‘Help! help me! For God’s sake please help me,’ she screa
med to the man who exited the driver’s side, leaving the engine running. He looked at her and smiled, but said nothing.
‘For God’s sake, please, please help me, I’ve been kidnapped. A prisoner here. A religious nutcase is keeping me here. I’ve got a baby. I’ll fetch her. Please get me out, quickly. Hurry before he comes back. Just get me out of here.’ Her words stumbled over each other in her panic.
The newcomer still said nothing but stood at the gates with his hands on his hips, a sardonic smile curled around his thin mouth. His dark eyes slowly looked her up and down, taking in the short skirt and her long, slender legs.
‘G’day. I’m Karl, Benjamin’s mate. Reckon you must be the new woman he’s bin wanting. Don’ think much of ya hair cut, luv!’
Katherine’s heart sank as her body collapsed in shock and disappointment. She slid down the gate on to her knees. She was still in that position gripping the wire of the closed gates when Benjamin’s Land Rover pulled up in a swirl of dust.
‘G’day Karl. See ya met me woman. She’s me new wife. Bit strange but okay.’ He unlocked the gates and both vehicles drove in.
The back of Karl’s vehicle contained a rack made of old galvanised water pipes. Dingo and wild dog scalps swung from the rack, evidence of his recent successes in his grisly trade. A large black dog, with a wide black leather collar dotted with chrome spikes, was chained to the tray. The overall effect was that of a vicious hound that somehow matched the appearance his owner. As Karl’s vehicle drove in the dog barked ferociously at Katherine. Large searchlights were mounted behind the cab roof and a rifle was seated on clips above and at the back of the seats. Katherine closed the gates behind the two vehicles and dejectedly handed Benjamin the keys.
The arrival of Karl was both a blessing and a curse for Katherine. He had a personality that seemed to Katherine to personify evil. She disliked him from the moment that he took her hand in greeting as Benjamin introduced him.
‘This is me mate, Karl. He’s a dogger an’ calls round every now an’ agin. Helps me round the place. This is me new wife, Karl. Picked ‘er up over east. A gift from God.’
Karl responded by quickly taking her unoffered hand, holding it firmly and giving it an unnecessarily long hard squeeze. She winced. ‘Good ta meet ya. Like I said, I’m Benjamin’s mate. Karl, Karl Brudos. I get work different stations all aroun’ the west. Kill the vermin that kills the sheep.’
Katherine did not respond and simply looked at the ground.
Karl turned to Benjamin. ‘Got you a killer, mate. Bloke on that property down south give me half for a job.’
Benjamin’s eyes lit up. A killer meant half a sheep, so they’d have fresh meat for a change, a real luxury at the Factory. He turned to Katherine, ‘Ya can cook us some lamb tonight, woman. It’ll be good ta have fresh meat agin.’
He and Karl started towards the dogger’s vehicle. ‘Com’n woman, git over ‘ere,’ Benjamin called over his shoulder to Katherine, who had not moved. ‘Ya can help.’
Katherine followed behind then nervously stood back as the dog snarled and barked, almost as if he was directing his aggression to her alone. The men started passing her items from the tray.
Karl’s first visit to the Factory was brief and he said very little to Katherine, although those agitated eyes seemed to follow her every movement, visibly caressing her body. From the start she felt uncomfortable in his presence. In spite of the heat she wished that she had clothing that concealed more. Benjamin had destroyed her slacks and modest clothing remained a wish unfulfilled.
Karl’s black eyes were set in narrow encasements and generally failed to look directly at others. They darted around as if searching for an escape. The only thing they settled on was Katherine as she went about her chores. Karl’s hair covered his ears and looked uncombed; it sat as an unruly charcoal mop crowning his square face. Katherine guessed him to be about forty but the leathery tanned skin made it hard to judge. He dressed in navy stubby shorts and a dark singlet. Judging from the grease stains and colour, Katherine wondered if it was ever washed, let alone changed.
It was Benjamin’s rule that Katherine serve his food first. When he finished she was permitted to eat alone. After Karl’s first dinner at the Factory, Benjamin called her over to the table and gave her a rare compliment. ‘Good meal, woman. Ya can eat now, there’s plenty.’
He and Karl left the table making their way to the opposite side of the room and the two old lounge chairs.
‘It was easier with the fresh meat Karl brought.’ She looked at Karl thinking that she might yet somehow persuade him to get news of her predicament out to the authorities, even if he was Benjamin’s mate.
Benjamin opened a beer while Karl poured a whisky then lit a cigarette. Benjamin did not smoke and Katherine was interested to see that while his eyes disapproved of the curling blue smoke, he said nothing.
‘Karl’s gunna go shoppin’ for us. Make a list of what ya need an’ he’ll see if he can get it.’
‘I definitely need clothes. Apart from the few in my bag when you kidnapped me, I have nothing. And you tore up some of what I had. Nappies and baby food, and —’
‘Jist make a list, woman. Don’t nag.’
Karl smirked. ‘Gotta keep ‘em in place, eh Benjamin? Others they nag ya ta death.’ He looked at the ceiling and blew out a torrent of smoke.
* * *
Karl left before sunrise, taking Katherine’s list with him. She had already been told that her list was too long and the clothes she needed had not been included.
As Benjamin explained, ‘Ya can’t expect Karl to go shopping for women’s clothes.’
Although Katherine was embarrassed, there was something she needed more than new clothes. ‘Well, if clothing is embarrassing for him, what about other things? I need something for my periods at the chemist. Is he going to get me those things for women’s hygiene?’