The Reef

by Lois Kay

  “Thank you. I sound like a rambling idiot,” Lucy said.

  Chapter 18

  “But Jody, there's nothing wrong with going for a little walk,” Fiona whined. “I’ll stay around the house, I promise. I really need some fresh air, even if it’s hot. I'm suffering from cabin fever and feel like I’m going insane.”

  Jody shook her head at the teenage drama. “Why would you go insane?”

  “Because all the symptoms are here,” Fiona answered quickly. “I’m locked up, under a lot of stress, I’m extremely intelligent, but bored out of my mind.” She ticked off on her fingers. “That's all it takes to go stir crazy, I swear.” A soft chuckle from the veranda directed her attention to Sam, who was listening to the conversation between the two siblings, but was clever enough not to interfere.

  “Say something, Sam.” Fiona urged. She hoped Sam might be more willing to give in than her sister. A pair of twinkling blue eyes looked from Fiona to Jody and back again. Slowly Sam shook her head. “You might be extremely intelligent,” she grinned. “But I’m not suicidal. If I let you go out for a walk Jody will kill me.” Seeing the disappointment on Fiona’s face, Sam stood, took a step in her direction and put a comforting hand on Fiona's shoulder. “It's not safe, Fi.” The expression on Sam’s face was serious. “I know this place is pretty isolated, but there's no telling where those scumbags are and I don't think it would be wise to go off wandering on your own. But I promise you this: I’ll take you out for a walk later this afternoon. Okay? We can hike up the hill for a little while and you can get some fresh air.”

  Fiona shrugged her shoulders and stared at her feet for a while, before accepting Sam's offer.

  “Can I come too?” Jody asked with a little voice. She was pouting, but with eyes full of mirth. Sam frowned and looked at Fiona as asking her for permission.

  “I don't know. What do you think Fiona? Can she come with us? I can't remember if she's one of those girls who faint when they see wildlife. I really don't want to carry her back.”

  Fiona grinned. Her foul mood was forgotten as she looked at Jody’s indignant face and she felt the need to add more fuel. “I'm not sure, Sam,” she drawled. A frown was creasing her forehead. “I do remember one time when we were out camping and Jody came running out of the tent, screaming her head off, because there was 'something' crawling in her sleeping bag. It wasn't exactly cool, outdoor behavior, you know. She might have turned a little too much into a city girl.”

  “That ‘something' happened to be a red belly black snake, you little troublemaker.” Jody felt the need to explain, even though she knew Fiona was teasing her. “Had you been me, you’d have run just as fast, I'm sure.”

  Sam laughed and wrapped an arm around Jody’s shoulder. “You’d better watch out, Fi. My girlfriend can be quite the little spitfire.” She leaned in and kissed Jody's forehead. “Who got rid of the snake?”

  Fiona and Jody exchanged looks and suddenly burst out laughing. “Mom did,” Jody said. “She made us all stand back, grabbed a long stick and dragged the sleeping bag out of the tent. Bird was yelling at her not to kill the snake, because it wasn't his fault we decided to pick out that spot to pitch our tents. Fiona started arguing with him about how he could possibly know the snake was a ‘he’. I was yelling at Mom to be careful and Matthew was screaming at all of us to keep our mouths shut, because mom couldn't concentrate.”

  “I think the noise we made created so much vibration that the snake made a run for it,” Fiona smirked. “Or rather, a slither.” The expression on Fiona’s face turned serious. “So, it’s really true then?” Her gaze locked with Jody’s.

  “What is?” Jody asked.

  “You and Sam. Sam called you her girlfriend. You’re really together, like, together?”

  Sam and Jody exchanged a smile and nodded. “We are,” Jody said.

  There was a flicker of uncertainty in Fiona’s eyes. “She’s…You’re not leaving again, are you?” she asked Sam.

  Sam shook her head. “No, Red. I promise. The only way for your sister to get rid of me is to tell me to leave.”

  “And that’s not happening,” Jody said.

  Sam grinned and was about to make a comment when her cell phone started buzzing. With a shrug and an apologetic look, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and slid a finger across the screen. “Hello.”

  Jody and Fiona, who were both watching Sam's face, saw her face go pale, until she was as white as a sheet. Jody reached out and grabbed Sam's arm. Her eyes were dark with worry. They locked gazes and Jody saw Sam's clear blue eyes turning dark and distant. Sam didn't say much to the person on the phone. She nodded a few times and ended the conversation with a grim: “We’ll be there as soon as possible.” After she ended the call and tucked away her cell phone she looked at Jody. Seeing the concern on her face, her eyes softened. Gently she put a hand on Jody's shoulder and pushed her down in a chair. She crouched down in front of her.

  “What?” Jody swallowed hard. She knew something bad had happened.

  Sam took a deep breath. There was no easy way to break the news. “Brian has been shot,” she finally said.

  The healthy color on Jody's face rapidly disappeared and Sam could feel her fingernails dig into the palms of her hands.

  “They brought him to The Tweed Hospital and he's in surgery right now. His condition is critical. Apparently, he lost a lot of blood.” Sam sighed and rubbed her eyes in a tired gesture. “He was shot in the chest.”

  Jody's mouth was dry. She moistened her lips and tried to speak, but no sound came out. Her hands were still holding Sam's in a death grip and the freckles in her face vividly stood out against her pale skin. “W... What happened?”

  “According to witnesses there were two men were in the lobby. They were with Brian and were walking toward the exit when Brian fell and tried to kick one of them. The guy pulled a gun and shot him.”

  “The guy who was after me?” Fiona asked. Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

  Sam looked up into the face of the distressed teenager and although she didn't answer immediately, Fiona knew the answer.

  “Oh, shit.”

  “And the same one that was in my apartment?” Jody asked. Her eyes were wide.

  “I think so.” Sam let out a frustrated groan. “I’m sure it's all linked together.”

  “We should call the police and see if—”

  “It was Inspector Wong who called me, honey,” Sam interrupted. “She's at The Reef right now. There’s something else and I don’t know the details yet, but—” Sam felt like her world had turned upside down in a matter of minutes. “Lucy and your mom, they’re at the police station.” Sam paused. “They were there.”

  Even Jody’s lips had now lost their color. “Where? They were—?” She clasped her hands around Sam’s and held on tight. She briefly closed her eyes. “Are they okay?”

  “Yes,” Sam answered quickly. “They are unharmed. Like I said, I don’t know the details, but they were able to get out and went straight to the police station.” She managed to produce a tight smile. “They’re in a safe place and as soon as you’re ready, we’ll go and—.

  “I’m ready,” Jody interrupted. She released her grip on Sam’s hands and stood. “Let’s go. I need to see them. And I need to go to the hospital.” Her voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat. “Brian’s family lives in Darwin and his partner, Chris, he’ll need me to be there.” Jody looked at Fiona who was leaning against the wall. She looked like she was going to be sick. “Fiona?”

  Fiona brushed away the hair that was falling over her forehead and looked at Jody with a lost expression in her eyes. “I want to see Mom.”

  “And you will. You’re coming with us,” Sam immediately answered. “I’m not letting either of you out of my sight. Not until this whole mess is cleared up and over and done with.”

  Fiona looked relieved. She walked over to Jody and wrapped her arms around her, she needed her sister’s comfort. Jody retur
ned the hug and held Fiona close. There wasn't much left of the brash teenager with more guts than sense.

  Sam's cell phone rang again and with an impatient gesture she pulled it from its confines. “Lucy? I know, I talked to Inspector Wong. Did you...? ...Okay....right. No, they’re both here, with me and they’re coming with me. We'll be leaving right now. We’ll see you soon.” Sam took a step toward the door and almost lost her balance when a cramp shot through her leg.

  “Damnit.” She dropped in a nearby chair and rubbed the calf of her right leg. “It’s okay, just a cramp,” she said when she noticed Jody’s worried look.

  “Give me the keys, I’ll drive.” Jody held out her hand and knew Sam had to be in pain, because the keys were handed over without an objection. “Can you walk?”

  Sam nodded. “Give me minute.” She vigorously rubbed the offended area for a moment, before standing up. “Alright, let’s go.”

  * * *

  “Mom! What happened to you face?” were the first words out of Jody’s mouth when her gaze landed on her mother and Lucy who were sitting in front of a large desk. Before Joan McDonnell could respond, Fiona was by her side.

  “Did he do this to you?” she asked. Her voice was shaking with anger.

  “No, Red, we never made it inside the building,” Lucy started to explain, but Fiona interrupted her.

  “I’m not talking about the idiot with the gun.” Her eyes were blazing with an intensity Lucy and Jody had never seen. “I’m talking about Dad. Did he hit you?” she asked Joan McDonnell. She took her mother’s silence as an affirmation and with clenched fists she stood next to her. Her body was visibly shaking. “I’m going to kill him,” she said through clenched teeth.

  Jody and Sam exchanged a look, before Jody stepped toward Fiona, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the office into the hallway where she had seen a small waiting area. It was currently empty and without much preamble she pushed Fiona down into one of the chairs. She took a seat next to her and grabbed her arm to pull her back when Fiona tried to get up.

  “You’re not going anywhere right now.” Jody’s voice was calm, but firm. “Not until you’ve calmed down. I’ve never seen an outburst like that from you. What’s going on?”

  Fiona put her hands palm down on her knees and Jody could see she was trying hard to control the shaking. “Fiona?” Jody asked. She reached out and tucked a strand of Fiona’s long, dark hair behind an ear. “What are you not telling me?”

  “I hate him,” Fiona whispered so quietly Jody needed to strain herself to hear the words. “He’s a bully and he treats Mom like a piece of dirt,” she spat. “When he had the heart attack I….” She fell silent, but Jody didn’t interrupt. She knew Fiona needed to be the one to give voice to the feelings inside. “At first I was scared, because it all happened so fast and Mom was freaking out. But then, later, I couldn’t help thinking life would be so much better if he’d…if he’d died.” There was a quiver in Fiona’s voice. “But then I felt guilty and thought that if he’d die it would be my fault.” She angrily wiped her eyes. “And then the doctor said he’d be fine and I hoped things would be different. I hoped he’d have changed and would leave Mom alone, or, at least, be a bit nicer to her.” Fiona softly snorted. “I was wrong. He’s still a jerk.” Finally, she looked up and Jody saw the pain in her eyes. “I don’t want to go back there, Jody. I wish Mom would leave him.”

  Jody let out a shaky breath and wrapped an arm around Fiona, who immediately leaned into the touch. She rested her cheek on Fiona’s dark hair and closed her eyes. “Did he ever hit you?” she asked gently. Fiona’s body tensed and Jody felt a wave of sadness crashing over her. It made her throat constrict and filled her chest with heaviness. “Oh, Fi. I’m so, so sorry,” Jody whispered, not aware of the tears that was rolling down her cheeks, into Fiona’s hair. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”

  “He used to say that, one day, he’d successfully hit the sarcasm out of me,” Fiona sniffed.

  Jody bit her bottom lip and struggled to regain her composure. “Does Mom know?”

  Fiona shook her head. “No, I’ve never told her. I didn’t want to have to worry about me.” She looked up and shot a glance at Jody. “It’s not like he hit me every day, but—”

  “No matter how often he did, it was wrong,” Jody interrupted. “We’ll figure something out, Fi. I have a feeling Mom has reached her breaking point. I don’t think she’ll be going back to him.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Fiona muttered, burying her head against Jody’s shoulder.

  They sat like that for a long time, until Jody dropped a kiss on Fiona’s head and gave her a gentle shake. “You know, saying you’re going to kill your father in front of a police officer is not exactly a smart thing to do, right?”

  Fiona let out a soft chuckle. “I’m fourteen. I’m sure I’ll be able to get away with it.”

  * * *

  Despite the cool temperature of the operating room, the surgeon felt beads of perspiration form on her forehead. She and her team were racing against time to try and stop the excessive bleeding of the patient, while looking for the injuries that caused it. Taking her eyes from the bloody scene underneath her hands, her dark brown eyes looked for one of the nurses, who immediately understood the unspoken request and wiped the surgeon’s face with a soft cloth.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled, fully concentrating on her difficult and responsible task again. Dabbing the tissue underneath her hands with another sterile gauze her searching eyes finally found what she was looking for. “The spleen,” she said calmly, trying not to think about the fact that the life of the young man on her table was entirely in her hands now. “We have to take it out. Paul, clamp that splenic artery. Missy, what are his vitals?”

  The anesthesiologist looked at the hissing and beeping machines in front of her. “Temperature 36.2, Pulse 116, BP 78/49,” came the immediate response.

  “Get two more units of blood and squeeze in 500 ml of saline. We don't want him to go into shock.”

  The only sounds in the bright, cool room were produced by the machines that were guarding Brian's life, every now and then interrupted by a soft command or question from a member of the team. The surgeons worked fast. They lost all track of time, until finally, the damaged spleen was removed and the bleeding had stopped.

  “Okay people. Let's look him over one more time to make sure we didn't miss anything. Make sure his stomach, kidney, duodenum and colon are in one piece. It looks like it was only the spleen. What a lucky young man. Vitals, Missy?”

  “Temperature 36.1, Pulse 92, BP 91/ 68.”

  “Let's keep him stable, shall we? Right. It's up to you now, kiddo.” The surgeon squeezed Brian’s hand in a quiet gesture of support. “I want him in the ICU as soon as we’re done here. Is his family here?”

  “His partner, Chris,” one of the nurses said. She looked up and her eyes were dark with worry. “He’s one of our own. He works in Radiology.”

  Chapter 19

  “I can't believe you shot him.” The pitch of Fred’s voice was a higher than usual. “He’d already given us the money.”

  “Shut up, Fred. You know nothing. He was trying to take me out.”

  “You didn’t even lose your balance. You could have easily kicked him, you didn't need to shoot him!”

  “He would have been able to identify us, you moron. Are you really that stupid?”

  “No, you are,” Fred screamed. “Was this part of your plan all along? To shoot him? There were more people around, or didn't you see that? What was the plan? Shooting them all? Besides, there are security cameras all over that place. I’m pretty sure it’s only a matter of time before our faces are on the telly.”

  “He warned the bitch,” Little Steven barked. “We had a chance to get her and he was in the way. It's as simple as that. Or did you forget that Joe will feed us to the sharks when we screw up, huh? Did you forget?”

  “No, I didn't forget,” Fred snapped b
ack. “But how would you call what just happened? A smooth operation? We screwed up anyway, you idiot.”

  “Who are you calling an idiot?” Little Steven fumed. “I was trying to save your hide as well, you little shit!”

  “Yeah, right! And when did you start care about my hide? That's a first.”

  “I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut, Freddie,” Little Steven grumbled. “I can shoot you as easily as I shot him, and don’t you forget it. And it will give me much more pleasure doing it.”

  Fred shot a glance at the large man sitting beside him. He knew Little Steven wasn't making empty threats. But the violence he had witnessed had made him aware of the mistakes he had made joining as one of Joe Michaels's ' employees'. Without really thinking what to do next, he opened the door of the car. “I'm out,” he said. “I don’t want to have any part in this. You guys are crazy.”

  “Set one foot out of this car and I will shoot you,” Little Stevens sounded very calm and determined.

  Fred turned around and looked straight into the barrel of a gun that was pointed at his head. His face turned pale, but his eyes still shone with a determined fire. “You’ll probably do me a favor.” He laughed humorlessly. “Help me out of my misery.”

  “Or maybe I should go after your sister,” Little Steven grinned. His eyes were cold. “Don't look so surprised, Freddie. Or didn't you know that Joe does his homework? He knows all about your sweet Daddy and the reason why you ran away from home. He also knows you have a sister, a sweet, teenage sister. How would you like us to feed her to the sharks, huh? Of course, after we had some fun with her first.”

  Fred felt his whole body go cold. “You filthy, sick son of a bitch.” His eyes were wide with horror. “Leave my sister out of this.”

  “Only if you stay put, Freddie my boy. Be good and listen to what I say. The choice is yours.”

  Fred felt the tears in the back of his eyes and he desperately tried to blink them away, not wanting his companion to see them. Slowly, very slowly he sank back into his seat, closing the door with a soft click.