Dot sighed.Stonefish had contacts everywhere; Parks and Wildlife, the school, all over Australia and Singapore.How had they stayed under the radar for so long?The organised crime division had taken all the information Dot fed them but didn’t have people to spare to go to Retribution Bay.They were building a case with her data.
She turned the air-conditioning to high, hoping the air would help to refresh her.
Almost everything centred on Retribution Bay.Even if Stonefish were an international organisation, they had to have people based in town.She’d arrested Declan, the manager of Parks and Wildlife, over a month ago, but he refused to cooperate.His fear for his family was very real, and though Dot had offered to get them protection, Declan was unconvinced it would be enough.
Stonefish definitely had contacts in the police.She had known that for a few months, but she hadn’t known how widespread it was.
When she got home, she’d go through her mind map of those involved again, try to spot a connection somewhere.It had eluded her and Nhiari so far, despite the number of hours they’d spent on it.
Movement to the side caused Dot to slam on the brakes as half a dozen goats ran across the road.She narrowly missed the last one and took a moment for her heart rate to settle before she accelerated again.The feral nuisances had caused many an accident.Thankfully she hadn’t added to their tally tonight.
Pushing aside Stonefish for the moment, she concentrated on the road ahead, scanning the sides for movement, or glowing eyes.The number of dead carcasses on the side of the road attested to how dangerous this stretch could be, especially at night when the animals searched for food.
She passed the turn off to Retribution Ridge, her friends’ sheep station, and exhaled.Not too long now.
Just up ahead, her headlights illuminated a minivan on the side of the road.She slowed as a person moved onto the road, waving their hands.
What now?
Dot assessed the situation as she pulled to a stop behind the van.A couple of twenty-something males were sitting on the dirt outside the car, one who looked to have Indian heritage and the other south-east Asian, and at least one other person was inside.She checked her gun was in place and radioed dispatch.“A minivan appears to be in trouble about sixty ks south of Retribution Bay.Getting out now to check the situation.”
“Roger.”
She kept her headlights on as she stepped out of the car.They looked like a group of uni students on a road trip, but why they’d be heading to Retribution Bay at the end of the season when the weather really heated up was beyond her.The male who had waved her down jogged over.His T-shirt had an image of Columbus on it, and his skinny jeans, canvas shoes and shaggy hair reminded her of her first years in Perth when she was that age.Freedom, independence, first love.Her gut clenched, but she forced a smile.“Run into some trouble?”
“Hit a ’roo.Destroyed the front of the van.We thought we’d be stuck out here all night.There’s no reception.”
She walked over to examine the car.Sure enough, the van had been caved in, and the bonnet had lifted, showing significant damage.“Anyone injured?”
“No, we’re fine.Our lecturer is walking to town to get help.He thought he might get phone reception closer to town.”
Not for at least another fifty kilometres, but he might catch the attention of a pack of dingoes who roamed the area.A sole person in the middle of the night was enticing.“When did he leave?”
“About an hour ago.”
Shit.“How many of you are there?”
“Four.”
They’d fit in her car, but the lecturer wouldn’t, unless he sat in the prisoner section of the paddy wagon.“All right.Lock up the van and I’ll take you into town.We can get a tow truck out to get the van in the morning.”
The man shook his head.“Our lecturer told us not to leave it.It’s got valuable equipment in it.We’re researchers, come to do work on the new wreck discovered in the gulf.”
Maritime archaeologists just like Oliver, the man who’d broken her heart.The thought made Dot’s thin thread of patience even weaker, and she held onto it with both hands.“It’s almost midnight.You’re in the middle of nowhere.No one has come along in the past hour—”
“He said he’d sack us if we left it,” the man interrupted.
The lecturer sounded like an idiot, probably one of the musty, old academics who were brilliant but lacked an ounce of common sense.Hopefully she wouldn’t have to deal with him, but she felt sorry for her friend, Sam, who had been contracted to take the researchers to the wreck site on his boat.
But thinking of Sam gave her an idea.
She radioed dispatch.“Can you contact John and ask if he can tow a Kia Carnival into town?Also contact Sam Hackett and tell him to bring his tour bus to pick these guys up.They’re in town to dive the new wreck.If Sam complains, tell him he owes me.”
She doubted Sam would complain.He was a decent guy.She turned to the student.“What’s your name?”
“Tom.”
“Where did the kangaroo go?”
