The Family Cleaner, page 28
Pav smiled at him. “David, in here.” He lifted one of the mattresses and then a bottom panel, revealing a cache of guns and ammunition.
“Thanks, mate, I feel better already.”
“One more trick,” he said, pointing to a panel in the rear wall.
Pav went to the back of the van. He tapped on a rear panel and unhitched a section that came away to reveal a small compartment, big enough for one person. “In case nosey copper come looking.”
“So when do we leave?”
“Tonight, late, get good start.”
“I need to transfer some funds first.”
David used Ivana’s laptop to transfer thirty thousand dollars into Siobhan’s account. He sent her an email.
S. I have to finish this up. There’s 30K in tonight. I have to cut ties. Thanks for all your help. I’m sorry to end this but it’s time. D
He sent another to Pete.
Pete I’ve put 5K into your bank. I have to disappear for good. Please look after Frankie boy for me. I’ll miss him. Keep the phone charged D
The following morning, Siobhan replied to David.
David, I’m not sure whether I helped. You appear to have got yourself in awful trouble. Thank you for your help, I will remember this as your legacy. I am so sorry we’ll lose contact. Siobhan
The email bounced.
Police Video Conference, 27th April 2019
“So we’ve tracked them to the M1 exit near the Bolte, and they just disappear?” Prosser said.
It was two days since he’d returned from the forest, but his back reminded him each time he moved what a thrill that had been.
“We thought we had them yesterday,” Johnson said, “but we only have a partial rego number. A uniform unit pulled over an identical vehicle, but it was a woman and two kids on their way shopping.”
“Did you check to see how many white Nissan Patrols have a rego matching the partial?” Kleinberg asked.
“Yes, sir. You aren’t going to like the answer though. It turns out there was a factory sales push and they registered twenty at the same time. They all had the same partial.”
“Are we ever going to get a break in the investigation?” Kleinberg said. “What are the odds of that, seriously? Did you check the driver they pulled over? They could’ve used her vehicle. Does she know anyone connected to Carter? His dealers? This Croatian mate of his?”
“We still have a lot of checking to do,” Prosser replied. “Aaron, will you get working on answers to all the inspector’s questions?”
“Have we checked to see if the Croatian has come back?” Kleinberg asked.
“The DS asked me to do that, but I still don’t have an answer,” Johnson said.
“Leave that with me, I’ll get an answer,” Kleinberg said. “Send me details of who you contacted.”
“Where are we with the DNA, Aaron?” Prosser asked.
“The blood on the T-shirt matches the DNA from David’s house and Subaru.”
“Okay, so we know he’s around, and that he flew back in on one of his aliases. We know that the plantation in the forest was his base of operations. We know those bikies got taken out by someone to stop them from cutting in, someone who knew how to shoot very bloody well. And we know he was a sniper. Let’s face it, all roads lead to Carter,” Prosser said. “And that’s before we talk about the Serbian victims.”
“But what about the family? They weren’t shot,” Kleinberg said.
The video call fell into silence.
“Well, to take up where John finished,” Smyth chimed in, “We know he was in the vicinity of where they all went missing. At least within striking distance. We know he could’ve been in Brisbane as well. We know the same weapon was used to kill Brown and the old codger who worked for the rental firm. We have him caught in a lie about Perth.”
“But we don’t know him as a knife guy,” Jacobsen said.
“No, we don’t see him as a knife guy,” Kleinberg repeated absentmindedly.
“So who killed these people, and what part did Carter play?” Prosser asked.
“We don’t have Jessica and Carter connected in any way over the past couple of years,” Kleinberg said.
“But we do have her and her wife in the vicinity of the murders,” Jefferson said. “Again within striking distance.”
“There must be a way of solving this conundrum. It beggars belief that we can have all these lines joining all these dots and not be able to tie these two up in it,” Kleinberg said. “They must have communicated somehow.”
“If Carter were sitting here in front of us today, what could we charge him with? What could we charge him with, right now?” Prosser asked.
“DS, I do admire the way you focus things,” Kleinberg said. “I would say Prosser has enough to link him to the Geelong murders. The others, not so much.”
A glum silence fell over the call.
“Okay, all of you, back to it, I guess. Good luck,” Kleinberg said.
“Sir, before we finish, I just had an email from Border Force. Pavel Novak arrived in Melbourne two weeks ago.” Brownsill said.
“Well, well, how convenient is that? Carter is in strife and his mate arrives.” Prosser said.
“But that’s well before this forest escapade. Why did he come back? This must have been teed up before,” Brownsill said.
Chapter 33
Coober Pedy, 30th April 2019
Twenty-four hours after leaving Melbourne, Pav and David rolled through the darkness and into Riba’s Caravan Park in Coober Pedy. Pav woke the owner, Riba, and checked in as Michael Leibovich, an old fake ID, and paid in cash.
“Park anywhere you like, we ain’t that busy,” Riba said and waved her hand across the empty expanse.
Pav drove to a plot as far from the office as possible.
The air was dry, the night cold. Pav and David stood by the van, sipping a beer, marvelling at the sky accentuated by the complete absence of any background light.
“It’s amazing out here in the desert. The stillness and complete absence of noise...” David said.
“Da.”
“It’s like you could reach out and touch the stars,” David said. “Remember we used to see this over in the West?”
“Da, like the West.” Pav looked at the sky. “What is word? Awesome? Is awesome.”
“Yes, mate, it’s pretty bloody awesome alright.”
“David, what you do? Policija want you bad.”
“You know, sometimes you just need to do things that don’t make sense. Sometimes things just need to be done. I didn’t kill my relatives, but I know who did, and I know why. Take my word for it, if you knew why you would have done the same.”
“Da. I get it.”
They both slept well into the next morning, waking when someone banged on the van.
“Mate, you awake in there?” A gravelly old man’s voice asked.
Pav leapt out of his bunk and held his finger to his lips, pointing to the back of the van.
“Da, da, coming.”
He opened the door, shielding his eyes from the brilliant sunshine.
“Yeah, she’s a bit bright if you ain’t use ta it,” the old man said, as he sucked the life out of a soggy old darb that bounced on his lips as he spoke.
Pav stepped down from the van to draw the visitor away.
“Morning, all okay?” Pav said.
“Yeah, mate, yeah. All good. Just wanted to know if you’re stayin’ one night or two, the missus wanted to know if you’ll be here tonight.”
“No, I go today, to Adelaide. Just have food and off.”
“Headin’ back already? I thought you come in from that way las’ night.”
“No, from Alice, heading back.”
“Ah, the missus must be losin’ it. She said ya come in from the other way. Anyway, good to know. So, about two hours, then?”
“Da, two hours.”
“Travelin’ on ya own? That must be a bit crap.”
“Ne, good, I like on own.”
“Okay then, see ya,” the old man said and wandered off.
“David, hear that?”
“Yes, good one telling them about Adelaide. If anyone asks, that should confuse them.”
Pav drove towards the exit, stopping when the manager staggered out of the office holding one hand up in a halt motion, a clipboard in the other. He walked over to the driver's side door, with what appeared to be the same smoke on his lips, and said, “Mate, we just got this note in from the cops. We have to double-check everyone travelling through. Seems they’re after two blokes from Victoria.” A breeze blew the ash end from his smoke and he brushed away the white flecks that settled onto his shirt. “Someone called Pavel Novak and—” he squinted at his clipboard “—David Carter. You on ya own though, ain’t ya?”
“Da, just me.”
“Sorry mate, I need to re-check your licence. Bloody cops.”
Pav fished around in his pocket and passed it over. The manager scratched away at his clipboard, slowly checking and rechecking the details before handing back the licence.
“Righto, on ya way. Safe travels.”
They left the park and headed in the direction of Adelaide before turning back towards Darwin via a few back streets.
“Not sure he believed you,” David said from the back of the van. “Let’s hope he doesn’t care too much.”
“Where after Bali?” Pav called out.
“The way I figure it, somewhere that doesn’t have an extradition treaty. It depends on how well these passports hold up.”
“They hold up. All good, David. Promise.”
“Well, assuming that, Italy, I think. Or Portugal, somewhere like that. Will you go back home after you’ve finished babysitting me?”
“Da, home to sestra.”
“Sorry about this, Pav. Sorry to put you at risk.”
“Stop, David, no need for sorry.”
“How long to Darwin do you think?”
“Stop at Alice. Then Darwin. Long drive. Two days.”
Police Video Conference, 2nd May 2019
“Morning, everyone. It’s been a few days since we lost sight of that Nissan. Anybody got anything to get us started?” Kleinberg, who was again a regular on the video calls, asked.
“We had the data guys trolling through CCTV for all the main roads out of Melbourne over the forty-eight hours we think they were on the move,” Prosser said. “A lot of possibilities but one of particular interest. A Winnebago headed out on the A8 at about the right time, two thirty am, three days after the Nissan went missing. The rego check came back with a different plate number. A single driver was visible, and he was also clocked in a speed trap at Port Augusta in South Australia at about four in the afternoon the same day. Where they went after that we don’t know, but a speed trap outside Ceduna registered nothing.”
“You’re thinking they went north?” Kleinberg said.
“To Darwin,” Prosser said.
“If Carter is injured he could be lying in the back,” Johnson said.
“On the off chance they were heading that way, I sent a note out to South Aus and the NT police. They sent it to as many caravan parks, hotels, and motels as they could. We got one hit. A retired cop who runs a park just out of Coober Pedy. Had a bloke with an accent travelling on his own in a Winnebago, different plate though. Said he was travelling south but the ex-cop’s wife swears he came in from the south,” Brownsill said.
“When was this?”
“In the last forty-eight hours.”
Kleinberg picked up his phone and dialled. “Hi, Brett, it’s Steve Kleinberg. I need your help, fast.”
He relayed the essential facts and said, “I need everyone you can spare on this. It’s critical that we check who’s driving that van. Can I leave you to work out how to do that? I owe you one,” he said and ended the call. “That’s an acquaintance in the NT. Let’s see if we get lucky. Now, who’s next?”
“Still nothing on the whereabouts of Jessica and her wife,” Jefferson said.
“Well as far as I’m concerned their cut and run is as good as a confession. Who’s helping you on that?” Kleinberg said.
“DFAT has advised that tracking them is slow. They asked for priority but said that Europol is famously slack on these requests.”
“The European borders are so porous they could be anywhere by now,” Prosser said.
“Inspector, I’ve just had something back on that Nissan,” Johnson said “The vehicle is registered to Petar Horvat. His wife, Branka, was driving it. He is some sort of a senior mover in the Croatian community in Melbourne. I had someone go talk with her again and with a warrant to check the car. We’re looking for any blood samples and dirt samples in the tyres that might match the soil from the area. Anything to tie it to Carter. Given the Croatian connection though, it’s a safe bet this Pavel guy has called in a favour.”
“Lean on the lab. Get us something. At this rate, Carter will be long gone. On that, any other ideas on where they might be heading?” Kleinberg asked.
“I reckon it’s Darwin, and then any ports north of there,” Prosser said. “What about Perth? They did live over there, might have connections.”
“Well, on the basis that no van was seen heading over the Nullarbor ...” Prosser said.
“What if they dumped the van and got other transport?” Brownsill said.
“Send their details to Perth and ask them to keep an eye out. But I’m still with Darwin,” Kleinberg said.
“If they try to leave, can’t we trace him through his mate? If he came in on his own passport he might just leave on it,” Jacobsen chipped in.
“Would they be that careless? They haven’t missed a step yet,” Kleinberg said.
“If I were a punter, I’d bet they’d go out through Darwin and head for Bali. If they’re desperate enough they could even skip from Darwin to Dili to Bali. Every other option for getting out of Australia involves a lot of security, but out of Darwin by sea. Maybe not,” Prosser said.
There was a long silence.
“It’s a punt, but it’s the only horse running from what I can tell,” Kleinberg said. “I’ll contact Border Control and DFAT to establish a link with the Indonesians. Let’s see if you’re a good punter or not, Prosser.”
The following day Johnson posted a document confirming that two forensic traces were found on the Nissan. One based on blood fragments on the rear seat indicated Carter had been in the vehicle. The other was soil, lodged in the suspension, matching that found in the forest.
Brownsill called Kleinberg immediately. “Have you seen Johnson’s post?”
“Yes, I sent a unit from Broadmeadows to pull Mr Horvat in,” Kleinberg said. “I’m assuming he’s the contact, not his wife. Let’s see how he explains himself. He’s known to us so we may have some leverage.”
“If you need me to get involved, let me know,” Brownsill said and ended the call.
“Looks like the inspector is taking over again,” Brownsill said to Johnson. “Wish I could flop in and out when it suited.”
Highway One, Northern Territory, 4th May 2019
David watched the landscape speed by, the heat haze making it appear to quiver.
“David in back, now,” Pav said.
“What’s up?”
“Policija.”
David eased himself in behind the false panel as he felt the van slowing to a stop. A car door slammed and there a was knock on the side of the van.
“Afternoon sir, would you step outside the vehicle please?”
“Da, problem?”
“No, just checking.”
David strained to hear the conversation. He heard Pav say “why” followed by a scuffle and then “Cuff him!”, then silence.
The van door creaked as it opened, and the van dipped slightly as someone entered the van.
“Police, anyone in here? Come out now.”
He heard cupboards opening and the mattresses being lifted and dropped. The van dipped again as the officer exited.
David eased the panel open a fraction.
“Where’s your accomplice?”
“Ne, what?” Pav replied.
“We understand you’re travelling with someone else. Where is he?”
David made his way to the door and quietly cocked his Beretta. He peered through the window. Pav stood with his back against the cab of the police van, the two officers with their backs to the Winnebago. “What do we do?” one of the officers said.
“I’ll call the sarge and see what he says.”
Pav stepped away from the police unit. “Why you picking on me? What you doing to me?”
Uneasy with Pav moving towards them, the officers put one hand on their holsters and held the other in a gesture to stop Pav from approaching. “Stop, sir, please stop,” one of the officers said.
Distracted, they didn’t hear David move quickly behind them. He grabbed the belt of the officer nearest to him and held the Beretta at the back of his head.
“Drop that and don’t move a muscle.”
The second officer spun and made a grab for his service revolver. Pav moved quickly and smashed his manacled hands onto his skull. The officer crumpled to the ground.
“He has photo,” Pav said.
“Carefully, very carefully undo those handcuffs,” David said to the first officer. “Now kneel. Mate,” he said to Pav, “secure the guy on the ground and put him in the back of their unit.”
“You won’t get away with this,” the officer said, “everyone is looking for you.”
“Good to know, thanks. Take off your shirt. Very carefully, no sudden moves. This Beretta has a hair trigger.”
“No,” the officer said.
“Don’t be stupid. Please. Whether you give me your shirt and cap is not going to make a difference to what happens next.”
The officer threw his cap onto the bonnet of the police unit and slowly stripped off his shirt.
David put on the officer’s shirt and cap and turned to Pav. “Put the handcuffs on this one.”
