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Chapter 56: Searching
“Okay, pilot. It’s a pity it’s getting a bit late in the day, but the light is good.Take me down the coast and follow the old bridle path road. How low can you fly?
“Huh! You’ll have to do better than that if you want to be paid. The weather’s fine, with high cloud and a light southeasterly breeze. You said, ‘visibility is to the horizon,’ so go down to two hundred feet. I want to see exactly how that road is. Also, hold this thing with the left wing down so I can see everything… now that’s better.
“Right, I reckon we’re somewhere around the place where this outfit hang out. Start flying the grid I showed you, and you men, take note of anything you think could be it… Camera, camera! Take a shot of that place down there Colin.”
Arannita issues these instructions a number of times before asking, “Have any of you spotted anything else that should be photographed? No! In that case, I reckon we’ve got the lot, so back we fly and have a good look at the road in the other direction.”
* * *
“My gawd, I didn’t like that very much, just a banged up old crop duster with some mangy seats. Hell Colin,” continues Mystery, “couldn’t you have got something better, with flight attendants and a bar?”
“Knock it off. It was the only plane that could take the four of us and fly slow enough to see it all. And anyway, it did the job. Let’s get this film developed and head home.”
Returning an hour and a half later to the farmhouse at the end of Ratanui Road, Arannita, who has been unusually quiet says, “I think I’ve got it. Let’s compare notes now and I’ll see what you think, but I reckon I’ve nailed them. Mystery, your ideas, then you Colin, then Sharky…
“That sums it up then, there are four possibilities. There’s no doubt we’re in the right part of the country,” Arannita summarises. “Number one looks like a sanctuary or something. There are high fences and animals everywhere, and a small stream running through quite an area of swampy land, and lots of waterfowl by the look of it. It’s got a big car park though, so there are lots of people that are coming and going. No, count it out.
“Second possibility. That looks like the boundary fence and it’s quite a large property. There are big patches of bush, and a decent sized lake to the West… also a very large building and a number of connected outbuildings. They’re probably a hay shed, machinery shed, a garage and by the looks of it, the yard is paved and there’s a pond. Keep it as a definite to explore.
“Number three. Another big place with a river on the south boundary running almost alongside the road… Animals everywhere and a there’s big variety of them. Hidden away in a valley too. It could be the sort of hideout they’d choose. The buildings and car park look about right for a menagerie of crazy animals. We’ll keep it in the picture too.
“The last one looks like a racecourse. There are plenty of buildings for a bunch of animals to lurk about in, and that looks like what used to be the track. It’s all a bit overgrown but that’s how they’d keep it if they wanted to stay hidden – except of course how would they know we’re on their track eh? Probably marginal, but this is another one to count in. I’m glad you’ve all spotted some of the detail – I get sick of doing your thinking for you.
“Now what happens next? I’ll tell you,” continues Arannita. “Two of you head down there and reconnoitre the three places we want to have another look at. Take photographs, make notes and come back with a definite answer. All these delays are costing me too much.
“I want that rock and I want it now.”