by Sarah Barrie
‘Maybe he’s only travelled in trucks, not on a float,’ Ally said, soothing the big bay. ‘Hop out of the way, let me play with him for a few minutes.’
Mia stood back while Ally worked with the horse, and after the promised few minutes, she led him onto the float. Mia heard the girls’ relieved sighs, then dismayed gasps when Ally took him off again. He walked on, back off. When he calmly walked on a third time, Ally gave Mia a nod, and Mia closed the float up.
‘Spend a bit of time with him,’ Ally suggested. ‘Give yourself enough time to go through it with him the way I did until he loads confidently. With some patient practice, he’ll be fine.’
There were lots of thank yous, then they moved back to their own vehicle.
‘He was pretty,’ Mia said.
‘Thoroughbreds are,’ Ally agreed, then turned on the engine and looked at Mia meaningfully. ‘But retraining racehorses can be a huge undertaking. Some work out beautifully, some can be quite dangerous. And besides, they don’t come in buckskin or pinto.’
But did that really matter?
When the small convoy of floats and trucks reached the farm, horses were unloaded into yards and fed. Mia helped, the big bay horse that hadn’t liked the float still in her mind. There were so many thoroughbreds that didn’t make the grade as racehorses and never got a chance to be anything else. It was something to think about.
‘Thanks for today,’ Ally said as they finished up.
‘No problem. I enjoyed it. Let everyone know I’ll get the photos up on my site in the next few days.’
‘Will do. You want to come up for dinner?’
‘No, thanks. I’m going to go make sure Jasper hasn’t gotten himself into trouble and have an early night. See you tomorrow.’
She arrived home to loud, excited barking. Jasper on his own all day usually meant trouble, so she looked around for any signs of destruction, found only one dug-up plant.
‘Not bad, buddy, what have you got there?’
A ball appeared from the dark recesses of his mouth and was deposited at her feet, so she spent some time with him and his slobbery ball before going inside. Tired, she fell on the lounge with a yawn and because her phone was flashing, she picked up the handset. Five missed calls from one number and no messages. Hmm. Important enough to call five times but not important enough to leave a message? Stuff whoever it was. It could wait. She was looking forward to a soak in the bath and an early night.
As she dropped the handset back on the dock, the phone rang again. She considered not answering it, then pressed the button anyway.
‘Mia Morgan.’
‘Where the fuck have you been?’ a raspy male voice whispered harshly. ‘I thought I had the wrong fuckin’ number or something.’
‘I can only say, I wish you did.’ Her voice frosted. ‘Do I want to know who you are?’
‘I have something Brent promised you.’
She sat up, immediately alert. ‘Oh. Right. And?’
‘I need to meet you.’
Ben’s warning echoed in her head. ‘If you think you’re luring me into some dark alley …’
‘Pipers. You know it?’
It was a hotel she passed often when in the city. ‘The pub on the waterfront. Yeah.’
‘There’s some seating on the nature strip across the road. I’ll be over there wearing a black baseball cap.’
‘How very cloak and dagger. Okay. When?’
‘Ten tonight. No cops.’ The call went dead.
Tonight? She looked at the time. It was after five. She was going to be pushing it. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed what she needed. Should she call Ben? The caller had said no cops. What if this guy somehow recognised him? Come to think of it, how was he even going to recognise her? Boland must have given him a description.
She hesitated at the door. Should she do this? Pipers wasn’t exactly secluded. It would be safe enough there, out in the open, across the road from a popular hotel … wouldn’t it?
‘Jasper! Let’s go.’
She was still debating her decision at ten past ten as she pulled into the Pipers carpark, hoping he wasn’t a stickler for time. She’d sped to get there. The location was far from packed, but there were enough people around not to have her feeling too vulnerable. She looked out onto the street, watching, waiting for a man in a black baseball cap to wander into view on the other side of the road while Jasper leant over from the back seat and panted heavily in her ear.
‘Just suck it up and do it,’ she said under her breath. She opened both back windows. ‘Stay here, Jasper.’ He was still strapped in his harness and she doubted anyone would try to steal the car with him in the back.
Collecting herself, Mia stepped into the carpark. Across the road, someone laughed loudly. She couldn’t see much of the reserve, and only a group of young people and an older couple on one of the bench seats were visible in her line of sight. Maybe if she walked over there he’d show. Cars were dribbling past. She headed towards the building, intent on reaching the front of it, where she could cross at the lights to the reserve.
She was propelled sideways behind a rubbish bin before she knew what was happening.
‘You’re late!’
Had he been green, the resemblance to the Hulk would have been complete. Mia tried to step back, only increasing the pressure to her arm.
‘I came as fast as I could.’
‘Did you bring any cops?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘You sure about that?’ He looked around again. ‘Where’s the cash?’
‘What?’
‘Give me the cash.’
‘I already paid.’
‘You were supposed to bring a grand with you. I don’t work for free, bitch.’
‘I wasn’t told.’
He squinted in the darkness, looking her up and down. Smiled. She knew exactly what that smile meant and revulsion washed through her. Suddenly she was worried on more than one count. What if the guy decided to jump her here, behind the garbage bin? She considered her options. What options? It would take a tank to knock this guy over.
‘There’s an ATM near the front of the hotel. I’ll—’
The smile disappeared and he shoved her, hard. ‘Just go fuckin’ get it. I’m watching you. You screw me around, any cops turn up, I’ll kill ya.’
She made the walk on unsteady legs, withdrew the cash. It would have been easy to just stand in the crowd and call Ben. But she still didn’t have the information. She hadn’t put herself through all this for nothing. So she walked back, found him waiting.
‘Here. Now where is it?’
He checked around the corner, came back and snatched the money. ‘I’ll be in touch.’
‘Wait—where are you going?’
‘You’ll get it.’ He ducked around a building and was gone.
‘Bastard!’ You’re dealing with a crook, Mia, what do you expect?
Deflated, she went back to her car. Sliding in behind the wheel, she slammed her head back on the headrest hard. Damn it, she’d thought this would give her a chance. That Ben might be able to get Rob before it was too late. But he’d been right. You couldn’t trust these people, no matter how much you wanted to believe it.
Jasper whined as though picking up on her mood and she raised a hand to pat the head he was straining to lean on her shoulder. ‘Let’s go home, mate.’
CHAPTER
7
‘He died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head,’ Indy told Ben and Russ, putting the crime scene photos in front of them. ‘The victim was identified as one of the men named in the Hunters Ridge case, so we got a call about a half-hour ago.’
‘Very neat and tidy. Looks like an ordered hit,’ Russ commented.
‘Who called it in?’
‘A bouncer at the club downstairs heard raised voices after closing. Thought he heard a gunshot. Called the cops.’
‘Jack Marsden. This was the other wannabe Master who abducted
Mia. The one she said warned Littleton we were coming during the hunt.’
‘That’s right. So now we’ve got two dead Masters in prison, and an associate dead outside prison. Someone’s keeping busy,’ Russ said, getting to his feet and stretching. ‘Looks like it’s going to be a long afternoon. I need a coffee. Anyone else?’
‘Yeah, thanks,’ Ben said. Indy shook her head.
‘Do you think it’s strange that Boland finally decides to share this info he has at the same time everyone else involved is being picked off?’ Indy asked Ben.
‘He could be scared he’s next.’
‘And wants to do a deal to get out of there before he’s offed like the others? He turned down protective custody, though.’
‘I know. It doesn’t make sense. I’ll have to give Mia a call, see if she’s heard anything else about this mysterious information.’
Russ came back in and put a coffee in front of Ben.
‘Thanks.’
‘Davis Walker is out there looking for you.’
‘Been there since we came back from lunch,’ Ben said.
‘He lives here. Under the eaves in the dark corners. We’re ignoring him,’ Indy said.
‘He looks pretty excited about something.’
‘You want me to let him in?’ Ben asked.
‘My curiosity is killing me.’
‘Afternoon.’ Stuart came in. ‘Did you see Davis out there?’
‘Yeah. Why don’t you go find out what he wants?’ Ben asked.
‘Right.’ Stuart turned around and left them again.
‘What are your thoughts on Stuart?’ Ben asked Russ. ‘Indy doesn’t like him.’
‘But don’t let that sway you,’ Indy said.
‘I think he’s more interested in looking good than being any good,’ Russ replied.
‘Fair enough. I also meant to ask why you sent him out to the prison the day before we were due to interview Stansky. We don’t need to organise those visits in person.’
Russ shrugged and gave them a small smile. ‘I know that, but he doesn’t. I needed him out of my hair. Indy refused to work with him.’
‘As you just pointed out, you didn’t want him either,’ Indy said.
Russ nodded towards the window. ‘He’s coming back.’
‘And he’s bringing the worm,’ Indy noted. ‘Excellent.’
‘I think you’re actually going to want to see this,’ Stuart said.
Davis followed him into the office with a smile on his face. ‘Hello again, detectives.’
‘What do you want?’ Ben said.
Stuart dropped some photographs on the desk. Ben picked them up. Mia was talking to someone, handing a man cash.
‘Where did you get these?’
‘Behind Pipers Hotel last night.’
Ben looked up from the photos. ‘What were you doing there?’
‘I got a tip-off.’
Ben flicked through them again, frowned. ‘What exactly was the tip-off?’
‘Just that Mia Morgan was going to be there and that I would want to be there too.’
Ben looked up from the photos to study Davis’s face. Something was off. ‘Be there? As in at the hotel? In the carpark? Behind the Cleanaway?’
‘Um, just—yeah. Behind the Cleanaway. Gotta wonder what she’s up to, right? Looks dodgy. Anyway, there’s the photos. In return I want the story behind them when you get it.’
‘So this tip-off,’ Ben said, sensing the man’s discomfort and ignoring the demand. ‘Who was it from?’
‘I … don’t know.’
‘You didn’t recognise the voice on the call? Didn’t get a number? Was it male or female?’
‘No—no, a guy. What’s with the million questions? You got your photos.’
‘You walked into a room full of detectives and thought we’d be so happy to see the photos we wouldn’t ask questions?’ Indy asked sceptically.
‘I’ll need the time and date of the call you received and the number the “guy” called you on,’ Ben told him.
Davis shifted from one foot to the other. ‘I can’t.’
Ben’s brow rose. ‘Why not?’
‘It’s a source. I can’t give away my sources.’
‘I thought you didn’t know who it was?’
‘For fuck’s sake! I’m sharing the photos all right? Back off.’
Ben stared hard at Davis. ‘Whoever tipped you off is in some way involved in this case. I suggest you reconsider your position unless you plan on deliberately impeding a police investigation. I’ll be in touch for that information.’ Ben dropped the photos back on the table.
When Davis just stood there looking unsure, Ben’s brow lifted. ‘Thanks.’
‘But—’
‘Thanks,’ he repeated firmly.
Davis glanced around the room with a scowl before striding out.
‘Any idea who Mia is with?’ Indy asked.
‘I reckon I know,’ Russ said, looking closely at the photos. ‘But I don’t like it. Looks like Rodney Chapel.’
Ben knew the name, and he pulled Rodney Chapel’s file up on the computer to compare his face to the photos. ‘What the hell?’ he murmured.
‘How do you know this guy?’ Stuart asked.
‘He’s a hitman,’ Russ said. ‘Wanted on numerous warrants. Dangerous bastard for Mia to be hanging around.’
‘If he’s a hitman,’ Stuart commented, ‘then what exactly is Mia doing paying him money?’
Ben thought about that. ‘He must be the one Boland organised to give her the information on the hunters.’ And he was going to kill her for being so stupid.
‘Chapel is an associate of Boland’s?’ Stuart asked. ‘Don’t you find it strange Jack Marsden is found dead the morning after Mia meets with a contract killer for information that includes his whereabouts?’
‘Especially considering Marsden was taken out with a gunshot to the back of the head—Chapel’s signature kill,’ Russ added.
‘That’s ridiculous,’ Indy said.
‘There’s no sign of anything being exchanged for the cash,’ Ben pointed out. ‘How could she have told a hitman where to find Marsden if she didn’t know?’
‘Chapel already knew where he was,’ Russ said. ‘He was in possession of the information.’
‘And Mia might not have been interested in physically getting her hands on it,’ Stuart pointed out. ‘She could have simply wanted them dead—given Chapel the cash and told him to take care of it.’
Ben exchanged glances with Indy and shook his head in disbelief. ‘She could have flown on a rocket ship and tap danced on the International Space Station, too, but I’m betting she didn’t. And she didn’t go visiting Boland hoping to line up hits. Boland asked to see Mia, not the other way around.’
‘All right,’ Stuart conceded. ‘But the theory’s plausible enough to warrant investigation, surely? Shouldn’t we be following up every lead?’
‘Yeah and what you should find interesting enough to investigate is Davis’s association with all this. Boland told him to summon Mia, then he knew to be at the meeting. Why would Boland organise for Mia to meet with Chapel then want her photographed?’
‘What if Boland wanted Marsden taken out and tricked Mia into funding it?’ Indy suggested. ‘Then he got Davis to take photos to make it look like Mia was behind the hit.’
‘I would have said that sounded much more likely, but looking at these pictures again, I doubt that’s it,’ Russ said. ‘Look at the small amount of bills she’s handing over. Chapel charges thirty grand for a hit. I’d say it’s more likely she was paying for information, but what happened after this is anyone’s guess.’
‘One way to find out,’ Stuart said, unperturbed. ‘Let’s go see Mia.’
‘I’ll get started on Chapel,’ Indy offered.
‘If you come with Russ and me to see Mia,’ Ben warned Stuart, ‘you keep quiet and listen. That’s it, got it?’
‘Yeah, no worries.’
Ben wa
sn’t convinced Stuart could keep his mouth shut and gave him another briefing in the car before they arrived at Mia’s. He almost hoped she wasn’t home so he could do this later, without the young detective.
But she answered the door. Casual jeans and tee, hair braided down her back. She was editing, he decided. And she looked surprised to see him. Or was she wary?
‘Ben.’
‘Hi, Mia, can we come in?’
‘We?’ She looked around him. Her brow creased in confusion when she saw Russ and Stuart but she nodded. ‘Sure. Hi, Detective Manning.’
‘Hi, Mia. This is Detective Stuart Perkins.’
Ben caught Stuart’s gaze moving slowly over Mia. Mia flicked him a quick annoyed assessment before ignoring him. She swept some prints and notes from the table.
‘Please sit down. Can I get anyone anything?’
‘No, thanks,’ Stuart said. ‘Nice place. Guess the photography thing pays well.’
‘Well enough,’ Mia said. ‘What can I do for you?’
Jasper came down the stairs and Stuart stepped behind the chair he’d just pulled out. ‘Does that thing bite?’
Mia smiled mildly. ‘Only people I don’t like.’
Stuart eyed the dog again before taking a seat, while Jasper wandered over to Ben for a pat.
‘You were seen with Rodney Chapel at the back of Pipers Hotel last night,’ Russ said. ‘We were hoping to have a chat about what went on.’
Mia nodded slowly. ‘Is that his name? If by “seen with” you mean “ambushed by”, then yes.’ Her face darkened. ‘He was supposed to meet me out in front of the hotel, but I got out of the car and the next thing I know I’m being dragged behind a bin. He told me I had to pay him for the information, then when I got the cash out for him he snatched it, told me I’d get it and took off.’
Ben shook his head, unimpressed. ‘You’re lucky you’re not dead.’
‘That’s probably true, because he told me if I was working with you he’d kill me.’
‘He meant it,’ Ben told her. ‘He’s a contract killer. A hitman.’