‘Don’t pick him up,’ Clive ordered.
Borghini sat back in his chair. ‘The man’s fucking dangerous.’
‘Put him under surveillance instead. He may lead us to something.’
‘You can get me the manpower first,’ Borghini replied. ‘The question is, if he did shoot Jacqueline Ryan, what are the Ponticellis doing involved in this?’
‘That’s what they do. They’re for hire,’ Grace said. ‘Brasi could have shot Arleen McKenzie and Kidd as well. It’s their MO.’
‘We need to ask if there’s more to it than that,’ Borghini said to her. ‘I think we should discuss it now. If you’re out there on the front line, I reckon you need to be bulletproof. Especially with Kidd saying things like you’re a puppet to these people. I really didn’t like that.’
‘Our targets probably see everyone that way.’
That was as much as she wanted to say. At the time, she’d brushed Kidd’s comment aside. Think too hard about that kind of statement and she wouldn’t be able to do her job.
‘Grace is well protected,’ Clive said quickly, then changed the subject. ‘I have other information we need to discuss first. As of midday yesterday, Sara McLeod and Joel Griffin have been under twenty-four-hour surveillance. The black Porsche is registered in her name to her parents’ address. She’s the daughter of Angela and Robert McLeod of Palm Beach, which is where Narelle Wong used to go for parties. They’re A-list. Their parties include any number of celebrities and media stars.’
‘Can we tie Sara McLeod’s business to Life’s Pleasures?’ Grace asked.
‘Not without the testimony of the sex workers,’ Borghini said, a little red-faced at being rebuffed. ‘If they or members of their families are being offered some kind of new life in this country, they won’t cooperate with us.’
Just then Grace’s phone rang.
‘Grace Riordan.’
‘Joel here. How are you?’
‘Just wonderful,’ she said lightly. ‘What have you got to tell me?’
‘Maybe you’d like to relax a little. How about going on a picnic?’
‘Where?’
‘Lane Cove National Park. At one this afternoon. I’ll be waiting at the Chatswood entrance.’
‘Why are we meeting?’ she said. ‘Are we going to come to an agreement?’
‘You wanted to be part of the deal. I’m going to make you an offer. We’ll talk about it then.’
The conversation had been broadcast to the room. Borghini was watching her.
‘You take fucking care,’ he said. ‘They mean business.’
Clive glanced at him angrily. ‘Dress yourself up,’ he said to Grace. ‘Make it look like you’re trying to attract him. You should be able to do that.’
‘Do I need to?’
‘He put the possibility forward. Give it some air. You have to be very convincing.’
‘I will be.’
Lane Cove National Park was a narrow strip of land on the river of the same name, slender remains of the original forest and shrub lands now surrounded by Sydney’s leafy northern suburbs. It was a heavily visited park, and most walking tracks eventually took visitors down to the water. Grace followed the blue Audi along the park’s Riverside Drive. She knew before it stopped where they were going. A black Porsche was already parked where Griffin pulled up. A tall, red-haired woman in jeans and a red shirt was waiting near a picnic table. High-heeled sandals made her appear taller than she was. Grace recognised Sara McLeod out of her tracksuit and with her hair loose.
Grace glanced around before getting out of her car. There were walkers nearby, but at a discreet distance, and a cyclist slowly making his way along the road. Against her ribcage, she felt her firearm. She hadn’t come here to step into the abyss.
‘Who’s this?’ she asked Griffin.
‘This is Sara. My associate. Sara, this is Grace.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard about you,’ the woman said. Her look was distant, mocking, even arrogant.
‘Let’s sit down,’ Griffin said. ‘Grace has something for sale, but more than that, she wants in.’
‘Into what?’ Sara said.
They sat at the picnic table where there was a basket waiting. Sara took out a thermos and poured her and Griffin coffee. Grace glanced quickly between them. What was their agenda? Why were they sitting down with her like this? Kidd had vouched for her but was that enough?
‘Don’t be rude, Sara,’ Griffin said with a grin. ‘Offer some to Grace.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Grace said. ‘You were there when Kidd got shot. I saw you.’
Sara laughed as she concentrated on pouring. ‘You do have eyes after all.’
Laugh again. Then I’ll know it was you laughing on the phone the other night.
‘What were you doing there?’ Grace asked.
Sara looked up slowly, raising her chin. She stared at Grace with hazel eyes. They were entirely cold, like discs of light shut off from any emotion.
‘What’s it got to do with you? What were you doing there?’
‘I told you,’ Griffin said. ‘Grace has something to sell. She was trying to sell it to Jon. Weren’t you?’
‘He didn’t want to buy. He didn’t even want to talk,’ Grace said.
‘He just ran.’
‘No spine,’ Sara said.
‘But we do want to talk,’ Griffin said. ‘And you want in.’ ‘What does she think “in” is?’
‘Money laundering,’ Grace said, to be met with silence from both Griffin and Sara. ‘That’s what this is all about. That’s my guess.’
‘Is it?’ Sara muttered.
‘Those sex workers at Life’s Pleasures, the ones who don’t get paid. Jirawan. If I got a forensic accountant on to that brothel, then that’s what they’d find. Money laundering.’
‘Then why don’t you?’ Sara threw at her.
‘That depends on what I get offered, doesn’t it?’
Sara looked at Grace with cold-eyed contempt, as if it was an affront to share a picnic table with her.
‘You’re asking a lot, Grace,’ Griffin said. ‘You’re asking my client to trust you.’
‘Who is your client? You?’
Sara snorted with contempt.
‘Don’t be gauche,’ Griffin said. ‘You don’t go around asking other people who their clients are. I’m here to make sure he doesn’t have to be bothered with this. If you want him to pay you, you have to respect his privacy.’
‘If you’re protecting his privacy, what’s Sara doing here?’
‘I’ve already told you,’ he said with a friendly smile. ‘She’s my associate.’
‘In that case, how do I know who I’m dealing with?’ Grace said. ‘If you’re not the main man, then maybe I’m wasting my time.’
‘My client will meet you and deal directly with you when you’ve proved yourself to him but not before.’
‘Why do I need to do that?’
‘Because he has no other way of knowing what your bona fides are,’ Griffin said. ‘It all gets back to what you want. My client can buy your passport and your tape. That’s straightforward enough. But you say you want more than that. That complicates things. You have to do something for him if you want to take that next step.’
‘That’s right,’ Sara said. ‘He wants this girl. Miss Brainless.’
She tossed a photograph of Narelle Wong onto the table, one of the many publicity shots paid for by Mr Wong. Grace picked it up and looked up to see both Griffin and Sara staring at her. No distance in their faces this time. In its place, anticipation and greed.
‘If you want this girl, it’s going to cost you,’ she said.
‘You’ll get paid,’ Sara said. ‘The client wants her, the passport and your tape together.’
‘If I do this, where does that leave me?’
‘In,’ Sara said, raising her eyebrows. ‘The way you wanted.’
‘It’s not enough.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You’re putting me in the position where I take all the risk. I’m the front. I’ve got nowhere to hide. We’ve talked a little about what the business is. Before I put myself on the line the way you want me to, I want some guarantees myself. I want to know more.’
Griffin was leaning forward.
‘If you agree to this, then I’ll do that. I’ll talk to you about it myself.’