Page 62 of Lost In Kakadu

“I thought we saved him. I can’t believe it.” Tears flooded his eyes. “Did he say anything?”

“Not a word. But he wrote a letter. It’s in an envelope on top of his notepad.”

Mackenzie picked up the envelope. Pink paper was visible inside, but he folded the seal down and placed it back on the notepad.

“You’re not going to read it?”

“No. It’s private.” Mackenzie wished he’d asked Charlie about his final mission. Now he’d never know. He glanced at the letter and wondered if he’d written it down, but now wasn’t the time for prying.

Mackenzie gathered Charlie’s frail body, placed him on the grass, and as he spread the black shirt over him again, he said a silent prayer. Although he’d only known Charlie for two short days, he’s experienceda deep, filial affection for the man. He couldn’t understand why. He’d never had a father figure in his life that he trusted. However, the frail stranger had instilled a deep sense of faith in him and had given him hope.

Their friendship was cemented with a common goal—survival.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Krystal heard her grandmother calling her name and likened the voice to the screeching cockatoos that woke her every morning as they swooped amongst the palm trees outside her window.

She placed her iPod buds in her ears to block out the noise and hoped to be left alone.

She rolled onto her stomach and gazed out the window. Beyond the cascading pool a boat full of tourists cruised along the canal, the sun reflecting off their camera lenses like a Morse Code distress signal. She hated the tourists. They made her feel like a prisoner in her grandmother’s embarrassingly gaudy mansion. To relax by the pool meant keeping an eye on the canal and she hated playing a part in their garish freak show.

“Krystal!” Her grandmother grabbed the iPod wire, snapping the bud from her ear.

“What?” She snatched it back and sat up.

“I’ve been calling you.” Her grandmother’s eyes looked like they were gradually being sucked into her brain and the shadows from her heavy eyebrows didn’t help. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Botoxed skin on her forehead made her look part plastic doll. It was impossible for her to frown and Krystal stifled a laugh every time her grandmother was angry with her, which was often.

“Well,as you can see, I couldn’t hear you. What do you want?”

“Police officers are here to see you.”

“Police? What dotheywant?”

“They want to talk to you about your dad and mum.” She avoided Krystal’s eyes.

Krystal jumped up. “Have they found Dad?” Without waiting for an answer, she raced down the marble staircase.

The police officer and an obese man in a tattered grey suit were seated in the sunroom. But as soon as she saw them a bad feeling gripped her. Their dire expressions confirmed they were dreading talking to her. The room swayed ever so slightly when the overweight man dabbed sweat from his forehead with a striped handkerchief.

The female officer saw her at the doorway and rose off her chair.

Krystal stared into her eyes and shook her head as the officer walked toward her.

“Hello, Krystal.”

“I don’t want to hear it. I won’t.” She cupped her ears.

“Please, Krystal. Take a seat.”

Krystal’s feet were nailed to the floor. “Is he dead?”

“Krystal, please come and sit down. We’ll tell you everything.”

She clenched her teeth until her jaw hurt. She wouldn’t believe it, couldn’t. Not until she saw his body.

“We don’t know if they’re dead.”

She refocused. “What? What do you mean?”

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