The Mission (21 page)

‘Really? Maybe Ricky doesn’t like the monotonous regurgitated plots lines that have all been done before. Maybe he doesn’t like how the actors are idolised when they are no more special than you and me. Maybe he just has better things to do with his time,’ said Jaz. Maybe you just don’t like him because he has Anna, she thought.

Taylor raised his eyebrows. ‘What? Are you his best friend now?’

‘Hey, I’m just trying to figure out why you dislike the guy so much,’ she asked.

‘Ha ha, very funny. But you’re right. I shouldn’t diss him because he doesn’t like movies. I just think Anna would have loved seeing this with us.’ He sounded sad and it made Jaz miss Anna too.

‘Yeah, I wish she could have been here. No one laughs like she does. She makes the movies funnier,’ she said.

‘I know, right? You end up laughing because she is. She’s contagious.’

‘That she is,’ said Jaz, as he stopped at a light. She studied Taylor for a moment, the way his face would light up talking about Anna. Was she like that when she talked to Ryan? There goes Ryan, invading my mind again, she thought sadly.

Jaz checked the side mirror, a habit she was fast acquiring, and spotted another black Nissan X-Trail. What were the chances? Her gut was warning her to take notice. Ryan would say there are no chances and that you should check everything. So Jaz checked out the number plate, she was sure the one at the cinema had those same letters. This time she locked away the number plate more securely in her phone. 1EAM740

‘Lets take the long way home,’ she said, gesturing to a left-hand turn coming up.

‘Righto,’ said Taylor as he indicated and switched across a lane.

The Nissan was two cars back but it also indicated to turn. It never got close, always a car or two between them. The guy she’s seen at school so often also drove the same car. Maybe she’d been right thinking he’d been watching Taylor. She shivered, appalled at the thought.

There was a park coming up and public toilets. Jaz quickly hatched a plan. ‘Hey Tay, can you pull over here? I need to go to the toilet.’

‘Ha, it was that super sized Coke, wasn’t it. That’s what you get for hogging it,’ he teased, but pulled over. Jaz held her hand on the door, trying to get out slowly so she could watch the Nissan and see what it did.

‘I thought you were busting?’ said Taylor.

Jaz ignored him and got out just as the car passed. She thought it might have stopped back further if it was tailing them. As she headed around the block of toilets, she watched the car but lost sight after the bend in the road. She almost felt relieved but at the same time, she’d wanted to be right. Her gut was still churning. Maybe she was just overcautious?

‘You okay?’ asked Taylor when she got back in the car. ‘You seem a little vague.’

‘Sorry, I’m just away with the fairies I guess.’ Still feeling that sensation in the pit of her stomach, Jaz continued to search for the Nissan as Taylor drove home.

A black shape sitting in a driveway around the bend caught her eye as they went past. Was it the same one? She leant forward watching the side mirror. ‘Damn,’ she muttered, as the black vehicle reversed onto the road behind them. It was only minutes later she saw it again, nestled behind two cars. ‘Turn left here,’ she asked Taylor.

‘Why? Jaz?’

She didn’t answer him but he obeyed and turned, giving her the chance to see the Nissan turn also. Its plates were the same, she was sure of it. Jaz turned to Taylor.

‘Don’t panic, but I think we are being followed.’

Automatically Taylor looked into his rear-vision mirror. ‘Really? Where? What makes you say that?’ he asked.

Jaz told him about seeing the Nissan a few times already today and how her toilet stop had been a test.

‘What would make you think we would be followed, anyway? Do you think they want my Mustang?’ Taylor’s eyes grew big and his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. ‘Do you think this has something to do with the home invasion? The guy with the gun.’ He scoffed with the thought.

Jaz checked the mirror again and sighed. ‘That’s what I was thinking. Tay, what if this is the same guy? Maybe he’s still keeping watch for some reason. What if…’ She let her words fall away, not really sure what it could all mean. ‘Is your dad home?’

‘Yeah, he is.’

‘Let’s just go back to your place and see if they keep following,’ she said. What else could they do?

‘What do you think they want with me?’ Taylor’s voice was shaky and he’d paled a fraction. The memories of the attack probably refreshed in his mind. It certainly had for Jaz.

‘I don’t know. Maybe they are just keeping an eye on us? They haven’t made any moves. I got the number plate; do you think we could run it?’

Taylor was now watching the mirrors as much as she was as he headed for home. ‘What? Ask my dad?’

‘I don’t really want to worry your dad.’ How could Jaz tell Taylor that she thought his dad was maybe being extorted? ‘Is there anyone else who could help you out at the office?’ By office, Jaz meant the great big police station in Perth.

‘I could try Meg. She has access to the vehicle database. But Dad could do it easily. I’m sure he won’t mind.’

Jaz saw the Nissan fall back as they were coming up to Taylor’s street. Obviously they already knew where he lived. ‘Stop here, Tay. I need to run something by you.’

He pulled up short of his driveway, two houses down, but they could see Taylor’s dad’s car at home.

‘What’s going on?’ Taylor turned in his seat to face her. He even lifted his sunglasses to his head, his face full of questions.

‘I’m worried that this car and the attack are linked.’ Jaz realised the best way to take care of her best friend was to make him aware, make him cautious. ‘Look, I’ve been thinking about the attack and what the man said and about how your dad reacted.’

His brows met, creasing up his forehead. ‘What do you mean about how my dad reacted? He was worried sick.’

‘I know. But when I told him what the attacker said, about how this was your last warning, well, your dad looked as though he knew exactly what it meant.’

Taylor pulled a face and Jaz felt sure he was going to defend his dad. Who wouldn’t? ‘Jaz, you don’t — ‘

‘Taylor, just hear me out. You dad has been out of sorts lately and I think that maybe he’s being made to help out some bad guys.’

‘No, he wouldn’t do that. Dad’s as straight as they come, and he’s a Deputy Commissioner,’ said Taylor proudly.

‘Not even if they threatened his son’s life?’ Jaz reached over and grabbed his hand. ‘Tay, what if they attacked you to send a warning to your dad. To let him know just how easily they could get to you. It’s the only thing that makes sense about what the attacker said. Unless your dad owes money for something and they want him to pay up.’

‘Dad’s got heaps of money, it wouldn’t be that.’ He rubbed his face with his hand. ‘What if you’re right? Dad is in the best spot for information.’

‘I know. He could warn the bad guys about raids, and keep them in the loop of what the cops are targeting next. I’m sure some cops have no choice when their family is threatened. There are so many big bikie gangs and drug lords who would kill for the information your dad has access to.’

Taylor was quiet for ages. They both just sat, milling over their thoughts and the information. It was starting to get darker and the streetlights were all coming on.

‘What do we do, Jaz? Do I confront my dad?’ he asked softly.

‘Not yet. Let’s call Meg tomorrow and see who owns this car and we might have something to bring to your dad.’ Or Jaz would have something to take to Ryan and MTG could look into it.

‘Okay. Tomorrow at recess, we’ll ring Meg. You wanna come in?’ he asked as he started his car.

‘No, actually, can you drop me off home? I told Mum I’d be home early tonight.’

Her house was only up and around the corner, so she was home in a minute. ‘Thanks Tay. Just be careful. Watch for the Nissan. Watch for everything and tell me,’ she said. She didn’t want to scare him, but she didn’t want him complacent either.

As Taylor drove away, Jaz felt the fear grip her body. She couldn’t lose him. Hopefully the number plate turned up a lead tomorrow. But right now she had to get ready to see who Carl Sinclair was meeting tonight at eight. Adrenaline was already running through Jaz’s body from being followed, and now she was about to do her first stake-out. With jelly legs, she headed into the house.

First thing she did was tell her family that she was going out for fish and chips with Taylor. ‘I’ll be back around nine, Mum.’

Tasha gave her an exasperated look. She wanted to be able to tell Jaz what to do, but she knew she was nearly old enough to do her own thing. ‘Thanks for letting me know,’ she said with a sigh.

Jaz ran up the stairs to her room before her mum changed her mind. She threw on Ryan’s big hoody that she’d kept and grabbed her Danny Green cap that Bags got signed for her. With her jeans and black Doc Martens, she was hoping to pass as just another guy. Ryan’s jumper was baggy enough to hide her chest and she tucked her hair up under the cap.

She was about to leave when she thought about her Canon EOS camera. That could come in very handy. Opening her cupboard, she pulled out the black camera bag and checked both lenses were in there. She would try to get photos from her jeep, if it was possible.

Happy that she had everything, she snuck back downstairs and outside to her jeep. Nervously, she drove south to Fremantle and found some parking just off Mews Road so she could see the front of the shop. Did she wait here and chance missing them? Or did she go inside and risk being detected?

Jaz felt ill as she tried to run each scenario through in her mind.

Just outside the shop was a bricked-up square around a tree, which was near the entry, and she could see quite a large area from there. Even across the lawn to the boat harbour.

That was where she needed to wait. Jaz put the small lens on her camera so it fitted under her jumper easily; she hoped to get pictures of them inside by the light. Reaching across to her glove box, she pulled out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter she’d bought earlier.

She looked at the plain packaging, remembering when she’d first seen Ryan smoking and he’d explained how it was a great cover. Smoking would give her a reason to be sitting out the front of the shop in the first place. She could look like she was waiting for her order or a friend. As long as she didn’t actually drag from it she’d be okay. Her fits of coughing would ruin her attempts to blend in.

She’d have to wash her clothes soon too. If her mum caught a whiff of smoke on her she’d go ballistic. The deodorant in her glove box would come in handy.

It was seven forty-five. Jaz had better get into position in case someone came early. She fumbled with the door and cursed at her own nerves. She had faced worse in Pakistan, a night in Fremantle should be a breeze.

Jaz locked her jeep and walked across the road towards Cicerello’s. Her camera banged against her chest under the jumper as she tried to walk slowly.

Every person she passed scared her. What if it was Carl? She kept her cap low and eventually made it to the brickwork by the steps to the lawn. The tree behind her would also help cover her while she tried to get some photos.

The bricks were cold on her bum and her leg began to shake. She stopped it but then it started right back up again. She pulled a cigarette from the box and lit it. Jaz tried not to screw her face up at the smoke. It had been three years since she’d tried smoking. Anna and Taylor had tried it together with her and they’d deemed it wasn’t for them after coughing their throats raw. But they had felt cool for five seconds before that.

Jaz put the smoke to her lips, took a small drag and quickly blew it out again. She was able to stifle a cough as she glanced at her watch again. It was getting close to time. Jaz began to watch for cars and the faces of men alone. Would Carl be first?

It was a minute to eight when she saw the familiar dark hair of Carl. He was wearing his black suit pants and a white shirt without the tie. Jaz kept her cap down as low as she could without losing sight of Carl as he headed towards the shop door.

Jaz put out the cigarette and pulled out her phone. This was another great tool, as everyone was on their phones. A few people walked past and Jaz glanced up, seeing the back of a dark blue suit. Could that be the guy?

She could only just see Carl through the glass, making an order. The guy with the suit went to stand beside him and made an order too. Jaz checked her watch, it was after eight. That must be him. Glancing around her, she couldn’t see anyone coming or going. Quickly she lifted her jumper and brought her camera up to her eye as she stood beside the pine tree, trying to blend in with its branches. Using her zoom, she found Carl and clicked off a few shots. She could see his face clearly. If only the other man would turn around.

They looked like they were just two people waiting for their order and chatting. Except the facial expression on Carl was the same one he had when he took that phone call at dinner.

‘Come on, turn around,’ Jaz begged quietly. She quickly checked no one was coming and went back to looking through the camera. She hoped like hell that the lens didn’t catch the light and give her away.

The man didn’t turn around, even when Carl took his order and left. Jaz was just about having heart palpitations as she hid behind the tree while Carl went to his car. If this kept up, she’d be dead before the guy in the shop ever turned around.

Finally he stepped towards the counter for his order and turned to leave. Jaz almost screamed when his face became visible. She was so shocked she didn’t take any photos; instead, she sat down and hid the camera as fast as she could and then went about getting a cigarette out.

As the man walked back past her she tried not to shake as she attempted to light her cigarette. The smell of fish and chips followed him and Jaz couldn’t help but watch the man head over to the car park. He was in a silver Mercedes, expensive looking one. Did she risk using the camera to get his number plates or just hope he came back this way?