Hey everyone!
Hope everyone's had a good weekend.
Okay, so I'm about to start crazy work week 1 out of 3 so I may only update once a week. And I'm still super torn over which way this should go!
Hope you're enjoying this crazy ride! Thanks to my loyal reviewers for the kind words! 3 3
The Ties that Bind.
Chapter 7
Agent Knowles stormed up to Agent Rowe.
"What do you mean he's gone?"
She shrugged slightly and glanced behind him to Kate, he's head spun round to face her.
"Where is he?"
Kate was dumbfounded at the accusation, he was now saying that she implicated and helped him escape.
"So you guys got me here so you could raid my house?"
Agent Rowe ignored Kate's question.
"All his things are gone..."
Agent Knowles turned to Kate and gave her a stern look.
"I'm going to ask you one more time Lieutenant Commander, where is he?"
She refused to justify his question with an answer.
"I don't know how your brain works Agent Knowles but I'd hate to be in your head!"
He turned and walked back into Maxine's office and grabbed her bag from the floor. He walked out into the main office and turned it upside down, the contents spilled all over the floor. Kate knelt down to gather up her things and looked up at him with an appalled look on her face.
"Seriously? That's really nice of you..."
He rummaged through the bag and turned the lining inside out of the side pocket, in the corner was a little black grommet that matched the ones in the evidence bag.
"And what is this?"
Kate stood up squinting at the device.
"I've got no idea, how do I know you didn't just plant that there?"
He gave her a defiant look.
"You want to make that complaint official Lieutenant Commander?"
Kate frowned she knew it was a long shot.
"No, just doesn't feel so nice does it?"
Kate started to breath heavily, the reality was beginning to sink in, the colour drained from her face. Maxine could see she was struggling, she placed a hand on Kate's arm.
"Maybe you should come into my office..."
Dutchy lead her to Maxine's office and sat her down on a chair. Dutchy knelt next to the Kate, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Kate..."
She didn't respond, he tried again this time placing his hand on her knee.
"Kate?"
She turned to face him with a blank expression.
"He can't have..."
Dutchy took a deep breath in.
"Sorry Kate, it doesn't look good."
She broke eye contact.
"I'm sorry that you're involved."
"It's okay Kate, I'm your buffer remember, I've got your back, you're suspended, I'm suspended, I wouldn't have it any other way."
Maxine stood at the doorway watching their interaction, she cleared her throat, Dutchy stood up and moved away from her.
"Ah PO Mulholland, I need to have a word with Lieutenant Commander McGregor."
He gave a single nod and walked to the door and turned.
"I'll wait for you..."
Maxine glanced at him.
"Ah, you probably shouldn't be here either Dutchy... sorry."
He rolled his eyes.
"Okay, I'll be outside Kate..."
Maxine closed the door and sat next to Kate.
"Kate, I'm sorry..."
She didn't believe her for one second, she scoffed and made eye contact for a split second.
"Don't patronise me...Ma'am. I know you warned Mike off me..."
She moved her chair closer.
"Kate, look Mike is my friend, all I said was that it was a difficult situation and this it's the time to be geeing involved, especially when you were back on the same ship. I can't just stand by and watch both of you break the rules, this is serious..."
Kate stood up, she felt like she was being treated like a child.
"Don't you think I realise that? I just don't like my family being treated like criminals."
"Well at this point in time Kate it looks like..."
Kate spun round and gave Maxine an angry look.
"Ma'am..."
Kate sighed and sat down. Maxine placed a hand on her back.
"I'm concerned about you Kate, we need you to tell us everything, the past events could come up and..."
"I don't know anything Ma'am..."
Maxine gave her a stern look, suspecting she was lying. Kate threw her hands in the air out of annoyance.
"I don't! Honestly Ma'am, I don't know where he is..."
"Well I think it's pretty safe to say that he's guessed we're on to him and he's fled."
Kate sat back down and put her head in her hands.
"Ma'am, I know it's a lot easier for you to look at this black and white but I can't believe that he's involved, I mean he came back here trying to make things up to me..."
Maxine broke eye contact feeling awful about bring up the next topic.
"I believe he used the other day?"
Kate nodded slightly.
"Well maybe he's got back in with these guys, Kate you never really know people..."
Kate stayed silent, she tried to compose the thoughts running through her head.
"What can I do?"
"Nothing Kate, you need to stay right out of this... look there's probably no chance that your suspension will be lifted until this is resolved, why don't you go away for a few days? The less you're involved the better, I've got your number if I need you."
She shook her head.
"No, I need to be here in case he comes back, in case he comes to his senses."
"Okay, it's up to you but is there anything else you can think of, look it's in the AFP's hands now. It's probably going to get a whole lot uglier before it gets better..."
Kate sighed, Maxine could tell that it was getting too much, she backed off on the questioning.
"Kate, just hang in there..."
Kate stood up and left the office, Maxine picked up her phone.
"It's Commander White, can you come in for a chat?"
Kate walked out of Maxine's office as Dutchy walked into Navcom.
"Ah, Maxine wants a word..."
"My turn to be outside then..."
Dutchy knocked and entered Maxine's office.
"Ma'am..."
"Come in Dutchy, sit down..."
He cautiously did as he was told, Maxine moved back to her side of the desk.
"I'm sorry about before, look I can't be seen giving preferential treatment to Hammersley crew in front of the AFP agents. They already think that I'm being too lenient."
"I understand Ma'am..."
She leaned forward placing her forearms on the desk
"I want to talk to you about Kate."
Dutchy shifted in his seat, he wasn't comfortable talking about her behind her back.
"Ma'am..."
She sensed his apprehension but she was trying to help.
"Look, they're going to dig. I get the feeling that she's hiding something and I don't want them to be the first to discover it..."
Dutchy didn't think it was his place to talk about Kate's deepest darkest secret.
"I think you should talk to her..."
"I did, I tried Dutchy..."
"I can't Ma'am...I'm sorry..."
She knew he was trying to protect her but this wasn't the time.
"Dylan, she could lose her job, please!"
Dutchy paused weighing up the options vs the consequences.
"Okay..."
He exhaled loudly.
"She's going to hate me..."
Maxine tried a reassuring smile.
"She'll understand..."
"I don't even know where to start... umm Kate was trying to impress he brother's friends one night and she went too far. They were taking ecstasy and she took one, they made the bad decision to muck around in their cars and there was an accident, one of Paul's friends was killed."
"That's awful but I don't see..."
"I'm not done yet Ma'am...so Paul was driving but he was 18 and would have been tried and charged as an adult so Kate took the fall."
Maxine gasped, she wasn't expecting that.
"How is..."
"He confessed about a year later, her record was wiped but I don't know if they'd have access to that information."
"They probably would and they're just going to see Kate doing whatever she can to protect her brother, thanks for letting me know."
Kate stood at the door hearing Maxine's last comment.
"Dutchy..."
He leapt up and ran to Kate.
"I'm sorry Kate, she needed to know..."
Her eyes welled with tears, she felt so betrayed she knew deep down that he did it to help but it was her deepest secret and he had shared it with someone who didn't entirely trust her and now the AFP were going to hear it.
"I can't believe you told her..."
She ran out of Navcom leaving Dutchy standing in Maxine's office, Maxine got up and pat him on the shoulder.
"You did the right thing Dutchy, it would have done more harm than good to keep it a secret."
He walked out of Navcom dialling her number, it went straight to voice mail. He drove to her house and knocked on the door, she didn't answer.
"Kate, please open up, I know you're here, your cars here..."
She still didn't answer the door.
"Kate, please..."
Kate stood on the opposite side of the door, tears streaming down her face.
"Kate..."
She held her ground and walked away from the door.
She went up to her room and dialled Paul's number, she sat on her bed as the phone rang. It answered.
"Paul, Paul are you there... please come home, I don't know what's going on but..."
The phone hung up, she desperately dialled the number again, it was switched off.
The banging on the door continued, she let out a frustrated huff and stormed down the stairs and swung open the door.
"Dutchy, would you just..."
It wasn't Dutchy, it was Agent Knowles, Agent Rowe and Maxine and Mike.
"What do you want?"
Agent Knowles held up a piece of paper in her face.
"We have a warrant to search your home..."
They barged past her, she grabbed Maxine's arm.
"You approved this?"
"Wasn't my call Kate..."
Mike tried to sneak past her, he didn't go unnoticed, she grabbed him and pulled him aside.
"And I guess you're here to prove your point..."
Mike sighed.
"Kate, I'm here to support you..."
Dutchy poked his head in the door, Kate spotted him and rolled her eyes.
"No, I don't want you here...either of you..."
Maxine could see that Kate wasn't coping, she walked back over to them.
"Kate, they want to help..."
Kate shook her head not believing her, even thought the thought had crossed her mind at Navcom she still didn't accept that Paul would betray her again, not after everything they had been through.
She stormed up the stairs to find the Agents, they were in Paul's room turning everything inside out and upside down, she stood at the doorway.
"You're not going to find anything cos there's nothing to find."
They continued to pull out drawers and strip the bed, there was nothing. She noticed one of her scrunchies on the floor and picked it up and tied her hair back with it.
A few hours later they had finished searching the whole house, Kate stood at the front door smiling as they left. Maxine followed them and stopped and squeezed her arm.
"Hang in there..."
Mike and Dutchy stood in the lounge room, Kate stayed at the front door and glared in their direction. They looked at each other, they knew there was nothing they could say that was going to help, they headed for the door and walked outside. Dutchy turned to face her, he went to speak but she slammed the door in his face.
2 days later Kate was still ignoring everyone's calls and texts, it had been the longest time that she hadn't spoken to or seen Dutchy.
He was worried, worried that she wouldn't forgive him. He stood out the front of her house and knocked persistently, he glanced to his right, her car was still in the drive way.
"Kate, please. Just let me talk to you, let me see that you're okay."
There was no answer, he out his head against the door and closed his eyes. He placed a hand on the door knob, it turned slightly to his surprise.
He flung the door open rushed inside, he checked in all the rooms for any sight of her, negative.
He took out his phone and rang Maxine's number.
"Commander White, it's Dylan, I'm just at Kate's house and she's not here."
"Is that such a big concern?"
"Well I haven't heard from her in a few days and her car's here."
"I did advise her to take some time off, I mean if she went to the airport she would have caught a cab."
Dutchy ran up to her room and opened the wardrobe, everything was in place.
"There's no clothes gone Ma'am..."
He poked his head into the en-suite.
"And her toothbrush is still here..."
"Look Dutchy there could be a million reasons why she's not there, she may have just gone for a walk."
"Her door was unlocked Ma'am..."
"Yes well, haven't you ever forgotten to lock your door."
"Yes Ma'am, but this is Kate we're talking about..."
He sighed as he walked down the stairs, he had a bad feeling but how could he convince anyone. He noticed the kettle on the bench and coffee cup with a spoon inside.
"Ma'am, something is wrong I just know it."
"Dutchy, I know you're closer to Kate and you're worried about her but I just don't see any case for alarm. Why don't you hang out there for a while and see if she comes home."
Dutchy hung up the phone and walked aimlessly around her house, the feds had already searched so there was no point him searching.
He walked down stairs and sat on the couch and put his head in his hands.
"Where are you Kate?"
Unknown Location.
Paul sat on a couch in a darkened room, his leg twitching, he was obviously nervous. A tall, rough looking male walked into the room and approached him, Paul recognised him.
"Terry, what are you doing here?"
He ignored Paul's question.
"I hope you learned your lesson?"
Paul nodded, he wasn't going argue with him.
"Yeah, look you did me a favour and I stuffed up. I'm with you guys, just tell me what you want me to do..."
"Nothing right now, we got one shipment in but there's another one waiting, we need you to go back and find out more."
"I can't, my sisters been suspended, they're on to us. They found the bugs on the boat, they've got my prints."
The man reached out and grabbed his shirt front and yelled in his face.
"Why didn't you wear gloves you idiot?!"
Paul held up his hands in surrender.
"I couldn't it would have looked too suss, they weren't going to let me on the boat alone! My sister and her friend gave me a tour..."
"Right... well you might just have to go back anyway."
He shook his head in disagreement.
"If go back they'll arrest me and then I'll be completely useless."
The man stood there for a moment thinking.
"What about your sister?"
"Nah, she's straight man, no chance..."
"Would she do it for you? What if your life was in danger?"
Paul hesitated then shook his head again.
"Nah, she already thinks I'm guilty, she'd probably arrest me if she had the chance..."
"Well you better come up with a plan to get the next shipment in, you need to repay your debt somehow, else you know how this ends..."
The man walked out of the room and slammed the door, Paul leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes.
Back at Kate's house Dutchy paced around the lounge room, he took out his phone and dialled Kate's number again, there was no answer. He was startled as there was a knock on the door, he cautiously opened the door and was semi relieved to see Mike.
"Mike..."
Mike was slightly confused as to why he was answering Kate's door.
"Oh Dutchy, is Kate here?"
"You haven't spoken to Maxine I assume?"
Mike shook his head.
"No, why, what's up?"
"I can't get in contact with Kate... You better come in..."
They walked into Kate's lounge room and sat on the couch. Dutchy felt a little awkward, he knew that Mike was in a tough place being her boss and her friend but he didn't think he had been as supportive as he could have been.
"So how long has it been since you talked to her?"
"Ah not since the other day when we were here, well actually we didn't really talk then but I thought I'd better give her some time too cool off."
"Yeah fair enough but she hasn't taken my phone calls for the past 2 days and when I came here today the front door wasn't locked."
Mike frowned.
"That's not like her..."
"I know, that's what I said to Maxine...so umm you guys didn't sort things out then..."
Mike got up and walked around the lounge room, he didn't really want to discuss it with Dutchy but he had to get it off his chest.
"No, I mean I was just trying to protect her with Paul but in the mean time I think I made her push me away. Anyway think her feelings are centred somewhere else..."
He stopped and turned to make eye contact with Dutchy.
"Mike, you know that I'd never..."
Mike sighed and sat back down.
"Yeah I know but I can see the connection that you two have, don't tell me you don't feel it."
Dutchy wasn't sure how to respond, he didn't want to cause more tension, he needed Mike on his side, well Kate's side.
"I think that's the least of our worries at the moment Mike. Do you think I'm being paranoid about this whole thing?"
Mike shrugged.
"I don't know, I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if she's gone looking for him, but I wouldn't even know where to start?"
Dutchy sat there deep in thought.
"Maybe the docks? He had a job down there, I know that they'll tend to hire, well, the unsavoury types..."
"So what are we saying? That Paul was lying this entire time and he's actually involved in this?"
Dutchy nodded fearfully.
"Yeah, I think we have to, I mean he disappeared right before they were going to bring him in, I mean that thing they found in Kate's bag was a listening device right?"
They both sighed not knowing how to handle the situation, Kate was obviously in denial because she wanted to see the best in him but making her see the truth would get them both shut out. Dutchy got up and paced as he thought.
"Okay, so we go down to the docks and what question them? I mean that'll look suss..."
"Umm okay, why don't you go down there? I'll keep an eye on you and just try and blend in, say you're looking for Paul, that he owes you money or something..."
"Why me?"
Mike raised an eyebrow and grinned, Dutchy scoffed.
"What? You think I'd fit in better with them?"
Mike laughed, that's exactly what he thought.
"You said it not me, but hey I guarantee that you'd look better in a beater than me!"
Later that day Mike sat in the car while Dutchy went to investigate. He looked around and spotted a couple of rough looking guys smoking.
"Hey..."
They turned around and gave him an intimidating look.
"Can we help you mate?"
"Yeah, I'm umm looking for someone... I believe he works down here..."
"Right, and why should be help you?"
"Well, you don't have to but I'd like to help my friend, he's in a bit of trouble, he owes my boss a bit of money..."
"Oh yeah, what's his name?"
"Paul, Paul McGregor?"
Dutchy could tell from their expression that they knew him, the bigger guy threw his cigarette butt on the floor and stepped on it.
"Nah, don't know him mate, sorry."
"Are you sure? I can make it worth your while?"
The guy stepped towards Dutchy.
"I don't think you heard me mate, I don't know him!"
Dutchy held his glare for a minute then turned and walked away, he got back into the car and watched them walk in to one of the warehouses. Mike nudged him.
"Well?"
"They know him, they denied it but I could tell they know him..."
"What do we do then? We can't do anything ourselves but then those agents are idiots..."
"Well, not entirely, cos really they turned out to be right didn't they?"
"We still don't know Mike..."
Unknown location.
The rough looking guy re-entered the room.
"You in with others?"
Paul looked at him strangely not understanding, the guy stepped forward and punched him in the face. The force threw him across the couch, Paul recovered rubbing his cheek.
"Tez, what are you talking about?"
"Someone came looking for you a work..."
"Who? What did they want?"
"He didn't give us a name, but he looked like an undercover cop, he said you owed his boss some money."
"Look I swear I don't know what he's on about...You know I've been loyal to you guys."
"You better be, Paul, I like you mate but if it come down to you or me, it's always going to be me... now you come up with a plan yet?"
He shook his head.
"You're running out of time..."
They heard a scream, Paul leapt off the couch and headed for the door, Gaz pushed him back on to the couch.
"Just stay here..."
Terry left the room and locked the door, he stormed into the next room.
"What are you doing?"
2 men were tying someone to a chair, they had a sack on their head.
"Not here, he'll hear you! Move them to the basement!"
They grabbed them by their arms and dragged them down the stairs, the hostage attempted to struggle against them. Terry held a gun to her abdomen,
"Just calm down, you don't wanna make any trouble..."
They shoved them on to a chair and tied them up, Terry put on a ski mask so they couldn't see his face. They took off the sack, it was Kate. She tried to focus her eyes, she had no idea who these people were and what they wanted. She tried to struggle out of the chair, Terry held the gun to her knee cap.
"You're a slow learner aren't you?"
Kate froze, he leaned in closer.
"You better smarten up quick smart if you want to live or if you want Paul to live..."
Kate's eyes widened.
"Paul, you know where he is?"
"Yeah, he's next door coming up with a plan on how to bring in our next shipment..."
Kate froze, her worst fear had been confirmed. Tears started to form in her eyes, she shook her head as she remember the moments from the past weeks where he had done such lovely things for her.
"No, I don't believe it..."
Terry scoffed.
"Well believe it! The only thing is how much do you value your family? Huh?"
She tried to reason with him.
"There's nothing I can do, I've been suspended. Anyway why would I help him if he's actually guilty..."
"Oh Kate, I know the things that you've done for him, he's your brother as much as you hate to admit it you'll always love and care for him no matter what he does..."
Kate was intrigued on how he knew her and about their relationship.
"You don't know anything about me..."
"Oh yes I do Miss McGregor! You used to be an interesting character until Paul went away, it's like you shut out the fun in your life. You joined the navy to be in control, to have a plan, a path, it was safe. Then you let the old you come out for a bit cos you started a secret relationship with one of your colleagues but he left because it was inappropriate and it broke your heart. So you went back into your safe place... am I warm?"
Kate was speechless, she had no idea how he knew that much information about her. He laughed satisfied.
"I'm definitely warm, so you're happy to just be responsible for his death?"
Kate shook her head slightly.
"No...but I don't see how I can..."
"We'll figure something out...but in the mean time you're staying put... can't have you go telling your mates..."
Later that day Kate was left alone in the room, she moved herself next to the door to try and figure out where she was. She slowly opened the door and peered out, it was dark, she couldn't see anything. Suddenly a body appeared at the door. She jumped backwards startled, Terry stormed into the room, face still covered.
"You're not listening... you're going to have to come with us..."
He grabbed her arm and dragged her out the room.
"Where are we going?"
He ignored her question and shoved her in the car and blindfolded her.
They arrived at the docks and he pulled her out of the car, she could smell the sea air.
"Where are we? The docks?"
"See Lieutenant Commander, you are smart, so I don't know why you try an do stupid things..."
He shoved her towards a boat, she put her hands out in front her trying to feel her way.
"You're going to replace your brother, you're going to be out new courier... and if the Navy pick you up, you lie, if you don't, you can guess what happens..."
End of Chapter 7.
Please let me know what you think! Xx