Falling Into Queensland

by Jacqueline George

  “That"s the way. Breakfast"s coming.” Marilyn stretched out to rest her feet on the chair opposite. “It"s a great life, as long as you don"t weaken. And as long as you don"t have creeps like Japan to screw it all up for you.”

  “Did you speak to Raylene last night?”

  “Yes, but she didn"t know anything. I"d guess Japan wasn"t home yet, and she won"t see him until tomorrow, no, today. Don"t suppose she"ll get anything out of him, though. Not unless Tom did him some damage that shows.

  “Why was he so pissed off at Rupert? Have you called?”

  Lulu appeared with their breakfast on a tray. “Good day, Shirley,” she said, speaking carefully.

  “Good day, Lulu. Have you been practising your English?”

  “Yes. My husband say, must speak good for tourists. Oh-oh

  – no sambal. You wait.” She hurried back to her kitchen to bring a saucer of fiery paste.

  “She"s good value,” said Marilyn, once Lulu had gone. “I can"t imagine anyone else from Port Bruce making a fist of this

  228

  Falling into Queensland

  place. It"d be all fried eggs and bacon, along with frozen fish and chips. And lousy instant coffee.

  “You"re not working today?”

  “No, I"ve got to go to the Post, just in case there"s mail from home. What about you?” asked Shirley.

  “Nothing today, but I"ll be on the grader down the Cooktown road starting tomorrow. Could be a couple of weeks, which will be handy. You have any luck with Main Roads?”

  “Not yet, but Cooktown Shire have told me to come and see

  them. They"ve got some work up here I could do. I"ll have to get a car.” Shirley knew there was no avoiding it, and she would definitely have to buy one before her mother arrived.

  “Tell you what, why don"t you take me to work one morning, and just carry on to Cooktown? It"s not so far past where we"ll be working. You can hang around there all day and pick me up on your way home. You can drive the truck OK. It"s not difficult.”

  “Really? Thank you so much. But let"s go and do something together today. I haven"t seen you for ages.”

  “Mmmh – you been to the tower yet? The phone tower? What have you got on your feet? Trainers - that"s OK. I"ll just need to stop off at home to get some too. It"s not far to walk but I wouldn"t do it in thongs.”

  Marilyn drove a short distance out of town on the Cooktown road and turned uphill on a narrow track hidden in the trees. The Toyota grumbled and jolted upwards in low gear, and Shirley kept her arm inside the cab to avoid the branches brushing against the sides.

  Marilyn concentrated on her driving. “This track used to go all the way up when they were building the tower, but they"ve let it go. We can still get a fair way up, but the last bit is tricky. I don"t want to get stuck half way up with all my wheels spinning. I"m going to stop up here and we"ll walk the rest.”

  They came to a turning space and Marilyn stopped. In front of them the track changed into a steep hillside, little more than a scree slope of stones and gravel. No one had driven up here in a

  229

  Falling into Queensland

  long time, and they were soon sweating and breathless as they picked their way up the sliding surface.

  “This had better be worth it, Marilyn,” said Shirley, resting on a rock that did not look like moving. “It"s hard work.”

  “Oh, you"ll like it. I can guarantee. Best view in town, but I swear this hill gets taller each time I come up here.” At least Marilyn was panting too.

  The track reappeared at the top of the scree, unused and grassy, leading gently upwards with a drop on either side. It took them to a clearing with a corrugated iron shed, two satellite dishes and a stubby antenna tower. The track circled the crown of the hill, a viewing terrace for the panorama at their feet.

  They sat on one of the concrete tower anchors to get their breath back and looked out over an unchanging wilderness such as had not been seen in Europe for thousands of years. Apart from the ocean, grey green forest stretched out in untidy folds in all directions, into the haze of the distant horizon. Port Bruce was no more than a tiny cluster of houses by the river mouth, backed by endless rolling bush. It was easy to ignore the houses and stare just at the silver river, the hills, and the infinite sky.

  Shirley could make out the wharf, and Lulu"s little cabin. The Coral Sea stretched beyond and she could see the white lines of the reefs. Nearer to, she could guess where Mission Bay hid by the patch of coconut palms that had once been the plantation. The cemetery was clear at the edge of town, and she picked out the road running north.

  She could not see her house. Mangroves fringed her side of the river and she could make out no more than its dark line through the bush. The open clearing of the airstrip lay further upstream.

  “Where"s Tom"s place?” she asked.

  “Never been there,” said Marilyn. “I thought it was across the river from you.”

  “Well, yes, but further down the river as well. He"s got a thatched roof.”

  230

  Falling into Queensland

  “Ah, right. That"s probably why we can"t see it. Should have brought the binoculars, but I didn"t think. Next time, and you can try your camera too.”

  “I wonder if my mother would like this,” mused Shirley. “I mean, I know she"d like it, but it"s not an easy walk. I suppose if I helped her, and we took it slowly.”

  They went to Mission Bay on the way home, threw off their clothes and lay in the warm water.

  “I think this is my favourite bit of Port Bruce,” said Shirley. “I"m glad no-one lives here.”

  “That"s right. No roads and houses, and no fences. Empty, just like it should be, and no-one ever will live here. They"d never get permission. It"s great. Left alone, just for us.

  “I"m surprised the blackfellas don"t settle here, though. They"re the only ones that could, because they can do what they like with the land. Guess they"d rather hang around town. Life"s easier there.”

  Shirley was enjoying the bay, with its granite boulders and palm trees, but the events of last night crept back into her mind.

  “Marilyn, are you really in trouble with Japan? I mean, about Mr Hing. Would it help if I called and explained?”

  “Not a chance. I think Japan enjoys making trouble, and there"s nothing you could tell him that he"d believe.”

  Shirley thought some more. “What do you think he"ll do?

  Just stay away?”

  “Doubt it. I bet he"s thinking about Tom and Mr Hing right now. It"s good they live on the other side of the river. It"ll be hard for him to get there to make trouble. I hope he"s more worried about them than us.”

  “I wish he"d just leave us all alone. No-one wants to hurt him, but he"s always making trouble for us.”

  Shirley visited the minimarket to buy supplies, before she made her way back up the river. She was more thoughtful than she had been in the morning. Japan troubled her, particularly the thought that he would be looking for Tom and Mr Hing. She pictured him

  231

  Falling into Queensland

  on the floor last night, lying curled up and retching. He had not looked so terrifying then, but in bright daylight he still frightened her.

  Around a bend in the river, she found Walter. He had moored his house mid-stream and waved her over. He caught her painter and she let her engine putter to a halt.

  “Hey, Walter,” she greeted him, “Change of scenery?”

  “That"s right. The great advantage of a house boat. You can live where you like, more or less. Coffee or tea?”

  Shirley squeezed herself into a corner of Walter"s little veranda and waited while the kettle boiled.

  “That was good food last night, Shirley. I haven"t eaten so well in years. My Mary could never cook like that, nor your aunt Liza either. You should set up a restaurant.”

  Shirley laughed at the thought. “Not a chance. You were just lucky last night. Half the time I try hard b
ut whatever I"m cooking comes out badly. Anyway, I"d never compete with Lulu. There"s not enough business.”

  “Perhaps you"re right. But it was a very good meal, all the same.” The kettle started to whistle and Walter poured the coffee.

  It was not until Shirley had nearly finished her coffee that Walter came out with what was on his mind. “You know that Japanchap from last night, don"t you? I think he"ll come back, you know. I was talking to Tom and Mr Hing this morning, and they"re dead set that he"s going to be after them both.”

  “Really? That"s stupid. I mean, he"s stupid, so they could be right.”

  “I was just thinking, he might start with you. Get you to take him down river. Only, would you like me to moor across the river from you? I couldn"t do much, but if he does come at least I"ll be watching.”

  Shirley looked at Walter. He seemed embarrassed, afraid that his offer of help would be rejected as useless.

  “Oh Walter, you"re such a gentleman. Do you really think I need watching?”

  232

  Falling into Queensland

  “Yes.” His seriousness surprised her. “We were talking about it this morning, and if you lend me that torch of his, I can shine it across the river into your house if I hear a noise. I"m a light sleeper, and I might be able to frighten him away. Light frightens people like that, and he won"t know who is shining it.”

  They decided Walter would move up river next day, and Shirley left. She would have to remember to wear clothes all the time, or she might give Walter a heart attack. Now she was doubly glad that she had hung a curtain across the toilet doorway.

  233

  Falling into Queensland

  Chapter 30

  She woke next morning to the throb of Walter"s engine from down the river. She wrapped her bedsheet around her and, grabbing fresh clothes, hurried out of the house to dress in the privacy of her front step. She had not properly organised herself and put the kettle on before Walter appeared on the far side of the river, sitting in his tinnie and towing his house upstream. She waved and gestured with her coffee cup, but he only waved back and got on with the business of dropping anchors.

  This morning Shirley had work in town and, as she rode the river, she mentally ticked off the things she had to do. As soon as she could, she must call Rupert and find out what had upset Japan enough to bring him to her door. She should be able to catch Rupert before he went to bed and, if not, she was cross enough to wake him

  up.

  She had to call Cooktown Shire and arrange a meeting. That might bring some extra work and the chance to keep busy. Later on she would have to cycle up to Marilyn"s place and leave a message about the date of the meeting.

  Then, on the way home, she would visit Tom and Mr Hing. Now Japan had disturbed everything, she wanted to get to the bottom of Mr Hing"s mission. Who exactly had he been searching for, and what did he intend to do next? Who were the two Chinese men in the Mercedes? Bad guys presumably, or they would not have carried on to the Makepeace, but how had they found out about Mr Hing"s letter so quickly?

  She did not get back to her house until after dark. Tom would not let her leave without feeding her and she had spent a pleasant evening on his veranda, chatting and sipping home-made beer.

  They had got little more from Mr Hing. He managed to explain there was a girl involved, and she seemed to be his granddaughter. Shirley had looked at him with a new respect. She

  234

  Falling into Queensland

  could not imagine either of her grandfathers casting themselves ashore in a distant country to find her if she had gone missing.

  Mr Hing was as much in the dark about the men in the Mercedes as everyone else, but he did not think they were friends. There was nothing for him to do but continue his search in Melbourne. “I go soon,” he had said. “I go next week. Have money enough, I think.”

  The whole idea sounded desperate to Shirley. Melbourne was a big city in a foreign country. How could he hope to find one lost girl?

  Of course, now they had one important thing to help Mr Hing; Marilyn knew he was there and they could call on her knowledge. Shirley recalled Marilyn saying she had lived in Melbourne once. She should know where the Chinese people lived, and how to get Mr Hing a bus ticket.

  Shirley arranged with Tom to bring Marilyn for a coffee at the weekend. They could all sit and plan Mr Hing"s next move.

  She went to sleep that night conscious of the dim light behind Walter"s curtains and the sound of his radio playing.

  Shirley had brought work home with her, but she left it untouched next day. It could wait, and she would jump in her boat and go to the library instead. She needed a fix of civilisation.

  When she returned to her boat that afternoon, she found Marilyn had been there. A note saying „Call me, Marilyn" lay pinned under a cobble on her bow.

  Shirley did not wait long before Marilyn rumbled up on her Harley and whisked her off to the club. It was still early and the bar was empty, but that meant the girl had plenty of time to rustle up some bacon, lettuce and tomato. They took their beers onto the veranda while they waited for their food.

  “So-,” started Marilyn, “I"ve been talking to Raylene.”

  Shirley"s spirits fell. “Japan"s not happy?”

  “Too right. Raylene says he"s being very quiet. She says it"s always hard to figure out what he"s thinking – I know that"s true enough – but when she was talking to him at the bar last night, she

  235

  Falling into Queensland

  got a creepy feeling. Really creepy. She says he"s cooking up something, she"d stake her tail on it.

  “That makes sense, I suppose. We didn"t think he was just going to put it down to experience and play nice.”

  Marilyn looked worried, and Shirley felt her concern. “What do you think he"ll do? Come after me? Or us, anyway?”

  Marilyn sipped her beer thoughtfully. “I can"t think of anything else, can you?”

  “I suppose so. Why can"t the bastard just leave us alone? What can we do? Tell the police?”

  Marilyn gave a short laugh and said “Perhaps. Then when you"ve disappeared and no-one"s seen you for a week or two, they can go and ask Japan if he knows where you"ve gone. No, the only thing we can do is to get Raylene to give us a call whenever he leaves home. She says Midge will help. She"s got a soft spot for you, apparently. As long as Japan never knows, of course.

  “I wish you had the phone out there in your place.”

  “I wish my mobile worked out there. It"d make life a lot easier.”

  “Some chance. You"re in the third world now. We"ll just have to stay in touch. You know, if I"m not at home near the phone, you"d better be away from home as well. You thought of staying with Tom for a while? Japan"d never find you over there.”

  “I suppose I could,” said Shirley, slowly, “But that doesn"t help you. He knows exactly where to find you.”

  Their food arrived and they ate in silence until Marilyn said, “I"m thinking about the police.”

  “Jeez, now I know you"re worried.”

  “No, listen to me. They"ve got something called an apprehended violence order they can fill out for you. It just says who you are frightened of and why, and they contact the person and tell him he can"t come anywhere near you.

  “What do you think? I don"t suppose it would guarantee Japan will behave, but it might make him think a bit.”

  236

  Falling into Queensland

  Shirley did not like the idea. She did not like to upset Japan but, on the other hand, she had upset him already.

  “What about you, Marilyn? You going to do it too?”

  “I suppose so,” said Marilyn.

  “If you do it, I"ll do it as well. How do we start?”

  Marilyn ate thoughtfully. “I don"t know. You"re going to Cooktown Tuesday, aren"t you? Right, you"ll have to stay at my place so we can get an early start, so I"ll see you the night before anyway. Then you can run past the cop shop when
you"re in town. Pick up the forms, find out what we have to do.”

  Shirley arrived back home as the light finally disappeared, and found Tom"s canoe tied up at her mooring. Tom was sitting on her veranda, with a fishing line in the water.

  “Any luck?” she asked as she glided in to moor.

  “No, not today. You can"t win every time. It"d be boring if that happened.”

  Shirley did not believe fishing could be anything other than boring, but she said nothing.

  Tom would not eat. He said Mr Hing was cooking and he could only stay for coffee. They sat looking across the river at Walter"s house, a small, isolated box for a solitary man.

  “He"s listening out for you?” asked Tom, although his question sounded more like a statement. “Do you think that"s enough?”

  “I don"t know,” said Shirley.

  “I was planning to set up a burglar alarm for you this afternoon. If I put something a little way up the walkway, you"d have enough time to run to your boat and float downstream. I don"t think even Japan would be crazy enough to swim in there at night.”

  People were caring for her again. “Tom, I"d love that.”

  “Right, what I"d do for tonight is block the door off. Put a chair under the handle or something, so if Japan tries to come in, you"ll have time to run away. Then I"ll come back first thing in the morning and we"ll see what we can rig up.”

  237

  Falling into Queensland

  Shirley followed Tom"s advice and slept that night with her door tied shut with string wrapped around the handle and a nail in the door frame, and a chair jammed under the handle as well. She slept restlessly that night. The fear of Japan was beginning to weigh on her mind.

  Tom appeared soon after sunrise, with a large paw-paw and some limes for breakfast. They had a leisurely meal before Tom started work.