Free The Tower by Michael Duffy Page A

inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a DVD in a flat plastic case. It showed one of his first sessions with Kristen. Wu put a hand underneath the map table, and he must have pressed something because a small part of the wooden wall behind him sprung open to reveal a white cavity, in which sat an identical DVD case. This was a trick Randall hadn’t seen before. This case had the word Bolivia handwritten on it, and Wu exchanged it for the one Randall was holding, putting Randall’s inside the cavity and closing the door.
    The man enjoyed his toys, Randall thought. Imagine having a craft like this, anything you wanted on it. Custom-made.
    â€˜She’s from Iceland,’ he said, pointing to the part of the wall now concealing the DVD.
    â€˜She knew you were filming her?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜I’m impressed you can fool them so often,’ Wu said.
    This was going better. ‘We all have our talents.’
    The first time they’d used the camera he’d told Kristin it was running only when the red light was on. She’d believed him. It was Henry who’d arranged to have the camera altered almost a year go, after he’d told him of the problem with the light.
    â€˜Did you know about Bazzi?’ said Wu.
    Randall shook his head. ‘I believe he had at least one accomplice.’
    He realised Henry hadn’t even asked him for his account of last night. As though he knew about it already. As though Randall’s account didn’t matter.
    â€˜Another guard has gone too,’ said Randall. ‘Andrew Asaad.’
    Wu nodded impatiently. ‘We need to find these two men, find out what they were up to in my building. This girl.’
    â€˜You don’t know who she was?’
    Wu frowned. Randall had been told, the first time he went out east, that Chinese people didn’t show emotion. Wu was the Chinese man he’d spent most time with, and it wasn’t true of him.
    â€˜This is my main job, Sean,’ he said, pointing vaguely at his briefcase on the floor. ‘You know I have my little hobbies, but I wouldn’t let them interfere in this.’
    Randall didn’t know much at all about Wu’s hobbies. Not most of them, anyway. ‘Fine,’ he said quickly. In fact he placed little faith in Henry’s denial, believing the fellow to be fundamentally dishonest. But that was not something you wanted him to know.
    Wu said, ‘What does Jamal say?’
    Eman Jamal was the local manager of Tryon.
    â€˜Bazzi fooled him too. They’ve gone back over his records and there’s no sign of anything wrong.’ Randall cleared his throat. ‘Jamal says they blew it on Asaad, though. Turns out the fellow’s in a bikie gang, the Wolves. They missed it when they vetted him.’
    â€˜How long’s he been there?’
    â€˜Six months.’
    Wu grunted. ‘He was brought in by Bazzi?’
    Randall nodded.
    Wu said, ‘I hope Mr Jamal is improving his vetting procedures.’
    â€˜It’s a pretty good company actually. Heads will roll.’ Not a good choice of words.
    Wu looked at him as though reading his thoughts. But all he said was, ‘I want you to find Bazzi and Asaad.’
    â€˜The police will do that.’
    â€˜I want you to do it first, with the help of Mr Jamal. He will help?’
    â€˜He’ll do what I tell him to.’
    Wu nodded. ‘It’s a disaster, Sean, the attention this has drawn to The Tower. We’re all very upset. You do understand that?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Do you know what it means?’
    â€˜I guess it could affect your capacity to attract tenants who—’ ‘It means everything has changed. Lots of lives have changed forever, Sean. Yours too.’
    Wu said no more, just stared at him. The man liked his dramas.
    Randall shrugged, just wanting to get out of there, over the bridge and into the city.
    Wu looked at the wheel. ‘I’m