The Delta Chain (29 page)

‘Sure you will,
’
Joey said to Daniel.

Daniel didn
’
t reply. He stared at Costas and Joey. Could he trust this man and boy? His eyes locked with those of Joey.
‘
We
’
ll make sure you
’
re okay, Daniel. These Keepers don
’
t know where I live.
’

Costas helped Daniel to his feet, noting at the same time Joey had become vital and caring, a different boy from the one who
’
d sat silent and pouting just minutes before.
‘
Come on,
’
Costas said to Daniel,
‘
let
’
s see if you can stay on those feet and walk with us to the car.’

It was a warm, cloudless day in Bethesda, Maryland, but Michael Renshaw braced himself for an inner storm as he entered his boss
’
office in the old brownstone building.

‘Perhaps I should
’
ve seen all along it would come to this,
’
Logan Asquith said to his aide,
‘
but Westmeyer persuaded me he
’
d learned a valuable lesson from the last incident.
’

It was rare for Renshaw to see his boss question his own abilities. In fact, Renshaw had never seen it before. The Logan Asquith that Renshaw knew was decisive, arrogant and supremely confident. Never self questioning.

He knew it wouldn
’
t last.

The storm was coming.

‘No doubt the situation can be contained, sir…
’

‘It
’
s worse than that.
’
Asquith waved Renshaw to the chair that was at right angles to his desk.
‘
If there
’
s a saboteur inside the Institute leaking sensitive information, even if it
’
s just a prank, then it
’
s
still
going to attract attention. Damn it, Michael, one of the reasons we selected Northern Goddamn Rocks was because it was so out of the way, uninteresting, the last place anyone would go looking…
’
Asquith picked up the report Renshaw had delivered just moments before.
‘…coupled with this other business, the death of the wildlife ranger
and
all these damn drownings coming to light…there was a time Erickson and Collosimo could be relied on in situations like this…instead, we
’
re heading for disaster. Another Florida.
’

It wasn
’
t often Renshaw offered a personal opinion
–
his role was to compile and report the facts
–
but given Asquith
’
s outburst, Renshaw was tempted to speak.
‘
I
’
ve always thought Westmeyer a lightweight, and a self-opinionated one at that…a dangerous combination. Wants the power but doesn
’
t know how to wield it…
’

‘This is the team he wanted. But they haven
’
t kept the tight lid that was promised.
’
The Florida incident still made Asquith wince. They
’
d had to pull out when the Institute was into the final phase of the project.

In less than four months a battery of haulage trucks had removed the twenty million dollars worth of computer hardware and shipped it on containers across the Pacific. The data on hard drive had been backed up to the Nexus mainframe in Bethesda. The Institute building near Everglades City had been placed on the market; the deserted food processing plant across the ocean in Northern Rocks had been purchased and transformed by an array of designers and building contractors.

The scientific community and the commercial business world were informed that due to long term financial considerations, the Westmeyer Research Institute was relocating

Asquith was furious the whole thing was happening again.

Under any other circumstances Asquith would have closed down the project
–
but they had come too far to stop it now. The Institute
’
s latest reports had created great excitement among the executives who called themselves the Nexus Unit. There was no other choice than to spend the millions on another complete “relocation”.

‘Get the Board together for an emergency meeting,
’
Asquith said.

Westmeyer put the phone down, barely able to believe the run of bad luck.

It was many months since he
’
d last spoken with Joseph Vender and that was the way Westmeyer preferred it.

At other times it amused him how Vender now referred to himself as the First Keeper, but on this occasion it simply irritated the hell out of him. If anything, it served as a very real reminder of Vender
’
s delusional mind.

Donnelly and Collosimo walked in.
‘
I
’
ve just had Vender on the line,
’
Westmeyer said,
‘
he
’
s emailing a picture of a young man who
’
s turned up in Northern Rocks. Vender
’
s people are already out there searching for him, and he asked if we can help.
’

‘Vender?
’
Donnelly spoke the name as though it were a brand of poison.
‘
You don
’
t mean-
’

‘Yes. The boy escaped. We think he must
’
ve seen the news reports with the picture of the unidentified drowner…
’

‘If Vender
’
s men are already out there,
’
Collosimo said,
‘
then what can we do?
’

‘Vender doesn
’
t want the boy back. Says he
’
s too much trouble. He wants us to bring the boy here and take care of the problem.
’

Donnelly and Collosimo exchanged glances. Collosimo didn
’
t miss the smug look in Donnelly
’
s eyes.

Adam placed the call as soon as he arrived back. He listened as Letterfield explained that Kate had returned to the Territory and was known to have gone into the wilderness with Walter. At this point, they were not contacting the grieving Kovacs family until they knew more.

Letterfield wanted to know if Adam had any idea what Kate and Walter were up to.

‘No, I thought Kate was still in Sydney. But I guess it
’
s obvious she and Walter are looking for those hunters.
’

‘I was rather hoping you could
’
ve told me something different,
’
Letterfield said.

‘It shouldn
’
t take me too long to charter a flight and-
’

‘There
’
s nothing you can do here, Detective, that isn
’
t already being done. We
’
ve located their four-wheel drive and search parties are on the way. Just stay near a phone and I
’
ll keep you posted.
’

Daniel gulped down the breakfast Barbara Cail had prepared. Barbara didn
’
t want Costas and Joey standing about, staring at the boy, so she gave them chores to do; Joey was asked to toast more bread and make hot chocolate; Costas was given some dishes to wash.

His mouth full, Daniel said:
‘
Thanks…for helping me.
’

‘You
’
re more than welcome,
’
Barbara said with a motherly smile.

Once the boy was well fed, Costas sat with him at the kitchen table. Joey served the toast and hot chocolate, and lingered.

‘Now let
’
s see if we can find out something about you,
’
Costas said.
‘
Where exactly are you from?
’

‘The Com, I suppose.
’

‘Ah yes, this…Com. What is that?
’

‘It
’
s…home. It
’
s where I
’
ve always lived.
’

‘And where is The Com?
’

‘It
’
s over the border, in New South Wales. In God
’
s country.
’

Costas frowned.
God
’
s country
. It seemed an odd phrase for the boy to use.

‘Who are the Keepers, Daniel?
’
Joey asked.

‘They
’
re the ones who look after us and teach us.
’

‘Then where are your parents?
’

Daniel thought about this for a moment.
‘…I guess, the Keepers are my parents.’

‘Then why do you call them the Keepers?
’

Daniel stared back at Joey. He didn
’
t seem to have an answer.

‘And you ran away from The Com?
’
Costas asked.

Daniel hesitated. Then, guiltily, he admitted,
‘
Yes.
’
Tears smarted in his eyes.
‘
You said you wouldn
’
t send me back.
’

‘We won
’
t,
’
said Barbara, touching the boy
’
s shoulder in a gesture of support.
‘
You look incredibly tired.
’

‘I am.
’

Barbara looked to Costas.
‘
Then no more questions for now.
’
And to Daniel:
‘
How about a nap?
’

‘You can use my bed,
’
Joey offered.

‘But I need to get my backpack.
’

‘And where
’
s that?
’
Costas asked.

Daniel explained how he
’
d dropped it in a bush near the bridge. He told them how it contained things that were important to him, though he didn
’
t specifically mention his journal.

‘You get some sleep,
’
Costas said.
‘
I
’
ll go into town and find your backpack. Okay?
’

‘Okay.
’

After Barbara had led Daniel through to the bedroom, Joey turned to Costas.
‘
Are we going to go look for it now?
’

‘It
’
s as good a time as any.
’
In the midst of all that was happening, Costas remained aware Joey was continuing to respond to him in a positive manner. In fact, it was the first time there had ever been any real communication between them. As he led the way out to the car, Costas turned his eyes skyward for just a brief moment and thanked God.

The area Daniel described was easy to find and the backpack sat, nicely hidden, in the bushes near the bridge.

Returning, they found Daniel was fast asleep. With an eager Joey and a concerned Barbara hovering, Costas inspected the contents and he fished out the thick but compact journal.

Kate and Walter had been on the road a couple of hours, crowded into the ute driven by Simon. From the outstation there
’
d been an easier access to the highway.

Thomas and Simon were taking Kate and Walter back via the quickest route to where they
’
d left their four-wheel drive.

They stopped at a roadside café and while Simon ordered refreshments, Kate selected a table. The sound of a helicopter swooping overhead caused a number of the patrons to look out the windows.
‘
Third time this morning,
’
the woman behind the counter said to Simon.

‘You know what it
’
s about?
’

‘Word has it the Wildlife rangers have a search on for one of their own.
’

‘Uh oh.
’
Simon quickly rejoined the others at the table.
‘
Guess who that copter
’
s out searching for?
’

Using the café
’
s public phone, Walter called Harold Letterfield.
‘
You
’
re not searching for me, are you, boss?
’

‘Of course I
’
m damn well searching for you.
’
Letterfield
’
s tone was relieved but testy.
‘
Is Kate Kovacs with you?
’

‘Well, yeah…but why? We
’
re-
’

‘I want you to stay right where you are. I
’
ll have one of the choppers pick you up. Another team will bring back the four wheel drive.
’

‘Boss, there
’
s no need-
’

‘Humour me. I want you both back safe and sound asap.
’

‘Harold, listen. We have a way…well, to be more precise, Kate has a way to track the hunters.
’

‘What? How?
’

‘Kate
’
s the best one to explain that.
’

‘Save it for when you
’
re back here. I
’
m going to want some explanations.
’

‘Why did you come looking for me in the first place?
’
Walter wondered.
‘
I was on leave…
’

‘Because we have a photograph of an alligator poaching gang taken in Florida a couple of years back. Need you to have a look at it.
’