'So you hadn't a prior arrangement to meet him in Albert Park?'
'No, I was amazed when he approached me and told me of my proposed role in the venture.'
'What did he ask you to do?'
'He said that he needed a pilot for an operation that was about to take place, and he wanted my help in securing one.'
'So why did you select Stuart Smith?' I asked.
'He was an experienced pilot and currently was flying planes that were large enough for Mr. Banderella's purposes.'
'How did you get his details?'
'I met him at that barbeque that you invited me to at his house. He was a perfect match for what was required.'
'So if I hadn't invited you to the barbeque, you wouldn't have known about him.' I was incredulous that I had been instrumental in Stuart's abduction.'
'Yes, and he told me all about himself at his party. I was even able to do a detailed recce of the property to see how we could get them out without being seen from the road. The fact that he lived in such a remote area helped.'
'Where is Stuart now?'
'I have no idea,' he replied. 'They didn't tell me what particular job he was needed for. While I was bringing his family to Dromana, Stuart was being taken to an airport somewhere. I haven't seen sight or sound of him since.'
'Who communicated with you after the abduction?'
'It was some lady. It certainly wasn't Luigi. She didn't give me her name.'
'And what about this lad Will? He doesn't seem much of a thug.'
'He is a local lad. I think he is the son of some friend of Luigi. He was totally unsuitable for the role he was asked to fulfil. On top of that, he wouldn't listen to or obey instructions.'
'Have you any other gems that I should be aware of?' I leaned forward in my chair, placing my elbows on the table looking into his eyes.
'I did hear them talk about the Northern Territory. That is where they could have flown. Also, Stuart and his plane were taken because they were capable of flying long distances. Other than that I don't have any other details.'
'Thanks Clive for being sensible and telling me all this. As I suspected Luigi forced you into breaking the law; however, I am shattered that you were behind the car thefts. I will pass that particular piece of information onto Inspector Baird, and he will take action in London.'
'What is going to happen to me now?' Clive inquired.
'I will pass this information on to Inspector Johnson and he will decide. He will probably lock you up to keep you safe.'
I got up and knocked on the door. The Officer waiting outside relieved me of Clive and marched him back to his cell.
Chapter 13
I suddenly felt exhausted; I had spent about an hour and a half interviewing Clive, plus I had been up virtually the whole night. I sat down to await the Inspector and was practically asleep when he came in.
'How did it go Vince?'
'Very well - You were spot on in your assessment of him. It didn't take much persuasion to get him to talk.'
'Was he able to tell you where Stuart Smith was taken to?'
'No, he claims that he has no idea where they took Stuart; however, he did say he heard them mention Northern Territory. He also said that the reason they had selected Stuart was because he is a seasoned pilot on a Beechcraft King Air 250, and this plane is capable of flying long distances.'
'That's very useful information and is supported by the fact that we know the plane flew North on the night that it was stolen.' The Inspector nodded his head. 'I am starting to get a better idea as to what is going on, Vince.'
'He also confirmed to me that Luigi Bandarella is the man behind the abduction. Clive was terrified that Luigi would come after him if he knew that he had supplied us with information.'
'I will make sure that Mr Newsome is kept in isolation for the immediate future. Luigi might happen to have a man on the inside who could be instructed to get rid of our witness.'
'I told him that you would protect him as part of the deal he would get for having told us what was going on.'
'What else did he tell you?' the Inspector inquired.
I gave him a detailed account of the topics we had discussed in the interview. At times, I struggled to remember because I was drained, and my brain wasn't functioning too well.
'I bet that you were surprised when he told you that he was involved in the luxury car thefts in London?' the Inspector remarked.
'Surprised isn't a strong enough word to describe how I felt. At the time I thought some of the boat owners were leaking the information, but it turned out to be the last person that I would have expected - Clive.'
'Would he have known your movements because I think that I remember you telling me that there was a shooting incident on the quayside in Rhodes?'
'There is a strong possibility that he did know where I might be and what the plan of action was. Thankfully, I didn't tell him anything about the raid on the gang's headquarters in Marmaris, Turkey as that was all organized when I was with the services in Cyprus.'
'It just shows you how careful you have to be; you never know who you are up against.' The Inspector gave me a knowing smile.
''Do you still want me to talk to Clive's accomplice?' I asked the Inspector. I was so tired that I wanted to skip this opportunity. If I didn't get some sleep soon, I would keel over right where I was and pass out.
'I want you to talk to him, but there is no hurry. I suggest that I get you dropped off at Tony's place, and I will have you picked up around 1.30pm. You can interview Will this afternoon as soon as you get here. It won't do him any harm to cool his heels until this afternoon. In fact, it might make him even more talkative.'
The Inspector organized for a driver to take me home. It was 6.30am, but I was relieved to see that it was still dark. I would have had trouble getting to sleep if dawn had already broken. I could still pretend that it was night time.
Tony had left the front door open when he had left for work, so I was able to get to my room. I immediately fell into a deep sleep.
I didn't wake up till just after midday. I showered, dressed and went to the kitchen.
'Good afternoon Vince,' Sally said. 'I gather that you had a successful night, and Mags and the kids have been rescued.'
'Yes, and thank goodness they were all OK. They were obviously traumatised by the kidnapping but in remarkably good form. '
'Where did they take them?' she asked.
'The police took them to a hotel for the night so they will have been safe.'
'Do you have to go back to the police station today, Vince?'
'Yes, they are picking me up at 1.30pm.'
'I'll cook you an omelette as I can rustle that up quickly. They will be here soon.'
'That would be perfect. If the driver comes before I am finished, he can just wait. I am not going out hungry.'
'I'll be as quick as I can. You can sit on the veranda, and I will bring the food out to you as soon as it is ready.'
'Many thanks, Sally. I appreciate the service.'
Surprisingly I was feeling quite fresh even though I had only been asleep for five hours. My brain was already starting to tick over and think about what was going to happen next in the saga I had become involved in.
Daphne had allowed me off my leash but on strict instructions that once the family were safe I should step away from the action and return to the UK. Once I was finished interviewing Clive and Will, I would tell the Inspector that I couldn't remain involved. That was the theory, in fact; I wanted to try and find Stuart even though the police were already involved. Perhaps I could bring something extra to the investigation especially as I had dealt with these people before. Clive had made a fool out of me, presumably with the involvement of the Italian Mafia boss, Luigi Bandarella. I wanted to get even with him even if he was no longer involved.
I had just finished my lunch when the police vehicle arrived to pick me up.
I gave Sally a kiss on the cheek as I went out to t
he car.
'When will you be back, Vince?'
'I don't know Sally. I suppose you will see me when you see me.'
Back at the Tullamarine police station I was brought by the driver into the open plan office that I had used the night before. This time it was full of people, and there was a buzz about the place.
Ten minutes later a female police officer came over to me.
'Major Hamilton, if you like to accompany me, I will bring you to Inspector Johnson's office.'
We went down a corridor stopping outside a door with the Inspector's name on it. She knocked. There was a loud 'Come in.'
The Inspector was sitting behind his desk working on a pile of papers.
'Hi Vince, how are you today.' He stood up and shook my hand.
'I am a lot better now than I was a few hours ago. I haven't been as tired as this in a long time; in fact, I don't ever remember being so tired. I hardly knew my own name by the time I went home.'
'So are you all set to talk to Will?'
'Yes, raring to go.'
The female officer was in the process of leaving the room when he called her back.
'Would you mind taking Major Hamilton to interview Room C and then organize for William McClatchy to be brought to him,' the Inspector instructed.
'Yes Sir,' she replied.
Room C turned out to be the same room that I had used last night.
Five minutes later there was a knock on the door and Will was ushered into my presence.
He was looking very dishevelled as if he hadn't enjoyed much sleep since I had last seen him. I hadn't realised how tall he was when I had met him at the house in Dromana; however, I hadn't been registering such details in the heat of the moment last night. He looked very young to be involved in all this.
He sat down opposite me putting both his elbows on the table and looking blearily towards me.
'Good afternoon Will. You survived the night OK?'
'Who are you, are you a policeman,' he grunted at me.
'My name is Vince Hamilton and I am a Private Investigator from the UK. I am helping the local police Inspector as I know Clive Newsome.'
'Why are you talking to me? I don't want to speak to you. I want a lawyer before I say anything.'
'If you don't wish to talk to me, then that is fine, but you might want to change your mind once you have heard what I have to say,' I explained. 'Clive Newsome has already filled me in on what was going on in Dromana and explained your involvement.'
'Has he told you everything?' Will sounded alarmed at what I already knew.'
'Pretty nearly everything. You will appreciate that we also found Mrs Smith and her two children at the house, so it didn't take a genius to work out what you were up to.'
'I was forced to help; there was no way that I wanted to be involved.' I could see tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
'How could they make you help?'
'I was buying drugs from them and they told me that if I didn't help them then they inform my parents what I had been up to.'
'You had better start at the beginning and tell me what happened in a logical sequence.'
'I come from Bendigo, which is a large town about two hundred kilometres from Melbourne. I came here to study at the University.'
'What age are you Will?' I interrupted him.
'I am twenty. In fact, I will be twenty-one in a couple of months' time. I have been studying at the University here for the past two years.'
'Please explain to me how you got involved with drugs,' I asked.
'I was at a party one night and I was offered some Ecstasy. It was free, so I tried some and liked it.'
'Was it a dealer who offered them to you or was it one of your fellow students.'
'I didn't know the guy at the time. Subsequently I discovered that he was a dealer,' Will replied.
'So how did you meet him again? I take it that you did buy from him again.'
'He gave me his mobile number if I ever needed to contact him.'
'So when did you phone him to get more drugs?'
'About a week after the first time I broke up with my girlfriend and I also flunked an exam. I was very depressed and needed a lift, so I contacted him.'
'Did you pay him this time?'
'I didn't have any money, so I got them on tick.'
'Let's fast forward a bit Will. Did you continue to use drugs and run up a hefty bill with the dealer?'
'Yes, I was incredibly stupid. I got hooked on Ecstasy and ended up owing, what for me, is a vast amount of money.'
'What happened next?'
Will stopped talking and leant his head on his arms. His shoulders started to shake with his sobs.
'Take your time Will,' I said. 'Continue when you are ready.' I felt very sorry for him.
He gradually stopped crying and gained control of his emotions. He raised his head to look at me and started to speak.
'I was walking home one dark evening from College when I was picked up by three men in a car. They took me to a park near Richmond and beat me up. I was told that I had two days to pay, or they would tell my parents and force them to pay.'
'Do your parents live in Bendigo?'
'Yes, my father runs a small food store in the town.'
'I take it that he wouldn't have been too pleased to be told that his son was on drugs and owed a small fortune to a drug ring,' I suggested.
'He probably would have beaten me up far more than the gang did.' For once he smiled.
'What happened next?'
'They left me in the park and I had to struggle back to my digs on the tram. The other students, who I shared the house with, wanted to know what had happened to me.'
'What did you tell them?'
'That I had a fight with somebody.'
'Did they believe you?'
'They could see that I had been in a fight and wanted me to report it to the police. I told them that I didn't wish to go the cops. They were all very suspicious as I had taken quite a severe beating.'
'So, what happened when you didn't come up with the money?'
'I was picked up again. This time there was an Italian man in the room where they brought me. This large oily Italian told me that unless I helped them that they would shoot me and get rid of my body in the sea. I would never be seen again.'
'I suppose that you agreed to help?'
'I had to agree to assist them otherwise they were going to shoot me.'
'Were you involved in the abduction of Stuart Smith and his family from their home in Fern Tree Gully?'
'No, they picked me up later from the centre of Melbourne.'
'Was Clive Newsome present at the abduction?'
'He told me afterwards that he was there as he had looked the place over prior to the operation taking place.'
'When you and Clive were at the house did they come and check on you?'
'Yes, the Italian man came once to warn us not to renege on the deals we had struck with him. He had two other thugs with him. I was terrified of all of them.'
'Are you still on drugs?' I asked him.
'Not since the last time that they picked me up. I have been too scared as I thought that they were going to carry out their promise to kill me and dump me in the bay.'
'One last question Will; do you know where they have taken Stuart Smith?'
'I haven't the faintest idea. I didn't even see him as he wasn't with the rest of the family when I was brought to the house in Dromana.'
'Is there anything else that you need to tell me?'
'No, but I would like to know what is going to happen to me now.'
'Unfortunately I can't tell you what punishment you will receive. You are in the hands of the police and the prosecutors, and they will decide. You have been heavily involved in a very serious case. You will have to face the consequences of your actions.'
'I am very fearful of my parents' reactions when they hear about all this. I am an only child, and they are going to be de
vastated.'
'Would you like me to break the news to them? It might be better for me to tell them rather than the police.'
'Would you do that for me?' A look of hope came into his eyes.
'You have been exceptionally stupid Will, but the least I can do for you is to phone your parents. Have you got a phone number that I can use?'
I wrote down the number that he gave me.
I couldn't think of anything else that I needed to know so I moved to the door and knocked. As before, the officer came in and then took Will back to his cell.
After about ten minutes, I was brought back to the Inspector's office.
'Another successful interview Vince?'
'Same old story. He was made to guard the hostages as they had a lot on him, and they threatened him with death if he didn't comply with their requests.'
'I'd be obliged if you would give us a written report of both the interviews you conducted,' the Inspector said. 'I will give you a Dictaphone if that would make it easier for you and we can then have that typed up.'
'That sounds like a better idea than writing it all out which would take me the best part of the day.'
'You can use a desk in the office you used previously. When you are finished come and see me and I will get you dropped home.'
'I promised Will that I would phone his parents for him. Can I use one of the phones in the office?'
'No Problem; just dial zero to get an outside line and then dial the number.'
'I'll be with you later then.'
This time I managed to find my own way to the office. I decided to phone Will's father before I started my report.
Chapter 14
'Good afternoon; Bendigo Costcutter,' the lady on the other end of the line said as she answered my call.
'Hi there; I'd like to speak to Mr McClatchy if that is possible.'
'Can you give me your name, please?'
'It's Vince Hamilton. I have some information for him about his son.'
'He's with a customer at the moment. Can you phone back later?'
'I am phoning from Tullamarine Police Station and it is quite urgent. Can you see if you can interrupt him?'
'Hold on Mr Hamilton, I'll see what I can do.' She put the phone down.
Danger Down Under: Another Vince Hamilton Investigation Page 10
