Page 7 of Quinn

“It’s all there was, Quinn.”

“It will have to do for now.” I set about washing the dirt from her face, or so I thought. The ‘dirt’ was actually bruising. I sponged over her small, undeveloped breasts, which further confirmed my estimation that she was around thirteen to fifteen-years-old, and over the protruding ribs, getting angrier by the second. She was covered in bruises, scrapes, and welts caused by a whip. Whoever she’d been with, had done a good job of ensuring she stayed on the brink of starvation. Who would treat a young child in this way?

After getting the front of her body as clean as possible, Waigi and I lifted her onto her stomach, and I cleaned up her back.

The bullet wound was at the top of her right shoulder at the back, with another circular opening below the clavicle in front. Even to my untrained eyes, it appeared it had passed straight through. What really sparked my anger was the fact it was obvious that she’d been shot in the back!

Once she was washed and dried, I lifted her into my arms, Waigi pulled back the covers and I laid her down on one cool, white sheet before covering her naked body with the other.

Waigi removed the water, washers and one towel, while leaving another towel close by for Barry’s use.

I used the bathroom, ditched my bloodied shirt in a small rubbish bin, pulled on a fresh shirt, and returned to sit in a chair at the bedside.

Waigi seated himself on the bed. “If she belongs to Sangumala, Quinn, this could bring trouble.”

“I don’t give a rat’s arse; I’m not letting those bastards get their hands on her again.”

Sangumala was a small, secretive group of Nationals who practiced the darkest of witchcraft and sadism. Or so it was rumoured because no one really knew. Over the years bodies had been found pegged out on the ground in a spread-eagled pose. They had all been beaten, sexually tortured and every one of them bore the Sangumala tattoo.

It was thought the group used the cover of thick jungle to conceal their location, and authorities had been unsuccessful in finding even the smallest of clues which could lead to their whereabouts.

Reports of people disappearing in the hills above Moresby abounded. Speculation was that Sangumala was recruiting victims for their evil practices.

Nationals spoke of the group with fear, and some of the stories I’d heard made our cartel’s torture of victims seem like child’s play. They were a group of people no one in their right mind would cross.

Waigi shook his head. “They have powerful spirits, Quinn. It won’t be like going to war with the usual enemies of the cartel. People saw you bring her here; word will find its way to them and they will come for both of you.”

“Question, Waigi?”

“Go ahead.”

“If these people are so all fucking powerful, and have these voodoo spirits, why the fuck are they using guns on young innocent girls?”

Waigi lifted an eyebrow. “Good question and I have no answer.”

I heard a key in the lock and Mala entered with a paper bag in his hands. He moved to the bed and held it out for me to take. When he offered the change, I waved him off and he shoved it deep into his pocket.

“Thanks.” I pulled a brightly coloured dress, patterned in hibiscus flowers from the bag along with a pair of pink cotton panties.

Waigi pulled back the covers and helped me in dressing the girl. She moaned as we manhandled her into the garment.

Once dressed, we pulled the sheet up, and as we did so, her eyes peeled open.

“Welcome back.”

Her eyes darted back and forth between the three of us, sheer terror was reflected. I took one of her hands in mine.

“You’re safe, honey. No one will hurt you.” I felt an overwhelming protectiveness towards the girl, something I’d never experienced before.

A sharp knock at the door sounded, and all three of us pulled our concealed revolvers, aiming them at the door. Waigi stood off to one side and I nodded at Mala to answer the knock.

He swung the door open to reveal Barry, Logan, and Daly and we lowered our weapons.

“What’s with the going all Rambo on us?” Logan asked as he led the other two men into the room.

“I’ll explain later.”

Waigi, Mala, and I secured our guns and Daly closed the door.