A NIGHT OF PASSION
Kay has decided to take the investigation to the next level, which is a risk considering it's a cold case. It's not the only risk she takes however as Nickie takes matters into her own hands after work for a night of passion.
Aussie Lingo 101.
Back Door Merchant/man: This sexual innuendo is very picturesque, it refers to an actual door as in the husband goes out the front door but his wife's lover comes in the actual back door so as to remain unseen. It also means someone who does things in an underhand way.
Bikie:
A member of an outlaw bike club, a
biker
is just someone who rides a motorbike but is not a member of an outlaw club.
Bundy:
Shortened version of Bundaberg rum, a classic Aussie rum usually consumed with Coke due to its harsh taste, you would ask for a bundy and Coke.
C.I.D:
Criminal Investigation Division, responsible for crime investigation. Larger stations have their own C.I.D section.
Chippie:
A carpenter.
Clag:
A brand of glue used for gluing paper but because it looks like semen the name has been borrowed to refer to semen.
Bush:
The countryside, the phrase, "goin' up the bush" causes much confusion amongst some tourists for its sexual connotations but it literally means going into the countryside.
Grouse:
Means good as in "that's grouse, mate."
Fag:
Like the British usage, it means a cigarette.
Fair Dinkum:
The highest compliment you can get, it means you've made the grade, "he's all right, he's fair dinkum," means you're one of the team.
Pissed:
To be drunk, a piss up is a drinking session but to be 'pissed off' is to be angry.
Spunk/Spunky:
A sexy person, often used as a term of endearment, not always in an overt sexual context though.
The rich sweet smell of bundy and Coke was the first thing to greet Kay as she stepped into the front bar of the Grand hotel that night. A few men turned to look at her as she made her way through to the lounge where a few couples had found tables. Her attire was more feminine than usual, a black dress that had a pattern of red flowers and green leaves imprinted on it. The bodice was buttoned and the waist elasticised but she'd added a wide leather belt. She nodded at Nickie standing behind the bar chatting with a man leaning on the bar and threaded a path around tables as she made her way to the bar.
"G'day, spunky," Nickie greeted her with a smile, "what's your poison?"
"Bundy and Coke," she replied as the man gave her the once over, "thanks."
"On the strong stuff," the man remarked.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"This is Jason, he's been up the bush the last few weeks, my new best friend, Kay," she introduced them, "he's a biker."
"Jason's all right, he's fair dinkum," Nickie flicked the toggle on the bottle above the bar.
She wasn't wrong there, Kay mused to herself as she sat out in the beer garden a few hours later and while admittedly she was slightly pissed she'd gained some valuable insights into the case at hand. Jason hadn't known she was investigating the case on her own, she'd actually let that slip over a few drinks and it was at that point Jason suggested they retire to the beer garden.
"Because there's things you need to know before you go all out."
He was scathing of the local cops. The local sergeant was best mates with Mick's father and the two were nothing better than back door merchants. The constables working under him were as 'useless as tits on a bull,' but Roy was a force to be reckoned with because he wasn't above lifting his hands to persuade someone to toe the line. The locals were ambivalent towards him, some supported him but there were quite a few who thought him an embarrassment to the town.
"So, if Internal Affairs took a closer look at him?"
"He'd be up shit creek," Jason snorted, "he's had his fingers in too many pies. He's careful with his back door activities though, he always goes out of town for that kind of thing."
It helped sober her up as she sat there staring out at the bay. What the hell was she doing? A small town sergeant could basically set his own agenda and choose not to investigate certain crimes, and even if she managed to convince C.I.D what were the chances they'd do any better than her? It was as she was thinking through her options that Jason returned from the toilet.
"Sitting thinking about it won't do no good," he picked up his tobacco pouch, "you've either got to go for it or back off."
"I want to go for it," she stared at him, "but I'm just one cop."
"So what? Roy is just one man with a colourful past. He's got plenty of weak points, sure he's got mates here but that's only because he can do them favours but if the heat gets turned up no one's gonna throw him a lifeline, if I was you I'd take a run out to Pentridge and talk to Bobbie, he's probably got an arse like a bottle of clag."
"So, what's the go?" Nickie asked her as they exited the pub sometime later.
"I'm thinking of going into the nick to see Bob."
"So, you reckon he'll crack?"
"Stands to reason," she smiled slyly, "got to be hard taking it up the arse, assuming he hasn't fallen in with one of the old timers but even then, if he gets offered a transfer to a minimum security prison he might just jump at it."
"So, he'd get off?"
"That's police work in a nutshell," she replied, "you play one off against the other for a conviction, it's divide and conquer out there."
"So, when are you thinking of going?"
"Tomorrow would be a good time," she frowned, "although it's a decent hike back to Melbourne but I could make a day of it and go and see someone in C.I.D."
"Can I come too?" Nickie asked, "I promise not to get under your feet."
"You?" Kay nudged her gently, "sure, why not? But don't you have to work?"
"The boss said I don't have to come in tomorrow, fuck all happening Wednesday night," she slipped a hand into the crook of Kay's arm, "be nice to see the big smoke, the last time I was there I was in form three, we went up for my auntie's second marriage."
"So you've got family there as well?"
"Yeah, auntie Sue is in Alphington and I've got an uncle in Eltham and one down in Sorrento. My mum fucked off to Sydney years ago, where I was born but I've got no family up there apart from her, so my grandpa and grandma drove all the way to Sydney to pick me up when mum was locked up for drugs."
"Well, if we're gonna make a go of it tomorrow, we'll have lunch in the city as well."
"Grouse," Nickie squeezed her arm, "can we go to Sportsgirl?"
"Whatever, I'll show you my joint too, in case you ever need a place to crash."
Little more was said as they walked back to the house but at the front door she let go of Kay's arm and looked over her shoulder.
"Well I'll love you and leave you," she smiled.
"You wanna come in for a drink?"
The invitation was out there and Nickie merely shrugged.