BY THE TIME the kids get home, evening is approaching. Bella leaps up to start ticking Janey off but Janey is waving the plan and, speaking over everyone else, tells them they have to see it.
But before she can get started, Bella spots Tich’s bloody arm. ‘What on earth’s been goin’ on?’ she demands. She insists on seeing to the injury before she looks at anything, sending Micky off for the first aid kit, and Dancer for some gum from the bloodwood tree in the back corner.
While she bandages Tich up, the kids tell the story of their encounter with Big Al. The old folk are outraged. But then Janey rolls out the map that Buddy took. ‘The resort’s only the first part of it,’ she tells them. ‘There’s a whole second stage that wasn’t in the planning application I saw in the files.’
Bit by bit the kids go over the map. The whole expanse of bush behind the beach is to be replaced by a golf course. The fifteenth green will be where the shack currently stands. On the other side of the course from the resort buildings will be the clubhouse and a flash pub called the Diamond Tavern. The mangroves along the creek behind Teoh Tom’s — ‘Right in that gunbun place,’ Tich points out — will be cleared for the Garnet Pearl Farm and Tourist Centre and a small marina.
When Janey finishes, Buster leans over to examine the plan more closely, his attention focused on the Garnet Investments logo in the bottom corner. He plants his long middle finger on the logo and asks, ‘What’s this?’
‘That’s his sign, Nyami,’ Janey answers. ‘For his company. Logo they call it.’
‘His sign? That’s like Jiir, how we draw him.’ Buster sounds offended, and mystified.
High with the drama and the news, the kids can’t wait for their parents to get home. They ride off through the darkening streets to the Bay View and barge through the front doors. Heads turn as they run through the bar heading for the garden bar where the Dreamers are playing. Ally is on the door as usual, and sees them coming. Janey can see that she is furious, so she jumps in first, hardly making sense as she spills out a rapid account, trying to make her mother understand before she gets cut off.
‘Look what Big Al did to my arm,’ says Tich by way of assistance, waving her bandaged limb at Ally.
The bar patrons are all watching now. Anxious to avoid a scene, Ally ushers the kids to her table in the garden bar where they tell her their story in urgent whispers.
Up on stage Mary is singing with the Dreamers. They have all noticed the disturbance and they finish the gig without an encore. The second it is over the kids race up and start telling their story yet again. Janey is in full flight when she suddenly breaks off and shouts, ‘We know what you’re up to!’
The rest of the Jirroos look round to see Big Al sauntering towards them, hands in pockets, as if he hasn’t a care in the world.
Mary can’t restrain herself. ‘What d’you think you’re playing at? Look at my girl!’
Big Al comes to a halt in front of her. He speaks softly, but his voice is cold as ice. ‘I didn’t ask her to get in the way.’
No way Janey is going to restrain herself; she almost shouts it. ‘You’re going to wreck everything aren’t you! Your golf course and pearl farm.’
They all see the startled look on Big Al’s face when he hears this. But he recovers quickly and growls at Eddie, ‘Get your gear packed and get out of here. Right now. I’ll see you in the morning.’ He turns on his heel and pushes through the puzzled crowd that has gathered behind them.
‘What about old Teoh Tom?’ Buddy calls. But Big Al just keeps walking.
Buddy woke early the next morning. Andy and Dancer had already disappeared somewhere in the truck, but it seemed like everyone else was still in bed. It had been a long, late night, with the talk about the incident at the shack and Big Al’s plans going round and round, but not really leading anywhere. Buddy scoffed some breakfast, looked at the plan rolled up in the corner, and decided.
He is relieved to see Teoh Tom sitting in the morning sun outside his hut. It would have been a long ride for nothing if the old man had been out. Tom is methodically sharpening his huge machete with a grinding stone. He continues with his task, squinting up every few seconds as Buddy leans his bike against a tree and approaches.
Buddy comes to a halt a few metres away, with the rolled up plan in one hand. Still working the machete with the stone, Tom suddenly asks, ‘That little girl all right?’
‘You saw what happened?’ Buddy can’t hide his surprise.
‘I see lot o’ things young feller. Very good, you lot kids.’ He tests the blade of the machete against his callused thumb. ‘I see, but I can’t help you lot. Old Tom, he gotta steer clear from all them Steer mob.’ Then he fixes a beady eye on Buddy, and points his machete at the plan. ‘I see you take that one from his motor car too.’ Buddy’s jaw drops. ‘He’s bad man that Steer. You be careful with him.’
‘Old man, I’ve got to show you something.’
‘What about that little girl?’
It is hard going for Buddy, trying to explain the contents of the plan. He points out where Tom’s hut is on it, tries turning round to orient it to where they’re standing. But Teoh Tom just cannot relate to the lines on paper, and shakes his head disbelievingly at Buddy’s talk of taverns and pearl farms and golf courses.
Buddy mimes a golf swing. ‘You know, golf. Hitting a little ball around.’
Teoh Tom shakes his head. He seems to think Buddy has gone silly. Buddy scratches his head, thinking. Taking a lone gum tree near the mangroves as his bearing, he strides off, counting his paces as he goes.
He turns to call Tom over, but the old man is already scuttling towards him, waving his arms wildly, shouting, ‘Gunbun. Gunbun country. Get away.’
But Buddy is determined to get his message through. He stamps a foot and points down at his feet. ‘Right here. Diamond Tavern, it says. Tavern, you know, like a pub.’
This puts a halt to Tom’s antics. He looks at Buddy suspiciously. ‘Pub? Here? Can’t be.’ He prods at the plan with his machete. ‘That’s gammon that paper.’
‘That new road’s not gammon. Or that site office he’s put in.’
‘He can’t put pub close up my camp like that.’
Buddy puts a hand on Teoh Tom’s arm. ‘Old man. Your camp isn’t on this plan. It’s gone. It’s got a car park there instead.’
Tom’s arm goes limp in his grasp. He stares at Buddy for a moment, but seems to be staring right through him. When he speaks, his voice has none of its usual cranky spirit. ‘That enough boy. You get ’ome now.’
As the truck turns into the driveway of the vacant block, Big Al pulls up on the verge. Andy looks at Dancer. ‘Looks like he meant it when he said he’d see us in the morning. This should be fun.’
Big Al has taken a sign from his car, and a mallet, and begins pounding the sign into the ground at the front of the block. They break into a run and see the words: ‘Block For Sale.’
Big Al gives the stake one last thump, then steps back, tosses the mallet into the car, folds his arms, and watches them. Dancer touches the sign disbelievingly. Andy turns to Big Al, struggling to find words. ‘We … but … we had a deal!’
‘What deal? I’ve got nothing on paper. Have you?’
Andy is struck dumb. He stands there, the blood draining from his face. Dancer almost screams the words, ‘He gave you the deposit! You took his money!’
Big Al looks from Andy to Dancer and back at Andy, ‘Got a receipt?’ He smiles evilly. ‘Been speaking to me lawyer Andy. Now what did he call it again … a non-refundable expression of interest fee. Something like that.’ He jerks a thumb at the truck. ‘I’d be obliged if you’d remove your truck from my land.’
Dancer watches his father, scared of what might happen next. Andy’s fists clench tight. He takes a huge gulp of air. But instead of launching himself at Big Al as Dancer is half expecting, he shudders and hangs his head. Dancer turns and runs for the house, screaming, ‘Uncle Col! Uncle Col!’
Janey races out. ‘What is it? What’s wrong Dancer?’
Dancer is stuttering, almost crying, as he tries to explain. ‘Big Al. Out there. He’s not going to sell the block to Dad any more.’
Janey is speechless for a moment. Col has emerged from the house. ‘Where are they?’ he asks urgently. Dancer points down the drive and Col races off with Janey on his heels.
By now all the Jirroos have been attracted by the commotion and are heading out to the front of the block. Janey has found her voice again and stands there, hands on hips, facing Big Al. ‘You’re a thief as well as a scumbag. You can’t back out once you’ve taken his money. That’s breach of contract. You’re not going to get away with this. We’re going to see a lawyer. We’re going to stop you. We’re …’
She runs out of steam. Big Al seems almost amused. ‘I reckon my lawyer’ll be a match for any you mob can find.’ His voice takes on a sharper tone as he points at Janey. ‘And you watch that mouth of yours girlie. It could get you into serious trouble one of these days.’
He looks around at them all. ‘I’ve had enough of you Jirroos — young and old. The Dreamers have played their last gig at the Bay View.’
Mary spits her reply, ‘As if we’d want to.’
‘None of the other pubs’ll have you either, or any of the other venues, once I’ve spoken to them. The Dreamers are finished in this town.’
‘We’ll see about that.’ Little Joe’s retort sounds lame.
Mary chips in. ‘You’ll be hearing from us about what happened to Tich.’
Buddy rides up in time to see the withering look Big Al gives Mary. ‘Are you trying to threaten me? We were going about our legal business.’
Big Al spots Buddy and the rolled up plan he is carrying. He snaps his fingers and holds out a hand. Buddy hands over the plan automatically, without even looking at Big Al, for his attention is on Dancer and his shattered father; he is trying to work out what is going on.
‘Figured it was you that nicked this.’ Big Al’s words get his attention. ‘I can add this to the report I make to the coppers about the damage at the site office.’