WYN100 Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 **PART 4 Austin had risen from the bench and was standing ? erect, his posture and face ? growing paler by the minute ? registering dismay and disbelief at what he was hearing. Interrupting and contradicting the cold, harsh tones at the other end of the cellphone was however proving an exacting task. His best attempts cut little ice ?You CAN?T be serious?.yes, but that Kit Hunter business is child?s play compared to THIS ?. But?come ON?.!? His voice rose higher ? almost semi-despairing ??be reasonable mate, you just CAN?T mean it?? A few more curt phrases and a sharp, conversation-concluding click illustrated to the disbelieving Austin that an increasingly obsessed Duncan really DID in fact very much mean it? Josie absently moved her glass of chardonnay from one end of her deep blue marble coffee-table from one side of sea-blue coffee table as she stretched for the glossy celebrity magazine she?d bought three days peiously at the filling station but still hadn?t had time to open . Jesse was now quite significantly later than they?d arranged, but far from worrying, she was secretly quite relieved. Things had been growing progressively strained between the two of them for some time now ? the saga of the unfinished Noah?s Bar accounts was just a symptom. How many TIMES had she told herself not to mix business with pleasure ?how many TIMES - and yet, here she was again in a situation bound to leave emotional blood on the carpet sooner or later? The high-pitched but melodic purr of the housephone cut across her thoughts..She smiled ruefully at the magazine ? once again her appointment to discover the cause of ?Russell Crowe?s inner agony? would have to be postponed. This would be Jesse she thought, forcing herself into a welcoming mode she didn?t truly feel. ?Hel-lo ? she began brightly, ?.. now keeping a girl waiting isn?t the?.? She stopped abruptly as the line went dead, staring at the phone like people do, as if expecting it to print out an explanation. She shivered involuntarily as the evening breeze rippled through the roller-blinds by which she was standing. That was the third of those calls since yesterday?. Henry felt like the driver of a car in many a film or adventure programme that evades his pursuer in a high-speed chase through streets and forests, only to find he?s thymped the brakes at the edge of a cliff just as they?re catching him up. Henry?s genuine love for his mother plus his suspicion that she still had feelings for Rhy made him doubly anxious not to reveal what he suspected about his former stepfather till he?d had time to dig some more. But her powers of detection were legendary. And, almost without him knowing, Beth Hunter ?Good Cop? was at work. ?Sweetheart?? she began, circling her arm behind his back..?you do know you can tell me anything, don?t you??? ?Yes..? he replied guardedly, feeling even slow boredom by Argentinian cattle was preferable to slow, relentless interrogation by a mother for whom the truth only seemed to exist in order to be nosed out of reluctant sons who didn?t want to reveal it. ?Well, it?s just that I?m sure there was more to all this stuff about the drugs than you were letting on, and,,,? And then ? the gleam of an escape light for Henry = it came in the shape of Scott's voice -?calling from the front door area ? as urgent as Scott?s voice ever was ? ?Mum ? you there ? I HAVE to talk to you ? it?s Danni ? I ?? Beth hesitated ? only momentarily ? but was lost ? Henry vaulted over the sofa, and streaked through the door Scott had entered just seconds earlier heard a strident ?Henry Hunter, you get back here this MINUTE? Her youngest son pressed down on his mental accelerator ? at times like this ? distance was good? Josie paced restlessly along the length of the silk rug in the luxury apartment she?d juggled her finances highly creatively to keep after Ian had stopped the payments ? the mental relaxation she?d craved now seemed as far distant as a European resort in the holiday commercials that swamped the breaks on the satellite channels ? Where was Jesse ? Who was making those phone calls ? ? The peal of the doorbell saw her swivel from starting another length of the rug and stride to the door, something of relief rising to melt the fog of apprehension. She pulled back the handle, slipping into greeting mode ?Well then Jesse, what?..? Her lips, legs and arms froze in unison- the colour draining from her face. This was a face she?d hoped fervently never to see again?. ?Miss Russell ? finally we meet again. I think we have some business to discuss?.? Rhys was beginning to wonder how wise he?d been to follow Jesse?s car ? what was Jesse to him after all?and he didn?t want to risk any trouble with Osbourne ----but the impulse that had made him start was driving him on?and on?in the back of his mind he knew he could be storing up some trouble with the speed cops but that same part of him didn?t seem to care.. The shaven-headed man was driving with little care for rules of the road, and Rhys again found himself veering wildly round a corner in attempting to kep up. He muttered a curse as he saw traffic lights up ahead ? if the guy beat the red and he didn?t?..the gas pedal was half way to the floor when Rhys heard himself yell ? WHAT THE??, but applying the brake came too late to prevent that most sickening of thuds? forgetting the pursuit he?d been involved in, Rhys was out of his car in seconds and to the front?.where his heart lurched crazily downwards and instant nausea took posession of his stomach? he KNEW the young figure which had hurtled without warning so late into his field of vision?.. Henry Hunter lay with eyes closed, his complexion the colour of sand--- a trickle of blood beginning to redden his face?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackieleanne Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Ohh good chapter, interesting to see what happens next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qutee_001 Posted July 8, 2005 Report Share Posted July 8, 2005 Oh WOW!!! what a great chapter!! that was really interesting and suspense fulled!! cant wait to read more! Please update soon!! <honestly!!! > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WYN100 Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 ****PART 5 “Are you ABSOLUTELY sure you’ve got the right guy, the right name…..?†said Peter Baker semi-pleadingly into the phone on his small office desk. The heavy, troubled sigh he emitted indicated the confirmation he’d feared, but also expected had indeed been forthcoming. Having earlier backed away from the moment of confrontation when he saw Leah and Dan sharin their “together-moment†on the beach, he now had to re-gather for a second and decisive attempt. Through the open office windowcame the hysterical shrieks of one young boy of around eight being pursued by another – quite possibly his brother. Why couldn’t life just stay simple Peter thought ruefully…but if he didn’t act now, matters would be taken out of his hands…. Andy Reynolds had settled comfortably on Josie’s couch, having not waited for an invitation he stretched, and though he glanced without briefly at the luckless celebrity magazine , the torment dogging Russell Crowe seemed destined to remain unexplored. “So Miss Russell- or can I call you Josie ? - ?I must say I’m disappointed. I thought we had a very good understanding – then, suddenly I look round, and – you’re gone..? †Josie’s cheeks were burning a hot crimson of surperise, indignation and apprehension. Her mind craved and feared the arrival of Jesse in equal measure – though the fear of him being faced with this scene – this…person..was growing stronger by the minute…. Rhys felt the cold trickle of perspiration down his spine as Henry was hustled off to surgery amid the usual bewildering blur of “BP 90 over 40 --- give me 2 mg of adrenaline—Henry, can you hear me - ? My nam’s Alison and I’m a nurse….†Rhys felt almost pathetically grateful to sight a familiar face as Flynn swept past, his brow furrowed “Flynn—is he going to be alright..? I mean, is he…†But a fingertip on the doctor’s sleeve was all he managed, Flynn pausing only to give a bare “I’m sorry Rhys I can’t stop- this is serious..†“Serious- serious – SERIOUS…†was beginning to beat a thudding tatoo in Rhys’s brain when the door at the other end of the passage flew open revealing Scott and Beth – her face ashen and clenched tight with lines of worry. On seeing her estranged husband she spat “Rhys – what the HELL happened ? Why were you speeding along that road ? Come to that, why the hell are you back in Summer Bay as ALL ??…†Rhys stood helplessly as the missiles flew --- where could he begin ? Indeed HOW could he possibly begin ? Yards away, the doors of the operating theatre banged shut… Kane was still finding the equation hard to absorb—“So you wasn’t me to hook yo with SCOTT to rob the surg club and Josie’s bar – only I don’t get pulled for it because this ---Osbourne- character or whatever his name is – has fixed it for me ? Now how SUSS does that sound ?â€Kirsty responded eagerly – “ I know it SEEMS odd – but they know Scott’s planning to do it anyway, , and if you just go and sort of hold Scott up a bit when the robbing part is done , Osbourne’s police guy will make sure you disappear and don’t get dragged in – all because you stopped Scott hurting his parents wau back. And the kind of MONEY he’s talking for the job he’ll give you afterwards will set us and the baby up for life !†Kane’s face still registered deep doubt “Well- not much time till tonight – but I can finf Scotty for sure – I know just where he hangs out – but I’m still not sure,,†Kirsty, by now fully convinced of the scheme’s merits urged “ Babe, it can’t go wrong….†Kane shot her a fatalistic glance. He truly wished she hadn’t said that- after all, this WAS Summer Bay…. Josie had decided attack was the best form of defence. “MISTER Reynolds, you flatter yourself greatly by saying we had a business arrangement – More like I was forced to pay you money every moth to prevent your tyour barely tame vandals from tearing apart my..†“Establishment for embarassed and secretive gentlemen ?†cut in Reynolds – a man of just past 50, hair gelled back – wearing a suit he would have hoped would earn him a description as dashing – but in reality he came over as the type often described as a bit “slimy†“I think ‘forced’ is rather an ugly word, don’t you ?†he went on, “ no – I prefer to think that we were both providing a service – you to them – and me to you†“Be that as it may..†said Josie with a contemptuous curl of her lip “ I can’t imagine what you want with me now ..†“Oh I think you CAN , came the reply – my representative called at your city establishment as usual a few months back and what did he find ? It shut – you gone, and no forwarding address – I’d say what – ooh, around three thousand in back-pay owing…†“Wh-aaatâ€, from Josie “And I gather you’ve got a nice NEW little business concern—but we’d have to factor in inflation for that one of course….†Josie drew her face closer to his and said in a low, fiercely determined tone “Now hear this you grubby nasty little character – you’re not getting another CENT from me – and you stay AWAY from my bar – do you understand ? And don’t bother phoning a friend – that’s very much my final answer !!†She felt his decidedly middle-f-the-range aftershave rising strongly into her nostrils as he replied without losing one iota of his aggravating calm “That’s a great shame MISS Russell – still not married, I take it ? – as I know the barely legal vandals as you describe them will be VERY disappointed when I get back to the car and give them your FINAL answer – we’ve been looking forward to a pleasant tour of the district – but what they’ll want to do now – I REALLY can’t say ! Well, I ‘ll leave you and Russell Crowe together..†And he exited, leaving Josie to grab and fling the glossy magazine spinning across the room – it was somehow becoming the icon of an evening that had quickly crunched the gears through mildly frustrating – to deeply disturbing.. Joe Austin’s tread and heart were equally heavy as he made his way carefully through the woods adjoining the surf club. He’d waited till dusk had merged into the inkiest black of night before setting out with deep reluctance on the latest phase of his part in what seemed to be Duncan’s long-distance crazed revenge mission against the whole of Summer Bay. He cursed the fact that the evidence held by his puppetmaster would be enough to earn him a jail sentence due to his earlier convictions for petty crime – he’d felt he could handle the still ongoing Kit Hunter “assault†thing – but THIS – the enormity of it brought a lump of apprehension to his throat – actually setting fire to what Duncan had described scathingly as “ his father’s precious surf club†upped the stakes to a horrifying degree. Austin breathed deeply – took another firm hold on the bag containing the “tools†he needed and moved haltingly on to the task he’d dreaded. But within seconds, he was struck by an odd combination of sound and smell reaching him giving the first faint indication there may be some salvation for him.. Within seconds the third sense of sight came into play as he stood and gaped open-mouthed –amid a growing commotion – and what he fancied to be fleeing in the distance - the Surf Club and bar building was already well alight… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackieleanne Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 Great chapter, I love the mix of charecters and storylines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qutee_001 Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Well what can say? Another brilliant chapter!!! It's really getting interesting now... cant wait for the next instalment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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