Private Sydney (Private 12)

I thanked Darlene and watched her leave.

Mary’s finger was already poking my chest.

‘You ever dare question my loyalty again, I’m out.’

She pushed past me and slammed the door.

Chapter 8

MARY’S REACTION LEFT me stunned. She was the calm, measured one of the team.

I followed her into Kent Street where she continued to weave through workers heading to their offices.

I just missed colliding with a man in a suit, eyes down on his phone. ‘What’s really going on?’

She kept walking. ‘I won’t be a party to buying and selling babies.’

‘What the hell is that supposed to mean? It’s one background check, an hour’s work, maybe two.’

The pedestrian lights went green and we crossed, passing behind a taxi blocking the intersection. She stopped at the other side.

Frustration mounting, I tried to understand her problem. ‘What am I missing here?’

‘You let Cal affect your judgement.’

Mary could hit hard, and with precision.

We stood on the kerb in silence as a wave of people swept past, juggling coffees and briefcases.

Mary spoke first. ‘I know today is his birthday.’

We were on the corner outside the Queen Victoria Building’s Market Street entrance. A homeless man with a cardboard sign sat begging for spare change.

‘I’m not seeing your point, Mary.’

‘This couple come to you with a sob-story about wanting a child. Like they have a God-given right to breed.’

So that was it. Mary had a problem with surrogacy.

A woman with twins in a double stroller approached. We stepped out of the way, beside a cart that sold snacks and magazines. I ordered two coffees and some fruit.

Mary wasn’t finished. ‘What happens if the surrogate is carrying twins? These people target poverty-stricken women in South-East Asia. They act like it’s mail order, and they have every right to a refund if the result isn’t to their liking –’

I’d never seen Mary so worked up about a single issue, and she hadn’t even met the Finches to form an opinion of them.

‘I get it. And it’s tragic when that happens. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts and believe in the good in people. A woman is volunteering to become pregnant, for no profit. Isn’t that between her and the Finches?’

‘Do you really think a stranger will risk her health and her own family for nothing? This is baby trading no matter how you spin it.’

‘OK. You don’t agree with what the couple is doing. But if we only accepted clients whose life choices we agreed with, we’d be out of business.’

‘Today you let emotion override reason. Once you start doing that, Private will suffer.’

‘Mary, this is one background check.’

The vendor handed over the coffees. Mary took a cup, a concession of sorts towards peace.

‘I just hope this one doesn’t come back to bite us.’ She had the final say and headed back to the office.