MacPherson killing. I told her about Barton and Henderson and the attempt on my life and how I thought Larry Buckingham was involved with them and with the killing of Tom Purcell, the undercover cop.
‘I’m sure you know him by some other name, Wendy. Tough little guy, drove a beat-up Land Cruiser. Hung around dealing dope at that shitty racetrack you bikies use.’
‘Dunno what you’re talking about.’
‘Then there’s the bugs in the telephones at the hotel. Should be some interesting stuff there. You and Buckingham.’
She didn’t react, just listened, occasionally running her tongue over her teeth jewels. I had to play the ace.
‘I’ve got a witness who saw you acting suspiciously around a house under the scarp in Wombarra. House burned down and a man died in the fire. She can identify you. That’s a big one, Wendy.’
That got her attention. ‘What the fuck d’you want?’
I leaned closer to her. She smelled of sweat and cigarettes and some of the sweat was fresh. ‘That stuff about the fire doesn’t have to come out,’ I said. ‘I can control that. And Lonsdale was acting under Buckingham’s instructions, not yours. You can probably get clear of all this. All I want from you is information.’
She licked the jewels again, then her lips. She looked across at Matilda, who turned her head away. ‘Like what?’
‘Why does Larry Buckingham want those pieces of land?’
The way she chewed the question over told me that she knew the answer. I felt a surge of excitement at being so close to it.
‘You’ll let me go if I tell you?’
‘Yeah. Might take a while and Lonsdale has to go down, but with a bit of luck you can drive off in your Beemer, win some more dough at the casino.’
She smiled. ‘Mattie Lonsdale’d like to meet you again after what you did to him in the car park. His knee’s
buggered.’
‘Too bad. Well, what’s it to be?’
Before she could answer my mobile rang again. I swore, took it out and answered it. ‘Hank?’
‘No Hank here, Hardy. This is Larry Buckingham.’
I didn’t say anything.
‘Still there, Hardy?’
‘Yes.’
‘I believe you’ve got my girl Wendy and my girl Matilda there with you, that right?’
‘Yes again.’
‘That’s cool, because I’m sitting here with your girl Dr Elizabeth Farmer and she’s not looking too happy. I’d say we have to talk, wouldn’t you?’
26
I never was much of a poker player and the women could see that something had gone wrong. My knuckles
whitened as I gripped the phone. ‘Say what you have to say.’ Wendy grinned. ‘It’s Larry, isn’t it?’ ‘Shut up!’ ‘Hey,’ Buckingham said. ‘I can hear Wendy. Tell her
everything’s going to be all right.’ ‘Larry!’ Wendy Jones yelled. ‘Sounds like you got a control problem there, Hardy.
Everything’s under control here at the doc’s place. I just
have to ask the doc a few questions. I’ll get back to you.’ ‘Wait.’ He hung up. Wendy was jigging in her chair. ‘He’s too
smart for you, dickhead. Get these fuckin’ things off me.’ ‘What is it, Hardy?’ Matilda said quietly. ‘He’s got Elizabeth. How I don’t know, but it gives him
the upper hand.’ ‘You bet it does,’ Wendy said. ‘He’s not the gentlest guy
with women. I oughta know. You better do as he says.’ ‘He hasn’t said anything yet.’ Matilda came close to biting her manicured nails. ‘You’d better let us both go. I’ll have to put distance between me
and him, and you should go and help Elizabeth.’
‘Fuck her and you too,’ Wendy said.
I said nothing, thinking hard to no purpose. The phone rang again.
‘Yes?’
‘Cliff, Cliff can you come, please?’
‘Elizabeth. Has he hurt you?’
‘No, I’ve hurt him. Tania came waltzing in and distracted him. I hit him with a five iron. He’s unconscious. He had a gun. I was so frightened.’
I could feel the smile spreading across my face. ‘How badly is he hurt?’
‘Tania says he’s concussed. She’s done first aid. What should we do? I think there’s a man outside. Tania says she saw someone.’
‘Lock the doors and call the police and an ambulance. I’ll be there before them and I’ll help you handle it. It’ll be all right.’
‘Hurry.’
‘I will.’ I hung up. Wendy wasn’t looking so chipper now. ‘Sorry, ladies, the tables have turned again. Elizabeth clobbered him with a golf club and he’s out cold. The cops are on their way.’
Matilda recovered first. ‘What now, Hardy?’
‘You both stay here. The deal’s still on.’ I rang Hank’s mobile and told him he was needed. He buzzed and I let him in. Hank stands at about 190 centimetres and is wide. He filled the doorway.
‘I want you to entertain these ladies while I’m away. Could be a while.’
‘Lucky I brought my mouth harp,’ Hank said.
I went down the stairs and out at a dead run. Elizabeth’s house was only minutes away by car and I pulled up outside to see a guy standing uncertainly by the gate. I hopped out and let him see the.38 in my hand.
‘Your boss’s inside with his head stove in. The cops are on their way. Do you want to stick around and talk to them or would you rather piss off?’
He looked at me, then at the gun, walked to a white Merc standing nearby and drove off without a word. I went through the gate and knocked on the door.
‘Elizabeth, it’s Hardy.’
The door opened slowly and Tania beckoned me in. We went down the passage to the sitting room. One wall was blood spattered. A big, dark-haired man was lying face up on the floor. The light-coloured rug was stained around his head. He wore a suit and tie and the tie had been loosened at his fat neck. Larry Buckingham had put on a lot of weight since his playing days. His eyes were closed but his chest was moving.
Elizabeth Farmer sat in a chair beside him, her hands still gripping the club. The adrenalin that had energised her when she made the phone call had gone. Her normally high, healthy colour had drained away leaving her sheet white. She looked worse than Buckingham. A pistol lay on the floor, half under a chair.
‘You called the police and the ambulance?’
Tania nodded. ‘Elizabeth, Cliff’s here. It’s all right.’
Elizabeth stared at me sightlessly. ‘I’m a teacher,’ she said slowly. ‘A scholar. I hate violence. I don’t hit people.’
‘This man played a part in the death of your father,’ I said. ‘I wouldn’t blame you if you hit him again.’
She shuddered. ‘This is awful. Awful.’
‘It’d be a lot worse if you hadn’t hit him. Tania, can you get her some brandy or something? And something for me as well.’
Tania stepped around Buckingham and bent down to kiss Elizabeth’s cheek. ‘You were wonderful, darling. I’m
