Sinister Intent

by Karen M. Davis

  He had clearly worked so hard to seek his father’s approval, had so desperately craved love and affection from the one person who couldn’t give it to him, that he’d become afraid of those feelings. His father had made him feel unworthy, so in his own words he rebuffed intimacy, refusing to jump in too deep for fear of rejection.

  Her heart went out to him. She, too, had been wounded by someone she’d loved and could understand his conflict. She had felt the torment of wanting to let go of the fear but also wanting to remain indifferent for the sake of self-preservation. Didn’t he realise he was not alone in this internal struggle? Could it be possible she was so desperate for Josh to defend and secure their blossoming relationship that she hadn’t considered he might be waiting for her to do the same thing?

  They were almost at the hospital, so at the first opportunity she pulled over to the side of the road. She turned her body around in the seat to face him. Josh stared straight ahead. He seemed to be finding it hard to meet her eyes. This was a gamble. Lexie was risking a lot, putting herself out there, and she was scared. She gave herself a pep-talk. Sometimes you just have to reach out and take what you want, before it has the chance to slip out of your grasp.

  Reaching across the empty space between them, Lexie placed her hand on his thigh. Now he turned to look at her expectantly. She looked deep into his gorgeous green eyes and said, ‘I don’t know about you, but I thought last night was pretty incredible. I have no regrets whatsoever. I hope you don’t?’

  Josh’s face relaxed, then broke into a beaming smile. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it.

  ‘None at all. And incredible is an understatement.’

  They moved towards each other and kissed so softly, so tenderly, it took her breath away.

  When Lexie reluctantly pulled away, she let out a long contented sigh.

  ‘I hate to spoil the moment but we’d best get to the hospital and do some work.’

  Josh nodded. ‘We’ll put a raincheck on that kiss.’

  She headed the car in the direction of the emergency entrance.

  ‘What do you make of Rex Donaldson’s accident?’

  ‘I’d say it was no accident,’ Josh replied, only letting her hand go when she needed to steer the car. ‘Not that he’ll ever admit that, of course.’

  There was a protracted silence while Josh seemed to search for words. Lexie wondered what he was going to come out with this time.

  ‘Look, about what I said last night . . . about Burgh and Lincoln. I don’t want that to play on your mind. I know I can’t take it back but . . .’ He scratched his head in frustration.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Josh. I’ve put it out of my head for now, okay. We can talk about it, or deal with it later. Seriously, don’t be sorry.’

  He nodded his head despondently. ‘Can I ask you why you’re taking your gun home?’

  Lexie was surprised by the question. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I saw it in your handbag,’ he explained, ‘when I answered your phone.’

  Lexie considered how to answer his question. There was no way she could tell Josh about the text messages. He had understood about the nightmares. But sharing this with someone would make her feel more vulnerable. And she couldn’t risk him getting over-protective on her. At best, as her superior, Josh would be obligated to report to the boss that she was in ‘potential danger’. From there it would go up the chain of command. She could kiss this case and possibly her detective’s career goodbye. Besides, the messages were not exactly threatening, more intimidating, she reasoned.

  ‘Oh.’ She hesitated for a second before continuing. ‘I know it’s against the rules.’

  Josh piped in. ‘Some rules are meant to be broken. Last night I broke my number one rule of not getting involved with a work colleague.’

  He smiled at the uncertain glance she gave him.

  ‘And I’m happy about that, trust me. But I’m more concerned about why you feel the need to bring your firearm home than the fact you’re breaking police rules and instructions by doing so.’

  There was no way she could tell him the complete truth.

  She shrugged. ‘I know it sounds stupid but sometimes I take it home because it makes me feel safer, more secure. Sometimes I get this stupid idea Amitt Vincent is coming after me, and I know it’s ridiculous because he’s locked up, but he’s a bikie, they have a network and . . . I feel protected when the gun is with me, less vulnerable.’

  It wasn’t a lie. It was the truth. She had just omitted to mention anything about the texts. She gave him a forced pout.

  ‘You won’t tell on me, will you?’

  She felt his eyes on her as she drove.

  ‘No, of course I won’t say anything, but you can’t take your gun home all the time. It you get caught . . .’

  He left the words hanging in the air. ‘Have you even got an approved gun safe in your apartment?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve got a safe.’

  Not that she used it. She liked to keep her weapon close at hand in case it was needed.

  ‘And I know I can’t take it home forever.’ She changed the subject quickly. ‘Anyway, back to Donaldson. I’d say this “accident” pretty much confirms what he told us in his interview; that Bluey’s hit was a mistake. It was meant to be Donaldson. Someone really seems to want him dead. I wonder what he did, what this is really all about.’

  ‘The mind boggles,’ Josh replied, sarcastically. ‘Maybe he stole someone’s drug trade, muscled in on the illegal firearm blackmarket, extorted money from the wrong person. Most bikie wars are initiated over the struggle for power, dominance and territory. So who knows?’

  ‘Maybe this latest incident will be enough to scare Donaldson into telling us what he knows?’ Lexie said, hopefully.

  Josh let out a surprised laugh. ‘Now you’re being funny. But I do admire your positivity.’

  They were now at the hospital and Lexie pulled into the spot reserved for police vehicles. Looking up at the sign that told her they were at the Prince of Wales Hospital brought back so many memories. None of them good!

  The familiar stirrings of anxiety started to flutter in her stomach. This place reminded her of her parents. Lexie made a mental note to ring her mother later. She hadn’t checked in for a few days, so it was only a matter of time before she got a frantic phone call accusing her of making her parents worry.

  Josh seemed to sense her tension. Placing the palm of his hand on the small of her back, he guided her across the narrow strip of road that led to the entrance. Lexie appreciated the gesture. It was comforting, reassuring and managed to calm her somewhat.

  ‘Did I tell you that you look absolutely beautiful today?’ he said, smiling down at her as they walked towards the reception desk.

  ‘Positively glowing.’

  He laughed cheekily and gave her a wink.

  With that her anxiety disappeared completely.

  —

  Rex Donaldson’s eyes sprang open as Lexie slipped into his room. Strangely, his face displayed no hint of surprise or displeasure at her presence. It was almost as though he’d been expecting her.

  ‘Good morning, Rex,’ Lexie greeted him cheerfully.

  They had decided outside that Lexie would initially speak to him alone. There was no threat of danger. He was attached to monitors and tubes. Her aim was to at least start their conversation on a pleasant note, hopefully unearth a connection, build some sort of rapport, without the authority figure of another male in the room. It was easier said than done, but she had to give it a try. In her experience she’d found the stern, no-nonsense approach of rattling off questions and demanding answers didn’t exactly lend itself to eliciting information from people – especially the likes of Rex Donaldson.

  ‘How are you feeling?’ she asked.

  ‘I suppose you could say I’ve felt better,’ he told her in his gravelly voice.

  There was an awkward silence when neither one of them spoke. Rex’s eyes looked h
er over and then darted around the room uncomfortably. Lexie waited, watching him expectantly. It was a common tactic used by detectives when interviewing a suspect. It often made the other person feel as though they had to fill the silence and they would start to talk – sometimes incriminating themselves in the process.

  In this instance it seemed Donaldson was using the same approach. Interesting!

  ‘So, what happened last night, Rex?’

  He pulled a strange face without moving his head.

  ‘Stupid really; took a corner too fast, didn’t see the car pull out of a parking spot until it was too late. I went up the gutter to avoid hitting it. Not sure what the better option would have been, really. Either way, the result would have probably been the same.’

  ‘So it was definitely an accident? No one ran you off the road deliberately?’

  Rex’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘Why would you think that?’

  ‘A witness saw a car speed away.’

  Rex shrugged then winced. ‘Don’t know.’

  ‘Where had you been? Where were you going?’

  ‘I’d been visiting a sick friend and was on my way home when the accident happened.’

  Lexie didn’t bother pursuing that line of questioning. She knew there was no sick friend.

  ‘Can you tell me why there were rags, a small can of petrol and a gun in your backpack?’

  ‘What backpack?’ Rex asked, innocently.

  ‘Are you seriously telling me it’s not your backpack that was found on the road, near where you crashed?’

  Lexie struggled to keep her expression neutral and the frustration out of her voice.

  He shook his head. ‘Was my name on it?’ He paused, regarded her with an expression she could not read. ‘It wasn’t mine.’

  Lexie sighed heavily. This bikie was too smart. He clearly knew there was nothing in the bag that could be linked to him. She eyed him.

  ‘I know there’s a lot you are not telling me. And I know that bikies and police don’t normally have the best of relationships, but this is about your mate’s murder. Don’t you want us to find who killed Bluey?’

  Rex stared at her for a long moment as if considering his answer. His expression became obstinate as he grumbled, ‘Of course.’

  Lexie gritted her teeth, her patience starting to unravel. The emotional rollercoaster ride she’d been on for the last few days threatened to push her over the edge.

  ‘I’m sure you realise that someone wants you dead. It was meant to be you, not Bluey, who got shot, wasn’t it? You know it and I think you know who’s behind it. Why not just tell us and let us deal with the killer, for God’s sake?’

  The bored expression on his big wide face told her she was getting nowhere. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her jagged nerves and control the irritation creeping into her voice.

  ‘Who caused you to run off the road, Rex? I know there’s more to your accident than meets the eye.’

  His dark eyes regarded her critically, but without hostility.

  ‘I told you, I took the corner too fast.’

  She was not handling this well, Lexie thought, turning away from him and pacing back and forth beside his bed. Taking a deep breath, she ran her fingers through her hair, resisting the urge to grab it and pull.

  ‘Rex, I need your help,’ Lexie said, moving closer to the side of his bed and attempting to keep her cool despite the knives stabbing her in the gut. It must be all the caffeine stripping away the lining of her stomach combined with hardly any food, she thought. Maybe that was why her heart was palpitating and she felt light-headed.

  ‘How can you just continue to tell me you know nothing? You won’t even admit that Rowdy has a girlfriend – we know who she is, by the way.’

  She hoped for a reaction but he gave her none.

  ‘You do know you have a police guard on your door? You’re now under our protection. Don’t you get that? What is it with you bikies and your stupid code of silence?’

  Rex struggled to sit up, adjusting the pillows behind his back.

  ‘We deal with things our own way, Detective Rogers,’ he told her formally, defiantly. ‘You guys just stuff it all up.’

  His smart-arse tone grated on Lexie. She felt like yanking on one of those tubes coming out of his arm and see what effect that would have on his sarcasm. But she settled on giving him an icy glare.

  He started to say more but a coughing fit stopped him speaking as he gasped for breaths between spasms.

  ‘Bloody cigarettes. I really have to give up,’ he grumbled, clearing his throat.

  She handed him a glass of water from the bedside table.

  ‘Don’t you realise your girlfriend’s at risk? If the killer can’t get to you, he might go for her to hurt you. Your gang members might also be in danger. If you don’t care about anything else, at least protect your family and friends.’

  ‘What do you want from me?’ he roared unexpectedly, the harshness of his voice causing her to jump backwards.

  The door opened almost instantly and Josh stuck his head through it. His eyes scanned her and then shifted to Rex.

  ‘Is everything okay, Lexie?’

  She nodded, moving to stand at the end of Rex’s bed, creating some distance.

  ‘Yes, it’s fine. We’re just talking.’

  Josh gave them a long look before reluctantly closing the door and leaving them alone once more.

  ‘Now, do I look like an idiot to you, Rex?’

  Lexie was aware of her tone. But surely sarcasm could be forgiven when all she really wanted to do was wrap her hands around his thick neck and shake the truth out of him.

  ‘At least humour me, and grant me some respect by admitting you know more than you’re making out – even if you’re not willing to part with the information – just admit you know.’

  ‘Why are you scared of me?’ Rex asked unexpectedly, throwing her completely. ‘I apologised for hurting you. I’ve never hit a woman before in my life and it was an accident. You seem so jumpy around me. It’s giving me the shits.’

  Lexie was taken aback. She would have thought someone like Donaldson would get off on knowing he intimidated the hell out of most people. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking he scared her, so she told him the truth.

  ‘I had a very bad experience with a bikie once. He looked a lot like you, that’s all.’

  ‘Well, not all bikies are bad, you know. And I’m nothing like him.’

  Stunned, Lexie stared at him.

  ‘Who? What do you know about . . .?’

  She had to calm down. She was letting this paranoia get the better of her. He was using her fear to make her unhinged and turn the direction of the conversation.

  ‘It was in the papers. That was you, wasn’t it?’

  Just when she thought she couldn’t get any more exasperated her frustration notched up a level. She was unable to put a lid on it.

  ‘This is not about me. I don’t want to talk about that. This is about a murder investigation, your friend’s murder. You were on your way to seek revenge on the person who killed Bluey before you had your accident, weren’t you? We are on the same side on this one, can’t you see that?’

  Her voice was getting higher, louder. She roped it in, trying to keep it under control.

  ‘If we can work together, form an alliance of sorts, we can catch Bluey’s killer the legal way.’

  Rex looked stunned, as though he couldn’t believe her proposal.

  Taking his silence as a positive, she continued.

  ‘We have a common goal, Rex, and if you assist me with any information that may lead to the arrest of the murderer, it will also help you when you go to court to face the possession and assault charges. I’ll give you a letter of assistance which will make the judge look more favourably on any fine or sentence you might receive.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  Now it was Lexie’s turn to look stunned. ‘What? Who?’

  ‘Wha
t did Bluey say before he died?’

  Lexie thought for a second. There was no reason she couldn’t tell him exactly what Bluey had said, was there? She had to go for it.

  ‘Bluey told me the Grub shot him. He was breathless and his words were hard to understand at first, but I got it the last time. Now, are you going to tell me who this Grub is?’

  ‘Are you the only one who heard what Bluey said? Kate didn’t hear the dying declaration. Were there any other cops there who heard it?’

  Dying declaration? She was puzzled. This guy was way too familiar with police jargon for her liking.

  ‘Yes, I’m the only one who heard it. What has that got to –?’

  ‘Don’t you get it?’ he interrupted. ‘You’re in as much danger as the rest of us. If the identity of the Grub is exposed, and you’re the only one who heard Bluey say the Grub killed him, then you are the key witness to putting the murderer away. No witness to the dying dec – there is no dying dec. End of case.’

  Lexie stared at him with wide eyes as his words started to sink in.

  ‘Detective, you too had better watch your own back until this “Grub” is caught.’

  CHAPTER 49

  Lexie and Josh left the hospital immediately after speaking to Rex. As they headed back to the station, Lexie filled him in on their conversation, leaving out the last bit – where Rex had told her to watch her back.

  Pulling up outside the station, a thought struck her. What if the text messages had nothing to do with Amitt Vincent after all?

  Lexie was left with little time to ponder this possibility because, no sooner had they walked into the detectives’ office, their boss summoned them into her own office.

  Casey Blair wasted no time with pleasantries. ‘How did you go with Donaldson?’ she asked.

  The question was directed at Josh but he glanced at Lexie, allowing her to answer.

  ‘The same as every other time we’ve spoken to him. He gave us nothing. It was an accident. He knows nothing about the backpack . . . it’s not his.’

  Casey Blair rolled her eyes. ‘Well the gun is being checked for prints as we speak. Considering the contents of the bag, it seems Donaldson may have been considering a bit of retaliation that didn’t go according to plan.’ She shrugged. ‘I want you to get back to the hospital – ’