Last Loose End

By Kathryn Allen

Over the years, acting on instinct has gotten Australian secret agent Cole Pearson into as much trouble as it has helped him out of. This time the impulsive rescue of Sean Trammel sees him AWOL and on the run across Queensland. The mining analyst it seems poses an immediate and significant danger to someone powerful and masked gunmen in a corporate office in Brisbane are just the beginning. Searching for answers a strange conspiracy emerges and Cole discovers himself to be just as much a target as his new companion. Cole unexpectedly finds himself desperate to keep Sean alive for reasons purely personal and as things heat up, uses every skill at his disposal to protect him. And when they dig deeper into the mystery they realise that the hunters are equally determined to stop Sean sharing whatever secret they are certain he knows.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kathryn Allen
• Release date: Jul 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463960608

Kathryn Allen

I live in Brisbane with my husband and three dogs and write in my spare time. While I generally write fiction, my script ‘Point of Decision’ took me through to the Top 8 of the screenwriting completion Project Greenlight Australia II. My novel Ever Man is the first of a number of works I plan to publish through Smashwords.

Book preview

Last Loose End

KR ALLEN

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 Kathryn Rae Allen

All rights reserved.

KL Duff is the copyright holder of the cover images and design.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you respecting the hard work of this author.

DEDICATION

For Trapper J

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you once again to the Gorgeous Girl’s Bookclub for your support and friendship. Thank you also to my husband John for his patience and encouragement on this and every other project. And to my friend Darryl who backs me up no matter what the idea.

Acknowledgement also has to go to the scriptwriters of The Bourne Legacy who gave me the inspiration for Cole and Sean’s relationship.

Please note Australian English, idioms and general approach to language is used in this book.

CHAPTER 1

It was the skulking action that first caught his eye. Even without the dark grey fatigues, not couture de rigueur for urban Brisbane, the light step and hurried, almost sneaking motion was deeply suspicious. Cole sat up straighter in his car, the boredom from sitting for five straight hours disappearing in an instant. The skulker slid along the side of the office building heading towards the back. Any legitimate visitor to the building would go through the front door, check in at the counter maybe. It wasn’t the building Cole was supposed to be watching and it was extremely unlikely that the skulker was the Indonesian intelligence officer he was looking out for but he was intrigued nonetheless.

Now what are you up to buddy? he muttered. A moment later he saw the man wasn’t alone. Two more men dressed in similar dark grey fatigues followed his path. Cole looked up and down the Spring Hill street. People were coming and going and not paying the slightest attention to him or the men moving into the building across the road from him.

Cole tapped his fingers against the vinyl of the steering wheel. He knew he should mind his own business. It wasn’t what he was there for and he knew he’d only been given this surveillance detail as punishment for his latest misdemeanour. He didn’t think his career could stand many more infractions. Anyway, it was warm in the car and while it was a sunny day out and midday, outside the air was chilly in typical Brisbane May weather. Still...he caught sight of another two figures and pursed his lips. Someone’s day was about to go to crap, he thought reasoning with himself. And really he could do with some movement. For an hour he had sketched passersby and played license plate poker on and off but mental stimulation didn’t keep the blood pumping. A moment more of internal debate and he grabbed his gun from under his jacket on the passenger seat and slipped out of the car. He was just going to take a look he told himself.

On this street the buildings were actually accessed at road level half way up the building with at least four floors below due to the way a hill had been cut into years before. The skulkers had wound their way from street level up the maintenance gangways which wrapped around the sides and presumably the back of the building like a mesh exoskeleton, up two floors so Cole followed at a distance. He saw the lead man jimmy open a door and the whole string of them, bar one who stayed by the door as look out, slipped inside pulling on ski masks as they did so.

‘Just taking a look’ would end now, Cole thought. No matter how he spun it. He’d clearly seen them go into a building he wasn’t supposed to be monitoring. At most he should call the Police. Instead, he double checked the magazine in his pistol and set to finding another way into the building.

Cole went back down one floor and used a fire extinguisher to break open a door and found himself in a back hallway near a couple of storerooms and the toilets. He slipped his gun into the back of his pants pulling the buttoned shirt free of his waistband so it could hang over the top to hide the gun. Following the hallway he entered an open area with a kitchenette along one wall and an open eating area with a floor to ceiling window looking out onto a courtyard type arrangement. When he encountered a couple of people, he adopted his best ‘yep, I’m meant to be here’ countenance and kept steadily on. He’d had a lot of practice blending in and it did not fail him here. Pretty much everyone ignored him. Just beyond the kitchen was a void through at least five levels with stairs to the next level up and down. The timber stairs squeaked slightly at his steps but still no one gave him a second glance. It was the usual thing, he thought. If you were in everyone just assumed that you were supposed to be.

The next floor seemed to be a mirror of the one below from the little Cole had seen of it. From the kitchen area he could see two parallel corridors running either side of glassed in rooms, presumably meeting rooms or offices. Most of the floor between the corridor and the window walls was open plan, divided up into shoulder high cubicles. Behind him were the lifts and a foyer. The hunters on the floor would have already reached their target if they were moving at his pace but as he heard no differences in the office noise between the floor below and this one he guessed they were taking more care. In the camo gear and the masks they would need to be extremely stealthy not to just create bedlam. It was an outfit that tended to stand out in corporate offices, somewhat ironic considering its name and purpose. No signs or sounds of chaos yet so there was still a possibility that whatever they had come to do they hadn’t had a chance to do it yet.

As he stood there he saw the small group slip out of a side door about halfway up the left hand side corridor so with a quick step he headed down the right hand corridor, noting the three points where the two corridors were linked by short passageways. At the end of the corridor another glassed in room was to the right and the corridor wrapped around it to join up with the left hand corridor. To the right was a kind of alcove office made up of solid and glass partition walls which was occupied. He ducked quickly back hearing the throaty laugh of the man on the phone but something caught his eye and he peeked back around the corner. 180 cm tall, Cole guessed, Caucasian, 70-80 kg, broad shouldered over a narrower waist, brown to blonde hair. No distinguishing features. He ran the shape of the face and body against the inventory in his head. Didn’t recognize him. The man looked like he worked there though given his white buttoned shirt, dark tie and black suit. Very sharp, very corporate in a GQ kind of way. Cole stepped back into the corridor as the man finished his call and stood up from his desk like he was going to do something routine and propped. Cole realized in shock that there was now an armed hooded man barrelling past him to reach the man near the desk. A second later the hooded man was dropping like a stone from an instinctive powerful punch from the man while a shot rang out. The other man stepped back hitting the desk and stared down at the intruder. Cole tightened his grip on his own gun and glanced up and down the corridors. That stray shot meant that the hooded men not only had loaded guns they had their fingers on the triggers as well. This could get very messy indeed, he thought grimly.

Another hooded man arrived from the same direction, saw his compatriot on the floor, Cole standing nearby and tried to fire wildly at the man at the desk and then swore as his gun jammed. Cole saw their target stand up and try to hide himself behind the next partition wall as though two inches of upholstered plywood would stop a bullet. Cole looked back through the panels of coloured glass closing off some smaller spaces – meeting rooms probably and saw the advance couple of men approaching up the opposite hallway. The shrieks and gasps of the other workers preceded them like an auditory bow wave.

The target heard the noise and looked around for another way out just as the attacker he’d king hit started to revive. Cole saw him look down at the man, start to peek around the corner before thinking better of it and then basically freezing for want of options. Strictly speaking Cole shouldn’t have even been there, so whatever happened to this bloke was out of his jurisdiction and to be truthful, he didn’t even know who was the good and the bad in this little encounter. Still… hooded men storming a corporate workplace in the middle of the day didn’t tick too many boxes on the good side of the fence in his opinion. Defenceless guy looking shocked out of his skin seemed to be more like it. The screams were getting closer. Cole made his decision.

He stuck his head around the corner and called out softly. Come on.

The man’s head snapped over to look at him and Cole could almost see the despair at being trapped from yet another angle.

What? he said before he processed what Cole had said. Who the hell are you?

Not one of them for a start, come on.

The man hesitated for half a second then the glass panel near him shattered into a rain of sharp crystals. He hunkered down and flung himself across to Cole. Another bullet whined past his feet. He followed Cole down the hallway.

You got a gun? Cole asked over his shoulder.

What? No.

Then just stay close and keep your head down.

He bolted back to the void stairs, racing past each connecting corridor expecting pursuit as they scampered down a level. And another. The main lobby was on that level but it seemed kind of pushing their luck to walk straight out the door so Cole took them down another level.

What’s your name? Cole asked with a quick glance backwards.

What?

Your name. What’s your name?

Oh, Sean Trammel.

Trammel?

Two m’s one l. he said it automatically like he had to spell it often.

Well Mr Trammel with two m’s and one l, I take it you work here?

Yeah, why?

Cause we need to get out of here. Do you know where any of those doorways lead?

Sean shook his head. I don’t come down here. I’m in Strategy, this is all R&D, you know engineers and people like that I think. Best bet would be to look for the fire exit wouldn’t it? At least that would have to go outside.

Good thinking. Cole headed along the hallway until he found the fire exit. It’s here.

He peered cautiously out into the stairwell and motioned Sean to follow him. They’d gotten two floors down when a bullet whined past Sean’s head to ping off the concrete wall. They both instinctively hit the floor. Cole scrambled to his feet and grabbed Sean’s jacket to drag him upright.

Move. He shoved him down the stairs in front of him and shot back behind him at the same time a couple of times. It was more to discourage pursuit than any hope of hitting anyone but he was still gratified to hear swearing.

What the hell is going on? Who are those guys? Who are you?

Don’t know yet to a and b. And c, I’m Cole Pearson. He twisted and put his hand out. Sean shook it distractedly. Look Sean, we’re heading for my car down on the street. It’s a grey VE Commodore parked on the north side of the road. I’ll unlock it when we get to the footpath outside this building and you run for the passenger side alright? You get in and you keep your head down, you understand?

Sean nodded although the blankness in his eyes made Cole wonder how much had actually made it into his brain.

They hit the outside in a hurry and started to climb back up the maintenance walkways to the ground floor. Cole was trying to keep an eye both in front of him and behind. There was a good chance the lookout would be waiting for them. He was kind of surprised they hadn’t been fired on already.

Right, Sean. See that car over there, run for it. Cole pointed the remote fob at the car and the headlights flared briefly. A shot passed their heads so closely Cole could have sworn he felt the breeze of it. A few people in the street screamed.

Go! He pushed Sean in front of him into traffic and they both weaved their way across the road. Cole heard the thud of shots going into the car ahead of them. In the distance he could hear Police sirens which may or may not be for them. Either way they needed to get out of there. He glanced back when he reached the car and saw two of the masked gunman on the footpath, guns up and firing. Definitely the B team. He should have been dead by now a hundred times over. He launched in the car and got it moving, pulling out in front of cars with abandon. The back window shattered and they both ducked. Cole stomped on the accelerator and the back of the car stepped out a little as they roared away.

Fuck me! They want you bad, mate. he said as he glanced in the rear view mirror.

Me? Sean sounded dazed. Cole risked a quick glance at his passenger who was wrestling with the seatbelt.

Well if they just wanted to stop us they would have gone for the tyres. But they went for our heads. And it wasn’t me they were in that building for.

Sean swung around from trying to release the seatbelt from its automatic tensioning.

What the hell? You think they’re trying to kill me? What the hell for?

You must have pissed someone off, man. Or something to do with the company you work for maybe. I don’t know yet.

You’re crazy.

Look, they kept on after you even when you ran. If they weren’t after you they wouldn’t have wasted their time. And I don’t know about you, but yeah, aiming for your head ticks the trying to kill you box in my opinion.

This is insane.

Depends whose view point you’re using. As far as they’re concerned it’s logical.

Sean shook his head. How about from mine?

Cole caught the movement and glanced across at him again. Sean looked ragged - scared, confused and coming down sharply off an adrenalin high. He looked like trouble Cole could probably ill afford. The right thing to do would be to offload him as soon as possible and high tail it back to where he was supposed to be.

You got someone you can stay with? Somewhere you can drop off the radar for a few days?

No. Sean shook his head. There’s no one.

Well you can’t go home. They’ll be waiting there.

They don’t know where I live.

Cole raised an eyebrow. I can almost guarantee they do.

The first drive-by of Sean’s house in Enoggera confirmed it. There was a white van with dark tinted windows sitting in his driveway somehow oozing menace. It looked totally out of place in the quiet, leafy suburban street with the neat gardens and fresh paint of recent renovations.

How can this be happening? Who the hell are these people?

People who want you dead.

Sean looked across at him bewildered but didn’t comment.

Do you have any pets, anything we need to get out of there?

Sean shook his head. Cole slowed to turn into the next cross street heading away from the house and suddenly Sean was stumbling out of the car. What the fuck? Cole pulled over and yanked on the handbrake. Sean was already heading back up the road. When Cole caught up with him he grabbed his arm and dragged him to a stop.

What the fuck do you think you’re doing?

Sean tried to shake Cole off but Cole was having none of that. There are strange people in my house. You think I’m walking away from that?

You bloody well should be.

It’s my house. He tried to pull his arm out of Cole’s grip but he held him fast.

It had been risky enough going past the house in the same car they’d left the scene in but Cole had guessed Sean wasn’t going to be convinced unless he saw it for himself. This was a whole other problem. One that they sorely did not need.

I need to see what they are doing in there.

Cole blew his breath out and looked up and down the street. He could get Sean back into the car but without his cooperation it was going to be loud and obvious.

Right, I’ll get you close. We are not going in, you hear me, just looking through the window and then we are getting the hell out of here. If they catch a glimpse of us we are dead.

Sean looked like he was going to argue then nodded once. Cole lessened the grip on Sean’s arm but didn’t let go as he directed him towards the side fence line of the lowset brick house. They slipped behind the hedges with their backs to the fence and shuffled awkwardly along until they reached the first lot of windows. Two wheelie bins sat almost beneath them.

That’s the lounge there. Sean told him.

Okay, quick look and then out of there. If they see us we’re dead.

You said that already.

And you didn’t seem to get it so I’m saying it again.

They used the wheelie bins as shelter as they drew their eyes above sill level. Apart from a couple of men in plastic gloves moving around unhurriedly everything looked normal. Cole had half expected them to be trashing the place and was slightly surprised that they weren’t.

Where are your house keys?

Sean instinctively put his hand to his pants pocket. On my desk at work.

I’d bet money they aren’t anymore. Now they had to get themselves somewhere out of sight for a bit and then he’d drop Sean somewhere for someone else to sort out. Okay, we got to go.

Sean looked like he was going to argue then followed Cole back to the shrubbery and down the street to the car. Cole resumed the drive away from the house. He pulled out his mobile intending to call in but instead dropped it in the centre console. No need to rush into anything. His passenger looked like he could do with a bit of breathing space and a drink. He glanced at his watch. A little after noon. Well into acceptable drinking territory.

Right, Sean. I’m going to check us into a motel so you can have a bit of a break and then we’ll try and get this sorted out right?

Sean’s head tracked around to him. You’re not taking me to a Police Station?

Cole shifted in his seat. I’d rather have a few more facts first. That van at your house makes me wonder what exactly they have been up to in there.

Sean didn’t argue, seemingly too bamboozled to know how.

From Enoggera Cole drove east and took a deliberately zig zag route all over the northern suburbs to the Gateway Bridge via Stafford, Windsor, and Clayfield. He chose a mix of main and suburban residential and light industrial streets for extra safety. Anyone following him would have stood out by the time he hit the motorway but he saw nothing. Sean didn’t seem to notice the constant change of scenery. Once on the south side of the city he took a detour off the motorway at Belmont thinking of heading for the bay but at Capalaba he realized the coast line would reduce his options. So he turned south again to the semi-rural suburb of Sheldon and back towards the motorway. If nothing else the twenty minute diversion would have made any tail stick out like the proverbial. So far, miracles of miracles, they were still clean.

Twenty kilometres south of Brisbane Cole pulled into the car park of a motel in Springwood which he had used before. It was frequented by industrial businessmen on short stays so his semi-business attire and Sean’s suit would fit right in. He also remembered that they didn’t stint on the alcohol in the mini bar and there was a great Chinese takeaway within walking distance. Cole reverse parked the car against the building so the shattered rear window would be less noticeable to anyone wandering by. They checked in using Cole’s corporate card that had been issued, well not for this exact situation, but for similar situations and Cole talked for both of them giving false names. Sean didn’t react to any of it. Cole chatted to the receptionist enough to distract her from doing her job properly and she didn’t question why they had no baggage, not even a briefcase. He took an executive suite which there meant two bedrooms joined by a lounge with a kitchenette and a bathroom. The bill was going to the Australian Security Intelligence Service so he was planning to drink the mini bar dry and sleep well before dealing with anything.

CHAPTER 2

In the room Cole swung open the door to the mini bar as Sean slumped on the couch.

Well if this is Monday, it’s going to be one hell of a week. Cole said as he lifted out two tiny bottles of scotch in one hand and slid his fingers into two glasses. I think a drink is in order.

Sean grunted and downed the first like it was water before proceeding to work his way through a shelf of little bottles with grim determination. He’d gone through quite a few before he slowed down. Cole sipped down two glasses in the same time. All the while Sean was struggling to process what had happened.

I had meetings planned for today. Maybe lunch at Farringtons with Angelique from Marketing if I could swing it. Instead someone shot at me at work. And then on the street and then in a car. What the fuck was all that about for Christ’s sake? I mean. What. The. Fuck.

Cole had nothing to tell him. In his opinion it was a pretty deliberate attempt on Sean’s life and smacked a little of desperation. Five men, guns, broad daylight and a high chance of bystander injuries indicated risks were prepared to be taken. Not a promising situation for his new friend.

After an hour Sean struggled out of his suit jacket, throwing it over the back of one of the dining chairs and pulled off his tie.

How long are we staying here? he asked, finally starting to register where he was.

Cole watched him steadily. Overnight I’m thinking. You lie low, let whatever the hell is going on blow over and face it all tomorrow.

Why not go to the Police now? I mean, I was fucking shot at today!

Yeah, I saw that. I just want to see how this thing is reported. I’ve got a bad feeling about how this is going to be sold.

Sold?

The people who did this must have had an angle they were going to go with when this hit the news. I mean they had planned to kill you at your desk today. What was going to be the explanation for that?

They’re crazy?

Maybe. I think they’re going to be painting you in a pretty nasty way. Mixed up with drugs or something.

Sean paused in folding up his tie. Excuse me? Drugs? Who the hell do you think I am?

Less about who I think you are and more about what they’re going to draw you as.

Speaking of who people are. What were you doing there? Why do you have a gun? Are you like a cop or something?

Yeah, I’m like a cop. I was on surveillance outside and saw those guys going into your building. Thought it looked a bit suss.

Suss? No shit. Sean ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it and making bits stand up on end. With the jacket and tie off and messy hair he looked dishevelled like he had just come in from a night on the turps.

Look, do you want me to go and get some food? You never got lunch with Angelique, did you? How about I go and get us some burgers?

Sean shrugged like food was the last thing on his mind. Cole knew though that they needed something to soak up the alcohol, particularly as he was planning to pick up some more, and he was starving.

Stay here, right? And don’t make any calls. Do you have a mobile? Yes? Disable location services on it.

I only ever put that on when I’m out west.

Good. Now I’ll be back in half an hour or so. Don’t go anywhere.

Blue-grey eyes stared at him. For God’s sake. There’s people out there who want to kill me, you think I want to run into them?

Smart attitude. I’ll be back shortly.

Alone in the motel room, Sean ran his hands over his face and up into his hair. He kept expecting someone to jump out and yell ‘gotcha’. How could this be happening to him? He could have been killed. All at once he thought of his co-workers, was it really about him or were they targeted as well? Despite Cole’s instruction to the contrary he pulled out his iPhone and dialled his number, noting the winking battery warning. As soon as it connected though the phone battery died.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Sean muttered. He looked around and saw the landline in the kitchen. When he lifted the receiver though there was a weird soft noise before the dial tone kicked in, a sound that wasn’t quite a click, and gave him an odd feeling in the deepest part of his amygdala. He slowly replaced the phone in its cradle. For a few moments he watched the phone as though his handling it might have triggered something but nothing happened. He really should just get out of here and get to the Police. Whatever was going on was outside of his skill set. After a moment more debate he grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and headed outside. A few steps past the entrance he saw the car parked nearby, the back window shot out and the side panels pock marked with holes. His brain flashed on that moment when the man with the gun appeared behind him and his lungs felt squeezed flat. Jesus. He backed into the motel room and closed the door firmly while he panted oxygen back into his system. Fucking hell. He hadn’t had a panic attack like that since he was fourteen. After a while, he put the jacket back on the chair and slumped on the couch and stared unseeing ahead. It was like he was twelve all over again when everything in his life was swept out from under him and he was adrift. He couldn’t think straight, couldn’t get passed that detached feeling that had been his refuge back then and seemed to overwhelm his head now. Men had tried to kill him. Yesterday was normal and now everything had changed so completely it was like it was happening to someone else.

When Cole got back Sean was watching television, a rerun of the last year’s AFL Grand Final but given it was on mute Cole guessed it was for distraction value at most. He dumped the two paper bags on the little round four-seater table and put the six pack of beer in the fridge after liberating two stubbies. The bottle of whiskey he left on the table. Sean took one of the offered bottles and a burger back to the couch. Cole followed, hoeing into the burger even before he sat down. He was hungry and didn’t care about decorum.

Mind if I try to find the headlines? Cole asked around a mouthful. Sean just shrugged. After a little channel flicking Cole found a 24 hour news channel and turned the volume back on.

What the fuck? Sean almost choked on his burger. Running along the bottom banner were the words. ‘Gang warfare invades Spring Hill, suspected gang member on the run.’

Told you. Cole said. They were never going to leave it at that.

They sat through three stories on the mining boom and one on the murder of the prominent journalist Carolyn Haggerty before the news cycled back to the Spring Hill item.

The newsreader adopted her serious story face and tone and next to her manicured head, Sean’s work id photo was blown up so far it was almost distorted making him look dodgy as all hell. Beneath it was displayed the caption ‘Suspect on the run’.

Earlier today gang warfare came to an office building in Spring Hill when armed hooded men stormed the offices of mining giant ARBUS. Several shots were fired and the target appears to be suspected rival gang member Sean Trammel. Police say Mr Trammel has been implicated in a sophisticated drug running syndicate and the attack was likely payback of some type. Mr Trammel escaped the attack with an accomplice. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Mr Trammel should contact the Police or Crime Stoppers. He is considered dangerous and should not be approached.

Sean stared at the screen in shock. Considered dangerous? Should not be approached? How could this be happening? Nothing seemed even slightly out of place in his life until everything went to hell today. Drugs? Where were they getting this shit from? Cole clicked the television back to the football but Sean barely saw it. His face was out there for everyone to see and judge. What on earth must everyone at work be thinking? How could the Police be saying this? Who told them what? He cautiously swivelled his eyes across to the man next to him. Did he suddenly think he’d rescued the wrong guy? Cole’s expression was speculative but not concerned. Whatever disaster was befalling Sean at this point it didn’t seem to rate more than pursed lips and a raised eyebrow. Sean tried to inspect the man surreptitiously. His dark hair was shot through with grey, not massively just enough to be noticeable and it hung kind of long either side of his face like he’d only recently made it back to civilization and hadn’t had a chance to get a haircut yet. Somehow Sean got the impression that he was a man that would scrub up well. His clothes – a casual brown jacket over a checked button up shirt and black pants – didn’t seem to tick any box in terms of giving a hint as to what he did for a living. By his shape he was fit, gym rather than sport, Sean guessed and probably too muscled to be a runner. Sean felt a flush of embarrassment at the sudden image of Cole at the gym pumping iron, dripping with sweat. Hell, he thought he was done with that since that awkwardness with Marko from Accounts last December. Sean firmly turned his eyes back to the television and his thoughts to his bewildering situation. Whoever Cole was, whatever he was, Sean hoped he knew what he was doing because Sean didn’t seem to be able to get out the door on his own.

Cole tapped his fingers against his leg. It didn’t make sense. Camouflage gear did not equal gangs. Gang members would have worn all black or their club patches and colours. And more likely they would have taken him out in the street or the carpark. The whole thing felt clumsy. Theoretically he should call in. But something weird was going on here, he could feel it. He suddenly decided that he’d sleep better with his back up ammunition close to hand.

Back in a minute. he said putting his beer on the coffee table. Sean barely acknowledged him.

Cole slipped outside, checked for company then unlocked the car boot. He tugged up the boot floor and stuck his hand down a gap next to the tyre and felt around. A moment later his fingers touched a nylon bag and he pulled it out. It was a small black ruck sack, with plastic click together fasteners on the front. Quickly he held it down against his leg, shut the boot and locked the car again. Even though the back window was in pieces on the back seat.

Back inside Cole took the bag through to his bedroom and swiftly swapped out his half used magazine with a fresh one and made a mental note to top up the original one. While not expecting trouble tonight he tucked another full magazine into his pants pocket. Feeling settled again he rejoined Sean who appeared not to have moved, not even to finish his burger.

You okay, mate?

Sean looked at him. You’ve got to be kidding, right?

Okay is all relative. Are you unharmed and safe? I’d say the answer is yes, you’re okay. I’m not suggesting this is the best day of your life.

Sean just shook his head. Cole shrugged, as far as he could see there were a lot of upsides in the current situation. He’d been in much worse. But it was his job after all so maybe he should cut the guy some slack. Perhaps distraction was the way to go. He lifted his beer to his lips and took a long drink, almost draining it.

Want another drink? he asked Sean who nodded. The question seemed to remind him of his burger too and he returned to eating. The smell made Cole wish he’d bought two for himself. What the hotel made up for in the mini bar they lacked in room service.

When he came back with the beer, Sean had finished eating and was starting to get some focus back in his eyes. He was still confused and somewhat stupefied but seemed to be getting back into his own head.

So what happens now? Sean asked.

Well, my plan is to hang out here tonight and deal with it all in the morning. It already feels like a long day and if we go to anyone now it’s going to be a hell of a lot longer. So, I say we drink some more, I’ll go out later and get us something for dinner and then we have a well earned rest.

So your plan essentially is to get drunk.

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

There are people at my house.

Well aware of that.

So, don’t you think I should do something about that? Call the Police or something? Jesus, man are you not hearing me? There are people in my fucking house!

Sean, do you really want the Police to be poking around your house when some people who have accused you of being in a gang are there doing God knows what? Cole pointed at him with his stubbie. How does that help your cause exactly?

I can tell them the truth.

Cole shook his head. "You go near them now without knowing what’s going on and you are going