Broom for One More

by Morgana Best

  “Are you going in the run tomorrow?” I asked him.

  “Yes,” he said. “It’s a bit sad, though, what with Chase’s death and all that. He used to like to run it every year. He always tried to beat his best friend, Nico, and he always did.” He broke off and laughed. “I’m sure Chase used to run just a little in front of Nico, simply to taunt him. It’s a shame about Nico’s wife, Helen.”

  That was the first I had heard about Nico’s wife. “Is something wrong with her?”

  His face flushed red and then he said, “I really shouldn’t say, but she’s an alcoholic. Nico dotes on her, though. He’s tried to get her help, but it just doesn’t work.”

  “I wonder why she’s an alcoholic,” I said. “Aren’t they happily married or something?”

  He shook his head. “I think they are happily married. I have no idea why she’s an alcoholic. Anyway, nice to see you all again.” He stood up and joined the line to get off the boat.

  “What do we do now?” Oleander asked me. “Do we catch the ferry straight back?”

  “No, that wouldn’t look good,” I said. “If Adrian is the murderer, it will make him suspicious. We need to do some sightseeing. Come on, I’ll buy you both lunch.”

  “It’s only nine in the morning,” Athanasius pointed out.

  “All right, how about some coffee?”

  Their faces lit up.

  Chapter 18

  “You know, Goldie, it was most impressive how you made the sea calm. That was you, wasn’t it?” Athanasius clasped his hands and leant forward on the wooden table.

  I smiled widely. “Yes, it was. It was very fulfilling. I’m glad I’m finally coming into my powers. I’m sure I have other powers, only I don’t know what they are yet.”

  Oleander patted my hand. “You’ll find out soon enough. Right now, you’re doing a good job of influencing the weather.”

  We were sitting at a café not far from the beach. It was a most appealing scene, the café behind us that made good coffee, while we were sitting at wooden tables and chairs under umbrellas in bright colours of yellow and red. Wild kangaroos were scattered around the grassed area that led down to the pretty sandy beach. There was neither a snake nor a goanna in sight.

  “Don’t look now, Goldie,” Oleander said, “but is that man following us?”

  I made to turn around, but Oleander grabbed my wrist. “I said not to look around,” she hissed.

  “If I don’t look around, how will I know who he is?” I said.

  “You have a point. Why don’t you go inside and order food for all of us, and steal a look at him then?”

  “What would you like?”

  Athanasius and Oleander looked at the menu.

  “My treat, of course, since I twisted your arms to come here,” I added.

  They both smiled and thanked me. “I’d like the caramelised apples with cinnamon and maple syrup, please,” Athanasius said.

  “Yes, I’d like that, too, Goldie. This coffee is really good.”

  “Would you like me to order some more coffee?”

  Oleander laughed. “No, it wasn’t a hint. This one cup will do me fine.”

  I got up from the table and made my way back to the building to order. As I walked, I cast a surreptitious look at the man, and did my best not to gasp. He was the one who had come to Max’s house the night before and had seemed rather annoyed to see me there.

  I lined up, and then when it was my turn, I ordered, and then I made my way back to the table, avoiding looking at the man this time.

  “You recognise him?” Oleander whispered.

  I nodded. “You remember that I mentioned that a man came to my house when Max just happened to be there and asked Max to go with him?”

  They both nodded. I pushed on. “Well, that’s him! And I just happened to be around at Max’s house last night…”

  Athanasius gasped. “You were at Max’s house last night?”

  I nodded and then shook my head. “Yes, well, no. Actually, I didn’t know it was Max’s house. I was taking Persnickle for a long walk on a different route, and when we got to one of the houses on the canal, he ate a garden gnome under a palm tree. I’m so sorry, Oleander, it was the one you had given Max. He was awfully distraught about it.”

  Oleander’s face fell, but then she added, “No worries! I’ll buy him another one just like it.”

  I smothered a giggle. “That’s very kind of you. Anyway, Max came out to see what all the commotion was about. He invited me inside and Persnickle got drunk.”

  I was about to say more, but Athanasius interrupted me. “Persnickle got drunk?”

  I shrugged. “Yes. He somehow got up and knocked over the cask wine and drank a bit of it. Anyway, Max rustled up a quick dinner while I waited for Persnickle to sober up, and the man came to the door. He acted like I shouldn’t have been there, and then they both went outside and had an argument.”

  “Did you hear what they were saying?” Oleander asked me.

  “No, I didn’t, but Persnickle had somewhat recovered by then, so I took him home. I wonder what it was all about?”

  “He looks like a cop to me,” Athanasius said. “Perhaps Max is under some sort of investigation. You said he was on leave, didn’t you?”

  I nodded. I knew Max’s department was under investigation, but I had been sworn to secrecy.

  “Maybe Max is being investigated for something and that man is following him,” Athanasius said.

  “Then why is he following me?” I said. “I don’t like it. He even came to my house, which I think is quite rude.”

  “Why don’t you ask Max who he is?” Oleander said.

  I twisted about in my seat. “Max hasn’t volunteered the information, so I don’t like to ask him.”

  Oleander was persistent. “Why don’t you like to ask him?

  I shrugged. “I just don’t like to ask him. I feel bad and pushy.” To change the subject, I said, “Do either of you know anything about Stradbroke Island?”

  To my relief, they were easily distracted.

  “Yes, it’s most interesting,” Athanasius said. “It involves one of your ancestors.”

  “It does?” I asked him. “I didn’t know that.”

  “He was a sea witch,” Oleander said. “He was coming out from Port Glasgow on the Cambus-Wallace, a seventy-five metre steel barque. It all happened in 1894.”

  “What happened?” I asked, impatient to hear about my ancestor.

  “North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island are now separated by a huge channel,” Athanasius continued, “but back in 1894, the distance between them was only about twenty feet.”

  “You’re showing your age now,” Oleander said. “Get with the program, Athanasius. We use metres now, not feet, and have ever since Australia changed to metric in 1974.”

  Athanasius simply shrugged. “Who’s telling the story?” He smiled and continued. “Anyway, the Cambus-Wallace was sailing along happily, but it ran aground in heavy seas just off Stradbroke Island. Most of the crew got to shore, but six men perished. The ship completely broke up. The cargo was whiskey and dynamite. One of the stories says that the explosives were deliberately detonated, and another story says the dynamite was unstable and eventually detonated.”

  “Which one was it?” I asked, intrigued.

  Both Oleander and Athanasius shook their heads. “Neither,” Athanasius said. “The ship wasn’t carrying explosives at all. Your ancestor was one of the survivors who swam to shore. He was a sea witch, of course. He’d been followed by another witch who was on the steamer, the South Australian. This other witch, seeing the shipwreck, thought that was an opportune time to attack him, figuring he had been weakened in the shipwreck.

  They had an enormous witch battle, which had the same effect as an explosion. Your ancestor was successful. No one knows what happened to the other witch, because he was never seen again, but the result was that large craters were left on the beach. Unfortunately, the beach was
severely damaged. Two years after that, there was a cyclone that further eroded the beach, and that’s why now there is a wide channel. You can blame your ancestor for that.”

  “I’m sure he was only acting in self defence,” I said.

  Athanasius held up both hands. “Of course. I wasn’t actually blaming him personally for the erosion. Anyway, that’s why the big island was divided into two sand islands, North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island. All because of the sea witch, your ancestor.”

  “Wow, look at the giant pelicans,” Oleander said, as two pelicans waddled over to us.

  I smiled. “They remind me of Persnickle. I think they’re used to being fed just like the local kangaroos.”

  “It would be good to come back and explore the island one day when we’re not in the middle of a murder investigation,” Athanasius said.

  “I thought you never wanted to go to Stradbroke Island,” Oleander said.

  He shook his head. “Now that we have Goldie with us, we know it won’t be a rough crossing.” He beamed at me. “Goldie, Oleander and I have been talking, and…”

  “And you won’t like what we’re about to say,” Oleander chimed in.

  Athanasius frowned at her. “That’s no way to sell it to her, Oleander.” His tone was filled with disapproval.

  “I don’t like the sound of this,” I said. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Last night, Oleander and I made a list of suspects,” Athanasius said. He held up his hand and ticked off his fingers one by one. “Georgia Garrison, Bree Evans, Adrian Young, Nico North.”

  “Yes, what of it?” I arched my eyebrows.

  “They are all running in the East Bucklebury races tomorrow,” Athanasius said.

  A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. “So, what of it?”

  “Oleander and I think it would be a good idea if you went in one of the races.”

  I made to protest, but he continued. “It’s the only opportunity where all the suspects will be in the one place at the one time. Obviously, Oleander and I can’t run because we’re unfit, or we’d do it ourselves, but we think you should go because you’ll see all the suspects together, and see how they interact with each other.”

  “It seems a very bad idea to me,” I said firmly. “Besides, I can’t run five kilometres.”

  “Some people will be walking,” Oleander pointed out.

  “But how will that help?” I asked her. “The suspects will be running much faster than I will, so I can hardly run along next to them and chat. I really don’t see what you think I can find out. This is a shocking idea.”

  Both of them appeared undaunted. “They have runners-only areas where you can mingle after the event,” Athanasius said. “Look, time is ticking on and we still don’t suspect one person over another. We have to do something if we want to break this case open. Don’t you agree?”

  “I’m not fit,” I protested.

  “Surely you have running shoes,” Oleander said.

  “I do have my sneakers, I suppose.” I knew I was beaten. “Right, I will do this, but I don’t know what you think I’m going to find out, and I’ll probably have to walk most of the way.”

  Both Athanasius and Oleander beamed.

  Chapter 19

  “This is a crazy idea,” I muttered to myself after I paid for my entry. I looked around at all the fit people stretching and jogging on the spot. I hoped I wasn’t going to come last, but then again, Athanasius and Oleander had assured me that some people would be walking. I wanted to run faster so it would be over more quickly.

  Bree and Adrian were wearing numbers, and I positioned myself behind them at the start line. I knew everyone was going to run fast and soon leave me for dead. I was surprised to see Bree. Still, I supposed she wouldn’t be able to keep her trim figure without some form of exercise. And I had thought it had all been due to stomach stapling!

  Bree looked me up and down. “Goldie! I like what you’re wearing. I’m amazed you can actually run in it. Marchesa, isn’t it?”

  I nodded happily. “Yes, I thought this short dress went well over my shorts. And you’re wearing Stella McCartney?”

  She smiled. “I am. I thought it more suitable for running than Prada.” She looked at the crowd and scowled. “Everyone else seems to be wearing off-the-rack.” Her very pores exuded disapproval.

  I looked around to glare at Oleander and Athanasius, but they both gave me the thumbs up. It was too late to back out. Probably. Oh well, all I had to do was finish the race and then hang around in the after-run crowd. Oleander was sure that the lack of oxygen in someone’s head after a race would make them more likely to talk. It sounded like a crazy idea to me, but I was here now and I would have to make the most of it.

  I was glad the suspects, apart from Nico North, were running in the 5K race and not the Half Marathon or the 10k race. There was no way I could run more than 5K on a good day. I took a few deep breaths and consoled myself with the thought that the course was all flat.

  A man announced over the microphone that the race was about to start and asked everyone to get ready. Several people elbowed me in the ribs and I elbowed them back. The starting gun sounded, and everyone took off. Even if I had wanted to go faster, I wouldn’t have been able to, because I was struck in the middle of a tight crowd. Before too long, everyone spread out and I found myself at the back of the field. I looked behind me and was surprised to see a whole stream of people back up the road. That was somewhat of a relief, because I sure was running slowly and I hadn’t thought I would beat anyone home. I smiled to myself and kept going at a slow jog.

  Even though it was early morning, the Queensland sun was beating down upon me. I still hadn’t adjusted to the climate, coming from cold Melbourne. This Gold Coast heat was something else again, and then there was the humidity. Even my walks with Persnickle always left me hot, with my false eyelashes sticking together.

  I wondered where the first water station was. Luckily, it soon came into sight. I stopped to drink, but noticed other people were drinking while they ran and then throwing water over themselves. I grabbed another cup of water and tried to drink as I ran, which proved quite difficult. I gave up and threw the water over me. It was indeed refreshing, so I decided to use that technique from now on.

  I had lost sight of all the suspects, but I really didn’t care. All I wanted to do was finish the race.

  I realised this whole thing was entirely futile. How on earth did Athanasius and Oleander think I would be able to keep up with any of the suspects? I was sure it was a complete waste of time. I only hoped they were right about the suspects chatting to me after the event.

  I ran on even more slowly, and then ran through another water station. I slowed down to drink the water, but still found it hard to drink on the run. I came to a stop, gulped the water and then threw the rest over me. About fifty runners passed me, but I didn’t care. I certainly wasn’t going to win any prizes, not even one for my age group, especially as I had lied about my age and might have made myself a full ten years younger on the entry form.

  I kept running, wondering why some people said they ran for fun. There wasn’t anything enjoyable about it. My throat was on fire and my breath was coming in ragged gulps. I hoped I was approaching the finish line. Over half an hour later, I saw a sign that said 1K. I hoped that meant I only had one kilometre to go. I didn’t think this race would ever end. All I could think of was a nice cool shower and several cups of coffee, maybe even several glasses of wine.

  I kept running, but as I approached the water station, some of the people from the Netherlands passed in a crowd and pushed me over to the side. I thought of coming to a stop and waiting until they went past, but I wanted to get this race over with as soon as I could. After all, I’d be back soon and I could drink water at the finish.

  As I kept running, locals lined the side of the road, yelling encouragement. “You can do it,” a woman yelled at me and waved. I waved back.

/>   She was holding out a cup, which I thought was water. I took it from her and thanked her, but she screamed, “No!”

  “Sorry,” I yelled over my shoulder, and then I threw the water over my face.

  I screamed in pain. It was not water, but scalding hot coffee. I ran blindly, wiping the hot liquid out of my face. When I opened my eyes again, I saw a muddy puddle on the side of the road from the previous night’s rain. I knelt down and scooped the muddy water all over my face. It brought instant relief. I scooped up some mud and pressed it into my cheeks and at once the pain lessened.

  I stood up and the people from the Netherlands ran past me again. They were running quite slowly, so I dropped in behind them. I ran for another five minutes. Surely I should have been at the finish line by now? This was rather strange. I was certain I only had five hundred metres left to run when I’d had the coffee incident, and surely it wouldn’t take someone more than five minutes to run five hundred metres? Maybe I was running more slowly than I thought.

  I was disoriented, because there were mangrove swamps on both sides of the road and all the scenery looked the same. I hoped the Netherlands people weren’t lost, and heading into Southport or somewhere horrendously far away like that, but then other people wearing numbers ran past us. I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the 1K sign was a mistake.

  I looked at my watch. Fifty minutes. That was a long time to run five kilometres. There was nothing I could do but push on.

  My legs were aching and every breath hurt. I slowed down into a survival shuffle, something between a walk and run. I walked for a few steps, but felt if I kept walking I would collapse on the side of the road, so I forced myself back into a shuffle. Lots of people passed me.

  When I came to the next water station, I stopped and bent over, gasping for breath. “How much further is it?” I asked one of the ladies as soon as I could manage to speak. “Only two kilometres to go,” she said in an encouraging tone.

  Two kilometres? I must be running the slowest five kilometre race on record, but still, there were people behind me, so I didn’t feel too bad. I thanked her, drank two glasses of water and then threw another one over my face. I hope my face didn’t have scald marks from the coffee.