Hindsight

by AA Bell

  Alone again with Lockman under the bridge, Mira couldn’t search back through time fast enough. Rolling the controls on her ‘hues’, as Lockman had called them, beachgoers didn’t just walk backwards through time. They leapt and disappeared, replaced every fraction of a second by others coming and going. Not a constant stream, since the beach was either empty or packed, depending on how thick the shifting clouds of mosquitoes seemed to be. Days and nights became a blur, suns and moons rising in turn, causing Mira to sway and Lockman to grab her by the arm and waist to help her regain balance.

  ‘I’m okay!’ She wrenched away from him and leaned against a bridge pylon instead until she found the boys playing beach ball over the crime-scene tape, and within seconds, she glimpsed the motorbike cop who’d arrived first at the crime scene. She would have scrolled past him too, if she hadn’t recognised him without his helmet. Mel’s boyfriend!

  Other cops arrived too, one of them a woman who referred to him as a detective, and was quietly taken aside by him and chastised for it.

  ‘I need you to check something for me,’ Mira whispered to Lockman.

  ‘Name it.’

  ‘Pete Innes-Grady is a cop. He looks like a traffic cop, but I need you to find out if he’s ever been a detective.’

  ‘Still is,’ Lockman replied without hesitation. ‘Plain-clothes division. The traffic thing is a cover story.’

  ‘A cop masquerading as a cop? That’s a little pointless, surely?’

  ‘Opens certain doors that couldn’t open any other way.’

  Mira scratched her cheek, thinking. ‘So what was he doing here, investigating the Grey murder?’

  ‘Confidentially, he’s assigned to keeping an eye on the Greppia clan by posing as a dirty traffic cop — payrolled by the Big G, Gregan Greppia himself. Ironically, Greppia calls him “the cleaner”. If his people get messy on the street, Innes-Grady is called to erase any links back to their network.’

  ‘Small world,’ Mira muttered suspiciously.

  ‘No such thing as a coincidence. He’s the reason we’re here. He hasn’t been destroying evidence, he’s been building the case. It’s only because of information from him that General Garland got involved in the first place. It blew up too big for civilian forces when Grady discovered the dirty money has been coming in by private submarine.’

  Mira couldn’t begin to imagine how anyone could afford such a thing. ‘Are you serious?’

  ‘Deadly. It’s been coming in at night at the deep end off Likiba Isle. It’s met by fishing trawlers and loads transferred underwater somehow. We’re talking slick operation. Whales can’t poke up so much as a fin without attracting shoals of tourist boats. They can’t even approach the bay without showing up on every fishing radar from the Gold Coast to Caloundra. Yet somehow this sub’s been slipping in and out, almost as far as the shipping lanes. Then something weird happened here with Grey and Markovic on the beach; something that worried Greppia enough to send in his cleaner — and since then, no submarine.’

  Mira replayed the detective’s arrival and watched him closely for several minutes until he called for other officers, made a statement upon their arrival and left the scene, empty-handed. ‘He left scratching his head too, Lieutenant. I guess it’s finally time I take a look myself.’

  ‘Take your time. It was messy … Hey, Corporal?’ he called. ‘You got a copy of the Markovic–Grey reports in the van?’

  Without waiting for the reply, Mira adjusted the shade and intensity of her hues until the body of a young woman with a purple seagull reappeared. Edging closer, Mira continued to fine-tune the mauve haze into slightly bluer shades until Shelley was alive and struggling — making love — with her killer. Rewinding further, Mira saw them kissing, smiling, talking, arriving; first Shelley and then her dark-bearded lover.

  ‘It didn’t start as rape,’ Mira said. ‘Just rough.’

  ‘With guns and knives?’ Cinq said, approaching. ‘Here’s the report.’

  ‘Space, please,’ Mira said, hearing the report change hands anyway. ‘Just me and the lieutenant.’

  If Cinq objected, Mira didn’t hear it. Only one set of boots splashed after her through the shallows as she headed out from the cool shade of the bridge and down the beach a little further until she was knee deep in water — and from the stride, she could tell it was Lockman following her.

  ‘Shelley was here, fishing.’ Which was odd, Mira thought, because it would have looked to crime-scene investigators as if Shelley had been a passer-by in her faux-leather bikini while Josh Markovic had been the fisherman in overalls with a bib-style front and tank-top. ‘Josh came from under that bridge. Is there another car park on the other side?’

  ‘Sure. There’s a boat ramp between the two bridges so the car park on that side is for vehicles with boat trailers. Used a lot for other things too, like glue sniffing.’

  Mira glanced to Shelley, who was squatting at lower tide, carving hearts and initials in the damp sand with a scaling knife, while her rod stood upright in a plastic spike, baited with the line slackly cast out — but not far. The hook had floated inshore and was skipping in shallow waves on the waterline as if she didn’t really care about fishing, although four whiting and a flathead filled a small bucket. Turning as Josh approached, Shelley startled at the sight of him, scratched out the initials she’d etched with hers in the sand, and stood to face him.

  ‘She wasn’t expecting him,’ Mira reported. ‘She looks worried.’

  Hey, Shells, Mira read from his lips. He scanned the beach swiftly to ensure they were alone. How’s my stakeout going?

  Good, Joshie, aside from these damn mosquitoes! Shelley swatted her arm, killing three at once. I wish the blind bitch would shake her tail getting back from the hospital.

  Maybe you missed her? Ow, look how you’re neglecting my tackle, you dumb bitch, I ought to spank you! He took Shelley roughly in his arms and spanked her playfully, then kissed her so deeply he forced her head back to take his tongue.

  Oh, spank me harder, Shelley said, gasping for breath and nuzzling his neck. That feels like some kinda weapon in your pocket!

  I brought it to take care of business, but if you’re a good girl, I’ll let you kiss it.

  Shelley explored down his chest toward the bulge in his overalls, but he smacked her again playfully. Suck my tongue, baby. Get some practice.

  He opened his mouth, letting his tongue hang out with saliva dripping, and as foul as it looked to Mira, Shelley latched onto it and suckled it like a milk teat, squirming against him as he held her by the hair. He pulled away only long enough to slap her face with orders to suck harder.

  Still gripping her by the hair, his free hand continued to explore down her body, lifting her bikini top and exposing her breast before delving lower. She began to pant, riding his hand and tongue dancing until he shoved her away. On your knees. Ass up to me. He smacked her again as she turned around, leaving the coloured shape of his hand on her skin, but she dropped only so far as her knees.

  Oh, yes, Joshie. Punish me! I’ve been such a bad girl neglecting your tackle! She squeezed the fork of his pants and unzipped his fly.

  ‘What do you see?’ Lockman asked.

  Mira blushed and turned away just as Markovic revealed the contents behind his zipper.

  ‘I think it’s their way of saying hello.’

  ‘I can imagine.’ Lockman’s hand touched her shoulder, causing Mira to flinch. ‘Sorry, I … I expect you must prefer Corporal Cinq with you now?’

  Mira gulped. ‘Are you kidding? She’s about as comforting as a straitjacket!’

  ‘I’ve read reports on this pair. I know they must be a little difficult for a decent person to watch.’

  ‘Reports of them here?’

  ‘Dead, yes, but Grey and Markovic crossed Garland’s radar twice before. I saw it in the file. Pobody had some close-ups of Shelley under the passenger seat of their car, rolled up as pin-up posters. I had to chip him for it.’

 
Mira’s eyes strayed back to the couple, Shelley on all fours now with her face in the sand and Josh on his knees behind her, using her long hair and bikini like reins to ride her.

  ‘I thought Pobody was married?’

  ‘Separated. Seems the best soldiers don’t always make the best husbands.’

  Mira didn’t reply. She could see Shelley was talking again, but with her cheek pressed hard against the sand it was impossible to read her distorted lips — and a better angle would mean that Mira would need to hold her breath beneath the incoming tide.

  Suck your fingers, Markovic ordered, slurp it up, baby. Then he coughed and said something behind his hand, as if Shelley had said something to upset him. He flipped Shelley onto her back and kicked her until she opened her legs. Man enough for you now, am I?

  It was just a fling, Joshie, honest! I wasn’t into Jake any more than I was into Ben!

  Mira glanced to the heart she’d carved in the sand and saw the initials that were scratched out below Shelley’s were ‘BC’.

  Maybe I should organise another threesome and see for myself how you go at him?

  Mira shuddered at the thought of Ben even considering such a thing, even though Gabby had already suggested …

  Benny was never into that, Shelley argued. I swear, Joshie, before I met you it was only me, Jake and Gabby!

  You think you can lie to me? He wrenched off her bikini top and belted her with it. Tits can’t lie, baby. Look at you! You’ve been in heat since you heard Benny was out of the clink!

  Joshie, no! Think, baby. He’s got his hands full already with that blind bitch! Even if I was keen on him again, he wouldn’t want me! I’m not screwed up enough in the head for him.

  All the more reason to help me take the blind bitch out of the picture then, hey? Or you think you can catch her for Greggie and cut me out of the deal?

  No, Joshie, I swear! I only planned on scamming Benny on the side — just a cut of his weekly pay as a present for you! You know, offering him some evidence to clear his name, but I never would have given it to him. Never, baby! It implicates me too!

  Liar! He belted her again. Jake just told me you tried to blackmail him too. You were planning on skipping town! So who were you plannin’ on runnin’ away with, baby, if it wasn’t Jake or me?

  Oh baby, no! You’ve gotta believe me … please? It wasn’t Benny! She defended herself with her hands until he ordered her to put them down and take the flogging she deserved. Only she didn’t complain. She whimpered as if she’d expected something far worse, her eyes pleading him to be gentle, but when he told her to beg him for it, she did.

  Mira looked away, unable to stand the sight of either one of them.

  ‘It’s bad, I take it,’ Lockman said. ‘Do you need a break?’

  Mira shivered. ‘Serenity started out as a penal colony. I’ve seen cruelty far worse than this. Just never with the victim so willing.’ Her stomach churned and she felt sick.

  Hugging her tummy, she noticed Josh was kneeling again, with a fist full of Shelley’s breast.

  You can’t blackmail Jake either, you dumb bitch! He’s my brother. Shithead or not, he’s also my partner. If you blackmail him, you blackmail me! He slapped her face. Smile as you process that, baby. We share everything, him and me. Everything.

  Shelley looked horrified. Then Jake, he … he told you what he was doing with me?

  You think I’m psychic? Every time he was doin’ you, I was doin’ Chloe. His smile changed from playful to wicked. Let me show you something I learned from her. Swiftly and roughly, he twisted Shelley’s leather bikini top around her head, tied it off as a gag, then grabbed her ankles and lifted them high as he repositioned himself. Shelley tried to squirm away but she bumped her head against his bait and tackle box, and he pinned her there by pushing her ankles down against her ears and folding her double. If Chloe could take it with a smile, you can, baby. Let me look at those pretty gleamers now! He spat on his fingers, and Mira didn’t dare to watch any more. She’d seen the century old ghosts of male guards at Serenity holding some of the male prisoners down in the same position, and they’d needed saliva too as lubrication.

  ‘They’re not saying much,’ she reported to Lockman. ‘Just that Jake and Josh were partners, but Shelley didn’t know about that. She tried to blackmail Jake, and now Josh is punishing her.’

  ‘Josh and Jake were partners all right. They’re the pair that Greppia’s people refer to as the counterfeiters. We just can’t find their base or supply lines.’

  ‘That doesn’t make sense,’ Mira said. ‘They robbed his store — I think. At least, Ben’s sure they were both responsible for framing him. Now it seems they’re also working for the Greppias? I don’t get it.’

  ‘We’re definitely missing something. In all the surveillance tapes, the Markovics walk and talk as if they’re only small-time. Squeaky clean if you read only police records, and yet, Gregan Greppia maintains a close interest in them.’

  ‘He sent Josh Markovic to fetch me. That’s why he’s here with Shelley.’

  Just then, Markovic stumbled backwards into Mira’s field of view with the scaling knife buried deep between his shoulder blades. Swearing and foaming at the mouth, he was turning about, panicking, unable to get it out.

  Shelley stood up, laughing. Her mouth was almost free of the gag, when Markovic pulled the handgun from his overalls, and shot her.

  ‘This is a dead end,’ Mira said as Markovic fell to his knees. ‘Get me a boat, or get me to that shop, but get me out of here, Lieutenant. I never did like this place; now I’m as creeped out as I can be.’

  ‘Why the shop?’ Lockman asked. ‘It’s miles inland.’

  ‘You want Mr Mystery, don’t you? Or Garland does. If you won’t let me out in a boat to track Ben, I have to do something or I’ll go rabid with frustration!’ She could already feel it building.

  ‘And if Gregan spent a lot of time at that shop, we could get lucky.’

  EIGHTEEN

  Far away later in Lockman’s Hilux, Mira peeled off the layers of army uniform, leaving only the soothing softness of the skirt and blouse that she’d bought shopping with Gabby. Lockman peeled off his army shirt too, replacing it with a fishing vest over his t-shirt, which she verified by ‘accidentally’ stretching, yawning and touching him, but as best she could guess, he’d left on his camo trousers as if they were casual enough already.

  ‘That skirt is too bright and memorable,’ he said as he turned further inland. ‘Mind if I arrange something else along the way?’

  Mira shook her head. ‘I’ll choose my own clothes. The question is where?’ Time was pressing, and while the purple sun was rising ever closer to its zenith, the invisible moon had long sent its chill and dew into the air.

  ‘There’s a donation bin ahead,’ he suggested.

  ‘Forget it. I’m not stealing from charity.’

  ‘It wouldn’t be stealing. We’d leave money.’

  Mira frowned, doubting him. ‘I must have left my purse in my other uniform. Oh, wait. I don’t have a purse. I left all my old crap at Serenity.’

  ‘Wasn’t the idea to set you up for independence?’

  ‘Give us a break, Lieutenant. Ben hardly had a chance.’

  ‘Would have been top of my list. He was at the bank anyway to pay bills.’

  Mira chewed on her lip. ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘Nothing. What would I know? I’m just security.’

  ‘Cut that out. If you have something to say, just say it.’

  He sighed and veered across traffic to the kerb, where he cut the engine outside of a spooky-looking mortuary, with an atmosphere made all the more frightening by the purple haze of yesterday.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Mira asked, thinking all the worst things. She heard the squeak of springs under his seat, the groan of his uniform on vinyl seats — until she recognised the sound of a hand tugging out a wallet from his back pocket.

  ‘Here’s a hundred.’ Lockman pus
hed two polymer notes into her hand which she could tell from the size and feel, were both fifties. ‘Take it.’

  ‘I’m not taking your money. That’s too much anyway.’

  ‘Depends on where you shop. It’s barely a meal for two at a fancy restaurant like this. Might just pay for a couple of their table runners, though. Keep the change.’

  ‘Table what?’

  ‘That morgue is really a restaurant. I’m not sure if you can see down the side to the candlelights but those black tables in their smokers’ section have long black lacy tablecloths.’

  ‘A smoking section in a restaurant? You’re kidding. Isn’t that like having a peeing section in a swimming pool?’

  He chuckled. ‘It’s a beer garden, and the lace table runners should tie up nicely around your skirt, with maybe a spare as a shawl to cover and tone down most of your white blouse.’

  ‘Oh.’ She wanted to argue, but by adjusting her shades until she could see them same time yesterday, the idea did sound appealing — except the part about asking complete strangers to sell her something they didn’t usually sell. ‘There’s no other shops open at this hour?’

  ‘Not around here. Only service stations and 24-7 grocery stores.’

  Appearing through the front door came the ghost of a stocky, hairy little man dressed as a waiter, with tiny pink ears and a black moustache. Small in stature, but he had an arrogant stride about him that suggested he might be the manager. Or worse. Aside from his height and weight, he bore a striking resemblance to Gregan Greppia.

  ‘You do it,’ Mira said, pushing the money back at Lockman. ‘I’ll repay you later.’

  ‘Keep it,’ he insisted. ‘Think of it as insurance in case we get separated — or maybe you’ll get sick of me and try to run away.’

  ‘You’d risk that? Or you trust me that much?’

  His door opened in reply, and while he was gone, she had the feeling he was still watching her, but she realised that he was right so far as the money was concerned. How long would it have taken Ben to withdraw a small cash supply from her account? At Serenity, all well-behaved residents were permitted a modest amount of cash to spend every week on treats from the canteen, while all those who’d lost their privileges were dependent on staff from day to day. For almost a decade, she’d been dependent that way.