'You're right there. But criminal charges against Clement'll serve my purpose well enough. All I ask is that I be present when this woman talks… Billie.'
'Wilhelmina.'
'What?'
'That's her name, Wilhelmina.'
'You're an annoying man, Hardy.'
'Well, I'm annoyed myself. I told Lou to keep everything under her hat and she's been filling you in.'
'As I said, I'm subsidising her work.'
'I hope you've subsidised enough to cover my retainer cheque. It bounced.'
He shook his head. 'Silly girl.'
'I wouldn't say that. Are you sure she's playing your game or one of her own?'
'Good point. We'll have to see, won't we? You're in my debt. That Polynesian would have hurt you badly. Someone still might.'
'A threat?'
'A warning. I'll be in touch through Louise.'
He'd adjusted the creases in his trousers when he'd sat down. He readjusted them now as he stood and moved to the door. I rubbed my bruised shoulder and drained the can as he left. He was right about this case making me more enemies than I needed-Manuma, Potare, Clement and his son, and Rhys Thomas, Greaves and his helpers and, for all I knew, Lou Kramer herself. My allies so far were Sharon Marchant, Tommy Larrigo and Steve Kooti. No contest. At least the only gun around was mine.
I went out to the car to check that the gun was as safe as it could be given the dodgy door. The Falcon slumped like a drunk; all four tyres had been slashed and the car was settled on the hubs.
'Yoli,' I said.
A car pulled into the area and, just as I spoke, Steve Kooti got out accompanied by a woman in nurses' uniform. They joined me by the stricken car.
'Did I hear you say Yoli?' Kooti said.
'That's right. He was here.'
Kooti examined me closely. 'That eye wasn't thumped today. Yoli doesn't seem to have done you any damage. I'm surprised.'
'He was prevented. I expect this is Nurse Latekefu.' I held out my hand.
'Sister Latekefu,' Kooti said.
She shook my hand vigorously. She was a big, solidly built woman with a firm grip. 'Tch, Stephen, it doesn't matter. I'm glad to meet you, Mr Hardy.'
'Thanks for what you've done, Sister. How is she?'
'Not well. She was in a coma or very close to it. That house was in a dreadful state, I'm ashamed to say. It's not like our people to live that way.'
'They're not our people,' Kooti said.
'You know they are, Stephen. They're just on a wrong path.'
I pointed to my room. 'Would you like to come in? I could make some coffee or something.'
'Thank you, no,' Mary Latekefu said. 'We just wanted to make sure you were all right. John Manuma said that Yoli Potare was very angry and he's a violent man. Somebody told him they'd seen your car in Liston and following us to the hospital.'
'I'd back Steve here against him.'
'I'm non-violent these days, Mr Hardy,' Kooti said.
I looked at my car and non-violence wasn't the note I wanted to strike. I unlocked the car and took the. 38 from the glove box, holding it low and out of sight of passers-by but not of them. They looked dismayed.
'I won't kid you,' I said, 'this matter involves some ruthless people. I think it'd be best if you kept your distance from this point on. I think the woman you took to hospital will be okay. I think she can be helped and protected and I'll be trying to do that, but there are complications.'
Mary Latekefu nodded. 'I met her niece. Seemed like a capable young woman.'
'Her mother, the sister, is the same.'
'We've got enough problems in Liston to be going on with,' Kooti said. 'I'm happy to leave this to you but there's one thing I want to say.'
'I can guess,' I said. 'Tommy has to be kept clear of it all.' 'Right.'
'I'll give you the address where he's living and working. I spoke to him this morning and he was hard at it. I'll try to get the phone on there and I'll get the number to you. I can't see how any of this can touch him.'
His nod said, you'd better be right. I got my notebook and scribbled down the Lilyfield address. They drove off and I rang the NRMA. After an hour or more, a tow truck arrived and I travelled for free to the nearest garage, but four new tyres were going to cost Lou Kramer and Barclay Greaves a bundle.
I hung about annoying the mechanic by my presence while the tyres were fitted and then drove back to check out of the motel. Some of the comings and goings had been observed and I got the impression they were glad to be rid of me. They didn't even try to charge for a late check-out.
I drove to the hospital and parked even further away than I had the time before and had to contend for the spot with a Volvo. By now it was early afternoon; the day had heated up and dried out and tempers were getting frayed. I made my way to the waiting room for the floor Billie was on and was greeted by several hostile faces- Sarah Marchant-Wallambi, Sharon, who'd re-dyed her hair to a dark brown and looked the more formidable for it, Lou Kramer, in professional suit and heels, and whatever-his-first-name-was McGuinness. Sharon got to her feet and advanced towards me like a one-person SWAT team.
'There you are finally,' she said. 'What the fuck is going on here?'
'Mum!' Sarah said.
'Don't Mum me.' She pointed to Lou and McGuinness. 'What're these two doing here? My sister's in a coma and-'
I wasn't in the mood for this. 'I'll tell you who should be here, and that's Mary Latekefu, the nurse who fronted those people who were holding Billie and got her out of there.'
'Well, where is she then?'
'Calm down, Sharon. You'll meet her and you should thank her. She's got other things to do.'
'And you should thank Mr Hardy, Mum. He helped to get Aunt Billie here.'
'Mr Hardy's being paid,' Sharon snapped. 'And what this bloke has to do with things I don't like to think.'
McGuinness straightened his jacket and tie and moved into a comradely stance with Lou Kramer, who was yet to even give me a glance. 'It's safe to say that all of us here are working in Ms Marchant's interest. Albeit perhaps from different angles. I'm in a position to say that when she recovers from her present condition, and I've had an assurance from the medical staff that she will recover, with the permission of her nearest of kin, Ms Marchant, she can be transferred to a private hospital where her every medical and psychological need will be met and paid for.'
Lou nodded but Sharon looked ready to claw her eyes out after disembowelling McGuinness. 'The medicos have told us bugger-all and you say they've talked to you. How come?'
McGuinness shrugged. 'Influence, Ms Marchant. Influence. When it works for you, don't knock it.'
'The question is, who're you working for?'
I left them to it and drew Lou Kramer aside. She came, reluctantly. 'You certainly played your cards close to your chest, Lou,' I said.
She shrugged. 'I had to. Barclay didn't want anyone knowing of our association.'
'I knew about it almost from day one. Did you enjoy your dinner at the Malaya the other night?'
Another shrug. 'So you're a detective. So what? I'll admit you did a great job getting hold of Billie. I'd say our business is concluded. Thank you. If you'll submit your account with your expenses…'
'That's if your retainer cheque clears.'
'It will.'
'Yeah, with Greaves backing you I suppose so. You don't really think he just wants you to nail Clement in a book, do you?'
