[Republic Commando] - 03(116)

“Oh, you just don’t know where to look, sweetheart.” Jilka loved a challenge. Nobody in their right mind would have done a job like hers unless they enjoyed hunting corporate tax defaulters and all the risks that went with it. “If they’re taking our credits, we’ll be squeezing corporation tax out of them. And if we aren’t, I’ll be delighted to introduce them to the experience of filling out form two-slash-nine-seven-alpha-eight-alpha.”

“Dhannut Logistics,” Besany said. “Dee, aitch, ay, double enn, yoo, tee. They probably build medical facilities.”

“And how much has poured into their coffers from the unfortunate taxpayer’s pocket?”

“I can identify about fifty billion.”

Jilka’s eyes lit up. She had her funny moments: maybe Fi would like her. “That’s just the teensiest bit over the taxable revenue threshold, isn’t it? Let’s see what I can find.”

Besany only wanted a lead. She didn’t want Jilka to start digging too far, because the fewer people who knew, the better. But Jilka was off and running, scrolling through records and even consulting another computer screen.

“You’re right,” she said, sounding a little disappointed. “No street address. But they paid their tax in full, and I have their accountant’s details here. Odd.”

“Why?”

“You shouldn’t be able to file a tax return without the address of your head office, but this has gone through the system.”

“I’m going to tell you that it doesn’t surprise me.”

“Medical equipment, you say?”

“Facilities. I’m guessing construction or specialist fitting out. Maybe they’re not even based on Triple Zero.”

“Triple What?”

“Sorry, fleet slang. Here. Coruscant.”

“Oh, they’re based here, all right. They wouldn’t file the returns in Galactic City otherwise. This has a GCCC code.”

“Any chance of slipping me the accountant’s address?” Jilka scribbled it on a scrap of flimsi. “Never came from me. Didn’t go through the message system. And I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

“If anything else crops up … Dhannut, anyone dealing with Dhannut… let me know?”

“Certainly. You’ve got me intrigued now. What’s rung your bell? Fraud?”

“I think it’s a front for other activity. Because I’m missing their details on the database of approved Republic contractors, too. Which also shouldn’t be possible.”

“Sounds mucky. I notice you’re packing a blaster now. Sensible idea.”

“Just think about it. Dhannut appears in two databases that it shouldn’t be able to get an entry in. If it’s not legit, and they haven’t sliced into the system, then someone with government access has let them in.”

“You just can’t get the staff these days.”

“And folks think we just shuffle files all day…”

“So do I get the very pleasant young man? Is he tasty?”

“He’s very fit and you certainly wouldn’t lose your appetite looking at him.”

“Deal.”

“I’ll ask him next time I see him.”

“If he’s that wonderful, why weren’t you interested?”

“I’ve got one just like him.”

“Ah. Ah”

“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Jilka’s expression dropped a fraction, suddenly serious.

“You’ve changed, Bez. And I don’t mean that you look like you’re in love, either.”

Besany did her noncommittal smile, the slightly chilly one that she reserved for suspects when she hadn’t amassed quite enough damning evidence but was certain she would, given time. “Thanks, Jilka. I owe you.”

She decided to detour to Dhannut’s accountant’s office on the way home rather than spend any more time in the Treasury building; she wasn’t on an investigation at the moment, just tied up in annual reports for the Senate committee, and attention from her bosses was the last thing she needed now.

And she’d gone a lot further than Mereel had ever asked her to go.

Quadrant T-15 was well outside her area. She stared at the flimsi, worked out a meandering route-a couple of taxi changes, interspersed with walking to blur the trail-and tried to forget about it until it was time to leave, but when things started eating at her, she found them hard to drop. It was her single-minded persistence that made her good at her job. It also kept her awake at night.

Her problem was that she was conspicuous. People remembered her: she was tall, very blond, and striking. Sometimes that was an advantage in investigations, because people tended to underestimate her, but it also made it hard to do undercover work. She needed to dull her shine a little.