He took in some eye candy as he trailed Brad along Cavill Avenue and then down Orchid Avenue. The beat of dance music emanated from the various night clubs along the street. Interspersed between the clubs and hotels were restaurants and various eateries. Brad was making a beeline for somewhere in particular and he kept checking his watch as they walked, as if concerned about being late. Ryan checked his own watch and saw that it was twenty to ten. Maybe Brad’s rendezvous was supposed to be at nine-thirty.
At last the chubby man reached his destination. He’d stopped at a restaurant called Roma Italia. Using his amazing detective abilities, Ryan deduced that it must be an Italian restaurant. Ryan ducked between cars and moved across the one way street, where he took up a position on the other side, leaning casually against a concrete wall that divided the grounds of a resort from the street. From there he watched proceedings in the restaurant.
As was common in the warm climate that enveloped the Gold Coast strip, many of the restaurants offered both indoor and al fresco dining, as did Roma Italia. Brad was shown to an outside table by the host, where he seated himself adjacent to a woman who appeared to be somewhat younger than him. With the distance between Ryan and the couple it wasn’t easy to tell, but his eyesight was pretty sharp and he was good with that sort of thing. She was blonde and looked attractive enough. Being seated, the table was covering much of her body, so Ryan couldn’t really determine what her figure was like. From what he could see of her upper body she seemed in reasonable shape.
So was Brad Davis having a sordid affair with this younger woman? Ryan mused. He guessed he was probably about to find out.
Brad leaned over the table and kissed her on the cheek. Nothing too sordid so far.
Over the next quarter of an hour the pair drank a glass of wine each and nibbled on some garlic bread. Nothing much was happening other than chit chat. Some guy beside Ryan was talking rather loudly on his mobile phone. In his free hand he held a smoldering cigarette. The smoke wafted Ryan’s way and the smell of it made him salivate. He had the overwhelming urge to ask the guy for a cigarette, but refrained. He’d been doing well so far. Besides that, he didn’t like sponging off people like some street feral.
Instead, he stepped away a few feet until the smell of smoke was less tempting, then withdrew a small, compact point-and-shoot camera from his pocket. It had a 15X zoom function and HDR, which made it a handy tool in situations like this. When needing to be a little discreet in public places, this camera was a better option that his big and cumbersome DSLR. Sometimes he just used the camera on his iPhone, but the picture quality wasn’t as sharp and the zoom function nowhere near adequate for the most part.
The man with the cigarette moved on, leaving the air clear and fresh, enabling Ryan to keep his mind on the job, rather than dwelling on the loss of a bad habit. He made out like he was a tourist taking snapshots of the scenery - if you could call concrete and pavement ‘scenery’. While he appeared to be randomly focusing on things via the live view on back on the camera, he aimed the lens across the street and zoomed in on Brad and the mystery blonde. At the moment they were busily dining on their main course, another round of wines resting on the table in front of them. Ryan took several shots, then panned to the left and pretended to photograph the busy street in general. After that he put the camera away until the couple had finished their food. If they were indeed having an affair, he figured they may start canoodling after dinner. That didn’t happen. Instead, Brad Davis went over to the counter and fixed up the bill. The blonde rose from her seat and waited for Brad outside the portable barriers that hemmed in the outdoor dining area of Roma Italia. Brad took her hand when he joined her and together they strolled slowly down Orchid Avenue back towards Cavill Avenue.
Ryan waited until they were a good twenty metres or so down the road before he darted across the street, whipping the camera out of his pocket as he went. He wanted to get a shot of them from behind holding hands. He manually set the camera’s ISO level high so there was less chance of the images being blurry; which often tended to happen when taking photos on the move. Ryan snapped off five shots, hoping one would be reasonably clear. He quickly scrolled through the previews and decided they were good enough.
The couple went left into Cavill Mall. Ryan had expected them to turn right and make for the car park, heading back to either his or her place for a sexual romp. Instead, they were walking towards the beach. Sand and sex didn’t go well together, so he figured a couple of their age wouldn’t be planning to get it on down by the water’s edge. Besides, too many police patrolled the sands at night time looking for exactly that kind of activity. On top of that, drinking was banned out on the streets and on the beach. It was a Saturday night and uniformed cops were everywhere.
The mall was crowded. Earlier in the evening there would have been families milling about watching street performers. As the night wore on and the scene got considerably uglier, the families were quickly replaced with swelling groups of revellers. At the end of the mall on the left was one of Australia’s busiest McDonald’s stores. Within the store people lined up to purchase some gourmet fast food.
A narrow road divided the city from the beach. Across the other side of The Esplanade stood an arched sign made of stainless steel. The sign simply said: Surfers Paradise. Ryan reckoned it had to be one of the most photographed signs, not only in Australia, but in the world. Every tourist coming through town either took a photo of it, or had someone else take a photo of them with it. Hell, Ryan was a local and he’d even had himself photographed standing beneath it!
Brad and his date turned right when they arrived at the end of the mall and ascended some concrete stairs. They appeared to be heading up to a night club called Bliss. It was a new club and Ryan had yet to go there. He trailed them up, hoping the bouncers on the door considered him well enough attired to enter.
He deliberately hung back and waited until Brad and the woman were ushered inside, then he casually scaled the remainder of the stairs and stood eye to eye with the bulky, all-dressed-in-black security guy guarding the door. Pulsing techno music came from within, the subwoofer vibrating the very ground Ryan stood on. The bouncer, who looked to be of Polynesian descent - as was common in Gold Coast clubs - scanned Ryan from head to toe with his keen dark eyes. He hesitated a moment, gave Ryan the once over again, and then nodded towards a counter just inside the door.
“Ten dollar cover charge,” the man grunted.
“But I’m a local,” Ryan protested.
“Ten dollars or you don’t go in.”
Ryan decided not to push the issue, although he usually refused to pay to get into local clubs. Tonight he had an agenda that he didn’t want to blow, so he succumbed, stepped inside, withdrew a tenner from his wallet and handed it to the pretty young woman manning the counter. She stamped his wrist and he went on through.
Inside the crowd was an eclectic mix of ages and dress styles. Being a new club many people were obviously trying it out for the first time. After a while it would naturally self-define its clientele. Ryan edged over to the bar and waited ten minutes to get served. In the meantime he tried in vain to search for Brad Davis, but it was just way too crowded to spot him.
The bar ran two thirds of the length of the right wall. It was lit up with blue and pink neon strips of lighting around the edges of the serving area, and a section of alcohol storage space that hung down from above. Wine glasses and champagne flutes dangled upside down from racks bolted to the overhang. Ryan counted ten people working behind the bar, either serving customers, or washing glasses and refilling the ice tubs. The place was a buzz of activity, spurred on by the thumping beat of the music.
Bliss was basically a large rectangle of floor space with the bar on one side and the dance floor down the opposite end from the entry foyer. All the fittings and floor coverings were new, the place having recently been transformed from a large restaurant into a night club. The wall on the left side of the club and a part of th
e front wall were virtually all glass, apart from a metre high section of painted concrete at the bottom. The windows afforded a great view of the Surfers skyline by night and the beach below.
Ryan finally got served and had to yell above the music to be heard. “Bourbon and Coke.”
The barman held up a bottle of Jim Beam White Label and Ryan nodded. The drink was poured and Ryan slid ten dollars across the bar, receiving a couple of coins in change. He pocketed the coins, took a sip from his glass, then went to find Brad.
As he searched, he took in more of his surrounds. Round tables with matching stools were scattered frequently throughout the floor space. On the far side where all the windows were there was a series of comfortable, low-set lounges lined up just below the glass. Somehow, despite the crowds, Brad Davis and date had managed to snare one of those lounges and sat close together while people-watching. Brad had his hand on the woman’s thigh. She was wearing black pants so there was no direct skin contact, but the gesture was certainly an intimate one. And she certainly wasn’t objecting.
Ryan only casually glanced their way, then edged through the sea of people towards the dance floor, where he spent a moment checking out the girls as they moved to the rhythm of the music. Some danced well, some not so well, but it was always interesting to watch. There were several small podiums around the floor for people to dance on and all were packed with gyrating bodies. After a few minutes of idle skirt gazing, he forced himself to get his mind back on the job and returned to the rear of the club, hoping he might be able to find somewhere to sit down. As fate would have it he lucked out and snared a table right at the back, just as a couple were vacating it. He took a seat in a position where he could keep an eye on his subject. This time he slipped the iPhone out of his pocket and pretended to be typing a text message, while in actual fact he was taking several photos of Brad nestled in close and cozy with the blonde. He then put the phone away and finished his drink, wondering if that was enough evidence gathered to satisfy his client that her husband was indeed being unfaithful. He was just about to get up to leave when a very attractive woman approached the table.
She was quite tall for a female, maybe only a few inches shorter that Ryan’s six foot frame. The woman looked to be somewhere in her mid-twenties with long, lustrous and silky black hair that fell well past her shoulders. Her face was only lightly made up, the skin pale and almost translucent looking; but not in a sickly way. Ryan found it quite appealing, actually. She had full lips coated in red gloss and black eyeliner to enhance her very dark eyes. Her face was oval shaped, tapering towards a proud chin and jaw, high cheekbones and a slightly pointed nose. She moved with an air of grace and confidence, the long black evening gown clinging to a perfect and classic hourglass figure. The woman was very slim without being skinny. On her hands she wore black silk gloves that ran halfway up her forearms. She smiled as she drew alongside Ryan’s table, exposing a perfect set of teeth.
Before she introduced herself she signaled over a waitress, who quickly scurried over. It became obvious to Ryan then that this woman either managed or owned the club.
“I’d like to buy you a drink,” she said close to Ryan’s ear. He got a whiff of expensive perfume that he couldn’t name. It smelled delicious. She eyed his empty glass. “Are you drinking bourbon?”
“Good guess,” he said, offering her his best smile. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” The woman instructed the waitress to hurry back with a bourbon and Coke, then she took a seat beside Ryan. “My name’s Selena Thorne,” she said and extended a hand to him. Ryan took it lightly in his, the feel of the silk somewhat sexy to the touch, and shook it once.
“Ryan Fox,” he said. “Do you manage this club?”
She nodded. “Manage and own.”
“You’ve done a good job with the décor.” Ryan looked into her eyes. They were dark to the point of almost being black. He could barely separate the irises from the pupils. It made them hard to read. They were nice eyes, though.
“I’m afraid I can’t take the credit for that. The original owners ran out of funds just as they finished refurbishing. Which was bad luck for them, but fortuitous for me. I took over the lease and the license at a very reasonable price.”
“How long have you been open?”
“Two weeks tonight.”
Ryan grinned. “Excellent. Your two week anniversary. It looks like business is going well.” He scanned the crowded club once more.
“I’m happy,” she said. Selena ran her eyes over him briefly before returning her attention to his face. “So what’s a handsome young guy like yourself doing sitting here drinking alone?”
He held her gaze. “I didn’t think I was alone.” He saw a twinkle in her eyes then. “Actually, I’m working right now.”
Selena chuckled. “Where do I get a job like yours? Sitting in a night club, drinking for a living.”
“It’s not quite like that,” Ryan explained. “I’m working on a case.” He pulled a business card from his wallet and handed it to her.
When she read it her eyebrows raised, her interest piqued. “Foxhunt Investigation and Detection Agency. So you’re a private detective.”
He nodded, cringing at the sound of his business name. He still wasn’t sure if he liked it or despised it. “Right now I’m working an infidelity case.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
“Not really. They’re quite boring.” He nodded subtly in the direction of Brad and company. “That’s the errant husband right there with his mistress.” Brad and the woman were now affectionately pecking each other on the lips. “I think I’ve gathered enough information and evidence now to satisfy my client that her husband is being unfaithful. It’s unfortunate, but the truth often is.”
“Well put,” Selena agreed. She looked at Ryan’s business card again, her brow slightly furrowed. “Mind if I keep this?”
“Not at all. That’s what they’re for.”
“I just may require your services in the near future.” She stood up, leaned in close and added, “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Ryan. It’s been a pleasure meeting you. Good luck with your case and I’ll talk to you soon.”
He smiled up at her. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you too. And,” he raised his glass, “thanks again for the drink.”
Selena Thorne gracefully melded back into the crowd and was gone. Ryan watched her until she’d disappeared. He definitely hoped to hear from her, even if it was just work related. When he looked back in Brad’s direction, he saw Brad and the blonde on their feet preparing to leave.
Ryan tailed them back to the car park, where the mystery woman got in behind the wheel of a blue Nissan Pulsar. Hanging back in the shadows, Ryan couldn’t hear any of the conversation that ensued. She drove off and Brad headed back to his Camry. Ryan trailed him out of the car park and expected him to turn north on the highway. Instead, he indicated left and drove south. Ten minutes later they were in the backstreets of Mermaid Beach. Brad came to a stop outside an old brick home, where a blue Nissan Pulsar was parked in the carport. Ryan continued down the street, performed a U-turn, switched off the Ford’s headlights and cruised to a stop just south of Brad’s car, another parked car between them.
Brad was in the house for several hours before finally emerging. Ryan could only guess what had been happening inside, but he had a pretty fair idea. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were having sex. Ryan’s stomach felt hollow. He didn’t know his client, Julia, but he felt for her, and wasn’t looking forward to breaking the news to her; and possibly her heart. But what could he do? He was hired to find out the facts, and the facts were what they were.
Ryan waited until Brad’s car had turned right at the end of the street before starting the engine and getting back on his tail. Brad ended up driving straight home. No sooner had he entered his house and all the lights went out, obviously going to bed and pretending he’d been there all night.
You’re days of cheatin
g are numbered, Brad, Ryan thought with satisfaction as he headed for home.
Three
On Monday morning Ryan met up with Julia Davis at a café in Main Beach. It was a clear, sunny day with just the hint of a breeze about to keep the ambient temperature pleasant. He was dressed in jeans again, wearing the same shoes and had on a red polo shirt. His eyes were hidden behind the dark lenses of cheap sunglasses
Julia’s expression was forlorn as she scrolled through the images of Saturday night on Ryan’s compact camera. When she was done she repeated the process before handing the camera back.
“I’d like copies of those,” she said and stared down into her coffee mug. She toyed with the froth of her cappuccino with a spoon while Ryan brought up the images from inside Bliss Night Club on his iPhone. He slid the phone across the table to her and the woman reluctantly picked it up. “And these as well,” she said after viewing the images of her husband cuddling on the lounge with the blonde woman. “I might need them in the case of a divorce settlement.”
Ryan nodded. “I’ll send copies through to your email address this afternoon.”
“Thank you,” she offered, though Ryan hardly felt like he was doing her a great favour. He felt like shit right now, having just all but proven to Julia that her husband was getting laid elsewhere. And with a younger woman, to rub a little more salt in. He really wasn’t sure what to say to her.
“What else happened the other night?” she wanted to know. “After they left this night club.” She handed the phone back.
Ryan took a deep breath and said, “He went back to her house.”
“And?” she prompted.
He shrugged. “Well, I can’t say for certain what he was doing in there, but he was inside for several hours. Then he went home.”
Julia’s sombre expression now transformed into one of anger. Her face reddened as scenarios of Brad bonking another female obviously flooded her mind. Ryan saw her visibly shudder. Once again he didn’t know what to say to her. Everything he thought of just sounded lame or patronizing, so in the end he kept his mouth shut. After all, he was a detective and not a counsellor.
Night Realm Page 2