Peter Corris - The Coast Road

‘I haven’t got to it yet,’ I said. ‘But I’m going back now to talk to the person who’s got the answers, with no reason not to tell me. In fact she’s got every reason to tell me.’

‘Who’s that?’ Tania said.

‘Wendy Jones.’ I tapped my front teeth with the tumbler. ‘You remember her, at the casino.’ ‘Oh, yeah-the hard-faced blonde.’ ‘That’s her.’ I drained the last of the brandy and stood

up. ‘Are you going to be okay, Elizabeth?’

Tania put her hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. ‘Of course she’s okay. She’s the heroine of this episode, isn’t she? You were a bit slack, letting him get to her like that.’

‘Tania,’ Elizabeth said.

‘No, you’re right. I tried to contact Elizabeth to get her to lay low while this plan of mine went down but I couldn’t reach her. I should’ve tried harder.’

‘I was on the course.’

‘Practice makes perfect,’ I said. ‘Great five iron.’

Elizabeth’s face lit up-she was Germaine Greer the younger again.

I’d had two solid belts of brandy on an empty stomach and was feeling the effects as I drove the short distance back to Matilda’s office. I scanned the street carefully after I parked but there was no activity out of the normal. I’d told the cops where Lonsdale and his mate were hiding and they should’ve been in the bag by now. No reason to think Buckingham still had cards to play, but best to be sure. I hit the bell and announced myself. The door clicked and I went up to Matilda’s office. My feet wanted to drag a bit on the stairs and I realised that I was tired, physically and mentally, at a deep level. But I fought the feeling off, helped by the brandy buzz. I sucked in some deep breaths and went into the office.

Nothing had changed. Matilda was still behind her desk and Wendy was in the armchair. Hank sat in a chair tilted back against the wall.

‘Dull party,’ he said. ‘You bring some take-out, Cliff?’

‘No. You can go, mate. Many thanks.’

He let his chair drop and slipped out of it in his athletic fashion. ‘Ladies,’ he said and went out.

Wendy shifted in obvious discomfort. ‘My hands are numb, you fuck.’

I perched on the edge of the desk. ‘Won’t be long. Larry’s gone off to hospital with a concussion-’

‘Bullshit,’ Wendy said, but she didn’t mean it.

‘It’s true. Dr Elizabeth Farmer, Associate Professor of Linguistics, got him with a five iron about here.’ I touched the spot above my right ear. ‘Dropped him like a stone. Severe concussion, according to the paramedic. I had a word with the Wollongong cops as they were wheeling him out. Like I told you, Barton’s been talking and put Larry right in it. He’ll be under guard and there’ll be some charges. I’d guess supplying drugs, accessory to murder, maybe more. He’s gone.’

‘He’ll still have some reach from prison.’

‘That’ll be your problem. As far as I’m concerned if you tell me what I want to know and make it convincing, you walk away from the arson charge and the association with Lonsdale and Buckingham and Barton and the whole bunch.’

Wendy looked at Matilda, who offered her nothing. Wendy was tired and the events of the night had taken a big toll on her. She licked the jewelled teeth but it was just a habit now, not a statement. ‘Okay. Larry wanted the land on account of the mine shafts. There’s going to be much less traffic up around there now that the coast road’s closed for a couple of years. The mines run right back under the scarp and come up near the surface on the other side where he owns some more land. He reckoned to tunnel down to meet up with the shafts. No big deal. His idea was to set up a speed and ecstasy lab and a hydroponic dope operation underground. He’s already got all the gear-generators, pumps and all that. It’s in a police garage in Thirroul somewhere. He could build up a bloody great plant well out of sight and ship the stuff out from his own private property. It’d be worth millions.’

I watched her and mulled it over. Her behaviour was believable enough. What about the information? It sounded convincing. Our natural tendency is to think about what’s above the ground, what we can see, rather than what’s below and hidden from us. Two ways in and out from something totally concealed. I could buy it.

‘If he finds out I told you he’ll kill me.’

‘Oh, I don’t know. Could’ve been Matilda.’

Matilda shot from her chair. ‘No, I didn’t know anything about it.’

‘So you say.’ I took out my Swiss army knife and cut the plastic restraints. ‘I wouldn’t worry too much, Wendy. Larry’s got to have a lot else on his mind.’

She brought her hands around to the front slowly and massaged her wrists. ‘Yeah. He’s got investors. They’re not going to be happy.’

‘I hope they squeeze him hard. You’re going to need some leverage, Wendy. Matilda suggested you had something on Buckingham. I hope that’s true.’

‘You bet it is. Thinking about it, I’m more worried about the cops than Larry. Can I go?’

I closed the knife. ‘Yep. Just to keep you focused, I dunno about the Beemer though. I told the cops where Lonsdale and his mate were hiding. They’ve probably picked them up by now but you’d be taking a risk to go back there for the car. I suppose there’s some of your stuff there as well. Might have to settle for a quick flit on the Harley. Up to you.’

‘You bastard.’

I shrugged. ‘Hock your teeth.’

She gave me a look that would’ve stripped paint. She squared her shoulders, zipped her jacket and marched from the room. I nodded to Matilda and she released the door to the street. Minutes later I could hear the angry roar of the Harley engine as it fired up.

Matilda reached down to her bag, took out a compact and lipstick, repaired her makeup. Her hands moved over her hair as she groomed herself like a cat. When she was satisfied she got up and came around the desk. She sat down next to me, letting me latch on to her perfume and the warmth of her body.

‘So you’ve won.’

‘Looks that way. Pretty good for a dyke, eh-what Elizabeth did?’

She nodded. ‘But you don’t seem very happy about it all.’

‘A couple of good people are dead. That silly bikie bitch’ll cause more trouble before she’s through. Buckingham’s presumably got plenty of money. He’ll buy a QC who’ll work the system. He’ll sell out his investors. Let’s say they’re Asians. Call them terrorists. That’ll play with the powers that be. He’ll do some time, but it’ll be easy time.’

Her soft hand was touching one of the scabs on my cheek. ‘So why d’you bother?’

I removed the hand. ‘You should’ve seen the look on your stepdaughter’s face when it all got sorted.’

She stiffened and drew away. ‘And as for me?’

‘As for you, Tilly,’ I said, ‘you’d better hope Buckingham doesn’t decide to lower the boom on you. But I wouldn’t count on it.’

Her shoulders drooped and she seemed to shrink inside her smart suit and classy blouse. ‘I’ve got no one to turn to,’ she said.

I eased myself stiffly up off the desk and stretched. Despite all the knocks and hurts I felt invigorated. I bent, collected the cut restraints and put them in my pocket. ‘That’s the penalty for loving yourself more than anyone else,’ I said.

What I’d said to Matilda was sound enough, I thought as I drove towards Glebe. Trouble was, I couldn’t help thinking it might apply to me. It was too late and too much had happened too quickly to make such thoughts useful. On auto pilot, I got back home, parked and had the key in the door before I remembered Marisha. Had I promised to go back there? I couldn’t remember.