The stench of antiseptic and the clatter of metal and trolley wheels rolling along the linoleum corridors had woken her. Jill didn’t open her eyes. It was a miracle she’d escaped with only a couple of broken ribs, concussion, an array of cuts and grazes and four stitches to the back of her head. Thankfully, her nose wasn’t broken.
From the time she was allowed visitors Bea and Harry had visited and now it was Rimis’s turn. Jill was confused about what had happened in the warehouse — how they’d found her, how she’d got out. And who’d fired the shot? Had they got Wan?
‘You gave us the real run-around this time, Brennan. When I saw you on the ground I thought…’ Rimis’s voice was soft.
‘You were there?’
He nodded.
So the cavalry did come. ‘Who else?’ she asked.
‘Choi, Carver and four uniforms,’ Rimis said.
Jill nodded and looked over at the flowers and cards on the shelf opposite her bed.
‘Vincent Wan and Adam Lee?’
‘Wan didn’t make it. The bullet nicked his heart. He made it to the hospital, but he died on the table.’ Rimis moved closer to the bed and put his hand on her shoulder.
Wan was no saint, but his life had been taken. After a few seconds Jill looked at Rimis. ‘Who fired the shot?’
‘You won’t believe me when I tell you.’
‘Try me.’ Jill sat up and adjusted her hospital gown.
‘Constable Patullo. Rimis’s hand fell back to his side. ‘He saved your life, Jill.’
Jill took a few moments to take it in. She wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands. ‘Looks like I owe him a drink.’
Rimis nodded.
‘So, tell me about Adam Lee,’ Jill said.
‘The scum’s in custody. Speaking of Adam Lee, we found your mobile phone in the front seat of Lee’s car. I charged it for you.’
Jill gave a small nod and smiled. ‘I’ve been wondering, how did you know where to find me?’
‘When Chapman first looked through Robbie’s laptop, he found a Google Earth search of an old warehouse. It was the last thing Robbie had been looking at before he died. Chapman printed it out for me but I didn’t know what it meant at the time so I filed it without realising its significance. Plus back then we’d…I mean I was sure it was suicide.’ Rimis edged back toward the end of the bed and sat near Jill’s feet. ‘And then Rawlings showed me the map you’d highlighted. We were in the middle of checking all the warehouses in the area when we received an unconfirmed sighting of Vincent Wan at Chatswood Mall by an off-duty constable. She thought she recognised him from photos, so she followed him back to Chatswood Chase parking station. A photo of Wan was sent through to her mobile phone and once she confirmed it was Wan, we tailed him to the warehouse.’
‘Scott Carver must be very pleased with himself. Another notch in his belt.’ Jill sank back into the pillows, suddenly very tired.
‘Jill, there’s something you should know, you’ll find out anyway.’ Rimis tugged at his collar and loosened his tie.
‘What? More bad news?’
‘I’m afraid so. It’s about Robbie.’
‘Yes.’ Jill barely had the energy to listen.
‘When we reminded Adam Lee that with Vincent Wan dead he was on his own, he became very co-operative. Apparently Robbie found out Adam was supplying Fin with drugs and suspected Adam had some more sinister associates. Robbie would have heard about the task force Carver was setting up into Asian gangs and, it’s only a theory, but I imagine he would have thought Adam could have been connected — drugs and gangs always go together. Or else he was trying to protect Fin, trying to get her away from Adam. Then Adam found out Robbie was investigating him.’ Rimis shifted on the bed and crossed his legs awkwardly. ‘Adam told us Wan ordered one of his henchmen to make Robbie disappear. He was watching Robbie’s house and followed him to Callan Park and the tower when he went to meet Fin the night he died. Apparently Wan’s man found Robbie and Fin arguing at the top. Told Wan that Fin was so pissed Santa Claus could have been there and she wouldn’t have known. She was on the edge, threatening to jump. Robbie grabbed her and pushed her to safety but before he could climb down himself he lost his balance, slipped and fell. It wasn’t suicide, but it wasn’t murder either. Just a horrible accident.’
‘So Robbie didn’t kill himself.’ Jill looked at Rimis. ‘Robbie would have done anything for Fin, even die for her. Robbie told me once he felt he’d failed Fin. He wouldn’t tell me how or why but obviously it was because of Patrick and what he’d done to her. Patrick liked young girls. Jill shuddered, thinking about Fin’s horrific life…first her parents were killed, then her uncle abused her and then her brother fell from the clock tower at Callan Park because of her.
Rimis rubbed his chin. ‘You were right. Right to fight for Robbie.’
After a few beats, Jill said, ‘What about Patrick Hill? He wasn’t involved with Wan was he?’
‘Actually, he was. But it was through Fin… indirectly.’
Jill frowned.
‘Fin told Adam what Hill had done to her, that he like young girls. Adam saw that as a business opportunity. He introduced Patrick to Wan, who was heavily involved in human trafficking and child prostitution.’
‘Oh, God.’
‘What?’
‘When I went to see Hill’s neighbour, she mentioned men with children visiting Hill once a month or so. They were…’ Jill didn’t want to finish the sentence. She followed the law, not vengeance, but either way Patrick Hill and Vincent Wan deserved to be dead. She swallowed back the anger. ‘So who shot Hill?’
‘Don’t know yet for sure. Adam says Fin, but we need her side of the story. Ultimately it will be her word against his. Not that it will matter…the gun shot wound was post-mortem.’ He paused. ‘But either way Hill was a marked man. According to Adam, Hill tried to get in on Wan’s business plan, said he knew plenty of customers who liked kids and wanted a cut, a finder’s fee. I don’t think Hill realised the sort of people he was dealing with because he actually threatened Wan, said he’d make an anonymous call to the police if he didn’t get his way. Adam admitted Wan wanted him to set Fin up for Hill’s murder, but then Hill had a heart attack.’
‘What about David Cheung?’
‘Adam was sent by Wan to kidnap Benjamin Cheung. But Benjamin fought back, got the upper hand and accidentally knifed Adam. At that point Wan stepped in. He threatened David Cheung and his family, told Cheung to pay up or they were all dead.’
‘Sounds like Wan was cleaning up his nephew’s mess,’ Jill said.
Rimis nodded. ‘Wan screwed up big time. He’d covered his tracks for years, and then made the mistake of involving Adam Lee in his business. What they say about mixing family and business is true.’ Rimis stared out the window, then back at Jill. ‘You going to be okay?’
Jill gave a nod. She was glad Robbie didn’t kill himself, but maybe this was worse. Robbie was dead because Fin got into bed with the Red Cave Gang. She should have known Robbie would start digging. Fin would have to live with that…if she could make sense of any of it through the booze.
‘Any sign of Fin?’
Rimis shook his head.
‘Try the Mountains. Maybe she’s gone back to Gracie’s house.’