Joey fretted. Charlie's warning that the cops had already been on their way continued to make her worry if she had enough time to get clear. Not only that, she felt a pull that she wanted to ignore, for that pull wanted her to go after Charlie, but by now, Charlie was probably already talking to her colleagues, which was why the moment Charlie had left the cabin, Joey had gathered up her things, and taken the car to the nearest petrol station to fill up on both petrol and supplies, because it was unlikely she'd have time to stop once she left town. Other than to change cars of course, since Charlie would no doubt have informed the cops of the make and number plate of this car, but first she needed to put some distance between Summer Bay and herself before she did the switch.
Her eyes constantly on the alert for any sign of police cars or officers, Joey headed out of town. Going in the opposite direction to Yabbie Creek and the police station may seem the most obvious course in fleeing the cops, but she didn't exactly have many options open to her. Just get out of town before the reinforcements arrive, then reassess is the advice she was constantly telling herself.
"What the hell are you doing here, Kyle?" Casey asked again.
"Believe me, it wasn't my choice," he replied. "I've been trying to call you, but my phone ran out of charge and this was the first town we stopped at where I could get to a pay phone," Kyle explained. "I still couldn't reach you though when I called."
"Yeah, sorry, I was at work and I can't always answer my phone."
"So you weren't avoiding my calls then," he said.
Casey shook his head.
"That's a relief," said Kyle. "I was starting to worry that maybe you'd thought I'd betrayed you or something."
"I trust you Kyle," Casey assured him. "That's why I gave you the number to my new phone, because I knew you wouldn't tell the others," he said. "Honestly, the only reason I didn't answer, was because I was elbows deep in fish bait."
Kyle sniffed the air. "That explains your new aftershave then," he joked.
Casey sniffed himself. "I can't smell anything," he said. "Guess I must be getting used to the smell." The brothers smiled at each other, then hugged.
"It's good to see you Case," he said.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I wish you weren't here," said Casey. "Because if you're here, it means they're on their way, aren't they?"
"Casey, they're already here," Kyle told him. "It was just pure luck that they are, but they're here nonetheless. I did try to delay them and talk them into taking another route the moment I realised we were heading straight for you, but Pee Wee and Brodie are being more pig headed than usual," he explained. "They fucked up before, so now they're intent on getting back into Brax's good books by finding you, and they're not going to give up any time soon."
"Fuck," Casey muttered, nervously looking around.
"I just wish I knew why the bastards took off without me just then."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, and I really have no idea why," he said. "But one thing I do know, and that is you need to get out of here, Casey, like right now."
Casey stared at him. He'd never intended to stay forever, just long enough to figure things out and earn some money, but he'd come to love this town, and now that he had to leave, he found he was reluctant to do so.
"Don't hit her!" Brodie yelled. "We need her alive."
"You idiot," Charlie told herself, still furious at her own stupidity as she dived out of the way of the oncoming car that had swerved at the last second. The wheelie bin that she'd been standing next to, went flying through the air as the car careened into it. The aroma from the overturned bin that could only be described as beyond disgusting, assaulted Charlie's nose as she jumped to her feet. Two men exited the car and approached her. She recognised them immediately and cursed herself yet again. She really had excelled in her stupidity today. Here she was, at the wrong end of town with two of Braxton's goons coming at her, and as no one had come running from any of the nearby houses at the sound of the car skidding or hitting the bin, she knew there was no help coming. There was just her and two thugs. An unarmed woman against two men. Sure she was trained in unarmed fighting techniques, but still, she didn't like her odds against the likes of these two. Wait. She wasn't unarmed. There was Angelo's knife in her pocket. It certainly didn't give her the advantage when she was outnumbered, but it was better than nothing and if she kept it as an element of surprise, it might prove more useful, she told herself.
"Please don't have guns," she silently thought as the men came closer. She crouched, preparing for battle. They just smirked and laughed. More fool them if they underestimated her, thought Charlie. 5 metres, 4, 3, close enough. Charlie threw the bag at the face of one of the men while launching herself at the other. As she'd hoped, the distraction had worked and she was on the one she knew was called Brodie before he realised it. Down he went, her fists striking hard and cleanly as he lay on the ground. Then she felt herself being lifted away from him and tossed aside. She regained her balance, the knife now in her hand as Pee Wee eyed her more warily.
"You think that toothpick will save you?" he said, talking tough.
"Come and find out," she taunted.
"Tell us where Joey is and we'll let you walk away," he told her.
"Like I'd believe that," said Charlie. "I can identify you, you stupid fuck."
"Oh well, it was worth a try," he said with a shrug, both of them knowing it had never been a serious attempt.
Charlie was growing worried. Brodie was starting to get to his feet and she'd be faced with two of them again.
"Something isn't right," Graves muttered when Dex returned not long after he'd left, with some food for them both, having decided to keep her company instead of being up at the house. "They should be back by now," she said.
"What do you think has happened?" he said. "Someone got to them or they've done a runner."
That Pippa woman's unwavering belief that Buckton and their witness were a couple replayed in Graves' head as unwelcome thoughts began to run rampant. What if Pippa was right? What if the two women had fallen in love? Why then would Buckton have sent that message which would see them torn apart, because Buckton had to have known she'd be taken from the case? Had she sent the message, then changed her mind, choosing instead to abandon her post to run away with her girlfriend? It seemed implausible to her that the woman described in her police records would throw it all away for some woman she barely knew.
Graves sighed. The same would once have been said for Georgina Watson, a cop who had shown great potential and in many ways, was very similar to the younger Buckton, yet had since proven to be thoroughly untrustworthy. Could Charlie also be corrupt? No, it didn't really fit with what they knew so far, and she'd hardly have told them where to find her if she was. Still, it could explain why Buckton wasn't here. Graves shook her head. Was she corrupt or was she in love or as Dex suggested, had someone gotten to them first?
"I don't know what's going on," Graves finally admitted. "Why don't you go back up to the house, see if Pippa will be willing to open the cabin door for us," she said. "Maybe there is something in there that can help us figure this out."
How in the hell had she allowed this to happen? Joey of course. Yet again, she'd let Joey or thoughts about Joey impair her judgement. Concentrate Dumbo, she told herself as she now faced both men again. Right now, she'd love Joey by her side, then she may actually stand a chance.
The men stepped away from each other. Charlie knew what they planned. They were going to circle either side of her, meaning she'd eventually have to take her eyes off one of them. She couldn't allow that to happen. It was now or never. She slashed out with the knife. Pee Wee yelped as it the knife slid across his arm, opening a deep gash in his skin. Charlie could feel his hate radiating back at her. She slashed again, this time he moved backwards. Charlie saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She slashed to her left and Brodie stepped out of the way, but the distraction had worked against her this time, with Pee Wee putting his pain aside and slamming into her side. She went down, his large frame landing on her and momentarily winding her. The knife fell from her hand.
"I'm going to make you pay, bitch," Pee Wee hissed.
Charlie struck out, her finger poking him right in the eye. He cried out, reared back and clutched his eye. Charlie used his own momentum to roll him off her. With Brodie thinking his mate had the situation in hand, he'd held back, but as Charlie got to her feet, he moved toward her again. Charlie glanced around. Her knife was now closer to him than it was to her. She needed a weapon, anything. Then she saw it amongst the rubbish. She bolted, lent and picked it up, then spun in one movement. The frying pan connected with Brodie's head, or at least it would have had it not fallen away from the handle before it got there. It clattered harmlessly to the ground.
"That never happens in the movies," Charlie couldn't help muttering as she realised why it had been tossed in the rubbish. The fry pan was a bust, but the handle was still in her hand, and when Brodie went to grab her, she parried forward.
"Fuck," Brodie winced as the dull end of the handle struck him in the chest. He rubbed the spot. It had hurt, but hadn't really slowed him down. Pee Wee was now back up on his feet as well, angrier than ever.
This really wasn't going well for Charlie and she knew her options were all but over. She could make a run for it, but she doubted she'd get far.
After a call to Const. Garner, Pippa had agreed to let them into the cabin, more out of her own growing concern that some mishap may have befallen her guests, than anything else. Once inside the cabin, it became quickly apparent that the occupants weren't going to be returning, or at least one of them wasn't. Pippa had identified the clothing and shoes that remained as Buckton's, but there was no sign of anyone else's gear. Their witness was gone, and Robertson would be here shortly. Shit, she wasn't looking forward to explaining that they'd lost their witness - again.
"Enough of this fucking game!" snapped Pee Wee. If he had to kill her, he would.
Charlie sighed when he drew out a gun. She really had never stood a chance. Then a sound sent hope through her heart. A car with a hand very much on the horn. Help was coming. She dared to take her eyes off her attackers and look. Her surprise was obvious, as was the unexpected pang of relief and delight at who her rescuer was. Joey had come to save her.
Later on, she'd be able to replay in more detail what had actually happened, but it was all over in a flash. Joey had played chicken with the men, they'd blinked and dived either side of the car before it hit them. Then the door had flung open and Charlie was in. Tyres had burned, the car had shot forward. Then the gunshots had come. Joey had slumped forward, losing control of the car.