Private Sydney (Private 12)

‘That’s Contigovale, known locally as CTV. It isn’t part of the organisation but is dependent on our staff to stay afloat.’

There were a small number of buildings on the ground, more like a village than a town, I thought. It had what appeared to be its own runway.

Mary asked, ‘How much land does Contigo own?’

‘Thirty-three acres surrounded by grazing land and national parks. The actual base sits above the valley, by the Casta River.’

This had to be the wealthiest non-profit organisation in the country. It made me more than curious to find out where Moss really got all the money.

Chapter 67

WE FLEW OVER a series of shipping containers, one of which was located next to a helipad.

‘Did Eric ever invite guests out here with him?’ I asked.

‘Bankers, potential donors, celebrities, politicians. We’ve brought people who begged to come out and be photographed here.’

The engine buzzed and the aircraft dropped a couple of times.

‘We fly everyone over this spot to show them what we’re developing.’

‘What’s in those?’ Mary pointed to the containers with helicopter access. There was nowhere else to land.

‘Collateral, resources. Each is filled with millions of dollars’ worth of high-tech equipment and can be opened if bankers need to see them before they approve loans. They view a couple at the base first, but they’re free to see the others if they wish.’

I was curious about the funding. ‘Did the GFC affect the organisation and make it more dependent on loans?’

Geoff checked the instruments and adjusted something I couldn’t make out. ‘The tours increased for sure, when donations slowed. Banks were banging on Mr Moss’s door, throwing million-dollar loans at him. Mr Moss is good with people. A hands-on guy. He was on every tour, answered every question. Equipment sales and contracts repay the loans and all profits go straight back into research and development.’

Mary prompted, ‘Were international businessmen interested in investing or donating?’

‘Sure. Everyone from the Chinese, Russians, Indonesians and Americans wanted to invest, even a Bollywood actor. Not that I knew who he was, although Mr Moss said he was a superstar.’

‘Do you know which ones shook on deals?’ she pushed.

‘Couldn’t say. That was all done back at the base.’

I tried to elicit more on the secret trips. ‘Did you ever wonder who he met on those other bases, or where he went?’

The plane shuddered a little. ‘Wasn’t my place.’

We were no wiser about the contracts missing from Moss’s office safe.

I had to know what the pilot thought. ‘Do you think Eric chose to resign?’

‘I can’t believe he would, and by email? This is a man who does deals with a handshake. He doesn’t text or email you. He phones. It’s all personal.’

‘Do you have any idea where he might have gone?’

‘Wish I knew,’ Geoff admitted. ‘This place was his life. He would never have given it up without a fight.’

We took in the near-vertical sandstone cliffs below; adjacent fields merged into dense forests. If Eric Moss hadn’t absconded and instead met with foul play there were infinite places to dispose of a body out here.

Chapter 68

JOHNNY AND DR Kwong reviewed the scans and billings. The first was performed at eighteen weeks’ gestation. The report by Dr Kwong’s colleague described a foetus with significant abnormalities of the lungs, heart and brain. Dr Tan concluded that the developmental abnormalities were incompatible with life. The baby was unlikely to survive beyond twenty-four weeks. The second scan described an eighteen-week pregnancy. The irregularities were identical. Only this scan was performed three weeks later.

Dr Kwong pulled up the dates on the films and viewed the first. He then located the second on the computer and placed the video recordings on dual screens. The angles and close-ups were identical.