The Reef

by Lois Kay

  “No, Pete,” Trishia answered patiently. “I’ll let you know when I do. Okay? Just keep driving.”

  Very slowly he steered the car through the next corner, ready to either step on the gas if needed, or quickly back up. The image of his two coworkers, shot through the head, was burnt into his memory. It made him angry, sad, but also very scared. He had a wife and two children and didn’t want to end up dead. Executed, just like that. “It’s been quite a day already, hasn’t it?” he spoke to settle his own nerves and make some small talk.

  “Yup, it sure has,” Trishia answered. The image of a pair of dark-green eyes floated through her mind.

  Peter glanced aside and smiled. He had been working as Trishia’s partner for close to a year now and they had developed a close friendship. He trusted her with his life and knew the feeling was mutual. After trying to set her up with some of his friends, he had discovered she wasn’t attracted to any of them and one evening, while they were driving around town and everything was quiet, he had boldly asked her about her sexual orientation. Trishia had been silent for a few minutes and when Peter thought she would never respond to him, she had turned to him and confessed she was gay. She had asked him if had a problem with that. Peter, a friendly down to earth man, had shaken his head and smiled. No, of course he had no problem with it. It would give them the opportunity to check out women together, he had joked. Ever since that evening, their working relationship had turned into a solid friendship.

  “What about that dark-haired girl?” Peter asked. He couldn’t entirely hide the smirk on his face.

  “Which one?” Trishia answered innocently. “I know a lot of dark-haired women.”

  “You know the one,” Peter said. He wasn’t aware that, ever since the connection with Sam had been broken, they had been put on speaker phone. “The gorgeous one you spent a long time protecting with your body this morning.”

  “That’s what I do, Pete, protect and serve.” Trishia glanced aside. “I thought we were in the same line of work.”

  Peter laughed. “You’re so funny. But you know that’s not what I mean. What’s up with her?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out, my friend. There seemed to be...something there, between the two of you.”

  Trishia laughed. “You’re seeing things, Pete. I told you not to drink Four X anymore, it’s poison. Do me a favor, drink Foster’s or stick to water.”

  “Yeah, right.” Peter snorted. “You can deny it as much as you like, Senior Sergeant Waters, but I’m not blind.”

  “Just ignorant,” Trishia quipped. “You’d better shut up now, Pete. I think I see the car Sam was driving. There, it’s hidden in the bushes.”

  * * *

  Back in the office a couple of police officers chuckled over the conversation between their coworkers, but the piercing glance of their Inspector quickly shut them up. Inspector Wong glanced at Lucy and saw the blush spreading over her face. Inwardly, she sighed at Peter Jones’ stupidity.

  “Does anyone want some coffee?” she asked, avoiding Lucy’s eyes.

  “I’ll get some,” Lucy volunteered, glad to be able to escape the scrutinizing gaze of Fiona and the surprised one of Jody. She was totally avoiding her mother.

  “I’ll give you a hand,” Jody offered. She got up from her chair, glad to have something to do.

  Together they walked toward where they knew was a small kitchen. As soon as they were in the hallway, Jody put her hand on Lucy’s arm, turning her so she had to face her.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. The concern in her voice was evident.

  “Funny, I should ask you that question,” Lucy answered.

  Jody smiled. “I will be as soon as Sam’s back.” She breathed in deeply. “Luce…is…I mean…Aren’t you bothered by what Pete said?”

  Lucy stared at the blinking lights of a vending machine, deliberately avoiding Jody’s eyes. “I don’t know,” she finally confessed. “Listen, Jody, this is a very strange place and situation to discuss a thing like this. Okay? I mean, is something happening here, inside, whenever she looks at me? Yes, there is. I don’t understand it either.” Lucy laughed and shook her head in disbelief. “It happened the first time I saw her, which was at your apartment the morning after the burglary. And then she was here when I came running in after the shooting. Maybe it’s the stress. Like in the movie ‘Speed’.” She paused for a moment and let out a soft laugh. “They weren’t together for the sequel, by the way.”

  Despite the situation, Jody had to laugh. She took Lucy’s hand and pulled her toward the kitchen area. “You’re crazy, you know that, right?”

  “It shouldn’t be a surprise, though,” Lucy said. “You know I never committed to either side of the fence.” She chuckled. “Besides, have you looked at the woman? I mean, really looked?”

  “No, I’m sorry. I only have eyes for Sam,” Jody answered. She swallowed away her tears.

  “C’mere, sis,” Lucy said. She pulled Jody into a hug. “It’s going to be alright. Okay? Just wait and see. Before you know it they’ll all be back here; Sam, Megan, Trishia. And when they do, dinner is on me. Okay?”

  “I’ll hold you to that,” Jody sniffed. “Although dinner may have to wait until after that shower.”

  Lucy chuckled and rubbed Jody’s back. “Hey, how freaked out do you think Dad will be when I end up with a girlfriend?”

  * * *

  While the sun was relentlessly beating down on her, Sam tried not to think about how thirsty she was. The walk had taken her longer than she had anticipated and instead of it being a good exercise, it had been proven difficult and painful. The surface of the track was very uneven, littered with rocks and ruts created by past rainfall and lack of maintenance. Sam had to really watch where to put her feet. When she had accidentally stepped into a hole, a burning pain had shot through her leg. She was limping, trying to forget the pain, heat and thirst and was swatting at the persistent, annoying flies that seemed to be everywhere. Finally, after what had felt like a marathon, but could not have been more than a kilometer, a gruff voice unexpectedly called out to her.

  “Stay where you are! Put your hands behind your neck and spread your legs.”

  “That should have been my line,” Sam mumbled, knowing it was better to obey.

  “Any devices on you?”

  “Define ‘devices’,” Sam replied. “I have an iron plate in my leg. Does that count?”

  “You know what I mean, any bugs? Tracking devices?”

  Sam shook her head. What a stupid question. It’s not like she would tell them if she did. “The only tracking devices on me are my sneakers,” Sam snorted. She pointed at her comfortable New Balance shoes.

  Suddenly, a force pushed her from behind and she almost lost her balance.

  “Stop being such a smart ass,” Little Steven growled. “You’re not exactly in a position to be witty.”

  “I’m sorry. Must be a birth defect.” Sam knew full well she was aggravating the big man, but she was enjoying every second of it. “I’ve been told it’s a charming quality, though.”

  Another push. “Keep walking. And do yourself a favor and shut up.”

  Sam was led along a hardly visible trail and when the surrounding foliage thinned she found herself in front of a little shed, in the middle of a banana plantation.

  “Welcome to your hotel,” Little Steven grinned. He gave her another shove and pushed her through the door. Sam stumbled and would have fallen, but was grabbed by a pair of strong hands. She looked up in a face she only recognized from pictures.

  “Jenkins,” she breathed. “Nice to finally meet you in person. Now, where’s Megan?”

  “Right here, Sam.” Megan’s distressed voice came from a corner behind her. Sam turned around and when her eyes were getting used to the darkness inside, she could see the tear-stained face of Megan. Two long strides brought her to the bed in the corner and she knelt to envelope Megan in a heartfelt hu
g. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

  “No, they didn’t,” Megan answered. Her voice was shaking. “But I’m scared Sam. How’s Sarah? They said the house burnt down and— “

  “It didn’t,” Sam interrupted with a small smile. “Sarah’s fine, Meg. They all are.”

  Megan let out a deep breath. “Thank God,”

  “Hold on a little longer, okay? I’ll get you out of here.” Sam stood back up, ignoring the pain in her leg as she turned, giving the three men that were standing near the door an icy glare. “Now, gentlemen. How may I help you?”

  * * *

  “It looks like she walked down a narrow track, inspector,” Trishia Waters spoke into the phone. She was closely examining the path that lead straight through the banana trees. “There are fresh marks here.”

  “How do you know?” Peter asked. He looked at the area Trishia was examining. “This ground is so dry you could run a truck over it and not see any marks.”

  “Do you see those blades of grass? They’ve been stepped on recently. They’re still green and a bit moist. The sun will dry them out in less than an hour. She’s been through here alright,” Trishia patiently explained. “She’s also limping. She’s been putting more pressure on her left leg than her right.”

  “Holy crap, woman, how do you know all this stuff?” Peter shook his head, but there was admiration in his voice. “And don’t tell me you used to be a girl guide.”

  “I was, actually,” Trishia said. “But I grew up in Darwin and spent a lot of time with my best friend, who happened to be an Aboriginal. His granddad taught us how to track.” Trishia looked at the phone in her hand. “Inspector? Do you want us to keep following Sam?”

  “Yes, I do. I don’t have to tell you to stay out of sight, at least until we have a clear understanding of who is up there. Reinforcements are on the way and Trishia? Peter? Don’t forget we’re dealing with cop killers.”

  “I haven’t forgotten, Inspector. We’ll be careful,” Trishia promised. “Don’t worry.” Trishia put the cell phone in her pocket, leaving the connection open and looked at her partner. “Come on, Pete. Let’s find those bloody crooks.”

  * * *

  Joe Michaels looked at the tall woman in front of him. Her cold glare was slightly unnerving. He squared his shoulders and tried to look at least as tall as she was, determined not to let her win the psychological war she had started.

  “You’d better behave, Stevens,” he said. “You’re not exactly in a position to call the shots.”

  “Talking about ‘shots’,” Sam began. The anger that rolled off her was almost palpable. “You really blew it when you decided to kill those cops, mate. There’s nowhere you can go in this country now, without having to look over your shoulder.”

  Joe Michaels looked at Sam with genuine surprise. His face was red and big drops of perspiration had formed on his forehead. “What the hell are you talking about?” he asked. He wasn’t pleased with the way his hostage took control of the situation.

  “There were two policemen watching the road up to Megan’s house. They were shot in the head. From behind,” Sam spat. “Don’t pretend you had nothing to do with that, asshole.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about? You’re lying.” Joe Michaels saw William Jenkins take a step closer and look at Sam in shock. He turned to Little Steven and when he saw the look on his face, he felt his whole body go numb. “Why?” he croaked. “Steve? What the hell?’’

  Little Steven shrugged and cast his boss an indifferent stare. “They were in the way,” he explained, as if he wasn’t talking about human lives.

  “They were cops! You good for nothing, fucking idiot!”

  Little Steven clenched his fists and took a step closer to his boss. The veins on his forehead were bulging and everybody could see the anger in his eyes. “You wanted me to do your dirty work for you. And I did. I’ve been chasing this bitch for days now. You wanted her. Well, you’ve got her. Don’t start complaining now. And I had to do it all by myself. That little weasel you saddled me up with was no good to start with. I should have wasted him when I had the chance. We’re in this together, Joe. You’re the boss, you called the shots. Your hands are as dirty as mine.”

  After Sam mentioned the death of the two policemen, William Jenkins felt sick to his stomach. He wondered how he could ever have been so stupid as to get involved with Joe Michaels. He should have sought help when he had the chance, and not try and solve it all by himself. He should have contacted his boss, Richard Stevens and explained the mistakes he’d made. He probably would have lost his job, but might have been able to arrange something to pay back the money he had taken from the company to pay the debts he had accumulated while gambling. But now it was too late. There was no way back. Theft, arson, kidnapping and now murder. He looked from the two men who were still arguing, to Sam, who was standing next to Megan, her hand on the smaller woman’s shoulder in a silent display of support. Sam caught his glance and raised an eyebrow. She could tell the former manager of The Reef was up to something and she hoped he wouldn’t do anything stupid and get them all killed.

  Sam squeezed Megan’s shoulder and shifted her body, so it was in between her friend and the men who were still arguing. From the corner of her eye, she tried to see what William Jenkins was up to. At the same time, she focused on Joe Michaels and Little Steven, desperately wishing she was closer to the door.

  Suddenly, she saw a movement to her right. William Jenkins had moved toward the only door and had yanked it open. Without looking back, he bolted outside and started to run. He didn’t get far. Little Steven stepped outside the shed. Sam saw him his raise his gun and the scream that left her lips was silenced by the sound of two gunshots. With horror, Sam saw William Jenkins fall, face down. His legs twitched for a few seconds and then he was still. Dead still.

  His face a cold mask, Joe Michaels turned to Sam, who was still staring at the unmoving body of William Jenkins. “This is what I want you to do,” he said. His voice was trembling. “You will contact your family and have them pay two million Australian dollars. Pronto. If the money is not here by tomorrow evening, you’ll be tossed over the steepest cliff I can find. Got it?”

  Sam swallowed and with difficulty she tore her gaze away from the man who was lying outside. She could see the blood mix with the dust on the ground and the sight made her sick to her stomach.

  “You’ve made it very clear,” she answered, trying not to show her fear. “But how do I contact my family? I don’t see a phone here, or a computer. Besides, you said you would let Megan go. So, I think that, before I make any call or whatsoever, I want my friend here to be released. And I won’t do a damn thing until I get confirmation she’s safe.”

  “The plans have changed,” Joe Michaels responded. His eyes were cold and full of anger. “She’s staying.”

  Sam felt the anger rise and took a step closer to the man who was standing in front of her. Involuntarily, Joe Michaels took a step back.

  “Then I guess I changed my plans as well,” Sam’s voice was controlled but filled with fury. “No phone calls, no money. And we both know you need the money to get out of here. I don’t think the police will give up on cop killers. They’ll hunt your sorry ass down and make sure you’ll rot in jail for the rest of your life. And you know what? I really hope it will be a very long, healthy life.”

  Little Steven had stepped back inside and looked at Sam with a sneer. “Let me knock some sense into her, Joe.”

  “No, Steve. Don’t. I’ve got other plans. This operation has been bad from the start and right now it’s a real mess. We fucked up, mate. But I’m not letting her win, she’s made my life way too miserable lately. Let’s get the car and load them up. We’ll find a place to dump their bodies somewhere no one will ever be able to find them. Then we’ll get the hell out of the country. I’ve got some friends in Indonesia that will put us up until all of this blows over.”

  “Do you want me to waste them here?” L
ittle Steven asked. There was a menacing glint in his eyes.

  “No, we’ll make it look like an accident.”

  Behind her, Sam heard Megan whimper. Silently, Sam grabbed her hand in a firm grip. She was working on a plan, but knew they were running out of time. She had to do something and she had to do it quick. She knew Trishia and Peter were around somewhere. That, and the fact she had promised Jody to come back settled her racing heart and suddenly made her able to think clearly. “Megan, as soon as I say ‘run’, go for it,” she whispered in her ear. “Don’t hesitate, don’t look back, but run as fast as you can and don’t worry about me. Don’t use the track, but go for the banana trees. Try to disappear and go downhill. Head for the road, there are police officers down there.”

  “Let’s go,” she heard Joe Michaels say. Little Steven roughly grabbed Sam’s arm and pulled her toward the door. Sam looked at Megan and the expression on her face told her she had understood the instructions. Sam knew their chances of survival would significantly dwindle the moment they would get into a car with their kidnappers. She had to do something.

  Little Steven pushed Sam outside the door and toward the back of the shed where a Land Rover was parked. Joe Michaels and Megan were right behind them. When the door was opened and she was pushed toward the backseat, almost falling inside the vehicle, Sam noticed Little Steven turned around to look at Joe Michaels who was talking to him. Sam knew that was the chance she had been waiting for. She grabbed the door handle, pulled the door toward her and with a strength she didn’t know she possessed, slammed the door outward into Little Steven’s body, making him double over in pain. The surprise attack made Joe Michaels loosen the grip on Megan’s arm and when she heard Sam yell ‘run’, Megan pulled free and dashed for the banana trees.

  Sam had taken a step back and again had a hold of the door. When Little Steven scrambled to his feet, she slammed the door against his head. He fell backward and she heard him grunt when he hit the ground with an audible thump. Without thinking twice, Sam jumped in front of Joe Michaels, who was still recovering from the shock and before he realized what was happening, she had floored him with a vicious roundhouse kick, wincing in pain when her right leg connected with the side of his head. Without inspecting the amount of damage she had inflicted, Sam ran after Megan into the run-down banana plantation. She hoped it would take Little Steven at least a few minutes to shake off the collision with the door and Sam cursed herself for not grabbing his gun before she had run off. Her long legs ate up the distance and she was relieved when she felt big leaves surround her body, shielding her from the men at the shed. For the first time, she had entered the shed, she felt both she and Megan had a chance to survive their ordeal. Sam kept running downhill, keeping her ears and eyes open for Megan. She hoped she would make it to the road where Sam had stashed away the ugly, red Toyota.