Saving Billie

'Yes,' Greaves said. 'That should put us on a good footing, wouldn't you say?'

'All depends on what you want.'

He looked uncomfortable in the surroundings. Cheap motel rooms weren't his milieu and I felt encouraged because they were mine. McGuinness and his mate were standing around awkwardly. I got off the bed, picked up the pillow I'd thrown at Yoli and pulled out the plastic chair from the tiny desk. I reversed it, sat with my elbows on the back rest and faced Greaves. A quick nod was all he needed to dismiss his minions. They left the room without looking at me.

'Good at what they do,' Greaves said.

'Yeah. Be interesting if that big bastard's out there waiting for them.'

'I imagine they'll cope. What d'you know about me?'

'I'm expecting a phone call on my mobile,' I said. 'It's in the car. How about one of your blokes fetches it for me? It's in my jacket on the back seat. The back passenger side door doesn't lock properly. He can jiggle it open.'

He studied me for some seconds, shrugged, took a mobile not much bigger than a fountain pen from his jacket pocket and made a call. A few minutes later the door opened and a hand tossed the mobile at me. I caught it and the door closed.

'Not real polite,' I said.

'Let's stop pissing around. As you'll have gathered I'm… backing Louise's book.'

'Nice way of putting it.'

'Don't be a smartarse, Hardy. I can make life very difficult for you if I wish.'

I went to the fridge, took out a can of beer and cracked it. 'I'm sure you can,' I said. 'People with lots of money will try to do that. Trouble is, what they do sometimes comes back to bite them. Why don't you just tell me what your interest in this thing is and I'll decide whether to accommodate you, which at the moment looks unlikely, or to give the whole case the flick or maybe… even… play it some other way.'

'You're a nuisance. I advised Louise against hiring you.'

I shrugged and swigged some beer. 'You win some, you lose some. I found Billie. Cut her loose.'

'You did. I daresay I would have managed it in time, but I'll give you the credit. Now, I'll lay my cards on the table. I detest Jonas Clement and I'm willing to move heaven and earth to bring him down.'

'I got the feeling you weren't pals the other night. What did he do to you?'

'Never mind. I want to know what this woman knows about the killing of Eddie Flannery and everything else.'

I shrugged. 'We're a fair way off from that still. First, Billie has to be well enough and in her right mind enough to be talked to. Then her sister has to be convinced it's in her best interest to talk. For all I know, Billie might want to go back to singing hymns with the Islanders in Liston.'

Greaves looked annoyed. 'I understood it was mainly a matter of money-getting the right treatment for the woman.'

'Maybe, maybe not.'

'Why do I get the feeling you're being deliberately obstructive?'

I lowered the level in the can. I was almost enjoying myself. 'Why do I have the suspicion you might be planning to blackmail Clement? I don't give a rat's arse about him, but I've dealt with enough people of your stamp to know that they play a rough game by no known rules when it comes to business.'

'You're right there. But criminal charges against Clement'll serve my purpose well enough. All I ask is that I be present when this woman talks… Billie.'

'Wilhelmina.'

'What?'

'That's her name, Wilhelmina.'

'You're an annoying man, Hardy.'

'Well, I'm annoyed myself. I told Lou to keep everything under her hat and she's been filling you in.'

'As I said, I'm subsidising her work.'

'I hope you've subsidised enough to cover my retainer cheque. It bounced.'

He shook his head. 'Silly girl.'

'I wouldn't say that. Are you sure she's playing your game or one of her own?'

'Good point. We'll have to see, won't we? You're in my debt. That Polynesian would have hurt you badly. Someone still might.'

'A threat?'

'A warning. I'll be in touch through Louise.'

He'd adjusted the creases in his trousers when he'd sat down. He readjusted them now as he stood and moved to the door. I rubbed my bruised shoulder and drained the can as he left. He was right about this case making me more enemies than I needed-Manuma, Potare, Clement and his son, and Rhys Thomas, Greaves and his helpers and, for all I knew, Lou Kramer herself. My allies so far were Sharon Marchant, Tommy Larrigo and Steve Kooti. No contest. At least the only gun around was mine.

I went out to the car to check that the gun was as safe as it could be given the dodgy door. The Falcon slumped like a drunk; all four tyres had been slashed and the car was settled on the hubs.

'Yoli,' I said.

A car pulled into the area and, just as I spoke, Steve Kooti got out accompanied by a woman in nurses' uniform. They joined me by the stricken car.

'Did I hear you say Yoli?' Kooti said.

'That's right. He was here.'

Kooti examined me closely. 'That eye wasn't thumped today. Yoli doesn't seem to have done you any damage. I'm surprised.'

'He was prevented. I expect this is Nurse Latekefu.' I held out my hand.

'Sister Latekefu,' Kooti said.

She shook my hand vigorously. She was a big, solidly built woman with a firm grip. 'Tch, Stephen, it doesn't matter. I'm glad to meet you, Mr Hardy.'

'Thanks for what you've done, Sister. How is she?'

'Not well. She was in a coma or very close to it. That house was in a dreadful state, I'm ashamed to say. It's not like our people to live that way.'

'They're not our people,' Kooti said.

'You know they are, Stephen. They're just on a wrong path.'

I pointed to my room. 'Would you like to come in? I could make some coffee or something.'

'Thank you, no,' Mary Latekefu said. 'We just wanted to make sure you were all right. John Manuma said that Yoli Potare was very angry and he's a violent man. Somebody told him they'd seen your car in Liston and following us to the hospital.'

'I'd back Steve here against him.'

'I'm non-violent these days, Mr Hardy,' Kooti said.

I looked at my car and non-violence wasn't the note I wanted to strike. I unlocked the car and took the. 38 from the glove box, holding it low and out of sight of passers-by but not of them. They looked dismayed.

'I won't kid you,' I said, 'this matter involves some ruthless people. I think it'd be best if you kept your distance from this point on. I think the woman you took to hospital will be okay. I think she can be helped and protected and I'll be trying to do that, but there are complications.'

Mary Latekefu nodded. 'I met her niece. Seemed like a capable young woman.'

'Her mother, the sister, is the same.'

'We've got enough problems in Liston to be going on with,' Kooti said. 'I'm happy to leave this to you but there's one thing I want to say.'

'I can guess,' I said. 'Tommy has to be kept clear of it all.' 'Right.'

'I'll give you the address where he's living and working. I spoke to him this morning and he was hard at it. I'll try to get the phone on there and I'll get the number to you. I can't see how any of this can touch him.'

His nod said, you'd better be right. I got my notebook and scribbled down the Lilyfield address. They drove off and I rang the NRMA. After an hour or more, a tow truck arrived and I travelled for free to the nearest garage, but four new tyres were going to cost Lou Kramer and Barclay Greaves a bundle.

I hung about annoying the mechanic by my presence while the tyres were fitted and then drove back to check out of the motel. Some of the comings and goings had been observed and I got the impression they were glad to be rid of me. They didn't even try to charge for a late check-out.