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We were still tied up at the wharf when an unfamiliar police launch came up the river and moored at the marina, a big ocean-going boat with radar and lots of radio aerials, and ‘WATER POLICE’ painted on the side. We saw the cops talking to the manager, and then the manager pointed over towards us. The cops walked round to our wharf, a sergeant and a constable in smart blue jackets and caps covered in badges. The sergeant walked with a slight limp. “I’m Sergeant McFarlane, and this is Constable Walker.. We’re told you know this river pretty well.” “Well Sergeant, I’m Ted Farley. I’ve worked on this river for over forty years, so you could say I know it quite well. What can we do for you?” “We’re looking for some stolen yachts. Someone is pinching boats up around Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and they’re disappearing somewhere. We’re searching the rivers along the coast looking for them.” The sergeant looked in his late thirties. He seemed to be a straightforward guy. He had a bushy brown moustache and sideburns, just like an old-fashioned policeman, and he had a habit of brushing his moustache left and right with his finger. Dad said, “What can we call you Sergeant?” “Angus.” He pulled out some photo of the stolen boats. “Have you seen any of these?” “Well Angus, can’t say I know anything about them. What about you Tim?” He passed the photographs to me and I took a look. “Yes I’ve seen this one,” I said “ ‘cept it’s been painted emerald green and white. I’ve seen this one too, but it’s oyster white now. This one’s midwatch blue now and it’s had a doghouse added to the cabin trunk so it looks a different shape.” Angus seemed a bit startled. “So where are they?” he asked. “Well you’re too late to find ‘em now. They’ve been done up by the two guys at the old boat yard over at Bob’s Point, but they’re not there any longer. They said they were going to sell ‘em, but I don’t know where”
“Where’s Bob’s Point?” Dad fetched a river chart from the office and pointed out the place. “Please, don’t mention we told you about this.” said dad, “Tim says they’re a pretty rough pair. We don’t want any trouble.” “Two of ‘em are there?" "Two blokes and a girl” I said, “but she’ll give you no trouble.” The cops went round to their launch and took off at high speed up the river. ‘This used to be such a peaceful place” dad said, sadly, “but now the police seem to be round here all the time.” The cops came back after a couple of hours. “Are you sure about what you told us?” Angus McFarlane asked me. “Sure I’m sure. I repainted a couple of the yachts myself.” “Well they showed us the paperwork for every one of the yachts they’ve bought. Seemed to be all legal to me.” He gave dad a business card. “Keep in touch with us. Anything else suspicious, give us a call.”
After the cops had left Dad said to me “Are you quite sure about what you told them Tim? You have to be a bit careful about accusing other people of being criminals." "Well think about it dad. There’s been several yachts turn up at that boat yard, you’ve seen ‘em yourself, and then they’ve gone again. Have you seen any of ‘em come up the river or go out? No! A crew must bring ‘em in at night and take the repainted ones away again in the dark. They don’t want anyone to see ‘em coming and going! If it was a legal operation and all above board, why would they be doing that?” “Good question. Maybe you’re right.” “I know I’m right. They’re altering ‘em just enough so they won’t be recognized.”
Next day I wasn’t sure if I had any work at the yard, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work there anymore, but I hadn’t been paid yet, so I thought I’d go over there and find out what was happening. I arrived there at eight o’clock, but as I tied up I heard Johno and Eric inside the house shouting at each other, very loud. Maria was outside, looking very worried, and she hurried over to me. “Go home Tim and stay away.” “What’s going on?” I said. “Don’t ask, just a big fight between those two. Go home, please” “Oh, ok. What about tomorrow?" "I don’t know, just go.” I headed home. Dad and Jack were surprised to see me back so soon. “What happened?" asked dad. I told them about the big fight. “I told you so,” said Jack “as soon as a girl gets mixed up in things trouble starts." "Well I don’t know if it’s anything to do with Maria.” “’Course it is.” “More likely it was something to do with the cops paying ‘em a visit yesterday and asking questions.”
I didn’t really want to go back working on Annabelle that day, but then I remembered that my girl, Rosie, had never been out to Mulloway Island, even though she’d lived in the town all her life. I knew she had a day off from her job at the supermarket that day, so I phoned her at home and asked if she’d like a trip out to the Island with me. I told her Annabelle would be leaving in twenty minutes and she came round to the wharf quick as a flash and came aboard. She’d never really met dad and Jack properly, except to say "hullo". She was a bit shy at first, but dad chatted to her and soon put her at her ease. Dad had known her mum and dad for ages of course. Jack started to tell her his latest rude joke but I interrupted him. “Rosie isn’t interested in that kind of joke, thank you Jack.” Jack looked at me a bit annoyed, and walked off. Rosie and me landed on the Island jetty and walked along past Jim Henty’s store. Jim saw us coming. “Morning Tim, who’s this pretty girl then?” He knew perfectly well who she was, he was just trying to embarrass us. “Rosie, meet Jim, Jim, this is Rosie.” “Going for a walk in the bushes are you? You just watch out for Tim then Rosie, he’ll have your knickers off before you can blink.” We hurried past. Why was everyone being so rude? “Don’t take any notice of him Rosie, he’s just kidding.” She looked up at me with a little smile that made me melt inside.
On the Island most of the houses are built on the riverbank, with private jetties for the owners’ boats sticking out into the water. There are all sorts of houses there, from simple weekender shacks to posh modern two-story brick places. A dirt road behind the houses runs right round the island in a loop. The air was cool and it was very peaceful. We walked along the road, looking at the houses and the flowers, and listening to all the birds singing. Here and there were pools of perfume from honeysuckle and orange-perfumed jasmine. Rosie put her hand into mine. Strange feelings stirred in my tummy. We turned onto a little headland that looked out across the river. “Look” I said, pointing to three godwits probing into the sand with their long curved beaks, “they’re looking for worms.” Rosie put her arms round my neck and kissed me. We didn’t say anything; words weren’t needed. We walked on and I put my arm around her waist. It felt very good. When we came back to the store we ordered milkshakes, and sat looking happily at each other. Annabelle came in on her next trip thirty minutes later. We went aboard and held hands. Jack looked at us a bit startled, as if he’d never seen me before. That evening our neighbor looked over the fence and asked if it was true Rosie and me were getting serious.