'Nope,' said Gabriel. 'The software's not that specific, although they're guessing it's a centre unit rather than one on a corner. Let's just wait a bit, see if he comes out again.' He reclined his seat a notch, then commented, 'And, that's a car that definitely doesn't belong here.'

Jill stared at the late model silver sports car parked out the front of the units. 'What's that, an Audi?' she asked, dialling Ajay.

'Yep. R8,' he said.

She ended the call a couple of moments later. 'Car belongs to a Christian Worthington. Lawyer. Lives in Darling Harbour.'

'And that would be Mr Worthington right now, I would imagine. Leaving? No, he's getting something out of the boot,' said Gabriel.

Jill watched the young man take a large, expensive-looking shopping bag from the boot of the Audi. 'What do you reckon's in that?' she said.

'Could be anything,' said Gabriel. 'But Mr Worthington looks all wrong to me.'

'I understand that he might be nervous out here,' she said, 'but he's gonna put his neck out if he whips his head back and forth like that for much longer.'

'Something's going down,' said Gabriel. 'That's what I'm thinking. What do you say to having a look around?'

'Let's go,' said Jill.

As they crossed the hall to wait in the opposite unit for the drug deal to go down, Seren recognised the lettering on the shopping bag that Christian carried. Christian Louboutin. The same brand as the shoes that had helped send her to gaol. How about that? Was that a good omen or bad? All she knew was that she wasn't going to get this transaction on tape. It didn't matter, though: she had plenty to hang this guy. She just had to be patient a little longer.

'So,' said Gabriel, turning to face Jill in the car, 'I think we should approach the block from behind cut through this car park, move up the street fifty metres and cross the road there. Stay close to the foliage at the rear of the property. What do you reckon?'

'Sounds good,' said Jill.

'Do you want to call it in?'

'Nothing to call in, yet.'

'Agreed. Let's go.'

They set off at a jog. When they reached the rear of the building, Gabriel pulled her down to a squat with cover from the building provided by a shrub. 'I think we should just have a look around in there, see what we can see. But Jill,' he said, 'if we encounter Nader, we're gonna have to arrest him. If he sees us here, he'll try to run.'

'Yep, and they'll hang us if we don't bring him in,' she said. She unclipped her firearm, and he did the same. 'Just don't terrify the civilians,' she said.

Byron stood up again from the couch and screwed up his nose. Friggin' thing smelled like old people. Nader must've got it from his oldies' house, he thought. You'd think a p.r.i.c.k with that much money would buy some decent s.h.i.t for this place. He glanced around the lounge room. I'd deck it out, he thought. Some cream leather lounges, the biggest wall screen plasma . . . What were they doing? He walked over to the doorway again and peered through the spyhole. Finally! He saw Nader and Christian closing the door of the unit opposite and heading back to where he waited.

As soon as Nader and Christian left the unit, Ca.s.sie decided to be open with Seren. She had no reason to trust this girl, but she'd pa.s.sed the point of no return and she just hoped she was doing the right thing.

'Seren,' she said quickly, while they stood in the empty entrance to the unit, 'I know you don't know me from s.h.i.t, but I just want to tell you that if you're taping these deals because you're a cop or you want to take this to the cops, I'll support you.'

Rather than expressing relief, the girl's face became even more pale.

'You don't look good, Seren,' Ca.s.sie said. 'Are you okay?'

Ca.s.sie lurched forward when Seren swayed and caught her before she dropped to the ground. Awkwardly she helped her to sit, right there on the floor, where she sat, staring.

'Seren?' she said.

Seren seemed suddenly to revive a little. She lifted her face and stared straight into Ca.s.sie's eyes. 'There's a lot I have to tell you,' she said.

At that moment Ca.s.sie felt that she'd believe anything Seren had to say.

Byron held the door heavy door open with his foot and leaned against the frame, staring down the corridor.

Suddenly, all blood drained from his face, and he screamed, 'Motherf.u.c.kers!'

As Nader and Worthington crossed the hall to re-enter the room, Byron slammed the door in his boss's face.

As she rounded the corner, Jill skidded to a stop. A door slammed nearby and a man screamed at Nader and Worthington. Hearing her behind him, Nader turned to face her.

'POLICE! FREEZE!' Jill had her firearm out, pointed at his chest. She became aware suddenly that Gabriel was by her side, his gun also in firing position, legs spread.

'Don't move, Nader,' he said. 'Stay where you are, Worthington.' He dropped the volume and said to Jill, 'Forward.'

They moved slowly up the hall. A door opened on Gabriel's left and he whipped his head and gun to face the sound. A woman, a cigarette in her fingers, shrieked. 'Get inside,' Gabriel told her. She did.

'Up against the wall!' Jill yelled. 'Palms flat. NOW!'

The men complied, but Worthington quickly dropped his p.i.s.sing-in-my-pants look and bl.u.s.tered, 'What is this? Point your weapons away from me. I am an officer of the court! I am here seeing a client. What are your names?'

They reached the men. 'Spread your legs,' Jill said.

Gabriel did the pat-down. Took a firearm from Nader's jacket. Disabled it quickly, shaking out the bullets and pocketing them. 'Open the door,' he said.

'What door?' said Nader.

'The door of the unit you were about to enter,' said Jill.

'Hi, Krystal,' said Nader.

'Open the door,' she said.

'It's okay, Jill, I've got it.' Gabriel reached forward and removed a set of keys from Nader's pocket.

'I want it noted that I have just arrived to see my client and I have not been in this room before now,' said Worthington.

'Noted,' said Gabriel, turning the key. 'Now get in there.' He drew Worthington forward by his coat sleeve and then put his palm flat against the middle of his back and pushed him into the unit.

'DOWN!' shouted Gabriel. 'There's a third in here, Jill. It's Byron.'

She shoved Nader through the entry and covered all three men. Byron was already lying face down on the ground. 'Get down with him,' she said to the other two. Nader locked eyes with her and smiled, but they both went down.

Gabriel swept the unit quickly and returned to the lounge room. 'Clear,' he said. He walked towards the dining table, glanced inside the boxes sitting on top. Big smile. He walked back and nudged Nader gently with his toe.

'Ha-ha. You're in trouble,' he said.

Jill carefully removed her mobile from her pocket, keeping her gun trained on the men on the floor. She'd call Superintendent Last first, and then Lanvin. Gabriel stood at the dining table, inspecting the contents of the boxes.

'How much you reckon is in there?' she said.

's.h.i.tloads,' he answered.

And then the doorbell rang. Gabriel indicated that she should take a look.

'Oh, my G.o.d, Gabe, it's Ca.s.sie!' she said. She froze for a moment and then pulled the door open. Gabriel shouted. Suddenly Jill felt herself propelled forwards, shoulder-charged from behind, smacking her head into the doorframe.

'Jill!' screamed Ca.s.sie, as Nader barrelled past her, followed by Barnes.

'Get inside, Ca.s.s!' Jill shouted and took off after them.

Barnes overtook Nader in the hallway and cartwheeled over the stairwell banister, landing like a rabbit, jumping up and repeating the same move again, six stairs at a time.

By the time she reached the first landing Nader was already on the bottom stair. She leapt from the top step and landed on him, his shoulder cracking into her chest. They both went down and, once again, she found herself unable to breathe, with Kasem Nader leaning over her.

'c.u.n.t,' he said, and smacked his fist into her face.

'KRYSTAL!'.

The next series of sounds and movements shuddered and skidded, incomprehensible to Jill as she rolled onto her side and sucked in air. She turned her head and saw Nader, out cold.

Jelly was sitting on Nader's chest. Crying. 'Kasem. You shouldn't hurt Krystal,' he said.

70.

Tuesday 16 April, 12.40 pm.

Jill refused to let the paramedics near her until they let her speak to Ca.s.sie. She sat on the tailgate of the ambulance and waited.

Gabriel brought her little sister over. Handcuffed.

'What are you doing?' she shouted at Gabe, although she already knew. She'd seen Ca.s.sie at Nader's house. She must have been in on this deal somehow.

Gabriel's eyes were hooded. 'Ca.s.sie's made a confession, Jill. She's been very cooperative.'

Jill stared at her sister, desolate. A rhythmic, pounding ache surged from her stomach and tore through her heart. She doubled over and her vision darkened. A bright spot appeared, distant in the field of blackness, rapidly flickering closer. She saw two girls, laughing. Eyes impossibly bright, unguarded, exultant. Ca.s.sie at nine; Jill at eleven. Before the abduction.

Right now, Jill lifted her head and looked into her sister's eyes. She wanted to speak, to tell Ca.s.sie how sorry she was that she hadn't been there all those years. Of course, right when she needed them most, she had no words. What could she say? What could she do?

Suddenly Jill lurched forwards and threw her arms around her sister, held on, too tight, delaying the moment that Ca.s.sie would push her away, fight her off, gawp at her as though she were deranged. Instead, Ca.s.sie leaned into her, their tears merging. There was no sound. And suddenly, the white-eyed girl was there with them: a part of twelve-year-old Jill that had split off from her when the pain had become too bad during the torture she'd endured in the bas.e.m.e.nt. The white-eyed girl stood and stared at them holding each other.

'I love you, Jill,' said Ca.s.sie.

The white-eyed girl disappeared.

'My face hurts,' said Jill.

They laughed, and peeled away from each other.

Jill tried. 'I . . .' It stuck. She'd never said it before.

'It's okay, Jill. I know,' said Ca.s.sie.

'No, you don't, Ca.s.s. I love you, too. I've always loved you. I just didn't know that because I didn't know that I had any feelings left. I know that sounds stupid, but it's the only way I can explain it. I've always known I loved you, and Mum, and everyone, but I only knew it in here.' She touched her head. 'I just couldn't feel anything in here.' She put her hand on her chest. 'I thought that part of me was dead, like rotten or removed or something. Anyway, I can feel it now.' She reached up and touched her taller, younger sister's face. 'I'm so sorry, Ca.s.s.'

Ca.s.sie's eyes and nose streamed. Jill dug for a tissue in her pocket and wiped her face for her.

'You could use one of those too,' said Ca.s.sie. 'You look like s.h.i.t.'

Gabriel made a movement and Jill suddenly became re-aware that people watched them. Genovese leaned, arms folded, against an unmarked car. Lanvin had already left with Nader.

The lawyer, Worthington, stood at Gabriel's shoulder.

'Ah, Detective Jackson,' said Gabriel. 'May I have a brief word?'

'Just wait here a sec, Ca.s.s,' Jill said. 'Don't move . . . I mean, could you just stay . . .'

'It's okay, Jill,' Ca.s.sie said with a tiny smile. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

Frowning, Jill turned towards Gabriel. He indicated with his chin to walk with him a few metres from Worthington.

'What the f.u.c.k, Gabe,' she said. She looked back over her shoulder towards the lawyer. 'Why isn't that p.r.i.c.k cuffed?'

Gabriel sighed, squinted into the sun. 'Look, he's coming in, Jill, but he's already making some big noises about our treatment of him during the bust. His story is that he's Byron Barnes's lawyer. Reckons he was out there giving legitimate counsel, and is as surprised as we are about the drugs. Reckons he'll prove all of it to us back at the house.'

Jill scowled. 'It's bulls.h.i.t,' she said. 'You saw him, Gabe. He was s.h.i.tting himself. He's involved in this deal.'

'I hear you,' said Gabriel. 'But Last wants him treated carefully. If he is Barnes's lawyer, we may have nothing on him. And Barnes is still in the wind. We're gonna have to wait and take this carefully. Apparently this f.u.c.ker has some major connections. And he's already got his own lawyer lined up, waiting for us back at the shop.'

'Well, what's he doing now?' said Jill, speaking to Gabriel but watching Worthington, who was standing close to Ca.s.sie, whispering. 'What's he want with my sister?'

Gabriel shrugged. 'He asked for a word,' he said. 'Reckons he'll be representing her. He insisted on a couple of minutes. Because we haven't formally arrested him, there's nothing really we can do.'

Jill folded her arms and watched her little sister speaking with Worthington. He just seems like a smarmy sc.u.mbag, she thought, watching him lean over Ca.s.sie, speaking rapidly, a.s.suredly. Suddenly, he stiffened, his head snapped back. He stared at Ca.s.sie as though she had just projectile vomited in his face. But her sister just stood calmly, smiling a little, her lips mouthing words Jill had no hope of hearing.

Worthington's shoulders slumped. He moved away from Ca.s.sie, back towards Genovese, his face ashen.

'What was that?' said Jill.

'Whatever,' said Gabriel. 'Time's up, anyway. You ready, Jill?'

'Yeah,' she said. She walked slowly back towards her sister, already dreading the next part of the process taking Ca.s.s's statement, calling her parents.