Authors: Fiona Palmer
‘Like mould on cheese,’ he teased.
‘Let’s go, Steph,’ said Jaz. ‘No love here.’ She headed to the front door, with Steph a few steps behind, after saying goodbye to everyone.
‘Don’t have too much fun without me,’ Jaz called out when she reached the doorway.
‘Don’t let Steph lead you astray,’ Ryan yelled back.
Jaz turned, taking in his form. He stood there, jeans, bare feet, his hands on his hips and the dark mysterious eyes that she fell for first. The sight of him drove her heart up into her mouth. Would that feeling ever disappear?
Steph, who had paused beside her, was watching the interaction with an amused expression. Hopefully that didn’t get her into hot water. ‘So, where to first?’ she asked, hoping to shift her thoughts back to the wedding.
‘Everywhere, Jaz. I have a whole list.’
And she did. Steph had found her wedding dress with her mum a few days before and now was trying to find bridesmaids’ dresses and her wedding shoes. The worst thing was, without her bridesmaids Jaz became the token mannequin. But it wasn’t as bad as it sounded and was more fun when Steph’s friend Suzie could finally make it. Even if she did have baby spit on her shoulder and the token messy mummy ponytail. Steph and Suzie even helped her find an outfit to wear to her birthday party, along with matching shoes.
‘This will knock his socks off,’ said Steph, admiring their choice.
‘You don’t think it’s a bit much for an eighteenth?’ said Jaz. The soft white strapless dress hugged her bust, her waist and then fell in soft folds to mid thigh, just enough to cover her scar. Jaz frowned when she thought back on Steph’s words.
‘What do you mean “his”?’ She changed out of the dress, and decided she had to buy it.
‘Ryan. He’ll love it.’
Jaz was trying to put her top back on but put it on backwards. She felt a little flustered and was glad Steph couldn’t see the red face she could feel burning her skin. ‘Um, we’re just friends.’ Finally she got her shirt on the right way but she was too scared to go out and face Steph.
‘What I saw begs to differ.’
Jaz grabbed her bag and the dress, walked out of the change rooms and straight to the counter to pay for it. Steph came and stood beside her.
‘Tell me I’m wrong.’
She fumbled handing over her credit card and then looked for Suzie, anything to avoid facing Steph.
Suzie was walking to the change rooms with an armful of dresses.
‘Well, am I? Jaz?’
After taking her bag and thanking the assistant, Jaz turned to Steph and shrugged. ‘I like your brother, what’s not to like?’ Jaz knew she couldn’t get away with lying to Steph so she tried the truth, of sorts.
‘Ah-huh. I thought so. Are you more than friends?’ she asked. They stood back near Suzie’s change room, waiting to see if she’d found anything good.
‘No, and I don’t think we ever will be. I’m happy with being friends.’ Bullshit. Jaz almost smiled at her own lie. Well, it was sort of a lie. Yes, she wanted more, but she knew that wouldn’t happen so staying friends was better than nothing.
‘Really? I’m sure he cares about you.’ Steph touched her arm gently. Her concern just made her so much more likable.
‘Oh, he does, in his own way, I’m sure. But that’s it.’
‘Well, I think we can change his mind. This dress will be a start. Then, when I tell him he has to bring you to the wedding, we can work on him some more.’
Steph’s wedding was still a few months away.
‘What do you think of this one, Steph?’ said Suzie, as she came out in a bright pink strapless dress.
‘I said no pink, Suze. Take it off,’ she said with repulsion.
Suzie laughed and went back to change. ‘I have a blue one here that I think is the one.’
Lucky for Jaz that was the last of the talk about Ryan. It was sweet that Steph cared, but it only made Jaz get her hopes up dreaming of what could be instead of what it really was. No dress was good enough to change that.
Ryan had been busy for most of the week, leaving Jaz doing Taylor’s training with the help of Bags and Tick. She paid both men through the gym as Pax said to do.
‘Ryan came in earlier,’ said Pax after they finished working on some chokeholds.
Jaz missed the cinnamon with a hint of coffee smell that used to follow Pax, it was replaced by something resembling mothballs and breath mints.
‘He did?’ Jaz picked up her towel and wiped away some sweat. ‘What did he say?’
Pax nodded towards Tay. ‘He said you have an appointment with James tomorrow at four thirty.’
‘Yes,’ Taylor said with a fist pump. ‘I thought it’d never happen.’
‘It’s only Wednesday,’ Pax reminded him.
When it came to patience, Tay had as much as Jaz.
‘Hey, Jazinator.’
She turned, confused by the voice coming from the front door. Cody was walking towards them with a cocky smile. Still looking like a surfie in board shorts, a singlet and thongs.
‘What’re you doing here?’
‘Come to see you, is that okay?’ He gave her a wink.
She couldn’t help but smile. Even after she’d put him on his butt after propositioning her, he still didn’t give up. ‘What did I do to deserve that?’ she said.
‘I’ve got a gig for ya.’
Jaz frowned but Pax was nodding.
‘Ryan mentioned this, you’re to help Cody out this arvo if you can?’ said Pax.
A loud curse rang out from through the office, followed by quick footsteps. ‘Pax, I think I’ve stuffed it. I need your help,’ yelled Anna as she ran out of the office. She stopped her panic mode when she saw the extra person. ‘Oh, hi Cody.’
‘Anna banana, hey sweet thing. How’s my partner in crime?’
Anna didn’t take offence, nor was she swayed by his flirtatious ways. But she did laugh. They were all getting used to Cody.
‘Not going on your team again that’s for sure. I bags Ryan next,’ she said, referring to their last paintball game.
They were slaughtered by Ryan and Taylor. Tay had taken great delight in reliving the whole event many times during their afternoon gym sessions.
‘So you need help?’ Pax asked, getting back on track.
‘Oh yeah, it’s stuck and I think it’s melting the plastic.’ She pulled a face and together Pax and Anna headed back to his special room.
‘Let’s go into the office, Bags is due in soon for a session.’ Cody and Tay followed her in and shut the door. ‘So, what you need me for?’
‘We are keeping an eye on a guy, we take over the shift in twenty minutes.’
‘Right. You do know I’m busy,’ she said.
Tay nudged her shoulder. ‘It’s okay, I can spend time on the punching bag and do push-ups and stuff. I’ll cope.’
‘Alright, good plan.’ Jaz asked Cody, ‘How long will we be? Do I need a cover?’
He shook his head, making his hair move like a scraggly mop across the floor. ‘Our shift ends at seven so you can get home in time. Okay?’
‘Yep. I’ll just get changed.’
When she came back in her jeans and sweatshirt, she pocketed her phone and wallet. Tay had gone back to working out, hitting the bag with gusto, while Cody waited outside sitting on the hood of his old jeep.
‘Let’s go.’
She jumped in the front, flicking food wrappers off the seat and kicking the iced coffee cartons at her feet. ‘Gross, Cody.’
‘Yeah, sorry. Didn’t have time to clean up, the waves were good.’
He took off while her eyes were still rolling. ‘So, fill me in, what’s the go?’
‘We got a hit about this bloke selling drugs, we’ve been following his every move waiting to see who his seller is, which will hopefully lead us further up the chain. We’re just to watch from a distance, not to interact or be seen.’
‘Righto.’ On the drive to their target’s location they ran through their signs again to refresh their memories.
Cody drove down a busy street; cars were parked in every available spot along the road. This part of Fremantle was popular with locals and tourists alike. ‘Good luck finding a spot,’ said Jaz.
The old jeep slowed down and Cody put his flicker on to park, but there was nowhere. Just as she was about to explain this, a blue Mazda parked in front indicated to leave, giving Cody the perfect spot. ‘How?’
‘They’re the ones we are taking over from.’ Cody grinned like a schoolboy as he parked. ‘You thought I was awesome, didn’t you.’
‘No. Just lucky,’ she said with a chuckle. ‘So where’s our target?’
Cody described what he looked like and said he was working in a record shop that sold old vinyls. ‘See that green building ahead?’
It had one big window next to a door and it was sandwiched between a coffee shop selling coffee and cake for six dollars, and a souvenir place for tourists. Painted boomerangs and stuffed koalas spilled out onto path.
‘So we wait and see if he leaves? Can I go in there and get a good look at him?’
‘Sure, good plan. I already know what he looks like, I’ve been doing this gig all week with the others.’
Jaz strolled down the path slowly and paused when she got to the record shop, to peruse the small box out the front with CDs on special. Grabbing an old Rolling Stones CD, she headed inside and walked along the back wall, checking out what else was on offer. A girl with black leggings, black Doc Martins and a check shirt was sorting through a row of CDs in the back corner, while a man fitting the target’s description sat behind the counter reading a magazine. She wondered if this was his shop? Good way to switch money through, maybe.
Putting the Stone’s CD on the counter she pulled out her wallet. ‘Just this, thanks.’
‘Yep,’ said the guy, putting down his magazine. He groaned as he got up. If he moved any slower, Jaz would likely age three years. On the plus side, she had plenty of time to study him. Mid-twenties, scrawny, jeans held up by a black belt, tattoo sleeve up one arm, nothing specific about any of them besides the usual cross, lion, gun and roses with thorns. His face was gaunt, eyes brown but red-rimmed. She wouldn’t want to be stuck working with him, that’s for sure. He handed her the change and sat back down, leaving Jaz to collect her CD and leave. She stopped at the coffee shop and brought two coffees. She sat on one of the outside tables, and after a few minutes Cody joined her.
‘Sorry, but I don’t fancy sitting in your messy car any longer than I have to.’
‘Fair enough.’
After their coffee they walked the streets, but one of them had eyes on the shop the whole time. After five they returned to the car in preparation for close of business. Sure enough, the target locked up and headed down the street one minute after. ‘I’ll follow on foot.’
Jaz jumped out and kept the man in her sights. He didn’t stop but went straight to a car park. Cody was driving past after doing his second loop and Jaz waved him down. Together they followed the man. He went to the bank, stopped at the bottle shop and headed to the TAB.
‘I’ll go in and see if he meets with anyone.’ Cody was gone for half an hour before he returned after the target had left.
‘He’s just got back into his car,’ she said as he started his jeep.
‘Nothing out of the usual inside.’
The man drove back to a house and pulled in the driveway. Jaz craned her neck as they went past. ‘I know that house.’
‘You do?’ said Cody.
‘Yeah, Ryan and I followed a kid at my school here. We think this dude was his supplier.’
‘Ah, well that makes sense then. This came from Ryan.’
He did a lap of the block and came back to park a few houses down in a position where they could see the car and front door.
‘He’s leaving again, that was quick. He has a package,’ said Jaz.
‘Did you want to check out the house while I follow him, and I’ll text you when it looks like we’re headed back? He has no housemates.’
‘Hasn’t someone done that already?’
‘Yep, but you never know when they will leave something incriminating behind. An address, a number. Think you’re up to it?’ Cody asked.
They ducked down as the target’s car drove past. Jaz opened her door. ‘I’ll be waiting for your text.’
‘If I’m not back by seven, there’s a bus stop a block away.’
She nodded, shut the door and watched him drive off. It was still light so she had to walk up the street as if she belonged here. Jaz headed up the driveway and into the carport area.
The side window was locked and there were no dogs in the backyard that she could see or hear. Jaz climbed over the metal fence as quietly as possible and checked out the back of the house for an entry point. The back door was locked but there was a dog flap, which might just be big enough.
Shimmying through like a wriggly worm, she eventually got through but had to twist her body on an angle. The house reeked of stale smoke, dirty dishes and mouldy carpet. Jaz crept through every room, checking for cameras or any kind of traps, only because she’d seen that in movies. You really could learn a lot from films. In the dining room, she went to the table covered with bills and bits of paper. The name on the bills belonged to a Mr Paul Turner. She carefully searched through them in case something had been scribbled on the corners. Meeting points, phone numbers or names. It wasn’t like he had post-it notes.
Her phone beeped. It was Cody.
MOVE!!
Followed by another.
He only went to corner store for smokes. I hope ur out Jaz!!!
She didn’t need telling twice. Jaz ran to the back door but wasn’t even halfway through the dog flap when she heard the car pull in. Shit. Could she get out of the flap in time? She’d have to just open the door and run. Pulling herself back, she stood up, when the front door began to open. You could see the back door from the front. She couldn’t compromise this by being seen, it would stuff up future surveillance and cause him to be more cautious.
Jaz stepped into the nearby laundry and hid behind the door swiftly. Her heart pounding with the shot of adrenaline. She pressed her lips together, forcing herself to breath quietly and evenly through her nose.
Hell, how long would she be stuck here for? She prayed that this guy was as good at doing his laundry as he was doing his dishes.
She pulled out her phone, switched it to silent and sent Cody a text.