Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2)(13)

‘This is strictly confidential,’ Falk said, and waited until King nodded.

‘Of course.’

‘It’s around money laundering. Allegedly.’

‘At BaileyTennants?’

‘We believe so.’ Among others. The boutique accounting firm was one of a number under simultaneous investigation by the AFP.

‘I thought they’re supposed to be a respectable firm? Family-owned for generations and all that.’

‘Yeah. We think Daniel and Jill Bailey’s father was involved before them.’

‘Really?’ King raised his eyebrows. ‘So he’s, what, passed on the family trade?’

‘Something like that.’

‘How bad are we talking?’ King said. ‘A bit of fiddling the books or –?’

‘The allegations are serious,’ Carmen said. ‘Organised. High level. Ongoing.’

In truth, Falk knew he and Carmen weren’t sure how far the full investigation had spread. They had been assigned to investigate BaileyTennants specifically, and told only what was directly relevant. The firm was a cog in a larger network, that much they knew. How far that network reached, and how deep it ran, had not been shared with them. They guessed nationally, suspected internationally.

King frowned. ‘So Alice came to you to dob in –?’

‘We approached her,’ Falk said. She possibly hadn’t been the right choice; he could admit that now. But on paper she had ticked all the boxes. High enough up the ladder to have access to what they needed, deep enough in the shit to give them sufficient leverage. And she was not a Bailey.

‘So it’s both Daniel and Jill Bailey you’re after?’

‘Yes,’ Carmen said. ‘And Leo. Their father.’

‘He must be well into retirement, isn’t he?’

‘He’s still active. Allegedly.’

King nodded, but Falk could see a look settle in his eyes. It was one he knew well. Falk was aware that in the grand scheme of things, most people ranked money laundering somewhere between shoplifting and fare evasion. It shouldn’t happen, of course, but a handful of rich people determined to avoid their fair share of tax was hardly worth stretching police resources for.

It was about more than that, Falk would sometimes try to explain. If the time was right and the other person’s eyes weren’t too glazed. If serious money was being hidden, it was for a reason. Those pristine white collars only got grubbier the further down the trail, until by the end they were downright dirty. Falk hated it. He hated everything about it. He hated the way men in plush offices were able to wash their hands at arm’s length and tell themselves it was simply a bit of creative accounting. The way they could spend their bonuses and buy their mansions and polish their cars, all the while pretending that they couldn’t begin to guess what was rotting at the far end. Drugs. Illegal firearms. Child exploitation. It varied, but it was all paid for in the common currency of human misery.

‘Do the Baileys know they’re being investigated?’ King said and Falk glanced at Carmen. It was the question they had been asking themselves.

‘We haven’t got any reason to think so,’ he said finally.

‘Except that your contact called you the night she disappeared.’

‘Except that.’

King rubbed his chin, stared out towards the bush.

‘What does all this mean for them?’ he said at last. ‘Alice Russell gives you what you need, and then what? The Baileys lose their firm?’

‘No, ideally then the Baileys go to prison,’ Falk said. ‘The firm will close, though.’

‘So all the other employees lose their jobs?’

‘Yes.’

‘Including those other women out there with her?’

‘Yes.’

King didn’t look impressed. ‘How did Alice Russell feel about that?’

‘To be fair,’ Carmen said, ‘she didn’t have much choice. If she hadn’t helped us, she’d be taking her chances alongside the Baileys.’

‘Right.’ King thought for a minute. ‘And this has been going on for some time, yeah?’

‘We’ve been working with her directly on and off for three months,’ Falk said.

‘So why would she need to call you yesterday?’ King said. ‘Why the urgency?’

Carmen sighed. ‘The data Alice has given us so far was due to be passed along to the broader investigative team,’ she said. ‘Today.’

‘Today?’

‘Yeah. There are still some key documents we need, but what we had was ready to be turned over for examination.’

‘So have you done that? Turned it over?’

‘No,’ Carmen said. ‘Once that happens, it’s out of our hands. And Alice’s. We wanted to get an idea of the situation up here first.’

‘Was she trying to back out, do you think?’ King said.

‘We don’t know. It’s possible. But it’s the eleventh hour for her to pull a stunt like that. She’s facing prosecution if she does. She’d need to have a bloody good reason.’ Carmen hesitated. ‘Or no choice, I suppose.’

All three looked at the dark landscape that had so far refused to release Alice Russell.