Dead in the Dog

Blackwell threw off his attack of introspection as they were coming through the cutting on the last lap before Gunong Besar. These moods must be from living alone since Margaret went home, he thought irritably. As they came in sight of the knoll on the right, his driver pulled over to let a Ferret armoured car pass them in the opposite direction, one of the frequent patrols that the Army had promised. With a wave to the driver just visible behind his protective flap, his driver turned up the slope and climbed to the flat area in front of the larger bungalow. As he climbed out, he could see Diane come to the rail of the verandah above, attracted by the sound of their vehicle.

He touched the peak of his cap in greeting. ‘Hello there! Is James about?’

The blonde waved a glass and Steven realized that he had rarely seen her without a drink in her hand.

‘He’s around somewhere. Come up and have a stinger.’

Though he rarely took a drink in the daytime, it was approaching lunchtime, so he climbed the steps and accepted a small gin and tonic, which Siva brought, along with another larger one for the ‘Mem’. She was looking as desirable as usual in a slim green linen dress and the police officer had no difficulty in appreciating why she caused so much man-trouble in the area.

‘Siva will go out and look for his lordship,’ she said with scarcely veiled sarcasm. ‘He’s probably down in the sheds with Douglas, doing whatever they do with that stuff.’

Her dismissive description covered what Steve knew to be a complex process that needed large open sheds for coagulating the raw latex with formic acid, then rolling it into sheets before drying in the smoke sheds, ready for export. However snooty she might be about it, it kept her if not in actual luxury, at least in new dresses, shoes and gin.

‘Did you see the new patrol go by just now?’ he said encouragingly. ‘They’re using an armoured car now, as well as the usual Land Rovers.’

‘Great! I wish they’d park one right outside. What happens in the hours between patrols? We could be shot dead five minutes after they’ve passed!’

The superintendent sipped at his gin, which was still stronger than he wanted at this time of day. ‘I don’t think you need worry too much, Diane. I’ve just come from a meeting in Brigade with Army Intelligence and the SIB. We’ve come to the conclusion that it wasn’t any organized CT gang. The best money is on it being someone with a grudge against the estate. That’s why I’ve come to have a word with James.’

‘There’s quite a few people with a grudge against my dear husband, some not very far from here. In fact, I’m one of them, but I didn’t shoot the swine, much as I might like to sometimes.’

Blackwell couldn’t think of a suitable response to this, but thankfully he was spared the task, as the crunch of tyres outside heralded James’s arrival in the mud-encrusted Series One Land Rover that he used around the estate.

‘Staying for lunch, old chap?’ he brayed as he swaggered into the lounge, his big body immediately dominating the room.

‘Sorry, have to get back. I just came up to tell you that we’ve markedly strengthened the patrols up and down the road, as I was just telling Diane.’

He related the gist of the meeting they had at Brigade that morning and emphasized the theory that the shooting may have been from a single disgruntled person.

‘I asked you before, but can you think of anyone who might have a serious grudge against you or Douglas Mackay?’

The heavily handsome planter ran a hand through his thick wavy hair and pursed his lips as he gave the question some serious thought.

‘Every employer has a natural turnover of workers. Some get fired, if they’re no bloody good – either lazy or thieving or stirring up trouble with the others. But that’s been going on for years, no more at Gunong Besar than any other estate. In fact, I know that Les Arnold had an actual punch-up with one of his truck drivers a few months back.’

‘I know, we arrested the fellow – he got a couple of months in Taiping jail for assault,’ replied Steven. ‘So you can’t think of anyone who could have done this?’

The estate owner shook his head impatiently. ‘No! And I still think you’re wrong. The bandits had a go at this place six months ago and that was genuine enough, because you even shot one and he turned out to be a CT. So why the hell should this be any different?’

Nothing would shift James from his conviction and the policeman felt that the planter was keen to maintain his status as valiant hero against the communist hordes. After some more inconsequential chat, Blackwell took his leave. As the police vehicle drove down the drive, Diane watched from the verandah, chewing her lip as she saw the Land Rover turn into the road and vanish towards Tanah Timah.