‘Another long night then,’ Philips offered with a smile that warmed Jenny’s heart.

  Chapter 50

  Chatter surrounded Jenny as she compiled the phone records and prepared everything for her interview.

  ‘You should be on your way to the airport to pick up McGregor.’ Sergeant Mackenzie tapped his watch. ‘You’ve got a bridesmaid to collect and a wedding to get ready for.’

  Jenny slipped the paperwork into a manila folder and held it in the air. ‘I want to bury this case first.’

  The sound of someone clearing their throat made Jenny turn to see Detective Deakin strolling from the interview rooms.

  ‘Let me give you a piece of advice Constable.’ The detective reached Jenny and accepted the file from her hand. ‘There’s always another case. No shortage of them in fact. Why not let us tidy this one up?’

  ‘I’ve got a few hours before Penny’s plane lands. We don’t have to head to William Creek right away. I’d like to see this through. I’d like to take the interview.’

  ‘You and me both,’ O’Connell agreed.

  The detective smiled knowingly. ‘We don’t have all the evidence yet. But my interview with Catherine was insightful.’

  Jenny sat back down. O’Connell perched on the corner of her workstation.

  Detective Deakin continued. ‘Catherine admitted to organising everything. She handled the paperwork, while Kieran and Chad drove the vehicles off-site. Catherine claims none of them knew the X-ray machine wasn’t decommissioned until Chad got nervous about the serial numbers not matching, and risked everything by asking Emma to check it out.’

  Jenny was still trying to piece together where and when the Cobalt came into play. Something about Catherine’s role in the theft niggled at her subconscious. ‘So why were the machines swapped out?’

  ‘Working theory is that the machine Catherine planned to steal was scrapped unexpectedly, so she switched the manifest and found another one.’

  Jenny shook her head. ‘Where is the market for a disused, decommissioned X-ray machine anyway?’

  Detective Deakin smiled. ‘I wondered the same thing, but apparently they are worth good money for parts.’

  The little niggle continued to nudge Jenny. ‘So the swap was accidental?’

  ‘Yes, and someone took the opportunity once they discovered the Cobalt, to find a buyer.’

  Jenny’s stomach knotted. ‘Did Emma know she was exposed?’

  ‘We don’t know.’ The detective’s eyes saddened. ‘All indications are she never knew. Mark Nesbitt said she was going to show him where the Cobalt was, but not until she got confirmation from Foresight that Chad wouldn’t be charged.’

  Jenny replayed the moment Emma collapsed. Her temples throbbed as she recalled desperately trying to pump life back into the woman. She rubbed at her chest, recalling the pain she experienced when she realised they’d failed. ‘And she died before she got the chance.’

  Detective Deakin took a moment to reply. ‘Unfortunately yes, and she didn’t leave a trail. If it was in her emails, we never recovered it.’

  ‘What about Kieran?’

  ‘Catherine rolled on him, like that.’ She snapped her fingers. ‘We know from Chad’s girlfriend that he was trying to get out of the theft ring. There was an altercation, likely over having to steal Emma’s body. Things got out of hand.’

  Jenny swallowed. ‘And Kieran killed his best mate.’

  Detective Deakin crossed to the whiteboard. ‘Tragic. All over money.’ She taped a photo to the whiteboard. ‘We found the murder weapon when the team decontaminated the X-ray machine. Kieran’s prints were on it. But most importantly, we found Emma’s body. Remains were degraded, but we managed a formal ID from her dental records, and a hCG test confirms she was pregnant.’

  ‘I thought she was. She was sick but seemed happy on the plane. I think all the time she was spending with Chad was because of the mess Chad got himself into.’

  ‘I agree. We are still waiting on DNA, but the baby is likely Luke’s.’

  ‘We have nothing to prove where Zara fits in,’ O’Connell huffed. ‘She’ll claim she was out there to find Kieran because she suspected he was responsible for Chad’s death.’

  Jenny shook her head. ‘I’m not sure Luke will back that up. His first shot was aimed at her.’

  Jenny indicated the records in Detective Deakin’s hand. ‘When we find the burner, we’ll have her. There are at least two texts in those records threatening physical harm if Chad didn’t keep quiet. And Kieran called that burner minutes after Jed told Chad Emma was dead. That’s likely when the order was given to steal her body.’

  O’Connell shook his head. ‘None of that explains how Zara found out about the Cobalt? I know she’s never been shy when it comes to bending the law, but dealing in radioactive isotopes seems extreme.’

  Detective Deakin chuckled sardonically. ‘It seems Luke didn’t think so. He was certainly willing to put a bullet in her head.’ She passed the file back to Jenny. ‘And a dive into her financials was revealing. She’s in debt. Selling this Cobalt was her meal ticket.’

  There were still too many loose ends for Jenny’s liking. ‘How did Kieran and whoever got that burner know Emma was exposed to radiation and how on earth would Zara Hudson know how to find a buyer for radioactive isotopes?’

  ‘My team are tossing her house, the mine, everywhere she’s been, right now. We should get answers soon enough.’

  ‘Did the SIM card information on that burner come through yet?’ Jenny asked O’Connell.

  ‘I’ll check.’ He pushed off her desk and huddled in front of his computer. ‘Why?’

  ‘Just a hunch.’

  O’Connell grinned, ‘Williams gut instinct in action.’

  Jenny joined the senior constable. ‘Only if it pays off.’

  ‘That’s weird.’ O’Connell hit a button. The printer whirred into action.

  Sergeant Mackenzie collected the printout. ‘The SIM was purchased at a Roadhouse on the Stuart Highway near Bulgunnia.’

  ‘That could easily be Chad or Kieran purchasing them all in one hit,’ Detective Deakin didn’t sound convinced as she reached for the printout.

  ‘Yeah, except we ran the other SIMs and they are in a different sequence,’ O’Connell assured her.

  ‘We need the footage from the service station.’ The detective rubbed her temples as she read the printout. ‘But it was purchased weeks ago. It’s unlikely they keep the footage that long.’

  Sergeant Mackenzie pointed to Nellie. ‘Ring and find out.’

  ‘On it Boss.’

  Jenny brought up the case file on her computer. ‘You said we had all Zara’s financials. I’m assuming we have her phone records too.’

  Detective Deakin met Jenny at her desk. ‘We do. Why?’

  ‘Just an idea.’ Jenny opened files until she found the one she wanted. Her finger ran down the numbers. Nothing jumped out instantly, except there was a regular number Zara rang almost daily for two weeks, then less often for the following fortnight.

  Jenny clicked the mouse and changed to another page, going back another month as her brain worked on the burner phone initials and tried to figure out why Zara would buy a SIM from a Bulgunnia roadhouse.

  Then it hit her when a familiar number popped out on the screen. ‘There!’

  ‘What?’ Detective Deakin asked as O’Connell and Sergeant Mackenzie arrived to peer over her shoulder.

  ‘This number appears constantly on Zara’s personal phone records and it’s one I’ve seen before.’ Jenny hit print on the file and opened the case notes, checking on something Penny mentioned early in the investigation.

  Her finger scanned the OSL badge information. Tension tugged between her shoulder blades as she confirmed one more piece in the puzzle. The printer whirred to life with one more printout.

  Sergeant Mackenzie hung over her shoulder. ‘What have you found?’

  ‘Something Penny followed up, but it seemed irrelevant.’

  ‘Until it wasn’t,’ her boss grinned. ‘You know what it means?’

  ‘I think I do.’ Jenny grabbed the manila folder from her desk, rushed to the counter, collected the printouts, then hurried down the hallway. ‘I think we have what we need to interview Zara now.’

  ‘Hang on.’ Detective Deakin rushed after Jenny, O’Connell one step behind. ‘You said you wanted to do the interview. I didn’t agree. Zara Hudson is under arrest in connection with the trafficking of radioactive substances and for breaking laws in relation to the Anti-Terrorism Act.’

  Jenny spun on the detective as they reached the interview room door. ‘You want a conviction on someone willing to sell Cobalt-60 to the highest bidder. Right?’

  Detective Deakin frowned. ‘Of course I do.’

  ‘And I do too,’ Jenny tapped her watch, ‘but I’ve got a flight to meet and I don’t have time to explain everything or wait for evidence to back up my theory. You’ll have to trust me on this.’

  O’Connell pressed between them. ‘How about we all go in for this one?’ He patted the detective on the back. ‘I’ll bet on Williams’ gut any day.’ He reached between the two women and opened the interview room door.

  Chapter 51

  As the three police officers filed in, Zara peered up, sat back and clamped her arms over her chest. ‘If I’d known we were having a party, I would have put my best duds on.’

  Jenny studied the woman’s greying hair, workwear and crass nature and was once more struck by the stark differences between her and Gwen.

  ‘Sorry to keep you waiting Zara but matters of national security and all that. They take a while. You’ve met Detective Deakin—she doesn’t understand the local angle like O’Connell here.’ Jenny hoicked her thumb at the Senior Constable.

  Zara snorted. ‘He’s only here for the show.’ She dismissed him with a back-handed wave.

  O’Connell rolled his lips to suppress a grin. ‘She has a point.’ He dragged the seat out next to the recording equipment and offered it to Detective Deakin.

  Jenny noticed the senior constable give the detective a reassuring tap on the shoulder before stepping away to lean against the back wall.

  Detective Deakin glared a warning. Jenny acknowledged it with a nod. The detective was giving her some slack. She needed to make sure it wasn’t enough to hang herself.

  Jenny slid into the seat opposite Zara, dropped her elbows to the table and leant in. ‘Can you confirm you’ve been cautioned Ms Hudson?’

  The woman frowned. ‘You can’t do anything to me.’ She eyed Jenny, then O’Connell who mirrored Zara’s defensive position. ‘You’ve got nothing on me.’

  ‘Let’s start with the formalities.’ Jenny pointed to the recording equipment. ‘Can you confirm for the recording that you’ve been cautioned please.’

  Zara’s arms remained clamped tightly at her chest as her right index finger tapped out a rhythm on her bicep. ‘I’ve been cautioned, but a fat lot of good it’s going to do you lot.’

  Jenny slapped the folder on the table, startling Zara. Her eyes narrowed but relaxed as Jenny opened it to reveal the burner phone records.

  ‘Now, we have a trail of calls between this pay-as-you-go phone and the ones Kieran, Catherine and your son Chad were using to coordinate the theft of machinery from the Bulgunnia Mine.’

  Zara shook her head petulantly. ‘Nothing to do with me.’

  Jenny shuffled the paperwork. ‘I believe you.’

  Detective Deakin watched warily for a moment. When Zara’s chin jutted out with scepticism, the detective relaxed.

  Zara didn’t. ‘Then what am I doing here?’ Her arms fell to her side.

  Jenny rotated the piece of paper and indicated the number Chad labelled RAC in his phone. ‘I think you know who owns this burner.’

  The vein at the edge of Zara’s temple twitched. Jenny continued. ‘At first, we thought you set Chad up to steal the Cobalt. Luke certainly did.’ Jenny watched Zara’s face contort. ‘But that’s not what happened, is it Zara?’

  She sat back and crossed her legs. Her hands were now clasped tightly in her lap. ‘You’re telling the story Luv. Don’t ask me.’

  Jenny slipped another piece of paper out from under the first one and rotated it toward Zara. ‘You’re having financial difficulties.’

  Zara cocked her head. ‘So.’

  ‘So I think your boyfriend offered you a helping hand.’

  The roar of laughter nearly made Jenny jump. Zara tossed her head back with exaggerated effort, then glared at Jenny. ‘I don’t have a boyfriend.’

  Jenny let the thought linger a moment. O’Connell shuffled behind her. She could sense he wanted to say something, but was glad he didn’t.

  ‘I went through your phone records and found a number you’ve called a lot in the past few months. I knew it was familiar. Took me a minute to figure it out though.’ Jenny reached into the pocket of her utility vest and retrieved a business card she nearly tossed in the bin days ago.

  She placed it on the table in front of Zara and tapped it. ‘Does this number look familiar?’

  Zara barely glanced at it before shaking her head. ‘No. Must be someone Chad or Luke were calling.’

  ‘From your personal mobile?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Zara’s cheeks reddened.

  Jenny expected Zara to deny her association with the one person with the connections and capacity to be the real ringleader of such an elaborate operation.

  Catherine’s fear at the mining office. Her reluctance to hand over the files until she was coaxed. The swapping of the machinery which Chad knew nothing about.

  Someone was willing to threaten everyone involved to make sure Emma’s body wasn’t autopsied, but no one knew she was exposed. Even Emma was unaware.

  Only one person had their suspicions, and it wasn’t Zara Hudson.

  She tapped the business card mobile number. ‘You see, the owner of this number you’ve been conversing with is also the owner of a pay-as-you-go phone purchased from a roadhouse on the Stuart Highway, just outside Bulgunnia.’

  ‘I really don’t have time for this. I need to organise a funeral.’ Zara’s butt rose from the chair.

  ‘Do you want to know who’s ultimately responsible for Chad’s death?’

  Zara’s lips pursed. Her backside lowered back to the chair in slow motion.

  Jenny let the silence linger a moment before continuing. ‘This pay-as-you-go number sent numerous texts to Chad, threatening to hurt Cheryl Peterson if he didn’t keep his mouth shut. It also received a call from Kieran when they found out Emma was dead. That’s when the order was given to take Emma’s body and make sure no post-mortem was conducted.’

  Jenny had little evidence yet, but there was no doubt in her mind they’d find some. But if she could convince Zara to confirm her suspicions, they’d have the warrants needed to search computers, associates, financials, CCTV footage and dark web conversation brokering a deal to sell Cobalt.

  ‘Someone you know realised the X-ray machine Chad stole wasn’t decommissioned, didn’t they Zara?’

  The woman shook her head, then focussed on the business card on the table.

  ‘You thought he was going to solve two problems in one hit. Didn’t you?’ Jenny tapped the card again. ‘He offered to move the Cobalt so Chad wouldn’t get into trouble and he agreed to share the profits with you if you let him use your computer to find a buyer. You even used his phone to call Chad once, on his regular phone.’

  Zara’s eyes were glued to Jenny’s finger tapping out a rhythm on the business card.

  ‘I bet he got super angry when he saw you’d called Chad from his burner.’

  Zara’s eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth, but forced it closed once more.

  ‘I wasn’t sure at first. Lots of little clues needed to fall into place. Like how FIFO workers tend to have nicknames for the security guards on site. RAC. Rent-a-cop is what Chad labelled Don Matters on his burner.’

  Zara’s sharp intake of breath assured Jenny she was on the right track. ‘Did Don Matters put you up to this Zara? Did he get you to take all the risk? Is Don Matters the reason Chad is dead and Luke hates you, Zara?’

  The woman’s top lip quivered with rage. ‘He’s not my bloody boyfriend. He’s just a drinking buddy.’

  ‘But he did offer to make your problems go away?’

  ‘Yes. Yes. Bloody yes. I had no idea he was pressuring Chad.’

  Jenny needed Zara talking. Her evidence, together with what they could find through searches would bury Don Matters for good, but she needed Zara angry enough to do what needed to be done.

  The more she considered the case, the more she realised the X-ray machine was deliberately swapped out and the switch was covered up on site. Only someone with unrestricted access could manage that.

  ‘Don Matters knew the Cobalt was there all along Zara. He knew Emma would help keep Chad out of serious trouble and check to see if the X-ray machine was decommissioned or not.

  Jenny opened the final printout from the OSL Badge supplier. ‘This is the serial number on the badge Emma brought back to Coober Pedy. We found it in her luggage.’ Jenny indicated another number, with test results. ‘This is the serial number on her usual badge.’

  Zara frowned.

  Jenny explained. ‘Her final reading before she left her last swing was from this new badge. Her old one, the one that likely would have let her know she was exposed to Cobalt-60, was swapped out before it could be tested.’

  Zara appeared ready to rip someone’s throat out.

  ‘Don Matters has keys to staff lockers, has the ability to switch out machinery.’ Jenny tapped the business card firmly, holding her finger on it. ‘Don Matters is the reason Emma never knew she was suffering from radiation sickness, not morning sickness.’

  Zara flopped back in her seat as though Jenny slapped her.

  ‘He’s the reason your grandchild is dead.’

  Jenny half expected the woman to break down. Instead, she sucked in air, fixed a steely blue gaze on Jenny, then the Detective, finally settling on O’Connell.

 

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