A Place to Stay

by Jennie Jones

  ‘You didn’t know who he was?’

  When you went in on a raid, you didn’t think about fear, you put it to the back of your mind for later. The command came—Go—and you went. You concentrated on what was needed. But Luke had his share of dark memories and nightmares where he didn’t wake up before everything went wrong. ‘Big guy,’ he said. ‘Which goes with the description and mugshot of Fletcher from when he was in prison. But I’ve got nothing on Morrison so I can’t compare.’

  ‘You didn’t get a close look at this guy?’

  ‘We were close, all right. It was dark though. We were in a warehouse in Sydney’s southwest fringe—stocked with meth. Close to two hundred grand’s worth being shipped into the warehouse and out to dealers on the street. But something went wrong—and we ended up with a raid we hadn’t expected or wanted to happen that night.

  ‘I chased this guy through the back of the warehouse and into the next.’ He inhaled, and smelled the rotting rafters, the rust of the metal roof, the rats. ‘I had him in a headlock. We were pretty well matched. He got his foot behind my ankle and managed to throw me. We scrabbled on the ground for a bit and he kept telling me to back off. I wasn’t about to do that.’ He paused. ‘When we heard guys making their way to us he got strength from nowhere—he had me in a headlock then. Told me the men heading for us would kill me and him. I didn’t care if they shot him, and I got away from his hold and was reaching for my weapon—which had fallen to the floor—when he stabbed me in the side. As I fell, he apologised.’ Luke gave a sardonic smile. ‘He said sorry. Can you believe that?’

  ‘And then?’ Solomon asked.

  ‘The guys running towards us were the bad guys. I thought they were his mates, but apparently not. When I grappled with him again, he punched me in the stab wound, dragged me behind a pile of crates and held me down with a hand over my mouth.’

  ‘Unpleasant,’ Solomon said.

  ‘Wasn’t my favourite night. When the men ran past, not seeing us, he told me he’d find me one day. Then he left. I wouldn’t mind coming across him again.’

  ‘You might be getting the opportunity,’ Solomon said dryly.

  ‘Nothing’s certain. I remember him because he stabbed me, that’s all.’ Luke nodded at the equipment Solomon had loaded into the back of his ute. ‘And you? Going somewhere?’

  ‘If need be.’

  The ute was packed with survival gear—and God knows what else. Solomon was heading out bush. ‘You have no coercive power, Solomon. You can’t do anything.’

  ‘You want me to keep looking?’ Solomon asked. ‘Or do you want me to stay home and keep you going in strong coffee?’

  Luke was torn between telling him to stand down and letting him get on with it. They had nine operational police officers. If he needed backup it would have to come from Kalgirri and the plastic garland detectives. He’d be looking at waiting out a five-hour drive for them to get to Mt Maria, or Police Air Wing being called in and at least an hour of organisation outside of the flight time. By which time all the shit might have hit the fan. But his officers had tactical training. Himself, Will, Louie and Donna had more experience than the others, and Solomon had combat training. Luke wanted that extra pair of eyes.

  He nodded, giving his consent for Solomon to do his thing. ‘By the book,’ he said. ‘My book, and you know what that entails. You have no power. Don’t forget that.’

  Solomon didn’t answer.

  Luke looked around the property. The horses were in the stables now, too hot for them to be in the paddock in daytime, but Solomon would put them out for the night. Which he wouldn’t be able to do if he was on surreptitious patrol for Luke. ‘Thought you had Billy here now?’

  ‘Didn’t show up this morning,’ Solomon said. ‘I expect it’ll take a while for him to come to terms with a six am start. When I pass the farm, I’ll have a word with him about how this work contract is going to work.’

  Luke found a smile. Solomon was Billy’s only chance. ‘I hope he listens. Stay in touch.’

  ‘I’ll be around.’

  ‘By the book, remember.’

  Solomon lifted his mouth in a wry smile. ‘Until it’s not.’

  Until it’s not. Luke was already going outside the boundaries of ‘by the book’. But that was by Jack’s order. If it got to the point where he had to do whatever he had to do to save those involved, Luke would do it. This was no longer just an official operation, it was a personal vendetta—against him or against Rachel, maybe both—and he had every intention of dealing with a personal vendetta on his own terms—if that’s what it took. He just couldn’t say it out loud. It went against every grain of serve and protect he’d ever known.

  ‘Stay safe,’ he told Solomon.

  ‘Easy.’

  He hoped it would be. He hadn’t asked if Solomon was armed. He guessed he was, and he didn’t want to be told. He wanted him armed. He wanted him ready and capable. But he didn’t want to have to fill out a report saying he’d known. Goddamn Jack for putting him in this position.

  Twelve

  On Sunday morning, Luke let himself into the station at ten am, his body telling him he was tired, fractious and desperate for coffee. He’d been home to shower and change after spending the night watching the Laurensen house from across the road, using his own vehicle, camouflaged by dense scrub and mulga woodland. He noted signs that Donna and Davidson and another two officers had been in at the start of their shift at seven am. The coffee percolator had been left on so he poured a black coffee and headed to his office. He’d be spending the day here now, Sunday or not. Rostered day off or not.

  He settled at his desk—not his favourite place, but he had no option but to sit at it and do the paperwork. First he called Jack. He picked up a pen and drew a doodle in the margin of one of twelve leave request forms. It would be Christmas soon, and some of his officers were going to be disappointed—or resigned to working through the holiday. He couldn’t say the same for their families though.

  ‘You have to give me time,’ Jack said when he answered. ‘I’ve got nothing to tell you. As soon as I know something, you’ll know.’

  ‘Not good enough, mate,’ Luke said. ‘I’ve been watching her all night. My resources are down and are about to drop further if the bikie party at Lake Laura kicks off.’

  ‘Yeah, heard about that.’

  ‘Call me the second you get the intel you’re after,’ Luke said.

  ‘Copy. Um—while I’ve got you on the phone—just wondering …’ Jack sounded guarded all of a sudden.

  ‘What?’ Luke asked, bracing for the worst.

  ‘How’s Jax?’

  Luke opened his mouth to answer then paused. A few months ago Luke had driven Jax to Kalgirri to pick up her new car. He’d introduced her to Jack. Then Luke had been called back to Mt Maria and when he next saw Jax and asked her about Jack, she’d gone all stony-eyed and told him she neither knew nor cared.

  ‘She’s not bad,’ Luke said at last.

  ‘Right,’ Jack said. ‘Just wondered.’

  He didn’t know what had gone on between them but it was something that had Jax believing Detective Maxwell was a skirt-chasing Jack-the-lad, which Luke supposed he had been at one stage.

  ‘What did happen between you two?’ Luke asked.

  ‘Not sure. Anyway, send her my best, would you?’

  ‘I’ve been giving her your best every time you ask me to. She doesn’t want it.’

  Jack mumbled something.

  ‘What?’ Luke asked.

  ‘Nothing. Tell her I don’t like her either.’

  ‘Right.’ He cut the call and threw his pen onto the pile of leave forms in front of him. He didn’t have time to ponder the love lives of his two friends. He had his own to contemplate, if he could get his head into gear.

  He’d probably manage some shut-eye in his chair, if he was lucky. He’d be up again tonight, all night. Unless he got Rachel to answer his questions later today, in which case there was a
possibility he’d be up all night driving her, under arrest, to Kalgirri.

  Don’t let her be involved in all this shit. He didn’t believe she was—but his gut kept kicking him, telling him he didn’t know that yet.

  * * *

  At 2.45 pm Luke checked his watch for the tenth time as he paced the office, puzzling over the facts while trying not to look out the window for Rachel’s 4WD. Actually it was still Rebecca Smithfield’s 4WD. Solomon, who Luke had asked to keep an eye on Rachel, had radioed in that she’d left her house about fifteen minutes ago.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Will asked as he came into the office for his shift, although he didn’t wait for an answer. ‘This is supposed to be your rostered day off. Remember what they are?’

  ‘Thought I’d pop in and kit up. In case.’

  ‘In case what?’

  ‘There’s an informal bikie get-together happening at Lake Laura.’

  ‘How many?’

  ‘Fifty. Got a call from the OIC this morning.’

  ‘Doesn’t sound informal.’

  ‘I’ve got two here on standby in case they’re needed, plus the two that just came back from rural watch.’ If the incident warranted, either shire would send officers to the other for backup. Lake Laura only had a handful of officers to begin with.

  ‘Which would take us down to six officers,’ Will said.

  ‘Where’ve you been that you didn’t hear about the bikies?’

  ‘Had to pop out to the Baxter place before I came on shift. Billy turned eighteen yesterday and old Hugh gave him a drinking lesson—that’s where Hugh had gone last night.’

  Luke sighed. If Billy didn’t take the job Solomon had offered, the kid was never going to get out of Mt Maria. He had no goals, no dreams except to be awesome—a couple of bozo older brothers and a drunk for a grandfather. ‘Where’s Billy now?’

  ‘Well, if he’s sobering up, he’s not doing it at home,’ Will said. ‘He scarpered before I got there. We’re keeping an eye out for him.’

  ‘Solomon’s looking for him too. Billy didn’t turn up for work yesterday.’

  ‘Solomon?’

  Luke shrugged. ‘He’s more likely to find Billy than we are.’

  ‘True.’ Will threw his cap onto his desk then looked across at Luke’s and the paperwork piled high. ‘So are you going to hang around here all afternoon and annoy me?’

  ‘No. Got myself a date.’

  ‘Rosita?’

  ‘No, of course not.’

  ‘Who then?’ Will studied him then gave a sceptical grin. ‘Bullshit.’

  ‘She’s going to the barbecue with me. Wants to learn how to shoot.’

  ‘That’s what they all say. “Ooh, officer, put your arms around me. Get close and show me how it’s done.”’

  Luke acknowledged the joke with a grin.

  ‘Except you’ve never taken a woman on the range before now,’ Will said.

  ‘First time for everything, William.’

  ‘So how come you don’t look happy? Despite the fake grin?’

  Luke wiped a hand over his mouth.

  Will grunted and turned. ‘Still close-mouthed, eh?’

  ‘I need you to keep an eye on the builders out at the museum,’ Luke said. ‘But don’t appear to be doing it.’

  ‘Oh? Am I going to discover why?’

  ‘One of them had a few nasty words with Donna. Two of them caused problems for Rachel. Plus those two Louie and I picked up DUI.’ Luke bent to pick up papers that had fallen to the floor, so that he didn’t have to look Will in the eye when he next spoke. ‘I’ve got my suspicions Wiseman’s on the take—that’s why he awarded the contract to this firm.’

  ‘Told you so myself.’

  ‘I know. Anyway—I looked a bit deeper. Don’t know the reasons yet, but I’m getting there.’

  ‘So you’re taking this one off me? You asked me to look into the firm, remember?’

  ‘Did you discover anything?’

  ‘Not sure.’

  ‘That’s not fair, Will.’

  ‘Isn’t it?’ Will shook his head, and smiled a little, looking resigned. ‘Never mind. I couldn’t find anything untoward either. I was going to suggest we take it to Kalgirri or maybe Perth and ask a few of our buddies.’

  ‘Jack Maxwell’s taking a look.’

  Will raised his eyebrows. ‘Jack? Well, I suppose you know what you’re doing.’ He headed out of the room.

  Luke followed him to the front office, hating that he couldn’t come clean with Will Bennett, one of the best cops he’d worked with. But he was currently in a similar predicament with Jack Maxwell. Jack was being as close-mouthed with Luke as Luke was with Will.

  ‘While you’re keeping an eye on everything else,’ Luke said, ‘keep a watch on Wiseman, would you? Let me know if he visits the museum.’

  ‘Will do.’ Will took a biscuit from a tin on the front counter and bit into it. ‘So you’re suddenly serious about Rachel again?’

  ‘Looks like it.’

  Will paused, chin and brow lowered as he peered at Luke until it made him uncomfortable. ‘I’m guessing you’re going to tell me what’s going on, as soon as you’re ready,’ Will eventually said. ‘Or as soon as you’re able to.’

  Luke gave him a tight nod. ‘Affirmative.’ Just as soon as he could—as soon as he figured out exactly what was going on.

  ‘Right,’ Will said. ‘Call me when you’re ready. No matter the time.’

  ‘Sorry for the odd moods,’ Luke said.

  Will shrugged. ‘Don’t think I won’t pester you again until I find out what’s going on.’

  ‘I know that.’

  They both turned when someone knocked on the door.

  ‘Hello,’ Rachel said, not meeting Luke’s eye after he unlocked the door and let her in.

  ‘Hi.’ Luke ran an eye over her. She wore snug, pale denim jeans and she’d tucked a sky-blue T-shirt into the waistband. The blue highlighted the green of her eyes. She looked casual enough and somehow still stunning. Although he thought she was knock-a-cop-over stunning all the time—apparently even when he knew she might be involved in questionable activities.

  ‘You’re in uniform,’ she said. ‘Shall we cancel?’

  ‘No—I’m just semi on duty.’

  ‘We can leave it.’

  ‘No way.’

  ‘No way,’ Will said. ‘Take him out of my sight, would you?’

  ‘The club’s forty minutes west,’ Luke said. ‘I’ll drive.’

  ‘No, thanks. I’ll drive myself.’ She carried her nonchalance well but by the look of the straight back and the carefully composed look on her face, she’d had to put effort into it, which meant she was nervous.

  He smiled at her, noting how hard his heart was working, regardless of the warnings he’d been given about her possible dubious behaviour.

  ‘Come on then, I’ll walk you to your car,’ he said, taking his cap from the counter. ‘Call me if Lake Laura need us,’ he told Will.

  ‘Right after I call Bikie Busters Anonymous,’ Will said. ‘Have fun, you two. Don’t do anything I wish I was doing.’

  Luke grinned, glad to see Will back to his robust, humorous self. ‘Shall we?’ he asked Rachel, and walked to the door.

  Out on the street he shifted the duty belt on his waist and moved at a leisurely pace, heading south to the carpark and making sure he wasn’t swaggering—where Will had got that impression from he didn’t know.

  ‘Going to let me buy you a burger at the barbecue?’ he asked.

  ‘Maybe I’ll buy you one.’

  ‘Really? That’s kind of you. But I don’t let my dates pay. I’ve been saving long and hard to buy you a burger.’

  ‘It’s not a date,’ she said.

  Something about the way she walked by his side now suggested she’d relaxed. The tension in her shoulders had eased and she didn’t keep her chin angled up. Maybe she’d been waiting for the expected tease about going out with him, and now that h
e’d got that done, she felt more settled.

  He liked her aroma: fruity soap and soft woman. He shouldn’t like her aroma. Not any of it—not until he knew he had no cause for concern. Not that the deliberation did anything to help the problem. He liked the aroma of her and the look of her. God help him.

  ‘Do you have a problem with bikers?’ she asked.

  ‘Not here. Lake Laura—hundred and twenty kilometres west. Here in Mt Maria we’re more cornered by stolen chickens, drunks and gastro victims at the moment. Unless something heavy is going down that I don’t know about,’ he added.

  When they reached her vehicle, she unlocked it and threw her bag inside. Luke glanced at it, then looked away. ‘Hope you’ve got sunscreen in that bag. We’ll be outdoors.’ Please don’t let her have a Swiss Army knife and a gun in there.

  ‘I’ve got what I need. Isn’t it an indoor range?’

  ‘Outdoor only today,’ he told her.

  ‘Well—I’ll follow you.’

  ‘See you there. You okay four-wheel driving?’

  ‘Yes. I learned how to do it in Perth.’

  ‘Really? You like the excitement? Or are you expecting a car chase out here in the dirt?’

  ‘I bought a four-wheel drive. What’s the point if I don’t know how to drive it properly?’

  ‘Fair enough.’ He tipped the brim of his cap and gave her a wink. ‘No speeding,’ he said and noted how his heart bumped when she smiled.

  * * *

  Rachel got out of her car at the pistol club. She’d parked in the paddock, next to Luke. He was talking to somebody who’d stopped him as soon as he pulled up.

  ‘No problem,’ he was telling a woman with an apprehensive look on her face.

  He seemed at ease, but he was playing her as much as she was playing him. It was as though the air between them had been sprinkled with raw nerve endings, regardless of the apparent camaraderie. Did he know something? And if he did, how much? Regardless of yesterday’s thoughts about telling him everything, she couldn’t do it here, in front of a crowd. It would have to wait.

  ‘I’m kitted up but I’m here informally,’ he was telling the woman when Rachel arrived behind him, pushing the 4WD keys into her back pocket. ‘I’m showing our new resident some of the sights.’ He must have sensed her because he looked over his shoulder and smiled.