Private Oz (Private 7)

s.”

The man looked drained, his skin almost translucent in the light from ceiling halogens.

“An ultimatum?”

“Midnight tonight. I say ‘yes’ or Dai …”

I nodded.

“And there was this. He leaned over to a side table, picked up a small cardboard box, removed the lid and handed it to me. I peered inside and saw an ear nestled in a bed of bloodied cotton wool.

“This changes everything,” I declared. “Forget about us trying to catch the two goons who kidnapped and killed Chang. We have to get the police involved and go much higher up the gang hierarchy.”

Ho closed his eyes for a second.

“This has gone too far for Private to deal with alone,” I insisted. “And actually, by not going to the police you’re in danger of breaking the law yourself.”

Meng sniffed at that but slowly nodded. “I know.”

Chapter 83

PAM HEWES HAD just checked on the kids. They were both sound asleep. She went back downstairs and found a half-empty bottle of white wine in the refrigerator, plucked a glass from the cupboard over the sink and was walking through to the living-room when she heard a sound from outside the front door.

She froze and listened. Nothing but the regular domestic sounds, the washing machine in the laundry going through the end of its cycle, the distant hum of traffic on Military Road, fifty yards away. Then it came again, a scratching, shuffling sound from just the other side of the front door. She tiptoed across the hall and put her eye to the spy-hole.

There was nothing unusual there, the garden path, the gate to the street. A face reared into view making Pam scream and stumble back in shock. The glass and bottle slipped from her hand and shattered on the wooden floor sending wine and shards of glass across the hall.

“Pam? It’s me,” came a fractured voice.

It took her several seconds to recognize it. She yanked on the bolt and pulled the front door inwards.

Geoff stumbled into his house, unshaven and disheveled.

“My God, Geoff!” she exclaimed. “What the hell happened?”

Chapter 84

GEOFF PULLED HIMSELF upright, winced, but lifted a hand. “I’m okay.”

“You don’t look okay, darling. You’re cut.” She went to touch Geoff’s face.

“It’s alright, Pam … really.”

“What can I get you?”

“Look, I need to make a call.”

“What?”

“It’s super urgent. Then I’ll have a shower and eat something.” He pecked her on the cheek, turned toward his study and shut the door behind him.

Pam couldn’t resist listening at the door. She heard Geoff walk round his desk, tap at the phone, then start to talk.

“Brian.”

Pam could just make out the words. Her husband was speaking deliberately softly.

“Listen, buddy, I’ll tell you about it when I see you,” he said. “What’s happened at my Mosman place?… Yeah, Chester Street … Yeah … yeah. Damn, I knew it!”