Chapter 33
Maya’s heart pounded when she emerged to confront Conrad outside the Whistlestop River Air Ambulance base.
‘You read the file, didn’t you?’ he yelled at her.
‘What file?’ She may as well play dumb; it would buy more time. She led him away from the building and he was too inebriated to work out what she was doing.
‘You know exactly what I’m talking about.’
‘You’re going to have to spell it out to me, I’m afraid.’ And take long enough doing so that Noah and Eva could get to their car and go.
‘Stop bullshitting, Maya.’
‘I’m not.’ She looked at the taxi to make sure Conrad was facing away from the airbase when she saw Noah and Eva stay close to the building and weave their way around to the parking bays. Stalling for time, she said, ‘You must be paying a fortune in taxi fares. Why didn’t you call me?’
‘You’d only lie.’
‘I think you need to go home, sober up.’ Emboldened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the sight behind Conrad of Noah pulling out of the car park, she told him, ‘We’ll talk about this another time.’
‘Oh, no, we won’t.’ He cupped his hands around his mouth and called up to the skies, ‘Whistlestop River, Maya has been a very, very naughty girl!’ He looked at her to gauge her reaction. ‘Want me to continue?’
‘Stop that right now,’ came a voice beside them. Noah. He’d pulled up alongside and got out of the car.
‘You again,’ Conrad sneered. ‘You’re a right duo, aren’t you?’ He pointed to Noah then Maya and back again. ‘I see what you’re doing here.’
‘And what might that be, Conrad?’ Maya was so tired of this man.
‘You’re ganging up against me.’
‘We’re not in the playground, mate.’ Noah intervened, coming closer, one eye on Maya, the other on the car.
‘Don’t mate me,’ Conrad bit back. ‘Piss off.’
‘You’re paranoid,’ Maya told him. ‘The only person against you is yourself. You’re your own worst enemy. And you’ve been blackmailing me for long enough.’
‘What, so now you’re going to tell everyone your little secret? You’ll tell everyone in there…’ He jabbed a finger towards the air ambulance base. ‘You’ll tell them what you did. Little Maya, so innocent… or not, as it happens.’
Noah’s voice, low and with a degree of toughness, warned, ‘Leave her alone.’
‘Don’t threaten me.’
Conrad stepped so close to Maya, she could smell the foul scent of alcohol on his breath. ‘You two think you’re detectives but you should leave it up to the professionals so you don’t mess this up.’ He pulled up slightly taller, hands on hips. ‘You’re impeding an investigation, you know.’
Maya had to do something to salvage this. ‘I’m betting your work doesn’t think that’s the sort of paperwork you’re in possession of right now.’
She could tell by his reaction, the way his eyes lost more of their threat, that she was spot on. So she continued. ‘And as for letting a member of the public get hold of confidential information? Well, that’s a no-no. That could get you in a lot of trouble.’
Conrad took a moment to digest what she was saying. ‘Well played, Maya. But it’ll be my word against yours. I can’t help who breaks into my house and goes rummaging?—’
‘That’s where you’re wrong.’ Noah stepped closer to Maya’s side. ‘The day you came to my house and tried to blackmail me, offering me the information in that file in exchange for me leaving Maya alone, I recorded it all.’
‘Bullshit.’
Noah shrugged, took out his phone, found the appropriate segment and played it out loud for Conrad to hear.
‘That’s enough,’ Conrad snapped halfway through the recorded exchange. Evidently, he didn’t want to hear it again either. ‘What’s he gonna do with the information?’ Conrad directed the question to Maya.
But Noah stepped in again. ‘I haven’t contacted the police yet. We are the only people who’ve heard the recording.’
‘You going to send it to them?’ Conrad was doing his best to look as though he was in control, but he was rattled and it gave Maya a modicum of pleasure to watch him squirm.
‘Not sure,’ Noah shrugged.
Conrad’s left eyebrow went up slightly more on the right side, a sign his interest was piqued. ‘Why not?’
‘I tell you what…’ Noah stood a lot taller than his opponent, who staggered again thanks to the vodka and little time to sober up. ‘I won’t go to the police as long as whatever hold you have over Maya, you let it go.’
Conrad roared with laughter. ‘Piss off! You don’t get to tell me what to do!’
‘Okay then.’ And Noah turned and stepped back towards his car. He’d left the door open so he could hear Eva from a couple of metres away where they stood. ‘I’ll go home and make the call, let the police know about our little conversation. I’ll sort everything out for myself and you’ll be dealing with the consequences.’ He climbed into the car and started up the engine.
Before he could drive away, Conrad stepped in front of the vehicle and slammed his hands onto the bonnet.
Noah wound down his window and warned, ‘Get out of my way.’
But Conrad stood his ground.
Noah got out of the car and met him face on. ‘I said out of my way.’
Conrad held up a hand and whined, ‘Hold on a minute.’
‘Why should I?’
‘Because…’ he said as though they were both stupid. ‘Because as I’ve told you both, this isn’t a game for amateur detectives. It’s police business.’
‘And whatever you’re shooting your mouth off about when it comes to Maya is her business.’
Conrad’s jaw clenched.
‘Am I right?’ Noah demanded.
‘All right. Maya’s business will stay Maya’s business. You have my word on that.’ When Noah looked doubtful, he went on. ‘I swear. This is my career on the line. If anyone finds out about our conversation, I can kiss my job goodbye.’ He looked at Maya. ‘I’m not going to jeopardise that.’
‘He’s right,’ said Maya. ‘He wouldn’t.’
Conrad addressed Noah, the events of tonight at least making him seem half sober. ‘When are you meeting with Paul?’
‘Two days’ time, when I’m handing over the money.’
‘Then I’ll be at your place tomorrow morning, 9a.m. sharp.’ He headed for the awaiting taxi. ‘We’ll discuss it then,’ he called back. Petty, having the last word and being the one to walk away.
But that was Conrad all over.