Roll With It (27 page)

‘You don’t have to. It’s private.’

He looked at her and she was not meeting his eye, sipping her water and suddenly looking awkward. A single woman in a single man’s house.

‘Hey Cecy?’

‘What?’ Apprehension in her voice.

‘Don’t take this the wrong way, okay. I think you are very beautiful and fun and you rock in just about every way but we’re workmates and there’s an age difference and I really don’t think I’m a person anybody wants to be in a relationship with right now.’

‘Tony … Rocket … It’s not like—’

‘Mates, okay?’

He raised his beer and she suddenly smiled and clinked her glass, sitting down beside him on the couch. ‘We were always mates, dickhead. Now, if we’re making speeches, it’s my turn.’

‘Uh oh.’

‘In all your howling at the moon, especially about how nobody will listen to you now you’re in Siberia, or whatever you call it, you’ve forgotten one thing. I saw those guys as well, in Smith Street. I was outside the café. I saw them come out. I heard the big one, with the orange hair, say, “That cop was trouble.” You’ve never considered this, but I have an antenna as well. And mine was going crazy too.’

‘I sort of promised Slattery I’d keep you out of it.’

‘Why? Who says you have the right to stop me doing my job?’

‘Jesus, Cecy.’

‘Let me finish. All I’m saying is that I want to keep an eye on those two as well. I’ll help – and not as a favour to you, because we’re mates and all, but because we should. It’s our job. All your precious senior cop friends, the ones who are wiping you at the moment, they haven’t seen these two. I’m only new and haven’t dealt with many criminals yet, but I’ve seen you work. I trust your instincts. And I trust mine.’

‘Cecy, politically—’

‘Fuck “politically”, Tony. All I’m saying is that if we can get a name or if you see them again, I’ll help. From what you’ve said, they’re definitely up to something.’

She sat back, speech over. Looking spent. ‘Jesus, give me a beer after all.’

Rocket went to the fridge and threw her a stubby. Clinked beers and meant it. ‘Well, cheers. It means a lot to me. More than it probably should to a tough-guy career cop, but the goalposts have moved. Just keep it on the quiet with Slattery, all right?’

‘Sure. I’m not career-suicidal, you know.’

They drank in silence until she said, ‘Standish says he’s in, as well, by the way. Will do anything you ask.’

‘Now I
know
you’re bullshitting.’

She laughed, the sound exploding into the room as she threw her head back.

Cecy drank some beer, frowned and said, ‘Now all we need is a name.’

‘We might have “Stig”.’

‘Oh please. That can’t be real.’

Laver sighed. ‘Who knows what the hell “real” means anymore?’

Jake’s wet dream: alone in a dark room with Lou. Except that
the room was the main floor of the Groc-o-Mart, cavernous at night, aisles stretching into the gloom.

Lou was on her knees yanking boxes of dishwashing detergent off a low shelf, then peeling the stickers and carefully placing them above the brand name on each box.

Jake loomed over her to see which sticker she was placing. Was it ‘This product is truly green’ or ‘Not as green as they’d have you believe’? Both in wattle-green lettering on a subtle yellow background.

From here, he could see down her shirt to the curve of a pale breast: the line of a bra. Lace.

But the worst thing would be to get caught looking. He focussed on the label she was sticking onto the box.

It was blood-red lettering on a black background and read: ‘Buying this? Why not just drown the polar bears yourself?’

Jake read it again.

‘What’s that sticker?’

‘It’s one I thought up after we’d talked about it.’

‘You can’t put that on a box.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because, crap. Barry will have my balls.’

Lou looked up at him and he worked extra hard to keep his gaze from her shirt.

‘Jake,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘You were always going to cop it for this. We may as well make it count.’

‘But it’s one thing to tell people if a product is environmentally friendly. It’s a whole other thing to rip into it, like this.’

Lou shrugged and went back to the label, a curl of green hair flopping down to meet her chin.

‘It’s just a matter of wording. This will catch people’s attention.’

‘But Lou,’ he protested.

Lou looked at him again and her face was set, eyes shining.

‘We’re at war, Jake. The future of the world is at stake. Don’t get squeamish on me now. I thought you were this totally committed environmental warrior.’

‘I am,’ he said weakly.

‘Then walk the walk, soldier.’

He stood up, dry mouthed. ‘I’m going to keep putting on the stickers we agreed.’

‘Good for you,’ Lou said, concentrating on her work. There was a long pause. ‘Hey Jake.’ Her voice softer now. ‘I’ll buy you a drink after.’

‘You will?’ He winced as he heard his voice rise.

‘Definitely.’

And then they heard a car pull up outside.

‘Fuck!’ she said. ‘You said there was no security.’

‘There isn’t,’ Jake whispered. ‘Not until 5 am. Quick, follow me.’

They pushed the stickers under the shelf and ran, crouching, towards the front, where the registers were.

‘Not the back?’ Lou hissed.

‘Nowhere to hide,’ Jake whispered urgently. ‘Trust me.’

The car’s engine had stopped, but another car was approaching.

‘Oh shit, gotta be the cops,’ Lou said quietly.

Jake didn’t answer. He took her hand – took her hand! – and led her into the small storeroom to the side of the registers, where the cigarettes, flowers and papers were kept.

They heard a key in the lock of the front entrance.

‘Get down,’ he whispered.

Lou did, crouching behind some wilting bunches of flowers. Bizarrely, she found herself enjoying their fragrance.

Jake was listening to somebody entering the Groc-o-Mart, charting the footsteps to the security panel and then hearing four beeps as the security code was entered. Another beep was supposed to turn off the system, but instead it turned on.

‘What the fuck?’ said Barry’s voice. Jake’s heart lurched.

Five more beeps re-entered the pin and turned off the system. Then there was silence.

‘Hello?’ Barry raised his voice. ‘Anybody there?’

Lou and Jake looked at each other, big-eyed in the tiny dark room.

They heard Barry sigh. ‘Fucking security. May as well just leave the door open while they’re at it. Jesus.’

‘Clear?’ said a new voice.

‘Yeah. The alarm hadn’t been turned on. Probably since security checked the place a couple of hours ago. I don’t know why I pay the bastards.’

‘Fascinating. Barry, you know who we are?’

Lou’s eyes widened even further. She pulled Jake down so his ear was next to her mouth and breathed more than said, ‘Stig.’

Jake’s heart pounded so loudly that he thought it might be heard.

‘Yeah, I know who you are,’ Barry was saying. ‘I can’t believe you’d contact me. You want to get me killed as well as you?’

‘Nobody has to be killed. I’m offering you an opportunity.’

‘Jenssen offers me plenty of opportunities already. Why would I piss in that nest?’

‘Because Jenssen will never know. And you could make a lot of money without having to funnel any of it back to Queensland.’

They could hear the faint crinkle of packaging being opened.

‘Tell your mate to stop stealing cigarettes.’

‘Mate, please. This is a business meeting.’ Stig’s voice was exasperated.

They heard a dismissive snort.

‘Okay, tell me,’ Barry said.

‘It’s simple.’ Stig’s voice was confident. ‘You buy our stuff off us now, for cash, and bury it for a while. I’m guessing nobody among your distributors knows how often shipments arrive. In six months or maybe a year, you slide an extra batch out there and when the proceeds come back, they’re all yours.’

‘Why in six months?’

‘Because that will put distance between us going missing and the extra turning up on the street.’

‘Why does that matter if nobody’s looking? I thought Jenssen would never know.’

‘Just because Jenssen doesn’t know doesn’t mean he isn’t keeping an eye on things. I’m treating him with respect, as you should with me.’

‘Some opportunity. Work my arse off not to get killed.’

Now Stig sighed. ‘No, make
a lot
of extra money very easily. Barry, I’m saying that if you’re careful, as you should be and as you’ve proven for years now that you are, you’ll be okay. Why do you think we’re meeting now, after midnight, instead of during office hours?’

Jake’s leg was cramping as he crouched but he didn’t dare shift his weight. Lou was looking at the floor, listening intensely.

Barry’s voice said, ‘What do you two get out of all this?’

‘Payment up front. At a cheaper rate because we’re not waiting for returns.’

‘So I’m buying outright? Taking all the risk?’

‘Shit, Barry. You think we haven’t absorbed some risk over the past week?’

‘How do I know the cargo is legit?’

‘Oh for Christ’s sake,’ said a guttural new voice loudly. Lou and Jake’s eyes met as they thought the same thing: the Wild Man.

Stig’s voice overrode the interruption. ‘Because we’re not about to do what we’re doing on a phoney run. This is a once-only stunt by us, Barry. You know that. Nobody will be seeing us again.’

‘I want to think about it,’ Barry said.

‘Fair enough. But not for long. I do have other potential buyers.’

‘Sure you do. Which is why you’re standing here, exposed, in front of Jenssen’s local guy.’

There was a silence before Stig spoke again.

‘That’s a calculated risk, Barry. And if we feel the risk was ill-conceived, we can rectify it.’

‘So you’re threatening me now, as well.’

‘Just letting you know this is life and death. For all of us. I know you’re a smart businessman and I’m offering you a free spin of the wheel, as far as sending the usual profits north goes. It seemed like a simpler way of moving the cargo than putting it on eBay.’

‘Okay. That is attractive. Let me think about it.’

‘We can trust you not to pick up the phone as soon as we walk out of here?’

‘Yeah, of course. I’ve known a dozen like your mate here. I’m not suicidal.’

‘Good. Then we understand one another.’

Jake’s leg was screaming underneath him.

‘Yeah we do,’ Barry replied. ‘How do I contact you? I don’t want my voice or number on any phone you’re caught carrying.’

‘There are still a couple of phone boxes left in Melbourne. I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon. About four.’

‘Fair enough. Now go. You head out and I’ll get the alarm.’

‘Cool. Thanks for meeting. I know it’s a weird situation.’ Stig’s voice getting fainter as he spoke.

Jake and Lou listened to Barry’s footsteps shuffling. Five beeps on the security system.

‘Do not move a muscle,’ Jake whispered.

The door closed and was locked. Two cars started and moved away, their sounds becoming distant.

Lou stared at Jake, his face sweaty in the dark. Her eyes huge. He slowly unfolded himself, wincing as he straightened his left leg.

‘Oh crap, that was hurting.’ He flexed the leg a few times, swinging it gently in the air, bending the knee. ‘Wow. Okay, once I leave this room, the motion sensors kick in and I have twenty seconds to turn it off,’ he said. ‘Don’t blink until you hear the fifth beep.’

Lou nodded slightly and held her breath as he limped out of the room. As he passed the registers, she heard beeps start, soft but regular, as the alarm registered the movement. She’d counted twelve beeps when she heard the louder sound of the security system’s buttons being pushed. And then Jake’s voice saying: ‘It’s off.’

Lou stood up, cramped legs groaning. Took a few steps out of the storeroom and found that she was shaky.

‘God, my heart is pounding,’ she said.

The adventure was gone out of the night.

Jake, standing near the entrance, said, ‘That was your boyfriend? The guy from the café?’

‘Ex-boyfriend,’ she said. ‘Very ex.’ She almost laughed at the relieved look that crossed Jake’s face.

‘And his psycho mate,’ Jake said, almost to himself. ‘With Barry.’

‘What was it about? I can’t believe Stig would be pushing drugs.’

‘You think they were talking about drugs?’ Jake looked shocked. ‘I only heard them say “cargo”. I thought it must be a container off a ship or something.’

Lou stared at him. ‘For real? Contraband groceries?’

‘Maybe,’ he said defensively.

‘You don’t sneak around at one a.m. discussing groceries, Jake.’

‘You and I were before they arrived,’ he said, suddenly smiling.

‘Yeah, we were,’ she agreed, and started sniggering. ‘Maybe they’re planning their own sticker run and we beat them to it?’

And then they were both laughing so hard that it hurt, high on adrenalin and the pure relief of not being caught.

‘Oh God, I almost pissed when they arrived.’

‘You did?’ Jake looked shocked.

‘Not literally, Jake.’