No Way Out – Chapter 8.

Peter spent the next month trying to work out what to do next. Then as Peter lay on his lounge thinking about what to do he wondered weather it was time for a change. Money was not a problem now so may be a move interstate or to a country town or may be both. He new that his past would just follow him but you never know may be it would get lost in the burocressey. He searched the internet for suitable real estate and there was plenty to choice from. The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea, as Monty Python would say, “Run away, run away.”

But there was a more pressing problem, Sandra and how to give her, her share of the money. The first problem was, ‘where was she?’ The last note from her said that she had her own branch so that seemed like a good place to start and off course there is always the phone book. He did not want to just send her a note through Solicitors, he wanted to talk to her face to face.

The Banks web site did not give a list of managers but when he looked at individual branches it did say who the manager was. It would take some time but if he went through every branch he would eventually find her. A few hours later and there she was manager of the Penrith branch. He looked at google map to find the branch and there was a park just down the road. What’s the bet she eats lunch in that park, he thought to himself. The Phone book also had a listing for her in Penrith so it was a safe bet that it was her.

The next day Peter was going to Penrith to hopefully see Sandra but as he walked through the car park that was part of the block of flat where he lived he saw a number of motor bikes. Standing near by were four bikey’s, one of them being the head bikey he had met when he purchased his false ID.

“Well this is an unexpected pleasure, what can I do for you blokes?” asked Peter.

“You told me that you had no interest in our business and just wanted to drive your Uber,” said the head bikey.

“That sounds about right,” replied Peter.

“So why did you interfere in our business the other week?” asked the head bikey.

“I haven’t,” replied Peter.

“What, it wasn’t you who put three of my men in hospital about five weeks ago on Parramatta road?” said the head bikey.

“Arr they were your blokes, sorry about that, I didn’t know,” replied Peter.

Peter started walking towards his car when the head bikey said, “I can’t just let that pass, people will think I’m weak.”

“People will think you’re a lot weaker if I put all five of you in hospital, yes I know your there, you behind the van.” said Peter with confidence.

“He can, I’ve seen him do it,” said one of the bikey’s.

“Shut up,” said the head bikey to his minion.

“I’m leaving the area in about a week so all you need to do is put it about that you warned me off and all will be well, or even better still just tell everyone that you beat me up and I ran away,” said Peter, like it was an instruction rather than a suggestion.

Peter continued walking towards his car and the bikey’s took no action, as he drove away he gave the bikey’s a little wave just to rub it in.

It took about an hours for Peter to drive to Penrith arriving at around eleven thirty. He bought a sandwich and went to the park just down the road from the bank he believed Sandra worked at. He sat in the park and waited, if Sandra had lunch at twelve o’clock he would not have long to wait but if she had lunch at one o’clock he would be in for a bit of a wait. For all he knew she might not even have lunch in the park or she might have a meeting or, well there could be lots of reasons she would not show up.

Twelve o’clock came and went as did one o’clock, by one thirty Peter had just about given up and was about to leave when he saw a formilar looking figure walking into the park. It was Sandra, she was older but there was no mistake it was her. He broke one of his sandwiches into pieces and started feeding the pigeons. Sandra did not notice him and sat on a bench on the other side of the park.

After a short while Peter got up and walked over towards Sandra. When he got close he said, “you know pigeon society is very similar to human society, there is the good and the bad and the ever present bullies.”

“I call that one Bill as he reminds me of someone I went to school with,” replied Sandra.

“Is this end of the bench taken?” asked Peter.

“No,” said Sandra.

Peter sat down and started feeding the pigeons but said nothing. They both sat there in silence for quite a while before Peter said, “even though that one,” he pointed at one of the pigeons before continuing, “is the bully, I think the one with the white feather in his wing is the dominate male.”  

“Your right, that’s Harry, every now and then he will put Bill in his place,” explained Sandra.

“Nothing is quite as it first appears, if you look deeper the real truth will often appear,” said Peter.

“It just takes time,” replied Sandra.

“Or a hypnotist,” said Peter.

They looked at each other and broad smiles came across their faces.

“Deep down I knew it wasn’t you,” said Sandra.

“I just lived in confusion for years,” replied Peter.

“Do you know who did it?” asked Sandra.

“Yes,” said Peter.

“What are you going to do with that information,” asked Sandra.

“I’ve already done it,” said Peter.

“You didn’t kill him did you?” asked Sandra.

“No but I was tempted,” said Peter.

“What did you do?” asked Sandra.

“I convinced him to give us some compensation money,” said Peter.

“Did that involve inflicting pain on him,” asked Sandra.

“Just a bit,” said Peter.

“You didn’t think to ask if I would like to help?” asked Sandra.

“Yes I did, but I’m already a criminal and your not, believe me you don’t want to go down that rabbit hole,” said Peter.

“How did it feel?” asked Sandra.

“That’s the thing, it did not take the last ten years away, it’s like wanting something but once you have it, you don’t want it any more,” said Peter.

They sat in silence for a while before Sandra said, “how much compensation?”

“One and a half million each,” replied Peter.  

“How much? How am I supposed to explain where that amount came from?” asked Sandra.

“If there is one thing I learn from my years with the bank, it how to hide money,” replied Peter.

Sandra looked at him in puzzlement and then said, “I’ve worked for a bank all my life and I don’t know how to hide money.”

“Arr well, I was not a loan officer I was an embezzlement hunter and I learnt a lot from all those embezzlers I court over the years,” replied Peter, he then continued, “that’s why you were attacked and I was set up, he was an embezzler with my bank and he wanted me out of the way.

“I’m not sure I want his money,” said Sandra.

“Well give it to charity or some good works, but think about it before you do anything,” replied Peter.

He handed her a brown envelope and said, “everything you need to know is in there.”

Sandra took the envelope but said nothing for a few moments before saying, “do you every wonder what might have happened if all this didn’t happen?”

“All the time,” he paused for a moment before continuing, “we might have get married and lived happily ever after.”

“You were always a hopeless romantic,” said Sandra.

“Look who’s talking,” replied Peter.

They both smiled and just looked at each other. Peter then stud up and said, “my phone number is in the envelope if you need me.”

“What are you going to do now,” asked Sandra.

“I’m thinking about moving inter state to a small country town but I haven’t worked out the details yet,” replied Peter.

Peter started to walk away but stoped, turned around and said, “look after yourself and be happy Sandra.”

“You to Peter,” said Sandra and the added, “we’ll meet again when we are like golden clouds on the wind.”

Peter smiles and said, “I’ll look that up when I get home.” He then turned and walked away.

Sandra stayed in the park for a while before feeding the left overs from her lunch to the pigeon and heading back to work.

As Peter drove home he could not help thinking about Sandra. After all these years and all the things they both had been through the connection was still there. Suddenly an awful thought popped into his head, something he had not considered while planning his revenge. He always new there was a possibility that John would try to get back at him but what if he targeted Sandra.

Once he got home and gave it a bit more thought he decided he better keep a closer eye on John just to see what he is up to. Over the next week or so Peter followed John and generally watched him going about his days. The biggest change in John’s way of life was that he was not going to work, he was still living the play boy life at night but during the day he was for the most part staying home. His elbow seemed to have recovered so what was keeping at home.

Now it may be just paranoia that had Peter worried but now it was in his head that Sandra may be in danger he could not get it out, so he decided to ramp up his surveillance of John.

He could not watch John twenty four hours a day so would need help and even though he had told Stuart that they were even, he would have to enlist Stuart’s help. Peter rang Stuart and organized to meet, he was not happy about it but Peter knew he would still show up.

Peter walked into the Pub were he was to meet Stuart and saw Stuart sitting in the back of the Pub with Shirley. Peter walked over and said, “well this is a pleasant surprise, hello Shirley.”

“I’m not going to work for you and it doesn’t matter what you do to me, I’m not going to do it,” said Stuart before Peter had the chance to sit down.

Shirley then chimed in with, “he’s going straight now.”

Peter sat down and said, “would you two like a drink?”

Stuart and Shirley looked at each other and then Peter handed Shirley a $50 note and said, “can you do the honours Shirley.”

She looked at Stuart who nodded.

“What do you want?” asked Shirley.

“Orange Juice for me thanks you Shirley,” replied Peter.

Stuart just said, “the usual.”

She got up and walked over to the bar and ordered the drinks.

“I don’t want you to do anything illegal or even dangerous, I just want you to keep a watch on John, the owner of the house we broke into and I’ll pay you $1,000 per night.

“That’s all, just watch him,” said Stuart.

“And ring me if he goes any where near Penrith,” replied Peter.

Shirley returned with the drinks and placed them on the table and then sat down. She looked at Peter and Stuart and said, “he hasn’t talked you into it already, you promised me.”

“It’s alright Shirley, I’m not asking him to do anything illegal,” said Peter.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” said Stuart.

“I will be moving away in the near future and so lets look at tonight as a farewell,” said Peter.

Peter pick up his drink and said, “to happiness and the future.”

There all said, “the future.” as they click their glasses.

“So are you two together now,” asked Peter.

Stuart looked all sheepish and looked down at his drink as Shirley said, “yes.”

“Bye goom, this does deserve celebrating,” said Peter, he then picked up his glass and continued with, “to Stuart and Shirley.”

They click their glasses and took a drink. For the next few hours and for the first time in a long time Peter relaxed and forgot about life for a while. Peter and Stuart bored Shirley with stories from their time in prison and how it had changed them. Shirley got up and went to the bar to buy some more drinks and while she was away Peter said to Stuart, “I’m going to go, you two stay and enjoy yourselves,” he stud up and then continued, “see you tomorrow night.”

As Peter walked out of the Pub he stoped at the bar and said to Shirley, “Look after him Shirley, he needs looking after sometimes.”

He then handed her $200 and said, “just to cover the drinks.”

He headed home in a hopeful frame of mind, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel and it did not seem that far away.

Peter was up early the next day and straight around to keep an eye on John. No change in John’s activities he was still staying at home and not going to work. It’s possible that Peter’s torturing of John had affected him and turned him in to some sort of recluse. If that was the case Peter did not have to worry about Sandra but he might be at home cooking up some sort of revenge.

Stuart arrived at six o’clock to start his first shift watching John so Peter headed home still questioning himself on weather he was worrying about nothing. It was also going to become a problem watch John as someone sitting in a car, day in day out, will eventually attract attention. He would have to look at using different cars, may be renting them or buying a van, or may be a bit of both.

Three weeks in and John had not changed his daily routine and Peter was not sure what to do, he could not keep doing this for ever.

It was one o’clock in the morning when Peter’s phone rang, it was Stuart.

“He’s on the Great Western Hwy heading towards Penrith, I’m following him,” said Stuart.

“Don’t loose him, if you do, you have the address he is heading for,” replied Peter, he then added, “I’m on my way.”

He then tried to ring Sandra but he just got the ‘out of service or turned off’ message so he quickly got dressed and headed to Penrith. He kept trying to ring Sandra but it became apparent that she must turn her phone of over night. The phone rang again, it was Stuart again and he said, “he’s defiantly heading to Penrith.”

“Just stick with him I’m on my way,” replied Peter.

Peter was driving fast but it was after one o’clock so he felt safe but without warning he suddenly had red and blue flashing lights in his review mirror. He pulled over and tried to be patient but this was not about speeding. He could see the Police officer in his review mirror and he had his gun out, he called out, “get out of the car.”

Peter got out of the car and put his hand up and then called out to the Police office, “what’s the problem officer.”

The Police officer just said, “stand still, face the car, put your hands on the roof.”

Another Police car arrived with its lights flashing and siren blaring with two officers in it. Both Police officer got out of the car one pointed his gun at Peter while the second officer pointed a taser at Peter. The first office started approaching Peter with some hand cuffs.

“Come on guys, what is this about? I don’t really have time for this,” said Peter.

“Are you Peter Law?” asked on of the Officers.

“Yes officer,” replied Peter.

As the first officer tried to hand cuff Peter he swung around so that the officer was between him and the officer with the gun. He then tried to break free but he was fit with the taser and went down. The Police hand cuffed him but he was unconscious as he had a reaction to the taser. The Police were forced to call an ambulance and Peter was taken to hospital.

Peter woke to find himself in a hospital bed, hand cuffed with a drip in his arm and attached to a heart monitor. He called out for a nurse a number of times before one arrived with a Police officer.

“What is going on?” asked Peter.

“You had a bad reaction to the taser and we are just monitoring you,” replied the nurse.

“And what about this,” asked Peter as he rattled the hand cuffs.”

“You are being held pending a number of charges,” replied the officer.

“And what charges,” asked Peter.

“Resisting arrest and assaulting Police just for starters,” replied the officer.

“How long have I been here,” asked Peter but the officer did not answer.

“Nurse, please, how long have I been here,” Peter pleaded with the nurse.

She looked at her watch and then at his chart and said, “just over two and a half hours.”

Peter’s face fell as he realised that what ever may have happen had already happened and he could do nothing about it.

Peter new there was nothing he could do, all he could do was wait for the Police to do their thing. It was after eight o’clock in the morning before a Doctor arrived to tell him that he was alright and discharge him. He was then taken to the Police station were he was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting Police and he was given a speeding ticket. He asked why the over kill for a speeding ticket but they would not tell him and he was beyond caring. He was released on bail to appear at a later date. As soon as he was released and they gave him his phone back he could see that there were many missed calls from Stuart so he rang Stuart, the phone rang and Stuart answered.

“Were are you,” asked Stuart.

“The cops arrested me, it’s a long story with no connection, what happen?” asked Peter.

“He went into the address but he hasn’t come out,” replied Stuart.

“Stay there I’m on my way,” said Peter.

Peter’s car was in a Police compound and would take way to long to get out so he waved down a taxi. The twenty minute trip seemed to take hours for Peter. What was John up to and why was it taking so long? He was blaming himself for what ever happened or was happening to Sandra.

He got the taxi to drop him at the end of the street and he then walked towards Sandra’s house. He could see John’s car parked outside Sandra’s place but there was no sign of Stuart. As he walked past an old van Stuart opened the side door and said, “hey in here.”

Peter got in and asked, “what happened?”

“I don’t know, I followed him here, he got our all dressed in black with a balacarver on his head and he went into the address,” said Stuart.

“And you did nothing to stop him,” asked Peter while grabbing Stuart by the shirt.

“What could I do,” replied Stuart.

Peter let him go and said, “sorry mate, I know.”

Peter got out of the van and said, “wait here.”

He then walked towards Sandra’s house and up to her front door, he tried it but it was locked, he tried to look though the window but could not see anything. He then went around the back and tried the back door, it was unlock so he opened it and went inside.

Lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood was John and going by the amount of blood he was died. Peter called out to Sandra and he heard her call back, “in here.”

Peter followed her voice to the lounge room where he found Sandra sitting on the lounge.

“Hi,” said Peter.

“Hi,” replied Sandra and then, “what brings you around here.”

“I was just in the area you know,” said Peter.

Peter sat down next to her on the lounge and said, “I see you had an unwelcome visit from John.”

“Yes,” replied Sandra.

“I thought he might try something like this so I had someone following him. I was told he was on his way and I came as soon as I could but I’m a bit late, said Peter.

“Just a bit,” replied Sandra.

“But I see you took care of the problem yourself,” said Peter.

“Yer, I did,” replied Sandra.

“How do you feel?” asked Peter.

“You were right revenge doesn’t make it go away, no feeling of satisfaction, just emptiness,” replied Sandra.

“And no Police I see,” said Peter.

“I was going to call them but I found stuff,” replied Sandra as she pointed at the coffee table and continued, “that was what he had in a bag he had with him.”

Peter started looking through the items on the coffee table, there were bank statements, account information and all sorts of papers that seemed, after a brief look, to implicate Sandra in wrong doings.

“I think he was going to murder me and set me up for money laundering through my bank,” said Sandra, she then added “and I think he was going to set you up for my murder.”

“How would he do that?” asked Peter.

“Look,” said Sandra as she pointed at a small zip lock plastic bag and then added, “there is a hair in that bag that looks like your hair colour.”

Peter pick up the bag and had a close look, he then pick up a plastic bag which contained a dust pan and broom and looked closely at it.

“I don’t know why he had that,” said Sandra.

Peter thought back and said, “I do, I cleaned up at his place when I tortured him, there must be something on these, finger prints or DND.”

“I’ve been sitting hear trying to decide what to do for hours,” said Sandra.

“I think the decision has already been made for us, it’s too late to go to the Police now the time gap is enough to set of red flags with them. There is too much we don’t know, he might have sent copies of this stuff to your bosses. This is a box of ducks we need to keep closed for ever, said Peter.

“I don’t think we can keep this box closed for ever those ducks are making to much noise and eventually there are going to escape and make one hell of a mess, replied Sandra.

“You know, I think you’re right, I think its time to ‘run away,’ would you like to ‘run away’ with me?” asked Peter.

“Yes I think I would,” replied Sandra.

“You know what that means, your job, friends and family,” said Peter.

“I’m well over the job and I don’t really have any friends and there is no family,” replied Sandra.

“There is a lot to do before we can run away, we will have to do something about John and clean up and then there’s his car, which is out the front. You are going to need a fauls ID, in fact that is probably the first order of business. I had someone following John and I just need to go outside and tell him to go home, so I’ll be back in a minute.

Peter walked outside and made his way to his car where he got a bag out of the boot he then walked over to the van where Stuart was waiting, he opened the door and got in the passenger side, Stuart was sitting in the driver’s seat…

“You took your time,” said Stuart.

“Sorry about that mate, OK the job is over I want need your services anymore,” replied Peter as he handed Stuart the bag, he then continued, “try to spend it wisely, this is an opportunity, don’t waist it.”

Stuart opened the bag to see it was full of money, he looked at Peter and said, “why, what’s this for?”      

“You were never here, you know nothing,” replied Peter and then continued, “look after yourself and do the right thing for Shirley.”

Peter got out of the van and walked away as Stuart call out to him, “thanks.”

Peter returned to Sandra’s house and sat back down beside her on the lounge.

We have a great deal to do today, are you up to it?” asked Peter.

Sandra sat up straight and said, “yes.”

“OK, first thing, ring the bank and tell them that you will be late, tell them you will be in after lunch. Secondly go to the hardware store and buy, heavy duty plastic, gaffa tape, heavy chain and may be some besser blocks, then come back here,” said Peter.

“Why do I need to go to work at all?” asked Sandra.

“Once I get you a false ID you can organize a credit card in that name as well as one for me, and withdraw as much cash as you can but use the teller machine” replied Peter.

“What will you be doing?” asked Sandra.

“I will be getting you a false ID,” said Peter.

“Where do you get false ID’s?” asked Sandra.

“Bikey gang,” replied Peter.

Peter stud up and said, “I’ll see you around lunch time, be lucky.”

“What about,” said Sandra pointing towards the kitchen.

“He’s not going anywhere, I will deal with him when I get back,” replied Peter.

Peter walked to the back door and locked it, he then returned and they both left the house via the front door and went their separate way. Sandra headed to the hardware store while Peter went to see the bikey’s.

This was going to be tricky as the bikey’s were not happy with Peter. He walked into the Bikey gangs head quarters and straight over to the head bikey who was sitting on a lounge at the rear of the building. There were six bikey’s in the building, four working on their bikes and two sitting on the lounge.

“Well you’ve got some nerve coming here,” said the Head Bikey.

“Just got a bit of business to do,” replied Peter.

“You told me you were leaving the area,” said the Head Bikey.

“And I am, tomorrow in fact but I find myself in need of an ID and was hoping you could help,” replied Peter.

“Why would I help you?” asked the Head Bikey.

“Money,” replies Peter.

“It will cost you,” said the Head Bikey.

“It needs to be for a woman,” replied Peter.

“Got yourself a bit of skirt have you?” asked the Head Bikey and then to one of the other bikey’s, “get them.”

One of the bikey’s went to get the ID’s but the remaining Bikey’s stopped working on their bikes and encircled Peter while the Head Bikey stayed sitting on the lounge.

“How about we just take all your money and bash the crap out of you,” said the Head Bikey.

“Come on guys, you don’t want to do this,” replied Peter, he then stud still.

One of the Bikey’s swung a baseball bat at Peter’s head but he ducked under it, grabbed the bat, twisted it out of the Bikey’s hands and stepped to one side as three of the bikeys tried to tackle him. He hit the remaining bikey in the stomach with the baseball bat and before the others could get to there feet he hit two of them across the head. The last one standing then lunged at Peter but Peter again just stepped aside and hit him in the head as he lunged past. Peter then approached the Head Bikey who pulled a gun on him but in the blink of an eye Peter hit the Bikey’s wrist with the baseball bat coursing him to drop the gun.

Peter picked up the gun and pointed it at the Head Bikey just as one of the Bikey’s came back with a box of ID’s.

“Come on over here and sit down, both of you,” said Peter he then continued, “all this was unnecessary now look how silly you look.”

Peter through $1,000 onto the coffee table and said, “now a female ID please.”

“How about Lea Anne Yates,” said the Head Bikey.

“Sounds good,” replied Peter.

The Head Bikey handed Peter the ID and then said, “you dead if you’re here beyond tomorrow.”

Peter just backed out of the building and said, “thanks for the gun.”

Back at Sandra’s house Peter had the grizzly job of wrapping John’s body with plastic and weighing it done with chain and besser blocks. He also had to clean up Sandra’s kitchen so that it looked clean and tidy.

Sandra had to go to work to sort out credit cards for both of them as well as withdraw some cash just to keep them going for a few days.

It would be a late night for Peter and Sandra, they needed to do some shopping for cloths, food and everything as they wanted to just disappear so that meant leaving everything. Once the shopping was done and dusted and it was late enough they had the job of disposing of John’s body.

Sandra new of a one lane bridge over the Nepean River in a rural area away from houses and prying eyes. They man handled John’s body out of Sandra’s house and to John’s car and put it in the boot and then drove to the bridge. They stopped in the middle of the bridge removed the body and placed in on the edge of the bridge. Peter then opened a piece of the plastic and fired a shot into the body then gaffa taping the plastic back up. They then through the body, wrapped in plastic and weighed down, into the river followed by the gun.

They quickly got back into the car and drove away, as they drove Sandra said, “why shot him, he was already died.”

“That gun belonged to the bikey’s so if the body is ever found there is a good chance the bullet will lead the Police to the Bikey’s or at least to other crimes,” replied Peter.

They drove back to Sandra’s house were Sandra got her car and they then both drove to John’s house. About a block away from John’s house Peter waved out the window for Sandra to pull over while Peter continued, as he approached John’s house he turned the engine of as well as the lights and just coasted into John’s driveway. He locked John’s car and keeping to the shadows he walked back to were Sandra had stopped, along the way he through the car keys down the storm water drain. They then drove back to Sandra’s house where she tried to get some sleep. Peter headed home in the hope of the same.

The next morning Sandra woke early and drove to Penrith shopping centre, parked her car and with all she owned in one bag walked to the taxi stand out side the shopping centre. The taxi took her to a near by car yard were she bought a cheap second hand car. She then drove west towards Bathurst, where after a few hours driving she booked into a motel.

Peter did the same thing and booked into the same motel. That night they had dinner together and talked about the pasted and the future.

“Do you think I’m a bad person? When I look back on the last ten or so years I wonder. Before that I had a conservative job and lived a very quite life, not necessary a happy life but I didn’t hurt anyone. But only a few days ago I hurt some bikey’s, they more than likely ended up in hospital and over the last ten years I have hurt many people. As well as hurting people I have forced people to do what I wanted them to do, by implying I would hurt them, I scared them into it,” said Peter.

“They were all bad people weren’t they,” replied Sandra.

“Well yes but I’m not sure that makes it right, and not all of them were bad, Stuart isn’t bad,” said Peter.

“If it wasn’t for John,” replied Sandra.

“If it wasn’t for John,” said Peter.

“I could ask the same question? Am I a bad person? I killed someone,” said Sandra.

“He was a bad person and it was self defence,” replied Peter.

“I know,” said Sandra and then added, “but I still did it.”

“I think its time to put the past behind us, our life start from now, we are reborn now and the future is our lives,” said Peter.

They headed back to their motel rooms but did not get past Sandra’s.

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