Stephen shook his head. “Not till we have real proof. Otherwise we could just be harming a lot of innocent people on pure supposition.”
“But how are you going to find proof?” Judy demanded to know. She was angry now, concern fuelling her emotions. “You can’t expect things like documents to just be lying around for you to walk in and find, even if they still exist.”
Stephen had actually been thinking about skeletons and buried trucks but didn’t like to say so. All he could do was shrug. “I don’t know. But ‘Hayden Park’ is the only clue we have so I think we have to go there to look for more.”
Judy was very unhappy about this and her concern increased when Tom agreed with Stephen. “I’m going with Steve anyway,” he added. “I have to know.”
“Oh you stupid boys!” Judy cried. “You could get killed.”
Stephen swallowed and found himself breathless with emotion. He nodded.
Graham then said, “So when and how to we go?”
“We have to get away from these goons without them noticing,” Peter added. “If they are watching us we need a cover plan to deceive them.”
“What about your parents?” Judy asked. “What if they won’t let you?”
That had been nagging at Stephen. He replied, “We have to go without asking them, then face the consequences when we get back.”
“If you get back!” Judy cried. She had tears in her eyes now and Stephen realised she was really upset.
“There will be four of us,” he said, reaching out to pat her shoulder. “We’ve got a lot of experience at this sort of thing, and besides, they couldn’t catch all of us.”
“You hope!” Judy snapped, tears now trickling down her cheeks. “What if they have all those electronic gadgets that can see in the dark and so on?”
“They will have, I assume,” Stephen replied. The same thought had been worrying him but he had no immediate answers. ‘Graham and Peter will come up with counter measures,’ he told himself.
Judy now gave up and sat in silent misery while the boys began to discuss the how and when of things. Because he was so absorbed by the drama Stephen found that his body had returned to normal. He now concentrated all his thoughts on how to learn the truth. The first problem (apart from parents!), was how to get out of town and to the area without the men (the enemy Stephen had now begun to think of them as) knowing.
“We need a good deception plan,” he said, then explained why and what his ideas were. The others agreed with the concept but there was some argument about the detail. Graham suggested that they drive openly to Wangetti Beach, pretending to be collecting whatever it was Stephen had hidden there. His idea was that he and Stephen make their way through to the beach and get picked up during the night by a small boat.
“Andrew Collins and his mates would be in that,” Graham added. “We’ve done it there before.”
Peter looked thoughtful, then shook his head. “It’s a good idea, but we would still have to get the car away without them tailing us.”
Stephen shook his head. “It’s very short notice for Andrew to organize a boat too, even if he was allowed,” he added. He then put forward an amended version of his original plan. This was finally agreed to.
Peter nodded. “We need to leave written information to be handed to the media and police if we don’t get back,” he reminded.
That got them all thinking, to be interrupted by Judy’s mother saying it was time they all went home. “You have school tomorrow,” she reminded.
“Oh, only the swimming carnival,” Graham replied.
“Doesn’t matter,” Judy’s mother said. “Judy still has an assignment to complete for next week. Now, do you want a lift home Stephen?”
“I can give him and Tom a lift home,” Peter said. “I’ve got Mum’s car and the bike will fit in the boot.”
Judy’s mother accepted this arrangement. She told Stephen to collect his clothes next time he visited. Stephen took that as a hopeful sign too. ‘If the mother likes you then you are in like Flynn,’ was one of his father’s bits of advice. Feeling much better he stood up. The group made their way to the front door and down to the footpath. Stephen wheeled his bike out and placed it in the boot of Peter’s car. That done they went to get in. As he opened the door Stephen found Judy close beside him. She suddenly reached forward and put her arms around his neck.
“Oh please be careful!” she whispered.
As she gently kissed his cheek Stephen had to bite back the sarcastic comment of: ‘What about Tom?’ Instead he murmured that they would be alright, gave her a squeeze and then climbed into the car. Tom climbed in the other side. For an instant their eyes met and Stephen noted that Tom looked stony faced.
Graham added fuel to the fire as the car pulled out by saying, “You look like you are doing all right with Judy Steve.”
Stephen gave a non-committal grunt and then hinted they say nothing in case the car was bugged. Five minutes later they were at his house. To his surprise Tom helped as he unloaded his bike.
Peter called loudly, “See you tomorrow at the swimming carnival.”
As he drove off Stephen and Tom walked up the driveway. Tom spoke first. “Sorry about trying to cut in with Judy,” he said.
That hurt! ‘That’s decent of him,’ Stephen thought. He replied, “Thanks. I hope you are successful in your search too.”
“So do I,” Tom replied, his voice intense with emotion.
Stephen now found it very hard to act normally and to hide his mounting excitement from his parents. He was also very anxious lest the men try to do something during the night. On the pretext of doing his homework he went to his room and wrote for an hour, producing two letters and several papers explaining what they were doing and why. Tom dropped in to say good night and the two boys gave each other significant glances.
“See you in the morning,” Tom said.
‘I hope so!’ Stephen thought. After he had turned out his light he placed a knife beside the torch on his bedside table. Then he lay awake, his mind alternating between listening intently for assassins creeping in, and on the coming adventure. He was so tense and excited that sleep was a long time coming, and when it did it was light and restless.
Waking up and feeling drained of energy made him annoyed with himself. He wanted to be on top line for the expedition. But he was relieved as well, just to have survived the night. In fact, in the bright light of day his earlier suspicions and fears now seemed silly. Without making it obvious he made sure his webbing and pack were as ready as he could make them. Tom’s job during the day was to secretly buy food for them and Stephen gave him a list and some money for this purpose.
Then it was off to the swimming carnival. That meant another anxious bike ride. This time Stephen was on the alert all the way and deliberately kept to the quiet back streets as much as he could, or rode along the concrete footpaths. The effort and exertion soon had him in a lather of sweat. There had been an early morning rain shower and the clouds to the east gave the possibility of more rain to come but he just shrugged. The swimming carnival was not a big event on his calendar.
‘Good time to observe the chicks though,’ he mused.
And that is what he spent much of his time doing. It actually turned out to be a swimming carnival to remember.
CHAPTER 27
IN THE DARK
It was jealousy that Stephen was vaguely aware of as he watched Graham walk past in his bathers. Compared to Graham’s broad shoulders and slim waist Stephen felt his own physique to be very ordinary, even scrawny. He was also conscious that Graham’s tanned skin had that healthy look that people thought attractive. The girls certainly looked at Graham and commented on him. ‘And he knows it, the conceited bugger!’ Stephen thought.
The word ‘strut’ crossed Stephen’s mind as he watched Graham walk on to the far end of the swimming pool. Unlike Graham Stephen did not enjoy swimming. He was only going in a few races out of a desire to support his ‘house’. Gr
aham, who was an expert and very strong swimmer, was in almost every event, and clearly having a good time.
Stephen would have been too, except that his thoughts were mostly taken up with the coming expedition and all that it implied. The thing that worried him most was having to deceive and hurt his parents, but he could not think of any way to carry out the expedition by telling them. ‘They will just take it all to the authorities and forbid me to go,’ he thought gloomily.
Judy stopped in front of him. Stephen found his gaze travelling up a pair of very nice legs to where they vanished under a towel. She smiled and said, “Cheer up Steve. You look like you’ve lost your last dollar.”
“I was thinking about tonight,” Stephen replied, looking up to meet her eyes.
“I know,” she replied. She continued to smile but he could see that there were little lines at the corners of her eyes. “If you are determined to go then at least relax now,” she said. She sat down beside him.
“How can I do that?” Stephen asked.
“The way you normally do, by looking at the girls,” Judy replied, giving an impish grin and leaning against him as she did.
“I might not like girls,” Stephen replied, trying to keep a straight face and noting a very shapely Year 10 as he did.
At that Judy giggled. “I don’t think Lorna would believe that, or Louise,” she replied.
That made Stephen uncomfortable. Over the past few years he had taken out both those girls and hadn’t thought they would say anything to anyone. Just the thought of them started stirrings in his loins. Judy’s touch added to this. He made a face. “My dad says that a gentleman never tells,” he replied.
“Good!” Judy said, her voice a husky whisper that sent electric shivers through him. To his consternation he became instantly aroused. As he was only wearing brief bathers that was a real worry. To hide it he crossed his legs and casually placed an arm across his front.
‘Does that mean Judy might let me do it?’ he wondered. Somehow the thought made him anxious as well as excited. He was used to being the hunter and something about her gave him the uncomfortable feeling of being the hunted.
The next race began. Amid the jostling and shouting Stephen took the opportunity to drag his towel from under him. This he casually draped over his front. What was bothering him was the knowledge that this was the last of the ordinary races. After that would come the ‘novelty’ events and he was down to take part in several. ‘I must calm down before I have to stand up,’ he thought anxiously. But the more he thought about it, the harder it seemed to get.
Other events did not help. Many of the girls were wearing quite brief bikinis and all that rounded female flesh he found very arousing. To have Barbara with her lovely long legs and deliciously prominent breasts come and stand in front of him while she talked to Judy was no help. Even more voluptuous (and very aware of it!) was Chelsea. She wore a top so small that it looked like her boobs might spill out at any time. She added to this by bending forward from time to time.
At that moment Lorna and Yvonne joined them. Lorna glanced around then giggled and said, “Look over there!”
Stephen turned to look. Ten metres further along was Capt Conkey, acting as one of the race organisers. He was leaning out of the announcers box a few metres past the end of the grandstand and had just called to Chelsea. Chelsea walked over and stood just below him. As Stephen watched she moved her shoulders so that her boobs wobbled in a most delightful way. Looking up at Capt Conkey she gave an angelic smile of innocence and in a sweet little voice asked, “What do you want sir?”
Stephen saw Capt Conkey’s eyes flick down to Chelsea’s ample cleavage, then back up to her face. A blush mottled his face. He held out a piece of paper. “Could you please take that note to the starting judges?” he asked.
Chelsea gave him an impish grin and took the note, then turned and wiggled away. Lorna giggled loudly and said, “What a bloody tease! Poor old Mr Conkey. He didn’t know where to look then.”
Stephen watched Chelsea walk past and felt his own mouth go dry with lust. She was certainly an eyeful. Then he overheard Yvonne say, “What about this pair of bloody posers then?”
Stephen followed their gaze and noted two of the young male teachers approaching: Mr Ritter and Mr Moxham. Both wore skimpy ‘Speedo’ swimmers. Moxham’s were so small as to be almost a ‘G-string’. Stephen noted a frown crease the principal’s face when he saw them. But despite pursing his lips the principal did not say anything
The loudspeaker then called the next race. The moment Stephen had been worrying about had arrived. Judy nudged him. “That is your race Steve.”
“Yes,” Stephen mumbled, wondering frantically how to hide his condition. He broke into a cold sweat of anxiety.
“Hurry up, you’ll be late,” Judy said.
Stephen took off his glasses and placed them in their case then stood up, holding his towel in front of him, and not daring to glance down to see what the front of his bathers looked like. Judy reached out. “I’ll look after your towel,” she said.
In near desperation Stephen clung on to the towel and tried to think of an excuse to carry it to the end of the pool. Judy tugged at it, then looked at him quizzically. “Are you alright Steve?” she asked.
Stephen could only mumble and nod. He found the situation very embarrassing. To end it he took the bold course and fled. That meant walking fifty paces along the front of the grandstand, all the while burning with embarrassment and hotly conscious of the stares and snickers he imagined were being directed at him. Fear helped. By the time he reached the starting blocks his arousal had subsided.
The coldness of the water helped restore his body but little incidents and sights kept causing him to become excited. Not only were there many attractive girls in swim suits to look at but twice girls lost their bikini tops. The first one was Wendy Werribee during the tube race. Wendy, a Year 10 cadet corporal with such huge boobs her school nickname was ‘Wobbles’, lost hers while backstroking the rubber tube across the pool. In the excitement she didn’t realise this, but the thousand watching students and teachers did and their roars and screaming laughter filled the air so she couldn’t be told. She did not even realise it till she heaved herself out, right in front of Stephen.
Stephen could only boggle in embarrassed amazement. By then Wendy had realised what had happened and she quickly stood up, her back to the grandstand. She tried to cover herself with her arms. “Hide me!” she wailed, stepping closer. “And don’t look!”
“I haven’t got my glasses on,” Stephen replied, wishing he did have. He turned his back and was joined by Lofty and Sheila. They formed a group around Wendy while she struggled to adjust her bathers.
As Wendy finished fixing up her clothing she sobbed, “Oh I’m so embarrassed!” Lofty put his arm around her and led her off to the side. Meanwhile the race had gone on and it was Stephen’s turn to jump in. That at least got him out of the limelight.
Next there was a swimming ‘egg-and-spoon’ race and then the ‘baggy clothes’ relay race. In this race each house had three swimmers on each side of the pool. The first swimmer had to don a pair of baggy long trousers and a loose football jersey, then dive in and swim across. On the other side the swimmer had to get the wet clothes off and then the next contestant had to struggle into them.
Graham and Stephen were on one bank with Andrew. Gwen Copeland, Sharon and Louise were on the other. Andrew went first, then Louise swam back. Stephen was amazed at how much of a struggle it was for them to get out of the wet clothes and for the next swimmer to pull them on. He noted the next team use a technique whereby two of them helped remove the jersey by pulling it quickly over the swimmer’s head.
He nudged Louise and indicated the next team. “Let’s try that next time,” he suggested. By then their team was last. He and Louise helped Graham struggle into the wet clothes and he dived in, to thrash his way across. There he tugged them off and helped Sharon drag them on. Sharon then belly-fl
opped in and splashed across.
“Grab her arms and lift her out,” Stephen ordered. In a twinkling they had Sharon standing on the bank. “Put your arms up,” Stephen shouted to Sharon. She did so. He and Louise both grabbed the jersey at the bottom and pulled. A single hard reef had it off in an instant. But only as Stephen turned to tell Sharon to sit down so they could pull the wet trousers off did he realise what they had done- Sharon’s bikini top had been pulled right off with the jersey!
‘My God!’ Stephen thought, ‘What lovely boobs!’
By then Sharon had started struggling with the trousers and had not realised she was uncovered. Once again the crowd roared. “Sharon! Sharon!” Louise screamed, pointing.
With a gasp of horror Sharon looked down. She immediately crossed her arms across her front and jumped backwards into the pool. Stephen leaned over. Sharon’s head came up in a froth of bubbles he called, “Give me the pants! Give me the pants!”
Sharon grabbed the side of the pool and tried to cover herself with her other arm. “Don’t you look Stephen!” she cried.
“The pants! We will lose the race!” Stephen cried. Suddenly hands covered his eyes and a giggling Louise yelled in his ear. “Stop looking Stephen. Put on the jersey. Here Sharon, your top.” She passed Sharon her bikini top.
Stephen blushed with shame. “It’s alright, I can’t see properly without my glasses,” he tried to explain. ‘And more’s the pity!’ he thought.
“That’s your story!” Louise said with a laugh as she turned him around. Then she helped him into the jersey, laughing all the time. “Oh poor Sharon!” she kept saying between chuckles.
They didn’t win the race. Later, when Stephen went back to his seat beside Judy she gave him an impish grin. “Well you got a good look!” she chided.
“I didn’t mean to,” he replied.
Judy squeezed his arm. “I’m only teasing!” she said. “I don’t mind. Besides, from what I’ve heard you’ve seen them before.”
Secret in the Clouds Page 27
