The Mysterious Coat

by Nicholas Walsh

  ‘My goodness. It’s real!’

  ‘What real?’ asks Professor Bowie.

  ‘That photo of the mysterious coat has become real!’ replies Mack. ‘This mystery is becoming clearer.’

  ‘What should we do now?’ asks Professor Bowie.

  ‘I don’t know. I should talk to Tyler Brown or just go to the Duke of York Hotel to apologise for …’ Mack takes a long pause. ‘We’ll think about it later because there’s nothing we can do about it now.’

  Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter arrives. ‘So, Inspector, what’s news?’

  ‘We got the name of the mysterious person,’ replies Mack.

  ‘What’s the name?’ asks Nick.

  ‘Robert Taylor,’ replies Mack.

  Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter is shocked. ‘Oh my! What are you going to do now?’

  ‘Right, we’re going to have a police meeting later after lunch, and tomorrow, we’re going to interview Tyler Brown, Dr Airhardt and the rest of them, at both the station and the Duke of York Hotel, to talk about how they saw Robert with that mysterious coat. On Monday, we’re going to take Robert to the public for the first time since his arrest during the raid at the secret hideout two nights ago,’ replies Mack.

  The forensic scientist arrives with the piece of paper which has Robert’s name written on it.

  ‘Here’s the piece of paper, Inspector.’

  The forensic scientist give the piece of paper to Mack. It reads, Robert Taylor and Prada. ‘All right, we’ll have a police meeting after lunch. See you later.’ Mack walks to his office followed by Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter.

  At Tyler’s apartment block, Tyler and Angelique are working on the wedding plans. There are pens and pieces of paper on the table. They finish shopping after visiting the wedding dress shop and the shoe shop for Angelique’s wedding dress and shoes, but there are more things to do for the wedding.

  ‘Okay, we’ve done the wedding dress and the shoes, but we’ve got to get more things for the wedding. What else?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘How about a guest list?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘Good idea Angelique,’ replies Tyler as he takes a pen and starts writing the guest list on another piece of paper.

  ‘So do you want your friends Lucy, Jessica and Mandy to be part of the guest list?’

  ‘Yes,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Okay,’ says Tyler as he writes Lucy, Jessica and Mandy on another piece of paper. ‘Angelique, can I ask you a question?’

  ‘Yes sure.’

  ‘What do Lucy, Jessica and Mandy do?’

  ‘Well, Lucy is working as a sales executive, Jessica is working for BHP Billiton and Mandy is working as a makeup lady in Myer.’

  ‘So what colour hair do they have?’

  ‘Lucy is a brunette, Jessica is a redhead and Mandy is a black-head,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Are they nice?’

  ‘Yes, Tyler, of course they are nice,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Okay, that’s enough about them, any more guests?’

  ‘How about your parents?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘All right,’ replies Tyler, so he writes down his parents. ‘Will you excuse me for a moment please, Angelique? I better call my parents on the phone.’

  ‘Yes, that’s fine.’

  Tyler stands up from his chair and leaves the table. He walks to his desk, takes his phonebook out, and quietly puts Angelique’s number in his phone book from the other day. Tyler turns the page of his phonebook and points at his parents’ address and number. He picks up the phone and dials their phone number and then, someone picks up the phone and the voice asks (which turns out to be his mother), ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hi, it’s me, your son, Tyler,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Oh hello, Tyler,’ the voice says. ‘I miss you. Do you miss me a lot?’

  ‘Yes, sort of but hey, I’m going to get married soon and I’m going to tie the knot with my fiancée. Can I come to your house tonight and introduce my fiancée to you and Dad?’

  ‘Oh, that will be lovely, Tyler and yes, we will do it,’ the voice says.

  ‘Thank you, Mum, I love you, bye,’ says Tyler, so he hangs up the phone, leaves his desk and walks back to the table. Then, he sits down on a chair again but Angelique asks him, ‘Any luck?’

  ‘Yes, my mother agreed for you and me to visit tonight,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Oh, that’s great, Tyler,’ says Angelique.

  Tyler writes the other guests, including his mate, Peter, on another piece of paper and asks Angelique, ‘Can I put your mother on the guest list?’

  ‘Yes, you can put my mother on the list and if she feels better, she will come to the wedding,’ replies Angelique.

  Tyler writes Margaret on another piece of paper and says, ‘Okay, we’re not going to use music for the service, reception or the party so we’re going to have a quiet wedding without music. What do you think?’

  ‘Yes, that’s a good idea but my verdict is we don’t want loud music, it’s driving my mum crazy,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Oh, that’s a pity,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Did we forget something for the wedding?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘Oh, I forgot!’ replies Tyler.

  ‘What have you forgot?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘We forgot to go to the florist to get red roses and of course, the decoration shop to get floral decorations before today,’ replies Tyler. ‘God, I’m a fool!’

  ‘Tyler, you’re not a fool. We can go the florist and the decoration shop now,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Are you sure?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘Yes,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Okay, let’s go,’ says Tyler, so they stand up from the table, but Angelique asks Tyler, ‘Tyler, are we going to have lunch? When are we going to have time to go shopping again?’

  ‘Yes, there’s a soup cafe here in St Kilda so you and I will get two cups of vegetable soup for lunch but have got to survive that soup maniac!’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Tyler, forget the soup maniac. It’s only make believe,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Oh all right, sorry,’ says Tyler.

  ‘That’s okay,’ says Angelique.

  Tyler is thinking but Angelique asks him, ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m fine so we’ll go the soup cafe for lunch first and then, we’ll go the florist and finally, we’ll go to the decoration shop and later have a walk. We’ll go back to do the wedding plans about the cake and also, the honeymoon destination. After this we will go to visit my parents at Elsternwick tonight,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Yes, that will be a good idea for me,’ says Angelique.

  ‘All right, let’s go shopping again,’ says Tyler, so he and Angelique leave the apartment.

  After lunch at the police station, Inspector Mack Young, Professor Jerry Bowie, Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter and Constable Troy Williamson are on stage while the rest of the policemen – some cops wearing plain-clothes and some cops wearing uniforms – are in the audience.

  Mack is addressing the rest of the policemen and says to them, ‘Gentlemen, we have some serious news. We found the name of the mysterious person on a label of a mysterious coat. That person’s name is Robert Taylor.’

  ‘Where is he now?’ asks one of the uniformed policemen.

  ‘He’s in the police cell,’ replies Mack. ‘Anyhow, tomorrow, I’ll interview the witnesses who saw Robert Taylor with the mysterious coat at this station and Nick will take you to the Duke of York Hotel to check what’s on the security cameras of Robert Taylor and also his mysterious coat. Troy will take you to Robert’s secret hideout to seize his weapons and other stuff. Any questions?’

  ‘Are you changing your mind about the result of the DNA test?’ asks one of the plain-clothed detectives.

  ‘Yes, the result will be announced on Monday and we’re going to bring Robert Taylor from the police cell to the public. This is not a joke, this is not a fuss, this is real. Any more questions?’ replies Mack, but th
e group of policemen don’t ask any more questions to Mack so he takes a pause and says to them, ‘All right, meeting dismissed.’

  The group of policemen stand up from their chairs and leave, but Troy asks Mack, ‘Do you think this is going to be a success?’

  ‘Maybe,’ replies Mack.

  At Tyler’s apartment block, Tyler and Angelique were going back to work on their wedding plans. They finished shopping again getting red roses and floral decorations with a lunch break at the soup cafe.

  ‘All right, we’ve done the red roses and some floral decorations for the wedding, so what’s next, Angelique?’ says Tyler.

  ‘How about the cake?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘Yeah, good thinking, Angelique, what type of wedding cake?’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Just the normal white cake and no fruit,’ replies Angelique. ‘Oh, and also, plain.’

  ‘Whatever,’ says Tyler, so he writes a plain, normal white cake with no fruit on a piece of paper and says, ‘Angelique, I have an idea about a honeymoon destination after the wedding.’

  ‘What is it, Tyler?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘How about Lorne? You talked to me during a romantic dinner at my apartment block about Lorne,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Yes, we’ll go for a weekend, not on a honeymoon,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Yep,’ says Tyler, so he writes Port Douglas on another piece of paper but someone knocks at the door. Tyler hears it and Angelique asks him, ‘What’s the matter, Tyler?’

  ‘It’s the door. You stay here and I’ll open it,’ replies Tyler. He arrives at the door, opens the doors, sees Constable Troy Williamson and asks, ‘What do you want from me?’

  ‘Inspector Young wants to invite you to the meeting tomorrow. It’s about the mysterious person. His name is Robert Taylor,’ replies Troy.

  ‘Robert Taylor,’ says Tyler. ‘Oh my God! That person threatened me and he tried to take me hostage at his secret hideout.’

  ‘Yes, you’ve got to be at the police station at nine o’clock, half past nine or ten o’clock so be there or be square,’ says Troy.

  ‘Well, I’ve got other things to do because I’m going to get married soon,’ says Tyler.

  ‘All right, why don’t you put your wedding in two to three months’ time because you must see Robert Taylor on Monday?’ says Troy. ‘See you tomorrow, goodbye.’

  Tyler shuts the door but Angelique walks to Tyler and asks him, ‘Who’s that person?’

  ‘He’s a policeman,’ replies Tyler. ‘He told me that Inspector Young wants to invite me to the meeting at the police station tomorrow.’

  ‘What’s the meeting about?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘It’s about Robert Taylor, the mysterious person who wears that mysterious coat,’ replies Tyler.

  Angelique is shocked and says, ‘Oh my God! It’s the same person who wears a mysterious coat?’

  ‘Yes,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘That’s so outrageous, Tyler!’ says Angelique. ‘I am totally shocked, it send shivers down my spine.’

  ‘Look Angelique, don’t get mad at me,’ says Tyler. ‘It’s all right,’ But he pauses and then, asks Angelique, ‘Do you wanna come with me to the police station tomorrow?’

  ‘I can’t go, Tyler,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Why?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘Because I’m going to the Alfred Hospital to see my mother. She is having heart surgery but don’t worry, I’ll write a story about how I saw Robert Taylor during work at the Duke of York Hotel now, and then I’ll put it on your bed before leaving for the hospital so you can take it with you when you’re going to the police station tomorrow. Deal?’ replies Angelique.

  Tyler shakes her hand, kisses her cheek and says to her, ‘Deal’. He then gives a writing pad to Angelique and says to her, ‘Here, take this. I’ll go to the travel centre before 5 o’clock to find out about Port Douglas.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll be here at your place writing my story. See you before five,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Bye, love ya,’ says Tyler.

  As Angelique writes her story about Robert Taylor she thinks, Have I been threatened by this person before?

  CHAPTER 19

  A

  t the travel centre in Barclay Street, Tyler opens the door and enters. He walks to the desk where one of the staff members, who has black hair, says, ‘Hi, can I help you?’

  ‘Yes, my name is Tyler Brown and I would like to book Port Douglas as my honeymoon destination. Are there any flights or packages available for Port Douglas?’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Well, yes, Mr Brown, we have lots of packages, including an Escape from Winter package, so I’ll get the information book about Port Douglas for you,’ says the female staff member. ‘Here, take this book so you can choose a hotel or resort to stay, where to eat, where to shop and the must do and see things in Port Douglas, and also, you can choose which attractions and packages, including the Great Barrier Reef and, of course, a rainforest tour. As you know, Port Douglas has summer in June, July and August and for Melbourne, it’s winter in June, July and August.’

  ‘Yes, thank you very much’ says Tyler. ‘I’ll take the Port Douglas booking so my fiancée and I can make a honeymoon plan. I’ll be back as soon as possible because I don’t know what my fiancée thinks.’

  ‘Okay, Mr Brown,’ says the female staff member. ‘It’s up to you but good luck with other things. Goodbye.’

  ‘Bye,’ says Tyler so he stands up and leaves the travel centre but he’s not sure about Port Douglas.

  At Tyler’s apartment block, it’s nearly five o’clock and Angelique has finished writing her story so she removes this piece of paper from the pad and puts it with other pieces of paper which also have her writing on them. Tyler, with the Port Douglas travel book opens the door, enters, shuts the door and walks to Angelique, who spins around and faces Tyler.

  ‘Hi, Tyler. Have a seat.’

  Tyler sits down on the chair next to Angelique and puts the Port Douglas travel book on the table but Angelique asks him, ‘What’s the matter, Tyler? I’ve just finished writing my story.’

  ‘I think we’re going to have our honeymoon at Port Douglas. The travel centre is pissing me off because I changed my mind,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Okay, why don’t you calm down and just relax,’ says Angelique with her soft, sexy voice so she stands, walks to the chair which Tyler is sitting on, closes her eyes and starts massaging him by putting her two hands on his shoulders, while Tyler takes a writing pad and a pen and puts them on the table. He opens the Port Douglas travel book, turning the pages, and sees a page about the Tropical Paradise resort. He takes a pen and writes Tropical Paradiseresort on the piece of paper and then, he also writes the room type with the date, 1 Jun-30 Sep and, also, writes the price per room and per night. Angelique opens her mouth, puts her face on his cheek and gives him a kiss.

  Tyler says to Angelique, ‘Take it easy, Angelique.’

  Angelique stops kissing Tyler’s cheek, opens her eyes and says, ‘Oh, sorry.’ She walks back and Tyler says to Angelique, ‘I was trying to concentrate.’

  ‘Sorry, Tyler,’ says Angelique. ‘I was trying to help you cool down.’

  ‘That’s okay,’ says Tyler. He rips the piece of paper out of the writing pad and puts it on the table.

  ‘What should we do now?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘I think we’re going to get ready to meet my parents at Elsternwick, don’t you?’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Yes, we will go at nearly six o’ clock but I need to have a conversation with you about my story first before leaving,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘All right, I better hop in the spa to relax first. I want to calm my feelings down,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Okay, you go to relax in the spa for twenty minutes and then, I’ll go to the shower, all right?’ says Angelique.

  ‘Yeah, sure, no worries,’ replies Tyler.

  ‘Thank you, Tyler,’ says Angelique and Tyler stands up from the chair and walks to his bedroo
m while Angelique walks to his desk to get a stapler.

  At the police station, Inspector Mack Young opens one of the Criminal Profile and Criminal Records filing cabinets and searches for a file with the letter T, until he points to Taylor. He takes the file out of the cabinet and shuts the filing cabinet. He walks to the desk and sits down on a chair. He says to Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter who is sitting on the other chair, ‘This is it, Nick.

  Robert Taylor’s file.’ He opens the file, turns the first two pages which include his profile and his mug shot and then, he reads the third page about Robert Taylor’s criminal record.

  ROBERT TAYLOR

  CRIMINAL RECORD:

  10-years-old: theft – stole a handbag from an old lady with cash and coins at Chapel Street in Prahran

  12-years-old: car theft – stole a white Holden Commodore owned by a manager named Geoffrey Jones at the car park of The Palais Theatre in St Kilda.

  14-years-old: robbery of shop – robbed a milk bar owned by an elderly couple named Evie and Bill Orr at Balaclava Junction in Balaclava.

  16-years-old: assault with a weapon – assaulted an old man by using a pistol at St Kilda Botanical Gardens in St Kilda. [One year sentence at a youth detention centre in Malmsbury].

  17-years-old: armed robbery – robbed a bank, Memory Bank at Fritzeg Street in St Kilda. [Two years’ sentence at Pentridge Prison in Coburg].

  20-years-old: stalking and assault – stalked and assaulted a prostitute named Fifi after midnight in Grundy Street, St Kilda. [One year sentence at Pentridge Prison in Coburg].

  Inspector Mack Young takes a pen from his desk and writes, Now: kidnapping, assault, possession of weapons and explosives and attempted kidnapping and attempted holding of Tyler Brown (hostage) at his secret hideout in St Kilda on the third page of Robert Taylor’s file. He takes the third page out of the file and gives it to Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter and says to Nick, ‘Here, Nick. Read this file.’

  Detective Sergeant Nick Baxter reads the third page of the same file but he asks Inspector Mack Young, ‘Inspector, why did Robert Taylor steal a car when he was twelve?’