Without You I Have Nothing (68 page)

_{Breaking into the
building, he played the office fire extinguisher over the seat of the fire
until fire officers shouldered him away.}

_{Ambulances joined the
melee and the paramedics would not let Peter do a thing until they had checked
him all over and had attended to his cuts, staunching the bleeding.}

_{Police, firemen and
reporters all fought to interview Peter who watched as more paramedics
recovered the remains of the guard from the shop front opposite.}

_{It wasn't until Joe
and the workers arrived minutes later and commenced to clean up that Peter's
thoughts turned to Jennifer.}

_{He went next door to
Bill's office to call Jennifer's Personal Assistant.}

_{"There's been an
explosion at the workshop, please tell Jennifer I'm safe."}

_{Jennifer's P.A. took
the message. "I will when I see her, Peter, but I'm afraid she didn't come
into the office and didn't make her scheduled staff meeting appearance,” was
the brief reply. "I've tried ringing her but no answer. Is she okay?  Are
you okay?"}

_{Peter sagged, and
again those comments of the wise man of the East cut through his consciousness.
'The gods demand a payment and a harsh payment it will be.'}

_{"Joe,” Peter
sounded distant. "Jennifer's missing and I'm very worried and frightened. Put
someone in charge and drive with me. I need you to keep me sane."}

_{The police blocked their
exit.}

_{"Forensic have
discovered that this was no accidental explosion. Someone flagrantly tampered
with the shutters so that whoever unlocked and began to open up would die. Have
you any enemies Mr. O'Brien?  Have there been an extortion demands."}

_{Eventually, their
enquiries satisfied the police officers left. With Joe driving, Peter set off
in search of Jennifer. They headed for the apartment, as that was the last
place Peter had seen his wife.}

_{On the bed at their
apartment, Peter found Jennifer's beautiful dark gold dress displayed on the
bed. Lying on top of the gown was a note.}

_{'Peter my love. You looked after me when I
was drunk.}

_{Now we're even. I love you more and more each
day.}

_{'Tonight, just for you,}

_{I will dress in these clothes that I wore last
night and you can...}

_{I can't continue as I'm blushing as I write.}

_{Be home early.}

_{I want a long, long night with my husband, my
lover, my heart
.’}

_{Peter reddened as he
felt Joe's arm across his shoulders.}

_{"That wife of
yours sure does love you boss,” Joe said. Obviously he'd also read the note.}

_{Leaving the
apartment, they followed the route Jennifer would have taken to work until
suddenly Peter shouted, "Stop!  Drive up that alley."}

_{A quick U-turn and a
right turn took them into the alley where they pulled up behind Jennifer's car.
It was unlocked and the keys were in the ignition. Peter glanced around trying
to make some sense of the conundrum.}

_{A street person rose
from the gutter across the alley and slowly approached them. Peering at them
through bleary, blood-shot eyes and breathing alcoholic fumes he croaked,
"I was ordered to give you these two messages. 'Next time it's you. The
tart will die if you try to find her.'”  He shuffled off.}

_{Growling, Joe
steadied Peter. "They definitely want a bloody fight, and now the bastards
have got one. This is one they won't win.”  Then he broke into a long string of
Italian curses.}

_{He helped Peter walk
across the road to the Post Office where Peter made the first of two overseas
phone calls in languages that Joe couldn't recognize.}

_{His third call didn't
surprise Joe at all. "Elizabeth, ask Andrew to go to a public phone in
Melbourne and ring...” and he gave the phone number of the BMW Dealer. "Tell
him to ask for Bill if it's in business hours. If out of hours, I'll be
there."}

_{He listened to
Elizabeth for a minute.}

_{"Yes, big things
are developing here so I need Andrew. Yes, I'm okay - there's been an explosion
at the workshop but I'm safe. Yes, Jennifer is well. I must rush, as the Police
are thoroughly investigating the incident. Tell Andrew to ring."}

_{He paused while
Elizabeth repeated the phone number. "It's most important,” he confirmed. "We'll
be down next weekend. I must rush - bye!"}

_{With a sinking
feeling and showing extreme distress, Peter drove the Mini home.}

_{Joe took him to the
workshop where the firemen and the staff were still cleaning up.}

_{In spite of his fury,
Peter said nothing to anyone but made his way straight to Bill's office next
door where he locked the door once Joe and Susie joined them.}

_{"I believe Jennifer's
been kidnapped and I'm waiting for a ransom demand.”  Peter was frank to the
point of being brutal.}

_{Ignoring their
questions he continued, explaining how he feared that there could be worse in
store as he outlined what Dingo had said about Jennifer, and the happenings of
the previous night. He sagged into a seat and wept as he cursed himself for his
own stupidity.}

_{"Why didn't I
tell her to be on guard?  Why didn't I tell her of my suspicions?  Why didn't
..."}

_{Susie's rush to
cradle her friend in her arms stopped his self-recriminations. Holding him at
arm's length, she softly told him to stop his nonsense and to pull himself
together. "You aren't alone. We're in this together."}

_{Peter hugged her. "All
right, you say you're in this fight with me. Susie your priority is your baby,
and I guarantee that my guards will be constantly with you to keep the two of
you safe from these imbeciles, whoever they are.}

_{"However, I must
warn you it will be a fierce fight to the death. In Ancient Sparta, the women
sent their men folk off to battle with the words, 'Return with your shield or
upon it.'  A Spartan mother wished her son to return from war either victorious
carrying his shield, or being carried upon it after falling in battle.}

_{"My pledge to
you for this battle is that I will return carrying my shield.}

_{"Obviously, I
can't add much more except to say that Andrew will be ringing here tonight.}

_{"Bill, can you
get six scramblers so phone calls can't be intercepted?}

_{"Next, I'm about
to replace the security guards as that explosion couldn't have happened without
the connivance of the security and I want 100% loyalty from everyone, or else
their resignations."}

_{"The one weak
link in our chain is dead,” Bill remarked with a grim voice. "I was coming
to see you this week about the guard who was killed as I believed he wasn't
pulling his weight and was up to no good.}

_{"He was deeply
in debt and involved in some shady deals. I was going to ask you to sack him
but he left our service prematurely.”  Bill's chuckle was almost evil.}

_{A council of war
followed between Joe, Bill, Susie and Peter.}

_{Joe pointed out that
they could not inform anyone other than Mark of what was happening. It was
imperative that Mark, who took most of the phone calls, knew what was
happening.}

_{Everyone agreed that
Joe tell Mark as little as possible but to insist that he handle unusual calls
correctly.}

_{During the
discussion, Peter requested that they help in providing cars from among the
trade-ins, food for his workshop apartment and a steady stockpile of clean
clothes.}

_{"No expense is
to be spared. You have unlimited credit and you may use petty cash from the
workshop to pay for everything. We inform Mark and no one else of the events -
especially the police."}

_{He insisted on their
support whenever requested without asking any questions or expecting any
answers. "A lot of people will die over this affair and I don't propose to
be one of them, nor Jennifer nor any of you."}

_{"No questions no
pack drills - agreed?  I'll advise Andrew to arrive tomorrow with some of my
Gurkha friends. However, I want no one else, not even Ted or Bob, to know
what's happened or to become involved.}

_{"Jennifer's on
the farm if anyone outside this room asks, and I'm flat out organizing the
Sydney end of water harvesting schemes.}

_{"Remember, if
we're to rescue Jennifer safely we mustn't mention a word outside this room. No
phone calls out until the scramblers are in place, and definitely no phone
calls to me without using the scrambler. You are to give me any special
messages in person. We don't know how good the enemies' spy system is and we
certainly don't need to warn them.}

_{"We can't, with
any degree of certainty, identify the enemy at this stage. I have my suspicions
but nothing definite and we can't act on suspicions."}

_{Peter got to his feet
and prepared to leave.}

_{"Now let's just
go about our business as normal. I'll be in the workshop until the end of the
day and when it's time to close I'll come in here ready for Andrew's call. War
has been officially declared, and we will win!"}

_{The workshop had
looked worse but Peter couldn't remember when.}

_{Insurance assessors
had called and their business cards were on the office table with formal
requests for Peter to call.}

_{Joe openly spoke with
all the workers, demanding that they allow no stranger in the workshop under
any circumstances. They were to call Peter, Bill next door, security or him if
anything strange aroused their suspicions, no matter how trivial.}

_{Later Joe spoke of
his own plans to Peter, privately. "I'll inform some friends of mine.” 
Peter's glare interrupted him. "No, Peter!  Do you think I'm an
idiot?"}

_{Joe was quick to
reassure Peter. "I'll make no direct reference to Jennifer or about our
troubles, not even to my wife, but I'll be stating that Dingo's possibly
stepped out of line and requesting them to keep me up-to-date with his
movements or anything unusual brewing on that front.}

_{"All
conversation will be in my village dialect. No necessity for a scrambler
there.”  He laughed, despite the seriousness of the situation. Joe reveled in
his newfound expertise.}

_{Police came and left.}

_{Ted and Bob came,
firing many questions, and left when no conclusive answers were forthcoming. Feeling
the tension, but reading Peter's body language, they knew it was best not to
pursue their worries.}

_{Ted was particularly
satisfied that finance was not the cause of the tension as insurance covered
the explosion and resulting damage.}

_{Firemen came and went
and reporters seemed to camp on the doorstep demanding exclusive interviews.}

_{The day rushed by
with still no word from Andrew.}

_{It was late that
night when Peter was lying almost comatose on the floor of Bill's office. The
jangle of the phone cut into the black hole that was Peter's mind.}

_{"Andrew?  Where
are you ringing from?”  Peter paused while Andrew explained.}

_{"Good!  Now
listen and don't interrupt. Jennifer's gone missing and I believe someone has
kidnapped her. Return to the farm and hitch the cattle trailer to the Mac. Tell
the Regimental Sergeant Major I need eight men here urgently and they are to
come armed. Their arms will be carried in the company semi-trailer and a couple
of them are to travel with you - the others will come in company cars and bring
the coach as well."}

_{The distraught tone
of Peter's voice told Andrew how distressed he was. Ignoring Andrew's need to
ask more questions, Peter rattled on.}

_{"Yes, tell your
parents about Jennifer and tell them if they want to see Jennifer alive not to
ring me. We'll keep them informed using someone delegated by the RSM. If anyone
asks, your parents are to say Jennifer is out riding horses and they cannot
contact her. Make any excuse at all."}

_{"The RSM is to
organize boundary patrols and security for all the personnel of Blake Pastoral.
One person is to operate the phone at the hospital, 24/7. Conversation is not
to be in English. The property is to be locked down!}

_{He heard Andrew's
query. "Yes, that's right. Conversation is not to be in English."}

_{"I may be
panicking but neither of your parents is to leave the farm without an armed
Gurkha escort.}