‘I guess my information’s out of date,’ Twizell said.
‘Try to think outside the box,’ I said. ‘Think of somewhere she might go with a lover she wanted to impress or help.’
‘Has she got a lover? You didn’t tell me that.’
‘Think.’
‘I could do with a drink.’
‘Later.’
We were sitting in my car, parked outside the florist shop in Charlestown. Twizell’s fingers drifted up to his face where his scratches had started to scab. He took them away quickly. ‘What sort of a bloke?’
‘Tough, tougher than you.’
‘Tougher than you, Hardy?’
‘Yet to be seen. Younger.’
‘I get it. I’ve had a thought. There was this place out in the Humpback Range country. Kristie and that girlfriend in Broadmeadow and someone else used to rent it and share. Hot chicks. You know, go different weekends. You swim and go bushwalking and fish and screw, but there was also this fucking rock face. Must’ve been, I dunno, fifty metres high maybe. Anyway, Kristie challenged me to climb it. She said she did that with all her boyfriends.’
‘You’ve just remembered this place?’
‘Man, I’ve tried to forget it. I’ve been in some scary places caving but this ... I still don’t like to think about it.’
‘Did you climb it, Jack?’
‘I did and I was shit scared every inch of the way. It looked sheer from the bottom and there were really only toe and finger holds in most places and if you fell you hit sandstone hard.’
‘Why did you do it?’
He looked at me. ‘Why d’you think? She was ... You’ve seen her, haven’t you ...?’
‘You wrecked her face. They rebuilt it but she’s not beautiful.’
He went quiet and thoughtful. I doubted he was remorseful more than just a little. Knowing Jack, he was calculating. ‘From what you say about this bloke, I reckon Kristie would be sure to test him. Anyway, it’s a nice place to stay, especially if you’re keeping your head down.’
‘Phone?’
‘No.’
‘How far away is it?’
‘Too far for now and I’d never find it in the dark.’
~ * ~
We went back to the motel, both a bit worn down by the day. I called Marisha’s landline, got her voice mail and called the mobile.
‘It’s Cliff. Where are you?’
‘Out and about.’
‘I’ve had a run-in with Hector. He’s looking nasty.’
‘What d’you mean?’
I didn’t want to mention the bolt-cutters. ‘Just be careful.’
‘Almost exactly what that copper, Kerry Watson, told me.’
‘What did he want?’
‘Hard to say Just checking on my story and warning me about Hector. Have you told him about seeing Hector?’
‘I’m supposed to have, but, no, I haven’t.’
She laughed. ‘Always keep the cops guessing. Watson said he’d have his boys keeping an eye on me. I don’t like that much.’
‘I do.’
‘What’re you doing?’
‘Moving forward.’
She laughed again.
‘You bastard. I’ll expect more.’
~ * ~
There was a hamburger joint near the motel and we settled for that. Neither of us felt social. We took the food into our own rooms. I watched the news on television and read for a while. About 10pm I knocked on Twizell’s door. He was in pyjamas, watching television.
‘Let’s make an early start,’ I said. ‘Eight?’
He groaned. I saw several beer cans and miniature spirits bottles on the table. ‘Nine.’
‘Eight-thirty then. Goodnight.’
I went back into my room and listened. If I’d been in his shoes and was planning to sneak away, I’d have made it look as though I was ready for bed and it wouldn’t have hurt to have pretended to be drunk, but I doubted Twizell was playing games. He had nowhere to go and he was getting a free ride from me. I could still hear the TV half an hour later. Then I heard it go off and silence descended apart from the buzzing and humming—traffic and electronics—that seem to be with us no matter where we are.
I slept poorly and woke early. I killed time by Googling the Humpback Range so as to know a bit about where I was heading. There wasn’t much information and it didn’t surprise me that there were vineyards in the area. It’s hard to go anywhere these days without vineyards.
The day had dawned fine. The breakfast I’d ordered for 7.29 came on time. The coffee was hot and the toast wasn’t soggy. No sound from next door, which surprised me. I’d picked Twizell as a morning TV viewer.