Fast Recovery From A Bereavement

I must phone Gaius, says Katherine. To find out if he's been released.

She calls Gaius.

No answer.

I think we should go to the police station, says Margaret.

She and Katherine head back into town.

What do you reckon? says Sweezus.

Pass, says Arthur. I don't want to go to Tasmania.

Huh? says Sweezus. Why Tassie?

Katherine thinks I'm going, says Arthur. There can only be one explanation.

She's going? says Sweezus.

Gaius is going, says Arthur. Therefore I need to lie low.

That's right, says Charles Red-belly. Lie low. Like we do.

Olive sniggers. That's funny. Lie low.

Charles Red-belly insinuates himself through the handles of the shopping bag that the ladies have left on the pavement.

See this? says Charles.

Margaret forgot her shopping,  says Sweezus.

It's not shopping, says Charles.

It's our snake box, says Olive. And it's full of our money.

Yeah? How come you've got money? says Sweezus.

Arthur opens the box. Counts the money. There are hundreds of dollars inside.

...........

Katherine and Margaret have arrived at the police station, hoping Sergeant Victor will still be on duty.

There he is at his desk.

Victor, says Katherine. We are looking for Gaius and Moon.

Ah, ladies, says Victor, lugubriously. They have been let off with a caution. Four cautions, in point of fact.
However the news is not all good news.

No! says Katherine. I don't need more bad news.

She doesn't, says Margaret. Her poor little dog has just died.

Victor is good at the job of being a policeman. He remembers things people have said previously.

This dog, says Victor. Was it locked inside a vehicle?

Yes it w........begins Margaret. Ow!

Katherine has kicked her discreetly.

No it wasn't, says Katherine smoothly. That was a box full of money. Not a dog. There was a misunderstanding.

Margaret looks at Katherine with grudging admiration.

How quickly she has recovered from her bereavement.

What is the bad news? says Katherine.

Sure you can take it? says Victor. Gaius and Moon are in hospital being treated for snake bite.

Gaius! gasps Margaret. I thought he had plenty of antidote. That jar of saliva......

She is halted mid-sentence by Katherine, who has spied the said jar of saliva, sitting unopened, high up on a shelf behind Victor.

Which hospital? asks Katherine sharply. We must go there at once. Victor, please hand me that jar.