16

As the Ford disappeared around the corner I got out and walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Unlike the day before at Brian Schultz's place I heard it ring deep in the bowels of the house. A minute later the door opened a crack and half a face with one small brown eye and a bald pate with a bushy fringe of white hair appeared.

I smiled and said, `I'm sorry I'm early. I'm Kyle Lynch. I rang this morning. I spoke to your wife. About an article I'm writing?'

`She's not here.'

`Oh? She said to come today. Will she be back soon?'

`Yeah. You'd better come in.'

It didn't feel promising but any complaints would be fielded by the weaselly Lynch so I wasn't concerned. He led me down a dingy passage through an equally dingy kitchen to an add-on sunroom. It had louvred glass windows with a half wall of fibre cement, and rattan tiles on the floor. It also faced north and was boiling hot from the afternoon sun.

Fortunately there was a large, noisy fan on a stand that was on full blast. Unfortunately the large TV playing a popular soap was on high volume. He pointed at a cane tub chair to one side and dropped into one of a pair of soft low chairs directly in front of the TV. He showed no interest in me whatsoever.

After a few minutes I attempted to get his attention by clearing my throat. That failed so I spoke directly to him. Loudly.

`Er…Mr Graham?'

He ignored me.

`Mr Graham, I wanted to ask you why you retired so early.'

There were heavy steps behind me and a loud woman's voice said, `Because they told him to and he was too stupid to ask why. That's why. And you're early, Mr Lynch.'

I stood up and turned to meet Mrs Ron Graham. She stood, arms akimbo looking daggers at me then turned to Ron, who quailed before her.

`Turn that bloody television off, Ron. We've got visitors. You are Mr Lynch, aren't you? If you'd come on time I'd have had the tea made so now you'll have to wait.' She marched out of the room. I could see why Ron quailed.

His shoulders hunched under his ears as he turned off the TV and dropped back into his chair, not once meeting my eyes. A beaten man, Ron Graham. And possibly a dead one very soon if, as I suspected, he knew anything about that day thirteen years ago.

In a few minutes Mrs Graham stuck her head around the kitchen doorway. `Milk? Sugar?' she roared.

She reappeared minutes later carrying a tray with three mismatched mugs on it. She handed one each to Ron and me and put the tray down on the small coffee table before settling her large body into the other soft chair.She sipped her tea and looking over the top of the cup, appraised me like a predator checking prey.

`Now, what do you want to know?'

I'd been a journalist for over twelve years and I'd rarely felt more intimidated by an interviewee. That included dictators and robber barons. I pulled out my notebook slowly to gain some composure.

`Ah, thank you Mrs Graham, I really—'

`Call me Joy,' bellowed the lady as her husband cringed even more. Not a lot of that here, I thought.

`Er…Joy—'

`I'll tell you why I think those bastards forced Ron out—'

`Please, Joy, I don't think Mr…er—'

`I don't care what you think Ron, you just let them run all over you.' She put her mug down and turned to me. `I think they didn't want him around after that bloke got killed in case he saw something he shouldn't.'

`I told you, Joy, I never saw anything. I told them that too. Look Mr…er…she's got this all wrong.' He turned to her. `If you say this kind of thing in front of the wrong people you'll get me shot too.'

`There, see,' bawled Joy. `Did you know one of his mates got shot just a few weeks later. A bullet in the head just like the bloke he was minding that day. I reckon they knew he seen something and had him done like.'

`No—'

She turned back to Ron. `I reckon it's only because they thought you were too stupid or too scared to open your mouth that the same thing didn't happen to you. So they kicked him out of the only job he'd ever had, the one that he loved and sent him into —' She waved at the room.

I was astonished to hear a choke in her voice and to see her eyes glisten with tears. Whatever her personality failings Ron's wife loved him.

`Nowhere land. He was told he'd lose his pension if he worked anywhere else but what they were really saying was sit quiet or you're dead, mate.'

Ron Graham sat for a minute or more with his head drooping onto his chest before he looked up straight into my face and smiled slightly. `She's making it up. It wasn't like that. I didn't see anything and I wasn't bulldozed. I wanted to retire early. I was sick of the job. Working all hours, insulted all the time, seeing the nasty side of the world. I asked to retire. That's God's truth.'

I face the pair of them. One passionate, one resigned. But I'd already heard the fear in Ron Graham and the hostage speech he'd just given me wasn't even slightly convincing. Ron Graham may or may not have seen anything but whoever was running things wasn't taking any chances. Now with it all heating up again his life was about to be forfeit. It was time for me to warn this unlikely pair.

`Ron, you hear from Brian Schultz lately?'

I was unprepared for their response. Joy slammed her mug onto the coffee table splashing tea everywhere, and Ron dropped his. They both looked at me but Ron looked quickly away.

`No,' he muttered staring at the floor.

Joy was tougher. `Why do you ask?'

`He was murdered recently.'

Again their heads came up, bleak terror on both faces.

Joy was the first to speak. `I didn't hear that anywhere.'

`No, it's being kept low key. You knew him didn't you, Mrs Graham.'

`Yes,' she whispered.

`How?'

`Don't say anything Joy, I'm telling you. What if he's—?'

Joy Graham stared at me in terror. `Have you come to kill us? Are you one of them?'

`No, I'm not. I'm trying to find out who killed that man thirteen years ago. The one you and Brian were minding that day. I think they killed Brian because they feel threatened again now, and I think they're going to kill you next. I want to help you.'

`I told you Ron. I always said they'd come after us one day. That you were lucky you weren't killed back then like Jim was.'

Ron Graham looked straight at his wife saying softly, `It wasn't luck, Joy love, I agreed to quit and hide for the rest of my life because I knew they'd kill me, and you too.' He climbed out of his chair and walked over to her bending to kiss her cheek. `I couldn't let that happen could I, love?'

She burst into tears. `And now they're coming for us, aren't they?'

`Maybe,’ I said, ` but they're not going to find you. Pack a few things into a couple of small bags, we're leaving.'

For the second time in little over a week I was gathering people up and taking them to what I hoped was safety. Joy and Ron Graham could move in with Maggie and her brood in the only safe place I knew. Rocco's Wallan farm. I had a fair idea of what he'd think of a copper, even an ex-copper, living at his place, but I didn't care. These bastards were not going to kill any more people if I could help it.

Half an hour later after a phone call to their daughter to say they'd couldn't make the sixteenth birthday party on Saturday, we headed for Wallan. It took far longer than I expected to get there despite using major highways. I was amazed at how many people commute from what were once country hamlets. Navigating that volume of traffic every day would have me inside an institution in a week.

The light was fading when we rolled up to Rocco's gate. I got out to open the gate but as I reached for it a shot rang out. I dropped to the ground and crawled back to the car, yelling to the Grahams to keep down. I crept along the side of the car and stepped out into the headlight's beam, my hands in the air. I hoped Kayla would recognise me.

`It's me, Harry, Kayla!' I yelled. No shot rang out but I stood completely still to give her a chance to check me out. I yelled again and a shadow moved out of the darkness of the carport onto the drive proper.

`It's me, Harry. Can you let me in Kayla, please?'

The figure moved closer carrying the gun pointed straight at me. I was actually relieved that she was prepared to shoot any suspicious person. She was joined by another shadow. It was the dog, Betty. They were joined by yet another.

Maggie's voice rang out. `Harry?'

`Yes, can I come in?'

Kayla yelled back. `Just you. Leave the car and get through the fence next to the gatepost. Keep your hands up too.'

I did as she asked. Her presence of mind was exactly what was needed. I walked slowly towards my sister and her daughter with my hands raised and stood still while the dog sniffed me.

`Are you alone, Harry?' asked Maggie. `If there is someone holding you hostage just lower your head once and raise it again.'

Wow. I was impressed. They'd thought of everything. I stood still. `No. But I have two more refugees to hide here. They're not armed or dangerous. Can I bring them in?'

`Yes,' said Kayla, `but leave the car outside. They'll have to get through the fence too.' I noted she hadn't lowered the gun.

The Grahams struggled through the fence and as we made our way to the house I told Maggie about them.

`He was one of the cops minding Evan and is on an assassination list. There'll be no more, at least as far as I can tell.'

I decided not to tell them about Schultz's death. I didn't want to terrorise them and I didn't want Kayla taking on any blame. She had more than enough on her emotional plate already.

I left twenty minutes later leaving the Grahams surrounded by my noisy family and tucking into soup and toast. I'd already asked them to write down everything they knew, thought or believed about that day no matter how far-fetched it seemed. Ron also had information about police comments before, during and afterwards as well. Some of that might be useful, too.

I was slow blinking by the time I reached home. Both the house and the caravan were dark. I left Trent's surprise lying under the trailer cover for the night and crept into the house. I didn't realise how tense I was until I breathed out after hearing Anna's gentle snores. Until then I hadn't realised I'd been holding my breath.