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Katherine pulled her children closer. Carolyn snivelled, now too frightened even to cry and Isaac lay, wide-eyed, in the crook of her body.
Karl aimed a kick at her as he passed. ‘Benjamin’s gunna be real mad with youse lot, with all of us, when he sees what ya’ve done. Do ya know how hard it is to get a fence, a gate anythin’ fixed round here? Stoopid, bloody bitch. Bloody fuckin’ stickybeakin’ fuckin’ geos.’
Karl stopped pacing. He knew what to do about Benjamin. He didn’t need to worry about Katherine’s bruises anymore. All he had to do was get rid of Benjamin and take over his identity. Then he’d own his Toyota, his gun, radio and above all, the woman.
Getting rid of Benjamin would be easy. But a stranger? If something happened to him police might come sniffing around. He’d managed to stay clear of them for a long time. He wasn’t prepared to risk losing everything again. He needed to think.
He had to work out a way of getting rid of that bloody geologist. He could perhaps tell him that the woman was a crazy and had to be kept there. Perhaps he could talk him into going away and forgetting this whole thing. Karl recognised that talking an intelligent man into believing a cock and bull yarn would take all of his limited skills. Perhaps he could suggest that no action would be taken about the broken gates and attempted stealing of his woman if he just took his vehicle and left?
His thoughts were interrupted. ‘Please, Karl. Can I get a drink of water for myself and the children?’ Katherine was still huddled in the corner.
He ignored her request. ‘What did ya tell that bastard out there? Who did ya tell him I was, an’ ya was?’
‘I didn’t get a chance to tell him anything, honestly. He thinks I’m your wife. I just told him I hated living here and needed to get away. I said I’d stay with him if he helped me get away from you.’ Katherine changed her tone of voice. ‘I reckon he sort of liked me. I think he maybe wanted to … to have sex with me.’
Now she was making sense. ‘Yeah, I kin unnerstand that. So ‘e thinks ya my wife, eh? Thinks ‘e kin jist come bargin’ in an’ take off with another bloke’s woman, jist like that, eh? Bloody cheek of the bastard.’
The irony of the situation did not even dawn on Karl. But it gave him the confidence that somehow he might get rid of the stranger without compromising his plan to keep Katherine for himself. ‘Okay. Let’s go see ‘im.’
Ordering Carolyn to stay with Isaac, he grabbed Katherine by her wrist and pulled her after him, across to the tin shed. ‘Jist don’ try nothin’ bitch, or say nothin’. I’se warning ya.’
Petri heard the bolts being slid back. He counted two, one top and one bottom. The door opened and the glare of the mid-morning sun almost blinded him. Katherine was thrust forward, bumping against him so he lost his balance and fell backwards on to his bound hands. He winced.
Katherine staggered as Karl pushed his way past her. ‘I really dunno what ta do with ya. Bloody stranger what comes ‘round ‘ere, tries ta steal me wife, fucks up me fence an’ causes me trouble. Should I shoot ya, or what?’
Petri was now confused. The woman had told him she was not his wife but a prisoner. From the way she acted he felt sure she’d told the truth. He decided to say as little as possible and find out what was going on.
Karl nudged him with a boot. ‘So, speak up, man. What should I do with ya?’
‘Look, I’m sorry, mate. I came to collect geological samples and when you wouldn’t let me down the track I thought maybe I could persuade your wife to let me through.’
‘Oh, yeah! So ya busted me fuckin’ gates, an’ then drove off with me wife an’ kids. Them’s funny kinda samples ya collect.’
‘No, no it wasn’t like that. It was only when your wife came to the gate and asked me to help her get to the city. She told me she didn’t want to stay here, said it wasn’t good for her or the kids to be out here. She just wanted me to give her a ride to town.’
‘An’ ya just believed all her bullshit? Smash me fuckin’ gates ‘cause she asked ya for a lift?’
‘The gates were locked so I thought I could just let her out if I gently broke the lock. I didn’t mean to break the gates as much as I did, just wanted to break the lock. I’m really sorry.’
Karl felt that wonderful sense of power again. Not only did he have Katherine scared of him, but this clever bastard of a geologist was grovelling and apologising. ‘Yeah, well sorry ain’t gunna fix ‘em, is it? So what ya gunna do, eh?’
‘Look, I really am sorry. I just thought I’d be helping your wife. I realise now it was none of my business. I’ll pay for any damage and then go. Leave you folk in peace.’
Behind the dogger, Petri saw Katherine’s face crumple and her whole body slump as he spoke. It was then that he realised with certainty that she was in real trouble. His mind raced. ‘Tell you what, I’ll help fix the gates as best I can and give you a cheque to pay for the damage. Then I’ll go get more wire and stuff from Kal. You just tell me what —’
‘Nah. That ain’t gunna work.’ Karl certainly didn’t want the nosey geologist hanging around any longer than necessary. ‘Gimme what cash ya got an’ a cheque for a coupla hundred bucks. Cash cheque. I’ll get the stuff meself next time I’m in Kal. Then you can fuckin’ well piss off ta where ya come from.’
Behind Karl Petri could see Katherine’s eyes close slowly then open looking directly at him. She said nothing but her whole face expressed her desperation.
‘My stuff’s in my ute. Untie me and I’ll go get the cash and write a cheque. And I really need a drink of water and a pee.’
‘Okay. Jist don’ fuck me round or ya’ll be back in ‘ere soon as look at ya.’ Karl reached into his pocket and took out a vicious looking flick-knife. With one slice he cut through the rope binding Petri’s hands. Petri rubbed his wrists and shrugged his aching shoulders. He rubbed the sore place on the back of his head and started out of the shed, followed closely by Karl, still holding the knife, and Katherine.
‘Ya stay ‘ere,’ Karl ordered Katherine. ‘Look after ya kids. Don’ move from ‘ere.’
Katherine was too scared to think straight, too frightened to even imagine trying another attempt. Then, as she saw Karl walking out the broken gates with Petri, she had an idea. A desperate, last-ditch idea.
I t was a long and silent walk back to the Toyota. Karl carried his flick-knife, open, and his precious gun was slung across his shoulder. He walked close behind Petri all the way. By the time the men got to the vehicle both were perspiring.
