The Dunbar Case(56)

If he lacked his usual cocky strut, Twizell appeared undamaged. He busied himself with the chains holding down the Bobcat. Hector stood by ready to help. He watched as Templeton approached me and he seemed nervous, off-balance. Templeton came on with his long, easy stride, brimful of confidence. I got out of the car.



‘Nice spot,’ I said.



‘It’ll be nicer when two million bucks come into view.’



‘You really think that’ll happen?’



‘It’ll happen. Go and help with the Bobcat.’



I shrugged and went to the trailer. Twizell and I unclipped the chains while Tanner lowered the ramp. Twizell got up into the cabin, started the motor and inched the machine down the ramp onto the ground. I looked around but couldn’t see anything that resembled a cave.



Twizell took notice of me for the first time. ‘Thanks for this, Cliff. I knew I could count on you.’



‘Let’s get on with it,’ Templeton said.



Twizell pointed to what appeared to be a high grassy mound at the edge of the clearing twenty metres away.



‘Over there. It’s been a few years and the place is overgrown. What happened was, the last five or so metres of the cave collapsed just as I got out. Dunno why. Just happened. We have to clear that, then we can get in.’



‘How far in?’ I said.



‘Fair way.’



‘Scared, Hardy?’ Hector said.



I didn’t answer. Templeton waved Twizell on and he moved the Bobcat into position and lowered the digging arm. The toothed bucket at the end of it tore into the grass-matted earth. We backed off as Twizell reversed, turned, swung the arm and dumped the load away to the side. He repeated the procedure again and again with the motor roaring, diesel fumes filling the air, and the loads varying from soft soggy stuff to sizeable chunks of rock.



‘Hold it!’ Templeton said as a load spilled out. He and I approached the pile that looked different from the others. Mixed in with the earth and rock were shreds of cloth and bones.



Twizell cut the motor and climbed down. ‘That’s him.’



‘Bits of him,’ Hector said. ‘Sure you didn’t kill him?’



‘That’d be your style. No. I didn’t. Poor bastard.’



Templeton snapped his fingers and Twizell went back to work. If other loads had bits of the skeleton, we didn’t bother to look. I didn’t see a skull. After a long, noisy, smelly time, Twizell had cleared the debris to reveal a gaping hole big enough for a large man to squeeze through. He cut the motor and wiggled his fingers in his ears.



‘Should’ve had muffs. Hey, Hec, you’ve just been standing around. How about you get the torches and ropes?’



‘Ropes?’ I said.



‘Have to go down a bit. Not too much. Don’t worry. I’m an expert.’



I pointed to where a long bone stuck up. ‘Yeah—an expert.’



‘Fuck you,’ Hector said. ‘Get ‘em yourself.’



‘Do it,’ Templeton said.



Hector swore, stumped back to the SUV and returned with two coiled ropes and two heavy torches. Twizell checked them. Even in the sunlight the beams were strong.



‘Okay,’ Templeton said, ‘how long do you reckon?’



‘Depends if there’s water. This area must’ve copped some of the flood like everywhere else.’



‘Shit,’ I said.



‘Shouldn’t be too long; say three-quarters of an hour; but I’m not as fit as I was back when I first went in and it was dry. Could be a bit longer.’



Twizell wiped sweat from his face and smiled at Hector. ‘What about the bags? No handles, Hec.’



Tanner swore again and moved off.



‘You’re enjoying this, Jack,’ I said.



‘In a funny way I am. Thought about it for long enough but I didn’t see it quite like this. Still... I was sorry to hear about Kristie, Cliff.’



‘Cut the crap,’ Templeton said.



Tanner returned with two canvas backpacks which he dropped on the ground. He pulled a metal flask from his hip pocket and took a swig.



Twizell reached out. ‘I could do with some of that.’



‘Later,’ Templeton snapped. ‘Go!’



‘No,’ I said.



All three turned to look at me. Templeton pulled a pistol out from his jacket pocket. I pointed to it.



‘That’s what I mean. If you think Jack and I are going down into that hole and coming out with the money while you stand here with loaded guns you’ve got another think coming. No guns.’



‘You took my fucking gun,’ Hector said.