Two streetlights bathed The Swan Hotel’s car park with a warm radiance, clearly illuminating the rows of close parked cars, and the lack of empty parks. Unfortunately, it was a Friday night, a busy night. Detective Billie McCoy weaved her BMW Sports around the tight rows, her hope fading for finding a vacant spot. Cruising up the last row, a smile touched her lips.

“Hmm, must be my lucky night. That’s a change,” she mused, and pulled into the only empty park. She and her three best friends had arranged to meet at the hotel for drinks and dinner. Caught up at work, she was running late, which wasn’t unusual. Most times on these occasions when they got together, she was always the last to arrive, and like every other time, it meant she was in for a hammering from her friends. She smiled at the thought. Sarah, Casey and Jane took every opportunity to gang up on her for any little thing. Tonight was no exception. Being the last to arrive, regardless of any legitimate reasons, was ample ammunition for her friends to unite. 

It was hard to believe they’d only known each other for a couple of months. It seemed more like a couple of years, or maybe a lifetime. None of them had hit it off in the beginning, not with their completely opposite backgrounds. She was a cop and the three of them were recently out of prison. At the time, they’d been forced to tolerate each other due to the dangerous situation they’d been in, regardless of the strong animosity between them. Captain Joseph Bates, who happened to be a cop Billie knew, who also happened to be the Chief of Missing Persons, had kidnapped her and the girls and transported them by truck to North Queensland to be sold as slaves. Slaves! It seemed surreal, and as hard as it was to get a grip on the idea slavery still existed, particularly in Australia, she was aware it was a huge business throughout the world, bigger now than any time in history, raking in billions of dollars for all the sleazy creeps who chose to exploit it.

At the time, Sarah, Casey and Jane had wanted nothing to do with her, and entrapped in the back of a truck for days on end gave them little room for leniency or time out. That alone created tense personality clashes, on top of their other major problems. Yet, amidst the horrors and anxieties plaguing them under Bates’ threatening control and a foreboding future, somehow they’d teamed together and managed to not only pull off an escape but shut the entire slavery racket down. Billie still found it mind boggling that Bates, a well-respected and high positioned cop, had stooped so low to make money; illegal money – blood money. How he’d gotten away with it for as long as he had only added to her bafflement. Yet, undergoing those fearful days adhered a unique friendship. Since then, the four girls had been inseparable and had celebrated many a night out together, which led them to The Swan tonight.

Billie pulled down her visor and slid open the mirror. A light automatically lit up her face. She checked her appearance. She’d showered and dressed at work, splashing on a little makeup in her rush to get here. Her blonde hair looked tidy enough. She pushed the lengthy fringe back off her face and examined her makeup. It seemed okay as well. She touched up the lipstick and then looked into the blue eyes reflecting back at her. 

“That’s as good as you’re going to get.” She pushed up the visor and climbed out. Billie’s attention was drawn across the roof of her BMW to a woman leaning against a car four parks away. The detective froze. Although the woman’s face was hidden in her folded arms resting on the car’s roof, Billie instantly recognised her. “Sarah?” She had to check her surprise. Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t hard to see her friend was upset, but why? And why was she out here and not inside with Jane and Casey? The detective hurried to her, distractedly locking her car with the remote.

“Sarah? Are you okay?” Billie asked when she reached her. At the touch of the cop’s hand on her shoulder, Sarah jumped and spun around, knocking her hand off with some force. She glared hard with fists clenched. A mixture of aggression, bitterness and maybe a touch of fear were visible in her stressed expression. 

Stunned, Billie instinctively braced. Sarah looked as if she was about to swing a punch.

“Hey, it’s only me. Take it easy.” Billie did her best to keep a calm tone. Under the soft glow of the semi-lit car park, Sarah’s reddened cheek and panicky look clearly stood out. Taller than the detective with short dark hair, her attractive features were tense, etched by distracted thoughts. Recognition washed the alarm from her face but not from her look. The fear was still in her eyes. Billie had to check her panic.

“What’s wrong? What happened to you?” 

Sarah cast a quick look around the car park before focusing on the cop. A forced smile crept to her lips. Her words spilled out in a rush. “What are you talking about? Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

“Don’t give me that. Something’s happened. Someone’s pushed you around and they’ve obviously put the wind up you. Who was it?”

“No one. It’s nothing. Just drop it, okay?” She stepped off. “Come on, we’re late. We should go in.” 

Billie grabbed her arm and pulled her up. “Wait a minute. Don’t shut me out. Maybe I can help.” 

Sarah’s gaze snapped to hers with a piercing coldness. “What are you going to do, arrest him?”

“If I have to. Just tell me who it is.” Sarah failed to answer. Curbing her concerns, Billie persisted. “Sarah, you don’t have to go this alone.”

“No?” 

“No.”

Sarah hesitated while considering Billie’s proposal. Her strained features twitched under the distress and confusion haunting her. She shook her head and exhaled a heavy sigh. Her tone relaxed, marginally. 

“Don’t worry about it, okay? I can handle it so there’s no need for you to get involved, all right?” She pulled her arm free of Billie’s grasp. 

“Sarah, I’m not blind. It’s not hard to see you’re worried and far from handling it so come on, talk to me, let me help.”

“Damn it, McCoy, just drop it.”

Billie now knew this went deeper than she’d first anticipated. Sarah was scared, scared enough to dig up her old tough street image and hide behind it. Billie had seen it too many times in the past; the hard-shelled, tough-nut, angry Sarah who wanted help from no one, particularly a cop . . . her. She and Sarah had taken the longest to overcome their differences during the kidnapping. After a few bad experiences with cops when she was younger, Sarah had built up a hatred for any officers of the law, and it was no different when she’d first met Billie, regardless of the unfavourable situation they’d been in. Only for Billie’s perseverance and the many life-saving risks she’d taken for Sarah did it bury all grudges and draw them together as friends. 

The cop wasn’t fooled by any of Sarah’s assurances, or put off. “No, I won’t drop it.”

“There’s nothing you can do.” 

“Try me.” 

Sarah’s rebuff choked in her throat. Blowing out a long breath, she lowered her head. Billie watched her in silence, giving her some space. She couldn’t hold down the worry for her. Who had such a hold over her? And why? How had all this come about so quickly? Whoever she was afraid of must have cornered her here and laid out their demands, whatever they were.

“Shit, I’m sorry for going off at you,” Sarah finally said, looking up. A mellowed tone softened the apology.

Billie flashed a smile. “Forget it. I’m used to it, remember?” 

Sarah gave a faint smile and looked away.

“So talk to me,” Billie pressed.

Sarah glanced at her before gazing out across the street. “I can’t.” 

The answer only heightened Billie’s concern. “Yes you can. Please, Sarah, let me help.” 

Sarah’s gaze jumped to hers for a lingering moment, and then she turned away. A heavy silence fell upon them. Billie’s gut knotted. The fact Sarah didn’t want her involved indicated how serious it was. 

“Sarah, I’m not going to simply sit back and let some creep force you to do something you don’t want to do. I have a lot of backup, remember? It’s called the police force.”

Sarah gave a light laugh, its warmth relaxing her features. Then it was gone. She bowed her head and shook it. “It may not be enough, not from him.” 

“Hey, with or without you, I’ll get behind this to see what I can do. The thing is, I can’t just do nothing, okay? I can’t, not now. I am not letting you do this alone. We’re a team, right? Through thick and thin.” 

Sarah’s head shot up. She met the cop’s steady look with an intent stare. Exhaling a long sigh, she looked back over at the street. Billie watched her, giving her a moment to consider her appeal. Sarah’s slight nod confirmed she had.

“His name is Julian Finch. He’s one of my old pimps.” Her voice was quiet, all expression washed from it. 

Relief eased Billie’s tense nerves. Despite the disturbing news, Sarah was at last opening up to her. An old pimp? Shit. Billie had almost forgotten about Sarah’s past. She and Casey had been high-class prostitutes before she’d met them. In fact, they’d just finished a stint in prison when Bates had nabbed them. So had Jane, although her circumstances were different to Sarah and Casey’s. She’d drifted in with the wrong crowd, delivering their drugs as a means to earn money. She’d been on a one-way road to a life of misery in and out of prison. Inspired by the special friendship they’d established, Billie didn’t want to see the girls slip back into their old habits and dealings once they’d returned home. Taking a gamble to help them settle on the right side of the law, she’d set up interviews for jobs they’d only ever dreamed about. It paid off. The girls successfully passed their interviews and in no time, adjusted to their new careers with enthusiasm and purpose.

Sarah continued with an empty tone. “He’s a particularly powerful and dangerous man, and always gets what he wants, using brutal methods to do so. He wants to see me, and Casey, tonight at midnight at the Red Lady to discuss our...” She shot Billie a sheepish glance before looking away and finishing the sentence. “New jobs with him.” 

“What?” The news staggered the detective. It wasn’t quite what she’d expected. In fact, it was far from what she expected. The girls have been so happy over the last few weeks. They loved their jobs. Now Sarah’s past was threatening to take it all away. How could she simply drop everything for a sleazebag pimp?

Sarah’s gaze swung to Billie’s. Sucking in a deep breath, she continued. “If we don’t do as he asks, he’ll come after us. Not in a direct attack, mind you, he’ll come through my friends.” She paused, staring at the cop. “Through you, or Jane.” Quickly she raised a hand to silence Billie when she was about to comment. “I know him too well. He always follows through with his threats, believe me. I’ve seen it too many times in the past and I’ve lost too many good friends. He knows all about my new job. He knows about you and Jane. There’s no hiding from him.”

Now Billie understood Sarah’s hesitation to talk to her. She was worried about her, and Jane and Casey and, by the sounds of it, had every reason to be. Still, she couldn’t let Sarah or Casey give up their careers merely because this guy said they had to.

“Sarah, listen to me. I know it won’t be easy but if you don’t stand up to him now, he’ll rule you for the rest of your life. You have to fight him. We can beat him, together. Don’t give up everything you’ve gained over the last few weeks without a fight.”

Sarah turned away as she thought over Billie’s words. She shook her head. “Don’t you think I haven’t thought of that?” She looked back. Agitation had crept into her voice. “But it’s not going to happen. You can’t underestimate him. He’s dangerous, and too powerful to say no to.”

“No he’s not,” Billie said in an abrupt comeback. She stopped, struggling to contain her own stirred-up emotions before they gained momentum. The words had come out harsher than she’d intended, something Sarah really didn’t need right now.

Sarah dropped her gaze to the ground, looking defeated. Billie lightly clasped her arm. Her tone held more compassion. 

“Please, don’t go through with it. I’ll dig around and see if I can come up with something to help dissuade him. There has to be something.” Sarah looked up but didn’t answer. Billie could almost read her mind, understanding her concerns, particularly regarding the safety of her friends. “Come on, you can do this. You can beat him. We can beat him.” 

Sarah gazed out at the street. After a lingering moment, she sighed. “All right, I’ll give it a go.” She turned back. “But if it starts to get too heavy, that’s it, I’m out. I’ll do as he asks.” 

“Okay.” Offering an encouraging smile, Billie rested her arm around Sarah’s shoulders. “Stop worrying, we’ll figure it out.” When Sarah merely looked at her with a grave expression, Billie’s smile strengthened. “Come on, enough of Finch. Let’s go find Jane and Casey. By now they’ll be wondering where we are.”

“Yeah.” Sarah managed a faint smile even though her voice lacked enthusiasm. 

Billie dropped her arm down. “You know, there is one good thing to come out of this.” A touch of mischief laced her tone.

Sarah looked at her with a dubious frown. “There is?”

“Sure there is, well for me anyway. It now means I’m not the last to arrive, which means Jane and Casey will give you just as much a hard time as me for being late.” She cracked a smile.

“Ha.” Sarah relaxed behind her smile. “Trust you to think of that.”

“Definitely. Right then, let’s go do battle.” She slipped an arm through Sarah’s and guided her towards the hotel’s entrance.