Turtle Reef

by Jennifer Scoullar

  ‘And you are . . .?’

  ‘My apologies.’ He put down the kettle, strode towards her and extended an arm. ‘Mayor Leo Macalister, messenger boy, at your service. Welcome to Kiawa.’

  Zoe’s intake of breath was audible as she shook his hand. Of course, he had Bridget’s eyes. ‘I’m Zoe King, from the Reef Centre. I hope you don’t mind . . .’

  ‘I know who you are.’ His grasp was firm and friendly, his gaze disturbingly direct, with a charming hint of the cynic about him. ‘Josh told me on his way out. He wanted me to give you this.’ Leo handed her a plate of burned vegemite toast.

  ‘Josh has gone out?’ asked Zoe. ‘That was sudden.’

  ‘Archie’s bringing in a new dolphin apparently, and Bridget charged me with giving Josh the message. She knows how devoted he is to those animals. And Quinn asked me to remind him about a doctor’s appointment in Bundaberg today.’ Leo pulled a face. ‘Josh didn’t seem too happy about it.’

  ‘Your daughter’s very good with Josh,’ said Zoe.

  ‘My daughter’s very good with everybody.’

  Zoe nodded and forced a smile. For some reason his words rankled. Was she getting fed up with the Bridget Macalister cheer squad? She tried to push the thought away, but yesterday’s conversation with Karen crept back. Golden Girl is as flawed as the rest of us. She derived a degree of schadenfreude from the thought.

  ‘From what I hear, you’re a very talented researcher.’ Leo placed an unexpected hand on her shoulder before turning back to the kettle. Did his hand linger a fraction too long? Would she mind if it did? He was older, but still a very attractive man. Giving up on men didn’t preclude a little harmless flirting, surely? He poured two strong black coffees and sat down at the table. ‘Bridget’s been singing your praises. Says we’re lucky to have you.’

  Zoe plonked herself down on a chair and wrapped her fingers around the mug in front of her. Gratitude and guilt tied her tongue in knots.

  ‘Here’s an idea,’ said Leo. ‘A few of us are heading out today for some fishing. Why not join us?’

  Zoe wasn’t tempted. ‘Thank you, but no.’

  A spark of challenge flared in Leo’s eyes. ‘Bridget tells me you don’t work Tuesdays – am I right?’

  ‘Yes.’ Zoe squirmed a little as she tried to explain. ‘But the truth is, I see fish more as friends than anything else. I don’t want to hurt them. And, in any case, I’d like to drop into work and check on that new dolphin myself.’

  Leo sipped the black brew, his brow creased in thought. ‘So you’re a sentimental girl, like my Bridget.’ Zoe couldn’t tell whether he meant it as a criticism or compliment. ‘How about a sightseeing trip to the outer reef instead?’ he said. ‘Next Monday. I’ll square it with your boss and swing by here at nine o’clock, let you have a bit of a sleep-in.’

  Typical of a Kiawan, thinking nine o’clock was a late start.

  ‘I’d love to,’ she said. ‘But I live at Swallowdale. I only stayed here last night because I couldn’t get a lift back.’

  ‘You mean nobody’s organised you a car yet? No? I’ll have one delivered out to Quinn’s today. But for the life of me, I don’t know why you don’t just stay here?’

  Zoe wanted to jump at the invitation. Living at the shack would be perfect; close to work and far from the forbidden appeal of Quinn. But instead she bit her lip. ‘Thank you, I’m perfectly happy out at Swallowdale.’ It was obvious that Josh saw this place as his turf, and it might put his nose out of joint if she moved in. And then there was Bridget. She’d been dishonest about the condition of the shack. For some reason Bridget didn’t want her here and it wouldn’t do to piss off her boss. Still, Zoe couldn’t help being curious about Bridget’s motives.

  ‘Suit yourself.’ Leo pushed his chair back and stood up. ‘Well, I’m off.’ He fixed her with persuasive blue eyes. ‘Looking forward to that trip to the reef. Nothing I enjoy more than showing off Kiawa’s natural attractions to visitors, especially visitors as beautiful as you.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be waiting.’ A slight flush of heat rose from her neck to her face and threatened to erupt in an embarrassing blush. It was a relief when Leo shut the door behind him. Zoe couldn’t deny there was a degree of mutual attraction, despite the age difference, despite her decision to swear off men – despite the fact that Leo was Bridget’s father. What would she think if Zoe hooked up with dear old dad? No, it was impossible. Better steer clear of the men in Bridget’s life, although an innocent trip out to the reef couldn’t hurt. Zoe waited until she was sure Leo had gone, then hurried out into the bright morning and down the steep stone steps to the centre below.

  Josh and Archie carried the canvas hammock from the boat to where Karen waited on the pier. The dolphin lay motionless in its stretcher, eyes shut. They gently loaded it onto the golf cart, and Bridget and Josh jumped in beside it. Zoe hung onto the back and willed the cart to hurry as it trundled towards the hospital compound. Just a few days ago, this animal, a juvenile bottlenose by the look of it, had been roaming the wide blue ocean with others of its kind. Now it lay deathly still and terrified in an alien world, literally out of its element. ‘What happened?’

  ‘Found beached, apparently,’ said Bridget.

  ‘It’s so quiet.’

  ‘They’re nearly all like that when they first come in,’ said Bridget. ‘For one thing, they’re sick and exhausted. And for another, they’re helpless out of water. Dolphins’ main defences against attack are escape or ramming, and they can’t do either. No wonder shock sets in so easily.’ Karen took the corner at what was top speed for the golf buggy. ‘Don’t worry,’ said Bridget with a reassuring smile. ‘George is ready and waiting.’

  ‘What have we got here?’ asked the vet. With Josh’s help he weighed the dolphin and got it safely onto the examination bench in the clinic. ‘A young adult male, severely underweight. No obvious external injuries.’ He peered at its red, angry-looking back and the bleeding cuts from where it had scraped against the tailgate of the cart. Zoe winced to see the fresh injuries. She’d discovered to her shame how delicate dolphin skin was when she accidentally drew blood from Baby with a sharp fingernail.

  ‘Sunburn.’ The vet lifted one eyelid with his finger, and then the other. ‘They’re clear.’ He treated the wounds on the skin topically, then prised open the dolphin’s mouth. The animal opened his eyes wide, but allowed the examination. ‘Ah, see this? A fish hook lodged in his jaw. Looks like he tried to steal an easy meal.’ George worked the vicious barb free. ‘It’s about time the fishing industry used hooks that corrode away. It would save a lot of lives.’ The vet pulled out a stethoscope and began a full medical exam.

  Josh brought over a pen, a notebook and a bucket of water. Bridget poured some over the dolphin’s back and produced a tape measure. ‘Hold the end of this, will you, Zoe? And record the numbers.’ Zoe dutifully did as she was asked. Distance from tip to tail, eye to blowhole, circumference of waist and rostrum.

  The vet drew blood from a vein in the animal’s tail fluke. ‘I’ll test for morbillivirus. There’ve been a few outbreaks this year.’ He administered a hefty injection.

  ‘What’s that?’ asked Zoe.

  ‘A giant dose of vitamins and long-lasting antibiotics,’ he said. ‘Even healthy dolphins sicken easily in captivity. They arrive with no immunity to human pathogens. Simple pneumonia, for instance, can kill them in no time.’

  Once the newcomer was treated and measured they lowered him into the quarantine pool. Josh and Bridget hopped in too, supporting the dolphin for a few minutes until, to everybody’s relief, he began to swim by himself. He blundered around the small tank, confused and disoriented, scraping his sides and banging his rostrum until it bled. George jumped in and administered a second injection. ‘A mild sedative.’

  The young animal’s obvious distress was very confronting. For the first time Zoe considered what captivity really meant for a wild dolphin, one that had known only the boundless freedom
of the open ocean. Hemmed in on all sides, sonar signals ricocheting off the walls in what must be an assault on its senses, a cacophony of sound or something like it. Add in exhaustion, prolonged time out of the water and loss of its companions – no wonder so many rescued dolphins subsequently died.

  The sedative was doing its work and the dolphin became calm again. It floated at the surface, blowhole rhythmically opening and closing in a way that was almost hypnotic. ‘I think he’ll be fine now,’ said George.

  ‘Thank goodness,’ said Karen. She knelt down and stroked the animal’s back. ‘I’m always worried you’ll overdo the dose, George.’

  ‘So am I,’ he said. ‘It’s a bit of a gamble. Sedatives and dolphins are a dangerous mix.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Josh.

  ‘Dolphins aren’t like us,’ said George. ‘They must remember to take each breath.’

  ‘It’s bizarre but true,’ said Zoe. ‘Dolphins are conscious breathers. Scientists discovered it when they anaesthetised some dolphins to attach electrodes to their brains. Some sort of neuroanatomy trial. As soon as the dolphins fell unconscious they stopped breathing and died.’

  ‘What a cruel experiment,’ said Bridget. ‘How could they do that?’

  Zoe shot her a sharp look. It almost sounded like Bridget hadn’t heard the story before. But that was impossible. Any undergraduate student of zoology would know of the infamous experiments conducted by neuroscientist Dr John Lilly in the sixties. It was basic Marine Mammals 101 stuff.

  George packed up his bag. ‘Call me if you need me.’

  Bridget got out of the water. ‘Josh, he needs to rest.’ The boy didn’t move. ‘Don’t worry.’ Bridget’s tone turned low and coaxing. ‘The dolphin will be fine. If you come out now, I’ll let you name him.’

  Josh climbed reluctantly from the tank. ‘I don’t know what to call him yet,’ he said. ‘I have to get to know him first.’

  ‘Of course you do,’ said Bridget. ‘We’ll give him a number then, until you decide. He can be twenty-two.’

  ‘Is he going to be all right?’ asked Josh.

  ‘We’ll know more when the blood results come back,’ said Bridget. ‘He’s very thin, though. I don’t think he’ll be going back in the bay any time soon.’

  ‘That’s a shame,’ said Zoe.

  ‘It is,’ agreed Bridget. ‘But think of it this way – if we weren’t here he wouldn’t have a hope. He’s a very lucky dolphin.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Zoe. To think she’d be part of rehabilitating a dolphin from day one right through to release. It was an exciting prospect.

  Karen cleaned the equipment while Bridget collected her notes and favoured Zoe with her most dazzling smile. ‘Did you get home all right yesterday?’ Fortunately she didn’t wait for an answer. ‘The party at Dad’s was wonderful. Quinn and I danced the night away.’ Zoe glanced across at Josh. Would he tell? She did not want her boss to know she’d stayed at the shack overnight, but wasn’t exactly sure why.

  Bridget put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. ‘I’ll get someone to run you back to Swallowdale. Quinn says you have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.’ The boy groaned. ‘Would you like a lift back too, Zoe? I’m sure you don’t want to hang around the centre on your day off. Don’t know why you came down here in the first place.’

  Zoe was tempted to stay and monitor the new arrival, but she also wanted to go home and have a shower. Her clothes felt unpleasant, sticky with perspiration. Then there was Leo’s promise of a car. Maybe it was already waiting for her back at Swallowdale? What a relief it would be to be able to come and go as she pleased. Explore the coast and hinterland, stay back late at work whenever she wanted, duck into town for Kiawa’s limited takeaway options instead of cooking. Marvellous.

  Zoe stood up from where she’d been squatting by the tank. ‘Thanks. I’ll just check on my octopus before we go.’ She hurried to the seaquarium where she found Einstein so perfectly camouflaged beside a rock that it took a while to spot her. ‘See you tomorrow,’ she said. ‘We’ve got a training date.’

  The others were waiting for her outside the clinic when she got back. Bridget had arranged for the maintenance man, Kevin, to drive her and Josh. It was silent in the car during the short trip home to Swallowdale, both of them lost in thought.

  CHAPTER 10

  It was unseasonable weather for late September: hot and humid, with a strengthening west wind. Quinn stood on the verandah as the jeep made its way up the sweeping drive towards the house. Good, Josh was in the back seat. That would have been Bridget’s doing – she had a way with him. Quinn had half-expected Josh not to come home at all. The kid hated his outpatient appointments at the Bundaberg hospital, especially the longer sessions that involved rehabilitation therapy. He said they were a waste of time.

  Privately, Quinn was inclined to agree. From what he could tell, they seemed to accomplish little more than to remind Josh of his limitations. But they were part of the care plan, a plan that Quinn intended to follow to the letter. Since their father’s death, responsibility for Josh’s recovery hung heavily on him. He was determined to maximise his brother’s progress in every way he could.

  Zoe followed Josh from the car. She looked like she’d slept in her clothes and her strange, spiky hair stood out on end in all directions. Funny. Before her arrival, he’d been expecting a sophisticated city girl. Quinn liked Zoe. She had an indefinable, quirky appeal and a keen intelligence. A forthright tongue that both irritated and intrigued him. A soft, womanly shape that had made him catch his breath more than once. He cleared the unwelcome thought from his mind. Someone like him, someone engaged to the sweetest, most beautiful woman in the world, had no right to be thinking of anybody else in that way.

  He’d always known he would marry Bridget. The two of them were thrust together from the beginning. Kiawa was a small town and the Coopers and Macalisters mixed in the same circles. He and Bridget went to the same school, although she was two year levels below him. As children they shared not only social events, but also the difficulties of dealing with powerful, domineering fathers. As the pair reached their teens, their friendship evolved into romantic attraction. The match was heartily endorsed by both families. The daughter of Leo Macalister, a man who owned half the town, teamed with the son of cane king Marshall Cooper. It seemed like the perfect fit.

  After school, Bridget left Kiawa to go to university. She travelled the world to pursue postgrad work while Quinn stayed home on the farm, dealing with a succession of personal blows: Josh’s accident and long rehabilitation; his father’s death; a fall in sugar prices that forced him to dismiss some of Dad’s oldest and most trusted employees, which felt like betraying members of his own family. It was a lonely, difficult time and, through no fault of her own, Bridget was gone when he needed her most. Maintaining a long-distance romance wasn’t easy, and when Bridget finally returned for good eight months ago, she’d altered in some subtle way that Quinn still hadn’t put his finger on. Or maybe it was him. Dealing with so much grief by himself was bound to change a man.

  Bridget was as keen as ever to get married and if anything, she’d grown even more beautiful. Her extraordinary devotion to Josh surprised and moved him, but although she still played the part of the perfect partner, something indefinable was missing. Her focus had subtly shifted away from him. She was so damned busy with her job, that was the problem. They never had time to talk any more, not to really talk. Quinn could have strangled Leo when he gave Bridget the position of director at that rundown marine park. Talk about a hospital pass.

  ‘That place hasn’t turned a profit for years,’ Quinn said when she first took over. ‘Why don’t you ask Leo to sink some money into it? He should have done it a long time ago.’

  The suggestion horrified her. She was determined to show her father that she could make a success of the Reef Centre. Quinn understood her motivation all too well. Like his own father, Leo was a hard taskmaster – demanding and larger than life. Bridget had
spent her entire childhood seeking, but not finding, his favour. As an adult, that hunger for approval hadn’t changed. Quinn knew it to be folly. It was easier for him. He’d emerged from his father’s shadow.

  To her credit, Bridget seemed to be succeeding with the Reef Centre. Since starting the dolphin shows, crowd numbers were up, and with Zoe there to take some of the load off? Well, it might just give him and Bridget the chance they needed to get close again. By the time of their marriage next autumn, Quinn hoped things between them would be back on track. It was a long time to wait, but he was a patient man. Nothing ever happened in a hurry in Kiawa.

  Quinn stepped down from the verandah. ‘Hello, Zoe.’ He tipped his hat. ‘Ten minutes till we leave, Josh. Go get cleaned up.’ Two cars turned into the driveway. One of them was Leo’s red Lexus. What was he doing here?

  But instead of Leo, a well-groomed young woman emerged from behind the wheel. ‘I’m looking for Zoe King.’

  ‘That’s me.’ The woman looked her up and down for a moment. ‘Compliments of the mayor.’ She threw Zoe the car keys. ‘You’re a lucky girl.’ Zoe fumbled the catch. Josh retrieved the key ring for her as the woman got into the second car and was driven away.

  Zoe walked around the car, trailing her fingers along the shiny red paintwork in a way that gave Quinn an unexpected shiver inside. ‘That’s Leo’s Lexus,’ he said.

  She hesitated for a moment, as if thinking her answer through. ‘I met Mr Macalister this morning and told him I didn’t have a car yet. He said he’d organise it. I’m supposed to have one, you know. It’s in my contract.’

  Quinn shifted his feet. So that’s how it was. Seems like he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed Zoe King. Leo always did have an eye for a pretty girl. The old scoundrel. Zoe slipped into the driver’s seat, showing off a pale, shapely leg in the process. Josh hopped in beside her. ‘Want a ride?’ she asked. ‘I could drive you to Bundaberg for your appointment.’