Jax said his older brother had played against Baz. He named the rival team and some of its stars. He also revealed that he had played against Baz’s younger brother, whom he also declared a gun. He could have named every player in both his alleged team and the brother’s team had he been asked. He could have even told Baz all the scores.

Jax spent the afternoon in the rec room talking cars again with Said, this time recommending spray painters and engine builders, all of whom Said knew and some of whom he had even used.

TWENTY-one days . . .

Jax had talked and read about nothing but cars and football for days. But it was too slow. It would be weeks before he could ask a question that wasn’t about horsepower or tackling techniques without risking his cover. And these were just two of the names on his list. There were still another nine.

Jax racked his brain as he heaved weights during his morning workout at the packed gym, ignoring the banter of the other inmates mostly working out in groups of three or four. As he focused on coming up with another way of narrowing his list, he wasn’t even counting his reps. Bench-pressing 160 kilograms, he moved the weight like he was lifting only the bar.

The phone . . . It was more an idea than a revelation. He realised that instead of tracking people he could track phones. The man he was looking for would be taking the call he was waiting for on a brand-new phone. A burner. It wouldn’t take him long to find out which inmates – or guards – were selling phones. And it wouldn’t take long to make them tell him who they were selling them to.

Jax paused his train of thought when the weight he was lifting suddenly became heavy and he realised he was just about maxed out. But then he decided he would push himself today, go for another two lifts.

One . . . He only just got it up and down. He dug his toes into the ground and arched his back as he prepared for his final lift. He took a deep breath as he prepared to push—

And then everything went black.

CHAPTER 44

Goulburn Correctional Centre, Goulburn, NSW, Australia

BLEACH and Brut 33. Jax knew he was in the hospital before he even opened his eyes. He also knew that Father Martin was sitting by his side.

‘Last rites?’ Jax asked.

Startled, the priest threw the Bible he’d been reading into the air.

‘Oh my,’ he said as he sprang from his chair and tried to catch it.

‘Oh dear,’ he said as he caught it, juggled it then dropped it.

He almost fell over as he reached down.

‘You’re awake,’ he said as he rose. ‘Oh boy, did you just give me a scare.’