Wyatt - 04 - Cross Kill Read Online Free PDF

said.

    He said it slowly, as if doubts were
finally creeping in. Hed devised an operation that could get them all into
trouble. Bax had been ordered to recruit two professional car thieves, promise
them good money and immunity from prosecution, get them to swipe late model
luxury Fords, strip each car, stamp ID numbers on everything, release the parts
on the black market, and follow the trail to the receivers. Clearly Coulthart
hoped hed turn over the Mesics that way, but it was a mad scheme, doomed to
stuff up in a big way.

    Well, Bax thought, so long as its
Coultharts neck on the block, not mine. Bax had been working the scam for six
months now. Hed arrested a dozen characters like last months panelbeater, hed
juggled like crazy to keep the Mesics out of the frame, and the whole thing had
him living on a knife edge.

    Forty cars, Coulthart said. He
smothered a groan. If what you say is right, were just feeding a habit thats
always been there anyway.

    Bax adjusted the back of his suit
coat so that it wouldnt crease in Coultharts office chair. Thats about it,
boss. Therell always be blokes who swipe cars, always be chop-shop cowboys who
flog or use the parts off them. If you want my advice, the only way youre
going to make a killing in this game is to put a cap on the iffy Mercs coming
in from Hong Kong.

    Anything to get Coulthart off the
track. It wasnt easy for Bax now, earning his five hundred a week from the
Mesics. In the old days it simply meant steering the law away from them. Now,
with the old man dead, it also meant protecting them from opposition firms like
the guy in the Volvo yesterday, and protecting them from dangers within in the
form of Victor Mesic.

    Plus which, old Karl Mesic had
agreed to buy complete cars from Bax before he died. All Bax had to do was
steer one car in ten to a Mesic chop-shop and keep it out of the paperwork.
This scam promised to earn him thousands of bucks a year on top of his five
hundred a week, and he badly needed it. But the old man had died before Bax
could get the scheme up and running, the Mesics were falling apart, and if
Coultharts operation came unstuck, he, Bax, could fall with it.

    He stared at the African violet
while Coulthart continued to groan. The answer was Stella Mesic. She was the
strong one. If he could help Stella and Leo divert Victor, maybe send Victor
back to the States, the firm could take over where Karl had left off, Leo
providing the muscle, Stella the management, Bax the brains and protection.

    Coulthart pushed away from his desk
and lifted out of his chair. He favoured creased, lightweight suits summer and
winter and sometimes Bax glimpsed flesh between the straining buttons of the
mans drip-dry shirts. He avoided Coultharts midriff and stood up too. So,
whats it to be, boss?

    Give it another month, Coulthart
said. I want a couple of lightning raids on known Mesic outlets.

    Ill need warrants.

    No problem.

    Suit yourself, Bax said, but Im
telling you, you wont find anything.

    Try, okay?

    Then, when Bax was opening the door,
Baxy?

    Bax stopped. Yes, boss?

    Do the blokes, you know, take you
seriously, got up like that?

    Jesus Christ, did he mean did the
blokes think he was on the take? Bax looked down, checking his long frame, the
expensive dark suit that shaped it. His shoes gleamed, his shirt was spotless,
thick white cotton. Whats wrong with it?

    Coultharts face reddened, the look
of a man caught out in a cheap thought. What I mean is, its a dirty job, youll
ruin your dacks.

    To help the poor bastard out, Bax
grinned and winked. I like to set standards, boss. Be on the cutting edge.

    Coulthart relaxed. Yeah, well, see
if you can cut your way through to the Mesics.

    * * * *

    Seven

    In
the lounge room of the house in Abbotsford, Rossiter stared at Wyatt. You want
to hit the Mesics?

    Wyatt said nothing, waiting for his
words to sink in.

    At least your timings right, but
arent you heading a bit off course?

    Wyatt knew what he meant. The