Chapter
FORTY- SEVEN

‘He’s a dark horse,’ said Mary as they pulled up at Drummond’s front door. ‘He never said a word about getting a new car. That little Mini looks gorgeous. Bit girly though don’t you think Tony?’ It was the Saturday evening after Teresa’s arrival at the farm.

Tony Maud smiled at his wife affectionately. ‘Mary, there is nothing girly about Andy. Perhaps a bit more sensitive than most blokes, but nothing girly.’

She had just finished speaking when light spilled onto the drive and Drummond stood in the open doorway, a wide and happy grin upon his face. ‘Come on you lot you’ll drown out there! Isn’t this the best wet for years?‘

Both of them put his cheerfulness down to the rain. Mary stepped inside saying, ‘You’re a sly one. When did you get that great little car?’

Drummond laughed. ‘I am indeed a sly one. It’s not mine, it belongs to Teresa.’ As if by magic, Teresa appeared from behind him, laughter in her eyes, a smile upon her face.

‘Don’t blame me,’ she laughed. ‘He wanted to surprise you Mary. He reckons you’ve been giving him a hard time. Hello, I’m Teresa Marchese. Andy has told me what wonderful friends you are and I’m really pleased to meet you.’ Teresa stepped forward, hand outstretched.

Tony was gobsmacked. He recognised Teresa instantly and was struggling to find a response. Drummond saw his dilemma and said comfortably, ‘Tony, you know who Teresa is, but don’t worry – all will be revealed.’

‘Well,’ said Mary, looking quizzically between all three, ‘I don’t know who you are and I don’t care. I can see already what you’ve done for this man. Pleased to meet you, and this big galoot is Tony.’ Warmly shaking Teresa’s hand Mary gave Drummond an affectionate hug and presented him with the beer.

‘Come inside, it’s warmer and more comfortable.’

Tony shuffled forward, extending his hand to his friend. ‘G’day cobber. Have to say I agree with Mary, you are a bloody surprise packet.’ He stepped forward again, hand outstretched. ‘Hello Teresa. Sorry about my bad manners. Knowing this bloke as well as I do there’s bound to be a story. Nice to meet you.’

Teresa’s smile broadened, her eyes crinkling with humour. She shook Tony’s hand warmly accepting his apology. ‘Yes, there is a story and we are hoping you will have a major part in it. I am genuinely happy to meet you.’

‘Listen up folks. Seeing it’s so bloody cold and damp Teresa and I made mulled wine earlier using some of the new Marson Sangiovese from Mount Camel. Like to try it? We reckon it’s a treat.’ In a few minutes they were grouped around the fire in the big room sipping the hot, spicy, red wine and enjoying its richness.

After a leisurely dinner full of banter they took their coffee and cognac and regrouped again in the chairs and couch around the fire. An air of expectancy bubbled impatiently in Tony and Mary as they sat in front of the crackling flames. Rain drummed steadily on the roof.

Looking serious and choosing his words carefully, Drummond addressed his friends. ‘We are pleased you two are here to listen to a long and painful story. We’ll try and keep it brief, but the thing is, we’ve reached a point where we need help, police help – your help Tony. We need you to tell us what to do next and how to do it.’

Tony nodded, suspecting that what was coming would be well beyond his means at the little bush station.

‘First off, although we talked over dinner about how Teresa and I met and how we feel about each other, what you don’t know Mary that Tony does is that Teresa has Mafia links.’

Mary glanced at Teresa: concern, bafflement, distress and anger all present at once. She loved Andy as a brother and immediately feared more grief for him.

Self conscious, Teresa was compelled to say, ‘I assure you Mary, none of this was planned. As you now know, we met under strange circumstances and our feelings quietly ambushed us. Believe me, I’m very aware that my background makes this friendship complicated. But I couldn’t get him out of my head.’ She smiled at Drummond. ‘It just happened.’

Drummond nodded to her affectionately then settled himself in his chair. ‘It’s hard to know where to begin,’ he said, reflectively, ‘it’s taken quite a bit of work to put this tale together. For me, the starting point was the truck fire last May, for Teresa it began in 1975.’

Carefully, concisely, Drummond began to relate what he had discovered about the Aldrittsons since the truck fire. He explained the relationship between Pescaro and Jack Aldrittson, the illicit dumping, plans for a treatment centre at Timmering and the political machinations to have the scheme approved through Ben Aldrittson. He detailed Ben’s activities concerning the bribes, kickbacks, manipulation, spy network and Swiss accounts.

Teresa followed with what she had learned from Pescaro about the deaths of her father and Angelina Pescaro. Briefly, she explained Pescaro’s empire with its capos and criminal interests, his police informers and the current tensions involving the Russian Mafiya.

Mary and Tony sat enthralled, expressions of disbelief, anger and dismay moving over their faces like clouds across the sun. When Teresa concluded with an outline of Baker’s apparent paedophile ring, Mary leapt to her feet, quivering with indignation. ‘This is disgusting! On top of everything you’ve just confirmed my worst suspicions about politicians – they’re all corrupt.’

‘Steady on Mary,’ said Tony, ‘that’s not right at all.’

‘Tony, you well know my views about politicians. They don’t practise what they preach, they lie, they’re masters of hypocrisy, they set rules for others but not themselves, they rort perks and allowances, they favour big business over little people and, in this country, the feds especially, prostitute themselves – and us – to that rotten bloody USA. Don’t tell me how to think about politicians, they disgust me!’ She stormed into the kitchen, her words hanging in the air like a firestorm, a searing condemnation of democratic governance.

Tony looked abashed. ‘Sorry mate. I think you stoked her prejudices. Look, just so we all understand what’s going on here, there are some things I need to know. For instance, Teresa, what does Pescaro think you are doing this weekend?’

‘He knows I’m here Tony, but he thinks I’m having a naughty weekend to dredge information from Andy about Santini’s death and the Aldrittsons. He wants me to establish if Andy is a threat to him because, at the moment, he believes it was Andy who was under Santini’s car.’

Maud nodded and smiled fleetingly at her comment. ‘Were you followed? Do you expect to be watched here?’

‘I am sure I wasn’t followed but,’ she hesitated and looked at Drummond who remained expressionless, ‘Mario Embone at Tooborac is one of Giuseppe’s men. I couldn’t say if he’s been asked to do anything.’

Tony was surprised. Embone was well known as a hard worker, not entirely anti-social, but certainly private. ‘What do you know about him?’

‘Not much I’m afraid. From the little I hear about him I’d say he’s a “sleeper”. He’s occasionally kept an eye on the Timmering development, you know, persuaded people by killing or stealing their stock. But not much otherwise.’

‘Is he a violent man?’

Drummond’s earlier warning about the shot into his kitchen and not telling Tony about it rang in her ears. She paused before answering. Imperceptibly, Andy shook his head.

Quickly glancing between them Tony said, ‘Am I missing something here? What aren’t you telling me?’ He was frowning.

‘He’s very low level,’ she hedged, ‘but the thing is, until you’re thrown the ball, you never quite know what will happen.’

Mary entered with fresh tea and coffee. ‘I’m sorry about my outburst before,’ she said remorsefully, ‘I shouldn’t get so huffy. I feel I diminished what you were telling us.’

Teresa said, ‘No problems Mary. I understand how upsetting all this must sound. You can’t begin to imagine how I felt when I learned that much of my life has been a lie.’

Tony said thoughtfully, ‘Teresa, it’s clear that you are central to everything in this. What are your expectations?’

She considered his question a few moments before responding. ‘I have to see things put right for my parents and Angelina Pescaro and I can only do that in court. For me, that is the only way I can absolve the lie I have lived so far.’

She looked to Drummond and then Tony before continuing slowly. ‘I am also hoping there might be something for Andy and me at the end of this. For instance, if this does get to court I would, in all probability, be a principal witness. Without being melodramatic, that responsibility is a death sentence for me – it’s the Mafia way. Not only that, because I know so much about Giuseppe’s empire, every effort will be made to ensure my death quickly. I know all the lawyers and accountants and they will make every aspect of any prosecution as difficult and vicious as possible. Just from self interest if nothing else. That means other people will also be threatened with death. Finally, it’s a certainty that any convictions will be fought all the way to the High Court. And then there’s Ben Aldrittson. I want to see him brought to his knees. My expectation is that this will be ugly, protracted, violent, expensive and possibly end my life, but I want to go on with it.’

There was prolonged silence as her words registered.

Teresa continued quietly. ‘Andy and I have discussed witness protection but we know nothing about it. We know none of this will be easy, but there are no short cuts to integrity. We want to face this together and we need support.’

‘There’s no bloody doubt about that,’ said Tony forcefully. ‘The important question for me is: how do you propose to get away with this? Sure, we can do witness protection but the danger period is between making the decision and taking the action. Many witnesses equivocate and either end up dead or seriously injured. Either way, the outcome is the same: no witness, no case!’

‘I understand that Tony, and I’m not planning on becoming one of those statistics. But, I can’t walk out on Pescaro right now. I’d be dead before the end of the day. There are things going on with the Russians for which I have to make arrangements. Returning to do that will allay suspicion about my weekend up here. After that, we’ll have to play it by ear.’

‘What arrangements?’ Maud demanded.

‘Giuseppe wants to use the migration laws to have the Russians expelled. I’ve got most of the material together and believe it would be foolish not to let that run, especially when there is a strong probability of success. And, it will be lawful.’

‘Okay, last question. Is your evidence legitimate? If it’s tainted by any illegality, you can kiss much of this case goodbye. And based on what we’ve heard tonight well … that would be a crying shame. We do need to pull this off because the outcome could be massive. So, please indulge my caution.’

Teresa smiled obliquely. ‘I think all the evidence is okay. When I get to talk to the investigators I guess we’ll find out.’

Maud eyed her sceptically but said, ‘All I can do from here is facilitate access to the right people. Even so, up here in the sticks, that could still be difficult. I promise to walk you through everything to minimise any glitches. One of my mates in town is connected to the Witness Protection Program, Witsec for short. I can talk to him and get back to you. I’ve never used it myself and I don’t want to mislead anyone. How long will you be here Teresa?’

‘I have to go back some time Monday – I can’t stay beyond that.’

‘In that case, I’ll try Rod tomorrow morning. How about Mary and I come out at four tomorrow afternoon?’

‘Sure,’ said Drummond, ‘We were thinking of going to Bendigo tomorrow for a look around, so four would be good. Mary’s presence might also help. You know, ease any suspicions if that bloody Embone is poking around. We can’t be too careful.’

‘Done. That okay by you Mair?’

‘In future,’ said Mary nodding to Tony, ‘don’t dare do anything involving these two without me. Teresa, you’ll learn I can be pretty blunt and to the point so I’ll just say this: I like you and understand why Andy already seems to care so much for you. I hope to God it works out for you both. I really am looking forward to knowing you better because I suspect there’s great substance in that little body of yours.’

Drummond laughed. ‘How perceptive of you Mary. Teresa, tell them about your encounter with Ben Aldrittson on Friday afternoon.’

By the time Teresa concluded her account, Tony was quietly grinning and Mary was punching the air shouting, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes! Go girl!’ They all laughed at her pleasure with the outcome.