by Philip Bond
“Senior Constable Wayne Bevan, thirty-four and single.”
“I hope I can meet him. I’d like to speak with Michael Dwyer’s wife.” She looks at the article again… “I’m so glad to say the reports of my death are somewhat premature.” A chill shakes her body.
“We’ll organise something this morning. I’ve corrected the situation, releasing a statement explaining three males including a highway patrol officer are killed in a shooting incident, following an unsuccessful attempt to abduct the television journalist, Harry Reisner.”
Remembering those who are important… “I have to contact a couple of people to let them know I’m okay.”
“You can’t, but give me names and details. I’ll arrange it. I’m keeping you under wraps for a while until I’m satisfied that firstly, no further harm will come to you and secondly, I’m in possession of all the facts.”
“Wes, I have a television special to put together for the current affairs show on Monday night.”
“You’re going to reveal all?”
“Yes, the whole story up last night.”
“How about, you go over detail with me first?”
She talks as Wes serves up breakfast.
Over the next two hours she allows complete details, with whom she has spoken, lines on investigation corroborated evidence and suspicions. She finishes eating as Wes questions… “Another cup of tea?”
“Yes please.”
“I’m impressed, you’d do any investigator proud with what you have achieved. Now, this afternoon, review everything again regarding this matter. Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
*
It’s almost 9 pm in finishing the account of events leading up to her abduction and the shooting… “Thanks Harry, I’ll read this and tomorrow, we’ll review it again.”
“Wes, I know you would have gotten word to him, but I really need to speak with Matt.”
“Harry, given what you’ve explained, is that wise?”
“Probably not, but I just need to speak with him.”
The policeman is intuitive… “Are you two an item?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not happy with this, however, I’ll see what I can do.”
Snakes Are Moving
Neate calls… “I’ve found the stuff.”
Upon hearing that voice, further explanation regarding the topic’s unnecessary… “Where?”
“Across town in a storage facility, Blacktown.”
“Good work.” Sanders has a plan… “Is Blacktown the closest railway station?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, now listen up. Let’s plan to collect the goods tomorrow 13:00 hrs. I want you to get your locals. Meet me at central station at 12:00 hrs. You and I will assess the area threats first then, when satisfied move the goods to a safe house I have down there. Understood?”
“Perfectly.”
*
Finally, she’s able to speak to the outside world. Wes, however, won’t compromise the location; it’s the consolation prize… “Hi Phillip.”
His face lights up like a Christmas tree to her voice, gripping the tightly the telephone… “Harry! How are you? Are you all right? Did you get hurt? What happened? Where are you? Christ, I’ve been so goddamn worried.”
“Hold on, too many questions. Let me answer in order. I’m fine. I think those guys from Newcastle may have come back for seconds. I’ll fill you in chapter and verse when I get back to Sydney. I’m being well looked after by some nice policemen, can’t tell you where, it’s a secret. I’ll be allowed out to play when they are satisfied the situation is safe. I’m still shaken, I’m recovering.”
“Christ, I so glad you are all right; this thing is getting rough. Let’s pass it over to the National Crime Authority.”
“Not now. Do that and the bad guys have won. Let’s stay with the special.”
“You’ve not finished it, and you said the police won’t let you come out to play.”
“Phillip, push it back twenty-four hours. I’ve written the script, Trevor can patch it together, and I’ll record the voice over here.”
“The difficulty I’m faced with is we can’t hold the story any longer. The other networks are climbing all over the story. We have to go with the story now.”
She’s sitting on the southern verandah. Wes isn’t quite out of earshot, she turns her head lowering the voice… “Listen Phillip, get the tape recorder into the city police station in Canberra, mark it to the attention of Commander Wes Ryan. He’ll get it to me.”
Wes walks towards Harry… “I’ve got to go now but I’ll be in touch soon.”
The commander puts out his hand for the cellphone… “No more time to talk. We have to run through the events. We’ll go inside to the lounge room.”
*
Daryle closes the door to the telephone booth, lifts the telephone, deposits coins and dials. Two rings… “National Crime Authority, can I help you?”
“I want to speak to someone in authority without delay. I have information.”
“Pulling you through.”
“Westway?”
“I,” hesitation’s obvious… “I’m only going to say this once. Go to the rubbish bin on the main concourse side of the country ticket office, Central station, there you’ll find a white plastic shopping bag. Inside is an envelope containing details on where to find a shipment of drugs recently brought into Australia. If you are good, you might just catch those who are actually responsible. If you do, it will blow your mind.”
Daryle hangs up. Westway looks out through the glass partitions… “Rod! Come on, we’re off to central station.”
*
Wes looks through the window at the trees… “If you’re right and they are importing drugs into the country in that art exhibition, we’re too late. The exhibition is already here. They will move the drugs to a safe location for distribution and if we are to catch them, we need to know where to look.”
“Investigate Isadora Wetherill or Brian Pullman. Follow Graeme Neate, he’ll eventually lead you to the drugs.”
“Harry, the facts are you were run off the freeway with the intention to kill. You’re abducted and, in the process, a police officer is killed, the abductors also. We can’t identify the perpetrators. They don’t carry driver’s licences, credit cards or clothing tags. Fingerprints are not identifiable on any database. They went to a lot of trouble to remove all identification. The van plates belong to a car involved in a fatal accident seven months ago. These people know the tricks. They’re definitely not amateurs. The stakes have to be high for someone to go to this much trouble, therefore, the evidence weighs heavily in favour of you being close to the truth. My dilemma is, where do I go with this now?”
“What if I put my story to air, surely that would make them back off and possibly do something careless?”
“Explain what you have in mind.”
“Well, we have a special report almost ready to go. Trevor Annesley and I have been putting it together for a couple of days. We plan to air it tonight. That is, until my event. All that’s necessary now is to put the voice over and it can go out. Get me a camera crew and I can do it here?”
After a moment of thought… “No,” Wes announces… “I think we’ll go with what you’ve arranged with your news director. I’ll ensure the tape recorder gets here, and you can finish it. I don’t want any film at this location; we’re going to use it again.”
Harry smiles… “You’ve good ears okay, I’ll finish it here.”
“Good, now you’ll stay here for a little while longer. Maybe, sometime Wednesday, you can get your life back to normality. I’ve to speak to my New South Wales counterparts.”
*
The driver pulls up in front of Central Station… “Wait here. Let’s go find this thing, Rod.”
With his assistant in tow, both walk briskly into the station to locate the country ticket office… “Over there.”
Locating the rub
bish bin, carefully peering into the open container… “That’s a white plastic shopping bag, looks like nothing else with it. What do you think?”
“It’s too small to contain any meaningful explosive although small enough to remove fingers or a hand. I’ve a feeling it’s on the up and up.”
Producing a pair of surgical gloves from his pocket, Richard stretches them on. Reaching in, he carefully grabs the plastic bag to open it… “An ordinary business-sized envelope. No explosives, just papers.”
“Do we get it X-rayed?”
“Yes, better be safe. Get the evidence box from the car.”
*
Sometime later, the telephone rings… “Richard,” it’s the forensic officer… “Better come down to the lab.”
The forensic officer shows Richard the paper within the envelope… “There’s 100 kilograms of heroin, presently stored in unit number 57A of a self-storage facility in Blacktown. The shipment is to be moved by the principals at any time and care should be taken. The persons involved are well armed and extremely dangerous. Caution is advised when attempting to apprehend the criminals as they are possibly not ordinary drug dealers.”
Richard questions the Forensic Officer… “Anything interesting from the paper, envelope or plastic bag, maybe prints?”
“Nothing yet.”
“You’ve a copy for me?”
Richard leaves the room with a copy of the note and heads back to his office.
He sees his assistant… “Rod, take two others and go to this location. Confirm the information in this note.”
As Rod leaves, Richard picks up the telephone… “Superintendent, I’ll need a surveillance operation with round-the-clock tactical backup. It’s possible we have been handed a large heroin shipment.”
*
Sometime later, Rod calls in his findings… “We hit the big-time boss. It’s pure and there’s a lot. I’ve surveyed the location and taken the liberty to identify locations for a surveillance operation.”
*
In the briefing room, Richard commences… “Quiet please, pay attention. As of this moment, Operation Recover commences. We’ve tactical assistance from the New South Wales State Protection Group. Study the layout; know where our people are going to be. First, I want an NCA officer in the self-storage depot office at all times. The command post and primary surveillance team is to be in the upstairs office of this warehouse,” pointing to the schematic… “Complex across the road. The second surveillance team will be located in the vacant factory, next door and the third to occupy a storage unit close by in the compound. Okay, we’ll split the tactical team into three groups of three to co-locate with surveillance. Each group must have excellent and separate access to the storage compound. Each officer will carry his 9 mm Glock. Larger weapons will be Remington shotgun, Heckler and Kock 9 mm MP5. Remember the warning in the note; they are possibly not ordinary drug dealers.”
*
Seeing the car coming to drive around the back… “Here Harry, your tape recorder, some video tapes and notes. I think you’re back in business.”
“Thanks, Wes. This’ll be a great story, I promise.”
Relocating the equipment to the lounge room, she begins.
Sometime later… “This needs to be at the television station without delay. Can you get it there?”
“Leave it to me,” Wes obliges.
*
The train for Sydney Central departs Newcastle. Sanders is travelling to Sydney Central on the intercity XPT from Canberra.
Richard Westway enters the primary surveillance post… “Anything?”
The underling is new to surveillances… “Absolutely nothing.” He’s bored.
Richard picks up a radio… “Two, this is one; anything?”
“One, this two; nothing yet.”
“Three, this is one; anything?”
“One, this three; negative.”
“Four, this is one; anything?”
“One, this four; negative.”
He sits down to join the wait.
Hours pass until… “One, this is two; a car, two occupants, approaching the compound.”
Richard’s team looks out the window… “Three and four; a car, two occupants approaching storage compound, take no action. Will advise.”
Sanders surveys the area… “It’s too quiet, don’t like it.”
Neate’s anxious to move and injects calm… “I know this area. There used to be lotsa factories here; all closed during the recession.”
“That doesn’t make it better. There aren’t any other vehicles around; we’re exposed out here. Drive around two more times.”
“One, this is office; I see them also.”
Richard’s about to speak when one of the officers in his team jump… “There’s a van with two, maybe three occupants, parked some two hundred meters up the street.”
Richard grabs the radio and his binoculars… “All units; a second vehicle, a van, two confirmed occupants, to the north in your street, anybody confirm?”
“One, this is office; confirm van and three occupants, parked north in street. Car with two occupants turning left out of street.”
“That’s five. They mean business. All personnel, be on guard. There’re five people in two vehicles, all potentially armed. These individuals are not to be considered amateurs. The car with two occupants has driven out of the street; the van with three occupants remains stationery further up the street. It’s my estimation the car will come around two more times before attempting to enter the compound. Use your judgement regarding use of weapons. First regard is for personal safety. Do not hesitate if you consider you are in danger. Subjects will only be challenged when they open and take possession of the contents of storage unit number 57A. Report any alteration to last status of subjects.”
Neate turns the car left into the street again and slows down. While he’s looking at the storage compound, Sanders studies the surrounding buildings. Sanders picks up a scanner.
Richard’s closely surveilling the car and its occupants through the binoculars.
“What’s the passenger in the car holding, Clive?”
“Is that a scanner?”
“Christ! I hope to God it’s on another spectrum.”
“Can we take the risk?”
“Use the cellphone to alert the teams; keep radio silence until I give the command.”
The NCA officer starts calling.
Neate steers the car to the right when exiting the street. Sanders is interested in three cars parked in a warehouse parking area. Neate observes… “They aren’t parked together as if the drivers are all in the same place.”
“Yeah, but there are people around here. I thought you said this area had been shut down?”
“I said the original companies had moved out; maybe others have moved in.”
“Yeah, possibly. Pull over around the corner. I’ll drive.”
Neate steers the car toward the corner. They swap seats and Sanders drives back toward the storage compound.
Looking out the window, Richard alerts… “They’re back. They’ll go around again, before entering the compound. Telephone all the others and alert them, I want confirmation from the team in the storage compound the subjects have entered unit number 57A and only when I am satisfied, will I give the order to arrest all the subjects.”
Sanders drives slowly down the street while checking the surrounding buildings and picks up a radio… “Next time around, we do it.”
Sanders turns back into the street, moves up slowly to the van and stops. Neate has his window down and Sanders leans across to speak to the van’s driver… “We’ll follow you up to the gate. You guys go in. You know your instructions, no variations, get it!”
The van’s driver nods agreement and starts the engine.
Richard alerts the team… “They are going in. Phone the other teams and alert them. The car’s driver and passenger have switched seats.”
The van moves carefull
y up to the main gate and stops adjacent to the security access keypad. The driver keys in the code; the gate opens slowly. Once completely open, the driver accelerates the van to walking speed to find unit number 57A. One of the van’s passengers grabs a two-way radio and speaks… “We’re here and going in.”
Sanders eases the car up to park adjacent to the office of the storage compound maintaining good view of the van. Two of the van occupants alight to walk towards 57A. One holds bolt cutters and proceeds to break the padlock as the second talks into two-way radio. The lock breaks, with a small noise on hitting the concrete. The second person lifts the door of the storage unit to walk inside. Richard picks up the phone and dials the second surveillance team… “It looks like the car and its occupants are staying out in the street. Upon my radio command, spilt your team in two groups. Group one assists team three to arrest the three inside the compound. Two assists me arresting the pair in the car. Make sure the group who assists me comes out through the front door of your building. The car will accelerate down the street in a southerly direction; I want that route effectively blocked. Team one will come in on the car’s left side and cover the rear as well.”
Neate’s man in the storage unit speaks into the radio… “It’s here. Looks like 100 one-kilo bags. We’ll test a couple then load the van.”
Sanders speaks into his radio… “Affirmative.”
Some moments tick by, as Richard grows anxious… “They’re probably testing the bags.”
Sanders hears the radio… “It’s the real thing.”
“Get it into the van.”
Both of Neate’s men begin loading the 100 bags into the van.
Richard steadies for a few more seconds studying the occupants of the car. Holding the radio up to his face for some more seconds with his gaze fixed on the passenger in the car.
Richard presses the transmit button… “All teams now, hit ’em fast!”
Sanders’s scanner crackles, “Now, hit ’em fast!”
Instinct takes control, grabbing his weapon, his eyes dart between the buildings. Neate senses his companion’s altered mood. Just as he is about to speak, two doors to the warehouse on Neate’s side burst open, disgorging the tactical team with weapons aimed, as Richard and Rod come from the other. The door to the warehouse on the other side also bursts open releasing three more NCA officers… “NCA don’t move! NCA don’t move! NCA don’t move!”