Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Mick
T he scent of antiseptic mixed with body odour hits me in the solar plexus as I stroll through the doors of Parramatta Police Station. It takes all my willpower not to double over at the assault on my senses, the images it invokes.
Blood. Gunshots. Screams.
Two constables—a pretty blonde and a red-headed male—chat at the front desk, their body language more appropriate for a nightclub than the workplace. The incongruity is just what I need to pull myself out of my head and park the memories where they belong—in the past. It appears standards have slipped. The man falls onto the woman as a chocolate labrador jumps up, its paws on the counter. At least someone has noticed my presence.
The constables shake themselves off, their cheeks turning a pinkish hue.
The redhead shakes his finger at the dog. “No, Milo.”
“Can I help you, sir?” asks the woman.
I collect myself and adjust the lapels of my jacket. “Yes. My name is Mick Williams. I’m here to see Detective Inspector Jake Matthews. ”
“Just a moment, please.” She picks up the phone.
I maintain a neutral expression as I watch the man chastise his dog. Instead of sitting as commanded, the labrador sprawls on his belly and licks the floor. He seems bored. I don’t blame him. His master appears to be the one in need of training. I couldn’t have asked for a better distraction to ground myself as I adjust to the familiarity of the station.
The female constable puts the phone down. “Inspector Matthews will be with you shortly.”
“Thanks.” I turn to the man. “Is that a drug sniffer dog?”
“Yep.” He straightens, his face now back to a normal fleshy colour. “We’ve been partners for two years.”
“So, how come you’re helping at the front desk?”
“Ah …” A red flush returns to his cheeks. That’s what I thought. He’s not meant to be here.
The internal door swings open and Jake strides through it. He halts and glares at the dog. “What the hell are you and your mutt doing in reception, Dylan?”
“We were just leaving, sir.”
“Good.” Jake turns to the woman who has found her computer almost as fascinating as Dylan when I walked in and shakes his head. “Can you find Sergeant Anderson for me and let him know I want him in my office?”
“Yes, sir.”
Dylan and Milo scramble past Jake. I swear they’re both panting.
My lips twitch. “I see the station has gone to the dogs.”
Jake laughs. “I can’t get away from them.” He opens the divider and ushers me through. “Welcome to Parramatta Police Station, Mick.”
I spent most of my time with the cops in the city, but I had a short stint here. The station is as I remember it. Bland and functional. It’s like nothing has changed, and yet everything’s different. I’m certainly not the same person I was back then .
After getting a coffee in the lunchroom, we head to Jake’s office. It’s as tidy as mine. Everything locked away. The only furniture is the desk, a round table in the corner and two filing cabinets. A large, framed photo captures my attention—a picture of Jake, Claire and his son, Oscar, at the beach. They’re the quintessential happy family, reminding me it’s been too long since I took Jules and Riley on a holiday.
“Thanks for agreeing to this, Mick.”
Bile creeps up my throat. I never expected to be inside a police station again. It’ll take some getting used to. “It’s the least I can do.” No one wants to see Leadbetter’s operation shut down more than me. Who knew my job as a forensic accountant at the tax office would bring me full circle?
The door flies open, and Greg, aka Detective Sergeant Anderson, strides through. “What’s the fucking emerg—” His gaze darts to mine, then to Jake, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Sorry, Inspector Matthews.”
Jake gives him a tight nod. It’s good to see some things never change. Greg always was a loose cannon and from the barely contained aggression emanating from Jake, he’ll be having words with his best friend the moment I leave.
Jake sighs. “Shut the door.”
Greg pivots and closes the door, then sweeps me up in a bear hug. “Good to see you, Mick. How’s the bean counting going?”
I prise myself from his grip. I’d forgotten how touchy-feely he can be. He almost squashed me in two at Jake and Claire’s engagement party.
“For Christ’s sake, Greg, show some respect.” A vein pulses at Jake’s temple.
Greg waves a hand at Jake as if he’s dismissing him. “It’s a form of endearment. Besides, Mick’s more of a forensic detective nowadays.”
I laugh. “I think the crime scene guys would take exception to that. ”
“Ah, fuck ’em. They’ve got it easy sifting through blood and tissue and shit. But you … you find inconsistencies in reams and reams of numbers. I say that’s impressive detective work.” Greg rubs his jaw and turns to Jake. “I’m guessing it’s why he’s here?”
“Yes. And it’s highly confidential.”
“Of course, Inspector.” Greg nods. It takes all my effort to stop from laughing out loud. Ryan and I have our moments at the tax office, but I’ve missed the banter you can only get with cops. And these pair are two of the funniest ones I’ve ever worked with, although it was only for a short time. Just before I went undercover.
We settle at the small table, and Jake opens his laptop. “To bring you up to speed, Greg, the police commissioner and tax office have given special approval for Mick to work alongside the drug squad on the Leadbetter case.”
“Nice.” Greg leans back in his chair, his long legs colliding with mine under the table. “Does that mean you’ve identified possible money laundering activities?”
“Yep.” I wipe sweaty hands on my trousers and fire up my laptop. “Leadbetter’s accountant was good, but not good enough.”
“We could leave Mick and the tax office alone to conduct their review,” says Jake. “But given Mick’s prior undercover experience with the Leadbetter syndicate, the commander and I think he’d be more valuable working alongside us.”
A shiver runs down my spine, and I pause what I’m doing. “I agreed to help with the accounting side, Jake. That’s all.” I can’t risk exposing my family to police life.
“I know. But you lived and breathed that gang in a way no one else has. The longest any other cop has lasted undercover with them is six months before they had to be pulled for their own safety.”
That’s because they’re a ruthless mob. I lost a part of my soul to them that I’ll never get back. “But?— ”
Jake holds up his hand. “I want you to apply your forensic and investigative skills to see if there’s anything we’re missing. You’re still a civilian, so you wouldn’t be out in the field. There must be something in all the data we’ve collected over the years that we can use to help put Leadbetter away.” He thumps the table. Greg and I flinch at the unexpected display of aggression. “I want this bastard to die in jail.”
My leg shakes and the back of my neck itches. The word ‘no’ catches in my throat. I’m equal parts pumped at the thought of doing real detective work again and terrified.
Jake must sense my hesitation. He rests his hands on the table and leans forward. “Your involvement stays strictly confidential, Mick. Few people know you were an undercover cop, so we’re going to keep it that way. As far as everyone else is concerned, you’re here doing forensic accounting activities related to the money laundering. That’s all.”
I glance around the sparse office space. Can I do what Jake is asking? It’s not like I’ll be on the front line. The only danger here is a paper cut or a headache from Greg’s antics. Maybe this is what I need to put the past to rest and give me more time with my family.
“What about Em?” Greg’s voice softens.
Interesting. The Greg Anderson I knew churned through women faster than Zola chews through soft toys. Has he been tamed?
Jake pinches the bridge of his nose. “She needs to be told. As our key intelligence analyst, Mick will need to speak freely with her. But that’s it. You, me, Emily and Commander Gordon.”
My leg bounces even harder. I press my palm on my thigh to settle it. I hope I’m not making a big mistake. “Thanks, Jake. That makes me feel more comfortable.”
“It’s not just for you, Mick. We’ve had issues with information leaking. This way, we control who knows.”
There’s a brief knock on the door before it swings open and a tiny woman with flaming red curls hovers in the entrance. I recognise her as a guest at Jake and Claire’s engagement party six months ago. We spoke briefly, the usual pleasantries. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Inspector Matthews. I tried to call, but you didn’t answer.”
Jake scrubs his fingers through his hair. “That’s because my phone’s on silent.”
She’s got bigger balls than most men I know, continuing into the office and handing him a piece of paper. Her trembling hands are the only sign she’s not as confident as she makes out. “You really want to see this.”
Jake snatches the page from her. As he reads it, he stands and paces the room. His brow furrows and if I thought the vein at his temple was pulsing before, it’s nothing compared to the erratic beat thumping now. He stops and leans against his desk. His knuckles are as white as the paper.
He presses his lips together, rage barely contained beneath the surface. “You were right to interrupt.” His steel gaze switches to me. “This is Mick Williams from the tax office. He’ll be helping with our investigation.”
Emily shakes my hand with a firmness that belies her tiny stature. “It’s nice to meet you again, Mick.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
Greg drags his gaze up and down her body, lingering on her chest. “Looking good, Em.”
“Not in the office, Greg.” Jake sighs.
Colour floods Emily’s cheeks, and she backs out of the room. “I’ll leave you to your meeting.” The door snicks shut.
Greg elbows me in the ribs. “That’s my woman, so keep your eyes off her, Williams.”
Jake grunts at Greg to be professional and then drops a bombshell. “A fourth witness has been found floating in the river. At this rate, there’ll be no one left by Christmas to testify.”
Jake and Greg spend the next hour giving me a summary of Leadbetter’s activities over the last seven years. While I enjoy pouring through numbers, I have to admit the surge of adrenaline pumping through my veins as I’m brought up to speed is addictive. Reminds me of why I joined the police force and how I thrived in the job. Until I didn’t.