The Forgotten Sea

by Beverley Harper

  Holly thought about that. Where did it leave her in terms of trusting him? Make up your bloody mind once and for all and stick to it. I trust him, I trust him not, trust him, trust him not. Oh sod it! I trust him. She’d been silent too long. Justin was looking at her questioningly. ‘What are you doing after lunch?’ she asked.

  ‘Nothing. Why?’

  ‘How about Pamplemousses?’

  He seemed delighted with the idea, though probably more for her apparent forgiveness than an opportunity to see the gardens.

  It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Tree-lined avenues led from one manicured floral attraction to the next. The famed pond in which giant Victoria regia water lillies floated like oversized flan dishes did not disappoint, looking exactly as it did on postcards and publicity brochures. Huge, hundred-year-old Aldabra tortoises from the Seychelles showed their displeasure at being confined to enclosures by hissing at those who came to stand and stare. Palms of all shapes and sizes were a feature of the gardens, including the rare talipot that flowers only once between forty and sixty years of age, then dies.

  Strolling at a leisurely pace, Holly used her tape recorder to gather background material on her companion. It was easy enough to put aside past events. Justin was being especially cooperative, witty and informative. When they returned to the hotel at four thirty and he suggested they meet for dinner, Holly readily agreed. There was method in what, she supposed, others might view as foolishness. In Justin’s company, she would be safe from Guy Dulac.

  Once again, she was handed two telephone messages. Detective Sham wanted her to ring him back and Quinn had called. He would try again in the morning. Holly shuddered at that one. Her father was more than likely to ignore the six-hour time difference and she’d get his call in the middle of the night. Back in her room, she dialled Sham’s number. The detective sounded relieved to hear from her.

  ‘I’ve been trying for hours to reach you. Where have you been?’

  Holly bit back a sharpish reply. The man must be worried about her. Under the circumstances, it was a comforting thought. ‘Pamplemousses.’

  ‘I phoned to warn you. Guy Dulac has been stowing provisions on his father’s boat and taking on fuel. He seems to be making ready for a long trip. Do not allow him to talk you into going on board.’

  ‘Don’t worry, he won’t. I’m having dinner with a friend at the hotel this evening. I’ll be quite safe.’ As intrigued as she was by Justin’s revelation about Raoul and the Scylla documents, there was no way Holly would risk being alone with his son on the off-chance that she might get a peek at them.

  Detective Sham sounded satisfied. With a final, ‘Be careful,’ he was gone.

  Holly wondered what Quinn wanted. Just after ten forty-five at home. She tried the house and he answered immediately. ‘What were you doing, sitting by the phone just waiting for it to ring?’

  ‘No. I was about to try you again. Are you okay?’

  ‘Any reason why I shouldn’t be?’

  ‘Several.’ The word came back heavy with irony.

  Holly grinned. Quinn was going to love this. ‘Actually, I’m having dinner this evening with the man who abducted me in Rodrigues.’

  ‘You’re what?’

  She knew he’d love it. ‘He’s not a bad person really. Just mixed up in something he doesn’t like too much. It’s the dodo man. Did an interview with him this afternoon as well.’

  ‘Have you lost your marbles?’ Quinn’s voice had risen.

  ‘Probably. It’s the tropical island effect. Oh, yes. And while you’re on the phone you might as well hear the rest of it. I’ve got a nice Indian policeman concerned for my wellbeing, Connor Maguire has done a bunk and Scylla is real.’

  ‘I know Scylla is real. What do you mean about the policeman?’

  ‘It’s a long story, Quinn.’

  ‘I’ve got all night.’

  So she told him about meeting the Dulac family, of Raoul’s interest in William’s treasure and of Guy’s persistence. He heard her out and remained silent when she finished. ‘Hello. Are you still there?’ Holly asked finally.

  ‘I don’t like this.’

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m keeping well away from the kid. By the way, I think I’ve found where the treasure might be. Only trouble is, I can’t get hold of Connor to let him know.’

  ‘Sweetheart, I’ve been doing a little digging of my own. I think you should come home.’

  ‘I was planning a visit to Réunion next week to finish my tourist piece. However, you’ll be glad to hear I’m booked to fly back next Saturday. What sort of digging?’

  ‘Scylla.’ Quinn hesitated, then went on. ‘Have you ever heard of SATCOM SIGNIT?’

  ‘What is it? A computer game or a theatrical comedy?’

  ‘Please. This is serious stuff, Holly. It’s a satellite communications and signals intelligence station up near Darwin. They call it Larkswood. The place is part of an electronic eavesdropping network with Britain and America. Recently they locked onto transmissions from Mauritius to the Scylla offices in Western Australia. The Mauritian end originated from Raoul Dulac.’

  ‘Quinn, how the hell do you know all this?’

  ‘Contacts,’ he said succinctly.

  Holly didn’t question that further. Quinn had proved in the past that when he needed information, he had only to make a couple of telephone calls. His web of contacts was vast, and not confined to Australia.

  ‘Just what the bloody hell are you getting mixed up in?’ her father asked.

  ‘Frankly, I don’t know. I’m trying very hard to stay out of whatever it is.’

  ‘Then how did you discover that Scylla is real?’

  So she told him that too. ‘Justin hasn’t a clue about Scylla. He just knows he wasn’t supposed to see the file.’

  ‘And he’s the one you’re having dinner with tonight? The one who is in partnership with Raoul Dulac? The one who thought nothing of kidnapping you? Are you totally insane, my girl?’

  Holly ignored his outburst. ‘Talk to me about Scylla.’

  She heard him sigh. ‘It’s like I told you before, they are the recruiting and training arm of an international mercenary operation. Raoul Dulac is head of their African operations. Our intelligence has picked up certain communications which would indicate that something rather big is happening in the Central African Republic.’

  Holly knew a bit about that country from an elephant poaching article she’d worked on. French speaking, landlocked, the CAR shared borders with some of the most volatile countries on that continent: Chad, Sudan, the Congo, Zaire and Cameroon. It tended to keep a low profile. But if mercenaries were required in any of the neighbouring territories the CAR would be a perfect base and training ground. There were parts of the country so remote, so rugged, that the only way in was on foot. Communications, away from the capital, Bangui, were non-existent.

  ‘That’s not all,’ Quinn was saying. ‘I did a bit of poking around in Connor’s life too.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Remember I told you his half-brother had been killed in a coup attempt in the Seychelles?’

  ‘I remember.’

  ‘Seems he was a mercenary with Scylla.’

  ‘Ah!’ That might do it. If Maguire blamed Raoul Dulac for his brother’s death he might well seek retribution. ‘So you think that Connor may be here on a kind of vigilante kick?’

  ‘It’s possible. I don’t know the details, but the brother, Brian Anderson incidentally, had a wife who died in a car accident at around the same time. Bit of mystery surrounding it all. That’s all I’ve been able to find out. The police could never come up with an explanation for her accident. Maguire could be planning revenge. He was very badly affected by their deaths. The business thing with Dulac that went wrong may have been Connor’s way of getting close to him.’

  ‘Are you sure of all this, Quinn?’

  ‘Positive.’

  ‘I don’t see how any of it puts me at risk.’
<
br />   ‘It shouldn’t, sweetheart. But I still don’t like it. And what did you mean that Maguire has done a bunk?’

  ‘He seems to have disappeared.’

  She could hear Quinn lighting a cigar. ‘It might mean he’s gone to ground. The shit could hit the fan at any stage.’ A pause and a faint crackle of tobacco as her father drew in deeply came down the line. Holly fancied she could smell the smoke. ‘When did you say you’re going to Réunion?’

  ‘Monday or Tuesday. Coming back Thursday. I’ll stay in the hotel until I do. It’ll be quite safe.’

  ‘The policeman doesn’t seem to think so.’

  ‘That’s different. He’s trying to protect me from a child with an overactive libido and a tendency to dump a little violence on anyone who thwarts him.’ Holly changed the subject. ‘Why are the Australians listening to conversations between Raoul Dulac and Scylla?’

  ‘They’re a bit paranoid as a result of the Sandline fiasco in New Guinea. Australia didn’t see that one coming. Anything remotely interesting Dictionary picks up –’

  ‘Whoa! Dictionary?’

  ‘Sorry. It’s a computer software program capable of eavesdropping on international phone calls, faxes, even e-mail. It picks on key words. Once that happens the communication is accessed. Anything of interest is forwarded to the DSD.’

  ‘Speak English, Quinn. What’s the DSD?’

  ‘Defence Signals Directorate.’

  ‘But surely their only concern is Australia’s wellbeing?’

  ‘True. But, as I said, since the Sandline incident they’re a bit jumpy. Dictionary picked up the Scylla communications and the DSD listened in until they were absolutely certain that it had nothing to do with our national security.’

  ‘You’re a bloody marvel. You probably know more about Australia’s security than the Prime Minister.’

  ‘I doubt it. The information is easy enough to access.’

  ‘Okay, Quinn. Thanks for that. It’s got nothing to do with me.’

  ‘Be careful, sweetheart. You’re too close to this thing for my liking.’

  Holly wondered what he’d say if she told him about Connor’s connection with Madame Liang! ‘I’ll call you from Réunion.’

  ‘Love you.’

  ‘Love you too. Bye.’

  *

  That evening there was no sign of either Guy Dulac or Detective Sham. Justin was relaxed but determined to talk about issues that Holly would have been quite happy to let go.

  ‘How are your ribs?’

  ‘Still bruised but not bad. They only hurt if I move suddenly. You seem to be healing nicely.’

  ‘The eye is still a bit tender, that’s all. It was doing okay until Maguire . . .’ he broke off. ‘There was no need for rough stuff,’ he said eventually.

  Holly wasn’t about to let him get away with a complaint. ‘Connor obviously thought there was. After all, I had been in his company when you abducted me. He was worried.’

  Justin looked away.

  ‘Surely you can see that,’ Holly pushed.

  ‘I suppose it must have looked . . .’ He hesitated, then changed to a safer subject. ‘Raoul organised that attack on the beach. He even bragged about it. And the break-in. He wanted my copy of William’s map.’

  ‘Did he say why?’

  ‘Too many of them floating around, or so he claimed. I did wonder if he . . . Well, he might have been planning to go back on his word. Without a map, I’m stuffed. Good job I’d thought to bring two laminated copies and not just one.’

  ‘What made you do that?’

  Justin shrugged. ‘Just a precaution in case my luggage went missing. I had one in a suitcase and the other in hand baggage.’

  ‘Did Raoul know you brought two?’

  ‘No. When nothing was found in my room he assumed I was carrying it. That’s why we were mugged on the beach.’

  ‘Where was the other copy?’

  ‘In the hotel safe.’

  ‘That was fortunate.’ Holly leaned back, tapping a fingernail absently on the table. The sound of it eventually got through to her. She frowned and stopped. ‘What made Raoul tell you? It’s not the sort of thing most people would brag about.’

  Justin took his time answering. Holly wondered why, but when he did speak she realised he’d been reluctant to raise the subject of his actions on Rodrigues. ‘When Raoul returned from taking you back to the Cotton Bay Hotel he was pretty furious. Called me a damned fool, or words to that effect. Then he saw the map . . . my duplicate. He was quite surprised. Said he thought he’d taken care of any spare copies. When I demanded to know what he meant he, as calm as you please, told me the burglary and subsequent attack had been at his instigation.’

  ‘Arrogant bastard!’

  ‘I agree.’ Justin took a deep breath. Holly could see that despite his outward calm, Raoul’s actions had shaken him. ‘I can’t work him out. He needs to be in charge, never explains anything, and expects total obedience.’ His voice went hard. ‘I don’t trust him.’

  ‘Hang on. You said you were giving up on the search. Sounds to me as if you’re still involved with him.’

  Justin’s eyes slid away. ‘In a way, I am. But only through Anne-Marie. I can’t avoid the man completely.’

  Holly wondered if he was telling the truth. ‘Connor Maguire also had a break-in.’

  Justin nodded abruptly. ‘That was organised by Raoul too. He was trying to find out why Maguire had come to Mauritius.’

  ‘Why not just ask him? Connor wasn’t exactly hiding his intentions.’

  ‘That’s the way Raoul operates. The man thrives on secrecy and deception. Probably thinks everyone else does too. Look at my involvement with him. Don’t take this the wrong way but the reason he was so annoyed with me in Rodrigues had nothing to do with you. He was angry because our association had been revealed.’ Justin sipped his beer. ‘I’ve tried, but I can’t think of a single good reason why he kept insisting that no-one know we were partners.’

  ‘I can.’ Holly turned cold as she thought about it. ‘What if you had found the treasure? If your partnership was still secret he could so easily have arranged for you to disappear.’

  Justin considered her words, then shook his head. ‘Anne-Marie knew.’

  ‘Anne-Marie is family. As much as she hates her father . . . Can’t you see, Justin? Raoul is more than capable of getting rid of you so he could keep everything for himself. It would not be difficult for him to arrange a little accident.’

  Justin looked sceptical. ‘That’s a bit dramatic, isn’t it?’

  ‘Raoul Dulac plays rough.’ Holly repeated Connor’s warnings. ‘I wonder why he’s so hell-bent on finding the treasure. Okay, it’s supposedly worth a fortune but he’s not connected to the Maguire family, I wouldn’t have thought he’d qualify for a share. Ah!’ she broke off, understanding. ‘Anne-Marie. That’s why he invited her on board, isn’t it?’

  Justin nodded. ‘He didn’t want to. She found out about it and threatened to contest his right to it if anything was found.’

  ‘Why go to all this trouble and secrecy? It’s not as if he’s destitute.’

  ‘Apparently the Dulacs are not as wealthy as they make out. Anne-Marie said something about massive debts. The sugar industry is an on-again, off-again roller-coaster. Raoul gambled on future high prices and lost heavily when the market slumped.’ Justin finished his beer. ‘He has expensive tastes and so does his wife. That estate can’t be cheap to run.’

  ‘My heart bleeds for them,’ Holly commented dryly.

  Justin smiled slightly. ‘Anne-Marie’s okay.’

  ‘I’ll have to take your word for that.’

  He glanced at her glass. ‘Another?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not yet, but thanks.’

  Justin caught a waiter’s eye and ordered a beer. With the man gone, he said, ‘You made a lot of sense in Rodrigues. About the feud being so old, I mean. Before that I hadn’t really given it much thought. I grew up with the
story – it was always very real.’

  ‘The journal tells it a different way.’

  Justin frowned. ‘I know both sides. My mother believes Kavanagh’s account.’

  ‘She would.’

  ‘William Maguire might have been lying.’

  ‘In his journal? I don’t think so.’

  ‘He could have made it up. How do you know he didn’t?’

  Holly had no answer. It was entirely possible that William, who intended that the journal be sent back to Ireland, had invented an account to cover his own treachery. She shrugged. ‘Does it matter? It was such a long time ago. Who really cares?’

  Justin looked horrified. ‘Every living Maguire, that’s who. Our family cut its teeth on the stories. They’ve been handed down from one generation to the next. God! They’re better than Captain Hook, monsters, Superman and Biggles put together. Doesn’t the notion of pirates and treasure stir you up?’

  Holly raised her eyebrows. ‘Must be a bloke thing.’

  He smiled. ‘More like an Irish thing. We are a bit on the emotional side.’

  ‘Who was it said that an Irishman is never at peace unless he is fighting?’

  ‘I don’t know. But someone else said that if you put an Irishman on the spit there will always be another Irishman around willing to baste him.’

  Holly laughed. Justin Parker was good company when he relaxed.

  Then he went and spoiled it. ‘Tell me honestly, has Connor Maguire found anything?’

  ‘Here you go again. I thought you’d given up on it.’

  ‘Just asking. Curiosity, nothing else.’

  Was it? ‘As far as I know, he’s no closer than you.’

  Justin looked satisfied. ‘Maybe there isn’t anything. Or maybe there was but it’s long gone.’

  ‘I said something like that to Connor about a week ago.’

  ‘So he still believes it’s there?’

  ‘Connor Maguire is a romantic at heart. He likes the idea.’ She had no control over the softness in her eyes.

  Justin frowned when he saw it, and changed the subject. ‘I know I’ve said this before, but I do apologise for Rodrigues.’