by Angus McLean
Chapter Eight
‘Gee,’ Mike said sarcastically, cracking open an icy Corona and passing it to Dan. ‘You’re a real popular guy.’
Dan took a draught of his beer and relaxed in his deck chair. They were sitting on the Crowley’s deck, surveying the back lawn bordered by Molly’s flower gardens, the vege garden in the far corner beside the shed and a cluster of citrus trees along the back fence.
‘I know. Everywhere I go, I make new friends. I’m like a Moonie.’
Mike gave him a quizzical look.
‘The dudes that hang out at the airport looking like Hare Krishna’s, trying to get people to join them?’
‘Exactly. A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet, you know.’
Mike grinned and popped the cap off his own bottle.
‘Rrriiight,’ he drawled. ‘I did three of the civvies on the list today, and none of them had anything good to say about you. You mustn’t get many Christmas cards.’
‘Huh. Which ones were they?’
‘Ahh, Millen the cheater who got beaten up by his wife’s new boyfriend, Pearce the thief who has been out of work since she lost her job at the supermarket, and Ip, that fake Chinese doctor who lost his house.’ Mike took a long swallow of Mexican beer. ‘Na, none of them liked you much at all.’
‘I’ve got another prison appointment tomorrow, but all the others currently serving time have declined to see me.’ He hiked his shoulders. ‘Some people are so picky.’
‘I’ve got another four to see tomorrow,’ Mike said, ‘I rang the rest but didn’t get anywhere with them.’
‘Why didn’t you just cold call them? Nobody wants to go out of their way to help you unless they have no choice.’
‘I told them all I was investigating you and your suitability for a license,’ Mike grinned. ‘Most of them were happy to talk about that.’
Molly stepped out onto the deck with a plate of meat in one hand and a fruity fizzy drink in the other.
‘Is the barbie hot yet?’ she asked, and Dan got up, taking the plate from her.
‘Sure is, baby doll. Ready, willing and able.’ He gave her a peck on the cheek. ‘Just like me.’
She rolled her eyes and sat down in his chair, watching as he placed the pork chops and sausages on the grill with a satisfying hiss. Glancing at Mike, she noticed he was sitting still with his head cocked to the side.
‘What’s up with you?’ she asked, and he held his finger to his lips to shush her. She waited for a moment before he spoke again.
‘I thought I-’ he started to explain, then they all heard it.
A rustle from near the shed, followed by a distinctive sound of movement.
‘Stay here,’ Dan snapped to Molly, leaping off the deck with Mike hot on his heels. They dashed across the back lawn, seeing someone in jeans and a green sweater roll over the top of the back fence into the neighbour’s property.
Dan hit the fence at pace, placing one foot half way up, grabbing the top and hauling himself over in one smooth movement. He dropped into the neighbour’s garden, seeing fresh footprints in the dirt and the prowler disappearing down the side of the house towards the road that ran parallel to theirs.
He gave chase, hearing Mike shout behind him, ‘I’ll go right!’
Mike darted down the right hand side of the house, dodging a cat and jumping a side fence into the front yard. Looking around, he couldn’t see Dan or the prowler anywhere.
He jogged to the footpath, glancing both ways. Nothing except a car parked 100 metres up the road.
Meanwhile, Dan had followed the prowler to the roadside and cut hard left into the next property. He could see the prowler-he was pretty sure now it was a guy-running down the drive towards the second house on the subdivided property.
He continued the chase, losing sight of his quarry as the guy rounded the end of the second house. Dan barrelled around the corner at speed, straight into a wooden garden stake being swung horizontally. It impacted straight across his beltline and knocked the wind out of him, stopping him dead in his tracks. He didn’t even see the second blow coming on the backswing, just felt it slam across his back as he folded forward at the waist.
Pain shot up his ribcage and he felt his head go dizzy as he pitched forward, landing on his knees and shoulder, gasping like a stranded fish. He tried to stay in that position but the next blow was a boot to the kidney which made him drop and roll in agony, bringing his knees up to protect his torso.
The prowler stepped forward and leaned over him. Even with his swimming vision, Dan recognised Ben, the young guy they’d stung in the honey trap last week.
Ben’s face was contorted with rage, dry flecks of spit flying from his lips as he snarled at Dan.
‘You’re not good enough! You’re nothing!’
His fist smashed down and felt like a wrecking ball as it drove into Dan’s face, splitting his lip and snapping his head sideways. He straightened up and readied himself to deliver another kick when Mike came into his sight, sprinting down the driveway towards him.
Mike was a big guy and moving fast, knees and fists pumping as he raced towards Ben.
Ben turned tail and dashed to the back fence, up and over the fibrolite with ease, disappearing into the next property.
Mike raced past Dan in a flash, lining up a section of the fence that was cracked and had no supporting beam across it. Bringing his forearms up before him and barely breaking stride, he smashed straight through the fence and kept going across the next lawn.
Ben got to the road and cut right, heading straight for his rental car parked further up the road. He had a decent lead and made it to the car as Mike burst out onto the road.
Revving the engine, he shot forward, lining up Mike who was in the road facing him. The engine was redlining and the tyres smoking as he bore down on the blonde private eye.
It looked like Mike was going to try and jump on the bonnet, but at the last second, with the bumper just a couple of metres away, he threw himself desperately sideways onto the verge. Ben swerved and hit the kerb with a jolt, bouncing up onto the grass but missing Mike, who rolled straight across the footpath out of harm’s way.
Dirt and grass sprayed up from the wheels as Ben gunned the engine, cut back onto the road, and accelerated away.
Mike lay there and watched him go, repeating the number plate over and over to himself.
Chapter Nine
‘What I don’t get,’ Mike was saying, ‘is why him? It’s not like we actually did anything to him, really. Everything that happened was caused by him himself.’
‘Mmm.’ Dan shifted slightly on the couch, one hand tenderly holding his strapped up ribs. He had a fat and split lip, a cracked rib and heavy bruising to his torso. Doped up on meds, he’d not taken much part in the conversation so far.
Molly watched as his eyes closed and he drifted off again, and she yawned herself. They were all tired after a long night, firstly at the hospital getting Dan checked out and then with the Police. Molly and Mike had both given statements, but Dan wasn’t up to it and was going to be seen later in the day when hopefully he was more awake.
She had left a message for Buck but hadn’t heard back yet, and hadn’t heard anything from DI Kennedy, who was presumably aware - Mike had made a point of impressing on the two young cops who attended that Kennedy already had a file on the matter, which, again presumably, was linked.
Mike had spent the night in the spare room at the Crowleys’, which Molly had only mildly protested against. Now, with the breakfast dishes still on the table, they were sorting out a plan of action.
‘I think we can safely ditch the other enquiries we were going to do,’ Mike said, ‘and just focus on this little creep. We know who he is now. Is there much in our file on him?’
‘From memory, not a whole lot. The usual credit checks etc, background info from the Standens-well, the Dad anyway-and copies of our statements.’ Molly sipped her tea and looked again to her husband. ‘I guess the
cops will be looking for him.’
Mike snorted dismissively.
‘Not if that moron Kennedy has anything to do with it,’ he said. ‘It’ll be buried at the bottom of the pile somewhere.’
‘But after this,’ Molly gestured at Dan’s prone form, ‘surely they’d be taking it seriously now, wouldn’t they? I mean, either of you could have been killed, the guy’s a damn psycho.’
A sob caught in her throat and she put her hand over her mouth, holding tight and struggling to contain it.
‘Hey. Hey hey hey.’ Mike stood and went to her, putting a soothing hand on her shoulder. He pulled her against his hip, shushing her. ‘It’ll be okay, we’ll get this guy. Don’t stress, it’ll be okay.’
Molly closed her eyes for a moment and regained her composure. She patted Mike’s hand and leaned back, smiling bravely. She could almost hear Mike’s teeth grinding as his jaw set stubbornly.
‘I know. Of course it will.’
By the time Buck got to his office, Mike had been waiting outside for 20 minutes. They met at the back door, and immediately Buck knew something was up.
He unlocked the door and disarmed the alarm as Mike began speaking, and once that was done, he held up one hand and said, ‘Stop. Stop there. I don’t know what you’re on about mate.’
Mike paused for a breath, took an extra second to calm himself, and started again.
‘What’s Kennedy doing about Dan’s assault? Is anyone looking for this Ben joker or what?’
‘Whoa whoa whoa, what assault? You mean the letter?’
Buck led the way inside, hitting the lights as he did so and tossing his jacket on a chair.
‘No, his assault. A letter’s not an assault is it? Don’t you check your messages?’
Buck shot an irritated look at him, taken aback by Mike’s tone. He didn’t know Mike particularly well yet, and wasn’t quite sure how to take him.
‘Don’t throw your toys mate, just hold on a sec.’ He took out his cellphone and checked the screen. ‘I silence it overnight so I don’t get woken up by any of my local worrywarts. Who called me?’
‘Molly did, last night and again this morning. Dan got assaulted chasing a prowler, and then the guy tried to run me down. We know who he is.’
‘Okay, well, sorry. I didn’t get the message obviously.’ Buck put the phone away again. ‘Is he okay?’
‘Well no, not really. Cracked rib, split lip, lots of bruising. The guy hit him with a piece of wood.’ Mike’s face was pinched and angry. ‘And I wanna know what’s being done about it.’
‘Has it been reported?’
‘Of course it’s been reported,’ Mike snapped, ‘I didn’t come here to bust your hump for fun, did I?’
‘Hey!’ Buck had taken about enough of this. ‘Don’t come in here shouting the odds at me when I know nothing about it, alright? I’m sorry I missed the call from Molly, but the main thing is it’s been reported and someone will be on it. So keep your hair on.’
They eyeballed each other for a moment, each man taking the measure of the other. The tension seemed to ease a bit and they each took a step back.
‘Apparently that moron Kennedy has the file,’ Mike said, ‘and I told the cops last night, so hopefully it’s been married up together.’
A footfall sounded behind him and he turned. DI Kennedy stood a metre away, a sour look on his face.
‘Well, I see Mr Crowley’s level of professionalism even extends to his staff,’ he said through pinched lips.
‘Yeah, well,’ Mike retorted, ‘someone has to be professional, don’t they?’
‘It looks like your business is finished here,’ Kennedy told him, ‘I suggest you move along while we do Police work.’ He gave a thin smile. ‘And rest assured, Mr Crowley’s complaint will be given all the attention it deserves.’
Mike locked gazes with him, his light blue eyes boring into Kennedy’s skull with an intensity the DI was unable to match.
‘You don’t scare me,’ Mike rasped, ‘you little rat-faced jerk.’ He stabbed a thumb over his shoulder in Buck’s direction. ‘Him I respect, he’s a real cop. You?’ He looked Kennedy up and down with contempt. ‘You’re just a pen-pushing bureaucrat.’
He glanced back at Buck. ‘I’ll catch you round, Buck.’ He started to walk out, brushing past Kennedy and pausing as he did so. ‘And if anything else happens to Dan or Molly, I’ll be holding you responsible. Understand?’
Kennedy turned away and pretended to ignore him, waiting until he heard Mike’s footsteps receding before letting out his breath. He looked up and saw Buck watching him.
‘What’re you looking at?!’
The forest green Subaru WRX made quick work of the drive to John Standen’s home. Mike pulled into the driveway as Standen himself was reversing his Range Rover out of the garage.
The cars stopped a metre apart and both drivers got out.
‘What the hell-’ Standen started to say, then stopped when he saw the look on Mike’s face.
‘Where do I find your son-in-law?’ Mike demanded, and Standen shrugged.
‘Why?’
‘Because he put my mate in hospital last night.’
‘Who, Crowley? I thought it was the other way around?’
Mike’s nostrils flared.
‘No. He came to Dan’s house yesterday and assaulted him with a lump of wood. Now where do I find him?’
‘Have you tried his house?’
‘Where else? Gym? Some hangout?’
‘Well he works from home I think, so yeah, maybe the gym. I think he goes to some kung fu place in Pakuranga or something.’
‘It would have been handy to know that sort of thing, don’t you think?’ Mike suggested bluntly.
‘Hey, I never knew he would get violent,’ Standen protested, ‘all I knew was he was playing around on my daughter, and I wanted it stopped.’
‘And it was.’
‘Yes, it was, and I’m very grateful for that too.’ Standen’s face dropped slightly and his shoulders drooped. ‘My poor wee girl, she’s had enough to deal with without that. That mongrel...’
Mike was already heading back to his car as Standen called to him.
‘If I hear where he is, shall I call you?’
‘Do it.’ Mike stabbed a finger at him. ‘I want him! The Police better find him before I do.’
He got in, slammed the door, and gunned the engine.
Standen watched him back out onto the street then race away, and he pitied the man that got in the way. He heard a sound behind him and turned to see Kerry coming from the front door. She was still in her pyjamas and dressing gown and her hair was mussed up, but all he could see was his beautiful baby girl.
‘Who was that, Daddy?’ Kerry asked in her little girl voice.
‘Just a guy looking for Ben,’ Standen told her, holding his big arms open. She folded into them and he held her close.
‘Why? Why does he want Ben?’
‘Ssssshhhh. Nothing for you to worry about my wee girl.’ He patted her back and guided her back towards the house. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Okay I guess.’ She stopped at the entrance steps and pulled away from him. ‘Daddy, is Ben in trouble again?’
‘No sweetie, no.’ Standen tried to shush her again but it felt and sounded false, and they both knew it.
‘I love him Daddy. I don’t want him to be in trouble, I just want to be with him.’ Kerry Standen’s big green eyes filmed over with tears as she looked up at her father. ‘And if I can’t be with him...’
She lifted her hands, letting the dressing gown sleeves slide back to reveal the scars beneath.
Chapter Ten
Ben lived in a rented townhouse in Pakuranga, Mike’s first stop after leaving the Standen’s home in Meadowbank. He parked a couple of houses down and walked forward.
It was a normal residential street with a few walkers out and most people at work. Mike paused at the top of the drive and quickly scanned the property, seeing no do
gs or movement. The carport was empty and the windows were clear of condensation.
He walked to the front door, checking the windows as he went, and knocked. A few seconds pause and another knock. No reply.
Mike cut down the side and checked the kitchen windows. No sign of any breakfast dishes or other mess. The rear windows revealed the lounge and dining area, fully furnished but still no sign of anyone being there recently.
The small backyard was all stone gardens with weeds sprouting through, and the grass had long been replaced with paving stones.
Mike moved around to the far side and went through the carport, and back to the front door. He knocked again and waited, but still no response. Shielding his actions from view with his body, he gently tried the door handle. Locked.
Grunting with frustration, he stepped back and headed for the driveway. Suddenly he whirled and scanned the upstairs window, hoping to catch a flicker of movement. Nothing.
Digging a copy of the Yellow Pages out of his boot, he let his fingers do the walking and soon found a number of martial arts establishments in the area. Not surprising, given the high Asian population in the eastern suburbs, but not too helpful right now either. He cross referenced the addresses against his Navman, and made a shortlist of the closest 5, working on the basis that people are essentially lazy and will usually go with the closest option to home.
The first outfit turned out to be a pure Asian dojo, where the guy that answered the door didn’t speak a word of English and wasn’t interested in trying to communicate at all. Mike left him to it and moved on to the next one, a Thai kick boxing gym.
The manager that he spoke to there was nearly a foot shorter than Mike with not an ounce of body fat on him, various tattoos on his limbs and torso and some vicious scar tissue round the face.
He listened without blinking to Mike’s cover story about being recommended to the gym by a guy Ben from work, and would it be possible to maybe get a membership. When Mike finished his prepared spiel, the guy nodded ever so slightly and sniffed.
