Private Sydney (Private 12)

‘I’m sorry. Doctors only see technicians and equipment reps with appointments. You’ll have to wait until September.’ She tapped at a keyboard.

Johnny showed his ID, leant over the counter top and said quietly, ‘I’m investigating this practice’s involvement in Medicare fraud in the case of a young mother who was brutally murdered.’

That caught the receptionist’s full attention. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

She wheeled back her chair and rushed off behind the scenes.

Nothing like the mention of murder and scandal to get action, Johnny thought.

A small man in a shirt and tie appeared with the receptionist. She was flushed and tugged at the hem of her shirt.

‘I’m Dr Kwong,’ he said. ‘Please come this way.’

Johnny followed him down a corridor and into a large X-ray viewing room. Multiple lit boxes held films of chests, limbs and sections of a brain scan.

‘How can I help you?’ Dr Kwong offered a seat.

‘You may have seen on the news,’ Johnny said as he sat, ‘a woman was murdered in Killara. Louise Simpson?’

The doctor lowered himself into a chair. ‘My wife went to church this morning to pray for her and the baby. Do you know if she has been found?’

‘Not yet. The woman who died supposedly had scans performed here recently and I need to see documentation of who did them and why.’

‘With any patient and medical record, there are strict confidentiality issues. I have to check with the Medical Defence Association before we can speak about any cases, even a deceased patient.’

‘I respect legality and ethics.’ Johnny leant forward. ‘There were a number of charges for ultrasounds billed to your practice. We believe Louise Simpson’s Medicare number and credit card were used in those transactions. And because of that an innocent young mother is dead. A whole lot of trouble is about to rain down on this place.’

‘I’ll make a quick call,’ Dr Kwong said. ‘What do you need to know?’

Chapter 66

GEOFF ANDREN WAS taking replacement engine parts to Contigo Valley and agreed to take us there so we could see firsthand what Eric Moss had built. I wondered if it would give us any clues as to why the Americans were so desperate to find him. All things going well, Geoff estimated we’d complete his business and the three-hundred-kilometre round trip in four hours.

We climbed on board and were handed earphones with microphones. Geoff checked his flight plan and cleared us to taxi. Once the engines were on, my stomach felt unsettled. Lack of sleep, food and a neck ache were adding up. I also hoped Collette would be safe. I had no idea who we had been targeted by. I disliked putting a team member at potential risk without knowing who we were up against.

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The one positive was that we’d be back in time to monitor her house and provide backup for Johnny and Darlene.

We were soon cleared for take-off. The engine hummed louder and we were seamlessly in the air.

Mary and Geoff chatted about the plane’s technical features and I closed my eyes for a few minutes. I could fly in helicopters and large planes. It was the small ones that unnerved me. I’d known at least two people killed in them, both due to pilot error.

And for some reason, I couldn’t get Eliza Moss out of my head. The feel of her hands, the smell of her citrus perfume.

The hum and vibration of the engine hastened the need to doze.

I was startled by Mary tapping me on the leg. ‘You’ve got to see this,’ she said into her mike.

We were flying west over the Blue Mountains. I’d never seen them from this perspective.

‘Gillies Falls.’ Our pilot pointed to the right side.

The site was spectacular even if clouds were moving in.

‘We may be in for some turbulence,’ Geoff warned.

With the plane buffeting, we passed Lithgow and came on a spectacular green valley, like something from a lost world.