and keep in touch with.’

  ‘Does she live in Melbourne?’

  ‘Victoria Point.’

  ‘Here? In Brisbane?’ Well, this was news. ‘Do you see her often?’

  ‘You have a visitor.’ Florry called from across the yard.

  Ellie stood, excited to be seeing Harry so soon. Wasn’t he supposed to be working today?

  ‘Not you!’ Florry laughed. ‘Viv.’

  ‘Oh?’ Viv handed over her pencils and sketchpad to Ellie. ‘Do you mind?’

  ‘It’s fine. I need to do my washing anyway.’ Ellie gathered their art supplies and headed for the hut while Viv went in the opposite direction. When Ellie reached the stairs, she turned to get a look at who Viv’s visitor was. Oh. The brute from the laneway.

  She entered the hut and threw the gear onto the bed then went back outside, concerned about Viv. Judging by Viv’s stiff posture, she wasn’t enjoying his company.

  ‘Who’s that?’ Florry arrived at the base of the steps.

  ‘Someone Viv knows.’

  ‘The man she’s seeing?’ asked Florry.

  ‘She said it’s complicated.’

  ‘Nothing is simple with Viv.’ Florry paused. ‘Should we go and say hello?’

  ‘Definitely not.’ But they should watch from afar.

  Ellie turned her attention to Viv again. She grabbed the man’s elbow and walked him down the road. Ellie hoped Viv knew what she was doing.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Ellie rested her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples, trying to encourage the headache to disappear. There was a nasty stomach bug running through camp so she’d volunteered to extend her shift to make up for the shortfall of personnel. So far, Ellie’s belly had only had a few rumbles but she was off her food. She hoped it wouldn’t get worse.

  ‘Thanks for staying.’ Lieutenant Andrews placed a cup of tea in front of her. The sweet aroma lifted her spirits.