by Sarah Barrie
‘Lee? Lee!’
‘I can’t see him. Indy?’ Nick stepped out into the mess, and pulled the undercover officer up. Coughing, she got her feet under her, just. He put a supporting arm around her. ‘We need to go now!’
‘But Lee –’
‘He’s right,’ Indy said. ‘Someone did this on purpose. They could be here.’
As they moved around the desk, another explosion had them ducking again.
‘I have to find him! He could be hurt!’ Anything worse than hurt was not an option.
‘Now, Ebs!’ Nick dragged her through the reception room, over the threshold where her new doors had only just been installed after Martin drove through the old ones and were now blown out, along with the windows. The sunlight was almost blinding. As she began to make things out through eyes stinging with smoke, she saw more devastation. The hardware store was on fire and there was another blaze coming from a building further down the main street – or was that two buildings? People were screaming, running, calling for help.
It was incomprehensible.
‘Miss Blakely?’ Uniformed officers charged through the debris. One covered her with his body as he herded her away from the building. ‘Quickly.’
She spotted Ben – he was beckoning them to a car. When they joined him, he grabbed her, looked her over.
‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes. But Lee went to the back of the building.’
‘Okay, get in. Indy, are you all right?’
‘Fine – I’ll stay,’ she said, looking around. ‘Whoever it was won’t be far away. We need to find Dalton.’
‘Get Ebony out of here,’ Ben said to two fully armed officers sitting in the front seats of the car.
Ebony was helped into the police car and Nick climbed in beside her. Ben shouted further instructions to the officers. Ebony heard something about Mudgee, a hospital, guards, and then they were moving. They headed away from town, avoiding the main street.
‘Do you know what blew up?’ she asked the police officers.
‘No, Miss Blakely, just … lots of things.’
‘Shouldn’t there be other cars following us?’ Nick asked.
‘Should have been, but the main street’s blocked. We were lucky to have one car in the right area. Besides, it’s chaos. Mad bastard has blown up half the town. Reinforcements should meet up with us by the time we hit the main road, and there’s a chopper heading towards us. Once it spots us, it’ll follow us all the way in.’
Ebony turned to Nick. His face was burned near his right cheekbone and he was holding his head near his temple.
‘Nick, you’re hurt.’
‘What? Oh, it’s nothing. I think I banged my head.’
‘It doesn’t make sense. I wasn’t supposed to be hurt, just captured.’ She turned to the officers in the front. ‘Can we call Ben and see if he found Lee?’
‘We need to keep the radio clear, Miss Blakely.’
Another minute out of town and Nick swayed in his seat. ‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ he whispered, and retched. The officer quickly pulled off the road and Nick opened the door, disappearing behind the car.
‘Nick, are you all right?’ Ebony had a hand on the door to follow him.
‘Please stay in the car, Miss Blakely.’ Then the officer called to Nick, ‘Sir, we’re going to have to keep moving.’
‘Yes, sorry.’ Nick swayed a couple of steps, struggling back around to his side of the car. There was a blur of movement and a small, sharp sound. One officer fell to the ground. The other one got out of the car, struggling to pull his weapon. He too, landed like a stone, bouncing off the hood, his shocked eyes staring into Ebony’s as he fell. Petrified, she reefed open her door and fell out of the car. As she got to her feet, she swung around and bounced off a wall of chest.
‘Nice to see you again, Ebony. Where the fuck do you think you’re going?’
Rob stood in front of her, but not the Rob she remembered: this one was scarred and terrifying.
She registered the pain of something slamming into her skull. Then she felt nothing at all.
CHAPTER
34
Lee stared at the wall. Stared some more. It was crooked. His eyes tracked up, noticed there was a car-sized chunk of it. Green paint, bricks behind. Nothing above it except dust. There was so much dust. Strange.
Noises … yelling, roaring, sirens, far away.
His mind scrambled to make sense of it. He lifted a hand, touched his face where it itched. His fingers came back bloody, shaking. He moved again, expelled a pained breath as he rocked sideways onto his hands and knees.
‘Lee!’ Two figures were beside him. Ben, he realised, and Indy.
‘What happened?’
‘Can you walk?’
‘Ebony?’ He leant on Ben, got vertical. His head hurt like a bitch. Come to think of it, so did almost everything else. Then, like coming out the far end of a tunnel, the darkness clouding his consciousness began to clear. He tipped his head back, squinted against the pain of bright light and stared at the remains of Ebony’s surgery. ‘No.’
‘She’s all right!’ Ben said quickly. ‘Ebony’s fine.’
‘Where is she?’ he demanded.
‘On her way to Mudgee under guard, where she’ll be checked out then flown to Sydney.’
‘Okay, all right then.’ Lee dropped his hands to his knees and bent over, fighting the disorientation. ‘What’s with the sirens? All that other noise?’
‘Multiple explosions: here, the hardware store, the rubbish bins along the main street. Hardware’s well alight. We’ve got injured public, damaged buildings, and we’re thin on resources. Reinforcements are on the way.’
‘The café?’
‘Don’t know.’
‘Cam and Ally and Mia – have you seen them?’
‘No – Ebony was first priority. We’ll find them. Can you walk?’
He really wasn’t sure. ‘I’ll give it a go.’
Every able-bodied person was helping. Spot fires were being put out, footpaths cleared, injured people attended to. Lee accepted a bottle of water, drank some, tipped the rest of it over his head. He ignored Ben’s orders to sit, and helped an elderly man up from the footpath.
‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes, thank you. Just needed help getting off the ground. Oh dear. I don’t think he’s all right.’
Lee’s eyes followed the direction the man’s finger was pointing. The young man was slumped against the wall. A large piece of what was probably garbage bin had sliced through his thigh. Lee tried to bring him around, couldn’t. Instead he flagged down an officer and left the man in his care. He’d lost Ben, and he had to find his friends.
He found Ally first, talking to a distressed boy of about eight. He was nodding through tears that streaked a dirty red face.
‘Ally.’
She looked up. Her face went from sympathetic to horrified. She forced a smile back on her face, said something to the boy and left him with the person patching up his knee. She ran to Lee.
‘Oh my God. Lee. What are you doing walking around?’
‘I’m okay. Where are the others?’
She turned in the direction of the café. ‘Cam!’ Then she wiped the hair from his forehead and grimaced. ‘That’s got to hurt. Come and sit down. There’s more paramedics on the way in, but it might be quicker to get you to Mudgee ourselves.’
She was talking at a million miles an hour, making his already spinning head spin faster.
‘Jeez, Lee, are you all right? Where’s Ebs?’
‘She’s fine. She’s on her way to Mudgee, then they’re flying her to Sydney. Mia?’
‘Yeah, she’s good – helping.’ Ally looked around. ‘It’s a wonder more people weren’t hurt. Look at the hardware store.’
‘There’s no saving it.’
‘The surgery’s trashed,’ Lee said. ‘There’s no saving that either.’
‘This was about Ebs. It doesn’t make sense. Why risk k
illing her?’
‘He had to be watching to know where she was. She was in reception. It’s the only room that wasn’t destroyed.’ Lee touched his head, grimaced.
‘A diversion. All of this. He must have meant to take her in the chaos he caused. You said she’s safe.’
‘Ben was there – he found me. He’d already put her in a car and sent her off.’ But Lee wouldn’t feel better until he saw her for himself. He swayed again, Cam caught him.
‘I think we can get through now. Let’s get you to the hospital.’
Ben jogged over. ‘Lee, damn it, I told you to stay put. Good to see you guys are okay. Where’s Mia?’
‘Safe. In the café, helping Jacqui,’ Ally said. ‘I’ll – why don’t you go get her? We need to get Lee checked out.’
‘I’ll get Mia, but jump in my car, we’ll take that. I can get you there faster, check what’s happening with Ebony.’
When he’d fetched Mia, they got into Ben’s car and he manoeuvred it through the streets, sirens and lights on until a call had him shutting off the noise and easing back on the accelerator.
‘Bowden.’
A polite voice came through on speaker. ‘Sir, I’m sorry I know you’re in the middle of an emergency, but we got an international hit on the fingerprints. We have the name of the perpetrator.’
‘Who?’
‘Carter King. Thirty-five, native of South Africa. Computer hacker and explosives expert for the South African National Defence Force before being dishonourably discharged due to sexual assault of a female officer who was killed six months later in an apparent ammunitions accident. Later linked to a prominent ivory-poaching operation, he fled the country three years ago to avoid prosecution.’
Lee could all but see Ben’s mind working. ‘Carter King – oh hell. Of course. How stupid.’ Ben slammed his hand against the wheel.
‘What’s stupid?’ Lee demanded. ‘Wait – South African?’
‘Nick Garter passed every federal check and double-check we did. The guy must be connected as well as being some sort of fucking computer genius.’
‘Wait – what, you think it’s Nick?’ Ally said. ‘Nick wouldn’t hurt Ebs.’
‘It makes perfect sense. This guy has had every opportunity he needed to stay one step ahead of us. He’s been privy to all the information, known where we all are, all the plans we’ve made. He couldn’t have pulled this off any other way. He’s been a step ahead all along. Right under our noses.’
‘I don’t believe it,’ Lee said, trying to get his head around the information.
‘I just put Ebony in the fucking car with this guy.’
‘You what?’ Cam said.
‘Send through a photo. We need to be sure,’ Ben said into his phone.
When Nick’s face popped up on screen, Ben restarted the sirens and put his foot down. ‘Circulate that picture everywhere and get roadblocks on all roads in and out of Hunters Ridge.’ He punched the end call button, pressed another.
‘Gibson.’
‘Has Ebony Blakely turned up yet?’
‘No. Not yet.’
‘Does the chopper have her? Are backup on their tail?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Get onto all officers involved, including those bringing her in. The guy we’re after is in the car with them.’
When Ben ended the call, the silence in the car was a tangible force. ‘I need to know everything you’ve learned about this guy,’ he finally said.
‘He’s pretty damn good around a gun,’ Lee said. ‘Assuming the story is true, he grew up hunting in South Africa, worked in big game parks. Shot medical darts not bullets, apparently, and, ah, his father was a vet. That’s why he became one. But his mother took him away from his father. Her family were avid hunters. She was apparently quite degrading of the father for being a soft touch and picked on Nick about it too.’
‘Where did you get this?’
‘He told Ebony. She thought it was sad.’
‘Sad, sure. Could be a ruse to get sympathy, but it could also be a good reason for an impressionable young man to feel degraded, less masculine, and for him to develop a hatred of women.’
He swung into the emergency car park of the hospital despite Lee’s objections. ‘Ben, if you honestly think I’m going to sit in some hospital when Ebs is –’
‘You were knocked out cold. You look like shit. You’re going to get checked out. At the very least, you need to get cleaned up, patched up and medicated for the headache I know you’ve got.’
‘Ben’s right,’ Ally said. ‘Please, Lee. Mia and I will wait with you.’
‘I’ll send a car back for you when you’re done,’ Ben promised.
Reluctantly, he got out. ‘The minute I call, Ben.’
With a nod, Ben reversed out of the parking space.
He jolted awake, knowing something wasn’t right. The hospital bed brought it all straight back. How had he fallen asleep? Must have been the drugs they gave him, as well as the endless waiting. He was still in emergency, people were still buzzing around him. His gaze found Ally: she was curled up in a hospital chair to one side of him, her legs pressed up to her chest, eyes red and swollen. She wiped away a tear with an over-used tissue, clearly struggling not to lose it.
‘What?’ It was all his petrified voice could manage.
Watery eyes turned on him, and he saw the pain in them. ‘He killed both the police, dumped the car. She’s gone. He’s got her.’
‘I need to find her.’ Lee swung his feet off the bed and sat up, nearly keeling over head first. Ally struggled to stop him falling and a nurse rushed over, helped her. ‘Sorry. Sorry, Ally.’
‘You’ll be all right in a minute, Mr Dalton,’ the nurse said soothingly. ‘Just take your time.’
‘I need to go.’
‘The doctor will be through for his morning rounds to talk to you shortly.’
‘Morning rounds? What time is it?’
‘Nearly seven.’
He was already starting to feel less confused, more alert. Adrenaline, perhaps. Whatever it was, he’d take it. He’d slept too long. He had to find Ebony.
‘Morning. Feeling better?’ Mia appeared with two steaming styrofoam cups and handed one to Ally. ‘Do you want one?’ she offered hers to Lee.
‘No, I just need to get to the station. Did you find me any clothes?’
She went to a small cupboard near the bed and pulled out two Target bags. ‘Just some basics.’
‘You didn’t go home?’
‘No. Cam’s been here. He got about an hour’s sleep in the chair, then went back to the police station. We don’t know any more yet. As soon as we do, Cam will call. Doctors said that other than a concussion he wants to monitor and some bruising, you’re okay. When you’re discharged, Ben will get a car over here to pick you up.’
Trust Mia to keep it together. He could see the worry etched in her features, but her tone was brisk and practical.
‘Thanks.’ He stood up, testing his balance. Found it was okay.
The nurse looked up from her desk and hurried back over. ‘Mr Dalton, you really should see the doctor before you go any further.’
‘Then page him – please.’
The nurse looked annoyed but nodded.
Ally stood. ‘Mia and I will let you get changed.’
They stepped out and he pulled the curtain right round, found underwear, jeans that fitted pretty well, a printed tee, a light sweater – even shoes and socks. He changed as quickly as he could manage. A comb, toothbrush, deodorant, razor and a packet of painkillers that would come in handy if what he had in his system wore off. The woman was his hero.
Ebony. Where was she? What was happening to her? Was she scared? Hungry? Cold? Hurt? The fear was quickly overtaken by ice cold hate. Nick, Carter – whatever his name was – wasn’t getting out of this in one piece.
‘You ready?’ he asked Mia a moment later.
‘We’ve called for a car,’ Mia told him. ‘If
you’re not going to wait for the doctor, you still need to sign yourself out.’
‘Where’s Ally?’
‘Her blood pressure is up so they’re keeping her here to monitor her. I’ll go home and do all the animals then wait back here with Ally. Keep us posted.’
‘Okay. Mia – thanks.’
He found Cam pacing the hallway of the police station. His hair was a disaster, his eyes were bloodshot and he radiated anxiety and frustration.
‘Cam, hey.’
Cam’s gaze raked over Lee. ‘I won’t say you look better but I’m glad to see you anyway. What did the doctor say?’
‘Don’t know. He took too long.’
‘Where’s Ally and Mia?’
‘Waiting to hear from us. Ally’s staying put at the hospital, Mia’s going home to take care of the animals and coming back.’
‘Something wrong with Ally?’
‘Blood pressure’s up a bit, it’s being monitored.’
‘I should call her.’
‘Yeah. You heard anything?’
Cam shook his head. ‘I’m waiting on Ben. He’s in there having a strategy meeting or something.’
Almost before he’d finished talking a door opened and men and women came filing out. Ben appeared last. Tired, Lee thought, but focused.
‘You want to come in?’ Ben asked them.
‘What was all that about?’ Cam said.
‘Getting everyone up to speed and on task. Nick – Carter – ambushed them on the way in. He had to have help, because the police car’s still there. They left in a second vehicle.’
‘Rob?’
‘Possibly. We’re sure Ebony’s alive and well. This has been planned for a long time and Rob’s gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to get her. This thing is a big deal. They need her and they need her in reasonable condition.’
A knock on the door had Ben swearing. ‘Yes?’
A young officer stepped through.
‘You checked the surgery?’
‘The newer building is intact so we were able to go upstairs to his apartment. There’s plenty of leftover equipment to suggest he made the radio-controlled IEDs that exploded on the street. Probably set them off via mobile.’
‘Why was the hardware explosion so much bigger?’ Cam asked.