‘At this stage, anything we decide on is only supposition.’
‘Then Marvin isn’t completely at fault for not seeing a risk and acting as he did. That’s all. Thank you.’
Stung, Harrigan turned away. They walked out in silence. Marvin glared angrily at Chloe but she made a point of not seeing him. He didn’t stop to arrange another meeting. Outside, the corridor was empty. Trevor had already disappeared, presumably down the fire stairs.
‘Come into my office,’ Marvin said quietly, almost in Harrigan’s ear. ‘There’s something I want you to listen to.’
Marvin’s office was just along the hallway. Like the commissioner’s, it had a view. They walked past Marvin’s personal assistant, a loyal, middle-aged woman called Sharon, without speaking to her. She watched them with a puzzled expression on her face. Inside, Marvin sat down without speaking. Harrigan pulled up a chair without being asked. Marvin put a cassette player on his desk and hit the Play button.
‘Paul. It’s Marvin here. How are you tonight?’
‘I’m fine, Marvin. To what do I owe the pleasure?’
‘It’s business. You were at Jerry Freeman’s house today. You and your companion, as I believe she’s called. Freeman’s murder will affect the entire Pittwater investigation.’
Marvin hit the Stop button.
‘I have that whole conversation recorded, including where you say you have a tape and photographs. Do you think you’re the only person who thinks things through, Harrigan? I didn’t get to where I am today in this organisation without knowing how to protect myself. If you take me or my son down, you’re coming with us.’
Harrigan stared at Marvin. Any number of possible rejoinders were in his head. Haven’t you already taken my son down by collaborating in his abduction? You stole that contract on orders, didn’t you? You’ll never be the police commissioner. Perhaps his stare and the silence were more disturbing than he realised. Marvin was forced to look away. Harrigan got to his feet and leaned across Marvin’s desk, face to face. He spoke with an anger all the more powerful for being controlled.
‘What can you tell me about the whereabouts of my son?’
‘That had nothing to do with me!’
‘What can you tell me?’
‘Nothing! I have no information at all! None! You can believe that!’ Marvin was shouting now.
‘If you step out of line again the way you did today, we’ll both be clearing our desks. If my son isn’t found in one piece, then you are going to pay for it with your skin. I fucking mean that, mate.’
‘You have no business threatening me, Harrigan.’
‘You just remember what I said. If my son doesn’t come home in one piece, you pay. You pay in spades.’
He walked to the door. For some reason, he stopped and looked back. Marvin was staring after him, his expression a mixture of calculation and a curious blank-eyed look. Harrigan walked out, shutting the door behind him with a sharp click. His back felt the imprint of an invisible knife.
The main door to the incident room was propped against the wall and the door frame was splintered. There was a buzz of subdued busyness; people were settling back to their desks. Trevor was in his office, just hanging up from a phone call. Harrigan walked in to be met by a furious glare.
‘How are you?’ he asked.
‘How am I? I’m just fucking fine. I’ve just had the special assistant commissioner tell me I’m an embarrassment to the service while the rest of you stand around and fucking patronise me like I’m not there. And that fucking includes you, thank you very much, boss!’
Trevor leaned across his desk, stabbing a finger at Harrigan while he shouted. Outside, silence fell like a guillotine. Harrigan shut the door immediately.
‘Do you know what colour your face is right now?’ he said. ‘Do you want to take a pill?’
‘Jesus!’ Trevor said softly.
He poured himself a glass of water and with shaking hands took a tablet.
‘You know what you’re doing?’ Harrigan went on. ‘Exactly what Marvin wants. If you let him get to you, you’ll be taken out of here on a stretcher. Don’t let him do it to you.’
‘I’m one of those boofheads who’s honest,’ Trevor said, when he was calmer. ‘It means fuck all to God.’
‘God’s paranoid. Spook him and he won’t care who he walks over to protect his backside. At the moment, his paranoia is working for us. We’ve got to keep it that way. Now forget all that crap. What are you doing about Toby?’
‘Give God his due, as soon as he heard, he said forget the money. Just get the personnel out there. I’ve got a team at Cotswold, we’re canvassing and searching the district, and I’ve sent out a state-wide alert. We’re checking all stolen vehicles for a possible lead. As soon we’ve got something to guide us, we’ll hone the search in that direction. Why do you reckon this man is the kidnapper?’ Trevor passed Ambrosine’s sketch of the gunman across his desk to Harrigan.
‘My guess is he’s the same man who shot Freeman,’ Harrigan said. ‘He’s a South African. Grace said the gunman had a South African accent. He’s a small man as well.’
‘We’ve sent his picture out everywhere as a person of interest. If anyone sees him, we’ll hear. But why has he got your boy, boss?’
‘I think it’s to do with this.’ Harrigan put his LPS badge on Trevor’s desk. ‘I was given that when I saw Elena Calvo. It gives you access to the building at Campbelltown. I think they tracked me to Yaralla using that. I want you to get it checked out.’
‘No worries. She’s a player, you say.’
‘Up to her neck. We need to talk to the minister again. Grace went to the LPS launch for me. Edwards spoke to her there and established a connection between LPS and Beck. We need to interview him about it.’
‘He’s been on to us, boss. His adviser rang the commissioner this morning requesting a meeting,’ Trevor replied. ‘That’s just been confirmed as happening tomorrow afternoon around four if you’re available.’
‘I’ll be there. Who’s invited?’
‘I know you and me are supposed to be there, but I haven’t been told who else is coming. Apparently, Edwards has beefed up his personal security since the launch. I think Gracie must have told him to do that. All well and good. She’s a professional. But why snatch your boy? You still haven’t told me that.’
‘I think the gunman’s working for Calvo and this is her way of putting pressure on the police investigation.’
Trevor glanced at the door.
‘Did she offer you something the other day, mate?’ he asked.
‘Money and a job. I said no. She’s playing for keeps. Whatever Beck was up to, she’s implicated in it.’
‘Are you saying we have a working scenario?’ Trevor asked. ‘Calvo has Beck removed to protect herself, then tries to get you onside to cruel the investigation. It’s a possible fit. Do you want to make a statement?’
‘It’s my word against hers. It’d be difficult to sustain in a courtroom. Which brings us to the contract. What happened to it?’
‘Fucked if I know,’ Trevor said. ‘Frankie went to check it and it wasn’t there. I don’t even know how long it’s been gone. That’s one line of inquiry stone dead. Assuming I ever get to run this investigation properly with all these fucking firefights.’
Harrigan thought of taking Freeman’s photograph out of his wallet and sharing the story with Trevor. He chose not to.
‘Calvo’s reached in here to get her hands on it,’ he said. ‘She’s bought someone.’
‘Would she know who to ask?’
‘Beck knew the right people. If he and Calvo are connected in some way, why shouldn’t that information have made it back to her, or at least to her dirty tricks man? But if she did have Beck killed to hide what he was doing, why leave the contract behind? Why publicise the killings on the net? Unless she wanted to scare other people off.’
‘Maybe leaving the contract behind was an oversight,’ Trevor said. ‘The killer could have been rushing to finish. Maybe he thought he had both contracts and then realised he only had one.’