Private Sydney (Private 12)

She rolled over and commando-crawled to the kitchen in the dark.

The man was quickly above and flipped her on to her back. ‘You’ll save us all trouble if you tell me where you hid it.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ She began to scream ‘Fire’ loudly, in the hope a neighbour might hear and at the least call for help.

He bent down and covered her mouth with his hand. He whispered, ‘Tell me where you hid it and this will all go away.’

She could smell his sweat and garlic breath. What frightened her most was how controlled he sounded. She had to fight.

She bit hard on his hand and swung at his head. The Buddha made heavy contact as she let go. The intruder moaned and fell back. She rolled over and dragged herself on her stomach to the kitchen, heading straight for the cupboard under the sink. She opened the door and reached inside for something, anything.

He grabbed her shoulders. ‘Tell me where it is or –’

She fired a prolonged blast of flyspray from one hand and oven cleaner with the other.

The man wailed. She kept spraying as he stumbled backwards. She felt his footsteps on the boards. He was headed to the front door. It opened and slammed. She tightened her grip on both triggers. What if he let someone else in to finish the job?

After straining to listen for what seemed like hours, there were no noises or footsteps. Eliza sat back against the cupboards and realised she’d been panting the whole time. Her fingers had cramped clutching the chemical bottles at the ready. Finally, she carried the oven cleaner with her as she crawled to the front door, pulled herself up and locked it.

With the lights now on, she held on to the wall and crept back to where she’d hit the man with the statue. There was blood spattered on the tiled floor.

‘I’d call that karma, Felix,’ she murmured and dropped the spray. Hands shaking, she called one of the numbers on the phone Craig had given her.

Chapter 79

AS MARY AND I trekked through dense bush, my burner phone vibrated. Not surprised that Moss had made sure there was reception out here, I answered but continued walking.

Before I could ask about Collette, Darlene told me there had been a break-in at Eliza Moss’s home. I assumed she was out at the work dinner she’d mentioned.

‘Anything stolen?’

‘No,’ Darlene said. ‘The guy was after something specific. Tore her bedroom apart, then wanted to know where she’d hidden it. Whatever “it” is.’

My adrenaline surged. ‘Wait. She was home at the time?’

‘She cancelled plans at the last minute. My guess is this guy wasn’t expecting to see anyone, though he was wearing a balaclava.’

I stood still. ‘Is she hurt?’

Mary stopped in her tracks and looked at me.

‘She’s shaken, but fine. Turns out she packs a mean punch with marble and is a demon with kitchen chemicals.’

I wasn’t sure what that meant but was filled with relief. Eliza was safe.

Darlene elaborated, ‘Eliza says she has no idea what he was talking about but he was prepared to hurt her to get what he came for. She was lucky this time.’

The police were on their way but Darlene said she wanted to fingerprint the place before they arrived.

Heart pounding, I asked to speak to Eliza. The phone crackled and I heard her voice.

‘I’m OK. Honestly. Darlene came straightaway.’

Mary tapped her watch. We needed to keep moving.

‘To be on the safe side, can you pack an overnight bag, and take whatever is most valuable to you? There’s a top-level security system at my place Darlene knows how to access.’

‘I’d rather go to a hotel room. They have those locks –’