Chapter 15
Senior Sergeant Darby, or Benny to his friends, had the shits. It was preliminary finals weekend and he was stuck on road patrol. To top it off he had to pull a double later to cover for a sick coworker. So tonight he'd be dragging drunken idiots out of fights, getting puked on and generally having a great time. With his seniority he shouldn't be doing it but with internal affairs on his back he had to do everything he could to make himself seem indispensable.
Turning off the main highway he drove for a couple of kilometres up the old lake road. It was always quiet on this stretch especially with the footy on so he hoped to park under a shady tree and catch some sleep. Fuck the hierarchy and their three strikes policy he thought. Each one of the guys he hit had been a low life. There was that kid on speed that punched the paramedic. Busted the poor bastard's nose and he was only trying to help him. They couldn't prove that his baton strike had busted the kid's arm not that it slowed the prick down much. He'd had to slam his head into a tree to stop him.
Then there was that abo wife beater. They'd been called to a domestic and found a woman unconscious, in a pool of her own blood. That was in the kitchen. The scum bag husband, defacto or what ever the fuck he was, was sitting in the lounge room watching telly. I mean what the fuck! They'd asked what happened and he said she refused to get him another beer. The fact that he'd gone flying out the window was only him attempting to escape when they tried to arrest him. It was a second storey flat but he wasn't the smartest cookie. Both times it was his word against a fucking criminal but they always believed these rejects.
The first one. Well okay he'd cop to that one. Smacking that smug pedophile was one of the greatest thrills of his life. Sure he shouldn't have done it in the interview room but still, society should give him a medal. He could still see the prick sitting there not answering any questions. He'd just say "l was never alone with the boys" and "either arrest me or let me go."
He wasn't saying much at all after Benny busted his jaw. That's when the superintendent had stepped in. Suspended him on the spot. Still he made sure the fucker left town with nothing and with his tail between his legs.
Benny found his shady spot, set his radar, pulled the hat down over his eyes and went to sleep. Sometime later the radar beeped. It had just logged a cars speed. Benny pushed his hat back and checked but it was under the limit. With one eye still open he watched the road to see if he knew the car. It was an old dual cab ute pulling a new caravan. A kid waved at him from the front seat. It wasn't a local but he thought he knew the vehicle. He'd definitely seen it or one like it somewhere.
It hit him as the van disappeared around a corner in the distance. That fucking pedo cunt. He sat up quickly trying to collect his thoughts. Replaying the vision of the car passing in his mind. Was that kid waving or signalling for help. What did it matter he wasn't allowed to be alone with kids. He pressed the button and the V8 roared to life. He pulled his seatbelt on then reached for the radio.
"Lachlan command this is car AR 01. I'm out on the old lake road. Have you had any registered sex offenders log in with you today or yesterday?"
"Hold for a moment AR 01." The voice came back.
Benny pulled out onto the road. He wanted to do this right. He wasn't sure there was a four strikes policy.
"No AR 01. There have been no new sex offenders report in for the last week."
"Roger that Lachlan Command. I'm currently starting a pursuit of a suspect with a lone child. Please stay close so I can run the plates."
Benny planted his foot and the car shot down the road. In no time he'd caught up enough to read the plates of the van. He wished he had one of the new cars with the rego plate recognition camera.
"Lachlan command could you check for the owner of caravan. Registration plate Lima Oscar 88 Whiskey Foxtrot? That is LO 88 WF."
He waited for what seemed like an eternity until his radio crackled again.
"Registered owner Richard Douglas."
"Thanks that's what I thought. He's on the sex offender register. He's not allowed to be with kids unsupervised. I'm going to pull him over. Please stand by."
"Roger AR 01."
Benny flicked on the lights and sirens and pulled out to over take. The ute and caravan put one wheel off the bitumen and slowed to give him extra room expecting him to blast past but he swerved in front instead blocking their path. The ute locked up its brakes only just managing to pull up before hitting the police car.
Benny had his seat belt off in a flash. He launched himself out of the car and was quickly in position, standing to one side of Richard's ute. His pistol holster was unbuckled while his hand rested on the butt. On his chest his taser was also ready. He tried to be relaxed but inside he was jumping. He could see the child crying in the front seat. This could be his way to get back into the good books. Single handed rescue of a child from a known predator.
"Get out of the vehicle Richard and place your hands on the bonnet." He yelled.
Richard appeared to be trying to calm the child. In Benny's peripheral vision he noticed a car approaching along the road behind the van.
"Get out of the vehicle sir." He repeated firmly as his hand closed around the grip of his pistol.
Richard unclipped his seat belt and started opening the door. "Stay in the car," He instructed his crying passenger.
"Slowly! Keep your hands where I can see them."
Richard got out with his hands raised but made no attempt to put them on the car.
"Put your hands on the bonnet."
"Look you're making a mistake." Richard started moving his right hand down towards his chest.
"Stop moving."
"I've got something in my top pocket. It explains everything. If you let me get it out..."
"Shut up and put your hands on the bonnet." Benny's hand came off his gun and he unholstered his taser. "This is your final warning."
"Don't be silly..."
Richard hands continued inside his jacket so Benny pulled the trigger. The wires shot out and attached to Richard's chest where his jacket was open. His body jolted and he pitched face down onto the black top. The paper in his hand blew across onto the roadside. The girl in the car screamed.
A woman's voice came from back near the caravan. "What are you doing Sergeant?"
Benny kept his eyes firmly focused on his suspect who surprising was trying to rise.
"Stay away please until I have the situation under control!" He barked as he pulled the trigger again and Richard's body flopped down again.
Benny moved forward quickly and placed the handcuffs on Richard. As he was getting up Richard raised his head weakly. Benny couldn't resist. He pushed down sharply into road top.
"Fucking stay down Pedo."
The girl in the car was crying hysterically. Benny opened the door and reached across to unbuckle her belt.
"It's okay honey." He spoke quietly trying to calm her. "The bad man won't hurt you anymore."
She scrambled across the drivers seat towards the policeman. He got down on his haunches and held his arms wide expecting her to hug her saviour. Instead she brushed past him and flung herself on the man laying face down on the road.
"Daddy, daddy!" She cried as she tried to lift his bloody head.
