|
"Laura's Dream" |
| Copyright Francis Blow, 1986. |
| CHAPTER 17 |
| Faraday reached into his shirt pocket and thrust a scrap of paper at the petrified girl. "You don't realise it Laura, but you probably killed me, when you came to see me in the hospital. They think I told you about them. Well now I have. Good bye, Laura Shell." |
| The moment Faraday was gone, Laura jumped out of the car and raced to the toilet. She made it just in time. |
| Unfortunately, in her rush, Laura dropped the paper somewhere. |
| |
| "Where were you?" Doug asked when Laura returned to the car. |
| "I had to use the rest room. Can we go now?" |
| "There's something wrong. Tell me." He insisted. |
| "I can't." |
| "Oh. Woman trouble. Say no more. Suzie gets the cramps really bad sometimes." |
| As they drove off, Laura heard what she thought, and prayed, was a car back firing. If only she had not lost the note, she could have taken it to the police. |
| Laura's parents admired the landrover, and John talked to Doug about "long range tanks" and sand tyres, so neither noticed when Laura disappeared to get the salt out of her hair and to put on a warm skirt and top. To calm herself, she took time to reapply her moisturiser and added lipstick. With her hair still in a towel, she joined the three people outside. |
| "It won't be easy, but Dad said he'd go guarantor on the loan. It's worth heaps more than it was traded for, and Dad thinks he can get it at the trade price, because of the ugly colour." |
| "Yes, I imagine it would be difficult to persuade most people to drive around in that shade of orange." |
| "It won't be that colour for long. I've got a mate at Point Clare who's got the gear to cut it back and paint it. I can't take it to bare metal, because it needs a special aluminium primer, but if I put on a few coats of brown, it should come up really well." |
| "Brown would be a definite improvement," Carla agreed. "Laura, that's a very smart outfit. I especially love what you've done with your hair." |
| Laura put her hand to the towel. "It was dripping down my back, and I didn't bother using the drier. Anyone want a cuppa?" |
| |
| While they were sitting in the kitchen, they heard footsteps running towards where they sat. Jem was wide eyed. |
| "Laura! You'll never guess!" Jem exclaimed. "You know that guy who broke into your house? He was skragged only a few minutes ago in Gosford!" |
| Laura sat still, eyes wide, then ran away up the stairs. |
| They heard her door slam. |
| "Gees. I didn't think she liked the guy." Jem said. |
| Carla gave Jem a withering glance, before she hurried after her daughter. |
| |
| "Laura? Baby, are you okay? Why are you so upset? It's not as if..." |
| "Mum, I spoke to him this morning. Maybe just before they killed him!" |
| "Just before who killed him?" |
| "I don't know! That's the problem. He gave me a note to tell me, and I lost it." |
| "I think you'd better start from the beginning." |
| |
| Doug took Laura back to the car yard to get the station wagon, then drove her to the police station. She gave a statement, and even identified the gun which was found on Faraday; there was an acrid smell to it, that Laura correctly assumed was gun powder. |
| Once back home, Laura began cleaning and waxing her surf board. She had the hem of her skirt tucked up under the sides of her knickers, so she could kneel without getting the skirt dirty. |
| "Laura, let me do that." Doug offered. |
| "I'd rather do it. I need to be doing something," she said, her voice tight. "I could have saved him, if I'd gone to the police when he was still alive." |
| "I doubt that. And so did he. How hard would it have been for him to go to the police himself?" |
| "What do you mean?" She straightened her back and watched his face. |
| "He must have known that sooner or later, whoever was after him was bound to get him. Even if we had driven as fast as we could to the police, we would have been too late. He was dead a few minutes after we left the petrol station." |
| Laura jumped to her feet and into Doug's arms, where she began sobbing uncontrollably. He held her tightly until she had cried the undeserved guilt out of her system. |
| "I'm all right now. Thanks." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve, and continued working on the surf board until it was ready. She took her bikini and wet suit to rinse in the laundry. |
| "I'm sorry I spoiled your showing us the car. It's a very nice car," Laura ventured a smile. "When do you think you'll buy it?" |
| "Dad said it might take a few days after the paper work is filled out, for the bank to approve the loan. Maybe, we can use it next weekend. Would you like to go camping up north? Do a bit of surfing. Relax." |
| "I'd love to, but next Sunday I start flying lesions. Unless you want to drive me there?" |
| "You're on!" |
| |
| Laura spent the rest of the day with her books and computer, taking an hour and a half break for a run and lunch. Carla had little trouble persuading her daughter to go to bed at ten that night. Laura was fast asleep by a quarter past, when John went to kiss her. |
| Her hair was growing long again, and obscured Laura's face, as she lay curled up under the covers. John brushed the brown strands aside and kissed her forehead. Laura's breathing remained light and even, her dreams too deep to be disturbed by his gentle touch. |
| |
| Waking at four thirty, Laura got up to look outside and to use the bathroom. She lay back down to think. Her eyes closed and she drifted back into a world of dreams that was forgotten as soon as her brother sat on the edge of her bed. |
| "Morning, Brat." Laura yawned. |
| "I'm not a brat." |
| "Do you want something?" |
| "My bear wants a kiss and cuddle. He said you haven't given him one in ages." |
| "The bear is a girl, not a boy." |
| "Boy!" |
| "Okay, she's a boy. Cuddle time," her arms went around the boy and his confused bear. "I'm sorry I haven't given you cuddles for a long time, Mr. Bear. I'll make sure I won't forget again." |
| "Are you going running again this morning?" |
| Laura lay back with a groan. Running was the last thing she wanted to do. "What time is it?" |
| "Five five six." Joey read off the digital clock that was Laura's alarm radio. |
| Convulsively, Laura threw off the covers and jumped to her feet. In moments she had running clothes out, and was changed before she could think of an excuse not to go. |
| "I'll be back at seven," she told the little boy who had crawled into her bed. "And don't touch the computer!" |
| |
| There was no Jem waiting for her, when Laura ran past her friend's house. She had to admit the day was bleak enough to keep any sane person inside, snug in a cosy bed. Definitely not out in the damp chill, running on empty pavements along roads that bore almost no traffic. Within fifteen minutes, her singlet top clung to her like a clammy leech, a cramp developed in her right calf, and her knickers rode up uncomfortably. |
| Laura refused to allow those minor problems to discourage her. She ran, her smooth muscles working automatically, as her lungs and heart regulated oxygen flow. As was usual when she ran, Laura's thoughts wandered in many directions. She was well rested and alert, after her long sleep. In addition to recharging her physical self, the night and its dreams had purified her mind. |
| At exactly seven o'clock, Laura was up the stairs and in the shower, where she stayed only long enough to rinse off the perspiration, then she dressed for church, so the Shell family was on time for the seven thirty service. Laura said extra prayers for the unfortunate man who had been murdered. She wondered where he was going to spend eternity, and prayed some more. |
| |
| Laura's week passed without other incidents, though, on Friday, straight after school, Doug took her to McDonald's to celebrate the purchase of his first car. He knew most of the restaurant staff by sight, since he was due to go on duty himself at six. Laura was happy for Doug; not only did he have the car he wanted, but the people he worked with were friendly and fun to talk to. |
| After they had eaten, Doug took Laura home, so he could get ready for work, and she could study. Laura put her bag on her chair, and was about to turn away, when she saw her note book computer was askew on her desk. She opened it and turned it on. |
| Her blood ran cold when she read on the screen "General Failure." |
| She pulled out her back-up disks, trying everything to find what happened. The entire hard disk memory had been wiped of all its programmes and files. She knew she could replace the programmes, but not the files. All her months of work was lost, except what had been printed out on paper. She had not bothered backing up her work, thinking nothing could go wrong with a brand new computer. |
| Calmly, Laura went looking for Joey. He was in the bath. |
| "Did you play games on the computer?" |
| "Yeah, but they were boring, and I had to think up words to get rid of some of the games." |
| "I suppose they were boring." She agreed through tight lips. |
| Laura walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and found the jug of ice water. She went back into the bathroom, where Joey was happily lying on his stomach, blowing bubbles. |
| Laura tipped the whole two litres of ice water onto the middle of Joey's back. |
| Joey gasped, then screamed. |
| Carla and John pounded into the bathroom, where Laura was telling the wheezing boy that he was never, ever to touch her computer again. |
| Both parents took Laura aside to talk as calmly as they could, but both sides were convinced they were right. By bed time, the temperature inside the Shell household was lower than the outside air. |
| Laura felt bad, yet she was sure she did the right thing by Joey, even if it was extreme. She did not know what else to do about it. |
| When she heard Joey whimpering in his sleep, she went to him and stroked his head until he calmed down. He was only half asleep, though, because he clutched her hand as she began to pull away. |
| "Don't go." He whispered. |
| Laura wanted to take away his fear, so she slid in beside the tense little body. |
| Carla found the three of them a few minutes later: Laura, Joey and Mr. Bear. John stepped up to his wife, just as Laura turned towards them, her eyes brimming. |
| "Come on." Carla held Laura's hand and guided her to her feet, while John picked up his son. Laura took Mr. Bear, and the whole family went to the master bedroom. They slept John and Joey, Carla and Laura. Nobody thought it was crowded. |
| |
| In the morning, Laura woke as her father prepared to go to work. |
| "See you tonight, baby." He kissed her cheek, before he went to embrace Carla. Joey was the last to be kissed good bye, and he only mumbled in his sleep. |
| At six thirty, Laura was in her room to get clothes for her school bag. She was dressed in her running gear. Carla kissed her at the front door, and Laura ran to where Jem was coming down the road on her bike. Laura felt distinctly chilly, as she strapped her backpack on top of Jem's. |
| "Let's start slow, until my muscles are warm. When we get to the main road, I'll pick the pace up." |
| "Any excuse to slacken off," Jem joked. "And I bet you plan to get a ride back in Doug's new wheels?" |
| "Nope. He's going to be busier than I am in the afternoons. And since I'm not allowed to swim any more till the weather warms, I'll just have to run to keep in shape. Now I'm going to shut up and save my breath." |
| "You do that. As for me I'll keep you motivated. Have you thought about what you're doing in the school holidays?" |
| "Not much." |
| "We're going to Queensland. Morton Island is Mum and Dad's favourite. A week there, and a few days at Southport, Sea World, Movie World, and all those places. Liz just about wet herself when Dad told us. She's doing really well in Scouts, too. Have you worked with her? She doesn't tell me much, just that she does what she calls test work, and she's after some string." |
| "String? Oh! That's her Pioneer Cord." Laura explained. |
| Jem kept up her waffling monologue, until they reached the school, where she locked the bike to a rack. Jem carried both packs after Laura, who was in the showers. Jem waited in the dry area of the changing rooms, until Laura came back toweling herself dry, while a tooth brush poked out of her mouth. Laura hung the towel next to her running clothes in her locker. Quickly, Laura started to pulled on fresh underwear. She had her shirt in her hands when she remembered that her soap and toothpaste were still in the shower. |
| Laura hurried into the shower, not paying attention to her footing, and slipped on a puddle. She sat down hard on the wet floor, and her shirt ended up soaking wet. |
| "Damn!" All Laura could do was wring out the shirt and put it on as it was. Her skirt would soak the water out of her pants and show an embarrassing damp patch, as well. |
| Jem, who had watched the whole scene, was struggling not to laugh. |
| "It'll be great to have a break from school," Laura decided. |
| Jem could not hold back her giggles when she saw a wet circle on the back of Laura's skirt. |
| |
| Half way up the street which ran past the school, three men sat in a white Toyota and watched the two girls leave the shower block and walk towards the main buildings. |
| "She leaves home the same time nearly every school day, and follows the exact same route. This is easy." The man behind the wheel turned towards his companions. |
| All three could have been made in the same mold. Heavy set, and scarred by fights. |
| "Easy, yeah. That depends on whether we're supposed to knock her off, or grab her." |
| "Maybe we just keep watching until she leads us to someone?" |
| "Damned if I know. As long as its planned properly. That job with Faraday was panic city from go to whoa." |
| "I reckon we've seen enough. Let's get back to Sydney and see what he wants us to do next." |
| |
| The white sedan did a U-turn and left, well before the majority of students arrived at the school. Nobody took any notice of it or its occupants. |
