'Agent Jacobson from the Australian Federal Police. Who's in charge here?' Sarah addressed the military police corporal.
'That would be Major Sergeant, ma'am.'
'Pardon?'
'Major Sergeant is in charge, ma'am.'
'Rather unfortunate name, don't you think?'
'Umm ... we don't poke fun at Major Sergeant's name, ma'am.'
'Why not? It's piss funny. Where is this major with the funny name, Corporal?'
'He's inside at the crime scene, ma'am. But you can't go down there.'
'Why not, Corporal? I just showed you my badge. I can go anywhere I damn please.'
'Not down there, ma'am. I've got direct orders. I can't even go down there. Shit, we didn't even know that place existed until about an hour ago. Umm, ma'am.'
'OK, Corporal. You better start explaining what happened in there, then.'
'Umm . . .'
'Listen. You see that old guy over there by my car? The one in the suit, chewing the cigar?'
'Yes, ma'am.'
'He is the District Field Officer in charge of South-East Queensland Operations Special Coordination Branch. You heard of that branch?'
'No, ma'am.'
'Good. You're not supposed to know that it exists. In fact, I probably violated departmental protocols by telling you about it. Anyway, if I don't go back and tell him what's going on pronto he'll have my badge. And if he takes my badge, I can't feed my kid. Now, you don't want to be the one responsible for not feeding my kid, do you?'
'Umm . . . no, ma'am.'
'Good. What the hell happened here?'
'OK, ma'am. Please don't tell Major Sergeant that I told you though.'
'Your secret's safe with me.'
The corporal looked around as though he were checking to make sure nobody was listening in, obviously forgetting Jay was in the van. 'The local security guys responded to an alarm. When they got here, a woman in handcuffs was roaming the building. Looked like she'd been beaten up. She told the guards she'd been kidnapped and brought here. She alleged that she had been raped by this same person some weeks ago and assumed that he was going to do it again. She said that when they got here a Major Bowen was waiting for them in the secret interrogation room.'
'I see. That must have been terrifying for her. Where is she now?'
'Ambulance took her to the base hospital.'
Sarah nodded. 'OK, good. I'll speak with her after her medical examination. What else?'
'It is alleged the kidnapper repeatedly stabbed Major Bowen. While this was happening, the woman managed to get out of the room and lock the door behind her. When we came, Major Sergeant went down there, arrested him and brought him up here. We've called the local police and they're on their way.'
'That's why we're here, Corporal. We've got jurisdiction because the crime occurred on federal property. Who is the prisoner?'
'He hasn't spoken a word but the victim identified him as Sergeant Jay Ryan. Apparently he is some big-shot military interrogator – well that's what Major Sergeant said.'
'Where is the suspect now?'
'Umm . . . right behind me, ma'am.'
Jay could see Sarah and the corporal looking across at him. Sarah winked.
Sarah took out her mobile phone. 'OK, Corporal, take the prisoner and place him in the back of my car.'
'Umm . . . I'll have to wait for orders from Major Sergeant, ma'am.'
'Don't worry, I'll clear it. Even though it's just gone daybreak, I'm going to call the Chief of the Defence Force.'
'You know the Chief of the Defence Force, ma'am?'
Sarah started pressing buttons on her phone. 'He's my uncle. Now hurry up and move the prisoner before the District Field Officer in charge of South-East Queensland Operations Special Coordination Branch gets pissed off.'
The corporal appeared to hesitate for a moment before moving to the back of the van. He unlatched the door and waved a hand at Jay, indicating for him to move out. Jay edged forward on his backside until his feet dangled out the back. With one last slide, he pushed out and landed beside the corporal. He looked at Sarah. She was on the phone, having an animated conversation. Jay guessed there was nobody on the other end of the line. The corporal closed the back of the van and nudged Jay toward Bill's two-door Monaro. Jay marvelled at the stupidity of the corporal. No agency could afford a car like that.
Bill opened the front passenger door and moved the seat forward. The corporal pushed Jay through the narrow gap. Bill remained quiet as Jay watched Sarah and the corporal in conversation. Their interaction concluded with the corporal handing Sarah something and she walked back to the Monaro.
Sarah got into the driver's seat at the same time as a military policeman walked out of the Centre. She started the car and did a u-turn. Jay looked back to see an animated discussion between the two military policemen. They stopped and looked toward Jay. In an instant, both raced toward their van.
'You might want to get this beast moving, Sarah,' Jay said.
Sarah floored the accelerator, ignored the camp's strict speed restrictions and raced Bill's car out of the barracks and onto the main road.
With each corner through the hinterland's coiled streets, Jay slid across the leather backseat, hands still cuffed. 'Shit,' he said. 'Did that meathead give you the keys to these cuffs?'
Sarah handed the key to Bill, who unlocked the handcuffs.
'How you feeling, boy?' Bill asked.
'How the hell do I look?'
Bill raised his eyebrows and turned back in his seat as Sarah glided the Monaro at speed through a tightly cut overpass. They headed down the other side and Jay's stomach flipped as though he were on a rollercoaster. The high-performance car responded well to the conditions and handled the narrow roads effortlessly under Sarah's guidance.
Sarah glared at Jay through the rearview mirror. 'You're welcome,' she said, matching his attitude.
'Yeah, sorry guys,' he said, losing the edge in his voice. 'That was a nightmare.'
'What's going on?' Sarah asked.
Jay was more than impressed by Sarah's handling of the powerful Monaro. And he felt safe enough at the high speed she was driving. He stretched out across the backseat, removed his jacket and divulged to Sarah and Bill the horror he'd witnessed at the Centre and the coded message from his father. 'And that's when I heard your voice,' Jay concluded, rubbing the side of his head where it had hit the cement. 'Shit, that hurts.'
'I think we lost those fools,' Bill remarked as they hit the highway to Brisbane.
Jay watched the rearview mirror, waiting for Sarah to speak, and yet she said nothing. He'd just told her that his boss was dead and he'd been framed; and still she said nothing, not even 'I'm glad you're OK'. He'd surprised himself with how happy he was to see her again. But it seemed she was indifferent to him. 'Cat got your tongue, Agent?' he asked.
Sarah glared into the rearview mirror. 'We've got some re-grouping to do to figure out where we go from here,' she said. 'I need more time to think about the message from your father. You sure you got it right?'
'Yeah.' Jay didn't want to have to analyse it again just yet. He didn't have the energy for an argument with Sarah. 'Where are we headed?' he asked.
'I figure we should get a hotel in the city. Easier to blend in and hide the car.'
'Monaro,' Bill said.
'Hide the Monaro,' she said.
'You're worried about the name of a car when I'm wanted for rape and murder?'
'It's a Monaro,' Bill said.
'Whatever. Did you hear what I said?'
'I heard. Just saying it's a Monaro.'
'OK you two,' Sarah said. 'It's a fucking Monaro and it drives like a dream, which you would know if you had a licence, Bill.'
'You're kidding me?' Jay asked.
'Just because I have a nice car, doesn't mean I have to drive it,' Bill said.
Jay shook his head and changed the subject. 'What happened to you, Sarah?' he asked. 'I tried ringing to tell you I was headed for Canungra.'
'Yeah, sorry about that. I ran into a little bit of trouble.'
Bill snickered.
Jay leaned forward between the front seats. 'What kind of trouble?'
'Nothing to worry about. The main thing is that we're here now.'
Bill let out another snicker.
Jay turned to Bill.
'What the hell is wrong with you? Care to tell me what happened?'
'Don't you dare,' Sarah said to Bill.
'Someone better tell me what happened.'
'It's not important,' she said.
Jay ignored her. 'Bill?'
Bill burst into laughter.
Jay smiled, confused. His smile widened as he watched Sarah's face redden around her pursed lips.
'Shut up, old man,' she said.
The comment set Bill off. He bent forward on the dash, head in his hands. He struggled to breathe because of the laughter.
'Shit!' Sarah hit the steering wheel with her palm. 'I got delayed by a dog.'
'What?' Jay asked.
'A fucking dog bailed me up after I jumped a fence, OK? No big deal.'
Jay grinned. 'Fair enough. Why didn't you just jump back over the fence?'
'Look. I hid in a cubby house, and the dog blocked my way out. Happy?'
Jay put his hand to his mouth, trying to cover his grin. 'Why didn't you answer your phone?'
'It fell out of my pocket as I jumped the fence –'
'And the dog chewed on it like a bone,' Bill interrupted. 'She was lucky to get it back!' he roared.
Jay fell back in his seat and laughed along with Bill. Sarah pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car and lit a cigarette. Through his tears, Jay could see Sarah was about halfway through her cigarette before he stopped sniggering.
Bill calmed down too. 'Get out there and comfort her, boy,' he said.
Jay shrugged, pushed forward the driver's seat and joined Sarah at the front of the car.
She quickly wiped tears away. 'Finished?'
'Come on. After what I've seen today, I was worried about you. It's just a great relief, that's all.'
'It's embarrassing and unprofessional. An old man had to save me from a fucking dog.'
'Just forget about it. All over now. Won't be mentioned again.'
'Promise?'
'Promise.'
'So ... you were really worried about me, hey?'
'Yes, I was.'
Jay noted a slight upturn of her lip as she ground out her cigarette.
'Let's go,' she said.