by Grace York
Isaac sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. "It could do, if Frankie found out and was blackmailing them. But we can only speculate on that at this point, without talking to them."
"Are you going to talk to them?"
"I'd like more evidence than an overheard conversation."
"Of course." Addison tried to think. She ran through the list of suspects again in her head. "Bob was in the vicinity of Frankie's bunk at the time of the murder, right?"
"Yes. He said he'd been at a meeting with Harriet and Dot."
"Did Harriet and Dot confirm this?"
"They did, as far as I know. Kendall hasn't told me otherwise."
"Any chance Dot would lie for them?" Addison asked, although she thought she knew the answer. Dot loved that little boy.
Isaac stood. "I think maybe it's about time I asked her."
23
Addison had only managed a couple of hours sleep overnight, but she woke up strangely energised. It was still early, so she decided to take Charlie for a walk on the beach before she got stuck into the morning's baking.
Charlie went from dozing in his basket to jumping and spinning in circles in a matter of seconds as soon as Addison appeared with his lead.
"Come on, little fella," she said, clipping the lead to his collar. "Let's go watch the sunrise."
She grabbed one of his towels out of the hall cupboard and left it on the front verandah, then they headed off to the beach. There'd be no-one around this early, Addison figured, so she could let Charlie off to run free. Dogs were permitted off-lead on the beach closest to her home, but she didn't let Charlie off when there were children around. Not that she thought he'd ever harm a child, but he was excitable. Even a small dog could be frightening when it jumped up on a toddler.
This morning, though, there were no toddlers in sight. She let Charlie go and he raced straight down to the water. Within seconds he was saturated and covered in sand. Perhaps she should have left out two towels to clean him off later.
As she strolled and watched the sunrise, Addison thought back over last night's dinner with Isaac. Apart from discussing the case, she'd had a nice time. He was very easy to talk to. A little awkward at times, but then she figured he wasn't used to socialising. She wished Olivia and Layla would lay off, though. He was a nice man, but she couldn't even entertain the idea of a boyfriend. Not while Rob's memory still had hold of her heart.
Charlie's ears pricked up and he stood for a moment facing the sand dunes. Addison called him, but it was no use. He raced off in the direction of whatever he'd heard. That was the other problem with letting him off the lead – he was usually very good and would come back as soon as he was called, unless there was something more interesting to discover.
Addison followed him up the beach and into the dunes, and soon came across what had sparked his interest. Or rather, who.
"I'm sorry," she said, grabbing hold of Charlie and clipping his lead back on.
"It's fine," said Corey, one of the clowns from the carnival. Addison had met him the other day when Holly had introduced him and Luc. But it wasn't Luc with him right now.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," she said, turning away. The other young man was trying to hide his face, but Addison had already recognised him. It was Nabil, the operator of the Ferris wheel. He'd been so helpful and kind when Addison and her family had been stuck at the top of the ride. She wondered why he was trying to hide from her now, but then it clicked.
Nabil was Corey's secret boyfriend.
Corey must have seen the realisation cross her face.
"Please don't tell anyone," he said. He put a protective arm around Nabil, who finally turned to face her.
"Tell anyone what?" said Addison. "I'm just out here enjoying the sunrise."
"Thank you," said Nabil in a soft voice.
"Of course." Addison could see the two of them were very fond of each other. "Although I don't understand why you would want to keep your relationship a secret."
Corey was about to speak, but Nabil stopped him.
"It's my family," he said. "They don't understand. They don't… approve."
"They'd make him leave the carnival if they knew," said Corey. "We can't take that risk. And it's okay, really. We're happy to keep to ourselves."
Addison understood, although it made her angry to think that a family could stand in the way of young love. She'd met Rob when she was their age.
"I'll leave you to enjoy the sunrise," she said. "Come on, Charlie."
As she walked away, Addison tried to quell her anger. She had no idea who Nabil's family were, or what their problem would be with his relationship with Corey. The circumstances of their family were none of her business. She certainly wasn't going to mention it to anyone, though. She wasn't going to be the reason the young couple were separated.
A horrible thought occurred to her. What if she wasn't the only person who'd found out about them?
What if Frankie knew?
Isaac had already decided Frankie was the kind of character who wouldn't think twice about blackmailing someone for his own personal gain. What if it wasn't Harriet he was blackmailing, but Corey and Nabil? What if he'd threatened to tell Nabil's family about the couple?
Nabil worked on the Ferris wheel. He was one of the people capable of sabotaging it, and he was right there when it stopped. And Corey was in the vicinity of Frankie's bunk. What if the two of them had conspired to kill him?
What was it Corey had said the other day when Addison asked what he thought had happened to Frankie?
He got what he deserved.
Were those the words of a killer?
No. Addison couldn't see it. They were both such nice young men. It had to have been someone else.
Charlie was tugging on the lead, desperate to get back to the water. Addison checked her watch. It was past six, and she needed to get home and start baking otherwise Hazel would have nothing to sell today.
"Sorry mate," she said to the little white dog. "Maybe Adam can bring you out later."
Back at the beach house she used the towel to get most of the sand and water off Charlie, but he was still pretty dirty. She led him around the verandah and out to the back garden, where she let him off the lead. He promptly rubbed himself all over the grass.
Addison let herself in through the back door and found Olivia in the kitchen making coffee.
"Morning Mum," she said. "Want one?"
"Yes please." Addison started gathering the ingredients for scones and muffins, before remembering Isaac's request for pecan cinnamon scrolls. Those took longer, but they were delicious. She knew Hazel always sold out of them, so she didn't mind the extra effort.
"Where have you been?" Olivia asked as she held the milk jug under the steam wand. She was always better at frothing the milk than Addison was. There was a certain technique to it which Addison wasn't sure she'd ever master.
"I couldn't sleep so I took Charlie for a walk to the beach. The sunrise was lovely. I think it's going to be another nice day. Why are you up so early?"
"Couldn't sleep either," Olivia replied. Addison looked up to find her daughter staring at her with a sheepish grin.
"What?"
"I have a date today," said Olivia.
"A date? With who?"
"Max. The guy from the bar last night."
"What guy from the bar?"
"You really weren't paying attention, were you?"
Addison felt guilty. What had she missed? "I'm sorry, darling. I've been preoccupied."
"With Isaac, yes, I know."
"No, with the case. But let's not talk about that. Tell me about Max."
Olivia switched the coffee machine off and cleaned the steam wand before pouring silky smooth milk into two mugs. She handed one to Addison. "He's been working behind the bar for a few weeks, apparently. We got talking last night. We're going to meet at the carnival today."
"Oh, the blond guy? Looks like a surfer?"
>
"He is a surfer, Mum. He's been travelling for a while, but he's been looking for somewhere to stick around. He likes working at the Red Lion."
Addison sighed. Her little girl wasn't a little girl anymore.
"Be careful on the Ferris wheel," she said.
24
Addison dropped the morning's baking off to Hazel, holding one pecan cinnamon scroll back in her handbag. She might as well hand deliver that one, save Isaac the trip. She bought two coffees to go then headed over to the police station.
She'd promised not to tell anyone about Corey and Nabil. But that was before she realised their relationship might be a clue to Frankie's murder. All morning, as she baked, she'd oscillated between telling Isaac about them and not. She'd finally decided her duty as a police volunteer had to outweigh her conscience in this case.
Besides, Corey and Nabil were only concerned about Nabil's family finding out. If they were innocent, then Addison was sure Isaac would have no problem keeping the relationship to himself. And if they were guilty, well, then they'd have bigger problems.
Pushing the door to the station open, Addison bustled in with her coffee tray balanced in one hand and her over-laden handbag in the other. Before she knew it, she was face-to-face with two clowns.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked Corey and Luc. It was the last day of the carnival today, and she remembered something about a matinee session of the show as well as the grand finale this evening. "Don't you have a show today?"
"We'll get them back to the carnival in plenty of time for their show," said Kendall Short, who was filling out paperwork on the other side of the counter.
Addison noticed Constable Diaz sitting at a desk in the back of the station. He couldn't stop laughing, and she had to admit the sight of the two fully made up clowns in the station was pretty funny.
"Is Detective Wilcox in?" Addison asked. The door to his office was closed, the blind on the interior window drawn.
"He is, but he's just about to interview these two," said Short. Addison suppressed a giggle as she heard the word 'clowns' in her head at the end of that sentence.
Corey and Luc, though, were in no laughing mood.
"This is ridiculous," said Luc. "We've got a midday show. You could have come got us later, so we wouldn't have had to come in dressed like this."
He had a point. "What are they here for?" Addison asked Short.
"That's between them and Detective Wilcox, Mrs Lake," she said with a frown.
"Can I see him before he gets the interview started then?" Addison asked. She held up the coffee tray. "Just quickly, to deliver this."
Short sighed, then lifted the barrier. "Two minutes," she said, as Addison knocked on Isaac's door.
"Come in."
"Special delivery," said Addison as she entered and closed the door behind her. She handed him his coffee, then pulled the pecan and cinnamon scroll out of her handbag. "Sorry it's a bit squished."
"It'll still taste the same. Thanks." He accepted it from her and wasted no time wrapping his mouth around it and taking a huge bite. Half the scroll disappeared instantly.
"You really like those," she said, taking a seat in front of his desk.
"I really do," he said, swallowing the mouthful. "I have an interview to do, sorry. Did you need something?"
"Well, yes. It pertains to your interview with Corey and Luc, as a matter of fact. Corey, at least." Addison explained how she'd come across Corey and Nabil on the beach earlier while Isaac finished off his morning tea.
"The Ferris wheel operator is the secret boyfriend?" he said.
"Yes. But they're very keen to keep it quiet." Addison told him about Nabil's family not being supportive, and if they found out they might not let him continue working with the carnival. "It would be a shame to separate a young couple like that, don't you think?"
"It would, as long as they're innocent. But this puts some of our evidence in a whole new light."
Addison sipped her coffee. "What evidence?"
"We've had a busy morning," said Isaac. He took the lid off his coffee, pulled a couple of sachets of sugar from a desk drawer, and proceeded to dump their contents in the cup. Then he searched around for a spoon but couldn't find one. The best he could do was a letter opener.
Addison became impatient with his coffee-sugar ritual.
"What evidence, Isaac?"
He wiped the letter opener on a napkin, took a sip of his coffee, then finally focused on Addison.
"We've got forensic evidence that those two bozos out there were inside Frankie Hammond's bunk. Recently. It was enough to call them in here for a little chat this morning."
"What's that got to do with what I just told you?"
"We've also been told by the lab guys that the Ferris wheel was definitely sabotaged. Someone rigged it to stop." Isaac leaned forward. "Now you're telling me one of the few people who could have rigged it is in a secret relationship with one of the few people who could have committed the murder."
Addison shrugged. "That could be a coincidence," she said, although she wasn't even convincing herself.
"I don't believe in coincidence where murder is concerned," said Isaac.
Addison sighed and sat back with her coffee for a moment. It was no use jumping to conclusions. Yes, these recent findings made Corey and Nabil look guilty. Perhaps even with help from Luc. But it was just circumstantial – they'd all been in the right places at the right time. Or the wrong places at the wrong time, rather. But did they have a motive? They did if Frankie knew about the relationship and threatened them.
"Who else could have sabotaged the Ferris wheel?" Addison asked.
"Two mechanics, who we've already ruled out. Then basically all the Hanley's – Owen, Jake, Hugh, Harriet, even old Morris – and Nabil."
"How long before it stopped? I mean, how long did whoever caused it to breakdown tamper with it before it actually broke down?"
"The technicians said it could have been done anywhere within a twenty-four-hour window. The belt was sheared to the point where it would run for a while, then break. They also said whoever did it probably knew the safety mechanisms of the ride would cause it to just stop dead."
"So they knew no-one would get hurt," said Addison. Her ordeal in the cage at the top of the Ferris wheel came flooding back. As good as it was to know whoever caused that anxiety hadn't meant to harm her or anyone else on the ride, she was still angry they'd done it at all.
"That's right. Which means it was almost certainly a diversion, as I suspected."
Addison was still having trouble believing Corey and Nabil could have perpetrated such a crime.
"So the sabotage probably happened overnight, while everyone else was sleeping," she said.
"That's what we suspect, yes."
"Meaning the same person could have created the diversion the previous evening, and then hung around close to Frankie's quarters and killed him while everyone else was headed to the Ferris wheel."
"It's possible, yes."
"So when we cross-check the names on the list of people who could sabotage the Ferris wheel with the list of people who were close enough to Frankie's bunk at the time of the murder, who do we get?"
Isaac plucked a piece of paper from his desk and read from it. He'd already come to the same conclusion.
"Owen Hanley, Jake Hanley, Hugh Hanley, and Harriet Hanley."
"Wow," said Addison. "A real family affair."
"But I'm not ready to rule out a joint effort between Corey and Nabil," said Issac. "And the other clown has some explaining to do as well. We found both their fingerprints all over Frankie's bunk."
Addison finished her coffee and threw the paper cup in Issac's bin. He did the same, then used a napkin to wipe his mouth.
"Thanks for bringing in morning tea," he said. "And your information. Very helpful, as ever."
"You're welcome. I'll leave you to it, then."
She opened the door, then noticed the twinkle in his e
ye.
"What?" she asked.
He nodded in the direction of Corey and Luc. "On your way out, ask Constable Short to send in the clowns."
25
When Corey and Luc had marched their big red boots into Isaac's office and closed the door behind them, Addison turned back to Kendall Short.
"How are things going with you and Jason?" she asked.
Kendall smiled. Well, it was a half-smile at best, but that was a lot for the normally straight-faced senior constable.
"Things are good, thank you for asking. We're thinking about taking a trip together. Just a long weekend, actually. But it'll be nice."
"Oh? Where will you go?"
"Probably just down to Brisbane to see a show. I miss the city sometimes."
Addison missed the city too. Born and bred in Sydney, she'd lived there her whole life before coming to Getaway Bay three months ago. She didn't regret the decision for a second, though. The city would always be there for a visit.
"That sounds lovely," she said, keen to get on the officer's good side. "And will the two of you be joining us for the barbecue this Friday night?"
"I believe so," said Kendall. She focused her attention back to her desk. "I really have to get on with this paperwork," she said.
"No problem," said Addison. "Oh, Isaac said you were looking into Harriet's bank accounts. Did you find anything that might indicate Frankie was blackmailing her?"
"Mrs Lake, you know I can't tell you that. A person's bank details are confidential."
"Kendall, you've been to my house a number of times now. Please call me Addison. Mrs Lake makes me sound so old."
"Okay, Addison. But I still can't tell you."
"No, of course you can't." Addison lifted the barrier and stepped into the public side of the station. "Do you know if Isaac has interviewed Dot Hanley yet?"
"He's heading over to the carnival to do that as soon as he's finished here."
"Okay." Addison raised her hand in a wave. "Look forward to seeing you on Friday."
Back out in the street she was at a loss for what to do next. Isaac was tied up with Corey and Luc, then he was going to the carnival to interview Dot. Olivia was at the carnival on a date. Adam was holed up in his room editing his novel, only surfacing for food and beer, and Layla had just started a new painting.
