Riverboat Point (39 page)

“Ash will come once I call him,” Belinda said. “Don't want you distracting him with your half-naked body. That's how Li got away. Bloody men. Always thinking with their –”

“No, no, no!” Savannah yelled with all her might. She snatched up the motorbike and threw it.

The statue hit Belinda on the shoulder and bounced against the glass. Jasper leapt through the open door with a growl and latched onto Belinda's hand. She screamed and the gun and the phone fell to the floor.

Savannah pushed them out of the way with her foot.

“Good job, Jasper,” she said while frantically trying to think what to do next.

“Yes, good job, Jasper. Sit.”

Belinda and Savannah both gaped at the apparition that stepped through the door.

“Gnasher?” Savannah croaked. He was dressed in khaki with bits of bush hanging off him. There were streaks of something black on his face and his funny floppy hat had more bush on it. In his hands he held a rifle.

“Looks like you don't need my help here,” he said to Savannah.

“I'm glad to see you,” she said. She was unsure of his mental state but he was clearly on her side for now.

Belinda edged to the door and Gnasher raised his rifle to her nose. “Sit down,” he said. And she did.

Savannah felt a nudge at her fingers. Jasper sat at her feet among the broken pieces of Jaxon's statue. She looked down into the dog's deep, kind eyes. She squatted and threw her arms around his neck. He was warm and soft. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She'd been frightened of him all this time and it turned out he was her one true friend. She looked beyond him to Gnasher with his gun pointed at Belinda. Maybe she could count two friends on the river.

Ethan slowed at Savannah's drive and relief flooded through him. Every light in the shack was on and Belinda's car was under the carport. Savannah must have been with Belinda all along. Her absence was probably to punish him for his duplicity and who could blame her.

He'd just call in to see her for himself, hand over the money for the houseboats and head off. He parked his bike under the carport and walked around to the front. As he drew level with the sliding doors he stopped. The blinds were pulled up and the scene inside was like some kind of bizarre tea party.

Savannah, Belinda and Gnasher were all sitting around the table. Savannah was wrapped in a thick blanket with that weird beanie on her head, clutching a mug. A gun and a phone sat on the table in front of her. Gnasher had dressed himself up as if he was on manoeuvres.

Jasper was at Savannah's feet but he rose as soon as he noticed Ethan through the glass. Savannah looked up, Gnasher turned and it was then that Ethan saw his rifle. It was pointed at Belinda. Her hands were tied to the back of the chair with a tie. Ethan recognised it. Jaxon had worn it to a fundraiser in Riverboat Point just before he'd left. Her feet were tied, one to each chair leg, with garbage bags.

Ethan slid the door open slowly. He didn't want to make any sudden moves that might upset Gnasher. Jasper came to meet him.

“Someone want to tell me what's going on here?”

“At last,” Belinda gushed. “You've come to save me. These two have become quite delusional.”

“Shuddup!” Gnasher snarled.

She pursed her lips and glowered at him.

Gnasher turned to Ethan. His eyes were focused and clear.

“Seems we've had some human traffickers in our midst,” he said. “Scum of the earth.” He looked like he was going to spit then thought better of it.

Ethan scratched his head. “Who?”

“Belinda here and that pasty-faced brother of hers. I've always thought they snuck about too much.”

That was rich coming from Gnasher but Ethan let it go. He turned his attention to Savannah.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she said. “Although there's no longer any need to pretend that you care.”

Her voice was as cold as steel. Surely she was taking her anger with him too far.

She looked exhausted huddled under the blanket, her fingers clenched around the cup.

Ethan could see it was empty.

“Mind if I make a coffee?” he asked.

Savannah stared into her empty cup.

“I'll have one too thanks, Digger,” Gnasher said brightly. He was enjoying himself.

“I'd have one but I seem to be tied up.” Belinda jigged her shoulders up and down.

“Shut up, scum,” Gnasher said. He waved the rifle under her nose.

Belinda glared back at him but remained silent.

Ethan moved slowly to the kitchen and boiled the kettle. He brought back a coffee for him and one for Gnasher.

He could see Savannah was shivering under the blanket.

“How about I make you another?” He reached for her cup.

She gripped it tightly then let him take it.

He brought back the steaming mug of tea and placed it in front of her beside the gun. Then he sat. Now there were four of them around the table. Ethan looked from Savannah to Gnasher.

“So, is someone going to fill me in?” he asked.

“I was on a bender last night. Woke up this morning to find a Vietnamese woman staring at me. She was dripping blood and yabbering. I thought she was VC come to get me. Fired a shot into the air to scare her off. Savannah here turns up and takes the girl away. I went bush, curled up under a tree and slept it off.”

Savannah leaned towards him. “What made you come over here?”

“Once I'd had a bite to eat and my head cleared I realised I hadn't imagined it all. There were drops of blood on my kitchen floor. I was worried. If she was VC you might be in trouble.” He shifted his rifle closer to Belinda again. “Turns out you were in a different kind of trouble. I was almost too late. Lucky Jasper was on to it.”

“I was glad to see both of you,” Savannah said.

“No VC here, mate,” Ethan said.

“I know that.” Gnasher looked him squarely in the eye.

“Why don't you put the rifle down for now? The prisoner's secure.”

Gnasher nodded. He propped the rifle against his chair within easy reach.

Ethan bent down and ruffled the ears of his dog. Jasper lay stretched out between him and Savannah.

“What have you been up to, mate?”

“I saw him outside. I don't know what made him come but I was glad to see him.” Savannah spoke softly. She was staring into her cup. “I remembered that day when we … when we were painting and he thought I was attacking you. He came to your rescue. I hoped he might do the same for me.”

Ethan felt a surge of pride in his chest. “And he did.”

She nodded but didn't look at him.

“Talk about soppy cosy neighbours,” Belinda snapped. “You lot deserve each other.”

“Shut up, Belinda.” Ethan and Gnasher spoke in unison.

She turned her piercing stare on Ethan but said nothing.

He took a mouthful of coffee and studied Savannah. Her face was pale and her lips had a blue tinge. She still wouldn't look at him.

‘Where did you take the girl, Sav?” he asked gently.

A look of horror crossed her face and she leapt to her feet. “Li,” she said. “I should go and get her out.”

“Out of where?”

“Belinda has her locked in a shed.”

“Sit down, girlie,” Gnasher said. “Ambos are on their way. Let them deal with it.”

“But Ash –”

“Won't do anything unless he hears from Belinda,” Gnasher said. “And you have her phone.”

The blanket fell away from Savannah's legs. She was wearing a pair of three-quarter running pants and below that, on her shins were long red gashes. Her feet were bare.

“What happened to you, Sav?” Ethan asked.

She looked down at her legs as if she was puzzled to see them.

“Belinda had her locked in the shed with this Li and her friend,” Gnasher said. “Savannah cut her way out and swam back here to get help.”

“Stupid bitch,” Belinda snarled. “You were so needy it was easy to suck you in. I read you like a book. Knew you'd come straight back here.”

Savannah turned on Belinda. “You're the one tied up waiting for the police to arrive,” she snapped. “You're going to pay big time for all the misery you've caused Li and the other women you've treated like bits of disposable rubbish.” Savannah put her hands on the table and leant across at Belinda. “I hope they lock you up and throw away the key.”

“You go, girlie,” Gnasher cheered.

“Listen,” Ethan said. He could hear the deep throb of a helicopter.

Alarm spread over Gnasher's face. He hunched his shoulders and picked up his rifle.

“Friendlies, Gnasher,” Ethan said.

Then they heard the sirens and a boat on the river. A bright light swung along the bank below them.

“Help's here,” Ethan said. Gnasher maintained his guard but Savannah's shoulders drooped and the blanket fell. There was mud on her pants and her jumper was undone. He could see her skin underneath it was muddy and her bra a murky brown. She must still be in the clothes she swam in. She started to shake.

“Sav, you need a warm shower,” he said.

She picked up the blanket and wrapped it around herself again then she turned her determined look on him.

“Not till I know Li's safe,” she said.

“At least take your wet clothes off.”

She sat down and tugged off her running pants oblivious to the rest of them. She dropped them on the floor then wrapped the blanket tightly around herself again.

“Happy now?” she said.

Ethan could see she would take no more notice of him. Hopefully they'd learn soon enough of Li's fate.

The sirens grew louder and outside red and blue lights flashed off every surface. Gnasher swung his gaze from Belinda to the bright lights outside.

“All okay now, Gnasher mate,” Ethan said. “Help has arrived.”

Savannah's heart hammered. She sat bolt upright. Light filtered in around the edges of the curtains. She'd been in a deep sleep but something had woken her. She listened. There was nothing more than the usual morning sounds of the river waking up to a new day. She lay back on the bed.

She wished she could write the last two days off as a bad dream but she couldn't. At least Li would be all right although there was concern about her friend. Hung's condition was critical.

The police had questioned Savannah then handed her over to the ambos. She'd been diagnosed with mild hypothermia and made to take a warm shower and put on dry clothes. She had Belinda to thank for the warm jumper and that, along with the blanket and the tea, had kept the worst of it at bay. Ethan's insistence she take off her wet running pants probably helped as well. She rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head. She didn't want to think about him.

The police had been so good. That first night, once everyone had left, they told her they'd have someone watching her house. They'd taken both Belinda and Ash into custody but it turned out they were already people of interest to the police along with their father and a few others. With a female police officer outside she'd finally crawled into bed in the early hours of the morning. She'd slept until the police had called to question her again. They'd found her car in another shed on the Palmers' property but she couldn't have it back for a few days yet. After that the visitors began arriving, carefully vetted at the gate by the police officer.

Mandy was first. Riverboat Point was abuzz with the news – everything from Savannah being whisked away to hospital in a helicopter to Belinda and Ash making amphetamines in their house. Mandy had come to sort out the fact from the fiction. She'd also whipped around the shack and given it a clean and brought fresh bread, milk and a homemade cake.

Next came Faye. She had flowers and a tray of Nell and Bob's pasties. They sent her their love. Savannah hoped she'd told the story well enough for the rumours to be replaced by the facts around town but she wasn't holding her breath.

Ethan called in as well. It was awkward between them. He didn't stop long. Just wanted to check she was okay. Jasper stayed on her front verandah for a couple of hours, sleeping in the sun.

Reporters tried to come onto the property but the police shut her front gate. There were helicopters buzzing overhead and extra boats out the front. Jaxon's phone kept ringing. She let it go to the answering machine. She kept the blinds half closed and stayed inside all day. When she flicked through the television channels she caught glimpses of the shack from the river and overhead shots. The smashing of a major people trafficking ring was big news. All Savannah felt was exhaustion. She was grateful when the sun went down last night. She'd taken Jaxon's phone off the hook, turned off her mobile and fallen into a deep sleep when her head touched the pillow.

Today she wasn't sure what to do. She hoped the reporters would have moved on to something new so she could go outside. She needed fresh air and she wanted to visit Gnasher, see how he was getting on.

The back door rattled. Savannah sat up again. It was locked but it meant someone was in her yard. Maybe Ethan? The door opened. Her heart raced. She knew it had been locked, she'd double checked all the doors and windows before she'd gone to bed.

She jumped out of bed and picked up her dumbbell.

“Sav,” a familiar voice called. “Are you in there?”

She dropped the dumbbell onto the bed and stepped around the door.

“Jaxon!”

“I'm home.” He held out his hands in a “ta-da” pose.

“You should never have left,” she snapped.

She pulled a jumper over her pyjamas and pushed past him to the sink.

“I thought you'd be pleased to see me.”

“I'm glad you're back,” she said and flicked on the kettle. “But I'd rather not be seeing you.”

“That's a bit harsh.”