Private Sydney (Private 12)

Chapter 75

THE CAR’S INHABITANTS hadn’t moved by the time Collette was ready to serve dinner. Alcohol flowed.

Collette pressed Callum about his work. ‘How about we have lunch tomorrow? I can come to your office this time. Where is it exactly?’

‘Sorry, babe. I’m outside on jobs tomorrow. All week, actually.’

The clang of forks on plates filled the silence.

‘You’ve never said what it is you do. I’m betting human relations.’ Collette sounded coquettish.

‘It’s pretty dull, really. I run a team of auditors. Your work sounds way more interesting.’

‘Hold that thought while I get the cheesecake.’

‘Indian food and cheesecake?’ Darlene groaned. ‘You did that, didn’t you?’

Johnny shrugged. ‘Protein and carbs, it’s a good combo.’

‘Mind if I step outside to return a call?’ they heard Callum ask.

‘No problem,’ Collette answered.

Callum emerged from the front door, phone to his ear and one in his hand. He bent down and deposited something on the front step, seemed to finish his conversation then returned inside.

‘We shouldn’t talk politics or religion,’ he began as glasses clinked again. ‘What about that poor baby who got taken? My aunt lives right near there.’

Johnny sat a little higher, still watching the dark sedan. ‘Here we go.’

The conversation inside continued. ‘It’s terrible. That poor mother. My aunt’s really shaken up about some maniac randomly killing women and babies.’

‘Maybe it wasn’t random,’ Collette said. A chair moved.

‘Tell me your theory,’ Callum said, ‘… on the lounge.’

‘Hang on.’ Johnny saw a man step out of the Ford. ‘I don’t have a good feeling about this.’

The pair waited as the man approached. Darlene dialled Collette’s phone, which went straight to voicemail.

Then the man crossed over to Collette’s side of the street.

Johnny grabbed a hoodie from the back seat and quickly pulled it over his head, with the hood up. He collected the chips, and slipped out of the car without closing the door properly. He punched Darlene’s number into his phone so she could hear everything that transpired. Johnny loped along, hunched, stopping short of Collette’s house.

The other man was holding Collette’s gate when Johnny sauntered into the yard next door.

‘Hey,’ he said loudly, pulling a chip from the bag. ‘They went to the movies. I can give them a message if you want.’

The man paused for a moment before saying, ‘My mistake. I was looking for number 28.’

‘That would be the next block down,’ Johnny said and watched the man leave. The stranger headed straight back to his car.

Johnny had already memorised the number plate when the car started up, did a U-turn and left at speed.

‘That was close. Didn’t like the look of him.’ Johnny spoke into his phone now.

‘And the bastard was after Collette’s phone. Loverboy left it on the step for his partner-in-crime. My guess is, the software was beyond him, which is why he had backup.’

Chapter 76