‘Use your Bentley,’ Cavalier said, ‘if it all goes pear-shaped.’ He grinned and added, ‘But it won’t.’

‘How can you be so sure?’

‘God’s on my side,’ Cavalier said with a grin, ‘I think.’

‘I have prayed into this very hard.’

‘I knew you would.’

‘I had a little play with the Uzi. It was manufactured forty years ago.’ He stared at Cavalier. ‘The Israelis use them. Or used to. How’d you come by one?’

Cavalier examined the weapon.

‘Fell off the back of a survey ship in a container en route to Fiji in 1987.’

‘1987? That’s when there was a disturbance. A military coup. Were you … ?’

‘No, I wasn’t. But mates of Wombat were. One brought him back a souvenir.’

Haut showed Cavalier the alarm system set up in his bedroom. The front of the house, front room and laundry had hidden sensors that triggered lights in the tower bedroom wall that would alert them.

‘They’ll be touching down in Hobart about now,’ he said, looking at his watch. ‘We have about five or six hours before dark. I believe they’ll strike after midnight, when the street is at its quietest.’

‘You’re very certain.’

‘I observed them up close in Laos. They’re predictable to a point. But we must be alert from the next hour. Having said that, I want to rest.’

He picked up the Uzi. Haut led him down to the bedroom next to the front room and opposite the laundry.

‘Don’t know how you can sleep,’ Haut said.

‘Easy,’ Cavalier said, patting the Uzi, ‘I have my sweet friend here for protection.’

‘I’ll take water up to the bedroom and make sandwiches.’

‘Good. It might be a long wait.’

Cavalier slept for four hours, then read and watched TV until it was dark. At 7 p.m. he and Haut retired to the tower.

‘Leave the lights on at the entrance and in the front room,’ Cavalier said. ‘We want them to believe you’re at home and that everything is normal.’

Haut nodded. He was tense.

‘There’s nothing worse than waiting for something like this,’ Cavalier said. ‘But we are ready.’

Cavalier proceeded to relax with an hour-long yoga and calisthenics session.

At 9 p.m. Haut’s mobile phone rang.

‘Answer it,’ Cavalier said, ‘just as you would normally.’

Haut did as instructed.

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘Al Haut here.’

There was no response.

Haut hung up.

‘That’ll be them,’ Cavalier said, ‘just checking in on you. When do you usually switch off the lights?’

‘About 11 p.m.’

‘Okay, then do it as usual.’

35 HAT-TRICK

35

HAT-TRICK