space; lathes, oxyacetylene cutting
equipment and mechanics took up the rest. The air was smoky, oily, riven by the
screaming tools and hammers. The wrecked Prelude had been delivered and already
a couple of men were cutting away the damaged section. Within twenty-four hours
the legitimate front half would be welded to the back half of the stolen car,
giving the Mesics a Prelude worth $25 000 and untraceable parts worth several
thousand dollars on top of that. Not bad for an outlay of $3750, thought Bax.
The Mesic brothers materialised from
a makeshift fibro office next to a stack of bumper bars. Bax frowned. He had no
wish to see Victor: he just wanted to deal with Leo. If Victor was there, it
could only mean bad news. He faced the Mesics stonily as they approached him,
nodding once briefly in recognition of the warning look Leo was flashing him.
Victor wasted no time. He held out
his hand to Bax. My brother says he gave you five thousand?
Bax gave him the envelope. Heres
your change. The deal is you give me a finders fee, a thousand bucks.
The grin on Victors face was loaded
with the little mans cockiness and malice. Maybe you should have deducted it,
he said, pocketing the envelope.
Oh lovely, Bax thought. He said
nothing.
Understand me, Bax. Were winding
up operations here too. Youve pulled your last car for us.
Bax reached out a hand. Come on,
Vic, give me my thousand.
Victor Mesic stepped back daintily,
as if he were dancing. Uh, uh. Nope. This time you get paid when weve
actually sold the car.
Bax shook his head. He felt very
tired. For a while then he stared at the floor, shutting out the Mesics, the
sounds of tortured metal, trying to find some elusive peace at the core of
himself. He didnt know how hed ever let himself get caught up in all this. He
didnt know how he was going to get out of it. All he did know was that time
was running out and hed have to find an unaccustomed chip of ice in his heart.
* * * *
Twenty-one
Until
now youve been an irritation, Jardine said. Its time to hit Kepler where it
will hurt his pocket and his pride.
He paused. He looked at a point
beyond Wyatts shoulder, putting his thoughts together. Wyatt waited. It was
Friday morning and they were in Jardines room. Jardine had considered moving
out, but Wyatt said no, that would only attract attention if the Outfit got it
into its head that he was behind the recent hits on its operations.
Theres a floating casino, Jardine
said finally. Its how Kepler got started, its a good earner for him, and hes
still got a soft spot for it. Its strictly for the high-flyers. There are
plenty of legitimate games for them in Australia. If youre some bigwig from
Hong Kong, say, accustomed to staking six figures at the gambling tables,
places like Jupiters and Wrest Point will lay on the air fare, accommodation,
all meals, the odd bottle of Dom Perignon, etcetera, for you and the wife.
He stopped and gulped tea from his
mug. Wyatt was also drinking tea. Nothing stronger, nothing that might blur the
edges of thought.
Thats fine, Jardine went on, except
theres always the bloke who wants something a bit different. He wants to play
in a place where no one knows his name, where he doesnt have to dress up,
where the risk is greater, the company rougher, the rules arent set by the
Gaming Commission. Thats where the Outfit comes in.
Wyatt waited. Jardine generally took
his time with the background, but it always turned out to be important. He
drank his tea and waited.
Youve noticed theres a lot of
unleased office space in Sydney, Jardine said.
Melbourne too.
Its got the real estate boys
worried, Jardine said, so they offer special deals. One in particular has
caught the attention of the Outfitfree rent for the first six months.
Wyatt inclined his head
imperceptibly, guessing what was coming next. Ready-made premises, he said.
Right. The Outfit sets up a dummy
front company to lease a suite of empty offices, generally an entire
equipment and mechanics took up the rest. The air was smoky, oily, riven by the
screaming tools and hammers. The wrecked Prelude had been delivered and already
a couple of men were cutting away the damaged section. Within twenty-four hours
the legitimate front half would be welded to the back half of the stolen car,
giving the Mesics a Prelude worth $25 000 and untraceable parts worth several
thousand dollars on top of that. Not bad for an outlay of $3750, thought Bax.
The Mesic brothers materialised from
a makeshift fibro office next to a stack of bumper bars. Bax frowned. He had no
wish to see Victor: he just wanted to deal with Leo. If Victor was there, it
could only mean bad news. He faced the Mesics stonily as they approached him,
nodding once briefly in recognition of the warning look Leo was flashing him.
Victor wasted no time. He held out
his hand to Bax. My brother says he gave you five thousand?
Bax gave him the envelope. Heres
your change. The deal is you give me a finders fee, a thousand bucks.
The grin on Victors face was loaded
with the little mans cockiness and malice. Maybe you should have deducted it,
he said, pocketing the envelope.
Oh lovely, Bax thought. He said
nothing.
Understand me, Bax. Were winding
up operations here too. Youve pulled your last car for us.
Bax reached out a hand. Come on,
Vic, give me my thousand.
Victor Mesic stepped back daintily,
as if he were dancing. Uh, uh. Nope. This time you get paid when weve
actually sold the car.
Bax shook his head. He felt very
tired. For a while then he stared at the floor, shutting out the Mesics, the
sounds of tortured metal, trying to find some elusive peace at the core of
himself. He didnt know how hed ever let himself get caught up in all this. He
didnt know how he was going to get out of it. All he did know was that time
was running out and hed have to find an unaccustomed chip of ice in his heart.
* * * *
Twenty-one
Until
now youve been an irritation, Jardine said. Its time to hit Kepler where it
will hurt his pocket and his pride.
He paused. He looked at a point
beyond Wyatts shoulder, putting his thoughts together. Wyatt waited. It was
Friday morning and they were in Jardines room. Jardine had considered moving
out, but Wyatt said no, that would only attract attention if the Outfit got it
into its head that he was behind the recent hits on its operations.
Theres a floating casino, Jardine
said finally. Its how Kepler got started, its a good earner for him, and hes
still got a soft spot for it. Its strictly for the high-flyers. There are
plenty of legitimate games for them in Australia. If youre some bigwig from
Hong Kong, say, accustomed to staking six figures at the gambling tables,
places like Jupiters and Wrest Point will lay on the air fare, accommodation,
all meals, the odd bottle of Dom Perignon, etcetera, for you and the wife.
He stopped and gulped tea from his
mug. Wyatt was also drinking tea. Nothing stronger, nothing that might blur the
edges of thought.
Thats fine, Jardine went on, except
theres always the bloke who wants something a bit different. He wants to play
in a place where no one knows his name, where he doesnt have to dress up,
where the risk is greater, the company rougher, the rules arent set by the
Gaming Commission. Thats where the Outfit comes in.
Wyatt waited. Jardine generally took
his time with the background, but it always turned out to be important. He
drank his tea and waited.
Youve noticed theres a lot of
unleased office space in Sydney, Jardine said.
Melbourne too.
Its got the real estate boys
worried, Jardine said, so they offer special deals. One in particular has
caught the attention of the Outfitfree rent for the first six months.
Wyatt inclined his head
imperceptibly, guessing what was coming next. Ready-made premises, he said.
Right. The Outfit sets up a dummy
front company to lease a suite of empty offices, generally an entire
Similar Books
