THE GREATEST BETRAYAL: A romantic thriller with a shocking twist, page 19
‘Don’t reject this one,’ Vickerson said, sliding into one of the visitor chairs as casually as if this was his own personal living space. ‘It’s linked to the major drug bust that’s going down right now.’
‘Already got my best people all over it,’ said O’Brien. ‘Why do I need a lowlife like you getting in on the act?’
‘Same reason as always. I’ve got the best angle.’
‘Which is?’
‘One of the men arrested, Raf Vetrani, a millionaire businessman, is also linked to another case I’m about to break. And I’m the one breaking that story because I’ve got a personal link to it.’
‘I’m listening,’ the editor said.
‘I’ve been investigating Vetrani ever since I found out he was involved in a major fraud and conspiracy. He had a fellow Australian imprisoned in Indonesia using forged documents and men posing as government officials. The man he had abducted is an airline pilot and will be known to most Australians because he was the star of an ad campaign that went viral eighteen months or so ago.’
‘Who are we talking about?’
‘Captain Mac.’ Vetrani handed O’Brien a printout. ‘Read this. First in a series of articles.’
O’Brien adjusted his reading glasses and looked over the copy.
The arrest this week of Sydney business identity Raf Vetrani, as part of a multi-million-dollar drug ring, is just the tip of the iceberg. Vetrani is also implicated in a wider series of crimes that may well be the most scandalous the harbour city has seen in over a decade.
It involves the false imprisonment in Jakarta of media personality and pilot Callan McKenzie, better known as Captain Mac.
The pilot was lured overseas by a phony text message supposedly from a former lover. He was allegedly detained there by Vetrani’s henchmen, complete with stolen police uniforms.
The reason for this remarkable plot? A beautiful and successful advertising and PR entrepreneur named Liz Carter, loved by both men and now the mother of Vetrani’s son and heir.
For Liz Carter it is a nightmare that’s just beginning. For each of these three, and the others drawn in by Vetrani’s web, it is an emotional tourniquet of deceit, heartache, and treachery.
I became a small part of this extraordinary series of events well over a year ago, when newspapers carried my story about how Captain Mac had fallen in love with an Indonesian girl. That romance happened long before the ad campaign, and was with a girl who subsequently vanished after the death of her father who was a suspected rebel sympathizer.
Perhaps Vetrani read that article. Perhaps he didn’t. Either way, armed with the knowledge of Captain McKenzie’s misfortune, he began to formulate his cruel plan…
O’Brien looked up from the printout, his gaze settling on Vickerson. ‘And you’ve got more on this?’
‘Loads. The very stuff your dreams are made of, Paddy.’
‘We’ll start running the series from the next edition,’ the editor said.
SIXTY-EIGHT
Vickerson’s articles were simply the beginnings of a mass media storm centred on the case against Raf Vetrani. Once again, Captain Mac was in the news. This time, Raf and Liz Vetrani were household names as well. To the media, Vetrani’s drug ring arrest was of secondary interest, behind the more sensational story of his obsession for Liz, and his Byzantine plot to win her heart while she was led to believe her boyfriend had left her.
Liz had remained behind the doors of the Markham family’s Bondi Beach home. She still had the babysitter, Connie, come by for a while each day, allowing her to spend some time dealing with the emotional fallout. She read the latest of Vickerson’s articles online. As she did, she tried again to phone Mac as she had several times over the past week. She desperately wanted to know if he was handling the stunning revelations okay. It would have been a hell of a gut punch, learning the truth, just as it had been for her. Still no response. And Martin hadn’t been able to raise him either.
The front doorbell rang and a moment later Connie called out, ‘Liz, its Martin.’
‘Send him through,’ she called back from the study she’d now adopted as her own.
Martin walked in. ‘Don’t know if you’ve heard…?’
‘Heard what?’
‘It’s just hit the news. Raf’s out on bail.’
Liz’s muscles tensed. ‘How on earth could he get bail? With murder and drug charges like that?’
‘As you’re aware, the highest-profile criminal defence attorney in the country is in his corner. There are strict conditions. He can’t travel or be involved with the company and he must stay at Bruno’s place. The bail was set at two million and the family’s got the funds to put it up.’
‘Bruno put up the bail?’
‘Yes.’
‘Caterina will love that.’
Liz’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw it was Bruno.
She picked up the phone and swiped it. ‘I just heard,’ she said.
‘Despite everything, Liz, he’s my brother…’
‘I understand, Bruno. Family. And if the courts accepted bail, then he’s got to be put up somewhere and it sure as all hell can’t be here with me.’
‘That’s part of the reason I agreed to this.’
‘How’s Caterina?’
‘Not happy, but she’s going along with it for now. But Raf’s going to have to stay out of her way, in the spare room, and use the mini-kitchen at the back of the house, or… well, if he wants to stay here until the trial he’s going to have to pull his head in.’
‘Do you think he can do that?’
‘Time will tell. But, Liz, so far he’s… not the same old Raf. He’s full of remorse, full of regret. And he’s… scared.’
‘How does he think Mac must’ve felt all that time in Jakarta?’
‘I know.’
‘Has Raf actually admitted anything to you?’
‘No. He’s barely been speaking… I’ve got to go but, Liz, I don’t want this fallout with Raf to come between me and Caterina and you.’
‘It won’t.’
‘You’re important to us. We may not be doing the traditional Vetrani Saturdays anymore, but we’ll be over for a visit soon. Promise.’
‘Okay.’
Liz had no sooner put the phone down, when Connie appeared in the doorway. ‘Liz…’
‘What is it, Connie? Is Luke okay?’
‘He’s great. But you have another visitor. I just saw someone pull into the driveway.’
* * *
Liz sat tensely in her chair.
She could hear Mac’s voice at the front of the house, conversing with Martin and Connie who had gone to see who was there. She’d wanted to see him, fantasized about sitting down with him and finding out how he’d been coping. And yet she was on edge. Nervous.
Then there was a light knock on the open door and Mac came through, looking more like his old self, ruggedly handsome, the gauntness gone from his cheeks, his eyes alive with hope instead of despair. ‘Hi, Liz.’
‘Hi, Mac.’ She stood, and they embraced, awkwardly. ‘So good to see you, I’ve been–’
‘Calling, I know. I just wasn’t ready to talk, so much going on, so much to take in…’
‘So, how are you?’
‘I’m good. Country air and flying little four-seaters has been a real tonic for me.’
‘And now there’s a resolution… to everything that happened to you.’
‘Yeah.’
Liz cleared her throat. ‘I’m so sorry…’
‘None of it was your fault.’
‘Mac, I’m so… ashamed.’
‘Ashamed? Why?’
‘For being sucked in by such a… con man. And for not waiting, not being there for you.’
‘You thought I’d left you. No way for you to have known otherwise. No reason for you not to have moved on.’
‘I fell for a monster.’
‘Liz, you’ve no need to blame yourself. No need to feel shame. And while we’re naming and shaming ourselves, I’ve got a confession of my own.’
‘Oh?’
‘I should never have gone tearing off like that because of a text, supposedly from Sari. I should’ve texted back that I couldn’t help her. My place was here with you.’
‘You couldn’t turn your back on someone you knew who asked for your help – that’s not you, and I would never want it to be.’
He reached across and held her hand and smiled and she felt the awkwardness fade away.
‘I hear you’re back on the singles market,’ he said.
‘I guess I am.’ She returned the smile.
‘Lucky coincidence. So am I.’
‘I come with some baggage.’
‘You’re not talking about that little bundle of joy of yours, are you? Where is he? I’d love to meet him.’
‘I meant my crime kingpin husband. But Luke?’ She beamed at the thought of him. ‘Afternoon nap. But he’ll be up soon.’
‘Perfect,’ Mac said.
SIXTY-NINE
‘I figured,’ said Mac, ‘that for a first date, after getting back together again, a traditional dinner, movie, walk by the harbour kind of thing wasn’t going to cut it. Fine for a second date, but for the first, I think we need something to really blow the cobwebs away, put some distance between now and everything that’s happened to us. Make sense?’
Liz linked her arm with his. ‘Right now, anything you say is the only thing that does make sense.’ They’d talked well into the night and now, sharing a bottle of wine, they were still sitting on the deck at the back of the Markham house. ‘So, what are we talking?’
‘You’ve been asking me what I’ve been doing all this time, so for our first reunion date, I figured, why not actually show you?’
‘Meaning?’
‘That part’s a surprise.’
‘When?’
‘Saturday.’
‘Done deal,’ she said.
* * *
When Saturday came, they were blessed with great weekend weather. Sunny and breezy, with beach-day temperatures. Mac drove them into the country, west of Sydney, to a small private airfield, a great big multi-acreage of green field, adjacent to a skydiving school. He led Liz from the car and they tramped across the grass.
‘There’s nothing out here so where are we going?’ Liz asked.
‘Patience.’
‘I’m intrigued,’ she said.
She heard the plane before she saw it. At first it was a speck in the far sky, then before she knew it the four-seater Cessna was circling overhead, then swooping in, and coming in to land. A man stepped down from the cockpit and Mac introduced him as Jack Reynolds.
‘All yours, lovebirds,’ he said with a wide grin.
Liz looked at Mac with an enchanting smile. ‘You’re taking me flying?’
‘Thought I’d show you what Jack’s been teaching me.’
‘You’re in safe hands with this guy,’ Reynolds told her. ‘But I’d advise you to hang on tight all the same, eh?’ He threw back his head and laughed.
Mac handed Reynolds the keys to his car. ‘Go for a drive. See you back here in half an hour and you can have your plane back.’
Liz felt the thrill of exhilaration as the plane gained speed and lifted off the ground. The lush green fields fell away, and the switchback curve of roads, creeks and hills spread out below, a panorama that was eternally breathtaking no matter how many times you saw it.
‘I’ve been teaching flying, but I’ve also been learning stunt flying. And I’m planning to enter myself into the next country air show.’
‘Stunts?’
‘Like this,’ Mac said, eyes sparkling with mischief. He pulled the joystick up and banked the plane slowly to the right before launching into a sweeping arc across the sky. ‘A little bit like a rollercoaster–’
‘Wow!’ said Liz.
‘–but without the wheels.’
* * *
Mac had booked the two of them into a room at a nearby inn. They dined al fresco on the spacious terrace to the sounds of romantic instrumentals by a flamenco guitarist. There were several other couples there, enjoying quiet conversation.
‘How did you find this place?’ Liz asked.
‘Would you believe that hard-bitten flying instructor friend of mine told me about it.’
‘More to him than meets the eye.’
‘I hope today wasn’t too over the top, Liz,’ Mac said. He raised his glass and touched hers with it. ‘Cheers.’
‘Are you kidding?’ Liz said. ‘It was fantastic. And would you believe my heart still seems to be thumping from it?’
‘It’s a different kind of adrenaline. It can last a while.’
Afterwards, they strolled alongside a river to the chirp of waterbirds. The clean country sky was full of stars and Liz felt a curious blend of calm crossed with the steady flow of excitement from the day’s flight. The moment they returned to their room she stretched her arms up and wiggled out of the loose, long emerald dress she’d been wearing, undid the buttons of his shirt and peeled it away, melting into his arms.
‘God, I’ve missed you,’ she said. ‘I was missing you even when I thought I wasn’t missing you–’
He put his fingers to her lips. ‘Shush. We agreed we won’t talk about or even think about any of that. Not this weekend.’
She kissed him slowly, her fingers tracing the nape of his neck and the contours of his shoulders. ‘It’s as though none of that ever happened.’
‘A bad dream. We got lost. Couldn’t find each other.’
Liz felt the beat of her heart as she whispered in his ear. ‘But you found me.’
* * *
Liz woke to the first rays of dawn light, which glistened off the billowing drapes of the open window. She eased herself off the bed, pulled a light gown over her naked body and padded into the kitchen. She was making coffee, with Mac stirring on the bed, when her phone rang.
This early? Who?
She answered it and her mood plummeted when she heard the voice on the other end of the line.
‘Mrs Vetrani, Detective Inspector Ryan here. I’m afraid I have some bad news about your son.’
SEVENTY
Liz had barely been able to speak since receiving the call that morning.
Her mind had flashed back to the child kidnap attempt she’d witnessed years before, at Sydney Airport. She’d never been able to understand how any man could take a child, causing confusion and fear in his own flesh and blood, and unspeakable grief to a mother. After the call from Ryan, she and Mac had driven immediately back to Sydney and to the Markham house, where a wet-eyed Sally Markham had met them at the door, hugging Liz.
Like Liz, the babysitter, Connie, was barely able to talk. Suffering shock, she’d been sitting on the corner sofa, shivering, a blanket placed over her by Ryan’s colleague, Detective Andrea Clifton.
‘Connie woke early this morning,’ Clifton said, ‘and when she checked on Luke, she found his crib empty and the bedroom windows wide open. She went into a state of extreme shock but managed to knock on Sally’s door. Sally made the call to report Luke missing.’
‘So… so… sorry…’ Connie said, teeth chattering.
Sally consoled her. ‘It’s not your fault, Connie.’ She looked to Liz. ‘I would’ve phoned you, but the police wanted to make–’
‘You’ve done what you could, Sal,’ Liz said, clearing her throat, finding her voice.
‘I came the moment I got your call, Mac,’ Martin said. He’d arrived earlier and had been doing his best to console Sally and Connie.
‘Given the Federal case against your husband,’ Craig Ryan said to Liz, ‘when Sally Markham called the police to say your son was missing, she was patched straight through to us. And we immediately made enquiries about Raf to establish whether he was involved.’
‘And he’s not where he’s supposed to be, at his brother’s house?’ said Mac.
‘No. Bruno and Caterina Vetrani haven’t seen him since last night. A search of the house and attempts to contact him by phone haven’t located him.’
‘Do you believe he’s responsible for taking Luke?’ Martin de Courcey asked.
‘We’ve yet to establish for certain it was Raf Vetrani,’ Detective Clifton said, tugging at the blonde bangs of her short haircut.
‘It was Raf,’ Liz said. ‘I went to see him last week, before he was released on bail, and he tried to warn me. He told me, cold as ice, not to serve divorce papers, not to apply for full custody of Luke.’
‘I phoned Bruno a short while ago,’ Martin told them. ‘He and Caterina are in a state of disbelief, they had no idea Raf might pull something like this.’
Sally could barely contain her frustration. ‘He should never have been released.’
‘I agree,’ said Ryan, ‘but the placebo pill evidence is circumstantial, and Raf claimed the imported drugs were planted on his boat. His attorney made a strong case for bail.’
Mac shook his head. ‘It should never have been granted.’
‘Couldn’t agree more,’ said Ryan.
‘What’s happening now, Inspector?’ Martin asked.
‘We have an APD out on Raf and a kidnapped child alert out on Luke. We’re cross-referencing their descriptions against all travellers at airports, train stations, and bus terminals and anyone meeting either, or both descriptions, will be detained. And we’re questioning Raf’s co-conspirators in the drug ring for any clues on his whereabouts.’
‘How could he travel out of the country when he’s on bail?’ Mac asked.
‘We’ve no doubt his Calabrian drug connections could organise disguises and forged passports but we’re on full alert for that,’ Ryan said.
* * *
After the detectives had left, the time seemed to Liz to be at a standstill. Sally made endless cups of tea and coffee and brandished bottles of water, stubbies of beer and glasses of Scotch. Liz sipped on a Scotch, but her heart wasn’t in it. She didn’t want her mind impacted by alcohol as she waited for news.
It was late afternoon, the sun beginning its slow descent, when Bruno arrived at the house. He shook hands solemnly with Mac and Martin, nodded to the women, and apologised to Liz.
