Under Cover Of Dark

by Juanita Kees

  Scott shook his head. ‘Serena introduced them as old friends. She brought them to the Dealership to buy a fleet of delivery vans. I remember wondering what lawyers would want with delivery vans, but didn’t question the sale. In hindsight…’

  Mark patted his shoulder. ‘Hindsight, pity it always comes too late.’

  The scandal had rocked the media for months when Serena Snow had slapped a harassment suit on her former partner, Scott Devin. But it had gone far deeper than a failed relationship as they’d begun to find evidence of fraud intending to set Scott up as a scapegoat for laundering drug money.

  ‘Do you think Albero was behind the explosion at the house?’

  Mark nodded. ‘He’s been ringing Lily, threatening her. Harold pulled the phone records.’

  ‘What do you think she’s hiding?’

  ‘It’s more about who she’s protecting.’

  ‘What happens if she’s withholding evidence?’

  Mark ran a hand over his face and rubbed at the day’s growth of beard. ‘It could get ugly for both of them.’

  ‘I guess we need to make sure it doesn’t.’

  ‘We’re going to try our damndest,’ Mark agreed.

  ‘Oi,’ called TJ from the veranda. Both men turned to see her with a pile of linen in her arms. She tossed it neatly into Scott’s. ‘Why don’t you boys go and make up the beds in Cabin One while we get the salads ready.’

  ‘And here I thought we could sit, watch footy and drink beer while the kids did the barbeque,’ grumbled Scott.

  ‘Not if you want to sleep in a bed tonight.’ TJ turned and went inside.

  With a shrug, they set off towards the row of four cabins further up the slope behind the house. Razed during a fire six months earlier, the community had pulled together to help Scott and TJ rebuild the refuge accommodation. Now they stood guard over the garden they’d dedicated to Tiny Watts, the ruins of the chimney where he’d hidden his letter to TJ stood proudly in the middle.

  Scott whistled for his Rottweiler, Sarge, who followed happily behind them. ‘On guard,’ he told the dog. Sarge turned towards the view of the driveway and flopped down with his head resting on his gigantic paws. ‘I’ll leave him outside the door of the cabin tonight. He’ll keep an eye on her so she’s not alone.’

  ‘Can he use a gun?’ Mark laughed.

  ‘No, but he’s been sharpening his teeth on Marty’s cricket stumps. Chewed the damn things in half.’

  * * *

  Lily watched the two men from the kitchen window and thought about Luke’s diary. She’d burn it herself if it didn’t also hold evidence that would take the drug ring down. Now Mark knew about the diary, dare they use it to cut a deal for Luke?

  Thank God she carried it with her in her handbag or it would have been lost with everything else today. Or worse…what if it had gotten into the wrong hands? Albero — or his thugs — were looking for something. There was no other reason for the mess they’d made of the house. The explosion had destroyed anything that might have pointed a finger at Albero. At the same time it served as a warning for Lily. This was Albero’s way of saying he wouldn’t stop until she and Luke were dead too.

  ‘Tell him, Mum.’ Luke’s voice was little more than a whisper from the doorway. ‘Or this shit will never end.’

  ‘I can’t let you go to prison, Luke. We’ve withheld evidence in a murder case. We’re looking at ten years behind bars at least. The judge won’t be lenient with that evidence on the table!’

  Lily moved to stand in front of him, her hands on his tightly folded arms. For once, he didn’t shrug her off. Instead, he kicked at the kitchen floor with a booted toe.

  ‘Or we could be dead sooner.’

  With a sigh, Lily leaned her head against the fragile wall of her son’s chest. He was so skinny. She worried he wasn’t eating enough. He seemed to be wasting away. In a rare show of affection, he unfolded his arms to place them around her shoulders and drew her in for a hug.

  ‘I’m tired, Mum — tired of living in fear, tired of wondering if it will be my turn next. How will Albero finish me off? I’d rather die knowing I’d done the right thing.’

  ‘Luke.’ Lily’s breath hitched. ‘No-one else is going to die. There’s been enough of that. We just need to find someone we can trust…someone who will protect us.’

  Even though she knew he was right, the consequences were mammoth. Amidst the fear, she couldn’t stem the surge of pride. Luke’s maturity sometimes scared her. It saddened her to see a glimpse of the man who’d never had the opportunity to be a boy.

  ‘Give Detective Johnson the diary. I trust him. We have no choice. It’s the right thing to do. For us, for Tiny…and the other boys.’ He dropped his arms from around her and turned to leave.

  ‘Where are you going?’ The panic was hard to disguise.

  Luke turned. ‘It’s okay. I’m not running away. I’ll be outside at the barbeque with Marty. TJ’s put the sausages on and we’re in charge of cooking them.’

  ‘Don’t —’

  ‘Burn myself. I know.’ His smile was a little sad as he flicked his fringe out of his eyes and shoved his hands deep in his pockets.

  She let him go, followed him outside to watch until he reached the section of the veranda where Marty was reassuring TJ he knew how to “handle a snag on the barbie”. Lily wasn’t sure whether to be proud or terrified.

  * * *

  Mark loved the Perth hills at night. The stars shone brighter without the glow of the city lights. The bush was alive with sound, a chorus of creatures of the night. The frog calls merged with the chirping of the crickets, somewhere close a possum shimmied up a tree into its nest. The hypnotic calls of the nightlife blended with the laughter around the table. For a moment, Mark could forget about murder and petty theft, and enjoy the peace.

  His thoughts turned to Lily. While she’d relaxed somewhat in the glow of wine, warmth and friendship, he knew by the way her hands gripped the thin wooden arms of the chair her troubles weren’t far from her mind. He had to admire her strength. All that had happened in the last couple of months alone would have most women hunched over in a hysterical heap. But not Lily. Lily was holding it together quite admirably. How long could she keep it up before it broke her?

  She must have sensed him watching her. The laughter froze on her lips as her eyes met his. For a long moment, she held his gaze across the table, searching until she seemed to find what she was looking for. Mark felt the impact of her acceptance and his heart skipped a beat. Suddenly the cop was at war with the man. While his instinct rejoiced at the hint of a break in the case, his body reacted to the intensity of the woman. Good God! Gino Bennetti had not deserved this brave, intelligent, beautiful spirit.

  Lily leaned across the table towards him. Still entranced, it took him a moment to process her words.

  ‘We need to talk, Detective.’

  ‘Yes. Now?’ He watched the pale skin of her throat ripple gently as she swallowed pride and fear.

  ‘Yes.’ She turned to Luke, who’d tuned in to the shift in atmosphere and was watching them both. ‘Are you coming too?’

  Mark could almost smell the boy’s fear as he answered, ‘No. I trust you, Mum.’

  The words spoke volumes as chatter around the table halted abruptly. TJ stood and began to gather the dishes. The others followed her lead.

  ‘Marty, Luke — you guys get to clear the plates and feed Sarge. Scott, it’s your turn to load the dishwasher.’

  ‘Yes, dear,’ retorted Scott and TJ cuffed his ear.

  ‘I’ll put the kettle on for coffee. Mark, there’s a basket on the kitchen bench with coffee and tea in it for the cabin. Perhaps you and Lily could take it up there? I’ll make sure the boys stay out of trouble.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Lily’s words were barely a whisper as she turned to face TJ.

  In a moment of understanding, TJ pulled her into a quick hug which Lily returned a little hesitantly at first. Mark watched as Lily relaxed a little m
ore. Yes, the healing process had begun. He smiled and over Lily’s shoulder, TJ smiled back with a cheeky wink.

  Chapter 4

  Lily unlocked the door of the cabin. She paused for a moment to look at her temporary home. It looked comfortable and homely. An open plan living area gave it a light and cheerful feel. A basic kitchen nestled in the far left corner with a door leading into the garden. To the right, two doors opened onto the bedrooms, one with a double bed, the other had two bunk beds.

  Lily made her way towards the room with the double bed. She put the bag of clothes she’d selected from the donation on the floor. Later, she’d hang them in the built-in-robe or fold them neatly into the pine chest of drawers against the wall. Someone — most likely TJ — had placed a vase of fresh roses on the nightstand next to the bed. The glass vase shimmered in the soft light of the bedside lamp. For the first time in years, Lily felt safe.

  From the kitchen, she heard the sound of the kettle on the boil, a spoon tapping the side of a ceramic mug. She thought about the man behind those sounds and it felt far too much like the comfort of home. She liked him…possibly a little too much. What was it they called it when the victim falls in love with her rescuer? How would he feel when she told him the truth? Suddenly, the future stretched before her as dark and gloomy as the past she’d left behind.

  ‘Lily.’ Mark’s hand came to rest gently on her shoulder. The warmth and comfort of it gave her courage. ‘The coffee’s ready. Come, let’s get this over with.’

  She wanted to sink into that comfort, absorb it for a moment, take advantage of the promise it offered. For a moment, she did. She placed a hand on his and leaned against him, absorbing his warmth, his strength, his trustworthiness. His arm snaked around her waist to hug her closer and she closed her eyes. When his lips briefly touched her temple, she sighed…just a moment longer to enjoy the warmth before she faced reality.

  ‘Yes.’ Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and moved away from him.

  He stepped aside to allow her to pass through the door into the living area. She sank into the two-seater sofa and felt the dip as he sat next to her. How much information was too much? She could only tell him what she knew or suspected or the little titbits Luke had shared before his father’s death. Undecided, she reached for her handbag on the coffee table and unzipped a pocket on the side. For a moment she held the little book of secrets between cold hands, her stomach churning, and prayed she wasn’t making the biggest mistake yet.

  ‘Luke didn’t talk about what he and his father used to go off and do. At first I thought it was great. I figured they were bonding, something I’d hoped desperately for. That Gino was taking responsibility for his son rather than pretending he didn’t exist.’

  Mark settled in his seat and cradled the coffee cup in his big hands. Lily kept her eyes on the diary when he said, ‘I’m guessing they didn’t get along?’

  ‘No. Gino never wanted children. When I fell pregnant with Luke, he changed towards me. We’d been married two years and things were okay. Rocky at times, but everyone said it was normal for newlyweds.’

  ‘But?’ Mark prompted when she fell silent.

  ‘I was six months pregnant the first time he hit me.’ She felt Mark stiffen beside her as he swore under his breath. Her body remembered the pain while her mind remembered the fear. Her baby…she could have lost her most treasured gift. Determined to finish the story, she pushed away the dark memory. ‘I found out he was having an affair and questioned him on it. When Luke was born, he said the baby couldn’t be his. That he’d had a vasectomy. Which was true, but what he’d forgotten is that sperm can be fertile two to three months after.’

  ‘Why didn’t he insist on a paternity test?’

  Lily sighed. ‘If it leaked to the press that a prominent gangland lawyer was questioning the paternity of his child, it would put him in the spotlight. He didn’t want that sort of attention.’

  ‘And I’m guessing things got worse?’

  ‘Yes. I’ll save you the details and cut to the chase.’ The details didn’t bear remembering. Dark nights, empty days, painful recoveries and the desperate need to protect her precious son from being beaten too. She took another deep breath. ‘He pretty much ignored Luke growing up. The only time he acknowledged him was to beat him or criticise when he did something wrong.’

  ‘What did you do?’

  ‘That’s the thing…I did nothing. I buried my head in the sand, hoping they’d both get over it. That things would change once Luke was able to communicate on his level.’ She fanned the pages of the precious little book in her hand. ‘And they did change…for the worse.’

  ‘What happened, Lily?’ Mark leaned forward and placed a hand over hers.

  ‘He started taking Luke out to “jobs” with him and I watched my son retreat further into himself. At first I thought it was a stage all teenagers go through, like the one where they don’t tell you where they’re going or who their friends are. One day, I was cleaning his room and I found this.’ She held out the diary and Mark took it from her. ‘I knew I shouldn’t read it, but by then Luke was a wall of miserable silence. I couldn’t reach him anymore and I wanted to know what was going on.’

  ‘What happens if I read this diary?’

  Lily tipped her head to rest it on the back of the sofa. ‘Luke and I could go to prison for obstructing justice.’

  * * *

  Mark’s heart stopped beating as he stared at Lily’s face, now deathly grey. Her violet-blue eyes empty. His training nagged him to pore over the new evidence as excitement ripped at his gut and his heart began to pound again. The man in him wanted to take Lily in his arms and hold her, protect her, forget what she’d revealed.

  ‘I promised I’d help you, Lily. I won’t renege on the deal.’

  ‘Albero will find us and, after you read the diary, you’ll know why. He won’t stop until all the evidence is destroyed. If he knows you have it, he’ll come after you.’

  ‘I’ll be waiting,’ Mark assured her, as he settled down to read.

  ‘Mark?’

  He turned to find her face inches from his. ‘Yes, Lily?’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For everything. For trying to help. For being there when the house was destroyed. You’ve done what you can for us.’ The resignation in her tone tore at his heart.

  Chapter 5

  I hate him. I wish he was dead. He gave Tiny some of the new shit. Marty almost died from it. He’s in hospital now and Tiny’s gone to juvie again. I heard him telling that blonde chick Tiny’s a waster. I hope nothing happens to him in juvie.

  Mark ran a hand over his face and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images that flashed through his mind. He remembered the day of Marty’s overdose far too well. TJ and Scott had found the boys at the Tag Raiders club house. Tiny was dosed up to the hilt and Marty close to death from a seizure.

  Slowly the puzzle pieces were beginning to fall into place. But would this new evidence stand up in court? He looked over at where Lily had curled up against the arm of the sofa, exhausted, her head resting on her arms. In sleep, she looked even more like an angel with her soft, blonde hair falling loose around her shoulders. Ignoring the devil on his shoulder that tempted him to reach for her and pull her closer into the comfort of his arms, he turned the page and read on.

  Fark! They killed Tiny. Jesus. I don’t know what to do. Gino held him down. They made me watch. Nic did it.

  Shit! Mark’s shoulders tensed and he leaned forward to balance his elbows on his knees. The writing in the diary was shaky and uneven in size. Luke must have written the entry right after Tiny was murdered.

  Nic filled the fucking syringe and forced it all into Tiny. His screams. I can still hear them. That blonde, she laughed and made a narky comment. I puked and she laughed. It doesn’t matter. Tiny’s dead.

  Mark shut the little black notebook and stood. Fresh air. He needed to clear the cobwebs and t
hink this through. Sarge lifted his head off his paws as Mark stepped through the front door of the cabin and into the balmy night. It was dark up in the hills. No afterglow of street lamps lighting up the sky like on the flats. Here the only light was that of the stars and the big full moon that glowed through the tree tops.

  ‘Come here, boy.’ The dog lifted his bulk and stretched, before padding over for an ear scratch. ‘This puts us in a bit of a pickle.’ Sarge eyed him with big, sad brown eyes, a frown creasing his furry brow as Mark sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket.

  He dialled and waited until a deep, grumpy voice said, ‘Do you have any fuckin’ clue what time it is, dude?’

  ‘It’s not like you need your beauty sleep, Princess. We need to work fast. The stakes in the Bennetti case just went up and it could get a little dangerous. I need you to get your lazy arse to the station bright and early tomorrow morning.’

  ‘Nothing lazy about my arse. Now yours on the other hand…Question is why?’ Mark heard the squeak of mattress springs, followed by the sound of a woman’s murmur and Harold’s muffled reply. ‘Jeannie says it’s time you came over for dinner.’

  ‘Tell her only if she bakes that choc mint mud cake I like so much. Now, I need you to read the last few entries in Tiny’s diary.’

  ‘I thought that’s what you were meant to be doing.’

  ‘I got a little…side-tracked. Keeping a record seems to be important to the Tag Raiders and I’m holding a piece of the puzzle in my hand — Luke’s version of events. I need you to look for anything in Tiny’s that clearly links Nic Albero to him before he was kidnapped.’

  ‘Side-tracked…pfft…I bet! Always the fuckin’ knight in shining armour. Gotcha on the diary. So how is our lovely widow?’

  ‘In a cesspool of trouble, Jonesy. Young Luke is in deeper than we thought. Things are about to get ugly.’