Crash and Burn

by Maggie Nash

  “So I knocked on the door and raced through the shop into the street. I jumped in a cab and headed back to the hotel. You know the rest.”

  Daniel swore under his breath and unclenched his fists, splaying his fingers over his thighs. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Did you see him after that?”

  “I saw someone run out of the same shop and look up and down the street. It could have been him, but by that time I was already driving off in the taxi.”

  Shit. He had to figure out how they’d been found…and fast. Someone could be already on their tail.

  “I think it’s the laptop,” said Beth.

  Daniel turned his head, quickly searching her eyes, which were wide and maybe just a little bit frightened.

  “You think it has a detection device?”

  “I don’t know. We’ve had it all along and they didn’t find us at the hotel. Maybe it’s the diary website. It could trigger an alarm that enables the server to track the users. They can do that through the ISP.”

  Daniel stared out over the paddock next to the picnic table. Maybe she’s right. It’s certainly possible. But why now and not last night?

  “I accessed that site last night. We weren’t tracked then.”

  Beth shifted forward and brushed an errant red curl behind her ear. “Maybe it took that long to persuade the ISP to cooperate. Don’t they need a court order or something?”

  Yes, they do. And it would take someone high up in the Federal Police to get one through that quickly. Damn. He had to call Addison. It was time he had a talk with him. He needed to find out if there was any new information. Time was running out.

  Daniel crushed the empty food containers and stood. “I’ve got a call to make. Hang about; I won’t be long.” He threw the rubbish into the bin and continued walking past the table into the bush track behind the picnic area. He pulled out his phone and plugged in the scrambler before punching in a few numbers.

  “Addison.”

  “It’s me.”

  “Wyatt, you’re late again. But I trust you have a good excuse.”

  Daniel hesitated before continuing. “Someone made us.”

  “What? Is the girl okay?”

  “Yes, but only because she’s smart.” Not smart enough to follow orders though, he added silently. “It could have been a lot worse.”

  “So, are you clear now?”

  He turned back to make sure Beth was still in sight. She was, thankfully. “Yeah, for the moment. I need you to find out something for me.”

  “Shoot.”

  Turning away again, he shifted his weight to one leg and leaned against a ghost gum, partially obscuring himself from Beth’s view to ensure she couldn’t hear the conversation. “Someone got clearance to trace a website to an ISP. I need to know who.”

  “Is that how they found you?”

  “It seems likely, but I’m not sure. I need you to check it out anyway. At the moment, it’s our only lead.”

  “Consider it done. In the meantime, I think you should come in. It’s not safe out there for you anymore.”

  Daniel took the phone from his ear and turned his head back to where Beth sat. He raised it to his ear again and spoke quietly into the phone. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. We’ve managed to lose them for the time being and whoever this is might be watching our safe houses. Considering they already found us at one.”

  Addison paused. “All right, I’ll agree to that for now. But if you need me, you know where to find me. And, Daniel…”

  “Yes?”

  “Be careful.”

  “You know me, boss. I’m always careful.”

  Daniel jammed the phone back into his pocket and slowly walked back to the picnic table. Beth had already cleared the remaining rubbish and was waiting for him. He unlocked the car and they both got in.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Sydney.”

  “Great, I can check up on Dr. Bennett.”

  Daniel turned to her sharply. “No, you can’t talk to anyone you know. They could be watching him.”

  Beth started to say something, but stopped. She sighed. “I guess you’re right. But what if Doc calls the police?”

  “You spoke to him yesterday, remember? Everything should be all right for the time being.”

  Beth nodded. Daniel glanced at her before he started the engine. She was so vulnerable sitting there, leaning her head against the window, her hand cupping her cheek.

  “It will be all right, Beth. I promise.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  So did he.

  * * * *

  He was angry. He shouldn’t have failed. That girl was smart. Smarter than they’d realized, and they should have known better. It wouldn’t happen again. The idiot who’d lost her wouldn’t dare. He would pay dearly for another mistake.

  The silver-haired man slammed his fist hard on the desk in front of him.

  Damn.

  Now he didn’t have a choice. Everything he’d built over the years would be destroyed unless he did something. He would have to call in the last favor.

  Chapter Eight

  The quiet, narrow streets of Balmain were a contrast to the traffic they’d driven through for the last hour and a half since arriving in Sydney. The quaint terraces were so small compared to the large family homes of Turramurra where Beth had lived all her life. Daniel parked the car on the wrong side of the street in front of a high sandstone wall.

  “Why are you parking that way?”

  “This is how everyone parks around here. They call it a ‘Balmain’ park,” he said, as if she should know what that meant, which she didn’t. But it didn’t really matter. She was curious to see who it was they were there to see.

  She followed him through the gate and up to the imposing wooden door. After ringing the doorbell, Daniel turned to her and took her hand.

  “It’ll be all right, just follow my lead and let me do the talking.”

  Hearing footsteps approaching, Beth just nodded and pulled her hand back hastily. Someone peered through the peephole at them.

  The door opened swiftly and a tall blond man stood in the hallway. His expression was one of extreme shock.

  “Danny—Holy shit!”

  Daniel chuckled, then pulled Beth’s hand and dragged her into the house, pushing past his friend.

  “Kevin, it’s good to see you too.”

  “I heard you were out of action.”

  “Yes, well, you should know you shouldn’t always believe what you hear.”

  “Well, hell, this is fantastic news, but I suspect a long story. Grab a pew. I think I need a drink.”

  Beth gazed at Daniel and back to his friend as she sat in a large overstuffed chair opposite the couch where Daniel sat. Other than his name, she didn’t have a clue who he was. It was obvious they were good friends and Daniel trusted him. He was staring at her now, smiling. His brown eyes held a sparkle and she thought maybe she could trust him, too.

  “Daniel? Are you going to introduce me to this gorgeous woman, or do I have to jump in myself?”

  Beth saw Daniel stiffen slightly and frown, just for a fleeting moment. He recovered quickly however and his usual devastating smile returned.

  “Of course… Kevin, this is Beth Hamilton. Beth, Kevin Donnelly.”

  Kevin held out his hand and took hers in a firm grip. “Pleased to meet you, Beth.”

  She retrieved her hand, and smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet a friend of Daniel’s.”

  Kevin laughed. “I suppose you could call us friends, although we’ve tried to kill each other many times in the past.”

  “What?”

  Daniel glared at Kevin. “He means on the rugby field. I played for Riverview and he played for Joey’s.”

  “Ah…” said Beth, understanding at last. Riverview and St Joseph’s, the traditional enemies of the elite private school rugby union competition.

  Kevin laughed again, the corners of h
is eyes crinkling wickedly. “Yes, so you see, Beth, Danny boy and I go way back.”

  Danny boy? Who would have thought? Beth looked at Daniel again just in time to see him scowl at Kevin. He didn’t like that nickname. Interesting. Beth filed away that titbit for a rainy day. She caught Kevin staring at her expectantly.

  “Beth?”

  She blinked. “Sorry. What did you say?”

  “I’m crushed, Beth. I don’t usually have that effect on women.”

  “Quit the flirting, Kev. Beth, he asked you what you’d like to drink.”

  Beth gulped and shifted in her seat. Obviously there was some serious rivalry going on between these old friends. “Sorry, Kevin, I’m just a little tired. A coffee would be great, thanks.”

  “Okey-dokey…and, Daniel? The usual?”

  Daniel nodded as Kevin headed down the hall, presumably to the kitchen. He fell back into the couch and exhaled deeply. Beth could see the tension in the stiffness of his jaw and his hands, which he was clenching and unclenching as if to hold off stiffness. No doubt he was tired as well. The drive from Canberra had taken just over four hours and he hadn’t let her take the wheel once. She’d at least dozed a little, but he’d been driving practically nonstop, the whole time alert to see if they’d been followed.

  “You’ve known each other a long time.”

  “It seems a lifetime. He can help us, Beth, but you have to let me handle what we say. I don’t want to draw him in too deep.”

  “This sounds serious. Don’t want to draw me in too deep with what?” said Kevin, as he re-entered the room with a tray of drinks.

  “You don’t want to know all the details, Kev,” said Daniel as he leaned forward. “Suffice it to say I’ll fill you in on a need-to-know basis. You should be used to that, considering the crowd you work for.”

  “Danny, we’re friends. You know I’ll help all I can,” said Kevin, handing Daniel a glass of Scotch.

  The sound of a whistling kettle broke the silent tension that had suddenly filled the room. Beth jumped to her feet. She needed some fresh air…and fast.

  “I’ll get the coffee, Kevin. I’ll find my way. You two need to talk.”

  Daniel gave Beth a tight smile and mouthed a thank you as she exited. Even though she wanted out of there, she still would have loved to hear what Daniel and Kevin were saying.

  The hall offered her two choices—the room on the right or the room at the end of the corridor. Beth opted for the end of the corridor, thinking that the kitchen would logically be at the rear of the house.

  What greeted her, however, was the furthest thing from a kitchen she’d ever seen. Two of the walls were covered in books, some fallen sideways in their shelves, the others stacked up horizontally, as if there was not enough room for them all. The third wall was awash with technology. A large, flat computer screen sat on a desk that was scattered with files and papers. A fax machine, printer and scanner sat on a smaller table to the side of the desk. A window from floor to ceiling, offering a view of a small patio garden. But that was not what caught Beth’s attention. It was the cover of one of the files on the desk. There, in plain writing for all to see, was the logo for ASIO—the Australian Securities Intelligence Organization. Kevin Donnelly, Daniel’s friend, was a spy.

  Beth quietly closed the door as she left and moved to the other room, which thankfully was the kitchen. Thinking about it, it probably wasn’t a bad thing to discover. Having someone with Kevin’s connections could be an advantage, as long as it didn’t get him in trouble with his superiors. That must be what Daniel meant by getting in too deep. She didn’t like the idea of anyone else embroiled in her troubles. She wanted to think of a way to get out of it herself, but she wasn’t so stupid as to think she didn’t need help from people who were used to dealing with this sort of thing.

  She carried her steaming cup into the room to join the men. They both stopped talking as she entered. She felt as if she was intruding.

  Well, bad luck. It was her life they were discussing and it was her right to be involved in whatever they were planning.

  “Danny tells me you’ve had a bit of an adventure over the last few months,” said Kevin, as she sat back in her chair.

  She took a sip of her coffee and placed it on the table in front of her before she answered.

  “One that I’d rather not have had, I can assure you.”

  “I can understand that. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be flippant.”

  “I didn’t think you were.”

  “Beth, Kevin is going to help keep you safe while we sort this all out,” interrupted Daniel.

  “What? You’re going to hide me away while you get to play your spy games? This is my life we’re talking about here. Don’t I get a say in how it plays out?”

  She glared at Daniel then shifted her gaze to Kevin. Okay, so that was probably too much, but it was too late now. She’d already said it.

  He placed his hands in the air in mock defeat. “Hey, don’t look at me. It was all Danny boy’s idea.”

  “Thanks so much for your support, Kevin,” said Daniel through gritted teeth. “Beth, you’re in over your head with this. You should to leave it to us. We have the connections and the resources. You don’t.”

  Ouch. What he said was true, thought Beth as she slumped back into the chair. But it still didn’t mean that she couldn’t have a say in what happened to her. She wasn’t stupid and she had damn good computer skills. And she’d done a pretty good job at protecting herself this morning in Canberra.

  “I agree I don’t have the resources you have, but I still think I can help. I didn’t do so bad this morning, did I? And I don’t like decisions being made about me without being consulted.”

  “What happened this morning?” asked Kevin.

  Realizing she’d probably said too much, Beth fell silent.

  Kevin glared at Daniel then Beth. “Well, is someone going to tell me what happened? I’m really curious now.”

  “I—”

  “Let me handle this, Beth,” cut in Daniel. “She was followed and managed to get away. That’s why we hightailed it out of town and came here.”

  “How the hell did they find you?”

  “We need to find out. Then we’ll be able to work out the whos and whys of it. That’s why I need access to a secure computer and for you to make some discreet inquiries.”

  “I’ll do everything I can, mate. Just ask.”

  “That’s what I’d hoped you say. First thing I need is to get Beth out of sight. I want her safe.”

  Beth was stunned. He was shutting her out again and she couldn’t let that happen. Not if she could help it.

  “What about you, Daniel? They’re after you, too. Who’s going to keep you safe?” said Beth, her voice rising.

  She could almost see fiery sparks coming from Daniel’s eyes as he glared at her and began to speak. But before the first word left his lips, Kevin burst into laughter.

  “I fail to find any humor in this, Kevin,” said Daniel

  “Sorry, mate, it’s just that now I see why you want to get Beth under wraps.”

  “What the heck is that supposed to mean?” demanded Beth.

  Daniel stood up, grabbing the car keys from the table. “I don’t have time for this right now, Beth. Kevin, I need to get rid of the car. I’ll bring in our gear and go.”

  “Wait a minute, Daniel. We haven’t finished talking yet,” said Beth, following him toward the door.

  “I have. Remember, Kevin and I are the pros here. We know what we’re doing. Stay put. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, maybe sooner.”

  “No problem, Danny. Beth and I’ll get acquainted while you’re gone. It’s been a while since I had such a beautiful woman in my pad.”

  Daniel flinched and inhaled sharply.

  “I find that hard to believe, Kevin. I’m sure you’ll keep her company for me. You do remember how to do that, don’t you?”

  “Of course,” said Kevin, a glint of humor in hi
s eyes. “Beth and I will be joined at the hip until you get back.”

  * * * *

  Daniel slammed the car door shut just as he turned the key in the ignition and drove away. He needed speed. He couldn’t think while Beth was around. She was so exasperating, so reckless. So damn beautiful. Fuck, she didn’t need him distracted. She could wind up dead.

  Like Lisa.

  He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while he waited at the traffic lights. But Beth wasn’t Lisa. This was different. He’d never felt this way about Lisa. They’d been friends. They’d cared about each other, but this was more than that. Every time he thought about her he felt hot. And after that kiss…whoa!

  The blast of a horn jolted Daniel back to reality. Damn! This was what he’d been trying to avoid. Shaking himself, he put the car in gear and drove on a little too forcefully. The property where he was meeting Will was about forty minutes out of town. After he exchanged cars again, he was hoping he could get some answers. Maybe Will had some ideas as to who may be leaking their position to the bad guys, whoever they were. After the train crash it had been pretty much accepted that they knew who the target was—the British Prime Minister. But now he wasn’t so sure. And, until they’d confirmed who they were dealing with, Beth was in extreme danger.

  * * * *

  The sun was low and darkness was not far away when Daniel took a right turn off the main road from Dural and passed two large properties. Man, there is some big money living around here. At the end of the road he continued on a dirt track until he came to a driveway, partially hidden by the thick undergrowth and a couple of gum tree saplings, which he swerved to avoid.

  The gate to the property was open as he drove through, but he stopped to close it before continuing on. The house—if he could call it a house—was small like a cabin, and old. The paint job on the worn weatherboards showed the original owners were well acquainted with the sixties. Each board was a different color, ranging from faded purple to green and orange, and peeling much like the fruit. The front door had a large flower painted on the middle panel. The porch posts were covered with an overgrown creeper, twisting and falling over the edges of the veranda.