Riding the Storm (12 page)

‘I don’t care. I’ll sell my jewellery too if it means we can have Chrissie home safe.’

‘You will not. That’s family treasure – bought as a hedge against hard times.’

‘Well, they’re not going to get much harder than this, are they? Silly me, I always thought those jewels were mine.’

Robert glared at her.

‘There’s no point in arguing, Rob. Somehow we have to pull that money together and quickly – you can see what they’re saying about delay—’

‘Slow down a minute. I need to think about this.’

‘Robert, you’re not hearing me. This is about Chrissie’s safety—’

‘Yes but how do we know they won’t take the money and leave her body lying in a ditch?’

Val flinched at the callousness of the remark. ‘We don’t. But they won’t want to be hunted as murderers, will they? It’s the
money they’re after. Soon as they have it – they’ll let her go.’

‘Oh, sure. You’d like to think so. Long as she can identify them she’s a danger. Why should they let her go?’

‘We have to trust them whether you like it or not.’ Val was becoming close to tears. ‘And this last dig. What do they mean by that?’ Val tapped the note which was lying on the table. ‘“I don’t need to sign this – you know who I am.” Who are these people, Rob? And what do they have against you? I think you know a whole lot more than you’re telling me.’

‘All right. I had a special arrangement with this guy – an ex-marine or commando – I dunno. Everything was fine for a while but last time things didn’t go according to plan so I refused to pay.’

‘Now it begins to make sense. So what kind of special arrangement did you have with this ex-commando? What unpleasant task did you set him that you wouldn’t do for yourself?’

‘Stop it, woman. You’re relentless. All you need to know is that he’s harder to control than I expected.’

‘So we must pay him off and get rid of him. We don’t need someone like that in our lives.’

‘I have a better plan. You take a suitcase to the lay-by filled with old newspapers. And when they meet you there, ready to collect, we’ll have the police waiting for them ready to pounce—’

‘The police aren’t your private army, Rob. We’ve been told not to involve them and I won’t have Chrissie put at risk. There’s no way out of it. We have to pay up and do exactly as these people ask.’

Ryan spoke up softly for the first time. He had been leaning
quietly against the stove listening to everything that had gone before. Their conversation had been very revealing but although he was angered by some of Robert’s sentiments, he knew he would learn more if he kept silent and didn’t interrupt. He was like the invisible man; both Val and Robert had quite forgotten he was there.

‘I’ll do it,’ he said. ‘Let me take the money and go to the lay-by to deliver it. They don’t know me but they probably know enough to recognize your car. I’ll hand over the case with the money in exchange for Chrissie and we’ll be out of there.’

‘If only it would turn out to be that simple,’ Val said. ‘Thank you, Ryan, but I’ll have to do it. I can’t let you put yourself in danger for us.’

‘Whyever not?’ Robert sounded falsely hearty, eyes suddenly glistening. ‘That’s a great idea. Ryan is younger and stronger than we are. He’ll fare better than either of us if anything goes wrong.’

‘That’s settled, then,’ Ryan said.

A
LTHOUGH
R
OBERT
WAS
still planning to cheat the kidnappers by placing money-sized packets of newspaper under a shallow layer of banknotes, Val wouldn’t hear of it. She had sold nearly all her jewellery aside from pieces of sentimental value and only then would he sell some shares to make up the difference. He still wanted to argue about paying them at all.

‘It’s stupid to let them have what they want without a fight,’ he grumbled. ‘It leaves us with nowhere to go. Give in too easily and they could demand even more.’

‘We can cross that bridge when we come to it, Rob. I’m not taking any chances with Chrissie’s safety.’ So saying, Val turned her back on him to count the money one last time, making sure it was all there. She closed the briefcase with a snap and handed it to Ryan. ‘All our hopes and wishes go with you, Ryan. Don’t take any more risks than you need to.’

‘I won’t,’ he said, giving her a quick hug, sensing that she felt as keyed up and tense as he did. They’d agreed he should take her little Subaru to the rendezvous – it was newer and nippier than the old yellow taxi they used to carry Robert around. The vehicle he had taken to Queensland was a write-off after the accident in Sydney and, as yet, Val hadn’t
found the courage to tell him he was unlikely to regain the use of his legs or drive except in a specially modified car. He was still expecting to make a complete recovery.

Ryan wanted to set off early, hoping to gain an advantage by being there before the kidnappers arrived.

‘I still think I should go with you,’ Val said, holding on to the keys until the last possible minute. ‘I don’t like sending you into danger alone.’

‘Leave it be, Val.’ Robert smirked, eyes glittering. ‘Most lads enjoy a bit of danger at his age. It’ll be quite an adventure for him.’

Some adventure! Ryan thought. I’ll be relieved when it’s all over and I have Chrissie safe. Aloud he said, ‘No, Val. You stay here as backup. If I run into trouble, you might need to involve the cops.’ Clearly, he didn’t trust Robert to alert them. ‘I’ll have my hands full, getting Chrissie away from them. I don’t need you there as another target.’

‘Ryan, take care. Just give them the money and call me the instant you have Chrissie safe and they’re gone. Oh, poor girl. She must be terrified.’

‘Try not to worry,’ he said. ‘I’ll have her home soon.’ As he said this, he was hoping his words didn’t sound as hollow to Val as they did to him. They both knew there was still a lot to go wrong.

Driving towards Dandenong, he had time to go over all that had happened and wonder about Robert’s state of mind. It struck him that the old man wasn’t as concerned as a father ought to be – it was Val who was worried sick. And there was something odd about Robert’s attitude, too. He seemed excited – almost gleeful that he, Ryan, should volunteer for this
dangerous mission. Left to his thoughts as he drove closer to the lay-by where he was to meet the kidnappers, he had time to mull over all that had gone before. He felt certain Robert knew a lot more about these people than he was saying and had to be holding something back. The Lanigans might be comfortably off, but were still far from wealthy so why should they become a target for kidnappers? This was about more than the money or it didn’t make sense. He agreed with Val and didn’t believe Robert’s story that he was buying performance-enhancing drugs for the horses. Ryan spent most of his time in the stables and had never seen anyone giving injections aside from their registered vet. No. Robert had made up this dramatic and shocking story because he was hiding something a lot worse.

Chrissie had plenty of time to get to know her captors. It worried her that they didn’t trouble to disguise themselves. If they didn’t care if she recognized them, releasing her might not be a part of their plan and that wasn’t a comforting thought. Shortly before the journey ended, she noted a steep climb on a dirt road with many turns and with gravel crunching beneath the wheels, indicating an unmade country road. When she was allowed to set aside the suffocating rug, she could see they had arrived at a small log cabin buried high in the hills. But which hills? There were several ranges to choose from around Melbourne and it could be any one of them. There seemed to be dense forest all around them and she could see no street lamps or lights nearby to indicate neighbours. She had lost all sense of time and couldn’t judge how long it had taken to get there. They had grabbed her
purse and tossed her mobile phone out onto the motorway. She felt lost and isolated without it.

The facilities of the cabin were old but, mercifully, clean and although most of what she was given to eat was fast food, brought in by the younger of the two men, there was plenty of it. They didn’t intend her to starve.

The older man went out often, leaving the two young people alone although he always insisted on handcuffing her to the brass rail of her bed before doing so, laughing at her promises that she wouldn’t try to escape. He had a low opinion of women, she thought.

The younger man, still in his late teens, was more friendly and liked to chat, so it was easy for her to draw him out, getting him to talk about himself. He told her his name was Tim and the older man was his father, although they didn’t find each other until he was a teenager. He had always believed his father was dead until his mother told him how to find him when she found she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in its later stages. She didn’t have much time; her death was sudden, taking place with a speed that shocked him. Chrissie could see that it upset him to speak of her still; his voice grew husky and tears came readily to his eyes. He blew his nose into a crumpled tissue and continued his tale after taking a shuddering breath.

‘Harry didn’t want to believe I was his, not at first,’ he said. ‘He’s always been a loner with no real friends – an odd sort who didn’t trust anyone. He told me he didn’t need a son to look after, dragging him down. But he only had to look in the mirror to see I was speaking the truth. There I was – a younger version of himself. We got on all right but he still
didn’t want me around, said I was cramping his lifestyle – with girls, I suppose. So I got shoved off to boarding school, “to do some more growing up”, so he said. God, how I hated that place. They had us bellowing hymns all day and didn’t teach us anything. The food was miserable too – macaroni cheese and stodgy puddings to fill us up. Most of us were spotty and overweight. Soon as I could, I learned to drive and make myself useful to him so he’d let me leave.’

‘Didn’t you want an education, Tim?’ Chrissie said. An enthusiastic student herself, she found it hard to understand anyone who didn’t like to study.

‘Not if it meant staying at that school.’ He wrinkled his nose.

‘So what is your father teaching you now?’ She couldn’t resist teasing him. ‘To be a good criminal? Kidnapping is quite an advanced place to start. Higher up the ladder than shoplifting lollies. He’ll have you robbing banks next.’

‘No, he won’t.’ The young man looked uncertain. ‘This kidnapping is a one-off. He said so.’

‘And you believed him?’ she said, speaking softly to make him lean closer. ‘Are you up for murder as well, Tim? Remember, I’ve seen enough to identify both of you. D’you honestly think your father will let me go?’

‘Yes, of course. When he gets the money. He told me so.’ Tim blushed, looking shocked. ‘He doesn’t like doing this – it’s only out of necessity because a man cheated him.’

‘That would be my father, I suppose?’

The lad shrugged. ‘I dunno. He doesn’t tell me much. He has nothing against you. It’s only the money he wants – for us to make a new start. A new life for ourselves overseas.’

‘Oh?’ she said softly. ‘And where will that be?’

Tim paused, staring at her and breathing heavily, realizing he’d already said too much. ‘I don’t want to talk to you any more. Dad said I shouldn’t, anyway. In case I give too much away.’

‘Too late, Tim,’ she said softly. ‘You’re already on the slippery slope.’

‘Stop it,’ he said. ‘You’re frightening me.’

‘Be afraid, Tim,’ she said. ‘Be very afraid. Your father’s a ruthless man and I think he means to kill me.’

He left her then, slamming the door behind him.

She knew it was a slim chance but it was the best she could do; plant the seeds of doubt with Tim concerning his father’s intentions and hope that he would refuse to let himself be a party to murder.

On the way back down the mountain, she had been forced to lie under that smelly rug yet again and when the car stopped, she sat up, pushing it aside and blinking as her eyes became used to the light. They were in a deserted lay-by with traffic moving on a busy freeway nearby.

‘Where are we?’ she said. ‘There’s nobody here.’

‘For your sake, there had better be.’ Sitting uncomfortably close to her, Harry gave her a little shake. For the first time she sensed that he too was nervous, breathing heavily and smelling of fresh perspiration. ‘Because if anyone tries to play the hero and cheat me, somebody’s going to get hurt.’

Chrissie knew this was no idle threat and when it occurred to her that she was likely to die anyway, somehow she was no longer scared. She could only hope that when death came, it would be swift and painless.

‘Don’t expect my father to be there.’ She was suddenly flippant. ‘He’s stuck in a wheelchair – quite aside from being a devout coward. Well, you probably know that already. No. He’ll send my mother. So please don’t hurt her – I know she won’t try to cheat you. Promise me you’ll just take the money and go.’

‘You talk too much. And stop telling me what to do – I don’t like it.’ Harry glared at her through narrowed eyes. ‘All bets are off until I have the money. That’s the only way you and your mum will get out of here.’ He gave her another shove to emphasize his words. ‘Just remember I’m armed.’ And he showed her the revolver before tucking it into his belt at the back; a gesture so practised that she knew he was used to handling firearms.

Chrissie smiled. Beyond fear now, she was almost resigned to her fate. Her only hope was that Val wouldn’t have to share it. ‘Here she comes. That’s my mother’s car. Right on time, isn’t she?’

Ordering Tim to stay in the driver’s seat and wait, Harry pulled up his grey hoodie so that his face was hidden. Then he got out of the car, opened the back door and pulled Chrissie out where she could be seen. He held her arm in a vice-like grip, far from gentle.

‘Here she is,’ he called out. ‘Your daughter, safe and sound.’

Ryan watched their unsteady approach before getting out of the car to meet them. There seemed to be something familiar about this man but as yet he couldn’t place him. Perhaps it was the grey hoodie. They were common enough – worn by men and boys everywhere. But this man seemed unusually
tall and with a strange, loping walk. Ryan was sure he had seen him before.

It came to him in a flashback – a scene from the past. This was the man who had been snooping around the stables up north before Ryan’s world changed forever – before his father died, before the horror of the cyclone and the tree fell on his mother. Intuitively, he knew that this man was responsible for more than a few of his woes. And now he was threatening and terrorizing Chrissie, the woman he loved.

A cold fury took hold of him as he got out of the car, pulling the briefcase with him. He set off towards them, mouth set, not yet knowing what he would do.

‘Don’t come any closer, Ryan,’ Chrissie called, warning him. ‘He has a gun.’

At this crucial moment, a huge logistics truck left the highway and pulled up with a squeal of airbrakes behind them, headlights lighting up the whole scene.

Realizing it was impossible to hide now, Harry gave Chrissie a vicious shove, making her gasp and fall to her knees, bruising them on the rough surface of the road. Pain prevented her from moving right away.

‘Put the briefcase down and move away,’ he ordered Ryan. ‘We have to act quickly now there’s a witness. Don’t make this worse than it is already.’

But Ryan was beyond reason now and kept coming. Only then did Harry pull the gun, releasing the safety catch and aiming it at Ryan’s heart.

‘No,’ Chrissie said brokenly. ‘Please, no.’

Ryan ignored the order, still moving forward as Harry lowered the gun and fired it into the ground near his feet.

The truck driver didn’t wait to see any more. He started his vehicle again and charged past them, peppering them with gravel as he did so. Continuing to keep his firearm trained on Ryan, Harry grinned.

‘That’s what I like to see,’ he said as the truck barged onto the highway, causing a fanfare of horns as other drivers were forced to move out of his way. ‘A man who doesn’t want to get involved. And you keep your distance,’ he said to Ryan. ‘Next time, I’ll aim for your head.’

At this point Tim disobeyed his father’s instructions and got out of the car to come running towards them. He too sounded distraught.

‘Dad, you told me the gun wasn’t loaded. You said it was only for show.’

‘Shut up and get back in the car, Tim.’ Harry glanced at him, momentarily distracted.

Ryan took advantage of this to hurl the briefcase with all the force he could muster, directly at Harry’s chest. It burst open on contact, scattering money around them like a game-show bonanza of wealth.

Harry, winded and startled, still managed to hang on to the gun but Ryan was upon him now, trying to wrestle it from his grasp. Although Harry was more used to unarmed combat, age was catching up on him and he wasn’t as agile as he thought. He was no match for Ryan, who was young and whose arms were unusually strong from a lifetime spent exercising and controlling horses. Try as he may, Harry couldn’t break Ryan’s hold on the gun as they struggled to gain control of it.

Suddenly, the firearm went off again and the two men froze
for a moment as Chrissie screamed. Almost certainly one of them had been hit.

By this time, a Highway Patrol car had come on the scene, sirens wailing, probably summoned by the truck driver, who had been appalled by the drama unfolding before him.