Without You I Have Nothing (79 page)

_{Peter forced himself
to smile as he stood. Standing at attention, he barked an order in Nepali to
the amazement of the detectives. One guard left and soon marched back into the
room and threw Peter a salute that Peter returned. He then handed Peter the
registration book from the motel office.}

_{Peter flicked through
the pages until he found the two registrations - one in Tamil the other in
Mandarin. "Those are the registrations of engineers and accountants from
two well known international companies. One has its head office in Singapore
and the other has its head office in Malaysia.}

_{"Before you ask,
they were here to meet me as the representative of Blake Pastoral which is
working with two universities and the Commonwealth Government to develop water
harvesting and green power. That is all you need know. Anything further is
confidential, commercial information.}

_{"The
registration is written by me and anything further about my history is
available through ASIO but I will add that I am Major Peter O'Brien of the 6th
Brigade of Gurkhas. That should stop your worries about my guards and the
language I used.}

_{"If there are no
further questions I might remind you that both the Commander and I have
businesses to run but perhaps you would like some hospitality before you
leave.”  His face revealed nothing as he signaled and one bodyguard left.}

_{Within minutes, Susie
entered, followed by the chef who set up a morning tea table. Susie's presence
seemed to relax the detectives especially when the news crew and the reporters
left and they were no longer under a microscope.}

_{Weeks dawdled past
and Peter still couldn't free his mind of Jennifer. He loved her and missed her
but he couldn't torture himself by being with the lifeless body, which was once
his warm, vibrant, happy wife.}

_{His health was a
shadow of its former vigor. As he shaved, he could hardly recognize the gaunt
face and bleary eyes that faced him in the mirror.}

_{Bob and Ted had long
since stopped enquiring about Jennifer and no longer asked him to join them for
a beer or a game of tennis. He'd become a loner once again and his heart was
slowly breaking into a thousand pieces.}

_{As the days passed,
he ceased worrying about a return visit from the police. Yet he still would not
return to the farm in case something cropped up with the police investigation. He
spent his days working in the workshop.}

_{Then his life
changed.}

_{"Someone on the
phone,” Mark called Peter to the office, "said it was the RSM."}

_{Reluctantly Peter
took the call. "Peter speaking."}

_{"Major,
something strange occurred here this morning and I have to apologize as it was
my fault. I was so angry and I just didn't think. Jennifer's family was with
her in the ward when I burst in and said, 'That bastard, Dingo, is repeatedly
demanding to be set free along with his people.'}

_{"Jennifer
struggled to sit up, and then leaning against her mother for support she looked
straight at me. She shrieked as best she could, 'Kill him. He murdered, Peter. I
want him dead.'}

_{"Then she
started to sob, 'If only my friend could learn to fly this would all be over.'}

_{"The surgeon has
taken this as a major breakthrough and has ordered a strict regime of
physiotherapy for her . He would like to keep her in hospital for at least
another two days. The family are disappointed as they feel she would be better
off at home with all that is familiar around her but the surgeon has insisted
she stay.}

_{"Elizabeth is
fussing over her daughter, dressing her in her own clothes and encouraging her
to use her makeup. All Jennifer does is cry and mutter, 'He murdered, Peter. Kill
him.'  No matter how many times we assure her that you're alive, she just
replies, 'He murdered my Peter. Kill him.'}

_{"Hang on, here's
Andrew."}

_{Andrew, true to form
didn't waste words. "Peter, you miserable bastard get down here at once
and help Sis. You ran. Get back here, Jennifer needs you urgently. She believes
you're dead."}

_{Ignoring the insults,
Peter was calm as he asked for more details, "The RSM said something about
learning to fly..."}

_{"Yes,” was the
quick reply, "and that's what's so strange. When we question her all we
get is gabble about jungle, old man, a snake bracelet and learning to
fly."}

_{Musing over the
information but knowing he had the key to unlock the puzzle, Peter chatted on
completely disregarding the urgency in Andrew's voice.}

_{"She's talking
of suicide!"}

_{"Put a 24/7
suicide watch on her, two women and one Gurkha.”  Peter didn't sound the least
sympathetic.}

_{Andrew's angry voice
shouted through the hand piece but Peter ignored him. "No Andrew, that's
not possible. I can't get down there as quickly as that. First, I have to
follow Jennifer's directions and teach a friend to fly."}

_{Ignoring Andrew's
swearing and anger, he continued. "I'll be there when I can. It may be a
week. It may be two weeks and talk of coming after me with a shotgun is stupid.
My love for Jennifer has never wavered and she's dearer to me than life itself.
I'll be there with her friend and together we'll convince her that I am alive.}

_{"As for Dingo
and company, I'll set them free. The night we arrive the 'Angel of Death' will
arrive with us and that same night they will dwell in hell. My mind hasn't
altered one bit on that.}

_{"I'll be
disappearing for a while and the next time you hear from me will be when I ring
to say lay out the red carpet your brother-in-law is arriving."}

_{Unable to take
anymore insulting threats, he hung up.}

_{Two days later Peter
made his way through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. "Selamat
Malam.”  Peter's fluent Malay surprised the Immigration Officer.}

_{Within minutes, he
was eating with his taxi driver at a wayside makan stall before booking at a
Malay non-tourist hotel. He immediately changed into the local dress. His
intention of merging into the crowd wearing brown contact lens and speaking
with his impeccable Malay accent certainly helped.}

_{Settled in his hotel
room he immediately made a phone call to the airport arranging for early
morning transport.}

_{With all his business
well underway, he could at last give way to his feelings. Wrapped in nothing
more than a sarong he flung himself on the bed and wept. The last time he was
in Malaysia, he'd been so happy and so proud. This time?}

_{He cried himself to
sleep.}

_{A Muezzin was calling
the Faithful to Prayers as he made his way to the helicopter pad at the
domestic terminal. Soon he was in the air and swinging away northwards towards
the Cameron Highlands.}

_{The small chopper had
barely landed in the same jungle clearing of his honeymoon when he was out and
running.}

_{With his sarong
flapping around his legs and his shirt sticky in the heat, he hurried. His sandals
were less than helpful in the ooze of the jungle floor but still he pressed on.
He knew his every movement was under scrutiny so he removed his shirt. No
sooner had he slung it over his shoulder than Orang Kanaq surrounded him. He
was home!}

_{Along the muddy
track, up an incline, down a slope and across a creek they wended their way
chattering furiously. They led him to the village and sat him at the communal
fire.}

_{"So Peter, what
took you so long to get here?  At last, Jennifer gave you the message and you
are here to teach me to fly.”  Cackling, the old man of the jungle continued,
"Notice I'm speaking English, as I need practice and I'm a bit rusty. Now
let's go, the pilot will be worried. No, I have no luggage . I fly
lightly."}

_{He was still babbling
when they arrived at the chopper.}

_{They passed the next
few days waiting for seats to Sydney and purchasing Matt Selah, European,
clothing for this strange jungle man.}

_{In Sydney when they
hailed a taxi, the Old Man of the Jungle easily passed the taxi driver's
scrutiny especially when he started talking cricket.}

_{In Peter's spacious
penthouse, Jennifer's gold gown that she wore to the Hunters Hill party along
with her diamante sandals lay undisturbed with the note on their bed.}

_{"Hmm,” mused the
Old Man, "so that is what she was wearing and I would say she would have
looked extremely beautiful. Pack those clothes and shoes as well.”  Knowing
Peter was unwilling to move them, the old man added, "I'm in charge,
Peter, so do as you're told for once.”  The wise old man stared at Peter until
he dropped his eyes and did as bid. "We'll take the clothes with us if you
can book flights for tomorrow evening.”  For a jungle man he had plenty of
shrewdness about the modern world.}

_{"Along with the
clothes we'll deliver this note from us,” and he dictated a note for Peter to
write.}

_{"We'll take
Jennifer's letter as well. You'll need to remind her of her promise.”  Smiling,
he ignored Peter's embarrassment, and continued, "We'll also set up
everything for Friday night when your Jennifer will return to you."}

_{Three weeks had
passed without any further contact from Peter. His lack of communication
confused Jennifer's family. They wondered if he would ever return.}

_{In her familiar surroundings,
Jennifer was recovering, but without Peter's presence, she was unable to accept
that he was alive. To avoid the possibility of upsetting Jennifer, Elizabeth,
Eric and Andrew could only talk of Peter when she was not present.}

_{Then things seemed to change, when
early one morning the RSM handed Elizabeth a written note with a parcel. Hoping
to bring the mystery of Peter's absence to a satisfactory conclusion Elizabeth
promised that she would follow the instructions.}

_{With Jennifer, Elizabeth opened
the parcel containing the gold gown and diamante decorated shoes Jennifer was
wearing at the Hunters Hill mansion where all the trouble began.}

_{Recollections of dressing and
modeling for Peter were prevalent in Jennifer's mind. She remembered Peter's
eyes, his playful comments, and that she had felt so glamorous.}

_{The family sat down to their
Friday breakfast with a pale Jennifer who had cried herself out yet again. It
was the usual sad meal with Eric and Andrew seething at Peter's cold-blooded
desertion of their daughter and sister. They could hardly be civil.}

_{The RSM arrived, interrupting the
meal. He asked them to dress for a special evening and they were to be ready to
leave at eight. A car would collect them.}

_{With no knowledge of what the
events of evening would bring, Eric and Andrew could only growl in reply.}

_{The moment Jennifer left the room
Elizabeth stood and moved to go with her. Then the RSM took Elizabeth by the
arm and quietly added, "I have to warn you that tonight's events will be
most distressing and you will hear of some atrocities that were committed. You
will learn the horror of her plight while Dingo held her captive. Will you be
able to cope?  The evening's success will depend on your ability to cope and
support Jennifer.}

_{"The night will end on a
joyous note which will please us all.”  Without waiting for Elizabeth's reply,
the RSM turned to leave.}

_{Elizabeth grasped his arm and
quietly questioned him. "We will cope with the evening but there is
something that concerns us. We know Peter, you and your men fought together in
Malaysia but why are you involved now and why are so many of your men
involved?"}

_{Quite taken aback by the question
that showed so little knowledge of his culture, the RSM studied Elizabeth's
face. Then grinning broadly the RSM replied, "This is family.”  Elizabeth
instantly understood - he was now talking her language.}

_{The RSM continued, "Peter is
more than a comrade in arms he is part of our family. He is one of the bravest
men I have ever known and he was prepared to give up his life to protect us. Peter
called on us for assistance and it wasn't until a few months ago that we
realized how significant the danger was for him and Jennifer."}

_{"When one of us is hurting or
in danger we all support and fight together. It is the way of the Gurkha.}

_{"I can only feel sorry for
Dingo and his followers. They picked one of our women, Jennifer.”  He patted
Elizabeth's hand. "To do that is to cast a slur on the Gurkhas and there
can only be one outcome. Now they must face the consequences of their
stupidity."}

_{Showing that in spite of his gruff
military bearing, he was kind hearted. "Stop worrying!  Tonight will be
the end of a very difficult period.”  Then he was gone.}