Deadly Obsession

by Karen M. Davis

  ‘Wow, well done,’ Lexie commended. ‘Is there anything there to . . . ?’

  ‘I was getting to that,’ Lurch interrupted excitedly. ‘We’ve also found a newspaper clipping of the reported death of Rachel West in the local Wagga Wagga paper. There are photographss of Jenna Harrison leaving her home – clearly taken without her knowledge – and there are also some photographss of you and your friend Dani.

  Lexie felt her stomach clench. She was beginning to realise the full extent of Sasha’s madness and the potential danger she had posed to Dani and herself. She took a deep breath, tried to slow her racing heart.

  ‘That’s great evidence, Lurch. Very scary . . . but great for our brief against her.’

  Lurch continued.

  ‘Her medicine cabinet has a supply of prescription medication to rival a chemist shop. We’ve also got the prescription pad with Bream’s name on it. We’re finishing up here now, so I’ll see you soon.’

  Lexie had no sooner hung up from Lurch than her phone rang again. She checked her caller ID. Rex.

  ‘Congratulations, detective, for a job well done. Hear it got a little hairy there for a while. How’s your partner doing?’

  Josh had just called and told her Brad was responding well to the Narcan.

  ‘He’ll be fine.’

  ‘At least it wasn’t your skinny little arse getting the brunt of it this time, hey?’

  ‘Shut up. Not funny.’

  Rex laughed.

  ‘Thanks again for your help on this job; I really appreciate it,’ Lexie said.

  ‘Ahhh, no worries. Any time, you know that.’

  He hesitated, appeared lost for words.

  Lexie knew instinctively that there was more to this call than a concern for her welfare or his need to issue congratulations. She sighed, knowing she would have to draw it out of him. For some reason, Rex hated to ask for anything. It had something to do with his big bad masculine image, she guessed.

  ‘Was there anything else, Rex?’

  ‘Well, actually there is . . . You’re a trained undercover operative, aren’t you, Lexie?’

  It was a statement more than a question.

  ‘You know I am.’

  She could pretty much predict his next words. Rex had done her a favour by allowing Ugly Phil to assist in setting up Sasha. It was only fair that Lexie return the favour.

  ‘I hate to ask because I know you’re busy and all that but . . . can you help me out, Lexie?’

  She laughed. For a man who had the gift of the gab, he could be so awkward sometimes.

  ‘For you, Rex – always.’

  CHAPTER 49

  3 DAYS LATER

  Lexie sat behind the driving wheel of the new Lexus – courtesy of the undercover branch – and waited.

  As per instructions, she had parked the car in the Clovelly Beach parking lot. Next to Lexie sat Ugly Phil. Outside, storm clouds closed ranks across the sky and a cold wind whipped up dead leaves.

  A plastic shopping bag landed on the windscreen. It settled there for a moment and then flew off and out to sea. Ignoring the sensation of Ugly Phil’s eyes upon her, Lexie watched the bag’s progress until it disappeared out of sight.

  ‘Business must be going really good for you to have a car like this,’ Ugly commented, without removing his gaze from Lexie’s legs.

  Since picking him up from Rex’s favourite meeting spot at Centennial Park, Ugly’s eyes had done nothing but bounce from Lexie’s legs, to her breasts, and then back again without the slightest attempt at subtlety.

  Pretending she hadn’t noticed, she replied, ‘You mean the business is going really well, not good.’

  She corrected his speech, playing her part to the hilt. Today Lexie was Rex’s snobby, well-kept mistress. To fit the role she was wearing an expensive-looking emerald green power suit featuring a short skirt that hugged her stockinged legs. A matching blazer worn over a low-cut black shirt displayed plenty of cleavage. Her feet were clad in black heels much higher than she would usually wear and her hair was loose.

  ‘Surely Rex has told you a bit about the business if he is thinking of recruiting you to work for him? Then again, Rex likes to keep a lot of things to himself. That way he holds the power.’

  Lexie allowed just the right amount of bitterness to creep into her voice.

  Rex had already built a rapport with Ugly, so Lexie was doing her own little bit of groundwork to gain his trust. Giving away just the slightest bit of personal information earned the confidence that was needed for a successful outcome. If Ugly didn’t believe her story, neither would anyone he introduced her to.

  Lexie turned to Ugly Phil and smiled.

  ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. Rex is a good man. We’ve just been together a long time – you know how it is?’

  Ugly stared at her and nodded his head.

  ‘He’s one lucky bastard, if you ask me.’

  Lexie gave him another smile, more forced this time, then turned and stared back out to sea.

  Rex had introduced Ugly Phil to Lexie yesterday, after managing to elicit the name and contact of the mid-level drug supplier used by both Phil and Little Gitt. It seemed Ugly knew more than he had initially let on. The chain of command, even in the drug world, was the same as everywhere else. The big bosses were rarely seen, often only known to the dealers higher up the hierarchy and usually always unknown to the gofers on the street. Selling oxys was an easy and reliable money-earner but where Little Gitt and Ugly made most of their cash was from dealing Ice and heroin on the streets.

  ‘Well, Rex is letting you do this deal with me, so he must really trust you, respect you and that,’ Ugly stated.

  He was clearly incredibly impressed with the fictitious world Rex had created, and was desperate to be a part of it.

  ‘Rex knows I’m more than capable,’ Lexie said smugly. ‘Now, you have set this up, haven’t you? Nothing is going to go wrong, is it? Rex won’t be happy if something goes wrong.’

  ‘Nothing’s gunna happen. I’ve told you, Bana trusts me and I told him you were cool. He’ll have the stuff.’

  Lexie had placed an order, through Ugly Phil, for half a unit, 350 grams, of Ice. Doing such a decent-sized deal with the promise of more to come, had required the dealer to do business with her himself. To give Lexie street credibility, Ugly was there to make the introduction. The plan was to take Bana down during the deal. Not that Ugly was aware of any of this. Lexie would scream at Ugly to run – so he would be indebted to her, think she had his back. This would allow the farce to continue, with the hope of gaining more information at a later date.

  The arresting police had been instructed to let Ugly get away while Lexie and Bana, the dealer, would be arrested. Once faced with a hefty gaol sentence, to save his own hide it was predicted Bana would roll like a pig in mud – like almost all of them did – and give up his higher level suppliers.

  ‘What’s this guy like? Is he nervy? Does he carry a piece or anything primitive like that?’ Lexie asked. ‘He won’t rip us off, will he? Because . . .’

  ‘I’ve told him about Rex. There is no way he is going to rip us off,’ Ugly assured her.

  ‘Why do they call him Bana? What’s his real name?’

  ‘I don’t know his real name. He’s just called Bana – short for Banana – because he has a big one.’

  ‘Charming,’ Lexie said, checking her watch. ‘Is he usually this punctual?’

  Bana was now fifteen minutes late. Drug deals rarely went according to plan because dealers and suppliers played by their own set of rules. They could be toey, paranoid and would often change the game plan, or the meeting place, at the last second in case cops were sitting off the arranged rendezvous site. They would often be a no-show, only to ring a few hours later and request another meeting.

  ‘He will be here but he will probably do a bit of a drive around first. To make sure we are not being watched by the fucking cops.’

  Lexie hoped the surveillance and
arrest teams were in place and were competent operators. It only took one person, one car, one idiot like Fester, to look out of place to spook these guys.

  Lexie tapped her fingers against the steering wheel and continued to look out to sea. From the corner of her eye she saw a car – a black Mazda 3 – enter the car park.

  ‘Is that his car?’ Lexie asked.

  ‘That’s him.’

  The car pulled up near the surf club. Lexie was parked on the opposite side of the parking area. There were only three other cars parked and unattended in the vicinity. Bana remained stationary for a few minutes before driving slowly past those three cars and finally pulling up beside them.

  He looked sideways and gave Lexie a quick appraisal. She noted his eyes widen for a split second and she wondered what he had been expecting. A few more moments passed. He stayed in his car. Lexie and Ugly stayed in theirs.

  ‘Let him make the moves,’ Ugly told her. ‘Just act cool.’

  The first feeling of apprehension crept along Lexie’s spine. Undercover work was exhilarating and exciting, an adrenaline rush. But it could also be extremely nerve-racking. Not to mention potentially dangerous.

  Bana got out of his car. He walked to the front and leant back against the bonnet.

  Ugly said, ‘Come on, that’s our cue.’

  Lexie was not wired. The undercover supervisors had decided that it was too dangerous on a first meeting. Bana might insist upon a pat-down. She was therefore relying on visuals. Her code three, the signal for the teams to move in, would have to be seen not heard, so she was relieved the meeting was taking place outside.

  Ugly Phil made the introductions.

  ‘This is Tara.’

  Tara Wild was Lexie’s covert persona. She had a driver’s licence and a credit card in that name for proof of her identity, if needed.

  ‘You’re not a cop, are you?’ Bana asked.

  Lexie was not surprised by the question. It was often the first thing criminals asked; a test to assess her response. She let out a heavy sigh.

  ‘Do I look like a cop?’

  She looked down at herself as if double checking.

  ‘You are kidding me, aren’t you?’

  ‘She’s not a cop, man,’ Ugly assured him. ‘Her hubby is a fucking ex-bikie. He’s huge. There is no way she is a cop, man, I wouldn’t do that to ya.’

  ‘Shut up, Ugly,’ Bana snorted. ‘I believe you.’ Bana’s face seemed to relax. ‘I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.’

  Bana held out his hand for Lexie to shake. She took it with a firm grip but failed to read his intentions. Before she knew it she was being pulled towards him and spun around so that her back was hard pressed against his chest.

  Bana was Asian. But he was no ordinary Asian. He was her height with heels on and very broad and strong. Instinctively she thought to struggle but something stopped her. If she had nothing to hide she would not be scared. His large hands patted her down. She stood still and let him. When he was finished he pushed her gently away.

  ‘Sorry, Tara, I had to be sure.’

  Lexie’s expression was nonchalant.

  ‘Hope you enjoyed yourself.’

  She knew the teams watching her certainly wouldn’t have. There would have been a moment of panic followed by uncertainty as to how to react, although they probably guessed what Bana was doing. Thank God she hadn’t worn a wire.

  ‘I did, actually.’

  Bana glanced around before continuing.

  ‘Now, let’s get down to business. It’s freezing and I don’t want to be standing out in the open for too long. Get what I’m saying? You got the money?’

  Lexie nodded.

  ‘It’s in the boot. Do you want to take a look?’

  Without answering, Bana started walking towards the back of her car. Lexie paused to smooth her hair that was being caught by the wind, and then opened the boot and pointed to the case that contained the police department’s show money. Every note had been photocopied and every serial number recorded. This money was going absolutely nowhere. But Bana didn’t know that.

  ‘Open it,’ he commanded.

  Lexie did as requested.

  ‘There is $100,000 there.’

  ‘Very good. I’ll show you the gear,’ Bana told her.

  They moved to the back of his car and he opened the boot. Bana indicated a black backpack and opened it sufficiently so that she could see the white powder in packets of plastic inside. Having sighted the drugs, Lexie casually removed her hairband from around her wrist and, as if exasperated by the wind blowing her hair wildly about her face, secured her hair into a ponytail at the base of her neck. This was her visual code three for the buy bust.

  ‘That looks great. Is the quality good?’ she asked, to keep the conversation going.

  Lexie estimated it would take the teams about three minutes to get to them. Slowly she walked back to her car and lifted the case containing the money out of the boot. She held on to it.

  ‘Did you want to count it?’ she asked, stalling for time.

  ‘I just want to get out of here. I’m trusting it’s all there. If it’s not . . .’

  Bana looked meaningfully at Ugly Phil.

  ‘It’s all there, it’s all there,’ Ugly assured him.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Lexie saw the first unmarked surveillance car enter the car park. Unless you drove straight into the ocean, there was only one way in and out. As long as one of the teams blocked that exit, Bana could not get away.

  Lexie pretended she hadn’t noticed the second car speed into the parking area and head straight towards them. Bana turned, spun back towards Lexie in panic.

  ‘It’s the fucking cops! It’s a sting!’

  Ugly Phil screamed, ‘Shit, shit, oh fuck!’

  Lexie threw the money back into the boot of the car.

  ‘What’s happening?’ she cried, faking confusion. ‘What’s going on?’

  Then everything happened really fast.

  Lexie, Bana and Ugly turned towards the three cars advancing towards them. Lexie screamed at Ugly to run, but he was already sprinting into the distance. His well-practised instinct for self-preservation had not failed him. Bana charged towards the driver’s door of his car but Lexie, feigning panic, danced around him and got in his way.

  ‘What’s happening, what’s happening?’ she kept shrieking, desperately.

  ‘Get out of my way,’ Bana cried, pushed her aside. ‘It’s the cops. I’m out of here.’

  But it was too late.

  One team of detectives ran at Bana, guns drawn.

  ‘Police! Don’t move. Don’t move.’

  Bana reluctantly threw his hands in the air. The detectives had him pinned against the side of the car in seconds. Another team grabbed Lexie and did the same thing. All the while the police kept yelling at them, ‘Police! Don’t move. You’re under arrest.’

  Still playing her part, Lexie struggled against the officer attempting to handcuff her.

  ‘I’ve done nothing wrong! Don’t touch me!’

  ‘Stay still and shut up,’ the cop said, pushing her roughly against the car.

  Okay, let’s not overdo it, she thought.

  Lexie heard Bana saying, ‘That’s not my car,’ over and over again. She suppressed her laughter. Crooks must seriously think cops are stupid.

  The handcuffs were cold and heavy as they were slapped onto her wrists. She watched Bana get pushed into the back of one of the police cars. One of the officers jumped in the back with him. As Lexie was marched toward one of the other cars, she looked into the distance, up the hill towards the Clovelly Hotel.

  A large man was sitting astride a motorbike watching the commotion. Lexie hid a smile. Rex couldn’t help himself. He’d had to make sure things had gone according to plan. And fortunately, this time they had.

  CHAPTER 50

  TWO DAYS LATER

  ‘To a job well done,’ said Casey Blair, holding her glass of champagne in the air. ‘Cheers ev
eryone.’

  ‘Cheers,’ was the unanimous response from the team of Bondi Junction detectives – including one ex-member, Josh Harrison. Basking in the praise of their leader, they mirrored her gesture and raised charged glasses, and beer bottles, in the air.

  Lexie took a sip of her champagne, savouring the sensation of bubbles against her lips. This was their unofficial de-brief; a celebratory drink to recognise a job well done. And for the occasion they had hired a private room at the back of the local pub.

  ‘Just a bit of shush for a moment, please,’ Casey said. ‘I’d like to welcome Brad back. He will be resuming duty on Monday. How are you feeling, by the way?’

  Brad held up his beer and smiled.

  ‘Just dandy.’

  Josh moved in close to Lexie and put his arm around her shoulder. His thumb rubbed soft circles into the skin of her neck, sending delicious tingles down her spine.

  ‘I’ve noticed you’re drinking Coke,’ Lexie said, looking down at the glass in his hand.

  Josh nodded and smiled.

  ‘I think I need to detox for a while. Beside, being with you is intoxicating enough. In a way alcohol never could be.’

  Lexie laughed and elbowed him in the ribs.

  ‘Oh, that is so corny. But I love it.’

  Josh moved even closer and gently kissed her on the lips.

  Lexie gently pushed him away.

  ‘Not here, in front of everyone, Josh.’

  Josh pulled a face, pretending he was hurt.

  Lexie smiled.

  ‘I didn’t get the chance to tell you; Mrs Hemming rang my parents. She’s asked them over to meet Jayden. She wants them to be a part of his life.’

  ‘They would be happy about that, wouldn’t they?’

  ‘Of course,’ Lexie said. ‘They were in shock when I told them. But once they’d had time to process it all they were very happy to think Lincoln lives on through Jayden. Mum was very emotional. It might be a bit awkward with the Sasha situation . . .’

  Lexie shrugged.

  ‘They’ll just have to deal with that, I suppose.’

  Josh nodded his agreement and then his expression became cryptic.

  ‘Can I ask you something, Lex?’