Thicker Than Water. Lindy Cameron

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ

       "This was confirmed by the first Homicide Squad member on the scene, Detective Senior Constable Cathy Martin. The forensic pathologist Dr Ruth Hudson declined to comment.

       "Witnesses at the scene, when the body was discovered, claim they had no idea how the dead man could have got into the nightclub, as it is only open to lesbians and other women. Men are usually not allowed in.

      "Do you suppose the idiot witness she quoted was herself?" Kit growled, before continuing. "Senior Sergeant Charles Parker, the man in charge of the murder investigation, stated that police already have a possible suspect - the man's a fuckwit! - that leads were being followed up and witness statements taken.

       "The victim, Gerry Anders, who is a nephew of well-known Melbourne businesswoman Marjorie Riley and husband of one-time Saturday Show dancer Poppy Barton, leaves behind his wife and three sons Sean 25, Tom 22 and Mark 19.

       "At the time of his death Mr Anders was being investigated by Victoria Police over his role in the execution-style shootings of alleged drug importers Julie and Mike Sherwood. The bodies of the Sherwoods were found in their car in bush outside Woodend in late January.

       "Anders was also about to face court on charges of assault against a patron of his popular dance venue The Moshun Club; and was recently questioned by the Arson Squad over his possible connection to three inner-city hotel fires.

       "Anders spent five years in jail for armed robbery in the late nineties, and was arrested two years ago for the alleged kidnapping of Melbourne entrepreneur Alan Shipper. Those charges were dropped following the death of Mr Shipper in a car accident before the trial.

      "At this stage Gerry Anders' connection with The Terpsichore is unknown, but sources claim the late nightclub owner may have had a financial interest. Bloody hell!" Kit finished.

      "That's kind of what I said," Angie smiled.

      "You want I should go out there and deal with the bitch?"

      Everyone looked at Brigit Wells, considered her offer seriously, then snorted with laughter.

      "Who on earth are these sources she's claiming?" Del asked.

      "I have no idea," Angie stated.

      "And you'd never met this Anders bloke before?" Del continued.

      "Never," Angie threw her arms out. "Never met him, never seen him in passing, never spoken to him that I know of. I did not know he existed, until he didn't any more right here, most inconveniently, in my bar."

      "And he has no financial interest in this business?" Kit queried, but only for verification.

      "If you mean did he have a financial stake in our bar then no, most-absolutely not," Angie stated. "If you mean did he have an interest in wanting to have a financial interest in the bar then, difficult as it is, you'll have to ask him because - never having met Gerry Anders or ever spoken to him - I wouldn't have a clue what he had an interest in. And now that he's quite dead, I'm not ever likely to find out. Nor do I care to."

      "I gather you really didn't know him then," Brigit noted.

      "What about anyone on his behalf?" Kit asked.

      "Who on his behalf what?" Angie almost snapped. "Sorry Katy."

      Kit waved Angie's impatient tone away. "Has anyone shown any interest in acquiring or investing in or offering to develop either The Terpsichore, the building or the land it's on?"

      "In a word, no," Angie stated. "And if they did or had, you know I'd tell them where to go, especially if they contained too much testosterone without the required dose of queerness."

      "Well," Kit shrugged, "that brings us back to the primo question: why was the body of Gerry Anders left in The Red?"

      "And why was it drained of blood," Brigie said spookily.

      "It's my bet the exsanguination," Kit rolled the word out of her mouth, "was done to increase the impact of a dead and naked man being found in a women's bar."

      "But," Del raised a finger, "did whoever left him even know it was a women's bar? Could they have just chosen 'a place' where they knew he'd be found sooner rather than later?"

      "Maybe," Kit shrugged.

      "But you don't think so," Angie said.

      "Nope. I think there is a connection, somewhere, between Gerry Anders and The Terpsichore. It may not be obvious or direct; and it may not have any meaning, other than as a stunt to enhance the murderous deed itself. It may be an inconsequential link, an insignificant connection between Anders and his killer, or the killer and this bar-"

      "Whatever it is, it certainly results in some big words," Brigit commented.

      Kit narrowed her eyes. "I'm thinking aloud Brigie; I often use big words when I think."

      "Well, I reckon we could find this mysterious missing link a lot sooner than the cops," Del proposed, in an unlike-her gung-ho tone.

      "Especially if the cops are being led around by Chucky Parker," Kit agreed, vaguely, because she was also thinking, rather more loudly: uh-oh!

      She gazed at her friends and wondered how the hell she was going to head this one off at the pass. As helpful, resourceful and clear-thinking as her friends always were, forming a posse under these seriously-overshadowed circumstances would be totally not a sensible course of action.

      Get them involved O'Malley, she thought, but with harmless sidetracks.

      "Detective Martin seems okay, though," Angie was saying.

      "You mean Five of Nine." Brigie waggled her eyebrows.

      "Do I? Why?" Angie asked.

      Brigie gargled a woo-hoo. "Five of Nine - you know, like Seven of Nine on Voyager, only Detective Cathy is not quite so sculpted with enhanced boobs and itty-bitty waist. And she's probably not as tall as Seven, but she does look like her. Don't you think, Kit?"

      "Do we know what she's talking about?" Angie asked.

      "Star Trek," Kit explained. "But, can we stick to this plot, please - whatever it is."

      "Of course," Brigie nodded. "Plot stick away, Kit."

      "Thanks. We need to find out if anyone that we know has any idea why the mortal remains of Gerry Anders were left here and not, for instance, in his own nightclub. We need to do this quietly and with care. We must consider who we ask things of, and to whom we tell any of the things that we know, or find out."

      "By we, you do mean just the four of us," Del clarified.

      "Yes," Kit nodded. "We four, with strict boundaries, should do our best to find out who, if anyone, knows what. And Angie, you need to hire me officially so I can act on your behalf."

      "Righto, Katy, you're hired," Angie nodded. "Do I need to sign anything?"

      "Yeah, but later; and only СКАЧАТЬ