“Mr Burton, I know you have the police there, but your appointment at the clinic is in five minutes’ time.”
“What appointment?”
“The one that Dr Holcroft arranged.”
“Which one?”
The psychiatric check-up”
“Tell them to go to hell!”
“Mr Burton!”
“Tell them I can’t get away. Make it tomorrow.”
“And Mr Johnny Matiu is here. He wants to talk to you about Tom Davies.”
“The helicopter bloke. Send him right in.”
“Johnny Matiu, glad you came in,” said the ranger. “Sorry your firm got mixed up in all this. I’d like you to meet Detective Inspector Molloy of the C.I.B. and Detective Sergeant Piriaka.”
Johnny was pleased to see Matthew Piriaka again. Matthew had started his police career in Rotorua before he had been promoted to Auckland. He had been involved with Matthew when he worked for the Trust, as the people he employed often had police records.
Dick Burton sat on the edge of his desk in the limited space left by empty and half-empty cups of coffee and piles of paper which also covered most of the office floor.
It doesn’t look as if he sits at his desk much, thought Johnny.
Dick didn’t appear happy. His ginger hair was dishevelled and it looked as if he hadn’t slept. He cleared some papers off a chair. “Have a seat,” he said.
The C.I.B. inspector was thin-lipped and grim as he looked at the burly intruder with the moko. “Is this a police matter?” he said.
“Too bloody right it is, Inspector,” said Johnny. He told them about his first phone call from Tom Davies, but followed Tom’s instructions about the second.
“So, Mr Burton, this confirms your statement that you received a call from Mr Matiu on Monday 24th January at 18:15 hours,” said the Inspector. His voice registered no emotion. “So what we have is authenticated voice evidence that all these people are still alive. These same people also allege that they are in the headwaters of the Raukawa River in the Raukumara with a helicopter stolen from Arawa Helicopters on Monday 24th January at 07:00 hours.”
“Does this mean you’re not going to do anything to help Tom?” Johnny began belligerently.
The inspector ignored the interruption. “We’ve made our own investigations which we are not yet at liberty to disclose. Nor are we able to advise you of possible further action on this case. May we be excused, Mr Burton? We have other appointments.”
Inspector Molloy went out first, but, as Matthew Piriaka followed, he stopped just briefly alongside Johnny Matiu, long enough to whisper, “If you have any new leads, let me know.”
As soon as the police had left, Dick exploded. “So much for our great New Zealand police,” he said. “These people allege... not at liberty to disclose... not able to advise you,” he mimicked. “They’re only interested in official reports, commissions of enquiry and media releases. They treat me as if I was a nut case because they know I’ve been ordered to see a shrink. Well, let me tell you no one’s going to push me around. Kevin’s gone away on holiday and left no address. And when I insist on checking out Harry Wilson’s story, I am threatened with dismissal by Dr High and Mighty Holcroft. He hung the phone up on me twice yesterday, first when I rang in the morning about Harry Wilson and the second time when I rang him last night immediately after you’d given me the message from your pilot. I’ve never known a bloke lose his cool like he did.”
“What did you say to him last night to stir him up?”
“I told him that the unmarked helicopter looked like a massive poaching operation and I just asked him if I could go into the Waitoa to see what was going on.”
“And he said you couldn’t go in?”
Dick nodded. “Worse than that. He’s accused me of deliberately helping the kidnappers and their victim get away from the doctor bloke on the Mamaku Hill because I didn’t notify the police till four o’clock in the morning. The trouble was I meant to ring them, but I was working in my office when I got back.” He added ruefully. “I didn’t tell my wife either and she wasn’t too impressed when I arrived home at five in the morning.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Holcroft or no Holcroft, I’m going to get in there somehow, even if I get fired as a result.” He clenched his fists. “No one’s messing about with my huia.”
Just then there came a furious knocking on the ranger’s door.
Dick Burton’s secretary rushed in. “Mr Burton, everything’s suddenly gone off. I was listening to the news on the radio and it went dead. The photocopier won’t work and none of the lights will go on.”
Dick looked at his watch. 2 p.m. Tuesday 25th January “No power cuts have been advised at this time,” he said. He glanced out the window. “I don’t think it’s just us.” They both rushed past the lifts, down the stairs and out into the street.
People were emerging out of every building in Pukaki Street. Agitated groups were gathering, talking, looking up at the buildings, anxious, confused.
“Find out from the Power Board,” Johnny said, and walked determinedly round into Fenton Street.
The Power Board offices were locked and the doors protected by a cordon of police. The crowd was increasing every moment; the closed doors and the police presence were beginning to anger them.
Suddenly the doors opened momentarily, and a man appeared as if thrust out from within. He wore a white shirt and a tie and sported a small moustache, all of which would normally have given him an air of authority. He stood on the front steps, blinking anxiously and looking uncomfortable.
“Give us back our power!” someone cried.
“We apologise for this unscheduled cut,” said the official. “We will be resuming normal services as soon as possible.”
“When will that be?”
“You will be advised as soon as we have the information.”
“How are you going to get the information?”
“We are expecting it to come to hand at any moment.” He attempted to smile, but one hand strayed nervously to his moustache.
“This twerp doesn’t know anything,” said Johnny.
Cars were coming in along Fenton Street. The crowd surged out into the road, surrounding the cars. “What’s happening? Does someone know what’s going on?”
“People are saying the whole of the city is out. There’s been an accident.”
As more and more cars came in, the information became more alarming.
“People are getting stuck in lifts and underground car parks… The supermarkets are closing… The sewerage pumps aren’t working, and there’s a huge public health risk… The water supply’s been affected… The petrol pumps aren’t working…
Johnny saw groups of youths gathering in front of shop windows and eyeing the goods now unguarded by alarms.
“The police are going to be busy,” he said.
Now a rumour spread down the street which was more alarming still.
“It’s not an accident. It may be sabotage.”
“Who are the people involved?”
“A terrorist group.”
Johnny looked at Dick intently. “Do you remember there was something about a secret base in the message from Tom last night?
“About a disabling of the power station, and then some other attack twenty-four hours later. But I didn’t believe it because I thought the kidnappers had made it up.”
Johnny pondered about his promise to Tom. “I ought to tell you also that Tom had seen some unmarked Black Hawk helicopters looking for them last night in the Raukawa.”
“Where did Tom think they came from?”
“He said they appeared to come, and then go back, over Devil’s Peak. Because it was getting dark when they went back, he didn’t think they were going far.”
“But the huia sanctuary is on the other side.”