'And you're never fucking grateful.'
It sounded like a script they'd played too often in the past and I didn't want to watch a re-run. I moved away and left them to it. After a few more exchanges they were both crying and Billie's breath was coming in ever shorter gasps. At this rate, I wouldn't have the forty-eight hours to work with. Eventually there was silence in the room and I could hear the birds outside and the resounding thunk of Tommy's slasher.
Billie sucked in a painful gulp of air. 'Please, please… please… no cops.' She picked up the pills and popped them into her mouth with a big gulp of brandy.
Sharon jumped forward to try to stop her but Billie swallowed and lay back with a smile on her face. 'Don't worry, sis. I've built up a lot of tolerance. Just let me dream for a bit. And, Sharon…?'
'Yes.'
'I want that twenty grand.'
Sharon looked at me helplessly. 'I should just piss off and leave you and her to work it out. Taking care of Sarah, that's my responsibility.'
'Won't work, Sharon. Clement and Greaves both know you're involved. But you should get on to Sarah and tell her to stick close to her boyfriend and be careful about where they go.'
'Great. They'll love that, like being in a movie. I don't think.'
'Can't be helped. Is there any chance Clement or Greaves can find out where Sammy is?'
Sharon considered. 'No, but I take your point. Another reason why I can't just walk away. Come on, Cliff, you're the man of action who's dealt with these sorts of bastards for years. What can we do? Don't forget I'm paying you.'
I grinned. 'Out of Billie's twenty thou.'
Sharon looked at her sister on the bed. She appeared to be sleeping, but with Billie, who could be sure?
'Fuck Billie. I almost wish that sadistic prick had-'
'No you don't. I've been thinking it over. The only thing to do is to set Clement and Greaves at odds. Hope they cancel each other out.'
'How d'we do that?'
'Go easy. I haven't got that far yet.'
'You probably broke that bandy one's jaw and wrecked his dental work.'
I shrugged. 'Staying out of his way is one of the things I'm doing here.'
'It was sort of exciting though.'
'Don't get hooked on it.'
'What do you mean?'
'I've seen it happen. I've seen people, perfectly normal ones, drawn into this kind of thing and they get a taste for it. I knew a bloke like that who robbed a bank just to keep the adrenalin running after he got into some trouble that wasn't his fault.'
'Don't worry. I'm a country girl now and that's what I'm getting back to, ASA bloody P.'
21
'Cliff,' Sharon called. 'Someone's coming.'
A car had pulled up in the street. I raced into the bedroom and picked up the. 38. I couldn't see how either Clement or Greaves could know where we were, but strange things happen. I stood by a window and watched the gate. Steve Kooti and Mary Latekefu came into view and hailed Tommy, still hacking away in a corner of the yard. Nothing to be done. They saw the Falcon. They went across and talked to him. Tommy gestured in the direction of the house. Perfectly natural for him to tell his nurse aunt there was a sick woman inside.
I met her at the back door. She scowled when she saw the gun in my hand, pushed me aside and went in to where Billie was sleeping-maybe.
'What in the world is going on here, Mr Hardy?' she said. 'That woman should be in hospital, and what are you doing with a gun where my nephew's working? I warn you, if you get him in any trouble I'll..'
Kooti appeared beside her. I'd put the gun away but he heard what she'd said and wasn't happy.
'Answer her,' he said.
Sharon came into the room. Mary Latekefu hadn't met her, saw the resemblance, but wasn't mollified. 'Your sister is very sick.'
'We had a doctor here this morning. A nurse is coming to give her some antibiotics.'
The big Polynesian woman, looking even bigger in her civvies than she had in her nurses' uniform, gave a short laugh and stalked to the back door. 'Nurse! This place is filthy. She needs proper care in a proper hospital.'
'It's a long story, Sister,' I said. 'We had to find somewhere safe for a while. I'm sure Tommy's not in any danger and he's not involved in the… mess.'
'What kind of mess?' Kooti asked.
'Important people, big money and some casualties.'
'What kind of casualties?'
'Fatal.'
'That's enough. We're taking Thomas out of here now and I'm reporting you to the police.'
'No!'
Tommy fronted up with his slasher over his shoulder. He had a strip of cloth tied around his forehead and his body was running with sweat. His jaw was set and his eyes were bright. He looked something like a guerrilla jungle fighter, ready to die for his cause.
'Thomas, you have to get away from these people.'
Tommy carefully leaned the slasher against the house, took off his bandanna and wiped his face. 'No, Aunty. You're wrong. Cliff here's my friend and I trust him. I'm not in any kind of trouble. I've got a job to do and I'm going to do it.'
'That woman could die and you'd-'
'A doctor came. He said she had some sort of infection and he's treating her. If she's not improved by tonight she's going to hospital. Right, Cliff, Sharon?'
'Right,' I said, although he'd just cut my time to manoeuvre in half.
Kooti looked at his nephew with amazement. 'That's about the most I've ever heard you say at one time, Tommy.'
'Uncle Steve,' Tommy said, 'the man who owns this house trusts me, Cliff trusts me. No one much ever trusted me before. You remember what a piss-head, cone-head, fuckwit I was out at Liston? Well, I haven't had a drink or any dope for days and I don't want it.'
Mary Latekefu shook her head disapprovingly at the language, but I could see she was impressed with Tommy's resolution. Still, she was hard to move. 'Who's the doctor?'
'An old friend of mine. He's gone out on a limb for us.'
'People do that a lot for you, do they, Mr Hardy?'
'Sometimes. Billie benefited from the time she spent in the hospital, thanks to you. She doesn't seem to be having any withdrawal problems. She's been eating and drinking a bit. Apparently her temperature and other signs aren't too bad. All I can tell you is that she's in serious danger if she goes into hospital before we can… resolve her problem. I can't say more than that.'
'You're a smooth talker, Hardy,' Kooti said.
To my surprise, Sharon flared up. 'He's a lot more than that. Please, we just need a little more time.'
'Mary?' Kooti said.
She went back into Billie's room and was away for a few minutes while the rest of us just stood about. When she returned she looked at her watch. 'Either I get a call from this doctor by midday tomorrow reporting on her condition or what hospital she's in or I report all this to the authorities. Stephen and I are staying in Sydney for a few days. Stephen has my mobile number.'
