FIFTEEN

Taylor talked for just over half an hour. He provided detailed responses to each and every one of Jay's questions. Concerned the responses came too easily, Jay pressured and asked multiple check questions to ensure the integrity of the answers given. When satisfied he had gained all he needed, Jay left Taylor to thaw out with a hot shower and returned to the study.

Sarah gave him a curious look as he walked in. 'That was quick,' she said.

'He was happy to talk for a hot shower.'

Sarah smiled. 'That's going to be a wee bit difficult with those zip-ties on.'

'I cut them off.'

Her smile vanished. 'What?'

'I cut them off,' he repeated.

'Don't be telling me he is in there by himself, unrestrained?'

'Yep.'

Sarah raced out of the chair and grabbed at the back of her jeans for her Glock. She rushed past Jay and out of the study. Jay waited for her to return. It didn't take long. This will be interesting, he thought.

She put the Glock back in her jeans before closing the door and accosting Jay. 'What the fuck were you thinking?' she asked, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

'Bit difficult to shower when you're restrained. Don't tend to soap up enough,' he said. He enjoyed seeing Sarah flustered.

'Enough with the funny-guy answers,' she snapped back. 'He jumped out of the fucking window and disappeared. Why the fuck would you leave him in there unrestrained?'

Jay remained silent, allowing Sarah to calm. Got quite a mouth on her too, he thought.

She raised her eyebrows. 'Unless you knew he would make a run for it?'

'I got everything I needed from him. He was baggage from here on in. He needs to think that he's escaped.'

Sarah reddened. 'That's bullshit. Don't forget that I'm the government agent here. I've allowed you a lot of leeway because of your history and your father's. But enough is enough. This is wrong. I've got an investigation to conduct. Are you forgetting about Lazarau and the missing documents? Are you forgetting that he's dead?'

Jay didn't want Sarah to get the upper hand. 'Are you forgetting that I've been tortured, tattooed and pissed on? My father is missing and quite frankly, at this stage I don't give a flying rat's arse about Lazarau and your missing documents.'

A staring contest commenced. It didn't last long before Sarah sat down at the computer. 'So that was our tension moment, I suppose,' she said.

'Probably sexual tension,' Jay said.

'You see, there you go again, can't –'

'OK. OK. Sorry,' he said. 'I've always found that you need to keep a sense of humour in situations like this.'

'Yeah. Ha fucking ha. Tell me what happened,' she said.

Jay sat on the edge of the desk. 'Taylor said Cliffe is the leader and organiser. But that's obvious. Good guess with the SASR link, if I may say so. Both were mechanics and deployed to East Timor with the SASR. Both were discharged about six months ago for failing a drug test. Times are tough and their cash has dried up. They put out some feelers for freelance work. They're living in a unit in Perth and got an envelope with instructions to call a number. Anyway, long story short, they got paid airfares and accommodation at a local hotel for the next week. Five thousand dollars was waiting in the hotel when they got here three days ago. They spent five hundred on the pistol and figured they would save some cash by just getting the one. The uniforms and boots came from a disposal store and the van was taken from the local base last night.'

Sarah ran a hand through her hair as she took notes.

Jay continued. 'Cliffe was the one who did the organising and communicating via mobile phone. The job was to pick me up and bring me to a caravan some time tonight. Cliffe knows the exact timings and place. It seems that Cliffe wouldn't tell Taylor all the details. Taylor figures it's because Cliffe has arranged for an additional payment once the drop-off has been made. That's about all he had to say of interest, except to add that their employer was female.'

Sarah stopped taking notes and looked up at Jay. 'Female?'

'Yep. And there's only one female I know who would want to kidnap me.'

'I hope you're going to say Catherine Primrose.'

Jay nodded. 'Have you got an answer back from your requests through the Agency?'

'On her?' she asked.

'Her first.'

Sarah leant back in the chair. 'I need some honesty from you first. Let me put this to you. That weak bullshit about you being blackmailed because of your dad doesn't fly. Stop thinking that you can pull the wool over my eyes. Remember, I was young and inexperienced when you interrogated me. I've done a lot of interesting things since then and I've enough experience to know when a story doesn't add up. I also know that the story you told me is close to the truth. You just left out the vital details. Before I share my information, perhaps you can tell me everything that happened.'

Jay rubbed his chin. She had a point. 'They claimed to have a tape of me in a . . . compromising situation.'

'Compromising? Like what?' she asked, probing.

'Compromising . . . with Catherine Primrose.'

'Just spit it out. So you fucked her? So what. You're single, aren't you? And she's an obvious whore. Who cares?'

It sounded like Sarah cared more than she offered in her response. 'It's a bit more complicated than that.'

'Here we go. What's the complication?' she asked.

'It's not important. Just my problem to deal with. Now, can we drop it and get on with finding my father?'

'No. We can't just get on with it! You want my help and I want the truth. Stop messing around and tell me what's the complication?'

Jay looked at the door and back at Sarah. 'Between you and me only or we go our separate ways.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Fine.'

'Catherine asked me out for a drink one night while hubby was away. We ended up back at her place and things happened.'

'Things? Like sex happened, you mean.'

Jay ignored the comment. 'She wanted to do some role-playing activities, if you know what I mean.'

'No, I don't know, so spell it out.'

It was Jay's turn for sarcasm. 'Yeah, sure you don't.'

Sarah raised her eyebrows.

Jay realised his last comment probably wasn't a good idea. 'We were in the hallway and she explained to me that she wanted it rough and for me to act out like I was abusing her . . .'

'Like you were raping her?'

'Yeah, like that. Anyway, I waited outside in the hall for her to use the bathroom. I assume now that it was for her to hit record on a camera. She came back out, I pushed her into the room and it started. And I suppose you can guess the rest.'

'That really is a sad story. Yet I have zero sympathy for you. Fancy someone with your intelligence allowing yourself to be placed in that situation. Men just can't keep it in their fucking pants.'

'Hey, that was uncalled for. And your little gutter mouth is starting to give me the shits. Are we going to get on with the business at hand or not?'

Sarah threw Jay a look that he didn't want to see again. He'd been kicking himself since the incident for the same reason Sarah had mentioned. He had allowed himself to be compromised. But how many men on this planet could resist the beauty of Catherine Primrose? He couldn't hold Sarah's stare any longer and looked down.

She turned back to her computer and mumbled to herself. 'Gutter mouth. I'm the gutter mouth. Interesting.' She shook her head.

'Listen. I didn't mean . . .'

Sarah held up her hand for silence. She kept taking notes.

Jay understood. He turned and walked to the kitchen.

Sarah called after him. 'Coffee. Three of them.'

Jay stopped in his tracks. He turned around so he could see Sarah through the doorway. His jaw tightened. Turning back around, he called across to Bill. 'Coffee, mate?'

Bill was already looking at him, grinning. 'Love one.'