Bowen's blood ran down Jay's forehead, stinging his eyes before dripping onto his lips. He shook his head, leaned as far to one side as his chained hands would allow and vomited beside Bowen's corpse.
He had seen broken bodies before, the blood-soaked faces of the enemy, missing limbs and begging for a mercy killing. Chilling images from Afghanistan and Iraq floated through his mind. Matted beards and bloodshot eyes sprinkled with dust and debris. Women wailing over the bodies of loved ones crumpled beside their AK-47s and RPGs. He had looked into innocent eyes that had taken a stray round. Sorrow, pain, evil and redemption. War was about loss, not gain. Evil thrived in war but was born within society. He was prepared for the psychological impacts of war but nothing could have prepared him for the slaughter he had just witnessed.
At the sound of Catherine's boots, Jay raised his head and looked toward the door. The pistol in her hand had been replaced with a green army towel. Her face showed no emotion as she handed it to Primrose. Jay knew that he had underestimated her.
'Thank you, darling,' Primrose said. He wiped the blood from his face and hands and threw the towel toward the door. Catherine handed him the key to the cuffs, still attached to his left wrist. He removed the copper comb from his pocket and ran it through his thinning hair. The blood put a sheen through it, making him look even more demonic. With the smeared blood around his lips, he resembled a clown as he grinned, an evil clown.
'Very clever, Jay,' he said. 'How did you know?'
Jay spat out more blood and vomit. 'Undo the handcuffs so I can wipe the blood from my face.'
'Sorry, can't do.'
Jay shook his head. He held Primrose's gaze to avoid looking at Bowen.
Primrose retrieved the towel and wiped it hard down Jay's face. Even through clenched lips, Jay could taste blood. It made him dry-retch.
Primrose told Catherine to find a plastic bag for the bloodied towel.
'There. Now answer the question,' Primrose said.
Jay coughed and tried to control his breathing. 'You're a sick fuck.'
'Granted. You almost ruined my moment. Now, how is it that you know?'
Jay took his time answering. He waited until the anger played at Primrose's temples. 'I've unlocked handcuffs thousands of times. Your whore wife wasn't too subtle with yours.'
'Careful Jay, you wouldn't want to end up like the good major here, would you?'
'You would have killed me by now if that's what you intended.'
Primrose nodded and considered his next question. 'You were onto it before the handcuffs.'
Jay's confidence grew as he realised Primrose needed him alive – for the time being. He cleared his throat. 'Despite knowing that only commissioned officers have access to that system, the boss was convinced I still had access. Only one person I know could have made him think that. And I bet it was done during foreplay.'
Primrose chuckled. 'You really do know my wife well.'
'Even convinced him that he should print the document in case I tried to delete it. Is that right?'
'I've always told Catherine never to underestimate you. You have a sharp mind. There is one more thing that may have given it away, though. How smart are you, Jay?'
'Two more, actually. The first was Cliffe and Taylor. They didn't lie. I don't finish any interrogation until I know the truth. Catherine set it all up. Bowen didn't pay them a visit, otherwise he would've known what they told me.'
'Like the visitor you had?'
Primrose knew about Sarah. Jay wasn't expecting the comment. 'Now you're fishing,' he said.
'Maybe. What's the other thing that gave it away?'
'Same reason you can't kill me just yet. Catherine knew I got a call before we came here. I told her it was my lawyer. You don't know who it was or what information I may have told him or her. She mentioned something to you when she unlocked your cuffs. Easy assumption that it was about the call.'
'She does whisper too loud sometimes, doesn't she?'
'So what happens now?' Jay asked.
'You are the one with the answers. Why don't you tell me?'
'I figure a straight swap. My silence for my father, unharmed.'
'Interesting. Yet I doubt that you'll keep your silence.'
'You have my word. I've kept the Iraq thing secret long enough. I know how to keep secrets. Sub Rosa, right?'
Primrose's grin widened. 'You have been doing your homework. I'm impressed. I'll think about your offer. Here's mine. You'll keep silent because I have your father. Once you're safely behind bars and have proved to me that you can keep your mouth shut, your father will be released.'
Jay hadn't thought about time behind bars. 'Why do I get the feeling that you are about to screw me over?' He knew if he went to prison, Primrose would find a way to kill him eventually.
'You have my word,' Primrose said.
'Like Lazarau?'
'No. Lazarau got greedy.' Primrose checked his watch. 'Now, I need you to take the rap for this little incident here with the good major. After searching your room, the authorities will find a video of you raping my wife along with the recording device. Catherine will inform the police she was ashamed to tell me about the rape and that she told Major Bowen. The calls from Bowen to your mobile will place both of you here at the same time. All in all, solid evidence, don't you think?'
'Do you ever think, Primrose, that maybe you should be seeing a shrink?'
'Defiant to the end. Don't go messing around when you go down for this. Remember I have your father.'
Jay tensed his muscles. He had never thought about killing anyone in his life. Until now.
Catherine returned with a plastic bag and placed the bloodied towel inside. She took up a position to the side of Primrose. Jay noticed her stealing a glance at the bloodied corpse and watched the colour drain from her face. The plastic bag shook in her hands.
Primrose continued. 'I don't know how you managed to get out of here last time but I doubt it'll happen again. Catherine is staying here this time. Seems that you managed to kidnap her earlier this evening. Brought her to your meeting with the major. In your killing rage, she managed to get out, lock the door and raise the alarm. Now that's airtight.'
Jay knew the answer but thought he would ask anyway. 'How do you explain how I got to pick her up when my car is in Brisbane?'
'The stolen military police vehicle, of course. Has your prints all over it. Thank you for setting that up for us. It'll be moved to my house soon enough. And before you ask, there is a leave of absence slip for me in the major's office. I've got a week's approved leave. Gone camping to clear my head. You know, a little trouble with the wife. She's been very isolated lately and wouldn't tell me what was wrong.'
'Got it all figured out, haven't you?'
'Yes.'
'Any loose ends?' Jay asked.
'I have your father if anything pops up.'
'You know I'm going to kill you. Lay one hand on him and I'll make it painful.'
'You have me scared now, Sergeant Ryan.'
Jay clenched his jaw and stared ahead. Resigned to the fact that Primrose had set him up well. God, how had he missed the signs? If only he'd been more cautious, more thorough with his analysis. For fuck's sake, he was supposed to be Australia's best interrogator. Maybe he'd listened to the hype for too long. The more people tell you how good you are at your job, the more you believe them. Where was Sarah? He hoped she was safe, and could get him out of this mess.
A sudden movement caught his attention. Primrose stepped to his left and launched a backhand toward Catherine. It caught her flush and sent her down hard on the concrete.
She crawled on her knees to the door and pulled herself up. An attempt to wipe the blood from her nose met with the shake of Primrose's head. The same occurred when she attempted to straighten her hair. She stood at the door. Her knees trembled and the plastic bag shook in her hands.
Primrose turned back to Jay. 'The things we do for authenticity.'
Jay held his breath, wide-eyed at what he'd witnessed.
Primrose moved around Bowen's corpse and kicked into the side of Jay's chair. Jay's head hit the floor, stunning him. His shoulder took enough of the force to soften the collision between the concrete and his ear. Primrose removed the handcuffs.
Stealing a glance toward the door, he noted Primrose placing the handcuffs on Catherine. He looked back at the corpse. Bowen's eyes bored through him. Jay shuddered in revulsion and jerked away from the body, using his legs to push himself and the chair into the far corner. He pulled his legs into a foetal position, shutting out the horror he'd just experienced.
Primrose came into his view and crouched beside Bowen's body. He tilted his head toward Jay and raised his hand high.
He sunk the knife deep into Bowen's chest.