He crept around the clearing, trying to spot the two people. He followed the cigarette scent and found the peroxide blonde woman looking bored, waving her hand to shoo flies next to the passenger side of the car. “Can’t we wait in the aircon, Mark?”
Mark moved around the back of the car. “No, I want to hear them coming.” He was short and stocky with thick crooked fingers as if they’d been broken a time or two. His head was shaved, and the bright Hawaiian shirt and board shorts screamed tourist, but he wasn’t. He was Dot’s brother.
He lived in Carnarvon now, but still had plenty of friends in town. Matt had played him in the football finals last year and he’d spoken to Jerry at the restaurant the other night.
Dot was going to be devastated.
“Them? I thought it was one guy.”
“You’re here as my cover, not to ask questions, Tory. If anyone catches us, I say I’m looking for a good fishing spot and what do you say?”
“I told him not to come this way. He never listens to me.” Tory sounded bored. She flicked her cigarette butt into the bush.
Matt cringed. He couldn’t see where it landed, but she didn’t seem to care.
“Jesus, Tory are you trying to start a fire?” Mark strode over and stomped on the butt and then picked it up. “We leave no traces.”
Tory rolled her eyes.
Mark moved over to her and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. “This is not a game. The people who fund your lifestyle can rip it away before you can blink.” He let her go and she stepped back, rubbing her chin, eyes concerned.
“You said it was nothing for me to worry about.”
“It’s not, as long as you do what I tell you.” Mark swore. “I knew I shouldn’t have brought you along.”
Matt took a couple more photos and sent them to Nhiari. In the distance he heard an engine.
Mark stiffened. “Here he comes.”
Still too soon to be the police. Matt glanced in the direction Georgie had gone. She’d start to worry if he was too long, but he wanted to get a photo of whoever they were meeting. Hopefully Georgie would be patient.
The thought made him shift to leave, but the four-wheel-drive pulled up. Too late.
Matt’s jaw dropped as the man climbed out. What the hell was Jerry doing here?
Jerry saluted Mark. “Good to see you.” Without waiting for an answer, he went around the back of the car and opened it.
Mark did the same with the back of the ute, rolling back the cover. “What have you got for me today?”
“Everything on the list, though the goanna gave me trouble.”
Matt stared. So this was why Jerry had money to burn. The bastard. He clenched his teeth. Jerry hadn’t changed from the sneaky asshole he’d been at school. He didn’t care who or what he hurt as long as he wasn’t caught. Matt squeezed his hands into fists, fighting the urge to burst forward and confront him. No, it would be far sweeter to have the evidence he needed so Jerry would finally pay for his crimes.
He exhaled at the thought and took a few more photos as the men transferred the containers of reptiles to the ute. Through the clear plastic he spotted several snakes, various lizards and in one large cage a very unhappy racehorse goanna.
“You were supposed to tranquilise the big reptiles,” Mark complained.
“I did. I mustn’t have used enough.”
Tory watched from a safe distance, a frown on her face.
Matt should get back to Georgie. She’d definitely be worried by now. Just as he was about to move, another noise reached his ears. An engine, but a boat not a car, and he was between the gulf and the parked cars. Time to move.
Mark swore. “He’s early. Tory, go see if it’s a silver dinghy. Should be one guy on board.”
Tory did as he asked, walking right past Matt. Shit. If she turned around she’d see him crouched by the bush.
He checked to ensure Mark and Jerry were busy moving animals and shifted across to the next bush, then the next, keeping a close eye on all parties, his pulse racing.
