Wyatt uncoiled from the wall and unfolded his arms. I havent said no, Dern. Give me the addresses of these places and Ill check them out. If one looks promising, Ill be in touch. But that will only be the start. Well need equipment, vehicles, somewhere quiet to stay. All that costs money. Are you good for it?
Dern scowled. He looked glossy but it was perspiration, not good health or enthusiasm. The enthusiasm was gone, worn down by the cold hard stamp that Wyatt was slapping on things. He took a notebook from his pocket and scrawled in it. I can go to five grand, he said, tearing off a sheet and extending it to Wyatt.
Wyatt pocketed it. Fine. Well meet again tomorrow, same time.
Here?
Wyatt shook his head. I dont like to stay in one place too long. Harbutt will let you know where.
When they were gone Wyatt lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. It was pebble-dashed, painted white, ringed here and there with water stains. The room resembled a prison cellmonastic, bare, grubby. He thought about Dern and the woman. Dern was a windbag. Thea could be a handicap. He didnt trust her. She carried grievances around with her and was liable to play both sides against the middle.
He thought then about the woman called Anna Reid who had soured things for him in Melbourne a few months back. She was calculating, cool under pressure, a professional. Like him, shed put the job first, and hed been in the way. Shed had her own agenda. In the end he had tumbled to what shed been doing and had stopped her, but not soon enough to do anything about the repercussions that had robbed him of his permanent base and forced him into going on the run. He probably should have shot her. It was an article of Wyatts faith never to give anyone a second chance to cross him. But something had held him back, the might-have-been element in their relationship and the knowledge that she was someone he understood and could work with, not against.
The woman calling herself Thea was no match.
Wyatt lay like that for two hours. When the knock came at eight oclock, instinct told him who it was. Cops didnt tap meekly like that.
He opened the door. Youre making a mistake.
She had her arms crossed protectively over her chest. Arent you at least going to ask me in?
She didnt wait for a reply but slipped past him into the room. She was full of mannerisms, little shoulder hunches, darting looks and mock wicked grins like a wife who knew she was misbehaving herself. Wyatt searched outside, then closed the door. You shouldnt have come.
A drink would be nice. You didnt even offer us a cup of tea before.
Wyatt pointed at the tiny refrigerator. Help yourself.
She pouted. Charming. Very gallant.
Say what you have to say and get out.
She crouched at the open door of the refrigerator. Scotch… gin… Ill have a vodka. She perched on the edge of the bed and unscrewed the cap of the little bottle. Cheers.
Does Dern know youre here?
Dern. A nice man, but, you know, a bit like a cuddly uncle.
Whats your problem, Maxine?
You are. Dont you know that? Weve got unfinished business from before. She searched for the right word. Closure, thats what I missed out on back then. You just cleared out on me.
It was finished.
Not as far as I was concerned. When I saw you in action this evening, demolishing all Derns clever ideas, I thought, what am I doing with him? Why arent I with you? You and me, wed get things done and have fun doing it.
Wyatt shook his head. It was over for him here. There would be no job with Harbutt or Dern or anyone else. Get out, he said.
She came close and placed the palms of both hands flat on his chest. You dont mean that. Cant I stay a while? Ray thinks Ive gone to see a friend.
Wyatt clamped his hands around her wrists until the pain showed in her face. He turned her around, shoved her toward the door. Out, he said.
But then headlights blazed beyond the curtain in the courtyard window and he knew he was too late. There were two vehicles and the lights went out, doors banged, and Dern started pounding on the door. He didnt seem to know who he wanted. Lake, you in there? You bastard. Thea, I know youre there. Come out, slag.
Wyatt went to the door and opened it. Dern was there, tense, his fists close to his chest. Behind him, at the door of the second car, was Harbutt. He shrugged apologetically at Wyatt. Sorry, pal.
Dern burst into the motel room, large and agitated, swinging his fists uselessly. Wyatt stepped calmly into a gap and drove his knee into Derns groin. The big man doubled over and dropped to the floor. He gasped and writhed until the pain eased.
Ray, Thea said. She bent over him. Did he hurt you?
Dern pushed her away. Fuck off.
I was just talking over the job with him.
Dern screamed, I said fuck off. Oh, Jesus, it hurts.
Thea persisted. You should know his real name is Wyatt, not Lake. Hes bad news. You dont go in lightly with someone like that. I was just checking things out with him first.
Wyatt dragged her outside and slammed her spine against Derns Fairmont. He swung back his hand, slapped her so hard she rocked on her feet. Stop stuffing me around, broadcasting to the whole world who I am. Get in your boyfriends car and shut the fuck up.
Mate?
Harbutt stepped into the light, holding a cigarette. Im sorry, mate. He got this bee in a bonnet about you and her after we left this evening and had to come back. I tried to talk him out of it.
Wyatt nodded curtly. The jobs off. Im out of here.
Harbutt dropped his cigarette, ground it out with his shoe. Thats what I thought youd say. A shame. A couple of them jobs had promise.
Wyatt had nothing to say in reply to that. He went back into his motel room. Dern was in the bathroom, the door closed. There were the sounds of water being scooped and sloshed behind the door and he guessed that Dern was soothing his overheated groin.
Wyatt packed everything he owned into a carrier bag and walked outside. Harbutt was smoking another cigarette.
Mate, I could see what was happening, how it was all one way between Thea and you. Ill let Dern know nothing happened, you werent interested.
I dont care what you tell him. I dont care what he thinks. Its nothing to do with me.
The last Wyatt saw of Thea was her pinched face in the passenger seat of Derns car, begging a cigarette from Harbutt. He walked away from the motel, wondering at the binds and knots that people got themselves into over feelings.
Four
We found him, Mack Stolle said, and then Im afraid we lost him again.
He put the receiver to his other ear, reached for a pen and doodled on the pad in front of him. Hed been working on the Battle of Waterloo: Nelson, Hornblower, belching cannons, torn rigging above sailors with cutlasses in their teeth.
Thats what I said, and I stand by it, Stolle said. Eighty-seven per cent success rate in tracking missing persons.
He drew a splintered hole above the waterline in a French frigate. Thats right, near Mt Gambier. Hes on the run. You sure you want this bloke found? He beat up my operatives and got away from them.
Stolle looked up then, at the man in the chair across from him. No, I certainly will not be putting the same men on this case again. In fact, Ill be doing it myself.
Mostyn, bruised and sorry-looking, stirred in the office chair.
No. Yes. Thank you, Stolle said. Bye for now.
He replaced the handset. No guesses who that was.
She pissed off with us?
Stolle stuck his forefinger in his ear and agitated it. You could say that.
Im sorry, boss, Mostyn said.
Youre sorry. Im the one thats sorry. If you two pricks hadnt fucked up Id have delivered him to Brisbane by now. Id be on the Gold Coast, happy as a pig in shit, squandering our hard-earned fee at the roulette table in the Monte Carlo. He looked at Mostyn sharply. What went wrong anyway? Wheres young Whitney?