The Mysterious Coat

by Nicholas Walsh

  ‘Were you involved in investigating police corruption in Queensland before the Fitzgerald Inquiry in the same state?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Yes, I spied on crooked cops who were visiting illegal brothels and strip clubs, and I investigated it because I was dressed up as an undercover reporter of The Rolling Stones’ Undercover Of The Night video clip – which Mick Jagger played as one of his characters – in Brisbane and the suburbs. I taped the Four Corners report about Queensland and watched it many times during the Fitzgerald Inquiry,’ replies Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Did you interview prostitutes and strippers about what crooked cops had done with these girls?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Yes, and they told me that crooked cops paid money to them,’ replies Dr Airhardt. ‘So I told them it’s illegal and they were not happy, and walked away from me because they thought I was a spy.’

  ‘Who were you spying for?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Myself,’ replies Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Why?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Because I’m a fighter and no one is stopping me,’ replies Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Doctor, don’t give up,’ says Mack. ‘We will not arrest her so she and other prostitutes can protect her and themselves from nasty things.’

  ‘All right, Inspector, that’s a good idea,’ says Dr Airhardt. ‘If I see her again, I’m going to ignore her while she’s working on the street or in a brothel.’

  ‘Okay, it’s up to you,’ says Mack. ‘I know you did the right job when you fought against nasty people in the streets of St Kilda.’

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Inspector,’ says Dr Airhardt. He opens the door and exits.

  At the St Kilda Botanic Gardens, Tyler, Angelique and Peter are walking in the gardens. Tyler and Angelique are holding hands while Peter is strolling around with them feeling a little bit envious because they’re a couple in love. He, Tyler and Angelique keep walking in St Kilda Botanic Gardens until they are ready to walk back to Tyler’s apartment block later.

  CHAPTER 28

  B

  ack at Tyler’s apartment block after their walk in the St Kilda Botanic Gardens, Tyler opens the door.

  He, Angelique and Peter enter.

  Tyler is exhausted. ‘God, what a big, busy day today.’

  ‘Yeah, we’re exhausted,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Um, Tyler, I’ve got to go and see a personal trainer to talk about Angelique’s mother Margaret, so I’ll see you and Angelique tomorrow,’ says Peter. ‘Hoo roo.’

  ‘Bye,’ says Tyler, so Peter exits and Angelique says to Tyler, ‘I’m tired, Tyler. What should we do?’

  ‘Maybe we can have a rest on the couch,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Yeah, good idea,’ says Angelique, ‘then, what’s on after resting?’

  ‘Maybe we can go back to do the wedding plan,’ says Tyler.

  ‘All right, we’ll do it later,’ says Angelique, so she and Tyler walk to the couch. Angelique takes her shoes off, walks to the right side of the couch and lays on the couch and puts her head on Tyler’s lap.

  At the police station, Inspector Mack Young is sitting on a chair next to his desk and thinking about what would happen next before tomorrow, but he has an idea. He picks up the phone, dials a phone number, which turns out to be a demolishing company which he used to demolish other criminals’ houses and hideouts after the police arrest them. He waits until someone picks up the phone.

  ‘Hello this is Mary of the Xplode Company, can I help you?’

  ‘Hi, this is Inspector Mack Young from St Kilda Road Police Station speaking,’ says Mack.

  ‘Oh it’s you, Mack. I haven’t seen you for a while.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ says Mack, ‘I want you guys to call in the bulldozer to demolish Robert Taylor’s secret hideout.’

  ‘Where is that place?’

  ‘Luna Park. You guys enter the carousel, walk to the rear of the premises, open the door of the exit which turns out to be a dark room, shut the door of the exit, walk again, keep walking and when you and your guys leave from the exit door of the rear of the carousel from Luna Park you will finally see his place,’ says Mack.

  ‘Do you want to help me to find that place?’

  ‘Yes, but I have an idea,’ says Mack. ‘Why don’t you meet me outside of Robert’s secret hideout so me and my boys can remove everything at this place.’

  ‘Okay, we’ll arrive in about an hour.’

  ‘Thank you and goodbye,’ says Mack as he hangs up the phone. He then takes a pen and a piece of paper and writes the names of his men who were volunteering to remove everything at Robert Taylor’s secret hideout before the men of the Xplode Company arrive.

  At Tyler’s apartment block after he and Angelique rest on the couch, they open their eyes and wake up.

  ‘Are you all right, Angelique?’

  ‘Yes,’ says Angelique, ‘What should we do now?’

  ‘I think we’re going back to the wedding plans, but I’m thinking I’m going to change the honeymoon destination in North Queensland,’ says Tyler.

  ‘What?’ says Angelique ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, I would like to go to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation instead of Port Douglas,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, I had a dream before leaving to go to the police station with Peter and it was all about you and me having a walk on a walking trek of the rainforest to search for a waterfall, and later, we saw a big, huge waterfall. We walked to the waterfall, climbed the rocks up beside the waterfall and found a hidden cave behind the water stream. We entered the cave and had some fun,’ says Tyler. ‘It was just like Adam and Eve in The Garden Of Eden.’

  ‘All right, it’s up to you,’ says Angelique. ‘I think it’s a bit of a temptation. Are you going to write it, and the accommodation details of each place in this destination at North Queensland?’

  ‘Yes, I will,’ says Tyler. ‘Because I’m changing my mind.’

  ‘All right, Tyler, just write it!’ says Angelique.

  ‘Okay, okay, okay, I’ll do it,’ says Tyler, so Angelique’s head leaves Tyler’s lap and she gets up as Tyler stands up from the couch and walks to the table. He sees a Port Douglas travel book which is on the table, takes the book and says to Angelique, ‘Um, Angelique, I think I’m going to the travel centre again. Is it open on Sundays?’

  ‘Yes, it’s open from ten o’clock to four o’clock. You’ve got to hurry before closing time,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Okay, see you later,’ says Tyler, so he runs to the door and goes to the travel centre

  At the police station, four uniformed policemen are in the locker room playing poker.

  Inspector Mack Young opens the door, enters and interrupts them. ‘All right, gentlemen, it’s time to go back to Robert Taylor’s secret hideout and I want all of you to remove everything before the demolishing company comes.’ He points to a fourth police constable and says to him, ‘You, young man.’

  ‘Yes, Inspector?’

  ‘I want you to call the removalist on the telephone and tell him to take everything and send those things to any auction including us, the police auction,’ says Mack.

  ‘Yes, Inspector,’ says the fourth police constable.

  Mack says to the remaining three uniformed policemen, ‘Now, you can join me and Troy to visit Robert’s secret hideout and you can help us to remove everything. Any questions?’

  ‘How long should we take to remove everything?’ says the second police constable.

  ‘Plenty of hours. Any other question before we leave?’ says Mack.

  ‘How many rooms should we visit to remove everything?’ says the third police constable.

  ‘All of them,’ say Mack. ‘Now stop playing cards and let’s get ready, we’ve got work to do.’ The three uniformed policemen stop playing cards, put the cards on the small table, and stand up from their three chairs, and leave.

  Mack follows them. ‘Hey, wait for me!’

  CHAPTER 29

  A

&n
bsp; t the travel centre in Barclay Street Tyler, with the Port Douglas travel book in his hand, opens the door and enters the travel centre. He walks to the desk, to the female staff member.

  ‘Oh, it’s you again!’

  ‘Yes, it’s me again,’ says Tyler. ‘I’m changing our honeymoon plans. Do you have a travel book about the Daintree and Cape Tribulation?’

  ‘Yes we have,’ says the female staff member.

  ‘Okay, let’s swap,’ says Tyler, as he gives the Port Douglas travel book to the female staff member.

  ‘Here you go.’

  ‘Thanks for nothing,’ says Tyler. He then leaves from the travel centre, walking out the door. He doesn’t care much about that particular staff member of the travel centre.

  At Robert’s secret hideout, a group of removalists are removing the big things, which include a wardrobe, a fridge, a bed and a washing machine. Meanwhile, three uniformed policemen are removing small things and putting them in boxes. Inspector Mack Young is standing and watching his men and the group of removalists. Constable Troy Williamson enters and says to Mack, ‘Do you think Robert Taylor will be shocked if this place will be gone forever?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ says Mack.

  ‘Are you going to help these people to remove everything?’ asks Troy.

  ‘No thank you, I’m too old,’ says Mack.

  ‘Why?’ asks Troy.

  ‘Because I’m middle-aged,’ says Mack. ‘I told my boys about getting arthritis pain and I also told them about using tablets to stop arthritis pain.’

  ‘What tablets do you use? Panadol or Herron?’ asks Troy.

  ‘Panadol,’ says Mack.

  ‘All right, if we need to remove everything, I’ll will just go and help so you don’t get pain in your hands or knees,’ says Troy.

  ‘Yeah, I don’t mind,’ says Mack, so Troy leaves to see how the three uniformed policemen are going removing the small things, while Mack is still standing waiting for the demolition company to come by.

  Later, outside Robert’s secret hideout, a removalist shuts the door of his truck and walks to Inspector Mack Young and Constable Troy Williamson.

  ‘All right, we have removed everything from Robert Taylor’s secret hideout. We put the big things first on our truck, and then, your boys put the small things in boxes on our truck, and in the next few days, we will get rid of all the things. We may take them to the auction or sell to the antique shops.’

  ‘That’s all right, mate,’ says Mack, ‘We’re good cops, not bad cops.’

  ‘Well, thanks for helping,’ says the removalist. ‘Hoo roo.’ He walks back to the removalist truck, opens the cab door and hops in.

  Constable Troy Williamson waves his hand goodbye and says to the removalists, ‘Goodbye, everybody.’ But just then, four people from the Xplode Company arrive. Xplode has a bulldozer, a tractor with ball and crane, and a bobcat. Mack says to Troy, ‘Looks like we have got the boys with the big machines, Constable.’

  ‘Are you sure this is the right company, Inspector?’ says Troy.

  ‘Yes,’ says Mack, and then the owner of Xplode Company – wearing a construction company uniform – hops out from one of the trucks, and walks to Mack.

  ‘G’day Inspector.’

  ‘Hello,’ says Mack. ‘We meet you again.’

  ‘Yes we do,’ says the owner of Xplode Company. ‘Do you want us to demolish Robert Taylor’s secret hideout?’

  ‘Yes,’ says Mack.

  ‘Now we’re going to get ready to demolish Robert’s secret hideout …’

  ‘Yes …’ says Mack.

  ‘We’re using a bulldozer, a tractor with ball and crane and bobcat,’ says the owner of Xplode Company.

  ‘What’s on first?’ says Mack.

  ‘First, we will place charges around the house and detonate them to blow up Robert’s secret hideout. Then, a ball and crane will come in and smash anything left, followed by a bulldozer which will push all the rubble to one area, and finally, a bobcat will scoop up and put everything in bins. What do you think?’ says the owner of Xplode Company.

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ says Mack. ‘We agree.’

  ‘Okay boys, it’s demolishing time!’ shouts the owner of Xplode Company. His men run to Robert’s secret hideout. First, they put the dynamite around the inside of Robert’s secret hideout and then after that they detonate it by blowing up the place where the dynamite was. Then, a worker using the controls of a tractor with a ball and crane, comes in and smashes anything left. After the smashing time, the owner of Xplode Company shouts to one of his workers, ‘Call in the bulldozer!’

  ‘Okay!’ The worker hops in the bulldozer, turns on the controls and drives the bulldozer to enter Robert’s secret hideout. The bulldozer pushes all the rubble to one area. But it’s not over yet, because the Xplode Company have got one more job to do. A bobcat enters Robert’s secret hideout and scoops up the rubble and puts it in the bin.

  Five minutes later, after the task is finished, Robert’s secret hideout is gone forever. The owner of Xplode Company says to both Inspector Mack Young and Constable Troy Williamson, ‘Well, we did it.’

  ‘Good job, mate,’ says Mack. ‘Thanks for helping.’

  ‘That’s okay, Inspector,’ says the owner of Xplode Company. ‘See you next time. Hoo roo.’ He leaves and shouts to his workers, ‘All right boys, it’s time to go! We’re leaving!’

  ‘I think Robert’s crime wave in St Kilda will be over, and when he’s in jail again. His evil reign will be finished,’ says Mack.

  At Tyler’s apartment block, Angelique is sitting on the couch as she is waiting for Tyler. The door opens and it’s Tyler with the Daintree and Cape Tribulation travel book. Tyler shuts the door behind him. Angelique turns around and sees Tyler.

  ‘Hi, Tyler, have you got a travel book about the Daintree and Cape Tribulation? Are you changing the honeymoon plan for you and me?’

  ‘Yes, I got it,’ says Tyler. He walks to the table, puts the Daintree and Cape Tribulation book on the table, walks to the couch and sits next to Angelique.

  ‘Are you going to do the honeymoon plan for you and me again?’

  ‘Not now, we haven’t enough time,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Why?’ says Angelique.

  ‘Because the Robert Taylor thing is here,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Oh, all right,’ says Angelique. ‘That’s disappointing.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Angelique,’ says Tyler, ‘we’re still engaged. Is there something we can do tonight?’

  ‘Well, Tyler,’ says Angelique. ‘I think we can go to Dave’s Restaurant to have dinner again, and after dinner, we can go clubbing for an hour or two.’

  ‘What’s the name of the nightclub?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘It’s called Boulange Nightclub,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Where at?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘In South Melbourne,’ says Angelique.

  ‘What’s inside?’

  ‘It’s got sport stars, celebrities and models,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Are you a model?’

  ‘Well yes, I did modelling work during my work as a dancer,’ says Angelique.

  ‘What type of modelling?’

  ‘Just lingerie modelling.’

  ‘Have you ever appeared in magazines before?’

  ‘Yes, I appeared in magazines and catalogues of ladies, underwear shops, and adult stores, but I didn’t break into the big time.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I hate the big time, it sucks,’ says Angelique. ‘I didn’t go posing for adult magazines and I didn’t appear in any movies and also, I didn’t go to other countries. I kept doing dancing work at the Duke of York Hotel and I stayed in Australia.’

  ‘All right, we will go to Dave’s Restaurant again and then, we will go to the Boulange Nightclub in South Melbourne to spend an hour or two, because there’s a surprise going to be here tomorrow,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Thanks, Tyler,’ says Angelique and she smiles. ‘You’r
e such a good guy.’ She kisses Tyler’s cheek and then, she stands up from the couch and says to him, ‘Do you mind if I go to have a shower first and then, you can, before we leave tonight.’

  ‘Yes, Angelique, go ahead.’

  ‘Thank you,’ says Angelique. She walks to his bedroom again to have a shower in his bathroom while Tyler is still sits on the couch, thinking about why Angelique doesn’t like the big time.

  CHAPTER 30

  T

  hat night at Dave’s Restaurant, Tyler and Angelique have a romantic dinner again when Angelique stops eating and says to Tyler, ‘Tyler?’

  Tyler stops eating and says, ‘Yes, Angelique?’

  ‘I think we’re not going to the police station tomorrow,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Why?’ says Tyler.

  ‘Because I don’t want to see Robert Taylor’s face again and I don’t want to see him when he comes out from the police cell,’ says Angelique.

  ‘We can go to the Duke of York Hotel to watch the live news coverage showing him to the public on TV,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea,’ says Angelique. ‘I wonder why I have to face ugly men at my work.’

  ‘What type of men did you like before you met me?’ says Tyler.

  ‘I liked handsome, sexy and a gentleman – like you,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Oh, you think I’m handsome?’ says Tyler.

  ‘Yes,’ says Angelique.

  ‘Okay,’ says Tyler, and then he shouts to a waiter, ‘Waiter?’

  Angelique says to him, ‘What are you doing Tyler? Is there something wrong?’

  ‘I have another emergency plan, Angelique, don’t you worry about that,’ says Tyler as the waiter enters and says to him, ‘Is there something wrong, sir?’