by Ray Smithies
‘I still say Johnson’s security guards have some connection with the syndicate. Prior to Morgan’s arrival their deals were conducted through Charlie at some randomly chosen site. Whether the publican was aware of these undertakings is another thing. When I interviewed him he pleaded ignorance about drugs found on the premises, but then again the man is simply full of bullshit and not very convincing.’
Forbes continued. ‘His association with Stephen Buchanan and the Peterswood event conjures up some doubts about the man as explained earlier. Ben Johnson simply oozes suspicion, but the one thing that is contrary to his usual behavioural trait, was the way he conducted himself during the Russian roulette saga. Here was the normally arrogant and vindictive publican reduced to a weeping child that was literally an embarrassment to good old-fashioned manhood. Hardly the conduct of a bold and seasoned drug lord, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘But again we may have been subjected to a prima donna performance that could fool the untrained eye,’ suggested Doyle.
‘It’s possible he may have put on an act, but Johnson is blunt and transparent in his mannerisms. He doesn’t strike me as a man that would have a flare for the theatrics.’
‘I disagree. I believe that man is capable of just about anything,’ challenged Marsh.
Forbes ignored him and went on. ‘A further point which shouldn’t be overlooked is the purchase of real estate over the years. Here’s an accumulation of property far beyond the reach of most people. There’s no denying that Johnson has amassed his wealth through these ventures, but where did the capital derive from? One may immediately say by way of profits accrued from the Esplanade, or having the right connections such as Buchanan who would put up the principal. But consider a further possibility of dirty money by way of drug distribution. We know the guy isn’t squeaky clean, so is there some underlying deception behind these investments?’
‘Quite on the cards,’ reinforced Gallagher.
‘So, how does Ben Johnson fit into the scheme of things with regards to means, motive and opportunity? The means are clear due to his wealth and knowledge of people with position and influence. Additionally, he has the luxury of delegating the lesser tasks to his subordinates. He therefore has time up his sleeve when required. Motive is obvious. Here’s a man driven by blatant greed who will stop at nothing to expand his empire. Similarly, opportunity is apparent with both influential sources and the convenience of selecting his spare time when appropriate.’ Forbes stopped and reached for the jug of water and filled his glass. His constant talking had made him extremely dry.
‘I’ve kept the best for last - our caravan proprietor Tom Harrison. This man projects a friendly, generous and supportive image. He is diligent and cautious by nature. We have here either one very smart customer or Brigit O’Neill’s guardian angel. The two extremes can only be considered for there is no middle ground with this individual. So what will it be? Initially he was my leading contender and I must say a degree of suspicion still prevails. Here is an individual who has had considerable contact with the enemy. But whose enemy? Ours alone or does it include the mysterious Mr Harrison? He has led the Scorpio syndicate on a chase which inevitably caught up with him in the end. What was his motive in protecting Brigit O’Neill? Was it a Good Samaritan act or were there scrupulous intentions? Consider the rewards in presenting the girl to the Scorpio hierarchy.
‘If our caravan proprietor is indeed the Piedpiper, then city headquarters would pay handsomely to have O’Neill in isolation. Perhaps he was greedy in wanting the total payout himself. If this was indeed the intention then Harrison wasn’t particularly smart. He was comfortable and confident in his own surrounds, but on venturing outside the realms of the caravan park his vulnerability suddenly became apparent. Consider he was on his way to deliver the girl to the Scorpio hierarchy when his competitors intercepted, forcing Harrison to change his plans and seek refuge in the countryside. By and large he succeeded to some extent, but his luck eventually run out on the Molly Bloom. The man was simply outnumbered in the end.’
‘The man was protecting his niece. Any half-decent person would do the same,’ Gallagher protested.
‘These accusations are crazy!’ challenged Marsh.
‘Maybe, but you will insist in believing what your convictions dictate. Look at the bigger picture and at the possible scenarios which may have taken place. Don’t rely on the bad guy such as Johnson being the culprit, for inevitably the nice guy can also become the guilty party. A further consideration is that Harrison was never physically harmed.’
‘I’m well aware of that fact,’ said Marsh.
‘Be mindful that Harrison chose to ignore the protection and advice of the police, choosing instead to take the law into his own hands. He had prior opportunity to relinquish Brigit O’Neill to the authorities, but instead invented some cock-and-bull story that the police couldn’t provide adequate protection, so selfishly he decided to keep her in hiding. I still maintain Tom Harrison is not all he appears.’
‘Still say you’re barking up the wrong tree. To my way of thinking you have a personal vendetta against the man,’ claimed Doyle, not afraid to contradict his superior.
‘You’re entitled to your opinion, detective.’
Marsh had also become agitated with Forbes’ innuendos. He decided to challenge these unfounded insinuations.
‘Haven’t you overlooked something? Wasn’t it Tom Harrison who came forward with the Huesmann and Arthur Simpson testimonies, in addition to the discovery of the underground! Need I go on?’
‘That I won’t deny,’ acknowledged Forbes and added, ‘Good to see that our talks stir the emotions. It encourages open discussion and raises issues that may otherwise go undetected. Lay one’s cards on the table, so to speak.’
Paul Marsh simply glared at his superior for making such a tactless comment.
‘We would never have progressed this far without Tom’s contribution,’ added Parnell.
‘Again that’s a matter of opinion!’ snapped Forbes. ‘Now we come to the means, motive and opportunity. Harrison’s means are self-explanatory. He personally stuck his head into the matter, claiming Brigit’s life was in danger and it would be best for all concerned if he took charge in hiding her from the syndicate. Although he had Helen’s consent, the circumstances could be interpreted as bordering kidnapping.’
‘Hang on a moment, that’s a bit strong. Brigit freely allowed the situation to happen,’ protested Marsh.
‘I said bordering, not officially. The means continues in the form of a caravan park, transport and Hamish O’Connor’s residence. Need I explain further? Motive is also obvious, considering a reward would have been forthcoming in the event of Brigit’s delivery. And finally opportunity was in abundance, given he dictated his niece’s predicament for an extraordinary length of time.’
‘You can’t be serious about Tom’s intentions.’ Doyle’s comment predictably fell on deaf ears.
‘So there we have it, our seven dubious suspects, where one is guilty and the rest simply make up numbers. Your task is to chose the Piedpiper and give me your reasons for the selection,’ instructed Forbes.
‘But what if your assumption is wrong, meaning that Hanna is the offender after all,’ claimed Parnell.
‘Come on, what more convincing evidence do you need? I’ll walk to China if Lou Hanna’s the Piedpiper,’ declared Forbes.
‘Before we make our selections I have a question. How do you propose to catch the Piedpiper?’ asked Marsh, who was of the opinion this seemed more relevant than five people coming up with five possible different answers.
‘I was coming to that so we might as well address the matter now. I’ve given a lot of thought to this very issue and have decided to lay a trap,’ stated Forbes.
‘What sort of trap?’
‘We need to coax the Piedpiper into believing there is some damaging evidence that needs to be retrieved by the authorities.’
‘How?’
�
�Cast your mind back to the underground gallery at the very moment the Scorpio traitor announced his intentions. If you recall, the committee members were lined up against the wall directly below the renegade. This factor is crucial for it enables our plan to become believable.’
‘How so?’ questioned Parnell.
‘Because it denied the committee any view of the man.’
‘Go on,’ Gallagher said.
‘It’s a long shot but one that’s certainly worth a try. We’ll invent a story whereby the traitor held a piece of paper allegedly containing the name of the Piedpiper. In his moment of accusation he held and waved the paper high, giving the impression that it was to become both a vocal and written announcement. From the committee’s position below, it would be near impossible to see someone above holding any incriminating written matter. From their point of view the traitor’s intention appeared to be only verbal.’
‘Sounds feasible, but how do you propose we go about laying the trap?’ questioned Parnell.
‘Tomorrow afternoon we see the return of our suspects to sign statements. In the short term this may be our only opportunity when the seven are gathered together. It’s therefore vital to bait the guilty party during the course of this appointment. We’re fortunate the visitor’s room is located opposite my office, so I suggest that while they’re waiting to sign statements, we carry out our conversation with my door slightly opened. Our voices can be raised to give the impression we are in dispute, which in itself should attract a degree of interest. Hopefully our little charade will result in a hook, line and sinker performance.’
‘Come in, spinner,’ reiterated Parnell.
‘We would need to be convincing, but it just might work,’ offered Marsh.
‘Then we’ll need some practice if we are to succeed with this -’ Parnell began.
‘All in good time, but first your nominations for Piedpiper. Please write down your selection and pass them over.’ Forbes placed each sheet in his top drawer without looking at the answers.
‘Gallagher, you may go first,’ offered Forbes.
‘Not easy, boss, I have two suspects in mind ...’
‘The rules stipulate one person only. The purpose of my exercise is to establish if there is a common thought process in uncovering the person I believe is guilty. Please continue.’
‘Well, I came to the conclusion it must be Stephen Buchanan,’ Gallagher commenced.
‘And why is that?’ questioned Forbes.
‘Twofold, actually. First, a drug operation of this magnitude requires financial support and Buchanan is ideally placed to inject the necessary funds.’
‘Wrong. The capital required to support a regional operation would derive from city headquarters. But go on,’ urged Forbes.
‘Buchanan was conveniently placed at the time of the Peterswood assault. Also keep in mind he carried an unknown person with him in a vehicle identical to Scorpio’s 4WD.’
‘Again I disagree. The attack on the O’Connor’s residence was carried out by Charlie and Mick, who happen to drive a similar vehicle. It defies logic that two further people would lie in wait and not participate in the assault.’
‘But his failure to acknowledge the presence of Harrison and O’Neill in Ashworth was strange to say the least, plus the telephone call you witnessed in the cafe was highly suspicious,’ said Gallagher and then added, ‘And don’t forget he was seen with Johnson snooping around the central star well intersection in town.’
‘You’re clutching at straws now. These points are hardly enough to arrest someone over. Did anyone else select Stephen Buchanan?’
‘I did,’ confessed Doyle.
‘Well, you’re both wrong,’ replied Forbes bluntly.
‘In your opinion, boss,’ Gallagher retaliated.
‘Detective Marsh, who did you come up with?’ asked Forbes ignoring the gibe.
‘Martha Kellett,’ Marsh responded.
‘And why?’
‘Because she’s the only suspect who has a direct link with Scorpio.’
‘A contentious issue, but highly circumstantial.’
‘But with Martha employing the services of Lou Hanna, she must have had some prior knowledge of the man,’ stated Marsh.
‘Wrong. Her handyman derived from an employment agency Therefore Martha could only select from the list of names available at the time. What else have you got?’
‘Drugs and youth flourish in Pedley, so to my way of thinking the Kellett women was in an ideal position to feed the habit via her charity work.’
‘Pure speculation. I took the liberty of checking her charitable duties and there was not the slightest hint of foul play. Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t run the risk of linking the two roles together. You’ll have to do better than that. Anything further?’
With Marsh gone silent, Forbes hoped his remaining detective could provide something more constructive.
‘So, Detective Parnell, who do you believe it is?’
‘Ben Johnson, despite his unpopular profile.’
‘And your reasons?’
‘The only suspect to have been caught in possession of drugs.’
‘Correction - his subordinates were found in possession, not Johnson himself,’
‘But within the confines of the Esplanade, boss,’ said Parnell.
‘Still not good enough, detective. Johnson denied all knowledge and it would be difficult to prove otherwise. What else do you have?’
‘I’d have to disagree. Take into consideration Morgan’s visits to the Esplanade just prior to closure. And throw in all those alleged deals through Charlie by certain staff members. You can’t tell me Johnson was totally ignorant of these undertakings,’ added Parnell with a touch of aggravation.
‘You continue to speculate. Your argument is based on assumptions. I’m looking for something with substance and quite frankly you’ve all failed miserably with your analysis. Your legwork into these individuals leaves a lot to be desired.’
Forbes’ ruthless swipe was not particularly well received.
Paul Marsh decided to challenge his superior. ‘Very well, if you believe to have the answer then let’s have it.’
‘In two words, Ashley Collins.’
‘What!’
‘Let me explain. It took some convincing to discard Tom Harrison, so in the end I had to get rid of my gut feel and base my answer on factual information. Our reporter is not the squeaky clean image he portrays. Of our seven suspects, Collins is the only one with a prior conviction, and you guessed it, drug trafficking.’
‘Then why didn’t you explain this in your summary?’
‘To test your research ability. Ashley Collins lived in the city before moving to Pedley, during which time he was arrested for a minor role in some moderate bust. He received a one-year jail sentence for his trouble, which was later reduced to eight months. Despite the minor setback I believe his contacts on the outside kept in touch, because they viewed Collins as an integral part of their organisation. Why? Because in my opinion the man held a trump card that would be the envy of any flourishing syndicate, his knowledge of the underground network. I daresay Collins dangled a carrot on the proviso he would head the southern operation on his release. No doubt Scorpio was looking for suitable premises to set up a regional base and Collins could provide the ideal location to carry out their criminal activities.
‘But how would he come to know all this?’ asked Doyle.
‘Collins has an aunt living in Pedley and had spent considerable time in the place, during which time he researched the subterranean passageways. I believe his employment at the Advertiser to be only a front, which is a clever choice of occupation given his free reign on the case. He’s therefore ideally placed to snoop around and determine if there’s a pending threat to the syndicate. As I pointed out before, he’s in a powerful position to dictate and influence people by his front-page articles. Ashley Collins is our man, make no mistake. You only have to recall our visit and his susp
icious mannerisms.’
‘Seems pretty convincing,’ offered Parnell.
‘Something has suddenly occurred to me. Doesn’t the Piedpiper allegedly have a lover?’ prompted Doyle.
‘Supposedly, but one step at a time. We’re after the regional head, not some bloody sweetheart.’
‘Sorry, I thought the identity of his partner would assist.’ Doyle was a little put out by Forbes’ swipe.
‘Don’t breathe a word of our meeting to anyone,’ said Forbes, ‘especially not Burke.’
