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Authors: Alex Palmer
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clients.’
‘That’s what we do here—bring in clients.’
‘But not tonight. You had customers waiting.’
‘I was expecting a quiet night. I care about my ladies’ welfare and I make sure they have adequate time off.’
‘Then I’ll say good night,’ Grace said.
She walked out, giving Kidd and Lynette one last backward glance. Lynette was staring into the distance. It was impossible to say if she knew Kidd or not. He was looking after Grace, angry, suspicious. Go on, follow me. Prove you’re what I think you are .
In the courtyard, only one car remained of the workers’ vehicles,an old yellow Toyota Corolla. It didn’t look like the kind of car Grace would have expected Marie Li to drive and she guessed it to be Lynette’s. She took a quick note of the registration number and went to her own car, which was parked at a distance from the building. She didn’t start the engine but looked back, waiting. This side of the building was in darkness; all the house lights looked out onto the front street. There was only the white gleam of the fluorescent tube over the back door. Suddenly Kidd stepped out. He looked around but didn’t seem able to see her in the dark. Then his phone rang. He answered it, turned and walked back inside. The door closed and she could no longer see him. She waited a few minutes longer to see if he would come back. She was about to ring in for a registration check on the Corolla when Lynette, wearing a leather jacket over her dress and with her bag in hand, came running out and went to the car, yanking the door open. Grace watched her start it and then drive away at speed.
She gave a quick glance at the back door to see if Kidd was following, then drove after her. Out on the road, she called in to the Orion control centre with the details of Lynette’s car’s make and registration.
‘Owned by a Jacqueline Ryan,’ the operative said. ‘Her address is the Royal Hotel on Victoria Road, West Ryde. She must be a long-term resident. Do you need backup?’
Grace felt the pressure of her firearm against her ribcage, just under her arm.
‘Not yet. I think we need to pick this woman up. Can you log that as an urgent request, please?’
‘Just a minute. There’s a call coming through to you. Do you want to take it?’
‘Yes. Log the number and put it through, thanks.’
‘Is that Grace?’ the caller said.
‘Yes. Go ahead, Lynette.’
‘I will talk to you but only if it’s tonight. Like now. As soon as you can.’
‘Where do you want to do that?’
‘Do you know the Royal Hotel? It’s on Victoria Road. Can you meet me in the bistro?’
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can. Does that suit you?’
‘I’ll be waiting. I want this over and done with.’
Grace didn’t doubt it. The woman’s voice was shaking with fear. As soon as she’d cut the connection, Grace was back at the control centre.
‘Did you get that?’ she asked.
‘We did.’
‘I’ll report in when I’ve seen her. I think we’ll still need to pick her up but I’ll confirm that after I’ve talked to her.’
‘We’ll be waiting.’
Grace hadn’t been to the Royal Hotel before but it was easy enough to find. A renovated brick building, it had the look of a popular local watering hole with several bars, gaming and a restaurant. The sign said it offered long-stay budget accommodation. Was this all Lynette could afford? Or was she saving her money for a rainy day?
She was in the bistro, drinking a glass of white wine. This late on a week night, there were few diners at the tables. Grace bought a mineral water and went to join her. Lynette looked tired, and the jacket robbed her of whatever glamour she’d had in the brothel.
‘I know it’s not that warm but do you want to go outside?’ she said. ‘That way I can smoke.’
‘Sure.’
‘Don’t you drink?’
‘Not when I’m working,’ Grace replied, this being the easiest explanation.
‘What about a cigarette?’
A former smoker,
‘That’s what we do here—bring in clients.’
‘But not tonight. You had customers waiting.’
‘I was expecting a quiet night. I care about my ladies’ welfare and I make sure they have adequate time off.’
‘Then I’ll say good night,’ Grace said.
She walked out, giving Kidd and Lynette one last backward glance. Lynette was staring into the distance. It was impossible to say if she knew Kidd or not. He was looking after Grace, angry, suspicious. Go on, follow me. Prove you’re what I think you are .
In the courtyard, only one car remained of the workers’ vehicles,an old yellow Toyota Corolla. It didn’t look like the kind of car Grace would have expected Marie Li to drive and she guessed it to be Lynette’s. She took a quick note of the registration number and went to her own car, which was parked at a distance from the building. She didn’t start the engine but looked back, waiting. This side of the building was in darkness; all the house lights looked out onto the front street. There was only the white gleam of the fluorescent tube over the back door. Suddenly Kidd stepped out. He looked around but didn’t seem able to see her in the dark. Then his phone rang. He answered it, turned and walked back inside. The door closed and she could no longer see him. She waited a few minutes longer to see if he would come back. She was about to ring in for a registration check on the Corolla when Lynette, wearing a leather jacket over her dress and with her bag in hand, came running out and went to the car, yanking the door open. Grace watched her start it and then drive away at speed.
She gave a quick glance at the back door to see if Kidd was following, then drove after her. Out on the road, she called in to the Orion control centre with the details of Lynette’s car’s make and registration.
‘Owned by a Jacqueline Ryan,’ the operative said. ‘Her address is the Royal Hotel on Victoria Road, West Ryde. She must be a long-term resident. Do you need backup?’
Grace felt the pressure of her firearm against her ribcage, just under her arm.
‘Not yet. I think we need to pick this woman up. Can you log that as an urgent request, please?’
‘Just a minute. There’s a call coming through to you. Do you want to take it?’
‘Yes. Log the number and put it through, thanks.’
‘Is that Grace?’ the caller said.
‘Yes. Go ahead, Lynette.’
‘I will talk to you but only if it’s tonight. Like now. As soon as you can.’
‘Where do you want to do that?’
‘Do you know the Royal Hotel? It’s on Victoria Road. Can you meet me in the bistro?’
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can. Does that suit you?’
‘I’ll be waiting. I want this over and done with.’
Grace didn’t doubt it. The woman’s voice was shaking with fear. As soon as she’d cut the connection, Grace was back at the control centre.
‘Did you get that?’ she asked.
‘We did.’
‘I’ll report in when I’ve seen her. I think we’ll still need to pick her up but I’ll confirm that after I’ve talked to her.’
‘We’ll be waiting.’
Grace hadn’t been to the Royal Hotel before but it was easy enough to find. A renovated brick building, it had the look of a popular local watering hole with several bars, gaming and a restaurant. The sign said it offered long-stay budget accommodation. Was this all Lynette could afford? Or was she saving her money for a rainy day?
She was in the bistro, drinking a glass of white wine. This late on a week night, there were few diners at the tables. Grace bought a mineral water and went to join her. Lynette looked tired, and the jacket robbed her of whatever glamour she’d had in the brothel.
‘I know it’s not that warm but do you want to go outside?’ she said. ‘That way I can smoke.’
‘Sure.’
‘Don’t you drink?’
‘Not when I’m working,’ Grace replied, this being the easiest explanation.
‘What about a cigarette?’
A former smoker,
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