Challis - 04 - Chain of Evidence by Garry Disher Read Free Book Online Page B

*

    Pam
was glad of the reprieve. It was close in the patrol car; even closer, with
big, sweaty John Tankard behind the wheel, overheated from watching the
Jarretts and from learning that she might be leaving the uniform behind. Even
so, she couldnt see any harm in raising the temperature a little. Are you
going to miss me, John?

    She usually called him Tank. He
scowled and muttered, reading John as an insult, and pressed hard on the
accelerator pedal.

    Sorry, I didnt catch that?

    Think your shit doesnt stink.

    Charming as ever.

    She looked away at the run of tyre
outlets and engineering firms that lay between the estate and the Waterloo
police station. He is going to miss me, she thought. Hes always been
half in love or lust with me, I dont let his bullshit get to me, and hes
afraid of being left behind. Its no big deal, Tank. Its just a training
course. Doesnt mean there are any detective positions open once Ive completed
it.

    A training course for a select few,
he said. Who did you suck up to? Challis? Destry?

    Im not going to honour that with
an answer, John.

    They rode in silence. The shadows
were lengthening, pines and gums striping a roadside field that would soon be
crammed with new housing. Plenty of traffic, people returning home from work,
heading for the pub, the Waterloo Showor just cruising, Pam thought, as a
lowered Falcon utility roared up behind them, two kids on board, nervous about
passing a police vehicle but itching to all the same. Pam, her window down, could
hear the hotted-up motor.

    Tank, she said, is everything
okay?

    After a pause he said, Im working
a one-up tomorrow night.

    A one-up was a lone patrol, just
you in the vehicle, owing to a shortage of police on the Peninsula. Pam herself
had made several lone patrols in the past few weeks. Nothing bad had happened
to her, but you heard stories. Take it easy, okay? she said, meaning it.

    His voice lightened, welcoming the
concern in hers. No worries.

    Pam daydreamed. Then she heard him
say, Katie Blasko. Ive got a bad feeling.

    Me, too.

    Its no bullshit, there really is a paedo ring on the Peninsula?

    Ive heard rumours, thats all.

    He shook his head. Ive got a
sister her age. I was at her birthday last weekend. It makes you think. Makes
you... He rolled his hand, searching for the word. Makes you feel how
vulnerable they are.

    Hed never mentioned a kid sister
before. Whats her name?

    Natalie. Nat. My parents had her
late in life.

    Pretty name.

    He shrugged. Hed revealed too much,
and gave a blokey squaring of his shoulders. Im picking up a new set of
wheels tomorrow.

    Until recently hed driven a real
shitheap, a barge-like Falcon station wagon, in which hed hauled the local
kids to and from football matches, but the motor had seized on it and hed
given up coaching the Waterloo Wallabies at the end of the season. What kind?
said Pam.

    Mazda RX, one of the scarce series.

    She had no idea what that was. Where
from?

    Caryard up in Frankston. I saw it
in the Trading Post. Thirty grand, he said proudly.

    Thirty grand? Jesus, Tank.

    He said defensively. Low
kilometres, one owner. I beat him down from thirty-five.

    Pam gazed out of her side window,
not wanting to talk about cars or let him see that she thought hed done a
stupid thing. They reached the station, parked at the rear and got out, but
instead of heading inside, Tank walked off into the shadows with his mobile
phone. Oi, were supposed to be at the briefing, Pam said.

    Ill be there in a sec. Gotta make
a phone call.

    Shrugging, Pam entered the station
and climbed the stairs to CIU.

    * * * *

    8

    The
evening light was drawing close in Waterloo. Ellen stood at the head of the
incident rooms long table, waving around a small plastic object clipped to a
narrow woven neck strap. It resembled a flattened purple egg with buttons and a
screen. This is a Tamagotchi, she said. A pink one resembling this was found
on Trevally Street, not far from the foreshore reserve, and