The Deception (29 page)

He looked for the ute. ‘Good. I’ll just go check and see if the other ute has left yet, in case they don’t travel together. Go back to camp and get ready, we might need to head out early, get in front of them.’ He got up and disappeared into the bush behind.

At camp Ryan had already packed away the table and chairs. Jaz changed into some fresh clothes, jeans and a blue t-shirt, sprayed on some deodorant and then checked everything else was in order. Ryan’s shirt from yesterday was lying on top of his bag. Jaz reached for it, wanting to see if it still smelt like him, but then she stopped herself.

‘Ready,’ said Ryan, behind her.

Thank God, that was a lucky gut instinct. ‘Yep. What’s the go?’

‘Red ute has just left, so we’ll go now and sit between them. Jump in.’

Leaving behind their camping spot, Ryan reversed the Wicked van out on the main track. There was no dust from the ute in front but Jaz used the binoculars and could see it up ahead.

Keeping a good distance, they followed it to Geraldton. It didn’t stop—obviously keen to get back to Perth with its expensive cargo.

The trip was quiet. Maybe they didn’t know what to talk about after being together, or maybe it was because this mission was getting to the hardest part.

‘I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me up when it’s my turn to drive.’ And with that, Jaz was out like a light. She woke hours later with her stomach rumbling and her mouth dry. ‘Where are we?’ she asked, stretching.

‘Just on the outskirts of Perth.’

‘You didn’t wake me!’

‘You looked too peaceful.’ He was smiling to himself. ‘Quite entertaining too.’

‘What? What did I do? Did I talk?’ Crap, she’d had many dreams.

‘You mutter and groan. Sometimes you were twitching as if punching someone,’ he said.

‘It was probably you.’

That made him laugh.

While tying her hair up, she searched for the ute. It was two cars in front.

‘We’re just going to make a car swap up here at this service station. The van will stand out too much now.’

Jaz didn’t know the guy who was waiting for them with a silver Commodore but Ryan shook his hand like they were good mates. Mates who had saved each other’s back once or twice. They didn’t stay long enough to introduce Jaz, it was an instant car swap.

‘Ethan will take the van back to his place and we’ll swap back after we’re done,’ he said. He put his foot down, trying to catch up to the ute. When it was in view, he slowed down to stay a few cars behind.

They followed it all the way through the city down to an industrial area in Canning Vale. It was harder to follow the ute without being seen. Ryan crept along slowly, pulling over if anyone came up behind him so they could pass. The ute turned down a street full of big sheds and drove into one that had a concrete wall and big metal gates on either side. One way in and one way out. They looked like storage units.

Ryan pulled into the car park for a wholesale direct place called Red Apple that sold furniture, homewares and tiles. They had about ten cars parked out the front so one more car slotted in nicely.

‘There’s no way we can get in there,’ said Ryan, using the binoculars to see inside further. ‘It’s a key entry. They must have a few storage units to hold the stuff, probably under a false name. But I’ll get Pax to check it out.’

‘Anna could probably get into their system and get a list of names who have hired a unit. We might be able to find something that connects Salvatore.’

Ryan agreed. Five minutes later the second ute arrived, entering the same way as the last. ‘I’ll go for a little walk, get a better look.’ He reached for the packet of cigarettes, got out of the car and walked up the street before crossing over. He walked with his phone out, then paused by the metal gates as if he’d got a phone call. She could see him talking but knew he’d be using this to see inside. He put his phone away and then leant against the concrete wall just this side of the gate. The wall was over twice his height so no way he could scale it, nor the gate.

What was he waiting for, she wondered. Quickly she pulled out her own phone and sent a text to Anna.

Hey, back from out trip. Loved it.
That part wasn’t an exaggeration.
Just in Canning Vale, nearly home. xx

Ryan lit a cigarette as he leant against the wall, pretending to look at his phone.

After a few minutes he walked off. She saw one of the utes drive out of a unit and out through the exit. Ryan motioned for her to start the car. Jaz jumped across and drove out of the parking lot, pausing to pick him up.

‘Follow that ute,’ he said, getting in. ‘I could hear them, the walls made their voices carry just enough to catch a few things. Sounds like the others are staying there to sort out the shipment but this guy is taking some now as someone is waiting for it.’

‘Right.’ Her pulse picked up. Things were getting interesting. Plus she was now driving and she didn’t want to get caught. She put into practice Ryan’s techniques that she’d observed, catching up to the ute but not getting too close.

‘That’s funny,’ said Ryan. Jaz glanced his way. ‘They’re going to Jandakot Airport.’

A few seconds later a sign flashed past stating just that. It was getting harder to follow the ute as there was no traffic heading into the airport. Jaz dropped back further, Ryan using the binoculars to see which way they were turning.

‘Stop here, Jaz,’ he said. ‘They’ve gone into that building up ahead. Looks like a plane hangar. The blue sign out the front says “Industry Aviation” and I bet it belongs to Salvatore.’

While Ryan searched it out from afar, Jaz googled the name on her phone. ‘Yep, ten points to you,’ she said. ‘Owned by De Luca Industries.’

She picked up her phone, Anna had replied.

Great. Can’t wait to catch up.

Jaz sent another one.

Stopped by Jandakot Airport for a look at Sal’s planes. He’s got a new blue sign up out the front. Looks great.

She knew her friends would get that, eventually.

‘Let’s go for a little walk, shall we?’ Ryan got his gun out of the glove box and handed Jaz hers. They were the only things they’d taken with them in the car swap.

They tucked their phones in Ryan’s pockets, tucked their guns in their jeans and covered them with their shirts.

Ryan held out his hand. ‘Make it look like we’re going for a stroll.’

She didn’t need telling twice. Her hand slotted into his like it belonged there. It took a lot of effort not to smile and skip along like a person completely in love.

‘Nice day, isn’t it?’

‘Better if I’d had some breakfast,’ she said. Her stomach groaned on cue.

Ryan laughed and looked so casual, as if they were enjoying a wander.

They walked past the big hangar, taking in as much detail as they could, got to the end of the road and turned back. This time Ryan headed towards the building, which had a small entry office. ‘Shall we ask someone for help?’

‘What? Go in there?’

‘Why not?’ he said. ‘We’ll see more if we can get inside. We’ll wing it.’

The small door wasn’t locked so they stepped inside. Just as the door buzzer sounded a man had walked in from the back entry, and he had a gun with a silencer on the end in his hand and blood across his shirt. Not what either of them were expecting.

Ryan and Jaz froze.

‘Who are you?’ the man with the gun asked as he tried to hide it behind his back.

But their eyes were on the blood splatter pattern across his shirt.

‘Um … we were just looking for Pete Tolland. Is he here?’ said Ryan.

The man frowned. You could see he was thinking about what to do. ‘No one here by that name.’

She knew Ryan didn’t want them to turn around and leave; one, because the guy might spot the guns hidden on them and two, what would he do if their backs were turned?

‘Okay, no worries, we’ll ah … try the next building,’ said Ryan as he shielded Jaz with his arm and stepped towards the door.

The man in the bloody shirt raised his gun and pointed it at them. ‘I don’t think so.’

Chapter 25

The handgun remained pointed at them, going from Ryan to Jaz. Now what?

It was a stand-off. Nobody moved or spoke.

‘Hey, Jeff, what’s taking so long?’ yelled another man.

Jeff, the guy with the gun, didn’t move or reply. Jaz could see he was still uncertain about what he should do.

‘There you are,’ said the guy who’d called out before. ‘What’re you doing?’ He stepped into the office from the shed area. He had a silver ring through his eyebrow and a black circle in his earlobe. Then he turned and saw Jaz and Ryan. ‘What the fuck?’ His hand automatically went to his hip where a gun was tucked into his pants. ‘Jeff. What’re you doing?’

‘They saw me, with the gun and my shirt,’ Jeff tried to whisper. ‘I didn’t know what to do. Do we …?’

Jaz shivered. She knew damn well what Jeff was implying.

‘Fuck man, the boss will be pissed.’ Earring guy looked out the small front window. ‘Who are you two?’ he demanded.

‘We were just looking for a friend who works around here. We didn’t mean to bother anyone. We didn’t see anything,’ said Ryan, putting his hands up. ‘We just want to leave.’

‘Don’t hurt us, please,’ begged Jaz. She hoped the look of an innocent girl might be enough to let them go.

‘Fuck.’ Earring man rubbed his head with both his hands. ‘Take them out back. Boss hates loose ends.’ Drawing his gun he trained it on Jaz. ‘Sorry folks, you picked the wrong building today.’ He motioned with his gun for them to head out back.

Jaz glanced at Ryan, who nodded and reached for her protectively. They had to act the part of scared people, which Jaz was, she just didn’t want to cry about it.

She put her hand behind Ryan’s back, looking like she was clinging onto him when in fact she’d pulled out her phone. Burying her head into Ryan’s side, she could just see her screen and sent Anna one simple message.

SOS

Then she slipped the phone into Ryan’s back pocket just as the second man walked out behind them. She arched her back so her shirt hung loose over the gun, hiding it. They were herded through the back door into a massive hangar that had two charter planes inside. One looked as if it was being prepared for a flight, with two guys in overalls checking it over. Jaz swallowed hard when she noticed the splatter of blood in the far corner by a generator. Black plastic had obviously been on the floor and was now wrapped around a long body shape. Except the plastic hadn’t caught all of it, red drops like paint blown through a straw splattered the cream cement. A similar pattern was on Jeff’s shirt. Jaz’s stomach rolled as she wondered who was lying in that plastic and what had they done to deserve being shot? A man nearby was about to pick up the body when he saw them enter.

All up Jaz counted five men. Two working on the plane, who didn’t seem to have guns, the guy by the body who had a pistol in his pants, and then the two idiots behind Ryan and herself.

As the rest of the men in the hangar spotted them, they all came to a standstill.

‘What’s going on?’ said a voice coming from the aeroplane. He came out, put down a package of some sort.

Make that six men.

Had the man on the plane been hiding drugs ready to take somewhere? He descended the steps. Jaz drew in a sharp breath just as Ryan’s grip on her intensified. It was Salvatore. Salvatore De Luca. Drug runner. Killer. All time bad man.

Would he remember Jaz from the casino? She hoped not. A red dress and make-up made for good camouflage. Surely her jeans and blue t-shirt, with her hair back in a ponytail, would distance her from the casino Jaz?

‘I see we have guests. Jeff, please explain,’ said Sal as he reached ground with his shiny black leather shoes. He wore black dress pants and a grey button-up shirt with lots of gold accessories. He oozed money and importance.

Jaz was struck again at how imposing he seemed, similar to how she felt when she first met Ryan; that they had hidden depth, held themselves strongly and commanded attention. Salvatore was a handsome man for his age, his hair full and dark, his skin even and unblemished. But it was his piercing black eyes that scared her the most.

‘Um, they caught me off guard,’ said Jeff pointing to his shirt and the gun. ‘I didn’t think it would be safe to let them go. We can’t afford attention right now.’

‘We promise not to mention anything,’ begged Ryan. ‘Let me and my girl go, please.’

Salvatore put his a finger to his lips, as if he was deciding what wine to have with his dessert instead of how to deal with them. Jaz hoped it wasn’t death. That black plastic was not her friend. She shivered and crossed her arms.

Salvatore nodded to the man in the back corner. Next thing he was dragging over the roll of black plastic.

‘Oh shit,’ mumbled Jaz. She was ready to go for her gun and slaughter as many as she could before she was buried in that plastic. She glanced at Ryan, waiting for his signal. She knew it would come. Ryan would not let them die here. He gave her the smallest signal, wait.

The plastic was rolled out in front of them. Maybe Salvatore was just trying to scare them.

‘I’m sorry it has to be this way. You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.’ Salvatore’s gaze settled on Jaz.

Was he wondering how old she was? Maybe he felt bad?

He grimaced, then sighed. ‘I really am stuck between a hard rock and a hard place and I have no choice.’ Salvatore pointed his finger towards the ground.

This must be a well-known signal with his mates because the next second she felt a knee in the back of her leg.

‘Kneel down,’ said Jeff behind her.

She refused to move. Neither had Ryan.

Jeff cracked Ryan over the head with the gun, he fell to his knees while shaking his head.

‘No!’ screamed Jaz. She turned to spit or punch at Jeff, or maybe both, but he grabbed her shoulder, clamping down and pushing her forward. Jaz landed on the plastic, her knees hitting the hard floor and her hands slapping so hard her medallion swung forward and hit her in the face. All she could think about was her gun. Was it still hidden? She couldn’t bear to lose it, she’d only just got it. It was a birthday present for crying out loud. And it was engraved!