Back to the Pilliga

by Tony Parsons

  ‘That’s more or less what I’m planning to do. Superintendent Ballinger has already approved me calling on the services of my old partner in the force, DI Luke Stirling to help me. But I think it would look too suspicious having another bloke with me.’

  ‘There’ll be no need for you to import anyone,’ Morris said mildly.

  ‘That’s great, Ming. I’m not here to embarrass you and if we play our cards right, maybe we’ll both win big. I came here as my first port of call because I always try and do the right thing by the local police. Now what do you reckon?’ I asked.

  Morris held out his hand. ‘We’ll give you all the help you need,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks, Ming. I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.’

  ‘I hope not. You going out to the old place?’ he asked.

  ‘I’ll be going out to see my mother. I’d really appreciate it if you don’t let on who I am for the time being. It’d be great to have some breathing space before the word gets out that I’m up here. If these crims are around and at all smart, they might just put two and two together,’ I said.

  ‘You’re asking for the impossible, Lachie,’ Morris protested. ‘You’re well known in this town and district. The first person who spots you will have it around the district inside a few hours.’

  ‘I don’t aim to be spotted. And maybe I’ll only need a few days. Do you know much about the Challis family?’ I asked.

  ‘Billy Challis was seriously injured in that accident just down the road from where you were camped last night. He’s been taken to Dubbo Hospital. His mate was killed.’

  ‘How many of them are there?’ I asked.

  ‘Too many. Then again, one would be too many of that family.

  They’re not much chop. There’s old man Challis and then there’s Ted and Peter and Jack and Billy. Peter is the pick of the boys. He’s working on a property near Coonamble. There are two girls as well. One of them works in town and the other does odd jobs,’ said Morris.

  ‘Have you seen Ted lately?’ I asked.

  ‘No, he’s the only member of the family we haven’t seen. The Sydney boys told me he was living with a woman at Bondi a while ago but hasn’t been seen for ages. I wouldn’t think Ted was bright enough to organise a big bank robbery,’ said Morris.

  ‘Probably not. But he might have been bright enough to drive the getaway vehicle. Did Sydney mention anything of the kind to you?’ I asked.

  ‘They asked us not to go making enquiries about him, and just to keep a watching brief out for him and let them know if he surfaces. So far he hasn’t,’ said Morris.

  ‘The police are hoping Ted will lead them to the other two blokes. If you haven’t seen him he’s probably lying low and the best place to do that is in the Pilliga. His known associates are all Sydney blokes. The big question is whether he and his crim mates are here or somewhere else. Though it’s not as salubrious as the Gold Coast, it’s probably a lot safer for crims, and he hasn’t been sighted anywhere else,’ I said.

  ‘Okay, Lachie,’ said Morris.

  ‘Where do the Challises hang out?’ I asked.

  ‘They’ve got a big old weatherboard house in town and a bit of land out near the Gorge. The old man and Rita live mainly in town though old Charlie goes out to the property fairly often. Charlie’s dodgy but not big time. We’re fairly certain he’s been mixed up in stock stealing over the years but we’ve never been able to nail him. We’ve inspected cattle at his yards on the Gorge property and never found a trace of a stolen beast. His boys would know that area like the back of their hands. Beyond the Challis place it’s all heavy timber and you’d need an army to search it. Cattle probably couldn’t survive in there anyway. But Charlie and his neighbours have got some hundreds of acres of cleared country where cattle do all right. He’s as cunning as a bush rat and he’s been too clever for us,’ Morris admitted.

  ‘What’s out at the Gorge these days?’ I asked.

  ‘It’s a designated camping ground and one of the nicest spots in the Pilliga. There’s a little creek with a small waterfall above a rock pool about the area of a fifty metre swimming pool. There are no amenities, though there’s been talk of putting toilets and a shower unit there. There’s a timber lease on the other side of the creek and just up the road you come to the first house. The Challis place adjoins it. There’s koalas in the trees along the creek,’ said Morris.

  ‘The Gorge seems the right place to make a start then, so I’ll give it the once-over first. If I come away with the slightest suspicion Caroline Clemenger is being held out there, I might need to import a policewoman to help me out. A local might be recognised,’ I said.

  Morris looked at me aghast. ‘That’s a bit over the fence, Lachie. What’s your idea?’

  ‘I’m going to poke about posing as a wildlife photographer. I’ve got all the gear for it. It’s a good enough cover but a woman would probably add more legitimacy.’

  ‘I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking a female officer to go bush with you, Lachie. You’re not even a police officer now so asking for a policewoman to work with you would be very irregular. Anyway, where would she sleep and all that sort of thing?’

  ‘I’d move into my vehicle and she could have my tent. She’d be working undercover. Only thing is that she’d have to take her directions from me.’

  ‘If you were still in the Force it might be a different matter, but there’s just no way I could sanction a civilian giving orders to a police officer,’ said Morris.

  ‘Well rather than calling them orders, we could call them suggestions she’d be well advised to accept. Anyway, as I said before everything I’m doing is irregular because it’s an irregular sort of case,’ I said calmly.

  ‘But there’s a fair degree of risk. I know you were a good detective and the Sydney brass are supporting you, but if anything goes wrong it’ll be me who cops the flak,’ he said.

  ‘Not necessarily. If Ballinger sends me a female officer and anything goes wrong it’ll be Sydney that cops the flak. But that’s assuming the worst possible outcome. I’m trying to come at these fellows, if they’re around here, in a way that doesn’t involve gunplay,’ I said.

  ‘How did Ballinger react when you said you might want a female cop?’ Morris asked.

  ‘He doubted whether the Commissioner would agree but he didn’t turn me down flat. He knows I wouldn’t suggest anything unless I had a good reason,’ I said.

  ‘I’ll think about it and maybe talk to Ballinger,’ said Morris.

  ‘That’s okay. I may not need anyone at all. These guys may not even be here anyway,’ I said.

  ‘If you’re going into the Pilliga to look for crims why don’t you use a male officer as back-up? It’s far too risky going out on your own but I’d prefer a bloke to a woman,’ said Morris.

  I shook my head. ‘As I said to the Sydney brass, two men poking about just wouldn’t look right.’

  ‘I suppose you’re armed?’ he said.

  I nodded.

  ‘Can I see it?’ he asked.

  I took out my gun and passed it across to him.

  ‘A Browning, eh,’ he said, giving it a thorough inspection before he handed it back to me. ‘How long has it been since you’ve last used a gun?’ he asked.

  ‘I keep up the practice,’ I said. ‘As for the Browning, I don’t like running short of bullets. A six-shot was once nearly the death of me. I also have a Mannlicher rifle with scope sight and a double barrel twelve gauge.’

  ‘I hope you don’t have to use any of them while you’re here,’ he said.

  ‘Me, too. But if I do it’ll only be because I have to. The fellows who robbed the bank were both armed,’ I said.

  He nodded. Police took the view that any crim with a firearm was likely to use it.

  After a bit more chat about local stuff Ming scribbled something on his pad and tore off the page and gave it to me. ‘The top number is this station. The second one is my home number and the bottom one is my mobile number. R
ing me at any hour if you need help,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks,’ I said, taking the piece of paper. ‘Now, if you’re agreeable I’d like to route all messages to and from me via this station.

  Right now I’d like to send an email to Superintendent Ballinger.’

  ‘Good idea. We’ll send it on the way out. Let’s have that bit of paper back and I’ll add our email particulars.

  I wrote out my message and handed the pad back to him. It read:

  Have made contact with Senior Sergeant Morris/ Coonabarabran, who is extending full cooperation. Please use this number for all messages directed to me. Please do not, repeat not, use my name in messages. Use instead L. Rivers.

  I have informed SS Morris that I may need a female police officer to add legitimacy to my cover. Could you please examine who is available in this field should I need her?

  Morris looked at me in a funny kind of way. He’d probably never been involved with a private investigator who corresponded with the head brass in Sydney as if he was one of them.

  Ballinger would probably bust his gut when he read my message and it was odds on that he’d get in touch with Morris quickly to try and find out what I actually knew. I thought there was a good chance that I’d get my policewoman. Just who I’d get was another matter.

  ‘You’re presuming a lot,’ said Morris.

  ‘I have a funny feeling about this case,’ I said.

  I stood beside Morris as he typed out my message wondering if I’d been a bit high-handed. It’s true that what I was asking for was a bit irregular but if it produced results that would be all that mattered to the police. There was nothing they hated so much as an unsolved crime or a case that couldn’t be closed because of insufficient evidence.

  ‘Where can we get hold of you?’ Morris asked.

  ‘I’ll be with my sister and her husband tonight. He’s the accountant, Laurie Stratton. If you come looking for me please use an unmarked vehicle and no uniforms,’ I told him.

  ‘Is that where you’re heading now?’ he asked.

  ‘That’s right. My sister Flora and Sheila Cameron have been friends for years and I need to talk to Sheila about whether she’s sure it was Caroline Clemenger she spotted in that car,’ I said.

  ‘You’ll have a job remaining anonymous if anyone sees you with Sheila Cameron,’ Morris said with a broad grin. ‘You might as well use a loud hailer. I’ll give it a day and the whole district will know. Give it a week and they’ll have you engaged to Sheila.’

  ‘They won’t see me with her. We’ll meet for dinner at Laurie and Flora’s place,’ I said.

  ‘Did Sheila say anything about the people who were with Caroline Clemenger?’ Morris asked.

  ‘Mrs Kendall was vague about that. She mustn’t have asked for descriptions of the men,’ I said.

  ‘It seems there’s a lot I don’t know about,’ Morris said harshly.

  ‘Well I’m telling you what I know and if I learn anything worthwhile from Sheila I’ll pass it on pronto. I can understand why the Sydney boys are treading so lightly. If I locate the bank robbers and they or you move on them and Caroline Clemenger is killed – that’s supposing she’s still alive – there’ll be a hell of a ruckus. Her mother wields a lot of influence,’ I said.

  I was halfway to the front door when Morris called me back and nodded towards the screen on his computer. Open on it was an email saying:

  Perfectly content that Mr Rivers can handle the C matter.

  Mr Rivers must have a very good reason re his enquiry about the availability of a Sydney policewoman. This matter has now been discussed and approved at the highest level. If the request is made I have just such an officer in mind and I think she would suit the role admirably. She would have to volunteer as I wouldn’t order a female officer to go bush with Mr R. It is very irregular but Mr R produces results. We have a lot of faith in him.

  R. Ballinger Supt

  ‘It seems to me that you might just as well still be in the Force,’ said Morris.

  ‘I’ve got a lot more freedom of action now. I’m not tied down by regulations. I’d appreciate it you get back to Ballinger and thank him on my behalf.’

  He nodded and I left the station and walked across the parking lot to my vehicle. I had hardly reached it when I was halted by a shout from Morris who was standing outside the front door of the station. ‘Hang on, Lachie. Ballinger’s already emailed back.’

  I walked back to the station and looked at the return email, which had been marked urgent.

  Two men wearing balaclavas and gloves held up a branch of the United Bank on the North Shore. Same MO as Sydney job, third man drove getaway vehicle. Teller shot and wounded. Preliminary estimate of haul is over $100,000.

  If above men prove to be the ones you’re looking for in your area, please advise Mr Rivers to approach with extreme caution.

  R. Ballinger Supt

  I handed the message back to Morris whose face had noticeably hardened. ‘Does this increase or lessen your chances of getting a policewoman?’ he asked.

  ‘I think it’ll depend on future developments,’ I said.

  ‘She’ll need to know what she might be getting into,’ said Morris.

  ‘They’ll lay all that on the line,’ I said, preparing to leave again.

  ‘Good luck, Lachie,’ said Morris.

  ‘I’ll be talking to you. Thanks for your support in all this,’ I said.

  As I got in my car I felt a surge of relief. Morris was a straight shooter and I couldn’t have had anyone better to back me up.

  CHAPTER 10

  My mind turned off Morris and Caroline Clemenger when I got in the car because the meeting I was going to organise with Sheila Cameron rammed home the fact that I still wanted a wife but I was also dead scared of making another mistake. Two failures would be too much to take. My ideal woman would be someone who’d been reared in the bush and preferably wanted to live on a property and have some kids. I reckoned I probably had only one more chance at a successful marriage and it was important that my next partner wanted more or less what I did.

  Despite the issues we’d had with Father as kids I felt lucky to have been brought up on a farm with plenty of open spaces, close to the sources of food and with dogs, horses and decent air to breathe. The truth of the matter was that I’d never felt completely comfortable living in a city. I missed the community feeling of a country town and the closeness to nature. But I needed to put all thoughts of marriage and children away until I’d established whether Caroline Clemenger was dead or alive.

  I put on my dark glasses and donned my wide-brimmed Akubra, hoping they’d be sufficient to allow me to get to Flora’s house without anyone recognising me. Bush people don’t miss much. They see a strange vehicle, a strange new vehicle, and they take an immediate interest in its ownership. Unless a Rolls Royce or a Lamborghini was involved, most vehicles didn’t rate a second look in the city. There were too many of them. But the appearance of a strange new four-wheel drive in Coonabarabran was another matter.

  If the same three men had committed this latest bank heist, as suggested by the similarity of the MO, it could mean that Caroline Clemenger didn’t need guarding anymore because she was dead. However, there was also the possibility that word had reached the crims that Ted Challis had been sighted in the first robbery, causing them to use a different driver and leaving Ted to keep an eye on Caroline Clemenger.

  I snapped my mind back to family matters because I was getting close to Laurie and Flora’s big bungalow and I needed Flora to get Sheila to her house so I could talk to her. I had no idea what Sheila thought of me now but she couldn’t be told I was at Flora’s in case she refused to come. I knew she was crooked on me for picking Fiona over her but she had never married so she might be crooked on all men.

  After parking I walked around the small veggie garden to the back door. The kids would be at school and Laurie at work.

  ‘Lachie,’ Flora cried when she opened the door. ‘Oh, it
’s so good to see you and you couldn’t have come at a better time.

  ‘Hey sis,’ I said as she flung her arms round my neck.

  ‘What brings you here, Lachie?’ she asked after she released me. ‘Can you stay for lunch?’

  ‘Dinner, too, if you’ll have me,’ I said, smiling.

  ‘Terrific,’ she said leading me out to the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. ‘What’s doing? Lachie?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m here on a case but it’d be great if you could keep that quiet. How’s your crew?’ I asked, biting a stick of celery.

  ‘Laurie’s business is doing well but he’s still putting in too many hours. And now some of his mates are trying to talk him into running for mayor. God knows when we’ll see him if he does and he’s elected. The kids are doing well. Brett topped his grade last year and Katrina is doing really well in English,’ said Flora.

  We chatted more about the kids and their friends. Flora and Laurie had decided not to send either Brett or Katrina away to school, which I completely understood.

  ‘How’s Sheila?’ I asked after a while.

  ‘She’s in great form. She’s enjoying her new receptionist role at the surgery that opened here recently. We had lunch the other day and she was asking about you,’ said Flora.

  ‘I really need to speak with her about the case I’m up here working on. Is there any chance you could invite her over after work? Best not to let her know I’m here until she arrives though,’ I said.

  ‘Sure,’ said Flora. ‘Is the case you’re up here on about Caroline Clemenger’s disappearance?’

  ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘but I’ll tell you more later.’

  Flora finished preparing lunch and then went off to find the phone, complaining all the while about how the kids never put it back after they’d finished with it. After a while I heard her chatting and laughing and before long she was back saying, ‘She’ll be here about sixish. She just needs to finish updating a couple of files. I didn’t tell her you were here. It might sound silly but I don’t think Sheila has ever got over you opting for Fiona. Like me, she thought you were both making a mistake and we were right,’ she said.