Serpent Song. Toni Grant

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СКАЧАТЬ of a fierce looking dog and a wild pig with the words Phobos, meaning fear, and Deimos, meaning terror, branded on each beast,” she said.

      Johnno nodded. “Also, the flag with the combination of blue and white stripes and the southern cross in the background.”

      “And we have branding again. Maybe you’re right. Ares and Chi You.”

      “Maybe. Where are you up to? In relation to cross-referencing outside of Sydney district.”

      “Western region and then I am finished with NSW. Do you want me to keep looking or start something else?”

      “Stay with western region. Finish the job. I’m going to start on Ares.” Johnno responded. “Tomorrow I’ll get the team to look into the Warlords, just to be sure.”

      Francesca shrugged and nodded, methodically going through the data when something caught her attention. A charred body had been found in a mineshaft at Lightning Ridge, a mining town in the far west of NSW. The report stated there was a single gunshot wound to the head and at some point the hands and feet had been bound. The body, found two weeks ago, was yet to be identified.

      “Johnno,” she said, unable to contain her hopeful voice. “Come and look at this. Listen.” She read the file to him. “What do you think?” she asked, looking up at him questioningly as she finished reading the brief summary.

      “Could be something,” he said cautiously, sniffing loudly at the air. “The Ridge though? That’s a long way from Sydney. What would they be doing out there? Here is Sydney,” he said pointing to a digital map of NSW, emphasizing his point. “That’s Lightning Ridge.”

      A raspy sound interrupted the silence as his rough hands rubbed chin whiskers thoughtfully. “We have a dead Ares gang member with a triad number system. Anything about the guy at the Ridge?”

      “No, no markings, no number, just burnt,” Francesca replied, thoughtfully adding, “Remember that article in the Australian Federal Police Newsletter? That one on mob activity in Sicily. It talked about a resurgence in Italian mafia traditions. Traditions like burning or branding traitors.” She glanced at Johnno and continued, “So, our connections are symbolic indicators of traitors. I know I keep talking about the Italians, but I can’t help thinking of that branding as symbolic. To me it screams a message. Bike gangs and Chi You are more methodological. Brutal without emotion.”

      She continued, “Think about it. We’ve assumed Clyde Fletcher was getting in the way of some new deal. Nero is based in Melbourne right? What if the deal has already been made and the bodies bind the contract. They point to Chi You. Why the Chinese? To throw us off track.” She stopped and thought for a minute. “Unless, of course, it’s a three-way pact, in which case there is another body somewhere.”

      Francesca placed her hands behind her head and stretched, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. “So then you have to ask, is Australia big enough to hide and sustain such a huge crime syndicate.”

      “Wait! You know what I think?” she almost shouted. “Chi You is pretty much nutted now. Cairns. Melbourne. Gold Coast. It’s all but over for them. They’re under the pump with the court matter in Brisbane next month. They won’t react now. They simply can’t. That creates time and opportunity. Time to create new partnerships with lower-level Chi You members. The Melbourne chapter had the strongest leadership. Nero would be licking his lips at this opportunity, you have to agree.” Francesca faced him, her face glowing with resolution. “We know he’s into symbolic gestures. You saw that report from the Victorian Cops about those three murders last year.”

      She looked at him earnestly.

      “Next month’s court matters will bring convictions I’m certain. Without an active figure head, the group will dissipate. It has happened before with other triad gangs. That’s a whole lot of talent and connections down the tubes, unless the members can be coerced to patch over. Maybe, just maybe, Ares and Nero are looking to expand membership, increase supply … in effect take over Chi You. So they put any gang members not wanting to comply on notice with the symbolic twenty-five.”

      She sat back, nodding in satisfaction at her conclusion.

      Johnno processed her theories for a long minute. “We need to get identification on that body in the Ridge,” he stated. “I still think you’re drawing a pretty long bow with Nero.”

      Francesca looked across at him incredulously.

      “However, we know the highway between Melbourne and Brisbane is the main narcs’ courier route,” he continued. “Drug supply is the common denominator between them all. I’m almost one hundred percent sure, but here,” he said pointing to the outskirts of a small town in the central west, “that’s a Warlords clubhouse. I have a mate out there. Might give him a call, see if there’s been any rumblings, off the radar so to speak.”

      “I know,” he continued at her doubtful look. “They wouldn’t organise the hit from there. That type of instruction comes from the main clubhouse, but they could deploy the runners from there. Do you see the Ridge? Not too far away.

      “And if someone has been making enquiries on behalf of Ares or Warlords, my mate will know. I want to cover all our options at the moment. A dead body found in Warlords territory under those circumstances is something we can’t ignore.”

      “So you think the murders bind a new agreement?” Francesca asked hopefully.

      Johnno shrugged. “Considering drug demand exceeds supply at the moment, OMCG could be contracting out the manufacturing to other syndicates. Unless, of course, another shipment is due. Quick distribution. Alternate couriers would spread the risk, for a hefty price. I don’t think Italian mob terms would wash with Ares. Nor Warlords for that matter. Fletcher got in the way. Maybe he was too greedy. Maybe Chi You aren’t as undone as we thought.”

      Francesca glanced at her partner. “Are you telling me we’re now looking at four syndicates – Nero, Chi You, Ares and Warlords?”

      “You know what, we could sit and speculate all night. As I said, we won’t know anything more until we get some results on that body at the Ridge. Tomorrow I want to double-check that information and then take a look myself. You’d better come too.”

      Chapter 7

      “Lightning Ridge is a small town in the NSW outback. No one knows exactly how many people live there but there are over 9000 post boxes. Can you believe it? People sort of go there to get lost,” Johnno commented as they landed in Dubbo. “It’s a funny little place, very quirky. You’ll probably like it.”

      He continued as Francesca looked out the small window surveying the country airport before her. “Most of the itinerant residents move out in the summer. Too hot. The Dubbo cops are picking us up at the airport. The Ridge is about 4 hours drive north west of here. The camp is another half hour drive out of town apparently.”

      Francesca nodded.

      “The guy who owns the camp is a bit of a character. Poor bastard has mental health issues. Something to do with a war. Anyway, we know he’s in camp. He was seen in town earlier this week stocking up on supplies.” He paused. “It’s cooler this time of year, you see.”

      As they stepped off the plane, Francesca relaxed in the huge sky surrounding her. From horizon to horizon, 360 degrees, it was big, blue, and she couldn’t help feeling like she had been transported СКАЧАТЬ