CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After Gary and the others waiting on Rose Bay Jetty had boarded the ferry, it set off for Watsons Bay, an inlet tucked inside the South Head of the harbour. The ferry was full of Chinese tourists photographing each other photographing each other. Occasionally, they glanced at the tightly-packed mansions that lined the shore or the dozens of sailing boats darting around the harbour.
Watsons Bay was once the home of a small fishing village. Now, a modest abode cost more than $10 million, streets were lined with huge garage doors and half the homes were undergoing major renovations. When the ferry docked at its jetty, the tourists stormed off and headed across a neck of land to view the Pacific Ocean.
A phalanx of their compatriots boarded the ferry and it headed back towards Rose Bay. When it was half-way there, ploughing through dark water in the middle of the harbour, Gary strolled over to the side and rested his elbows on the railing. After glancing around to ensure no-one was watching, he slipped his hand inside his jacket, took out the plastic-wrapped pistol and dropped it over the side. Exhibit A slipped through the foam and disappeared. He glanced around again. Still nobody looking. Excellent.
He disembarked with a few other passengers at Rose Bay and the ferry continued towards the city centre. Then he drove his van back to the coffee shop in Paddington, arriving about ten minutes early. Arnott wasn't there yet. That didn't faze Gary much. But when their rendezvous time came and went, he got edgy. Fifteen minutes later, he realised that Arnott wasn't going to turn up and felt a stab of panic. Bloody hell. What game was the idiot playing? Gary pulled out his phone and tried to call Arnott. No answer.
Maybe Arnott went to see his mother. But that was unlikely. Then Gary remembered the tabby cat he saw on the balcony of the Drummoyne apartment. Arnott talked about rescuing the cat from starvation. Gary thought he'd talked him out of that. Obviously not. Shit. The guy had no judgement at all.
Gary had to get over to the apartment as soon as possible, in case the bad guys were still lurking about and Arnott ran into them. He tossed some coins on the table and dashed towards his van.