A Corrine Myers Mystery
Blackmail you say.
Who is Corrine Myers I hear you ask. She is a self-employed Private Detective and a committed lesbian. Out, proud but not one who flaunts it. She is young, under thirty, feisty, battled hardened, semi-wealthy and a woman of low morals. She does have them, just not many of them. She stands 5'8" tall is small in the chest, and fit, androgynous to look at, she trained as a police officer before being asked to leave, apparently sleeping with your partner's wife while you are meant to be watching his back, is frowned upon. Oh yes, she has friends in high places associated with the Australian spy agency called ASIO.
Nearly all of her work comes from word of mouth. Her office is a wine bar in Port Adelaide, called simply Emily's Wine Bar. It is not in the tourist part of the Port but in one of the many back streets. The locals use it, as do the vast majority of the gay community. Mainly the women but a few camp 'bois' hang out there.
She was sitting in her booth sipping on a double neat Fireball when her phone buzzed and a text came through to her.
She opened it and read it. 'I have a favour to ask. Sema4 1 hr. Sk8er'
She sighed and finished her drink. Skater is an acquaintance from her not-too-distant past. Her tag around the skate parks is 'Sk8ertoyinc' her real-life name, the one her parents gave her was Terry Cookson. She is as smart as they come. Can fix a mobile phone so that no one can trace it, in a matter of minutes, and charges like a wounded bull. The people who need her services don't mind paying her fees.
Corrine Myers was dressed in an expensive navy blue pantsuit, courtesy of a Chinese 'friend' she came across. That along with some money and some odds and ends she collected along the way has made her life a lot more comfortable than it once was.
She went up to the bar and paid her tab for the day, kissed the barmaid and waved her goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow Lisa. You still owe me remember,"
"Yeah, Yeah," Came the reply. They both laughed.
Her red Ford Mustang was parked out of the way, somewhere safe. She jumped in and kicked it into life. Slowly backed out into the side street and headed off down to Semaphore.
It took her a short while and arrived there well before the hour mark. She went up to the kiosk and ordered a coffee to go. Paid for it and went and sat on a park bench watching and waiting for Sk8er. She watched the kids racing around the park on skateboards, scooters, and modified push bikes. She laughed as they came off and bounced along the ground. It was only mid-afternoon but it must be school holidays as the park was busy with school-age kids shouting and laughing.
Sk8er came up behind Corrine and tapped her on the shoulder, she jumped. "Don't do that Terry," She said harshly.
"Don't call me that Corry," she said in reply. Just as harshly.
They looked at each other as memories came flooding back, not nice ones either. Memories of old friends who were no longer with them.
