by Brian Cain
CHAPTER THIRTY
Saturday morning, seven am, the eighth of July. Fred Banks was bellowing down the phone to Beagle. “What’s the story on Brinkly, have you lined him up for this meeting of the party on Monday evening?!”
“I can’t really find out much about him Fred, his previous movements were in a circle that we are unfamiliar with. I can’t find out what makes him tick at all.”
“Did you see the news on television last night and the paper this morning? He’s the focus of the state. I told you we were on the right track with this bloke. Now you go see him and invite him to speak at the party meeting on Monday evening prior to us nominating him to the party. The speech he gave to his workers after this big ruckus they had was dynamite. I’m going to ring Harrogan to fix him up for us. When this bloke is in my hip pocket we’ll be laughing.”
“Look Fred. We know nothing about this guy. He doesn’t appear to me to be someone who would have the wool pulled over his eyes. Pressuring him could be dangerous. Besides, I quite like the man, I wouldn’t like to see him railroaded for nothing.”
“Beagle, you know the score. We have the whole party under the thumb. It’s always worked in the past, it won’t fail us now. I can’t afford to have anyone questioning what I want to do, get the bastards where you want them and keep them there. You just do as you’re told.”
“I’ll do it Fred, but I don’t like it.”
“Well get on with it then.” Banks slammed down the phone. He picked it back up again and punched in some numbers. A voice answered, “Inspector Harrogan.”
“Harrogan, it’s Fred. I need to talk to you as soon as.”
“The usual place.”
“Yes, the coffee shop in O’Connell street, North Adelaide. One hour from now.”
“See you there.” They hung up.
Jason answered a knock at the door. “I’ve got it Mary!” he shouted as he opened the door. “Beagle isn’t it?”
“I hope you will forgive this unannounced invasion, but I would like to speak to you if I could.”
Jason led them into the lounge room. Beagle was explaining things to Jason when Tammy came running in clutching a teddy bear she had received for her birthday. She stopped when she saw Beagle but then walked over to him and smiled. She looked at her father. “It was the other man daddy; this one’s nice.”
“Yes, love. I know you’re right.”
Beagle clutched his brief case nervously. “I didn’t really catch that.”
“You’ve made a better impression on us, than our first meeting is what she’s trying to say.” Jason talked with Beagle for some time. He felt after a while that he was not acting from compulsion, but was under pressure from somewhere to get Jason to a meeting of the Australian People’s Party on Monday evening. Jason was becoming increasingly aware of his powers. He accepted the offer, as following his instinct was what he had always done. Jason felt aware that something smelly was afoot, but knew Beagle was not the perpetrator. He knew that his actions were for the better of everyone.
Banks shovelled huge amounts of food into his mouth as he waited for Harrogan. He had parked his Mercedes half on the footpath and directly alongside the table, with matching umbrella. The young female table waitress had been asked by an elder member of staff to ask him to move his car off the pavement. “Excuse me sir, would you mind parking your car correctly, it’s blocking access for pedestrians?”
“Piss off. I came down here for some peace and quiet. Leave me alone if you want to keep your job.” She walked inside crying. The manager was called; he went to the window to investigate. He frowned when he saw Banks and disappeared without comment. A blonde haired middle aged man sat down next to Banks. He was of slight build with a grey suit, white shirt and black tie. He carried a hand held police radio and made little effort to conceal a thirty eight snub nose pistol nestled in a body holster under his jacket.
“Got a job for me Fred?”
“Ah, Harrogan, yes.” Banks put the front page of the paper in front of him. “This bloke here, I need something on him, he’s going to be very handy.”
“Bit high profile to be picking on isn’t he Fred?”
Banks stared and growled at him. “I’ve already had Beagle give me a lecture Harrogan, don’t bother. I want something on him before Monday so we can front him with a preposition he can’t refuse.”
“Drink driving sound alright? Would be embarrassing for a man in his position to be found out of control.”
Banks smiled and nodded. “I like it, silver Rolls Royce rego no. RJB 1. Holden Road, Stirling is where you’ll find him. You wouldn’t want to mess this up Harrogan. I would have to be able to rely on my minister of police, when I get into office. This bloke could get us there.”
“I understand. Think I’ll go for a little drive in the hills, nice day for it.”
“Ring me as soon as you’ve got something, I’ll be waiting.” Harrogan left. Banks finished stuffing himself, climbed into his car and ran over two tables as he left.
Jason and Beagle were getting on like a house on fire. Jason was amazed at how Beagle could come up with city costing on his proposed park straight off the top of his head. Not only that, but he gave Jason the great idea that donations thrown into an old well there could go to the constant care and upgrading of the park as time went on. Beagle agreed to draw up a plan for the entire construction and running of the park then pass it on to Jason. As Beagle left he wrote his appointment for the party meeting in his diary. Under Monday the tenth of July, seven pm, meeting with Australian People’s Party, intent unknown.
Beagle rang Banks straight away on his mobile, telling him of his successful encounter with Jason. Banks chuckled as he put down his phone, “Just like taking candy from babies,” he whispered to himself.
It was ten twenty when Jason was returning from a jaunt into Stirling to browse over the bakery delicacies. He cruised along quietly singing to himself, he was no further than two hundred metres from his driveway when Harrogan struck. He wheeled his white Holden Commodore in front of Jason in wild fashion, with siren blaring and lights flashing. Harrogan confronted Jason who had pulled up behind him.
Harrogan showed his identification as he spoke, “Do you mind stepping out of your vehicle long-hair?”
Jason uncoupled his seat belt and climbed out. “What seems to be the problem?”
“Don’t give me a hard time long-hair, you were speeding along Holden Road, hundred and forty kilometres an hour. You got a licence to drive this tub of shit?”
Jason pulled his wallet from the glove compartment and handed his licence to Harrogan.”
Harrogan waved it around as he spoke, “You won’t be seeing this for a while, but I suppose a bloke like you can afford a taxi, eh?”
“I didn’t think I was speeding; in fact I thought I was going a little under the speed limit.”
“Pissed as well aren’t you, getting a bit agro.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t drink alcohol.”
Harrogan handed back Jason’s licence after writing in his note book. “You’ve given me every standard line in the book long-hair, blokes like you don’t deserve what they have. This car was daddy’s wasn’t it. Wasted on a prick like you. You’ll be hearing from us....Mr Brinkly.” Harrogan climbed in his car and roared of in a cloud of smoke. He immediately rang Banks.
“I just met your mate, he’s just a long-haired prick, probably a drugo as well. Some kind of musician or something isn’t he?”
“He’s a very rich and influential man Harrogan, you haven’t cocked this up have you?”
“I deal with cock heads like him every day. You didn’t tell me he was a long-hair. I hate those bastards, when do you want to front him?”
“I think he’s a bit smarter than you think Harrogan.”
“He wouldn’t know if his arse was on fire, he didn’t know what to say. This will be a pleasure.”
“I’ll give him a ring in about an hour, arrange to see him as soon as. Then we can
lay it on him.”
“No worries, I’ll wait for your call.”
Jason waited at home; he thought the encounter with Harrogan was all too ridiculous to have any merit, bar something underhanded. He had always had a healthy regard for the police and if there was someone in their midst like Harrogan, he felt at ease he would be able to bring it out in the open. An hour passed, he sat by the phone knowing it would ring. Tammy looked at him knowing what had happened; they could plainly hear each other’s thoughts when together. She smiled reassuringly at her father; they knew the path they were to follow continued to lead them. An hour passed, the phone rang.
“Jason Brinkly.”
“Mayor Fred Banks, I need to see you as soon as possible Jason. It’s very important. I ran into a friend just now and er, we need to talk, somewhere nice and private.”
Jason and Tammy smiled at each other. “This is rather inconvenient and unusual Fred, but how about my office in an hour?”
“That’s twelve thirty, yes that will be fine. You must be alone Jason, this is a very delicate matter.”
“As you wish Fred, see you then.”
Jason stood at the window of his office looking into the street at twelve twenty five. A Mercedes pulled up, out climbed Banks and Harrogan. Jason sat behind his desk; he had left the door of his office open, they walked straight in. Banks greeted Jason, Harrogan walked to the window, lit a cigarette ignoring Jason.
“This is Inspector Harrogan of Adelaide CIB.”
“Yes we’ve met, charming gentleman.”
“So I hear Jason, I just happen to run into Harrogan in town here. He mentioned he had just had to deal with you as your name on the front page of the paper is what brought it up. I was wanting to do big things with you Jason, but this kind of press would cause uproar. Speeding, drunk, not the kind of conduct we could condone in any political arena. Harrogan is a good friend of mine, he will forget about this, but we will need your co-operation on a few things.”
“So you are convinced that I was drunk and speeding not two hours ago Fred?”
Harrogan turned from the window. “Look long-hair! I’ll run you in now if you don’t listen a bit more carefully to what Fred is saying!”
“Harrogan is a fine officer Jason, he is very concerned about your behaviour, he just wants to be reassured we can expect your co-operation or he may have to do, well, what is just his duty. To protect the public from this kind of behaviour. If that was to be the case, I would have to distance myself from you. I don’t want to do that just for a silly mistake. I’m sure you understand.”
“It’s good to see Mr Harrogan is so good at his job, I would just like to think about this for a while.”
Harrogan leant over the desk and stared at Jason; when he looked into Jason’s eyes he felt a morbid fear. He hesitated, then spoke. “We’ll be here at one pm on Monday long-hair. We will tell you want we want then or run you in, it’s up to you.”
“Very well, I will see you then. Look forward to it Fred. I’m sure we can do business.”
“That’s more like it Jason.” Banks shook Jason’s hand. Banks experienced the same morbid fear as Harrogan when he touched Jason’s hand.
Harrogan turned as he went out the door. “One pm Monday long-hair, don’t forget.” As they drove away Harrogan was worried and frowned. “Something scared the shit out of me in there Fred, the quicker we stitch this guy up the better.”
“You’re right there, the sooner we have this guy in our pocket the better. I had the same kind of feeling last time I met him, but we’ll fix that, one pm on Monday.”
