Get Charlie Noah

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

'I've got guests arriving this morning,' said Christine. 'I can't sit with you jabbering away. I have to do things.'

'Like what?'

'Things.'

'It's a nice restaurant,' said Ben. 'I like the way you cook the eggs but the sausages were a bit raw.'

'You were lucky to get sausages. I save them for important guests.'

'Aren't I important?'

'You're trouble I think.'

'Where is ruby cottage?'

'Why don't you just go home?'

'I'm a knight on a white horse riding off to rescue my damsel in distress.'

Christine looked at him with a frown on her face. 'Do you take drugs or something?'

'Sometimes I take aspirin with whisky.'

'Oh my God.'

'But not last night,' said Ben. He pointed to his duffel bag lying at his feet. 'See, I'm all packed up and ready to go. You just have to point the way.'

'After you pay the bill.'

'Yes, after that.'

'You are going to get into a heap of trouble Ben. You will not be able to defend yourself from the kastom magic.'

Ben reached into his duffel bag and pulled out the jungle warrior knife. He placed the black long bladed knife on the table beside his empty breakfast plate.

Christine stared at it, wide eyed. 'You put that damn thing away! I have guests arriving! You'll frighten them half to death!'

'Where's the bag of tricks you promised me?'

'I'll get them. I'll get the bill. Put the damn knife away for God's sake.'

Ben put the knife back in his duffel bag. He watched the pigs rummaging through the garden to his left. Christine came back. She had been running and was breathing hard. She placed a sheet of paper with a handwritten list of expenses scribbled on the left hand side. The total came to eight thousand vatu. (around A$98.00)

'Are you sure this is right?' asked Ben.

'What's wrong with it?'

Ben pulled out his wallet and dropped two five thousand vatu notes on the table. 'I don't need any change,' he said. 'Does ruby cottage have a hot tub or a spa bath like the one I had last night?'

'How would I know?' asked Christine as she gathered up the money.

'I owe the lady a hot tub but a hot spa bath would do.'

'Are you going to bring her here?'

'I might.'

'You can't bring her here. I'm fully booked for the next 7 weeks.'

'Twenty thousand vatu for one night with dinner and breakfast,' said Ben, 'but it has to be the spa suite.'

'When will you be arriving?'

'I'm not sure.'

'That will be fine,' said Christine as she sat beside him. 'I need a few hours notice because I'll have to go and shoot a flying fox.'

'What for?'

'If you hang a dead flying fox over the entrance to the place, it will help keep the kastom spirits away.'