SOMEDAY SOON by David Crookes Read Free Book Online

mangroves will be eaten by the crocs, I
suppose.’
    Joe closed his eyes and grimaced. After a
moment he said, ‘How are you going to convince the provosts to
release the children?’
    ‘ I’ll tell them I’ve got permission
from their commanding officer to use my discretion regarding
evacuees.’
    ‘ Have you?’
    ‘ No.’
    ‘What if he checks with the Army?’
    ‘They’ve got more important things to do than
deal with a jumped-up provost sergeant who thinks he’s a real
policeman, Joe.’
    Joe glanced at the sergeant. ‘You could get
yourself into a lot of trouble, George.’
    ‘We’ll all be in a lot more trouble if the
bloody Japs land. Oh hell...’ Maxwell turned his head quickly to
Joe. ‘What did the provosts do with Koko?’
    ‘Nothing. He didn’t go to the station, he
went straight home.’ Joe sensed something in Maxwell’s tone. ‘Why
do you ask?’
    ‘I’ll have to go and pick him up. It will be
better if I turn him over to a senior army officer than let the
provosts grab him. There’s no telling what they’ll do. I’ll take
Aki in at the same time.’
    Joe eyes widened in amazement. ‘But why,
George. Why?’
    The sergeant swung off the Esplanade and
braked sharply beside a cluster of men and military vehicles on the
beach. ‘Because they’re Japanese, Joe. That’s why.’
    *
    Dan Rivers was sitting in the middle of the
platform with the children, when Sergeant Maxwell’s ute and a US
Army military police jeep pulled up beside the provosts at the
station. He got up quickly and walked over to them.
    ‘Sir.’ A Negro MP sergeant saluted smartly.
He nodded towards Joe. ‘This civilian says he brought you in from
Bathurst Island, Captain. Is that so?’
    ‘Yes. I was shot down yesterday. What’s left
of the airfield, Sergeant?’
    ‘Not much, sir. The Japs really did a number
on Darwin. If you don’t need medical attention, I’d best take you
to a bush camp. Most of them are about ten miles out.’
    ‘Thanks, I’ll just be moment.’ Rivers turned
to Sergeant Maxwell and the provost sergeant who were engaged in a
heated conversation. Joe was looking on, saying nothing. Rivers
took Joe’s arm and led him aside. ‘What’s going on, Joe? What going
to happen to the kids?’
    ‘Sergeant Maxwell thinks he can get the
children out of town on a train tomorrow. He wants the provost
sergeant to release them into his care. I told him they can stay at
my house overnight. But the provost says Maxwell’s got no authority
under martial law. He says he can’t release them without direct
orders from a superior military officer.’
    Rivers turned abruptly and stepped up to the
provost. ‘Sergeant, as the ranking officer here,
    I’d appreciate it if you would release these
children to the police sergeant as he’s requested. I’ll take full
responsibility.’
    At first the provost sergeant looked
surprised, then confused, as if unsure of the extent of the
authority of an Allied officer. After a few moments he said:
    ‘Is that an order, sir?’
    ‘Yes, it is, Sergeant.’
    ‘Very well, sir.’
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    There wasn’t room for everyone in the police
van but Captain Rivers and the US military police sergeant were
happy to transport the overflow in their jeep. When the vehicles
pulled up outside the sergeant’s house, Mary Maxwell, a plump,
grey-haired woman, came out onto the veranda with Faith. When Faith
saw Joe, she flew down the steps, raced across the yard and hugged
him tightly.
    ‘These youngsters all look like they need a
good feed,’ Mrs Maxwell said when her husband explained what was
going on. ‘They can go over to your place later, Joe,’ she called
out over her shoulder as she herded the children into the
house.
    Captain Rivers stepped out of the jeep and
reached for Joe’s hand. ‘I want to thank you again for everything,
Joe. I wish there was some way I could make it up to you.’
    Joe brushed the gratitude aside. ‘I just gave
you a boat ride,