The Delta Chain (33 page)

‘But he was also easily
manipulated.
’

‘That
’
s why we need all of this contained, and quickly, to get
Bingham and everything else back to normal. And to get Asquith off
our backs.
’

‘I suppose Asquith knew
absolutely everything before we did, as usual?
’

‘Yes. And
he
’
s on his way, talking
re-location.
’

Donnelly was
incredulous.
‘
Again?
’

‘Yes.
’

‘Fuck him.
’

‘When Erickson and his
team get here,
’
Westmeyer said,
‘
make sure they rest up in their quarters, no
hitting the booze and letting off steam. I want you and Erickson
and Tony in my office at 7 AM sharp.
’
The
one thing Westmeyer hated about employing Erickson was that the
cool headed but vicious hunter reminded him of the Vietnamese
general whose men had murdered Mai. The general had been a
psychopath. The dark gleam Westmeyer had seen in that
man
’
s eyes, that night, was the same
glint he
’
d seen in
Erickson
’
s eyes. But Erickson had worked
previously for the Nexus Group, he was available and he was
useful.

As Donnelly was fond of
pointing out, that was the reason
–
the
only reason -they
’
d hired Erickson. He
was the kind of strong-arm that Nexus had employed in the past. And
he was already experienced with the covert nature of Nexus
projects.

Donnelly knew more than
most about Erickson
’
s “mysterious past”.
The young Joel Erickson had travelled the wildernesses of the world
during the 1960
’
s with his father
–
a mercenary-for-hire and a big game hunter.
Donnelly didn
’
t know what had become of
Erickson
’
s mother and wondered if
Erickson himself even knew. When his father died, the younger
Erickson took on many of his assignments. He
’
d never served in the military, something that particularly
stuck in Donnelly
’
s claw. Donnelly was a
Vietnam veteran and proud of it.

Erickson had expanded his
activities into gun and drug running and poaching.

From time to time, he was
contracted by Nexus, which was how he
’
d
become involved with Westmeyer
’
s
project.

Donnelly loathed Erickson and
was secretly pleased that, since the Florida incident, Erickson had
been rapidly losing favour with the Nexus heavies. Donnelly
suspected this situation with the murdered ranger would prove to
the last straw.

Asquith and his Nexus
Group had always known of Erickson
’
s
sadistic enjoyment in hunting humans. Erickson had been warned not
to indulge that fetish while involved in Nexus activities. After
Florida, Donnelly had hoped Erickson would be dumped.

But Erickson persuaded
everyone it wouldn
’
t happen
again.

After all that, what kind of arrogant prick
was Erickson to have taken the same chance?

Westmeyer relied on
Erickson
’
s otherwise faultless supply of
the crocodiles, and didn
’
t want to change
or delay anything this far into the project.

If one thing about Westmeyer
irritated Donnelly, it was the way in which his boss ran hot and
cold in his support of Nexus initiatives. One moment he was in
agreement on keeping Erickson around, agreeing with the Nexus
overview of things, the next he was damning all of them in private
with Donnelly.

‘Erickson will find the
boy,
’
Donnelly said.
‘
We
’
ll have the Melanie Cail issue
cleared up before long. And as for this police investigation,
William, it won
’
t go anywhere,
there
’
s nothing, absolutely nothing
connecting the Institute with those drowning victims.
’

‘We have to convince
Asquith of that. He needs to give us just another month, maybe
less, and we
’
ll have crossed the
threshold. We
’
ll have made the
breakthrough.
’

Costas looked up from the
journal.
‘
Did I hear Daniel?
’

Barbara checked on the
boy, and then returned to the kitchen.
‘
Still asleep, but giving little coughs.
’

‘Poor lad.
’
He resumed reading softly from the
journal:

“When I was older, Elizabeth and I and some
of the others sneaked looks at newspapers that the Keepers kept
hidden. Knowing where the forbidden papers were kept, we would
creep with torches in the middle of the night to peek at them. We
were at once sickened by the senseless evil of the outside world,
but also fascinated.

What must the lives of other
children have been like?

Some of us began to
realise that much of what we
’
d been
taught was a distortion of the truth. I
’
m
writing this down today, because today I
’
ve been thinking back over my life here at the Com, and in
particular about our Carers. Our Carers are the ones to whom we are
all the closest. The Keepers are the men, most of them strange,
distant males who work about the house and the grounds. They are
responsible for watching us closely and delivering punishments for
bad behaviour.

But our Carers are the ladies
who get us up at six every morning, oversee our meals and run the
classes where we do our schoolwork and hear the teachings of the
First Keeper.

Some of them grew up here, at
the Com.

Our Carers, like the
Keepers, are sometimes cruel to us (for our own long term good,
they say) and we
’
ve always been
discouraged from becoming too close with any of them.

I have always got on best, and
felt most comfortable, with Carer Beth.

Today I asked her if she was my
mother and whether she loved me.

She
didn
’
t become angry or violent or (thank
God) report me, but she did reprimand me. She warned me not to
mention such subjects again. She advised me to read and re-read the
words of our First Keeper, that all the answers I sought were in
his philosophy. Perhaps she
’
s right.
Perhaps it
’
s because we stray from those
teachings that other emotions deepen inside us, leading to
depression, the way it did on the day I jumped into the
well.”

‘The poor, young
soul,
’
Barbara said.
‘
Costas, what are we going to do? We can
’
t deal with this alone…
’

He was already reaching
for the phone.
‘
Adam will be able to
help.
’

There was unexpected news
for Adam when he returned to the police centre.
‘
Superintendent O
’
Malley
’
s on conference call in
the meeting room,
’
the duty officer
said.

Arthur Kirby looked up as Adam
entered.

‘You
’
re just in time. Seems there
’
s
news…
’

O
’
Malley
’
s voice boomed over the
line.

‘I have Wal and Megan here
with me,
’
O
’
Malley informed them.
‘
Adam, I
know you
’
re acquainted with Kate Kovacs,
and you
’
re aware she
’
s been in the Northern Territory as a result of her
brother
’
s murder.
’

Adam was stunned.
‘
Yes. But what has that to do-?
’

‘Hear me out, Adam. The
Feds were called in on that, and they
’
ve
been in contact with me to advise there
’
s
a link between their operation and ours. With Ms. Kovacs
assistance, they
’
ve been satellite
tracking the movements of the croc hunters responsible for her
brother
’
s death…Adam, those hunters have
been stopped for several hours,
in an area close to the rear of the Westmeyer
Institute
.
’

‘What…?
’
Adam
’
s mind reeled.
There was a brief silence. He and Arthur Kirby exchanged
glances.

‘I don
’
t know what the hell is going on at that Institute,
’
O
’
Malley
continued,
‘
or whether this is connected
with the drownings, but we need to step up the investigation.
We
’
ll be in Northern Rocks in the
morning. Arthur has organised a vacant house in the suburbs from
where we
’
ll set up an undercover op
centre.

‘Adam, can you run some
surveillance tonight. Take a man with you, but only to observe. We
need some intel on just what these croc poachers are up to on the
grounds out there. As we speak, a Federal judge is issuing a search
warrant.
’

‘I
’
m on it,
’
Adam said.

‘Arthur…
’

‘I
’
m listening,
’
Kirby
responded.

‘You have a reasonably
close working relationship with the Mayor, Bingham…?
’

‘That
’
s correct.
’

‘
Bingham played an
active role in pushing through the approval for
Westmeyer
’
s research centre, despite
resistance from the town
’
s conservative
elements. He and Westmeyer have had a close relationship since
then.
’

‘I believe so.
’

‘We don
’
t want Bingham getting wind of any of this until we know
where it
’
s going.
’

‘I
’
ll make certain we keep a tight lid.
’

‘Superintendent,
’
Adam said,
‘
Brian
Markham did the autopsy on our Jane Doe here. Being on the spot, I
believe he would be useful now that the operation is moving full
scale in to the town.
’

‘Agreed.
We
’
ll get in touch with Markham and
arrange for him to be fully briefed at the op centre in the
morning. Very well, gentlemen, thank you. Adam
–
good luck this evening. Take it very low key
–
and phone through any info that you feel
won
’
t wait.
’

‘Understood.
’

As O
’
Malley signed off, Kirby said to Adam:
‘
Harrison
’
s the most senior man on
duty tonight, and I think you
’
ll agree,
the best to have with you this evening.
’

‘Yes.
That
’
s good-
’

‘I suggest you leave your
car, and the police vehicles, here. I
’
ll
organise another, unmarked car in case any particular attention is
drawn to your drive through the area.
’

‘Thanks.
’

Kirby noticed the
disturbed expression on the young detective
’
s face.
‘
Last thing you expected
right now, I expect, this news about the croc hunters.
’

‘That
’
s for sure.
’

‘I had no idea Kate had
gone back to the Northern Territory.
’

‘Neither did I, Arthur,
until this morning.
’

‘Any idea what it
means?
’

‘None, other than
it
’
s no coincidence.
’

The duty officer appeared
in the doorway.
‘
Adam,
I
’
ve got Costas Yannous on the phone for
you. He says it
’
s very
urgent.
’

‘You want to come with me?
Now?
’
Kate was incredulous.

‘Not me,
’
Walter said,
‘
your new
American friends.
’

Jean Farrow nodded.

‘We
’
re as much a part of this now as you are, Kate,
’
Hank said

Jean entwined her arm
around Hank
’
s.
‘
I
’
ve found that once this man
decides to follow through on something he
’
s like a bad smell you just can
’
t
get rid of.
’

‘I think you could have
phrased it a little more eloquently than that,
’
the retired reporter countered with a grin.

Kate had readily agreed to the
offer, from the Feds and from Task Force Origin, to join the
operation in Northern Rocks, as a consultant on the computer
tracking.

The two Federal agents
were catching a commercial flight to Queensland the following
afternoon. But Kate couldn
’
t wait. She
knew she wouldn
’
t be able to sleep; she
wanted to go back straight away; and she was bursting to see Adam.
She
’
d organised a local
Settler
’
s Gorge charter pilot to take
her. They were flying out within the hour.