Arthur Upfield - The Mystery of Swordfish Reef

Blade purposely discontinued his narrative on the pretext of lighting a cigarette. The cigarette seemed difficult to light.

“Well, what did you do then?” asked the anxious Allen.

Blade casually lit his cigarette, and then, as casually, he said: “Oh, I followed him into the hotel.”

“Go on, man, go on,” implored Allen.

“As I said, I followed Tatter into the hotel. I was still feeling much annoyed at being left behind by you and Constable Telfer. I came on Tatter kneeling before the hotel safe. His hand-torch was switched on, and beside him was laid out an array of implements. So, you see, I collared him.”

“Did you? Good man!” shouted Allen. “Where is he? Don’t say he got away.”

“He didn’t get away. It’s only secretive, sly policemen who get away from me. Tatter, on seeing me, drew a gun and fired but missed. He had a gun in a holster under each arm-pit-automatics. I took them from him and held him until the barman came and assisted me to secure him.”

Telfer was actually gaping. Sergeant Allen merely stared with eyes like a child’s glass marbles.

“You caught him-Tatter?” he said, doubtfully. “What did you do with him?”

Mr Parkins, who had come to stand close, chuckled.

“What he done with him isn’tso important as what he did to him,” he interjected.

Mr Blade smiled.

“You see, before I suffered a long illness I was a wrestler,” he explained. “I caught Tatter with a flying tackle. Then I picked him up and gave him an aeroplane spin, and finally I applied an Indian deathlock. As he had fired at me, and as you had left me behind to twiddle my thumbs, I didn’t give him a sporting chance. I had him brought here, and you can now take charge of him.”

He stepped aside to disclose Tatter lying on the office floor, efficiently bound and gagged.

“I gagged him because of his language,” Blade said apologetically.

At seven o’clock a small boycame racing from the headland to give Bony certain information. Four minutes later Bony knocked on the door of Nott’s Tea Rooms. The street was deserted.

“May I come in?” he asked Mrs Spinks, who opened the door.

“Why yes, of course,” replied Mrs Spinks. “You’re Jack’s angler, aren’t you? What’s happened to your poor head?”

“Nothing of much importance. It got in the way of something,” Bony said. “Is Miss Spinks at home?”

Mrs Spinks called loudly for Marion, and again Bony had to make light of his head injury.

“It’s a little early, I know,” he said quietly, “but I rather want you both to accompany me to the headland where I want to show you something of great interest.”

“The headland! Yes! I was up there last evening looking for theDo-me,” said Mrs Spinks. “Oh, why doesn’t theDo-me come back?”

“Your son and young Garroway will come home one of these days,” Bony predicted, to add brightly: “But today I’ve something fine to show you. I’m not going to tell you now what it is. I want it to be a surprise. Come along! Leave everything, and come along with me.”

The street was still deserted when he escorted them past the hotel, where no one stood, past the Zane Grey shelter-shed, and so up the little path leading to the grass-crowned headland that had witnessed the agony of a distraught woman. He led them to the seaward edge of the great rock barrier protecting the town, hoping they would not notice the unusual activity of cars down in the street they had left.

“Why, it must be late,” explained Mrs Spinks. All the launches are coming out.”

“Yes, so they are, Mother,” agreed Marion.

“And look! Here’s theMarlin coming up from the south, Marion.”

“That’s so, Mother. There’s old Joe Peace standing against the mast. Is Jack bringing him a big swordie, Mr Bonaparte?”

“Something of the kind,” Bony evasively replied. “Just wait a minute and you’ll both see my surprise.”

TheMarlin was coming close to the foot of the headland, her bow gently pushing aside white water. The sea was carpeted with cavorting white horses running over bars of blue and green.

“I can’t see a swordie on theMarlin ’s stern,” Mrs Spinks said disappointedly. “I can see that worthless Joe Peace against the mast, and I can see Jack Wilton standing on the gun’le and steering with a foot.”

“And I can see-” Marion turned round to face Bony who was standing a little to the rear. Her mother was too interested by the oncomingMarlin to notice how she stepped close to Bony and impulsively clasped his arms above the elbows. The girl’s face had become milk-white, her lustrous eyes great black opals. Her lips were parted slightly, and there was a catch in her breathing. She fought to speak, gained control of her voice and was about to say something when Bony gently pressed the tips of his fingers against her mouth.

TheMarlin was within three hundred yards of them. Bony stepped to the side of the elder woman and softly offered her a pair of binoculars. With the eagerness of a child she accepted them from him, raised them to her eyes, and then out over the dancing water rang her loud cry:

“It’s Bill! It’s my boy, Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!”

Back to themcame the response.

“Mother! Marion! We’re coming home!”

Mother and daughter were clinging to each other as theMarlin rounded the headland to be met by every launch at Bermagui and escorted across the inner bay to the river bar.

“Come!” urged Bony. “We must be at the jetty to welcome them.”

Mrs Spinks began to run, crying loudly: “It’s Bill! It’s my boy coming home!”

Bony accompanied them to the little path leading down to the road. Mr Parkins waited there for them with his car. Bony stopped and watched. He saw Mr Parkins urge them to get into his car. He saw them drive off along the single street. He saw Mr Emery’s tub move away after it, and other cars and trucks appear to form a long procession which rushed at unlawful speed down the street and along the curving road to the jetty. Bony watched theMarlin go in behind the promontory protecting the river’s mouth. He watched until the last of the sea procession disappeared behind the promontory. The road beyond the jetty was blackened bycars, the jetty was blackened by people. He could hear the people cheering.

He was happy because he felt he had atoned for that fall from the height to which his pride and natural gifts had lifted him. But, when he turned to face the glittering sea in time to watch, far away, a beautiful fish dancing on its tail, memory of his temporary fall was expunged from his mind and his delicately shaped nostrils quivered.