Girl of Shadows (32 page)

Sarah glowered at Friday, but sat down again, arms folded across her chest. She breathed slowly in and out, visibly calming and gathering herself.

‘I know Gellar’s been bribing someone in the Customs office to dodge paying duties, and that a barrister called Augustus Evans is also in on it. The
same
cove who represented Adam when he went up before Rossi. Yes, a coincidence, isn’t it? But I want more. I want to know everything about Gellar’s crooked dealings, and the name of every shady cove he’s gammied up with since he arrived in this town.’ She hesitated, then added, ‘Please.’

‘And how long ago was that?’

‘About eight years.’

Leo’s hairy brows went up. ‘Tall order.’

‘If you’re as sharp as Harrie says you are, you can do it.’

‘Are we, boy?’ Leo asked Walter, who shrugged and went red again.

‘We can fight back if we know what we’re dealing with,’ Friday said. ‘The more dirt we have on him the better. But we’ve got something in mind anyway.’ She told Leo about their plan to ‘haunt’ Gellar, based on the manner in which Sarah had persecuted Esther.

Leo started to laugh. ‘That’s a new one,’ he said. ‘I’ve not heard of that before.’

‘And if that doesn’t work, we’ll blackmail him with whatever you find out.’

‘I want to know everything about him, anyway,’ Sarah said, ‘whether we blackmail him or not.’

‘Yeah, what’s that Bible quote?’ Friday said. ‘“Know thy enemy”?’

‘That’s not from the Bible,’ Harrie said.

Friday frowned at her. ‘Yes it is.’

‘It’s from Sun Tzu’s
The Art of War
,’ Leo corrected.

‘Who the hell’s Sun Soo?’ Friday said.

‘An ancient Chinese military strategist. Very clever cove. But you’re quite right — it pays to find out everything you can about
your enemies. I’ll see what I can do. Might take me a while, though. Does anyone want this last crust?’

Walter launched himself across the room, grabbed it and fed it to his dog.

Eyeing him sourly, Leo asked, ‘Any other business? While you’re here?’

‘I’ve finished my latest lot of flash.’ Harrie took a roll of papers from her basket on the floor and passed them across the table. ‘Don’t get butter on them.’

Leo moved the chopping board and butter dish out of the way, wiped his hands on his trousers again and carefully opened the roll. He studied them one by one, then said, ‘Harrie, lass, these are stunning.’

Friday and Sarah both leant over for a look. Harrie had drawn a series of five stylised ships on wild seas, each one progressively more spectral than the last. With the skilful use of shading she’d managed to convey a truly evocative sense of abandonment and hopelessness. Within the white spaces that were the tattered remains of the ships’ sails, she’d added the intricate Celtic spirals and knots she’d learnt from Leo’s
Book of Kells
. And in every image, hovering just above the ship’s bowsprit, was her signature bat.

‘The
Flying Dutchman
?’ Leo asked.

Harrie nodded.

‘Is this what you actually saw?’ Leo had heard all about the sighting from Walter.

‘Sort of.’

Leo slowly shook his grizzled head. ‘These are easily as good as your bat series. I don’t know what to say, lass. I’m impressed.’

Harrie went pink with pleasure.

‘They’re gorgeous, Harrie,’ Friday said, ‘but what sailor’d want the
Flying Dutchman
tattooed all over him? Wouldn’t that be, I dunno, bad luck?’

‘Plenty do.’ Leo was sharp. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t come across any, in your line of business.’

Friday gave a bark of laughter. ‘Fire away. You can’t insult me.’

‘Probably not.’ Leo grinned, his gold tooth glinting. ‘A lot of tars view seeing the
Dutchman
as a badge of honour.’ He tapped the roll of drawings. ‘Anyway, these are art. Pure art. Which reminds me, Harrie lass, how’s that tattoo I did for your young man?’

Harrie returned his look blankly. ‘Pardon?’

‘The Chinese lion and the peony. Yin and yang?’

Harrie switched her gaze to Sarah and Friday. What was he talking about? James had never been tattooed. Had he? Not that she’d seen much of him — in any sense of the phrase — since he’d apologised to her just before Christmas. He’d been very busy with his duties apparently, and so had she, much to her relief. Why was Friday giggling?

She said to her, ‘What are you tittering at?’ then asked Leo, ‘Are you talking about James Downey?’

‘No. This was a lad called Matthew.’

Friday burst out laughing.

‘
What
is so funny?’ Harrie wasn’t at all amused.

‘Matthew got a tattoo!’ Friday hooted. ‘For you!’

‘Oh, he did not!’ Harrie exclaimed.

‘Aye, he did,’ Leo confirmed. ‘I thought he was your young man.’

Harrie felt her face reddening. She’d never actually discussed her private affairs with Leo — she didn’t know him
that
intimately. ‘Well, he isn’t. I went to tea with him once, that’s all.’

‘And got blind drunk on a picnic and whipped the cat all the way home,’ Friday added, laughing so hard now her eyes were leaking.

‘Shut up, Friday,’ Sarah said, her hand over her mouth covering her own smile. ‘Don’t be such a cow.’

‘He was desperate to impress you, you know,’ Leo said.

‘Ah, poor Matthew,’ Friday said, cackling her head off.

‘How did you know about it?’ Sarah asked her.

‘I turned up when he was getting it. But I didn’t tell you, Harrie, in case he wanted it to be a surprise.’

‘It’s a surprise, all right.’ Harrie felt terrible.

Sarah couldn’t help it: at the miserable, guilt-ridden expression on Harrie’s face she started to laugh, too.

‘Now don’t you be a cow,’ Friday said.

Sarah belted her on the arm.

‘So this Matthew
isn’t
your young man?’ Leo asked.

‘No, he isn’t.’ Harrie scowled at Sarah and Friday.

‘Well, then, who is? That Downey cove?’

‘No! No one is. I don’t have a young man. And I don’t bloody well want one!’

‘You do,’ Sarah said.

‘I
don’t
!’

Friday said, ‘Matthew’s taken now, anyway. Sally Minto’s got her claws into him and I don’t think he minds at all.’

‘Well, I hope
she
appreciates his tattoo,’ Sarah said.

‘She’d better. I bet he suffered for it,’ Friday said, knowing full well that not everyone received the sort of pleasure and release from the needle that she did. ‘Did he, Leo?’

‘Aye, he did actually. Poor bugger.’

Friday and Sarah caught each other’s eyes and were off again, and even Harrie giggled this time.

Leo and Walter shook their heads.

Sarah felt a little more cheerful. Even though she wasn’t sure if she trusted the salty old bugger, Leo was going to help them by digging up some dirt on Gellar, and she’d had a good laugh at his shop the other day. Before she’d gone all odd Harrie had always said laughing helped a person to feel better, and she was right. It really did. She hoped Adam was finding something to laugh — or at least smile — about in Port Macquarie.

She set Jared’s plate of breakfast down on the table in front of him.

‘Thank you, Sarah. This looks very nice.’

She’d burnt the black pudding on the edges and made sure the egg yolks were still runny — not the way he liked them. He was doing his best to flatter and court her favour, but she didn’t know why he was bothering. She certainly wasn’t encouraging him.

She sat down and started on her own meal. After a while she said, ‘Did you hear that noise last night?’

‘What noise?’

‘Creaking, on the stairs. And a sort of dragging. Was that you?’

Jared swallowed. There was a piggy little blob of egg stuck in the corner of his mouth. ‘What time?’

Sarah shrugged. ‘I didn’t look at the clock. Two? Half past?’

‘No, it wasn’t me.’

‘And you didn’t hear it?’

He shook his head, staring at her.

‘It was quite loud,’ Sarah said. ‘Certainly woke me.’ She cut up a piece of black pudding, popped it in her mouth, chewed and swallowed. ‘Friday’s dropping around this morning. Is that all right with you?’

Jared waved his fork. ‘Yes, that’s fine.’

Sarah knew it would be — he couldn’t keep his eyes off Friday. She finished her breakfast, waited for Jared to wipe his plate clean with his bread, cleared the table and carried everything out to the kitchen. As she filled the washing-up basin with hot water from the kettle, Jared went past on the way to the privy, yesterday’s
Sydney Gazette
under his arm. He’d be in there for at least half an hour, but at least he used the crapper and not the pot.

Friday arrived just before ten, flouncing through the door and laying it on with a trowel.

‘Mr
Gellar
, it’s so nice to
see
you!’ She flitted across the shop, set her elbows on the counter and leant forwards, giving Jared an excellent view of her cleavage. ‘Is Sarah in?’

‘It’s lovely to see you, too, Miss Woolfe. May I say that’s a very charming gown you’re wearing today?’

‘You don’t think it’s a little snug?’ Friday grabbed the bodice under the arms and yanked it so her breasts heaved. ‘It’s such a divine colour, though, I can’t resist wearing it.’

‘No, no, it’s perfect.’

She raised her arms and removed her hat, allowing her hair — strategically left unpinned — to tumble down over her shoulders. Jared watched every tiny movement she made.

‘Well, is she?’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Sarah? Is she in? She
is
expecting me.’

‘Oh! Of course. I’ll fetch her.’

Friday smirked as he trotted off to alert Sarah, who appeared a moment later.

‘Morning, Friday. Come through. You’ll have to talk to me while I work — I’m right in the middle of something.’

Jared gallantly lifted the hatch in the counter to let Friday through.

Her hand ‘accidentally’ brushed his thigh as she swished past, and she smiled invitingly. ‘Thank you, Mr Gellar.’

‘My pleasure entirely.’

In the workshop Friday sat on Adam’s stool. ‘Talk about leading him around by his cock,’ she said under her breath. ‘This is going to be so easy.’

‘I wouldn’t be too sure of that.’ Sarah picked up her pliers. ‘He’s not stupid. And if you don’t eventually give him what you’re flaunting, he’ll be roaring.’

‘Should I tone it down a bit?’

‘Just pace yourself, that’s all. Don’t overdo it.’

Friday was affronted. ‘When do I ever overdo things?’

Sarah looked at her sideways.

‘Oh, all right. But he’s not going to jump on me today, is he?’ Friday dropped half a dozen pea-sized pearls into the palm of her
hand and rolled them around, admiring their sheen. ‘He’s so sure he’s got three silly, downtrodden convict girls at his fingertips and all the time in the world to do whatever he likes with us. What a tosser. I’m just … stoking the fire.’

‘Well, I’m just saying, don’t stoke it too obviously.’

‘You know me, I’m never obvious.’

Sarah snorted. ‘Have you heard from Harrie?’

‘She dropped by yesterday, but only to say Leo’s not got anything yet. I expect it’ll take a while. Digging up shite on people can be a delicate business, you know.’

‘I’m sure. There’ll be plenty to find, though, I’ll bet my life on it.’

‘Have you heard from Adam?’

Sarah shook her head, her mouth set in a grim line.

‘Well, don’t worry, you’ll get a letter soon. The place is full of specials so he’s bound to be able to get writing paper.’

‘Just because lags are educated doesn’t make them generous or decent,’ Sarah snapped.

‘No, I know, but they might not
all
be scum.’

‘
And
they’re sending lunatics there now.’

Friday nodded. ‘I heard that, too. And cripples.’

Sarah rubbed her hands over her face. ‘Christ, Friday, five bloody years.’

‘I know, love.’ Friday squeezed Sarah’s arm. ‘I know.’

‘All right, ladies?’ Jared called from the doorway.

‘Oh, fuck off,’ Sarah whispered.

‘Has he tried anything else?’

‘Keep your voice down and your back turned,’ Sarah warned. ‘He pinched my arse a few days ago, and yesterday he had me up against the wall on the stairs and tried to feel my tits. And he’s
always
watching me.’

‘Bastard. Did you give him a good boot in the bollocks?’

‘I tried to but my skirt got in the way. I’m getting so sick of it, Friday. I’m looking over my shoulder the whole time and I’m barely sleeping at night.’

‘Ask Bernard to put an extra lock on your door.’

‘I will.’

‘When are we going to start haunting him? I’m looking forward to that.’

Without looking, Sarah asked, ‘Is he still in the doorway?’

‘No, he’s back in the shop. I think there’s a customer.’

‘I made a bit of a start this morning. Are you ready to leave?’ Friday nodded. ‘I’ve an appointment to see the doctor shortly. Why?’

‘On the way out, just say, “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”’

‘What for?’

‘Just do it.’ Sarah stood and moved through to the shop, where Jared was returning a tray of cufflinks to a display cabinet.

‘Friday’s on her way,’ she said.

Jared locked the cabinet door. ‘So soon? Well, do come by whenever you like, Miss Woolfe. You know you’re welcome here any time. I wouldn’t like to feel Sarah was being deprived of the company of her friends.’

‘Very kind of you, Mr Gellar.’ Friday smiled prettily, pecked Sarah on the cheek and made for the door, where she turned and said, ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right, Sarah?’

Sarah waved a dismissive hand. ‘It was just a noise. Probably the house settling. I’m not sure she really is back.’ She paused, then added darkly, ‘At least, I hope not.’

Friday caught on. ‘You don’t want me to stay with you?’

‘I’m fine. Go on, you’ll be late.’

Friday waggled her fingers in farewell and left, closing the door behind her.

Returning to the workshop, Sarah resumed work. It wasn’t long before she sensed Jared’s presence in the room. As predicted.