Part 15 (1/2)
An icy wind snaked through the opening of Riley's jacket and slithered across his neck. Goose b.u.mps broke out on his skin and he pulled his coat tighter around him. The day was closing in. Night came early to Watervale this time of year. Or maybe it was the thought of well-entrenched corruption permeating a Police Service he'd pledged to honor that had him feeling cold to the bone.
Whatever it was, it was time to make his escape. He needed to sort through the tumble-dryer chaos of his thoughts and approach them with a calm and logical eye. Better still, he needed someone else to a.n.a.lyze them. Someone removed from the situation and the beautiful girl with the touching air of vulnerability who'd come home and stirred up a hornet's nest.
Bidding Cannington a hasty farewell, Riley half walked, half jogged down the steep incline to where he'd left his vehicle. The thin mountain air seemed almost devoid of oxygen and he was grateful when he reached the comfort of his car. He climbed in and started the engine and turned up the heat before reversing out of Cannington's driveway.
Questions came at him from every direction and he shook his head in confusion, knowing he didn't have the answers. He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles showed white in an effort to stem their trembling.
It was a delayed reaction to the shock he'd received up on the mountain. Breathing deeply, he tried to calm his racing heart.
The phone in his pocket vibrated. He tugged it out, ready to silence the call, but then saw it was Clayton. It was odd how his twin seemed to know when he needed to talk. He pressed the talk b.u.t.ton and answered, striving for normal.
”Clayton, how's it going?”
”What's wrong, Riles? You sound kind of weird.”
Riley sighed. So much for normal. ”You're right, I've had a s.h.i.+t of a day.”
”Tell me about it. It's so d.a.m.ned cold down here it would freeze the b.a.l.l.s off a bra.s.s monkey.”
Riley nodded in silent commiseration. Clayton lived in Canberra, the nation's capital. Hundreds of miles south of Watervale, the temperature in winter was more often below zero. The snowfields were an hour away.
”You're right,” he agreed. I have nothing to complain about up here.”
”So, what's wrong? It can't just be the weather.”
”Hang on a minute.” Riley put his foot on the brake and flicked on his indicator, easing the vehicle onto the shoulder of the road. He'd been in Watervale three months and they still hadn't managed to fit his squad car with a hands-free phone kit. It wouldn't do his standing in the community any good to be caught talking on the phone, especially while negotiating the tight bends between Cannington's farm and the station.
He pulled on the park brake and left the ignition running, pumping up the heat before he turned his attention back to their conversation.
”Actually, Clay, I'm glad you called. I've just been told the former LAC and his successor are up to their necks in shady dealings. My head's spinning. I'm feeling sideswiped.”
A low whistle sounded in his ear. ”Wow, you sure know how to give your day a lift.”
”Yeah, you can say that again. Question is, what am I going to do about it?”
Clayton sighed into the phone. Riley let the silence stretch between them. It was a comfortable silence, one that didn't need to be filled with words.
A few moments later, Clayton spoke. ”How reliable is your information? Has it come from someone you can trust?”
”That's the problem. I don't know. It just happens the source of the allegations is also in love with the old boss' wife and my informant didn't go to any trouble to hide the fact he's unhappy about the way she's been treated.”
”I thought you were working on a missing person's case?”
”Yeah, I was. Still am. See, it gets better. The woman involved in the love triangle is the same one no one's heard from for the last month or so. How's that for giving my day a lift?”
Clayton chuckled. ”You always did like a challenge, Riles. I'm sure you'll work it out.”
”Gee, thanks, mate. I knew I could rely on you.”
”No problem, big brother. I'm sure a man of your esteemed years will know what to do.”
Riley choked. ”Yeah right, like you can talk. I'm only the older by about two minutes.”
”Three minutes and forty-five seconds, I think Mom said. Every minute counts, Riles. We both know that.”
”Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
”So, what are you going to do?”
Riley tapped a finger to his lips, trying to sort out his scattered thoughts. ”I don't know,” he finally admitted. ”I'm consumed by this missing person's case. I feel like I'm on overload. And now, to be tossed into what looks like a messy IA investigation-Christ, it's the last thing I need, especially after what happened in Sydney.”
Riley clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late.
”What do you mean, after what happened in Sydney?”
”Um...yeah, forget about it, okay. It's nothing.”
”You've never told me why you transferred to Watervale. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?”
The care and concern in his twin's voice clutched at Riley's heart. For three months, he'd carried the burden alone. It would be good to share it. He prayed Clayton would understand.
”I took offence at what I considered systemic corruption within the ranks of my former command. When I raised my opinions with some of my colleagues, I was told to look the other way. The next day, the LAC told me I'd been transferred to Watervale.”
”f.u.c.k! You're kidding!”
The outrage in Clayton's voice went a long way to calming Riley's anxiety.
”Nope.”
”Now it makes sense. I couldn't for the life of me work out why you'd give up a promising career in the DEA, headquartered in Sydney, for a job in a one-horse town in the boondocks. Why didn't you tell me earlier?”
Riley sighed. ”I didn't know what to say. I was ashamed. I'd run away with my tail between my legs and hadn't even offered a whimper of protest. I should have gone to IA. I should have gone to the Police Integrity Commission-something. Instead, I scurried off to the bush to hide. And they-they continue to get away with it.”
”Jesus. You sure know how to complicate your life.”
Riley thought of Kate and how much he liked her. ”You don't know the half of it.”
It was Clayton's turn to sigh. ”I wish I knew what to say to you, Riles. I'm as outraged about it as you and I hate like h.e.l.l thinking they might get away with it, but to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I would have done anything different. You were put in an unconscionable position: your career over your conscience. It couldn't have been easy.”
”You have that right, bro. It's been keeping me sleepless since it happened. I keep going over and over the options in my head and every way I look at it, I always come out feeling I made the wrong decision.”
”Don't beat yourself up about it, Riles. You're always able to make contact with IA, even this far down the track. I'm sure you won't be the first officer they've interviewed who has sat on something like this.”