Working Holiday Pt 05

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The case is drawing to a close and I'm not entirely sure what to do with the rest of it, I'm thinking of terminating it here but possibly returning to it some six months down the track to see how they're getting on. It's been an interesting story to write because the focus wasn't just about getting two women together but also solving a crime. Leave this one with me and I'll see what comes out in the mix later on.

Thanks for all your helpful and encouraging comments.

Shaima.

Aussie Lingo 101.

Handbag: For American readers, handbag equates to purse and a purse would be the equivalent of a ladies wallet.

Larrikin:

A very old fashioned term for 'one of the boys' or a rascal, someone who may or may not break the law but was usually harmless.

Romeo:

Police/prison slang for a rapist.

SLR:

Self Loading Rifle, it was a locally produced version of the Belgian FN FAL, used by the Australian Army up until the 1990s. It fired three round bursts and semi auto. At the time this story is set (1980s) civilian versions were available in semi auto only in all states except Tasmania, which had special licences for fully automatic rifles under a special licence.

Stubby:

A small bottle holding the same amount as a regular can, sold singly or in blister packs.

Telephone Book Treatment:

An illegal interrogation technique used by police forces whereby a telephone book was placed against the suspect's face prior to being struck with a fist, thus leaving no telltale fist-shaped bruises.

Unroadworthy Certificate:

Colloquially known as a

Yellow Canary

or

Canary

because the adhesive paper was yellow, it was affixed to the windscreen of a defective car. The driver was then severely limited, only able to drive to and from a garage for repairs and afterwards to the Road Traffic Authority to present the Roadworthy Certificate. Only the RTA had the authority to remove the certificate.

Weed:

Marijuana.

The iconic hotel at Wye River had been a favourite destination for honeymooners and couples looking for a romantic getaway for many years. Overlooking the white beach and the deep blue of Bass Strait it offered spectacular views by day and at night a cosy hideaway complete with its own restaurant. No doubt this particular room had been witness to many romantic occasions along with illicit affairs Kay mused as she pulled the curtains shut and put her back to the window.

The man sitting on the other side of the bed in a seat brought in by the manageress looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. At one point he'd been a handsome man but years of hard drinking, smoking and poor diet had taken its toll on his body. The six pack had long since disappeared beneath the beer belly and a second chin was threatening to merge with his neck. The cigarette between his fingers was almost at the butt and he dabbed it into the ashtray as the door opened to reveal a woman in a tan suit and white shirt.

Detective Constable Michelle Reid glanced at her partner sitting on the edge of the bed, Sergeant Chris Jones nodded as she took a seat opposite Constable Steven Henry. Kay pushed away from the window as Michelle took out a portable tape recorder.

"Do you mind if our colleague remains?"

"That's fine," he eyed the stubby on the small coffee table.

Michelle took out a clipboard with an A4 pad and clicked the end of the pen. Her superior rested his hands on the bed and stared at the door for a few moments before speaking.

"And you understand that information you divulge could be used against you."

"I do," Steven nodded, "but I'd like a deal or at the very least a carrot before I open my mouth."

"What kind of deal?" Michelle adjusted her glasses.

"I'm out, I know that already. I'll resign or take a discharge but my pension is another matter," he examined his fingernails, "my oldest child is about to start university and I've got two more kids in high school, along with a wife."

Michelle didn't reply but did look at Chris and he spread his hands to show his palms.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, but you understand I have to speak to my people too."

"I wasn't born yesterday," Steven replied, "just as long as your people understand that if I lose my pension then you lose your testimony at the tribunal. I might just fall over and suffer a permanent case of amnesia."

"Well we can't have that," Chris replied, "like I said, I'm sure that can be arranged. So, you'd go all the way to the tribunal?"

"Well that's the idea I got from your girl," he glanced at Kay.

"And what can you give us?" Michelle broke in, "in return?"

Steven stared at the stubby and he seemed to age years in the blink of an eye.

"I can give you Roy's head on a platter, the whole kit and caboodle but I can fucking guarantee it'll go far beyond a tribunal," he looked at the tape recorder.

"You gonna turn that fucking thing on?"

There was a momentary intake of breath and Kay felt the hairs on the back of her head beginning to prickle, a moment later Michelle leaned over and turned the tape recorder on.

"For the record, please state your full name, rank and serial number."

Steven closed his eyes for a few seconds and then began to speak.

It was slow going at first. Steven seemed almost reluctant to speak, as if the mere act of talking was torturous but Michelle was a skilled interviewer, part of a new breed of copper who didn't need to fall back on the telephone book treatment. Kay got the distinct impression that Chris was merely here in case a little muscle was required. Nevertheless, the fact that Michelle was attractive might have had an impact as well, because Steven answered her questions far more readily than when Chris asked questions.

Roy's descent into corruption was a familiar one. Most cops walked a fine line between upholding the law and tolerating lawbreakers. There were times you had to turn a blind eye, especially where the infraction was minor or the consequences would have a negligible effect on the community. After all, did it really matter that Mick's father, Tom possessed guns that weren't legal? The man was an ex soldier, he wasn't likely to go out and commit a mass shooting. Similarly the times he let people off for vehicle defects but somewhere along the line he got greedy and started his own private pension fund.

For a fee he would look the other way but if the person didn't cough up the 'beer' money then he'd come down on them and charge them, or make their lives hell. But in such a small community there was bound to be fallout and that was where Steven and a couple of other cops were dragged in. It was up to them to slap an unroadworthy certificate on a car or confiscate certain kinds of guns, Roy would simply explain he was upholding the law. To keep his boys happy and quiet, he just paid a little hush money from his slush fund, which was augmented by his cut from the local SP bookie and it might have gone on undetected for years if not for the savage gang rape of Brian some eighteen months ago.

"Brian's old man, Mark owed gambling debts to Roy but couldn't pay them," Steven butted out his third cigarette.

"In the end Mark just flat out refused, he even threatened to make an anonymous call to Internal Affairs in Melbourne," his eyes shifted.

"Roy went through the fucking roof, we had to physically restrain him from going out after Mark that day. About a week later though I got this odd call from Roy. He told me to head up to Teddy's Lookout and pick up Brian," he looked down at the carpet.

"I said, what the fuck for? He said, he's in a bad way. Perhaps you should have a word to him. I thought it was fucking odd considering Roy had fallen out with Mark but I went up anyway, I was nearly run off the road by Mick and his boys coming the other way. I found Brian at the lookout with his jeans torn off and blood all over him. He came out with this story about being raped, he even named his rapists. I took him back home and told him to take care of himself, we'd be in touch and I went back to see Roy," he swallowed.

"Before then I thought Roy was a bit of a larrikin, he'd take the piss out of people or rough them up if they crossed him. I knew he was bending the rules but we were all in on the game, but when I told him about Brian and said I was going to take someone out to haul Mick back in for questioning, he told me to forget it. Brian got what's coming to him. I told him he was a fucking psycho, nobody deserved that kind of treatment. He backed down a bit because he's always stepped wide around me and he did call Mick in but the interview questions were all well prepared. Mick denied being near the lookout and my report was revised to leave out my account of seeing him driving away from the crime scene."

He studied the backs of his hands.

"Roy knew he'd fucked up with me. Hell, I went along with his capers because it was all a bit of fun and we were making money but nobody was supposed to get hurt. When Brian knocked himself I told Roy flat out that I was out of the game, he offered to have me transferred but I wasn't going to let him. It might sound nuts but I believe in keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, it's curtailed his dirty deals in town but I know he goes into Melbourne every chance he gets."

There was more dirt to come but by the time he'd finished talking it became apparent to all that Steve and his family would need to be moved, especially when Chris raised the possibility of a sting operation involving undercover detectives from nearby Geelong.

"They're not all bent, not by a long shot but he's got cops as far as Geelong who'll give him the word if his name comes up in conversation and in return he gives them birthday money," he studied the door for a moment or two.

"Any list of names I'd give you might be out of date. He knows I'm out of the loop but because I haven't talked I'm not a threat yet. The only thing you've got in your favour is the fact he hasn't got any influence with city cops. He was forced to tighten the circle after Brian topped himself but if he thinks you're taking an interest in him he'll fake an injury and go for the sympathy vote."

"So where does that leave us?" Kay asked some twenty minutes later as Steve headed back out to the carpark.

Chris didn't reply for a few minutes as he paced the hotel room, now and then he'd stare out at the blue vista of Bass Strait as if that would provide answers.

"Let me make a couple of calls," he turned to the phone by the bed, "can you find me some coffee?"

Kay shrugged and headed down the stairs to the kitchen and when she returned, Michelle had also come back from seeing Steve off. She was going through her notes while Chris was still on the phone and then he hung up and shifted to the side of the bed.

"So here's how it's going to go down," he eventually spoke.

Nickie straightened up as Roy's white Ford drove past, Roy was in uniform and he picked up speed as he headed out of town. She glanced over at Kay sitting behind the wheel of her car, the older woman raised the walkie talkie to her mouth.

"Eagle Eye to base, the wolf has left the area."

"Roger that Eagle Eye, call Snow White to confirm and then proceed to the Cottage and wait."

Kay dropped the walkie talkie into her lap and looked at Nickie.

"Okay, you up for this?"

"Fuck yeah," she nodded.

"Make the call," Kay fished her purse out of the handbag on the floor, "what're you going to say again?"

"That I've got the money and I'm on my way."

"Good girl," she handed her some change, "go to it."

Nickie got out of the car and walked to the phone box while Kay watched. The plan Chris had laid out was a two-pronged attack. Roy had been summoned to the Academy to do his annual firearms assessment and he would also undergo a physical. The doctor had been briefed to drag it out for as long as possible, Roy thought he would be back by nightfall but the fake test result would keep him in town for another day.

The other part of the plan involved a bust. Because Nickie knew Mick, she'd been talked into calling him to arrange a drug buy for her boyfriend, who would be back at the weekend. That part had been ridiculously easy, Nickie seemed to jump at the chance to do something and while Mick was suspicious at first she had a way of talking him into coming up with an ounce of weed. Once he was busted, the drug squad would take him back to the local station for processing while others would search the house for drugs, weapons and money. Once the pistol used by Mick to take Brian captive was recovered, Internal Affairs would swoop in to go through the station records. If all went well, they would find enough evidence to grab Roy in Melbourne the following day and take him to Russell Street for a formal interview.

Nickie stepped out of the phone box and for a moment Kay thought she was going to give her the thumbs up but she walked to the car and leaned into the driver's side.

"It's a goer, he's got the stuff."

"Okay," Kay thumbed the walkie talkie, "eagle eye to base, Snow White has the cookies, am on my way to the cottage."

"Roger that Eagle Eye, proceed with caution."

"Okay, you clear on what to do?" Kay reached down and lifted Nickie's handbag.

"Yeah, walk to the door, knock on the door and when he answers I suddenly remember I left my purse back in the car. Go back to the car and wait while you guys go in, and if I hear shots I'm to drive away."

"Good girl," she handed her handbag over, "I'll be right behind you."

"I know," she stepped back and then walked to her grandfather's car.

Kay watched her drive away and a few moments later she started the engine and followed her along the main street and then down a side street. Mick lived with his parents in a large house that was much bigger than the neighbouring houses. The moment she parked the car, two more cars came along the street at a crawl. Nickie got out with her handbag and looked once at Kay before going through the gate and up to the front door.

Kay took the pistol from the holster and thumbed the hammer. The radio squawked and she tensed as her instincts kicked in. She didn't have to look over her shoulder to know that guns were being drawn and car doors opened. Nickie was at the door and a few seconds later it opened to reveal Mick and then she was slapping her head and backing away, she held her hands out in a display of submission and then she walked down the steps and called out over her shoulder.

"I'll be inside in a minute, wait inside."

That wasn't part of the carefully rehearsed script but it worked because Mick took a few steps back inside, which meant he never saw cops emerging from cars with shotguns and handguns. Kay ran past Nickie's car and saw her diving onto the back floor. A few moments later she was at the front door, Mick saw her coming at the same time and tried to run but she raised her gun.

"Stop right there, police!"

Mick wasn't a particularly intelligent creature but even he knew he couldn't outrun a bullet and he stopped in his tracks and put his hands on his head.

"I'm unarmed," he called out.

"On your knees," she entered the house and put the gun at the back of his head, "and don't move a fucking muscle."

Two detectives moved past her but a third paused long enough to slap on the handcuffs and then he nodded at Kay.

"Get him into the car, we've got this nailed down."

Kay grabbed him by the collar and hauling him to his feet, walked him outside, past Nickie's car and down the road to a waiting car. A detective sergeant nodded at her as she threw him into the back of the car.

"Well done," he dropped the cigarette butt on the ground, "wait here while we finish up," he moved away and Kay holstered her gun.

Mick looked pale as she perched on the edge of the back seat. Two more police cars appeared at the end of the road with their lights flashing and sirens blaring, he stared at the other door but the handle had been removed and he pushed himself back against the back of the seat.

"Don't suppose you'd consider letting me go?"

"Fat chance," she scowled, "you're the main target today."

"I thought you were supposed to be on holiday."

Kay didn't reply to that as she waited for the others to emerge from the house. The two other cars were filled with cops and by the time they got out of the cars the rest of the family were being led out and lined up outside the house. The mother was nowhere to be seen but the father and his two sons were there, the father stared in the direction of his other son but Mick couldn't look back. At some point two drug squad detectives emerged with bags of marijuana and not long afterwards they took out guns. In total there were fourteen rifles, six shotguns and some handguns. Three of the rifles were assault rifles, an M16, SLR, and AK47, which meant Mick's father was handcuffed and led to a car.

That caused Mick to swallow his fear and Kay reached out and forced him to look at his father as he was pushed into the back seat of a police car.

"Now how do you think we knew what to look for?"

"I don't know what the fuck you mean."

Mick looked away from her as the detective sergeant approached, he leaned into the back and snapped his fingers.

"Hey, dickhead, look at me. Did you know your old man had machine guns in his cupboard?"

Mick tried to speak but nothing came out and the sergeant grimaced.

"Have it your way," he nodded at Kay, "we'll meet you back at the station," he dropped into the passenger seat, "I just want a few words with Romeo."

It was a familiar routine, the sergeant would soften the suspect up and one of his people would be the good cop while another played the bad cop. It was simple and brutally effective, especially when dealing with a first time offender. Kay paused by the boot of the car and homed in on the fully automatic assault rifles, she winced as a detective winked at her.

"Good job he didn't get to use these today."

"Cunt could have started a war," she shook her head.

Nickie was sitting behind the wheel of the car when she leaned on the sill.

"You all right?"

"I'm fine," she managed a nervous smile, "I've never seen so many guns."

"Yeah and three are machine guns, he's looking at jail time."

"So what happens now?"

"Now? I go back to the station but you go home, I'll drop in on you later and tell you what I can but I can't tell you everything, okay?"

"Okay," she grabbed the keys and turned the engine over, "if you're coming for dinner just give me a phone and I'll make extra."

"No worries," she squeezed her shoulder and felt the slightest tremor. The girl was nervous and there was a part of her that wanted to reassure her but protocol dictated she keep her distance and so she watched Nickie drive away and then headed to her own car.

The Acting Sergeant, Terry Lonigan was stunned when Internal Affairs entered the police station with warrants to search the premises. He did look at the phone but was warned that unless he had the desire to spend the night in the cells he'd better not call Roy.

Kay arrived in the immediate aftermath of the conversation and was immediately directed to an interview room where Mick was being prepped for his interview. Thus she had little idea of the drama going on outside the room as detectives went through paperwork and conducted a search of the station, others were already at Roy's house.

Kay made a show of arranging the six handguns in front of him. There was a Colt .45 semi auto, a Browning Hi Power, a Smith and Wesson .38 and one chambered for .44 Magnum, the other two were .22 calibre revolvers. She then took the pistol licence taken in as evidence and a card that was supposed to be marked off by an accredited member of the pistol club.