The Samurai Inheritance (36 page)

Devlin shook his head. ‘They got away with it because they had Australian support – no, it was more than that – Australian encouragement. This time public opinion will be on Bougainville’s side. I have it on good authority that Canberra sees independence for Bougainville, or a form of it, as a positive outcome. If Papua New Guinea decided to interfere, Australia would scrap the five hundred million dollars in aid it gives them and call on the United Nations to step in. Everybody knows linking Bougainville to Port Moresby was a cock-up in the first place. The new government of Bougainville will get the same percentage PNG received last time round, and Devlin Metal Resources, or whatever we call the company that runs the mine, will pledge a cut of its profits for infrastructure and development improvements.’

Jamie found his resolve tested by the Australian’s enthusiasm, but he saw an obvious flaw in the plan. ‘What about all these men with guns I keep hearing about? They fought the mine owners the last time round, what’s to stop them doing it again?’

‘That’s a good question, son.’ Devlin frowned. ‘The former soldiers of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army are still a power in this land. That’s why they were the first people we started discussions with, along with the Panguna landowners, of course. They were suspicious – and who wouldn’t be after what happened in the Seventies and Eighties? – but I think we’ve managed to convince them we’re sincere.’

‘Sincere about what?’

‘Turning this little island into the powerhouse of the Pacific and making sure that the people – that’s the native Bougainvilleans – have one of the best lifestyles in the southern hemisphere.’ Jamie opened his mouth to interrupt, but Doug Stewart touched his arm. Devlin continued. ‘I’m not going to make any bones about it, Jamie, the three things that destroyed the Panguna Mine project were greed, arrogance and stupidity. If I can win these people round, and I acknowledge it’s a big if, I don’t intend to make those mistakes. This will be
their
mine as much as Keith Devlin’s, maybe more so. The minute we get the go-ahead we’ll recruit the first thousand apprentices from amongst the brightest kids on the island. We’ll build and staff a technical college to train them, and we’ll send the best of them to Australian universities to continue their education. And that’ll be just the start. The family of everybody who works for the company will have the chance to move into a house with proper sanitation, electricity and running water. There’ll be hospitals and schools and a decent road around the island. There’ll be money in every household and that’ll stimulate the economy and create more businesses. We’ll reopen the airport across there for international flights. Bougainville will be back in the world community, but this time with a voice of its own.’

‘The gospel according to Keith Devlin?’

Devlin ignored the mockery in Jamie’s voice. ‘That’s right, son, but can you think of a better future? We have to find a way forward. Bougainville can’t go back to the old days, the world won’t let it. I’m offering progress and prosperity for all the people who suffered during that terrible war.’

‘You’ll be telling me next you’re going to magic away all the environmental damage and the toxic chemicals in the river systems.’

‘No,’ Devlin shook his head, ‘I can’t promise them that, and I’ve told them so. All I can say is that we’ll use the most modern methods to make sure there’s as little pollution as possible. I won’t bore you with all the technical details about sustainability, but we’ve moved on a long way from nineteen eighty-nine and we’re prepared to spend money to make sure nothing like the Jaba River disaster happens again.’ He walked to one of the windows and drew up the blind. ‘You take a look out there. The jungle’s already reclaimed whole blocks of what was Arawa and swallowed up roads and industrial plants. I say nature’s going to surprise us all. That river system will recover quicker than anybody believes possible.’

Jamie had a feeling that Devlin wasn’t talking to him, but rehearsing his pitch to whoever was going to occupy these chairs. He hated to admit it, but the mining boss was a persuasive, almost seductive orator. Right at that moment if Keith Devlin had told him he was going to walk across the Buka Passage without getting his feet wet he’d probably have believed him. Yet in a little hidden corner of his mind a voice whispered that it was all too pat. Too good to be true. He locked eyes with the tycoon. ‘What I’m really wondering, Keith, is what’s in it for you?’

‘I get the satisfaction of seeing one of the world’s great mines reopened.’ Devlin grinned. ‘I get the thanks of the good people of Bougainville. But mainly I get to make an awful lot of money. I don’t see anything wrong with that, do you?’

You had to marvel at the man’s charm – and his cheek. Jamie shook his head ‘All right, I give in. You’ve convinced me that the Second Coming is just around the corner. Now can I see Fiona?’

‘There’s just one minor detail to sort out before you go, Jamie son.’ Devlin gingerly picked up the head by a strand of curly hair. His smile didn’t falter, but an edge to his voice told Jamie he wasn’t going to be laughing any time soon. ‘The old boy on the mountain is a cagey sort of fella. For some reason he blames the Panguna Mine on Australia and right now he doesn’t trust us one little bit. Of course, that’ll change when he gets his old granddad back, but until then we need someone not linked to Devlin Metal Resources to make the delivery.’ He shrugged. ‘During the war – our war – he got to liking a couple of the Coastwatchers who spied on Jap planes around here. Pukka English officers, they were, not like us rough-and-ready Aussies. So that’s exactly what I’m going to send him: a pukka English gent.’

It took a moment for Jamie to realize only one person in the room came close to the description of a pukka English gent. He had an image of the all-encompassing jungle they’d passed on the road. It would be a hundred times worse in the mountains. Christ, there’d be snakes. ‘You can’t be—’

‘Oh, I am, son,’ Devlin’s voice was soft, but his tone said no arguments. ‘You take a quick jaunt up the hill, hand over the head and bring me the briefcase the old man pinched. Easy as pie. When you get back you and your little ladies will be on the first plane back to civilization with first-class tickets to wherever you wish. There’ll also be a substantial bonus in
both
your bank accounts to make up for our little misunderstanding.’

‘I don’t have any experience in the jungle, Keith,’ Jamie pointed out. ‘I’m more of a Hampstead Heath man, and then only when it’s not raining.’

‘I understand that, Jamie, and that’s why I’m sending my best man with you. Doug will make sure you’re nice and safe. He might even show you how to live for a week on a roast possum.’

‘Keith, I …’ Doug Stewart attempted to intervene and Jamie noticed he wasn’t the only one who wasn’t too impressed by Devlin’s plan.

‘Come on, Doug.’ The mining boss laughed harshly. ‘You’re always telling me what a helluva fella and a great jungle fighter you are. Now’s your chance to show it, mate.’

The word ‘mate’ was anything but matey and Jamie saw Stewart flinch as if someone had poked him in the chest. The security chief continued to object, but Devlin wouldn’t be swayed and while they argued, Andy said he’d drive Jamie to the beach where Devlin had said Fiona and Lizzie Carter were bathing. After ten minutes he stopped the car by a coconut grove and pointed seawards. ‘Just follow the track down through the trees. Someone will be along to pick you up in an hour.’

Jamie hesitated in the doorway. ‘Andy, have you any idea what’s really happening here?’

The guard shook his head. ‘I just do the job I’m paid to do, Mr Saintclair. If you’ve got any questions you ask old Doug. He might be a bit over the hill, but he’s been around long enough to have all the answers.’ He nodded. ‘Enjoy your reunion and remember you have to be ready by five thirty tomorrow.’

Jamie walked until the track ended at a long, curving beach of white sand fringed with palm trees and coconut groves. The sun was in his eyes and it took a moment before he saw the bright orange beach umbrella two hundred metres away to his right, with three or four small figures playing in the surf close by. His first instinct was to run to them. Instead, he sat down and took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his trousers to the knee before walking, shoes in hand, to the breaking waves. With the wet sand squishing deliciously between his toes he set off towards the orange marker. By the time he was halfway the figures in the surf defined themselves into one pale child in a blue bikini and three startlingly black ones. Beneath the umbrella’s canopy a pair of long, tanned legs was just visible.

Lizzie looked up as he approached and her mouth dropped open. Jamie put his finger to his lips and she swallowed the shriek that was about to emerge, copying his gesture to her grinning playmates.

Jamie advanced till he could see past the edge of the umbrella. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of Fiona lying there in a black bikini barely worthy of the name that tantalized rather than covered. Her eyes were closed and the sleek golden body glistened with sun oil, all curves and hollows and tight muscled planes.

‘It looks as if being kidnapped agrees with you,’ he said.

Her eyes shot open. ‘Jamie.’ She struggled to her feet and enveloped him in her arms, so he could feel the contrasting softness and hardness of her. Kisses rained on his lips and cheeks until they finally found his mouth and he took control, ending the frenzy by holding her there for a long, long, increasingly breathless moment.

‘Yuk.’ A small body forced its way between them, and they reluctantly moved apart, holding each other by the arms.

‘I’ve missed you,’ she said. Her eyes were shining and his heart did a double somersault at what he saw in their shadows.

‘I’ve missed you too.’

‘Have you missed me?’ a small voice demanded.

‘Of course I’ve missed you, Lizzie.’ Jamie laughed. ‘Who are your friends?’

She introduced the grinning youngsters: ‘Gabriel, Maria and C’melita.’

‘Banana crisps for the one who finds me the prettiest shell,’ Fiona announced, and Lizzie ran off, followed by the others.

‘I don’t know if they understand her – I think they only speak Tok Pisin – but kids have a language of their own.’ She sighed. ‘Now,’ she said, taking his face between her hands and looking into his eyes, ‘where were we?’

‘Wondering why we’re standing on a beach in Bougainville when we were supposed to be drinking champagne in a hot tub in Cairns. By the way,’ he glanced to where Lizzie and her friends were searching through the sand by the waterline, ‘someone told me there are sharks and crocodiles.’

‘The sharks are further out and the crocs tend to stay in the estuaries.’ She smiled. ‘The locals say it’s quite safe to bathe here. Come and sit down.’ She stepped back and drew him into the shade of the umbrella, making a space for him on the towel she’d been using.

‘I think I just left the biggest shark of all back in Arawa.’ Jamie sank on to the fine sand. ‘Look, I’m sorry I got you into all of this. The question now is how I get you out. Devlin’s asked me to go on some daft mission into the mountains tomorrow, but I’m more than half inclined to hire a car, put us in it, and head for the airport …’ He’d been looking at her as he spoke and he saw a range of emotions cross her face before she turned her head away. None of them were the ones he’d expected. ‘Unless there’s something else you’d rather do,’ he ended lamely.

She stared out at the sea, taking a long time to formulate her reply. ‘When I realized the plane wasn’t taking us to Cairns I was angry at first, then frightened. We’d had a wonderful time in Perth and Melbourne with the aunties and cousins, and I couldn’t believe it was happening. They said there’d been some sort of emergency and we’d had to divert, but I didn’t believe them. But everything changed when Mr Devlin met us and explained why he’d brought us here. I think you have to do this thing for him, Jamie. The people on this island deserve all the help they can get.’

Jamie set his face in a reassuring smile designed to cover the inner confusion he felt. Christ, he thought, I’m not the only one who was seduced by Devlin’s pitch. You’ve got it in a bad way. Bewitched, bewildered and completely buggered. There were things he could say, things he could tell her, doubts and worries, but he had a feeling they wouldn’t do either of them any good. ‘So you don’t feel like you’ve been kidnapped?’

She shook her head with a little half-grin of apology. ‘So there isn’t anything to forgive. In a way, it’s much better than it would have been on Mr Devlin’s private island, especially for Lizzie. Life here is so simple. We have a house beside the family who look after us. The plumbing is basic and the electricity is supplied by a generator and goes off at ten. The TV has three channels instead of three hundred and we drink rainwater and eat the same food the locals do. Yet I’ve never seen Lizzie happier or more content. Our landlady, Grace, treats her as if she’s one of her own, and her children like she’s their sister. I’ve heard all about the mine and the war, but despite all that Bougainville is a special place and it can be even better …’

‘If I help Devlin?’

‘Yes.’

‘Despite the fact that he – let’s put a happy face on it – at best shanghaied us and brought us here against our will.’

‘He told me his plans. What he can do for these people—’

‘Spare me, I’ve heard it.’

‘And then there’s the money.’

‘He told you about that?’

‘Yes. It’ll mean I can put Lizzie into a good school; give her all the things I’ve always wanted to but haven’t been able to afford.’

Seduced and bought. Keith Devlin never did things by halves. Jamie lay back on the sand and closed his eyes.

‘What are you going to do, Jamie?’

‘Sleep. Wake me up when Andy gets back.’

‘Andy?’

‘Devlin’s bodyguard. Dark hair, shoulders like a bullock.’

‘Oh, the good-looking one.’ He kicked her leg with his bare feet. ‘So what are you going to do?’ she repeated.

‘Can’t you leave me alone, woman? I have a mountain to climb tomorrow.’ He opened one eye. ‘And of course, I may have other duties to perform later.’ Now it was her turn to kick him, but she lay against him in a way that said she didn’t really mean it.