Shit. “He called me. Told me he had a lead on the treasure.”
Lucas made a growl of displeasure. “If he doesn’t keep his mouth shut, Martin knows what to do.”
Lee’s gut clenched. Lucas would kill his own son. Someone who had done nothing but try to live up to his father’s expectations. He pushed aside the fear. “Do we know where the Stokes are keeping the treasure?”
“It has to be on the property,” Lucas said. “There’s been no word of it appearing at the museum or anywhere else.”
“The property is a quarter of a million acres.”
“I know!” Lucas spat. “Have you got anything out of that cop yet?”
Lee reached the motorbike and straddled it but didn’t start it. “She’s close to telling me. I think another day and I’ll know everything. Where do you want me to take it when I have it?”
Would he admit he was in town?
“I want to be there. I can’t rely on anyone to do the job right.”
Lee smiled. “All right. Are you still in Australia? I should have the location by tomorrow evening.”
“I’ll be nearby. Call me when you have it.” Lucas hung up.
Lee clipped the phone back on his belt and then started the bike, heading back to Nhiari. It was time. Andrew would be in gaol tonight, the drug smuggling was over with no one left to carry it out, and he could focus on Lucas.
He had to get Nhiari to tell him where the treasure was so he could set a trap.
As he neared the main cave, he glanced up and spotted Nhiari on top of the cliff. He lifted a hand in acknowledgement and smiled as she waved in return. Soon, this would all be over. He hid the bike and hurried to the cave, but it was still empty. He climbed to the top of the range where Nhiari was watching the road through the telescope. She turned to him.
“Who was it?” she demanded.
“Joseph. Idiot thought Dot was chasing him.”
“Where is he now?”
“I sent him on his way, but I have his licence plate number.”
“I need to call Dot.” The concern on Nhiari’s face gave him concern.
“What happened?”
“I think Oliver was injured. An ambulance came to get him. I haven’t heard anything else.”
“Are the police still at the boat ramp?”
“Yeah. Neither Dot nor Martin’s car have left, but the ambulance sped off in a hurry.”
Dot could be in danger if Martin was there. “You don’t know for sure who is in the ambulance?”
She shook her head. “Nothing on the radio.”
He moved forward to look through the telescope. A police car drove back towards the main road. He focused in on it and saw a man behind the wheel. He stepped back. “It’s not Dot.”
Nhiari looked and swore. “Rodney, but there’s no one in the passenger seat.”
“So Martin is still with Dot.” There was no way to see whether there was anyone in the back of the paddy wagon. “Would she let Rodney take Andrew and Kristy by himself?”
“Rodney wouldn’t have given her a choice,” Nhiari said bitterly. “He’ll take the glory of bringing in the culprits and leave Martin and Dot to clean up the mess and gather the evidence.”
Which Martin would no doubt corrupt.
