by Simon Rowell
‘Oh, thanks for calling back.’
The way she said it made Zoe instantly remember. Sarah was a former TV journalist, who had become famous for breaking a succession of political and business scandals a decade earlier. She had successfully sued the TV station for age discrimination after she was let go without obvious reason.
‘Not sure if you know,’ Sarah continued, ‘but I produce a podcast called Westbrook. I’m a friend of a friend of yours, Tom Hayes. He gave me your number. I need an off-the-record opinion from a police perspective and…it’s complicated. Would you have twenty minutes spare? I would prefer to speak about this face to face. It’s—um—sensitive.’
Zoe grimaced. She didn’t want to get involved, but figured that Tom wouldn’t have passed on her number without good reason. ‘Okay, when?’
‘Can you do today?’ Sarah said. ‘Sorry, I know it’s a lot to ask, but it’s important.’
‘Okay,’ said Zoe. ‘Let’s say seven tonight down by the river, out the front of the Convention Centre. I’ll recognise you.’
‘Got it. See you there…and thanks.’
Zoe said goodbye. She looked down at Harry. He opened his eyes and met her stare, his tail wagging.
Charlie walked across the office. The top button of his shirt was already undone and he had loosened his tie. Sitting down at his desk with a smile, he started beating out a light drum roll with his fingers as he stared at her.
‘You look like a man who’s had a win,’ Zoe said.
‘Good news, bad news.’
‘Before you tell me why you look pleased about bad news, I’ve seen the CCTV. Joshua Priest’s alibi stacks up.’
‘Shit. So, why’d he run from us then?’
Zoe shrugged. ‘He’s into something criminal, but he didn’t kill Ray Carlson himself. He’s still a person of interest. Now, give me the bad news first.’
‘Right, bad news comes in two parts. We’re losing Hannah and Angus as the secondary team. They’re needed elsewhere.’
Zoe gave a resigned nod. ‘Thought that’d be the case soon enough. At least we had them for three days. What’s the second part?’
‘They quizzed the owner of the winery. Doesn’t look likely that Ray was skimming anything from there or getting kickbacks. The owner manages the suppliers, contracts and invoices himself. Ray was more like a warehouse assistant than a manager of logistics. The fancy title was to keep him happy. His job was to coordinate deliveries and shipments, and he wasn’t selling wine illegally on the side. The owner said he accounts for every bottle. Plus, Ray was on sixty-five grand a year. So, the money’s been coming from somewhere else.’
‘Okay. Donna said he had a job working nights and weekends,’ said Zoe. ‘Let’s find out what it was. And the good news?’
‘A tip came in last night to Crime Stoppers. Someone reckons that Ray was sleeping with Dwayne’s missus.’
Zoe’s mouth fell open. ‘Crikey, now that’s something,’ she said. ‘It would explain why Ray was so coy with Dwayne and their mate Greg Enders about getting himself a new girlfriend. He already had one. What’s Dwayne’s wife’s name?’
‘Katie. Katie Harley. I’ve got the recording here if you want to have a listen. It’s short and to the point.’
Zoe put on Charlie’s earphones and listened to the call. The caller was male and well spoken, but didn’t identify himself. He said that Ray had been having an affair with Katie Harley for the past few months. He said he didn’t know if it was relevant, but thought he should pass the information on. He had a slight Scottish or maybe Irish accent, and sounded older, perhaps over sixty.
‘Well, let’s go and see Katie. And then chat to Dwayne again.’
A tall woman, about thirty, was approaching them, her straight long brown hair tied back. She wore a turquoise scooped-neck blouse, with fitted black pants and a black silk scarf around her neck.
Charlie smiled. ‘Hi Anj, this is Zoe.’ He turned to Zoe. ‘Anjali is the new tactical intel officer I told you about.’
‘Hi Anjali, nice to meet you,’ said Zoe, shaking her hand.
‘It is a real honour to meet you, Zoe,’ said Anjali. ‘My family was thrilled when they heard that I would be working with—’
From two desks down, Iain Gillies turned in his chair. ‘Jeez, Anj, turn it down a notch. She was just doing her job.’
Anjali continued to smile at Zoe. ‘Anyway, your case. I have gone through Ray Carlson’s computer. I was able to log in to his bank account as the username and password auto-filled when I opened the link to his account. He owed a bit on the mortgage for the Sorrento house, though nothing extravagant, only about two hundred grand. Most of his wage was put against the house payment every month. No red flags showing big deposits or withdrawals, but I can’t say what he was living off day to day. He didn’t seem to be under any financial stress. Other than that, there are some angry email exchanges between him and his ex-wife, mainly about her spending habits.’
‘Any deposits into Donna’s account?’ asked Zoe.
‘No, nothing. He must have been giving her cash.’
Zoe pursed her lips. She was hoping for more information.
‘Don’t worry,’ Anjali continued, ‘there’s more. It looks like Ray had a secret girlfriend. There are a heap of emails from someone called “Muffin” on a Gmail account. Most of the emails are about places and times to meet. I checked his phone and he has a contact named Muffin. I ran the number and it is registered to Katie Harley, the wife of Dwayne Harley.’
‘We just got a Crime Stopper tip saying the same thing,’ said Zoe.
Anjali’s shoulders dropped.
Zoe smiled at her. ‘You did good work. Can you print out a list of the messages?’
‘Done,’ said Anjali, brightening. She pulled a piece of paper from her folder and handed it to Zoe.
‘Fantastic,’ said Zoe. She looked at Charlie. ‘Let’s go and visit Katie.’
An hour and a half later, they pulled up outside Dwayne and Katie Harley’s house in Rye. It was Georgian-style, with rendered white walls and a manicured garden. A fountain stood in the front yard, with water spouting two feet into the air and goldfish darting beneath.
Zoe sat still, staring into the near distance.
‘What is it?’ asked Charlie.
‘How far are we from Ray’s place in Portsea?’
Charlie pulled out his phone and started typing. ‘About twenty minutes around the peninsula. At the speed limit that is.’
‘Okay, thanks.’ Zoe opened her door, prompting Charlie to do the same. Zoe got Harry from the back and they approached the house.
Charlie slapped the flat of his hand against the oak door three times.
‘You’re not with Organised Crime anymore,’ Zoe said.
‘Sorry, old habits.’
The door began to open, revealing a tall, slim woman of about forty, her blonde hair styled in an elegant, shoulder-length cut. Wearing pink lycra leggings and a light blue tank top, she pulled her head back in surprise at the sight of the detectives holding their badges, exposing large diamond studs on each of her ears. Despite all of that though, she looked tired and sad.
‘Katie Harley?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer and this is my partner, Detective Senior Constable Charlie Shaw. Can we come in for a chat?’
‘Of course,’ she said hesitantly, looking down at Harry.
‘He’s friendly,’ said Zoe.
‘It’s not that…it’s just that I’m allergic to dogs.’
‘Not a problem,’ said Zoe. She indicated to Harry to lie down beneath a shady tree near the door and she and Charlie walked inside.
The open-plan living area came straight from the pages of a designer magazine. Cushions were lined perfectly up on the sofas, with a plush throw rug draped over the end of one. A contemporary chandelier illuminated the scene, and a huge abstract painting dominated the room. Everything looked brand new.
‘
Are you here alone?’ asked Zoe, as she and Charlie sat down on the couch opposite Katie.
‘Yes. Dwayne’s taken the day off and gone surfing. The kids are in school.’
‘What does Dwayne do for work?’
‘Owns a plumbing business.’
‘Do you work?’
‘Yes, I am a mum of two. That’s plenty of work,’ she said, with a hint of defiance.
‘Do you know why we’re here?’ asked Zoe.
‘I presume it’s about what happened to Ray.’
‘Where were you on Sunday morning?’
‘I was shopping with my daughter up at Westfield South-land. We came home once Dwayne called us at lunchtime.’
‘Why do you think he was killed, Katie?’ asked Zoe.
Katie seemed taken aback by the bluntness of the question. ‘I have no idea. Dwayne was a wreck when he got home. Walked in as if he’d seen a ghost.’
‘What was your relationship like with Ray?’
‘We were friends. He was more Dwayne’s friend, his best friend in fact.’
‘So, if I were to ask whether you and Ray were in some sort of relationship, how would you respond?’ Zoe watched Katie’s body jerk as she caught her breath.
‘Sorry, what exactly are you saying?’ said Katie, her face reddening.
‘I’m asking if you and Ray were having an affair.’
Katie looked away, desperately searching for an answer. ‘That’s ridiculous, I’m…I’m…’ Her voice petered out. Zoe could see her hands start to quiver.
‘Look, Katie, we don’t really have time for charades. We have your emails with Ray and your texts to each other,’ said Zoe.
Katie sat, mouth open, staring at the space between the two detectives. Zoe could see that her world was falling apart.
‘What am I going to do?’ she whispered.
‘Let’s start over. Tell us everything,’ said Zoe. She could see that Katie’s eyes were moist.
‘It started around five or six months ago. Ray was having a hard time with Donna, and he needed someone to talk to. Dwayne and his other mates weren’t much help. They just told him to go and get laid. Anyway, we just started chatting. Catching up for coffee and stuff like that. Then one day we were walking on the beach and things…progressed.’
‘Does Dwayne know about it?’
‘No. He hasn’t got a clue.’
‘You sure?’ asked Zoe.
‘If Dwayne knew, the whole world would know, too. He would have lost it at me, at Ray and anyone else within earshot. He doesn’t know anything. Ray and I were careful…’
‘Katie, do you know of any other reason someone would want to kill Ray?’
‘No.’
‘Was he in a relationship with anyone else?’
‘God, no,’ said Katie, looking affronted, before realising the irony of her own situation.
‘How about you, Katie? Are you seeing anyone else as well? Another person who may have become jealous?’
‘No. No one.’
‘Ray have any enemies?’
‘No, I can’t think of anyone. He was a great guy.’
A car sped past, its V8 motor rattling the windows of the house. Harry barked once by the front door, causing Zoe to turn. A helicopter passed low above the house, its blades thumping the air. Zoe suddenly felt her vision start to flicker and her chest became constricted. A chill rushed through her and everything grew dark.
Zoe opened her eyes and felt herself shiver in the late September chill. She was standing outside the northern section of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, looking out over the surrounding green expanse of parkland. It was Grand Final Day and she had volunteered the night before, without being told anything about the job. Iain and Garry had volunteered too.
Now the crowd was building, and from behind her dark sunglasses, Zoe studied the fans as they approached. She wore black jeans with a light black jacket, just long enough to cover her pistol at her waist, and a red baseball cap, like all the other undercover officers scattered among the crowd. The air was filled with a mixture of cigarette smoke and the smell of fried food.
Through her earpiece, she could hear the section leaders calling in the all clear, one after another. Zoe glanced at the roof of the grandstand towering up behind her. She could see a black-clad figure scanning the area with binoculars. Next to the spotter, Zoe could see part of the long black barrel of a rifle; a police sniper was sitting there, out of sight.
At the front door, Harry barked. The room began to brighten. Zoe blinked, and found herself staring at the folder in her hands, willing the feeling to pass. She tried to breathe deeply. The sound of the chopper faded. She could feel the heat in her face.
‘Lots of action around here,’ said Charlie. ‘Hoons in cars and helicopters. All we need now is a train to go by.’
‘It’s usually quiet,’ said Katie, staring at Zoe. ‘That’s a local kid. Just got his driver’s licence. He’s showing off.’
Zoe could feel Katie’s eyes on her, but was unable to respond. She was still trying to moderate her breathing.
‘Are you…’ started Katie.
‘Were there any threats from Donna?’ asked Charlie quickly, drawing Katie’s attention to him.
‘No, there was bad blood between them, sure, but nothing that would reach this level. Their fights were all about money. How much she wanted. How much she was spending. That sort of thing.’
Zoe was now recovered. ‘Where was Ray getting his money from? His job wasn’t paying enough for the house he was living in, much less the mansion his wife’s in still.’
‘Not sure. We never spoke about money. People around here don’t like to talk about that sort of thing. Seems a bit uncouth.’ Katie caught herself. ‘Sorry, that sounds snobby.’
‘We are going to need you to come in and give a statement,’ said Charlie.
‘What, now?’
‘Yes, right now,’ said Zoe, standing up. Charlie also stood.
Katie remained seated, staring at the table.
3 PM, WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY
Dwayne Harley stopped short as he entered the interview room at the Rosebud Police Station. He was wearing navy blue board shorts and white t-shirt with a faded Rip Curl logo on the front. He appeared distracted and looked tired.
‘What is it?’ asked Charlie.
‘Is my wife here?’
‘Why do you ask that?’ asked Zoe.
Dwayne was sniffing the air. ‘Smells like Katie’s perfume.’
‘She’s not here,’ said Zoe. Harry lay down beside her.
Zoe turned on the digital recorder. ‘Interview between Detective Sergeant Zoe Mayer and Dwayne Harley. Also present, Detective Senior Constable Charles Shaw. It is Wednesday, the fifth of February at 3 pm.’ She read out the formal caution, and got going. ‘Dwayne, since we spoke the other day, have you had any other ideas about what might have happened to Ray?’
‘No. It’s a mystery to me. I thought you wanted to give me some sort of update.’
‘What can you tell us about Ray’s romantic life?’
‘Romantic life?’ Dwayne said, half grinning. ‘That’s a strange way to ask if he was getting any. He would have told me if he was involved with anyone.’
Zoe stared into Dwayne’s eyes, looking for signs that he was lying. He peered back calmly at her, before he began to look confused. ‘What?’
‘Dwayne, we have spoken at length today with your wife,’ Zoe said. ‘Katie has admitted to us that she and Ray were seeing each other.’
Dwayne squinted, as if he was waiting for the punchline to drop. ‘Seeing each other? No way.’
‘I’m afraid it’s true. We have emails between the two of them, plus calls and messages from Ray’s phone to Katie’s phone.’
Dwayne grew pale, shaking his head and staring down. Zoe glanced across at Charlie.
‘So, when did you first find out about the affair?’ asked Charlie.
‘I didn’t…didn’t know until now,’ he stammered
. He stood up in a rush and his chair toppled over. He walked to the back of the room, his body shaking. ‘Shit,’ he screamed into the wall. Harry sat up, watching Dwayne intently. Zoe and Charlie remained in their seats.
After thirty seconds, Zoe said, ‘Dwayne, we need to speak with you some more. Can you take a seat, please?’
Dwayne took three deep breaths. He reached down and picked up the chair. He placed it back in position and sat down.
‘Come on,’ continued Charlie. ‘Be honest with us and we’ll help you sort it all out. If you went to confront Ray and it all got out of hand, tell us now and you can get in front of this.’
Dwayne looked up at Charlie. ‘Mate, I knew fucking nothing about any of this. I can’t believe my best mate did that to me.’
Zoe stared at Dwayne. Your wife did it to you as well. He looked concussed by the news, but she’d met hundreds of good liars over her career. Some of them were even great ones.
Harry watched the boat pass underneath as they walked across the Queen Street bridge to Southbank. Zoe looked across at the sprawling casino complex, before she and Harry turned right and walked up in front of the Convention Centre. She felt the cooling breeze coming up the Yarra from Port Phillip Bay.
Zoe spotted Sarah immediately among the tourists taking photographs of the city across the river. She wore designer jeans with a white shirt, had dark sunglasses on, and her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail under a navy baseball cap. She spotted Zoe, gave a small wave and started walking towards her.
‘Thanks for coming,’ said Sarah.
‘No problem. How’d you recognise me?’
Sarah smiled, pointing down at Harry.
‘Let’s grab a seat.’ They sat on a nearby bench. Harry lay down in front of them and then started rolling on his back on the grass.
‘Don’t mind him,’ Zoe said, smiling. Harry’s tongue lolled from the side of his mouth.
‘Have you had him long?’ asked Sarah, taking off her sunglasses.
‘Just a month or so,’ said Zoe. She still felt self-conscious about having a service dog. ‘Now, what did you want to discuss?’