Fatal Mistake Page 6

  Get it together, man . . . What the bloody hell is wrong with you?

  CHAPTER 9

  Lexie felt like an invisible force was squeezing her temples, as though her head were about to split open at any second. No wonder, she thought. After Rex had scared the living hell out of her last night, then dropped the bombshell about the contract on his life, she had hardly slept.

  Even now, sitting in the Undercover Branch’s meal room with her supervisor, Detective Sergeant Rachel Dean, their commander, Detective Inspector Ron Barrington, and Batman, listening to Rex’s reasons for having to bow out of the operation, her thoughts were tangled.

  ‘My mother is very ill,’ Rex explained for Rachel’s and Batman’s benefit. ‘I need to spend time with her before . . . I’m sorry to be leaving this operation before it’s finished.’

  For Rex’s safety, everyone was being told the same story he would tonight repeat to Rocco and Lucky; only Lexie and Ron were privy to the truth. Only they knew Rex’s mother had died from a drug overdose many years earlier.

  Rachel, ever caring, jumped out of her seat, leant over Rex’s chair and gave him a warm hug. ‘I’m so sorry. We understand. We are going to miss you but we totally, totally understand.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘You poor bugger. It’s just horrible.’

  Lexie had been fortunate to have Rachel Dean as her UC supervisor on previous occasions. Almost as tall as Lexie, Rachel was a ball of bubbly energy whose animated movements were permanently stuck on fast forward. Her blonde hair met her shoulders and blue eyes lit up an attractive face that was sometimes overshadowed by her assertive personality. A straight talker without a bitchy bone in her body, Rachel had climbed the ranks, but not before earning her reputation as an incredibly well-respected and experienced UC. She knew her stuff and didn’t expect any of her operatives to do anything she wouldn’t have done. These attributes ensured she was a great boss, loved by her male and female colleagues alike.

  While Rachel was still talking to Rex, Lexie snuck a glance at Batman sitting opposite her. Besides an obligatory greeting, he’d avoided all eye contact.

  After proposed tactics for Rocco’s party were discussed, the meeting was brought to an end. Rex left to attend to personal matters. Ron returned to his office, as did Rachel, leaving Batman and Lexie alone at their respective desks. Which just happened to be right next to each other. The Undercover Branch’s premises was a converted warehouse that had once been a furniture storage facility. It had high ceilings and concrete floors. The sergeants’ and commanders’ offices were on the top floor. The operatives’ desks were on the ground floor and spread across an open floor plan,

  Jiggling the mouse, Lexie watched her computer screen come to life and contemplated how to approach Batman. They had to sort out this petty friction, this invisible wall that stood between them, before being thrown together to act as a couple. A knot was forming in her stomach as she thought about the inevitable confrontation.

  Just get it over and done with . . .

  Turing in her chair, Lexie glanced at Batman. ‘Can we talk, please?’

  Batman’s eyes remained riveted to his computer screen. ‘Nothing to talk about, Lara,’ he said, pointedly using her covert name. ‘Although I suggest you start calling me “Dylan” so you don’t accidentally call me Batman while we’re working.’ His voice was flat, emotionless.

  Lexie looked at the bland grey wall behind Batman, at a loss to know what else to do. She thought about the once flirty, cheeky detective, the friendly camaraderie they had shared, and wondered if it was irrevocably damaged.

  The tension stretched out between them like a rubber band ready to snap. This is ridiculous . . . childish. She was not going to let some stupid rift between them jeopardise this job. Nor was she going to put up with being treated like this.

  ‘I think you need to grow up a bit, Batman.’ Lexie’s voice was low, although her tone was harsher than intended.

  Now his head snapped around and he regarded her with narrowed eyes. ‘Grow up? Really?’ Batman folded his arms across his chest. ‘You didn’t even bother to tell me you were back with Josh. You could have at least paid me that respect. Instead I had to hear it from my mate, Lurch. That was real mature of you, Lexie.’

  Shocked by the venom in Batman’s voice, she stuttered, ‘I-I didn’t – didn’t get the chance to tell you anything. You – you froze me out, turned away each time I tried to approach you.’

  ‘Oh, come on, you didn’t try very hard.’

  Lexie shrank back as though hit. Normally such an aggressive stance would prompt a feisty retort. She bit her lip. If she was honest, she would admit to harbouring a sense of guilt towards Batman, yet was unsure exactly why. Did she feel responsibility for not reciprocating his feelings? Or was it perhaps that she knew, deep down, she could have dealt with the situation better?

  ‘Nothing happened between us, Batman,’ Lexie said. ‘We were workmates. I made it clear I wasn’t interested in anything but friendship. I was with Josh. Then, when we broke up, I was hurt and disillusioned. Certainly not in any fit state to even contemplate a new relationship.’

  Six months into her relationship with Josh, his sister Jenna had died. Having lost her own brother, Lexie could identify with his grief. But Josh handled things badly; had blamed himself for Jenna’s death and had pushed Lexie away, shunning her support and sympathy. He’d run off to Bali to wallow in a sea of misery and self-reproach, leaving Lexie to drown in hurt and pain. In Josh’s absence, Batman had seen an opportunity to fill his shoes. But it was never going to happen.

  ‘My emotions were all over the place. I also had the extra pressure of running my first murder investigation,’ Lexie said.

  ‘You’re full of excuses, aren’t you?’

  This was bullshit. ‘You don’t get it, Batman. I’m not obligated to inform you, or anyone, what goes on in my life.’ Lexie was getting angry, but mostly at herself. Why was she attempting to justify herself to him? Why did she feel like the bad guy here?

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she snapped, wondering why she was apologising. ‘I should have spoken to you, I suppose.’ She glimpsed sadness behind Batman’s hostility. ‘Though you must agree I never led you to believe something would happen between us. I was honest about how I felt about Josh.’

  ‘There was a spark between us, Lexie. You were never willing to recognise it.’

  Lexie dropped her head. He was right, and maybe that was part of her guilt. There was possibly a part of her that had been tempted by Batman’s attention. He was cute, fit, fun, and he seemed to really care about her. But she just couldn’t do it. Even when she’d been away from Josh, her heart had been with him. It had always been Josh.

  ‘One day, when you meet the right person, you will get it, I promise you,’ Lexie said, keeping her gaze on the floor and hoping her words didn’t sound like she was preaching.

  She heard Batman blow air through his lips.

  ‘You know what?’ he snapped suddenly. ‘Just . . . forget it.’

  Lexie stared at him. ‘I can’t just forget it. We need to sort this out. This is important and not a game. We’re going to be working together, playing a couple . . .’

  Having been lucky enough to have snagged a full-time position at the Undercover Branch, she knew Batman would be keen to prove himself. Letting personal issues interfere with work commitments was totally unprofessional.

  ‘There will be no problems,’ Batman said suddenly.

  ‘Are you sure? We have to be natural with each other. It can’t be awkward or—’

  ‘Trust me, Lexie, I was upset things didn’t work between us and pissed off at you, to be honest. But I’m over it now. Let’s consider it all sorted and concentrate on the job at hand.’

  That was a fast turn around. Lexie should have felt a sense of relief, but she didn’t.

  Batman gave her a brief smile and relaxed his body, his demeanour changing dramatically as he came to stand in front of her desk. He extended his arm and Le
xie shook his hand. ‘Friends?’ He held onto her hand. She could smell his aftershave. He wore Aramis, she remembered.

  Lexie nodded. Could it really be this easy?

  ‘I intend to do this job well,’ he said. ‘I won’t let you down in any way and I’ll have your back at all times. I know that goes both ways.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I just want to let you know I’ll be playing my part to the hilt.’

  Unsure what he meant, Lexie met his gaze head on.

  ‘By that I mean I’m going to be the best boyfriend you’ve ever had,’ Batman clarified.

  CHAPTER 10

  Josh Harrison’s stomach flew into his throat, jumped around for a terrifying moment, then landed with a thud at his feet as the helicopter ascended into the sky. Even with the headphones supplied, the sound of the blades was deafening. This was his first time in a PolAir chopper and since he was only filling in for a sick crew member, it might be his last. Josh was determined to enjoy this experience and take in the spectacular scenery below.

  Glancing out the window, or the open space where a window would usually be, he got a face full of warm air that carried with it the enticing scent of summer. The buzzing seaside township of Byron Bay was swiftly left behind as they flew north, above the lighthouse marking the most easterly point of mainland Australia, and along the jagged coastline of impressive coves and pristine beaches, to spot marijuana plants from the air.

  Banking to the right, the chopper dipped, then levelled as they headed towards the hinterland of northern New South Wales. Soon the landscape was all tropical rainforests and lush hills and valleys ripe with vegetation. Roads lined with tall palms wound around pastures scattered with sleepy cattle huddled under shady eucalyptus trees. Dwellings ranged from grand homesteads surrounded by manicured lawns, luxurious swimming pools and sweeping driveways, to more modest residences and tiny shacks. Josh even spotted a few teepees.

  Enamoured by the view, Josh totally forgot his purpose until the pilot reminded him.

  ‘We’re almost at our target location,’ said the voice through the headphones. ‘As we get closer, I’ll fly as low as I can, so keep your eyes open, we might spot more crops along the way. Usually do. The dopey bastards plant them everywhere around here.’

  Josh again glanced out the window and wondered aloud how on earth it was possible to spot marijuana plants nestled between all that undergrowth and mass of greenery.

  ‘It’s hard at first, but you get good at spotting them after a while.’ The pilot handed Josh a set of binoculars he’d pulled from somewhere beside him.

  ‘There’s a little crop down there,’ the navigator said, pointing out the window. ‘I’ll make a note of the location and come back another time.’

  Josh strained to see the crop he was talking about, but missed it.

  They were now over their destination, a property that looked like a tropical oasis, featuring a large home, an inground pool with its own waterfall and acres of grassy land.

  ‘There’s a crop of marijuana plants growing along the edge of the cliff bordering the southern side of the estate,’ the pilot told Josh. Their job was to confirm the plants were still in situ before the teams in four-wheel drives moved in to pull them out and dispose of them.

  The helicopter dropped, flying as low as power lines allowed, and hovered over a crop. It was exactly where it was supposed to be, along the plateau at the edge of the property, just before the landscape dropped into a dense valley of vegetation. A number of cows and a large brown bull stared up at them from a nearby paddock.

  ‘Can you see what I can see?’ The pilot’s voice resonated in his ears. ‘Bloody hell . . . it’s on the other side of the wire fence that marks the property line, which is where the bush starts, so it’s on Crown land.’

  ‘Bugger,’ Josh grunted. If the illegal plants were located on Crown land and not private property, possession was hard to prove, as no one could be held accountable.

  ‘I’ll land over there.’ The pilot pointed to a flat expanse of grassy land not far from the homestead.

  ‘That’s great, I’ll see if anyone’s home,’ Josh replied. It’s unlikely they wouldn’t have heard us if they are, he thought, as the chopper swooped towards the ground. And although his insides took a moment to catch up, the sensation was more like losing your stomach on a roller coaster than anything unpleasant. He watched the earth come up to meet them as they landed gently. The propeller blades continued to spin while Josh got out, bent over and ran towards the residence.

  A girl of about twenty, wearing nothing more than a white bikini, was waiting for him at the door. Her eyes were wide as they darted from the chopper to Josh and back again. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked, alarmed.

  Talking over the sound of the chopper, Josh introduced himself and handed her the occupier’s copy of the search warrant, explaining the terms stated on the warrant and that they were here to search the property for marijuana plants. ‘Do you live here?’

  The girl nodded. ‘My parents are overseas on a cruise.’ She stared down at the paper in her hand then back at Josh. ‘We don’t have any dope on our property.’

  Josh concentrated on keeping his eyes on her face, which he couldn’t help but notice was quite pretty, and away from her slender body. He would have to get her to cover up before the search team arrived or they would ogle themselves stupid.

  ‘Can I have your name and age, please?’ Josh asked.

  ‘Katrina Black,’ she said, glancing over his shoulder. ‘I’m twenty-two.’

  He turned, following her gaze, and saw the four-wheel drive winding its way along the gravel driveway.

  ‘That’s the search team,’ he told her. ‘We’re going to be going over every inch of this place, so if you’d like to save us some time, it would be wise to tell me where the plants are. We know about the ones along your property line, but it will save time if you tell us where the others are.’ Josh was bluffing. He had no idea if there were other plants.

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t smoke dope – and my parents certainly don’t.’

  Josh saw Katrina’s gaze drift over his shoulder again. Turning, he saw the navigator standing behind him. The man’s eyes were riveted on the white bikini – or more accurately, what was in it.

  ‘Um, the pilot has asked me to let you know we’re leaving. We’ve got other commitments.’ The navigator looked at Josh, then back at the bikini. ‘Unless you need us, of course . . .’

  ‘No, that’s fine.’ The air wing’s job wasn’t to search properties, it was to provide an eye from the sky. ‘I’ll go back with the ground team.’

  The navigator nodded, gave Katrina one last glance, and headed back to the chopper. As it took off into the sky and the noise faded, Josh suggested she put some clothes on and accompany them on the search. This was standard practice and thankfully she was compliant. Or possibly too bamboozled to argue.

  Katrina reappeared wearing a skimpy halterneck sundress and Josh led her to the four-wheel drive waiting nearby.

  ‘These are detectives Coffee, Hardy and Hungerford,’ he said to her before directing Chris Coffee, the driver, to the location of the plants he’d seen from the chopper.

  ‘We’ll start where we know there are plants, deal with them, then canvass the rest of the property.’

  The crop was more accessible than Josh had anticipated from the air. Twenty or so mature marijuana plants – some around five foot in height – protruded at an angle from among other scrub and vegetation.

  Karly Hardy began videoing. For the purpose of the recording, Josh again read out the conditions of the search warrant and went through all the official procedures before asking, ‘What do you know about these marijuana plants?’

  ‘I don’t know anything about them. I don’t even know what a marijuana plant looks like.’ Katrina stared straight into the video camera innocently. ‘I don’t—’ A thought seemed to hit her. ‘Hang on, that’s not our land. O
ur land stops here.’ She pointed to the fence along a flat area a few feet before the cliff started dropping away.

  Josh asked further questions but knew he was getting nowhere. Katrina pleaded ignorance to everything he put to her.

  Turning to the other detectives, Josh said, ‘Okay, Karly, keep the video running. Coffee, call another team to give us a hand pulling these out. Hungerford, take some photos, then we’ll start pulling them out.’

  ‘There’s a machete in the car,’ Karly called out to Josh. ‘There’s also garden gloves so you don’t rip your hands open.’

  They slipped easily through the wire fence and for a time worked hard, digging and pulling and stacking plants. Katrina stood by and watched silently. Another team of four arrived and assisted. Then the truck rolled up and they loaded the plants into the back for destruction. They seized twenty-four plants in total and had to leave a few that were too dangerous to reach. They would come back for them at a later date.

  ‘These plants have been here for a while,’ Josh said. ‘The only access is from your property. There is no way someone could climb up this cliff face.’ He looked over at a neighbouring property. ‘Who owns that property there?’

  ‘That’s ours also.’ Then her eyes clouded and she frowned. Katrina stared at Josh. She put her hand to her forehead. ‘Oh my god.’

  ‘What is it?’ Josh asked, feeling a stirring in his gut. Although the purpose of this operation was to discover and remove marijuana crops to eradicates their sale and distribution, Josh was of the belief there was more to the drug industry in Byron Bay and was keen to dig that bit further to see what he could discover.

  ‘I think I know exactly who planted them,’ Katrina said.

  CHAPTER 11

  Brad recognised Constable Fulton, the uniform officer guarding the outer perimeter of the crime scene at the Assassins’ clubhouse. Fulton nodded a greeting and lifted the tape for them to duck under.

  ‘Detective Sergeant Sommers, can I have your partner’s name for the log book, please?’