Southern Sunset: Book One of 44 South Read online

  I closed my eyes, held my breath, and forced each one of my fingers to release, one by one.

  It fucking hurt.

  Maggie stood up, arms spread, palms facing the open door of the shed.

  “I’m going to turn around slowly,” she said, voice rock solid. “Let you see all of me. Ready?”

  There was no answer.

  Maggie slowly began her turn.

  “You know,” she said conversationally, still turning, still with raised arms, spread fingers, a ticking time bomb watching from the darkness. “You’ve led me on quite a chase. You had me fooled. Did they train you for that?”

  “Shut up!” His accent was strong. Stronger than it had been on the phone. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I wanted to tell Maggie. Warn her.

  I could do nothing.

  “OK,” Maggie said. “Why don’t you talk. Tell me what it is you want.”

  She was facing the shed again. She took a step; just a small one. Hardly noticeable really.

  And Marinkovich’s arm snaked out of the opening in the doorway, holding something tightly.

  I thought he was about to fire a gun. I thought Maggie’s movements had set off a cascade of events I’d remember for the rest of my life. I thought I was about to lose her.

  “Easy,” Maggie warned. For me or Marinkovich, I wasn’t sure. “What’s that?” she asked.

  I studied the object in Marinkovich’s hand. It wasn’t a gun. It wasn’t a weapon I was familiar with. But Maggie was barely breathing.

  “I will only speak to Senior Sergeant Matt Drake,” Marinkovich snarled. “Get him here or I let go.”

  “Deadman’s switch,” Maggie murmured.

  For me. For Matt. For the others listening in on the open radio airwaves.

  Louder, she added, “Do you really want to do that? You’ve worked so hard. Put in so much effort. Can’t you wait a little longer? Matt’s delayed, but I can get him here. Just rest your arm a little. Use two hands. You’re kind of making me nervous.”

  “That’s the intention,” Marinkovich drawled.

  “But it’s Matt you want,” Maggie reminded him.

  “It doesn’t matter. He will see the fall out.”

  “You dead.” Maggie chuckled. How could she fucking chuckle? Even pretend chuckle? “I’m sure he’d love to see that.”

  “You crazy or something?” Marinkovich demanded. I was wandering that myself, really.

  Crazy or brilliant.

  “How do I know you’re not alone?” Maggie asked. “So far, I’ve seen your arm. A black hole. And a rundown shed. Who’s all in there with you?”

  “Who do you think, kuja?”

  “Let me see them.”

  “Why? So you can do something when my guard is lowered. It will never lower.”

  “You want Matt Drake here,” Maggie said. “Then let me see who’s with you.”

  “Get Matt Drake!” Marinkovich yelled.

  Maggie.

  “When I see the hostages.” Maggie’s voice was whipcord harsh. A voice I hadn’t heard her use before. Even I straightened my back a little. Fuck knows what it did to the sadist in there. “Tit for tat, Ivan. Show me inside the shed and I’ll call Matt right now. Get him here.”

  Nothing happened for so long, I thought Maggie’s bluff had landed on deaf ears. Then slowly the door opened. A light was switched on inside the shed. Illuminating five gagged and bound bodies, huddling against the wall just beside the doorway. Mum. Dad. Justin. Oh fuck me, the twins. Tears streaming down their grubby faces. Little bodies shaking.

  Their eyes kept flicking up to Marinkovich. Then to Maggie. Then back again to the man who had ruined their lives. They couldn’t see me. They didn’t know I was there. I wanted to call out to them. Tell them I was here and they would be OK and it would all be over soon. I swear.

  But it wasn’t going to be over soon. Well, not in the way we wanted. Beside them all stood a bundle of gas bottles or scuba tanks. I couldn’t really tell. There were wires in different colours. Liquid in upside down jars. And a big fucking clock.

  It was counting down. The deadman’s switch would be irrelevant in exactly seven minutes and thirteen seconds.

  I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialled the only person I could think of. I just prayed the army let him answer.

  We were so fucking screwed.

  Chapter 63

  For A Second There Was Silence

  Maggie

  Marinkovich grabbed hold of Mr Drake and hauled him upright. The old man stood ramrod straight, his eyes on mine. His body rock solid. He must have been terrified, but he didn’t show it. I held his stare and nodded my head. Just slightly. Then let my eyes sweep across him to the target.

  The first thing I registered was just how alike he and Charlie Davis were. The tattoos were as illegible, big black ink in thick lines, running down both arms from up under his t-shirt sleeve to his knuckles. His hair was cut in the same too short fashion. Brown matching his eyes. His frame was broad, his stature on the shorter side. All like Charlie Davis. In the right light, at the right angle, this man could pass for Red Tussock’s head foreman.

  Or the head foreman could pass for this man.

  I looked at the twins. They were gagged, like the adults were gagged. Had they talked? Had they screamed? Had they actually made a sound when confronted with their real nightmare and not a facsimile?

  I wanted to kill him. I let go of the rage and looked Ivan Marinkovich in the eyes.

  “Now you’ve seen them,” he snarled. “Get Drake.”

  I nodded my head. “A deal’s a deal,” I said. “I’m going to take out my cell phone. It’s in my front right pocket.”

  “Use your left hand. Two fingers only. Or the old man gets a bullet in his head.”

  I checked what I could see of Marinkovich, but he was using Mr Drake as a shield. I didn’t for a second think he wasn’t armed with more than the remote to the bomb. But I couldn’t actually see a gun. For all I knew, he had five rigged up inside the shed, aimed at each hostage, capable of firing at the flick of a switch. My view was limited and I didn’t like it.

  Reaching across my breast, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and held it up for Marinkovich to see.

  “On speaker,” he growled.

  This was why Matt had held back.

  I swiped the phone, dialling Matt’s number, and pressed the icon to put the call on speaker.

  “This is Drake,” he announced, acting as though he hadn’t been listening into what was happening over a radio.

  “Senior Sergeant,” I said. “Maggie Blackmore. I’ve found them.”

  “Jesus, Maggie. Where?” He was good at playing the game.

  “You’re on speaker phone,” I said. His acting, though, might not stand up to prolonged assessment. “Marinkovich is here and wants to see you.”

  “Are they OK?”

  “Get him here!” Marinkovich growled.

  “Maggie!” Matt called out in not so faked alarm.

  “The old shed in sector five,” I said swiftly. “He’s got a bomb, Matt.”

  “That’s enough” Marinkovich snapped. “He has five minutes.”

  I lowered the phone and ended the call.

  “He’s on his way,” I said. “How about you let me check on the kids.”

  “Fuck off.”

  “They’re just kids.”

  “I said fuck off.”

  “Just one,” I said. “Dani,” I added. Dani had always appeared more fragile to me than Rachel. “Just let me check on Dani. A show of good faith.”

  “I have no interest in showing you good faith, kuja.”

  “It all adds up, Ivan. Do something good now and it might make a difference at the end.”

  “The end will see them all dead and Matt Drake suffering.”

  “You don’t want to do that,” I said, taking a small step closer. Luke was now several feet back from where I currently stood. “You didn’t six months ago. On Mount
Cook Road,” I added.

  “Fuck off.”

  “What happened that day?” I pressed. “Matt’s on the way,” I hurried to reassure him, when he showed signs of impatience. “It’s just you and me talking. That’s all. I’m curious. What happened that day?”

  “Curiosity,” Marinkovich said, “killed the kuja cop.” Twenty years in Twizel and the dickhead was bastardising colloquial sayings.

  I shrugged my shoulders, managing another step closer. The shed was only six feet away. Mr Drake watched me with an intensity that told me he was cracking. The strain on an old man his age was starting to take its toll.

  I struggled with gaining more information, condemning Marinkovich for a crime committed six months ago, or protecting a hostage today.

  Mr Drake won.

  “OK,” I said. “It’s OK. How about we all sit down?”

  “Don’t move,” Marinkovich snarled.

  “Ivan,” I urged. “Let Mr Drake get off his feet. You and I can still talk. I’m unarmed,” I reminded him.

  “And where are your snipers?”

  “Stuck on the north ridge, where you trapped them.”

  He laughed. “I’ve had time to learn this station. I’ve walked its borders with Missy.”

  No fucking way. He was lying. Maybe he knew Matt was listening in. Maybe he just hoped he was. Either way, this man was still toying with us.

  I checked Mr Drake with a quick flick of my eyes, determined he was still hanging in there, and then asked, “What else did you and Missy do?”

  “Fucked.”

  OK, walked into that one. I back peddled.

  “Where did you go, I mean.”

  “I fucked her here once.” He was fixating. Not listening to my words. Regressing into memory.

  “Romantic,” I said. “Did you follow her onto Mount Cook Road that day?”

  “I fucked her in their bed when the twins were playing in their lounge room.”

  Jesus Christ, I needed to get this man’s focus elsewhere.

  “I saw the pictures at your house.”

  “Fucked her there, too.”

  “She looked happy. Did you make her happy, Ivan?”

  “Happier than him.” Thank you, Lord.

  “Why was she sad?”

  “He was always working.”

  “But you weren’t.”

  “I had time for Missy. Matt Drake did not.”

  “Did you love her?”

  “We fucked. She had a tight cunt and a tighter ass. Her mouth was made for fucking.”

  I smiled. I knew what he was doing. He knew what he was doing.

  “Not going to work, Ivan. I’ve heard it all before.”

  “Have you been fucked in the ass before, Sergeant? Choked on someone’s cock? Had a man stuff your cunt so full, you thought you’d split apart?”

  “We’re not talking about me,” I said conversationally, stealing another foot of ground. I had to play this his way. He was stubborn, mentally unstable, and emotionally withdrawn.

  Not to mention a sexual sadist, no longer considered just a regular one.

  “Did you fuck her the day she was up Mount Cook Road, Ivan?” Sorry, Matt.

  He stilled. His eyes boring into mine.

  “Or did she run?” I asked. “Did you chase her, Ivan? Hunt her down? Make her pay?”

  “You want to know what I did?” he said softly. “Ask the twins.”

  And then he pulled Mr Drake backwards into the depths of the shed and slammed the door.

  For a second there was silence.

  And then the sharp report of a gun.

  Chapter 64

  How Much?

  Luke

  Maggie’s whole body jerked at the sound of the gun going off inside the shed. Muffled noises could be heard following it. Her sharp intake of breaths resounded out on the too still air. Then she took three purposefully steps towards the shed and halted.

  “What are you doing, Ivan?” she called out as if merely inquiring about his current hobbies. Not who in my family he had just shot. “Don’t play coy, it’s not your style,” she added.

  Laughter could be heard coming from inside the shed. I clenched my hands, fisted them by my head, kept my eyes glued fast to the door. I wanted him dead so fucking much.

  “What’s happening?” Zach said in my ear.

  “He fired a gun inside the shed,” I barely whispered back.

  “Heard it. He was bluffing.”

  “How the fuck do you know that?” I growled, moving my watering gaze to Maggie.

  “He wants Matt to suffer. But he wants your sergeant to watch. Tell me, did she fall for it?”

  No, she fucking didn’t. I smiled. “Not a chance.”

  “Good girl.”

  The door to the shed swung open. I could see Mum and Dad and Justin, but I could no longer see the twins. Mum was crying. Justin and Dad were glaring at someone out of our view, clearly Marinkovich. Then Justin flicked his eyes to Maggie and slightly shook his head.

  I let a breath of air out I hadn’t realised I was still holding.

  “Can’t see the twins,” I whispered to Zach down the crackling line. “But Justin just signalled everything is status quo.”

  Zach grunted.

  “You think you know me, kuja?” Marinkovich said. “You think you have this all figured out?”

  “Not at all,” Maggie assured him. “This is your stage, Ivan. I’m just a guest.”

  “Take off your vest,” he instructed.

  “Why?” she didn’t even bat an eyelash.

  “Show of good faith.”

  “The vest won’t protect me from here,” Maggie pointed out, making me grind my teeth and emit a low growl.

  “Easy,” Zach murmured down the line. “Don’t blow your cover yet. How long left on that timer?”

  I looked back into the shed and narrowed my eyes.

  “Four minutes.”

  “She needs to make a move.”

  “Matt’s here. He’s waiting for her signal.”

  “This is going to happen fast, bro. You ready?”

  “Fucking A.”

  Marinkovich was laughing again, standing behind Dad like a fucking coward. “Tell you what,” he said. “Take off your vest and I’ll let you have the old man.”

  Dad shook his head, his eyes on Maggie, pleading.

  Maggie studied Marinkovich, as if she was considering his offer. My heart was so fucking loud inside my chest I couldn’t hear a word she uttered.

  But it must have been a warning, because in the next second Matt walked out of the tree line, and stalked across the pasture toward the shed, and Marinkovich didn’t fire.

  “Tick tock, tick tock,” the arsehole said.

  “Marinkovich,” Matt growled. “Give me my family.”

  “Yeah, that’ll work,” Zach mumbled in my ear.

  “I’ll make a deal with you, rogonja. We’ll play a game and some of them get to live.”

  “Don’t you want to live, Ivan?” Maggie asked.

  He sneered at her. “Death is only the beginning.”

  “You think Missy’s waiting for you?” she asked. Her eyes darted to Matt, but only for a split second. They were back on Marinkovich again. Rock steady.

  “She tasted so fucking good, rogonja.” He leered at Matt, running a hand down his front and cupping his cock. We couldn’t see it, Dad was shielding the fucker. But his intent was clear.

  “I’m going to kill you,” Matt said. Marinkovich threw back his head and laughed.

  Then his eyes swept across the shed to the timer.

  “Three minutes to save a life,” he said. “Three minutes for you to choose. I’ll give you one,” he offered. “It’s only fair. I did fuck your wife a hundred times. She gave fucking good head, too. I feel I owe you, rogonja. A whore’s pimp should get paid, don’t you think?”

  “Fucking hell,” I whispered.

  “Jesus,” Zach agreed.

  “You fucking bastard,” Matt sai
d on a rasped breath of air.

  “You’ve had your fun, Ivan,” Maggie said. How had she gotten so close all of a sudden? Marinkovich wasn’t even watching her, his eyes all for Matt. And the distress he was causing. He was lapping it up. Basking in it. A gleam in his eyes told me his enjoyment went beyond the emotional. The psychological.

  This was turning the fucker on.

  “Not yet, kuja,” Marinkovich said. “Your turn will come.” Not if I could help it. “It’s the senior sergeant’s chance to shine.” He said Matt’s title like it was a joke. “Make a choice,” he said. “Two minutes.”

  Fucking hell. “Zach,” I said in warning.

  “She needs to make a move now. I can’t talk you through this with less than a minute on the clock.”

  “Which one will you save?” Marinkovich said. “The father? The mother? Or the brother? Or will you do the impossible and pick only one daughter?”

  “Ivan,” Maggie said, voice beyond calm. “You want this to play out. Stop the clock.”

  “Oh,” the lunatic said. “That’s just for show. Did you like it?”

  “Fuck,” Zach whispered in my ear. “That might complicate things.”

  “Good one,” Maggie offered. “But I’d be happier if you stopped it anyway.”

  “And we’re all here to make the police happy,” Marinkovich snarled, his eyes still on Matt and thankfully not on Maggie and just how close she had gotten. “Pick a kid and I’ll stop the clock.”

  Matt looked… distraught. There was no other word for it. He was beside himself; playing right into Marinkovich’s hands. He reached up and gripped his hair, his eyes big and round, his face ashen.

  “I can’t,” he said, voice broken. “I can’t. Please. Make it stop.”

  “Wrong answer,” Marinkovich said calmly, and then pulled a knife and stabbed my father.

  Maggie was moving before I’d even sucked in a breath of air. Matt was firing before she’d reached his side. Marinkovich was on the ground before I realised Dad wasn’t hurt.

  I had no fucking idea where the knife had gone, but the deadman’s switch was now in my woman’s hands.