The Reef

by Lois Kay

  “Sam, you're so much stronger than Jody.” Fiona laughed. “Is that because you're taller?”

  “No, that's because I like to eat spinach…and little girls,” Sam replied. She dove into the water and grabbed Fiona by the ankles.

  Fiona squealed and tried to get away from the long arms that were trying to lift her up again. She enjoyed playing with Sam in the creek on their father's property. Whenever her brothers tried to play games like that she never liked it. They were too rough, but with Sam it was different. Sam was gentle. And she had much more patience.

  Fiona glanced at Jody, who was sitting on the grass, a bright smile on her face. Fiona waved and received a blown kiss in return.

  “Sam, why don't we get Jody all wet? She's been sitting there for ages now.” Fiona whispered like a true conspirator. Fiona’s eyes searched Sam’s face and she was rewarded with a bright smile.

  “Let's do it.” Sam’s blue eyes were sparkling.

  “Sam, you're great fun,” Fiona said. “I wish you were my sister too.”

  * * *

  Sam saw the expression of the teenager's face change from polite interest to astonishment and she knew she had to leave. She ignored the stab of pain in her chest and quickly stepped past Fiona, looking for the exit, only to see Joan McDonnell standing in front of the door, still talking to the shop owner. She was blocking her escape route and Sam inwardly cursed. She turned around to walk to the other site of the shop. She was glad Jody wasn’t with her, although, she might have provided a very much needed diversion. Bumping into Jody would not be as strange as bumping into Sam. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed the number Jody had given her.

  * * *

  “You know what, Ger? If Sam doesn't show up soon, I might fall asleep.” Lucy yawned and finished her third cup of coffee. “And I'll be using the bathroom a lot as well. I'm drinking way too much coffee here.”

  Gerald extended his long legs, crossing them at the ankles and he looked totally relaxed. His eyes lazily swept over people passing by. It was obvious he was thoroughly enjoying himself. “Mm,” was his only response.

  Lucy looked at him and let out a soft laugh. “For a marine biology student, you sure don't display a lot of intelligence. 'Mm', is that all you can say? I’m trying to have a civilized conversation with you.”

  “That's your problem, sis, you talk too much,” Gerald answered with a grin.

  Lucy was about to playfully kick him when her cell phone rang. “Finally.” She swiped the screen and brought the device to her ear. “Hi, Sam.” Her smile disappeared and Gerald saw her almost jumping off her chair. “You're kidding! No, of course...we'll be there in a minute. Hang on.”

  She looked at Gerald, who could barely contain his curiosity. “Fiona and Mom are in that shop across the street. And so is Sam.”

  Gerald needed no further encouragement. He raised his tall frame and almost ran, leaving his muttering sister behind to pay the bill.

  * * *

  Fiona looked from her mother, who was still enjoying her animated discussion, to Sam, who was trying very hard not to look like she was hiding in the darkest corner she could find. Her intelligent eyes showed an intense interest in the blonde.

  Sam could almost feel Fiona's piercing gaze, but she refused to look up. The last thing she wanted was to cause a scene and blow her chance to find out who had been demolishing Jody's apartment and was after the flash drive. And why. Her heart started racing when she noticed that Fiona was about to come her way. But at that same moment Gerald entered the shop and Sam was so relieved she almost felt dizzy.

  “Hey Mom!” Gerald cried out in surprise. “Hi, little mongrel.” He ruffled Fiona’s hair. “What are two beautiful ladies like you, doing in a shop like this?” he joked. He kissed his mother on her cheek and grabbed her arm to lead her away from the door, chatting enthusiastically. Unnoticed by his family he winked at Sam, who quickly left her corner. She walked toward the exit, but when she had almost reached her goal, Fiona stepped from behind a display, right in front of her.

  “Hi, Sam.” Her dark-green eyes, almost identical to Lucy’s, were filled with wonder.

  Sam's mind was racing, not knowing how to react. She had always loved Fiona and knew those feelings used to be mutual. But what would the girl do when she acknowledged who she was? But the pleading look in those big green eyes did her in. Sam's gaze held Fiona's and a small smile tugged on the corner of her mouth.

  “Hi, Fiona. Yeah, it's me,” she said in a soft voice. She smiled at the joy that was reflected at her. “Listen, I can't talk right now, but I’ll explain everything soon. Okay?”

  Fiona nodded and glanced at her mother. “Are you with Jody now?” she whispered.

  Sam was struck by that question and could only nod. She realized six years’ old’s must have a lot more sense than grownups gave them credit for. “Yes, Jody and I are together,” she replied. She was aware she was smiling widely. Just saying the words made her heart skip a beat. “But I really have to go now.”

  “Okay, Sam, I’ll talk to you later.” Fiona took a deep breath and grinned. “I'm glad you're back.”

  Sam reached out and gently touched Fiona's cheek. “So am I. And it’s really, really good to see you.” She smiled. “We’ll talk soon. Okay?”

  “Okay. I won't tell anyone.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Sam stepped outside and walked away, leaving behind an awestruck teenager, who had the widest smile plastered on her face.

  Chapter 10

  The metal roof of the car reflected the scorching sun. Inside, an oven-like temperature almost prevented the occupants from breathing. To preserve fuel, they had turned off the engine. The windows were rolled down, but there was no cooling breeze. The heat that surrounded everything was about to swallow them whole.

  Fred had to really force himself to keep his eyes open. The heat made him sleepy and constantly staring at the ongoing traffic didn't help much either. “I still don't understand why you couldn't have parked under a tree or something,” he grumbled. “This heat is killing us. Those two are nice and comfy over there, sipping their tea. They're not going anywhere, Steve.”

  “Shut up, you mongrel,” Little Steven said through clenched teeth. “Can't you see she’s on the phone? They might go somewhere soon. I reckon blondie is very clever. She must have known they've been to the apartment. She knows we're looking for her. Be patient, will you?”

  “I still think it's a bloody waste of time,” Fred grumbled. “All I want right now is a cold Foster’s and—” He sat up straight when Gerald jumped up and hastily crossed the street.

  “See?” Little Steven growled. “Something might be up.”

  They both watched Gerald enter one of the stores. It was a busy Sunday and there were a lot of people milling about. A small group of what appeared to be tourists left one of the souvenir shops, but their eyes were fixed on Lucy, who had gotten up and followed her brother across the street.

  Suddenly, a slender, dark haired girl stepped outside. She was chewing and was holding what appeared to be a bag of licorice. She casually leaned against one of the newsstands on the sidewalk and looked around with a bored expression on her freckled face.

  “Look at that, Steve.” Fred chuckled, forgetting the heat and his annoyance. “That hot sister shrank. Wow, she’s a spitting image. You think it's their kid sister?”

  “No doubt.” There was a grim expression of Little Steven’s face. “And I'll tell you something else, Freddy, she just became our one-way ticket to what we need.”

  ***

  With her hands buried in the pockets of her shorts, Sam stared in the distance. To anybody passing by, she looked like she was enjoying the view, casually leaning against one of the many trees that were providing shade. She was trying to come up with a plan to get the information she so desperately wanted. She knew Gerald and Lucy would take care of their mother and Fiona, so she didn’t have to worry about running into either of them. But
it had ruined her original plan. There was no way she could find out if somebody had been following Lucy and Gerald and who he or they would be. Sam sighed heavily and rolled her shoulders to release some of the built-up tension. Maybe she should call it quits, go back to Sarah’s and Megan’s, call Inspector Wong and give her the information about the fraud she had discovered. She could leave it up to the police to follow up. It wasn’t what she really wanted, but at least it would give her the opportunity to stay with Jody and keep her safe.

  The tension left Sam's face and was replaced by a soft smile when she thought about Jody and the way they had woken up that morning. Her heart rate increased when she remembered the look in Jody's eyes when they had kissed. Sam felt a warm, tingling sensation spread through her body. With an impatient gesture, she stood up straight, suddenly very aware of what she should do; get the police involved and let them deal with it. She returned to the corner she had rounded a little while ago. She felt a lot better, knowing she would be back at her friends' house, where Jody would be waiting for her. With a little bounce in her step, Sam stepped around the corner. Immediately, her eyes took in the scene in front of her and quickly she hid behind a newsstand.

  * * *

  Fiona was still enjoying the chewy, salty taste of her licorice, when a car pulled up in front of her. She looked at the driver and his passenger and raised an eyebrow.

  The sight of the chewing fourteen-year-old, with the totally bored expression on her face nearly made Fred burst out in laughter. She seemed to be quite the character. He was almost sorry their plans involved her. He grinned at her and nodded. “G’day.”

  Fiona stared at him and didn’t response. She was the youngest of six children and more times than she could remember her parents and all her siblings had warned her about talking to strangers. She shot the man a glance and turned to walk back into the store.

  “Hey, wait,” Fred called out. “I just want to ask for some directions.”

  Fred's mind worked overtime to come up with a reasonable question that would sound genuine. Fiona stared at him with an impatient look on her freckled face, ready to turn around and walk back.

  “Umm…my mate and I are looking for a…um…a gas station. We’re not from around here and we’re running low, so—”

  Fiona narrowed her eyes. She didn’t believe him for one second. “If you’re not from around here then why do you have a local beach parking permit sticker on your car?” She pointed at the front window.

  For a moment, Fred was taken aback. “I…we borrowed this car. It belongs to one of our mates. We’re just visiting.”

  The look on Fiona’s face was clear indication she didn’t believe a word he said. She pointed toward the corner. “Go that way and when you reach the motorway turn right. It's about a kilometer I guess. Good luck.” She turned to walk back into the store, but Fred stopped her. The anxiety in his voice made her turn around and look at him with raised eyebrows.

  “I'm sorry, I…I'm a bit deaf. Could you repeat that please? Maybe you could come a bit closer?”

  Fiona was debating what to do next, when a familiar whistle she hadn’t heard in years froze her to the spot.

  * * *

  Nine years ago.

  “Sam, you have to teach me how you do that,” Fiona begged, tugging Sam's shirt.

  Sam looked down at the little girl, the affection evident in her eyes. “I'd like to, Fi, really, but you’re missing half of your front teeth right now. No way you can whistle like that,” she teased.

  “Yes, I can,” Fiona argued. “Listen.” She put two fingers in her mouth and blew. She did produce a little sound and a lot of saliva.

  Sam laughed and with a lot of exaggeration she wiped her face. “Okay, okay, I believe you. I had did have a shower this morning, you know.” She folded her long frame to sit down on the grass beside the six-year-old. She brought her head close and lowered her voice. “I will teach you. But this is our secret whistle. Okay?”

  Fiona nodded enthusiastically, her dark-green eyes shining with excitement.

  “Alright, listen,” Sam said with their heads bent close together.

  * * *

  Again, a high-pitched whistle reached Fiona’s ears and without thinking twice she turned and made a run for the corner, following the direction of the sound.

  Sam had been watching the scene in front of her with fear in her heart. Her hands were clenched into fists. Her whole body was alert, ready to spring into action if needed. She couldn't hear the conversation that was going on between Fiona and the stranger in the car, but deep down inside she knew it was trouble. She mentally slapped herself for not telling Fiona to stay inside the shop, close to her mother and brother. If Lucy and Gerald had been followed after they had stopped by Jody's apartment, Fiona would easily be recognized as Lucy's sister. They were too much alike. Relief took over when Sam saw Fiona getting ready to turn around, but immediately after that her heart stopped when she seemed to hesitate.

  Guided by instinct, Sam whistled the 'secret' whistle she taught Fiona years ago, hoping she would remember. And she did. Sam saw the dark-haired head jerk up and Fiona's whole body tensed. Sam whistled again and to her utter relief, the fourteen-year-old turned around and ran toward the corner, where Sam was waiting.

  Fiona raced around the corner without really paying attention to where she was going and ran straight into a pair of strong arms that quickly pulled her out of sight.

  “Let's go,” Sam urged. She had no time to explain Fiona what was going on. She didn't know what the reaction of the two men in the car would be and she had no intention of finding out. Not with Jody's sister around. She pulled Fiona through the back entrance, inside the corner shop and scanned the area. It was a regular souvenir shop, with lots of ballcaps, t-shirts, postcards and other memorabilia. Without trying to attract attention, Sam walked to a corner where she could keep an eye on both entrances, never letting go of Fiona's arm. Finally, she stopped, glanced down and cast Fiona a worried look.

  “Are you alright?” she asked.

  Fiona nodded and stared back at Sam with wide eyes.

  “What did they want?”

  Fiona rubbed her face, trying to remember what the young man in the car had asked her. Sam's unexpected whistle and presence had thrown her totally off guard. “Um…. he…they were looking for a gas station and I told him where to find one. But then he said he was a little deaf and he asked me to come closer. He said he wasn’t from around here, but I saw they had a local beach parking permit sticker on the car.” Fiona paused to take a deep breath. “Sam, what the hell is going on?”

  Sam couldn’t help chuckle. “Wow, you have grown up,” she teased.

  Fiona smiled back and reached out to touch Sam's arm. “It's really you, isn't it?” she asked. Her voice was full of wonder. “I always hoped you’d come back one day, Sam. I missed you, you know. Luce did, too. And Jody, of course. I mean, we weren't allowed to talk about you, but I knew they missed you. Jody is gay, you know. Dad doesn't approve.”

  Sam's face went blank after that little demonstration of teenage bluntness and she could feel herself stare.

  Fiona looked up at her and furrowed a brow. “You did know that, didn't you? It's not like I outed my sister. Did I?”

  Sam shook her head and laughed. “No, of course I knew that, silly, it's just that…you sure can change a subject with the speed of light.”

  Fiona giggled and playfully slapped Sam’s arm. “I'll try to stay on the track,” she promised. Her eyes were sparkling. “What did those blokes want, Sam?”

  “That’s a long story, Red and I don't mind telling you, but not here. Let's say they’re up to no good. Okay? I’ll tell you the rest later.”

  “Please do,” Fiona mumbled. “I’m sick of being treated like the family's fool. No one tells me anything, ever. They all think I'm still a baby. Only Jody treats me like a human being.”

  “Oh, and a baby isn't a human being?” Sam teased.

  Fiona
laughed and stuck out her tongue at Sam, who tweaked her nose in response.

  “I suppose I'll have to come up with a plan,” Sam said, keeping an eye on the door. “We have to get out of here, but I don't want those men to see us. They might still be waiting out there. But I also have to warn Ger and Lucy.”

  “Don't you have a ce…. ah, I see, you have a cell phone,” Fiona said, watching Sam pull the item out of her pocket. “Good, I'm glad you’re one of those modern people,” she grinned.

  “Wise ass,” Sam answered, but she smiled. She speed-dialed a number and within seconds she was speaking to Lucy.

  “Lucy, it's me, listen. I’m in the shop at the corner and I have Fiona here with me. We….no, she's alright…yes, she did, right away.” Sam winked at Fiona. “No…Lucy…Lucy, listen, please, I’ll explain later. I want you and Ger and your mom to walk to your car. Take your time, alright? No, I do have a plan. Walk to the car and you'll see…. What? Yes, they’re still out there. No…. okay, we'll see you there. …It's okay, Luce, I can deal with your mom, don't worry. See you in a bit.”

  “She talks too much, doesn't she?” Fiona said with a smirk.

  “So do you,” Sam replied, which made Fiona laugh. “Come on, we’ve got to get moving.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “Something I’ve always wanted to do.” Sam walked toward the counter, where an elderly woman looked at her with an expectant expression on her face.

  “Hi,” Sam greeted her. “Those ballcaps behind the counter, are they hanging on a nail?”

  The woman looked at her, totally astounded by the unexpected question and for a few seconds she couldn’t answer.

  Sam continued. “If they are, I’d like to buy them. All of them, but I also need the nails.”

  Apparently, the shop’s owner was more than happy to sell all the ballcaps and accompanying nails. She didn’t ask any question, but did sent Sam a few curious glances.

  “Do you remember what I told you, Fi?” Sam asked. She looked Fiona straight into her eyes.