As the woolliness of my mind cleared I began to sort through the situation. I was alive and alone. I was damaged but not crippled. I'd worry about who and why later. Dealing with it was next. I figured I wasn't really alone and any noise would bring my captor immediately. I wasn't crippled because someone needed me to be mobile. I had to get away before whoever it was came back. I moved my feet and legs slowly and hit a wall. Then I wriggled across so that I was lying full length along it.
Backing up I hit another wall at right angles and wedged myself in the corner. Pushing with my feet I gradually sat up. I could feel that the wall was made of corrugated iron. And it had small holes in it. Nail holes? I felt around for torn metal. If there was any I had a chance to cut through whatever was tying my hands together. Anyway I had far more leverage to kick out with my feet from the position I was in now if the bloke came back. Even tied up that gave me some chance.
I felt round behind me and breathed out in relief. There was a small tear in the steel. I reckoned from the pain they were causing that I was tied up with cable ties. If I could saw across one with the sharp-edged steel, I could get loose quickly. And I needed to. The ragged steel made a mess of my wrists and the blood was making it more difficult as the ties slipped. Then they were cut and my hands were free.
I used my sleeve to try to mop up the blood that had dripped into my eye from a cut on my forehead and was starting to climb to my feet when the door opened. The blonde man stood silhouetted against the car park lights. I'd heard him coming just in time to put my hands behind my back again. I dropped my head and let it roll about.
`Now we talk,' he said in a middle European accent. I groaned still keeping my head down. I needed him to come within reach of my feet. If I missed the first time, I was history. He came closer and kicked my feet. Not close enough. I groaned again. He leaned over me. I reacted, pulling both legs to my chest, and lashed out. He flew backwards fetching up against the door jamb with a sickening thud and lay still.
Only for a few seconds, but it gave me enough time to launch myself at his head and jab my fingers into his eyes. He screamed as I felt the soft tissue under my fingers and lashed out blindly. I grabbed his throat and crashed his head against the door frame again and again until he was still. I sat on his chest while I fished around in his pockets looking for a knife. Because of his scream there would be people here any minute and I had to get away before then.
He had a small pocketknife and a packet of ties in one pocket, and a large pistol in another. I took those and a set of keys with a remote. I cut myself loose, quickly tied his hands and feet, pocketed the pistol and left him in there, closing the door behind me. Some men from the pub were approaching so I strolled up to them.
`Did you hear someone screaming?' asked one bloke.
`No, but there was a car with loud music on, just before. Might have been that.' I wandered away keeping my bloody hands in my pockets and trying not to limp.
Anna's car was where I left it. I checked the time. It was after ten. I'd arrived at the pub around six. There was a low-slung Mercedes sports car parked in a dark spot nearby. The remote opened it. I pocketed the hire car agreement I found in the glove box. It was made out to Luka Mladenovic. He'd been riding shotgun for his older brother.
Had he contacted Bentford and told him he'd sprung the ex-boyfriend? It didn't matter if he had. It didn't mean that our sting had been uncovered. It didn't mean Anna knew I'd stick around. Or that they were being recorded. So I still believed we were in good shape.
But had Bentford gone back to the farm with Anna? I hoped so. If he hadn't…I didn't want to think of that. I decided he probably had or he wouldn't have needed an outrider in the area. He wouldn't have stopped in Marysville at all. I took the punt. I'd go back there. Before I did, I needed to remove Luka from the equation. There was room for two in Billy's new stall. As soon as the carpark was empty. I drove Anna's car around to the shed and backed it up to the door. Luka was still slumped on the floor of the shed. I checked his pulse. He was still alive. Good. We might have that talk he was so interested in.
I shoved my handkerchief into his mouth as a gag and despite the excruciating pain from my stomach I manhandled him into the back of the car. My head wasn't doing too well either. I drove quietly up the mountain and switched the lights off when I turned into Anna's road.
That was when I realised that Anna and Bentford had been back at the house for two hours. Had they noticed that her car wasn't there? It was kept at the side of the house where it was dark so while she would have noticed when she went to check the horses as she inevitably would have done, Bentford may not.
But I couldn't put it back. The tyres on the gravel would be a dead giveaway. And in the morning it would be obvious even to him that it wasn't there. If he went out with Anna to see the horses in the morning that is. There was nothing I could do except hope that she'd cover for me and keep him away.
Meanwhile I had to get his shit of a brother into the barn so he could share a stall with the crook he'd hired. After last summer, the continued invasion of Anna's place by these lowlifes was getting monotonous. I didn't know how to truss Luka up as well as Anna could but I did my best and reckoned he wouldn't be getting untied any time soon.
Ilic's eyes bugged out when he saw Luka. Whether with surprise or fear I didn't know and didn't care. I was heading back to the UTV shed when I head a hiss from the bushes.
`Harry?' It was Anna.
I swung around with my finger to my lips.
She came up to me. `Where's my car?' she whispered, peering at me in the gloom. Her eyes opened wide. `What happened to you?'
I beckoned her to follow me to the barn. She stared in amazement at Luka. `Who is that?'
`That is Luka Mladenovic, the younger brother of Michael Bentford, your gentleman friend. And a nasty piece of work he is too.'
`Did he…?' She peered at my bloodied face. I kept my damaged wrists out of sight. There was nothing she could do while Bentford was still in the house so it was better she didn't see them.
`Yes. Anyway, we now have him and I plan to keep him. He wanted to have a chat with me and was prepared to do me significant harm to make me have one. Now I want to have that chat. When he's feeling better, that is. I don't have your skills in bondage but I think he'll have trouble getting out of that.'
`Wait here,' she said and vanished to return with more rope and some duct tape. Luka woke up as she did her thing. She hissed something into his face and together we watched his arrogance slip into fear.
As we walked away, I whispered to him, `she's a Mladenovic, too. Remember that.'
We crept back to the UTV shed and I asked how the evening went. It was bizarre asking how dinner went with an international crook as if I were at a tea party. Her teeth flashed white in the starlight.
`Tell you later. I have to get back.' I must have started because she quickly said, `no I'm not sleeping with him.'
There was one thing that intrigued me. `How did you know I was here? Did I make much noise?' I was afraid Bentford would start looking around if he'd heard anything.
`I didn't. I knew you were gone because my car was gone. There was a bit of noise. Nothing I couldn't explain away which is why I'm out here. Where is it?'
I pointed to the road. `Did Bentford know it was gone?'
`Don't think so. And I'll have to figure out how to get it back in before he does. Don't worry, I'll sort it in the morning.'
I was in the UTV shed before she made it back to the house. Bentford called out as she arrived back.
`Anything to report?'
`No, just a restless horse. No problem.'
He wouldn't be expecting any problems either because he knew that his shit of a brother was hanging about ready to stamp on them. I wondered again if Luka was simply the executioner. Michael could keep up his suave sophisticated appearance while little brother hired and or performed all the dirty work of organised crime.
I needed sleep. The crack on the head had left me alternatively dizzy and nauseous and sleep had been limited over the last few days. I lay down, one ear open as Anna announced she was going to bed. As I expected Bentford made an overture now that her boyfriend had gone…I was proud of her acting ability as she simpered that it was just a bit too soon for that sort of thing. She neatly left open the possibility that a little perseverance might pay off for him if he was patient. All without getting his back up. Nice.
I dabbed at the dried blood on my face and wrists with water from my supply. My crumpled handkerchief doubled as a bandage and I hoped it was clean enough to discourage any of the more aggressive bugs that enjoy feasting on raw flesh. That done, I pulled the blankets over me and when silence settled inside the house, I closed my eyes. I was cold and uncomfortable all night, but it was full daylight when I awoke. I jumped to my feet and gasped at the pain in my stomach. I checked it out. The imprint of Luka's foot was turning black already.
I stuck my head out to see if Anna had got her car in from where I'd left it on the roadside. She hadn't. Or if she had it wasn't where it usually was. I crept out to the edge of the parking area. Just in time to see her driving in and parking alongside Bentford's Mercedes. I had no idea what her plan was so I went straight back to the shed.