The Sound of Whales (18 page)

CHAPTER 32

H
ayley pushed open the door of her mother's room and saw that it was empty. She checked the bathroom and small kitchen but there was no one there, and in this small cottage that was it. Her mom wasn't home.

Monday morning was sunny and warm and busy. There was the noise of traffic, just a few cars, competing with the shrill squawk of the gulls. There were people moving around, there were boats out in the sound, there was life again. She would Skype some friends later if she could get a connection, but it was the middle of the night right now in Texas. She pictured her house sitting empty in the dark, imagined opening her bedroom window and feeling the sticky air and hearing the cicadas chirping.

Hayley wondered where her mom had gone. There were no messages on her phone and the clock said just after nine. From the window she could see Fraser's house. It filled her with dread but at some point she would have to tell him that she had blabbed.

She washed and dressed and left the cottage, wandered along to the other harbour where the ferry docked. Already a queue of cars had formed to depart the island and she noticed the two police cars in line. The investigation was at an end and she wondered if they had discovered anything about the dead man. It was strange and exciting that
she
knew almost everything. Her mom wasn't in the cafe, so she strolled back to the old harbour, in no hurry, for she had nowhere to be and all the time in the world to get there. She knew she was delaying her encounter with Fraser.

Where was her mom? She had said she was going to help Jonah. What was her plan? She'd been vague, maybe deliberately. And what were Fraser's intentions?

As she turned the corner at the top of the harbour the picture became a little clearer, for there was her mother and she was talking to Willie McGregor. They both disappeared inside the Fisherman's Mission. And upstairs was the harbour master's office!

She gave a giant gasp as her stomach dropped. Was this how her mom intended to help, by turning Jonah in? And did she have any idea that Willie was probably the people trafficker? Hayley walked quickly towards the mission, wondered whether to fetch Fraser or warn Jonah, but she knew nothing for certain.

She pulled open the door and looked inside. The room was empty. She went in and stood at the bottom of the stairs that led up to Mr Wallace's office. There were voices coming from above, including her mom's. Hayley began to climb the stairs but these were the noisiest stairs ever; on only the second step there was a loud creak that made her halt and hold her breath. The talking carried on, so she resumed her ascent, placing her fingers on the steps and creeping up with excruciating slowness. Near the top the voices became more distinct and she paused and listened.

‘I know this, Sarah,' said the harbour master. ‘We know exactly what's going on, we just cannae prove it.'

‘Not yet anyway,' added another voice, which was Willie McGregor.

‘That puts me in a bit of a dilemma.' This was her mom talking. ‘I'm not prepared to divulge too much, but obviously I want to help.'

‘Tell us where he is, lass,' said Mr Wallace.

Hayley's groan was as loud as the creak of the stairs but she didn't care. Her mother had given up Jonah, had turned him in, and everyone – Fraser, Dunny, Ben and Jonah himself – would blame her. She was the one who had told her mom and had taken her to the hideaway. It was her betrayal.

Hayley marched up the remaining stairs and burst into the room, to the obvious surprise of the three adults sitting there. Sarah stood up and was about to say something but Hayley spoke first.

‘You promised you wouldn't tell.'

Her mom offered a sympathetic smile. ‘So did you, honey.'

‘That was different. I told
you
.'

‘And you must have known that I would have to do something about it. The man can't live in a cave indefinitely.' Sarah turned to Mr Wallace and Willie McGregor. ‘He's no longer in the cave, in case you're wondering.'

‘The caves,' said Willie. ‘Dammit, I checked the caves.'

‘But you promised to help him,' Hayley said.

‘And I am. I'm negotiating with the appropriate authorities about what best can be done for our friend. It has to be done properly, through the proper channels.'

‘But Fraser has a plan.'

‘Hayley, honey, Fraser is just a boy. And you are just a girl. I love how you were trying to help, but this is beyond what you guys can do.'

‘But they'll send him back to Africa.'

‘Not necessarily. Jonah has information that could be of use to the authorities. That will help him.'

‘He's an African called Jonah,' said Willie McGregor.

‘It doesn't matter if you know his name,' said Sarah. ‘Or where he's from.'

‘Of course it does,' exclaimed Hayley. ‘He's one of the men looking for Jonah. He's one of the people traffickers.'

Willie McGregor laughed. ‘Dinnae be daft, lass.'

‘Jonah hoped people thought he was dead, like Solomon, and he would be left alone. Now they'll be after him for his money.'

‘And who is Solomon?' asked the harbour master.

‘The dead man on the beach.'

‘The lad had a name. And you knew all along?'

‘Not at the start. Not when I first told you.'

‘I'm not a people trafficker, lassie,' said Willie.

‘But you have the big boat.'

‘Aye, I cashed in my savings and pension and bought a boat. It doesnae mean I smuggle people in it.'

‘He's not,' said Sarah.

‘But Jonah was supposed to transfer to a Scottish boat to be brought ashore.'

‘We know this, lass,' said Mr Wallace.

‘His boat,' said Hayley, pointing.

‘Not mine.'

‘Whose then?'

‘That's what I've been investigating,' said the harbour master. ‘Willie's been helping me out. Your mother has filled in the pieces.'

‘Whose boat, then?' she repeated.

‘Hayley,' her mom said with a sigh.

‘Whose boat?'

There was a pause and then Hayley knew the answer.

She spun around and made for the door, took the stairs two at a time, ignoring her mother's cry to come back. She ran along the road to Fraser's house and banged hard on his door.

Jessie Dunbar opened it.

‘I need to see Fraser.'

Jessie could hear Hayley's panic. ‘Is everything all right?'

‘I just need to see Fraser.'

‘Come in, then,' she said hesitantly. Hayley followed her through the door. ‘He's up in his room.'

Hayley climbed the stairs to Fraser's room, pushed open the door and saw Fraser sitting on his bed, looking at the ocean. The boy turned and said, ‘Dunny, I told you to
 . . .
'

His words were cut short when he saw it was Hayley. His face flicked from astonishment to puzzlement to resentment.

‘What do you want?' he said.

‘I need to tell you something.'

Fraser snorted. ‘Don't bother, I already know.' He added, ‘Traitor.'

So Fraser knew of her betrayal. It saved her having to confess. ‘I had to tell her. I thought she could help.'

‘We didn't need help. If your mum tells anyone now, Jonah's done for.'

Hayley couldn't hide a look of guilt and shame. She felt it spreading over her face and from Fraser's reaction he saw it too.

‘Who has she told?' the boy asked.

‘Mr Wallace.' Hayley took a breath. ‘And Willie McGregor.'

‘What?' Fraser was dumbfounded. ‘But
 . . . 
but
 . . . 
we've been trying to keep Jonah away from Willie, and you've just handed him over. Once they have him he'll be forced into slavery, or worse.'

‘No, you don't know the whole story. Mr Wallace and Willie McGregor, and my mom also, they think it's someone else who is the people smuggler.'

‘Who?'

Hayley suddenly had a vision of Fraser standing on top a giant tower of kiddy bricks, balancing precariously on one leg, and she was about to kick away the bottom block.

‘It's Ben.'

There was a silence and stillness while Fraser deliberated, then he was all noise and motion. ‘That's the biggest piece of dog crap I've ever heard. Really? That's the best they can offer? Ben! They think they've got us fooled. They think we'll believe anything. They're talking complete and utter
 . . .
'

‘Fraser,' said Hayley, ‘Fraser!' She grabbed him by the arm. ‘At least consider the possibility.'

‘No, it's nonsense.'

‘Until we know for certain, you shouldn't involve Ben in any plan you might have.'

Fraser looked at her, then looked out of his window, down towards where the
Moby Dick
was moored, then back at her.

‘What have you done?' Hayley asked quietly.

‘Ben's already involved.'

He made for the door, was through it and gone before Hayley had a chance to ask,
What plan?
She followed him down the stairs and through the hall, past a confused Jessie Dunbar. She burst out of the front door. Fraser stood there with her mom and the harbour master and his back was stiff and his hands were clenched.

‘It's not true,' he said.

‘I'm just doing my job, lad,' said Mr Wallace. ‘I have to look into it, that's all.'

‘What does it matter if people come to this country? And if someone helps them? Where's the harm?'

The harbour master sighed. ‘We cannae just have a free-for-all, open doors, everyone-welcome policy. We havenae the jobs, or the houses, or the schools for everyone who wants to come. It has to be controlled.'

‘But Jonah is just one man.'

‘One of many. And it's not just people that are trafficked; it's drugs and weapons and counterfeit goods. It is organized crime carried out by organized criminals.'

‘Ben is not a criminal,' Fraser said.

‘And neither is Jonah,' said Hayley moving alongside the boy. ‘He's just a man looking for his brother.'

Mr Wallace shook his head. ‘I dinnae care about the African. He's just a poor soul far from home. It's the gangs I want, in particular their Scottish contacts. The African can lead me to them. I need to know what he knows. And who he knows.'

‘But once you've discovered that,' Fraser said, ‘he gets sent back to Africa.'

The harbour master shrugged. ‘Maybe. He shouldnae be here.'

‘That's what I'm going to work to prevent,' Sarah said.

Mr Wallace rubbed a hand across his brow. ‘What do you think is going happen, Fraser? How do you think this is going to end?'

Fraser said quietly, ‘It will end how it is supposed to end.'

‘There's already been one death. I'm trying to prevent another one.'

‘That other man drowned. He wasn't murdered, he drowned. His name was Solomon and I could have saved him but I didn't.'

‘Well, Solomon never got the new and better life he had been promised. I doubt your friend Jonah will either.'

‘We have to give him a chance.'

‘He willnae have a chance if you've told Ben McCaig.'

‘Ben's not involved.'

‘But I think he is, Fraser. We've been watching your whale-scientist pal for a while. Someone brings the Africans to shore. It's not the main men, it's never them, that's when it becomes dangerous, a criminal activity. Up to that point it's a pleasure cruise with African friends. No, they transfer to another boat and that boat lands them in the UK. And that is where McCaig comes in.'

‘Mr Wallace has shown me evidence,' said Sarah. ‘A log of his sailings, details of bank deposits. It all adds up. And I feel a fool because I didn't see it.'

‘Nonsense,' Fraser spat. ‘You're twisting this around just to find Jonah. He is going to get away and it will be
thanks
to Ben, you'll see.'

‘What have you done?' Hayley asked. ‘What
is
this plan of yours?'

‘Never mind. It's sorted.'

‘Is Jonah with Ben?'

‘I'm saying nothing more in front of him. Ben's not involved, of that much I'm certain.'

‘What about his knife?'

Fraser gave her a warning look and shook his head but it was beyond all that now.

‘We found Ben's knife by the dead body,' she said to her mom.

‘Oh, God.'

‘He wasn't murdered, remember,' Fraser said. ‘The knife was planted.'

‘Why would Ben cut open a dead body?' Sarah asked.

‘I don't know,' said Hayley.

‘I do,' Fraser said. ‘It was to look for a small diamond that the man had swallowed to pay for his journey.'

‘So Ben has a diamond?' Hayley asked.

Fraser gave no answer, refused to look at her, his mouth tight, breathing through his nose. For what seemed a long time the four of them stood on the harbour road in silence. All eyes turned to view the small lobster boat whose rusting hull shone in the sunlight on waters that sparkled like a coral sea.