by Andrew Hood
“Don’t worry about that, I’ll get him. We have a few things coming in which should tie him to the case. If we crack this one today our names will be in lights. We’re having a meeting at 9 am with the team, can you be there?”
“Yeah I’ll be there.” He didn’t sound convinced.
“Great, bring whatever you have got on Keyman.” Adam then hung up the phone and changed his tone again for his call to Belinda.”
“Hello Adam, a little early, isn’t it?” From the sound of her voice Adam guessed that Belinda was still at home. For the briefest of moments he let his mind wander what she may or may not be wearing. “What happened to you last night? One minute you’re desperately trying to get me drunk and the next you run off home.”
“From memory, I think it was you that insisted on the first bottle of wine Adam.”
“And you on the second, if I recall correctly, Belinda?” “Of course I did, that’s when you started to get interesting, but that’s enough for now. You haven’t had any wine this morning, so either tell me something interesting or let me get back to my breakfast!”
Adam started to see a pattern with Belinda. She would say enough to get him interested and then turn cold. He felt like a yo-yo in perpetual motion, attracted and repelled at will. He needed to start evening out the score.
“Ok Belinda, urgent team meeting at 9 am in the office. Hopefully solving this case will be interesting enough for you. Oh, and this time, Don isn’t invited.”
“There you go! That sounds interesting. I’ll be there.”
“You like games huh?” Adam said finally.
“Only when I’m in control, see you at nine.” Belinda then hung up the phone.
Adam cursed her under his breath. He really didn’t need this shit now.
( * ) “Everyone got a coffee and ready to go? Ok, guys, listen up.” Adam was trying to get some enthusiasm into the room.They had all spent the last 15 minutes in the office but were still in the early morning haze.
“Belinda might want to go and fetch Tony before you start Adam. It seemed to go so well last time there was an opportunity for her to grandstand.” Tony followed through by tilting his head towards the door as if to remind her that she had forgotten her favorite pen and he was happy to wait while she retrieved it.
Belinda turned an icy stare in Tony’s direction. “You can’t pass up an opportunity, can you? Three years I’ve been putting up with your shit and taken it on the chin. One more stupid comment and I’m logging another complaint with your buddies at IA.”
“Finally, and you were so quick to do it the first time, what’s taken you so long?” “Guys!” Adam had raised his voice louder than he had needed to stop the conversation. His determination to the job ahead had given him his extra voice. “Look, I don’t know what the problem is for you two and to be honest, I don’t give a shit. We’re getting close to this guy. We need to be working together. Do you have anything to say to each other that can’t be said tomorrow when this is over?”
He was met with silence. Individually, both Tony and Belinda could have taken him on, probably would have won, but when Adam was purely focused most challenges were declined. Now that he had their attention he turned workmanlike again: “What I want to do is go around the table and get the facts from each of you. Then I’ve got a few things to add which I am hoping will tie this all together. Matthew, let’s start with you. How did you go at Keyman Insurance yesterday?”
Belinda and Tony seemed to have forgotten that Matthew was in the room and were surprised to hear his name. Matthew himself seemed to share surprise. “Ah? Oh yeah, I was right. IDB was coming from their network, just not one of their computers. Someone is using their network to connect to the net.”
“Can you tell us who?” Adam asked the obvious question.
“Not easily, but I can shut them down if you want me to.They will probably just attach themselves to another network.”
“No, let him go for now. At least we know where he is.” Adam replied.
Belinda turned to Adam: “Shouldn’t we stop people downloading the program before anything else happens?”
Matthew answered in Adam’s place: “Too many people have already got it and are sharing it around. I couldn’t get to everyone.” Belinda’s facial expression was designed to ask if she was the only person in the room who could understand the severity of the situation. “This could get out of control; we have to start telling people about this program.”
Adam tried to park the concern. “Belinda, cleaning this up will be top priority once we have this guy in custody. If we make too big a fuss now, he will just go underground and we will never hear from him again. This is just all the more reason why we need to get him today!” He then back-pedalled slightly, “or as soon as possible.”
She threw her hands in the air but part of the message had gotten through. Her previous conviction was no longer fully visible.
“Matthew, are you able to track any of his data or Internet chats?” Adam said.
“Yeah, anything that goes through that network we will know about.”
“Does the owner, John Keyman, know you have put in a trace?” “I didn’t tell him,” Matthew replied. “I still haven’t seen the paperwork come through. I hope you got the approvals to monitor his network? You told me to go ahead and do it, so I assumed you had.”
“He told Belinda and I that we would have his full assistance and access to his computers as long as we were discreet. That’s enough for now. We shouldn’t need this as evidence anyway if we can catch him at the scene of a crime. I think you’ll find some interesting stuff across the network from last night. I need you to pull it up and show me ASAP this morning.” Adam was now picking up the pace of the meeting. “Tony, can you now tell us what you got on John Keyman?”
Tony exhaled loudly. “I checked his background and the guy has a history. We haven’t been able to pin anything major on him but he has been listed as a ‘person of interest’ in other investigations. He has either cleaned up his act with age or gotten better at hiding it. Small business related stuff in the last 10 years but a few minor theft and vandalism warnings as a kid. No formal charges though. It looks like he’s good at talking his way out of trouble.”
Tony had to keep the information flowing in the right direction. “Belinda, we met the guy yesterday. Is he capable of putting this together?” She took a moment for her famous, expert’s consideration pause. “We only had twenty minutes with him yesterday but if you ask me now, whatever he has been doing, he has gotten better at hiding it. The one thing I got from yesterday is that he is very cunning and does not seem to possess any real empathy for the results of his actions.”
“Which sounds like our man right?” Adam asked again.
“Yeah it’s possible.” “Ok, John Keyman has just become our chief suspect.” Adam wrote his name in large letters across the whiteboard they had been using to track the case. “The reason I called this meeting is that last night I found myself at a loose end.” He couldn’t help but shoot a quick glance at Belinda. To Adam’s horror Tony spotted it. “So, I logged back into the chat room and pretended to be Shane Simons to try and get to him.”
Tony started to shake his head in disgust. “Why would you do that? Why not just put an advertisement in the paper telling him the police are after him? Unbelievable!”
“Tony, just shut up for a minute, will you? I know it was dangerous but the crazy thing was, he knew exactly who Belinda and I were anyway. Remember that the only person we have made recent contact with was John Keyman.”There was a universal look of surprise. “Hopefully now you can understand why I was pushing so hard for this guy. I didn’t want to tell you until we had the facts laid out so that the knowledge didn’t influence your consideration of him as a suspect.”
“What did he say?” Belinda asked.
“I can show you everything once Matthew gets the transcript but basically, he wants to meet Shane this evening in the city. He wants to k
ill him.”
Chapter 12
Shane had arrived at Flinders Station with a plan. The problem was, the longer he had been there the less likely it seemed to succeed. His only justification for going through with it at all was his belief that having a plan was better than none at all. Not knowing who he was up against meant that if he simply waited to be approached he could be attacked without even seeing it coming. He also felt no reason to re-engage in conversation or prolong the showdown. It’s better to get this over with one way or the other. I owe that much to Anita!
The day outside was overcast which robbed most of the commuters of any vibrant colour. It didn’t help his situation where anyone of the people around him was a potential killer anyway. Every time a train arrived or departed thousands of people flooded around him as they rushed to catch their connecting buses, car or simply to walk through at their own pace. Shane did notice, however, a few waiting around perhaps for a quiet moment to approach.
It was 5:50 pm on his watch, so Shane decided now was the time to act. If he had been there early, so, he guessed, would be his enemy too. He stood on the third level of the stairs so that the level of his head was above the crowd around him and stared at each of the loiterers in his immediate area trying to feel them out. He got a few aggressive returns and one man seemed to avert his gaze a little too quickly, but he was not overly confident about any of them being his man.
Shane stepped down into the oncoming crowd and in a darting motion propelled his body forward as if being chased in an attempt to lure out his man. People around him were starting to look nervous. They could tell he was anxious and couldn’t see any visible reason why.
He had taken about five hurried steps from his chair when Shane turned his head to see if any of loiterers was now giving chase. He had knocked through the crowd, so in turning he had opened himself up to the complaints of those he had pushed. He looked through each angry commuter as if they didn’t exist. He was simply scanning them for an unusual expression or movement.
Shane returned his gaze to the direction his body had been moving and just as disappointment was about to take grip, he saw what he had been looking for. The man had a hunter’s glare in his dark eyes and was now looking directly at Shane. He was dressed like a Hollywood version of a hit man. His hair was perfectly in place and clothes were impeccable, too good for the average office worker. As Shane sized up his opposition he noticed one of his hands in a side pocket of his jacket. It didn’t seem to be resting on his clothing; rather using the clothing to conceal what he was holding.
In the few moments it had taken Shane to decide it was IDB he had almost run directly into his reach. It took a last minute change of direction for Shane to evade him and he pushed through the crowd to his right.
A last minute grasp through the crowd was not enough to catch Shane but it did throw him off balance for a moment before he could fully run freely again. There was no questioning he was now being chased, he could hear the now familiar complaints from the crowd a few steps behind, which could only mean his pursuer was just as determined to get him as he was to get away.
Shane ran through the crowd and across the street in front of him toward a city car park he had picked out earlier. While this was not the direct path for the crowd coming to the station he still had to battle his way through the few people that were taking the alternate route out. Shane even pushed one of them into the path of the man pursuing him in an effort to slow him down but his pursuer had swerved the shopper and seemed to only gain ground.
“Help, he’s trying to hurt me!” Shane called to a stocky sized man as he passed him. As he turned, Shane saw the bystander take one step into the path of IDB and raise his hand as if to reason with him. Without even breaking stride IBD threw his fist into the man’s face knocking him to the ground. Shane had no doubt at all that he had just broken an innocent bystander’s nose or perhaps even knocked him unconscious.
The unnecessary violence made Shane question his plan even further. Fuck, this guy isn’t gonna fall for this, I’m screwed. As they turned the corner to enter the car park entrance, Shane was more prepared for the downward stairs ahead of him. He straddled them four at a time without breaking stride while IDB had to slow in order to keep his balance. When they were clear Shane headed for the trap with only a quick glance to the ceiling as if in a silent hurried prayer for success.
Because of the angle, IDB had not seen how precise Shane’s footing had been when he had rounded the corner between the blue Ford and the silver SAAB that he had picked out earlier. He also hadn’t seen the hand-soap Shane had carried from the men’s toilet and rubbed into the ground. It was at the exact position IBD had stepped with all of his weight.
As he tried to push off his right foot around the left corner, it slid out from underneath him. His momentum from the run didn’t stop until he slammed into the vehicle.
“Fuck!” IDB screamed, now holding his head in pain. “When I get you, you little prick!” Shane was stunned that it had worked but didn’t want to waste time and give him a chance to recover. He grabbed a bottle he had left there earlier, took three steps, swung and knocked IBD over the head.
Thuddddd.
IDB collapsed. Shane kicked him once to make sure the immediate danger was over.
( * )
“Adam Kelly,” Adam spoke loudly into phone to compete with the noise of the crowd around him.
“Detective Kelly, I’ve got your man.” “Shane?” Adam shot a quick glance over to Tony. It was 6:03 pm and they were at different sides of the main entrance to the pier waiting for John Keyman to arrive, unaware that the action had already taken place before they got there. “Shit, what happened to 6 o’clock?”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you detective. I guess he wanted to kill me early so he could get home for the news.”
“Don’t be stupid, you could have been killed! Where is he?” Adam said. “Adam, I will make you a deal. I will tell you where he is and you can do whatever you need to do with him but leave me alone for tonight. First thing tomorrow morning I will walk into your office and give myself up.”
“Shane, it will only work if you come in with him. There is not a lot of time here. I know you are still close, so you need to come to me before I come and track you down. The difference changes everything for you Shane.” Adam was now on the move looking for the position of his caller. He signaled to Tony to do the same.
“Adam,unfortunately you’re wrong.Time is running out for you.I’ve already left, so you won’t get me. The longer you take to make this decision the more time you give John Keyman, I really hope that name means something to you by the way, to regain consciousness and get out of there.”
Adam could hear Shane pause. This isn’t planned, he is making it up as he goes along.
“Look Adam, I just need a night to get a few things straight in my head before I come in.”
“I don’t have time to think about this now. Shane, do whatever you want. Now, where is he?” “Cross Flinder St and go down to the car park three doors down. Look for a silver SAAB on Level 2.” Adam was now running as he listened to Shane. Tony had turned in the opposite direction, so Adam simply grabbed the back of his jacket as he ran past to get him to follow. Shane continued: “The idiot owner left it unlocked. In the back you will find him tied up and unconscious with a gun in his pocket. This is the gun he had intended to use on me. I hit him in self defense as he chased me. The footage from the security camera directly underneath will prove this. I suggest you hurry before some curious security guard gets nosy. Good luck detective, I will see you tomorrow.” The line was disconnected.
Adam and Tony burst into the car park each looking in opposite directions with their guns and badges drawn.
“We’re looking for a silver Saab, and anything that moves and looks wounded.” Adam yelled to Tony. “Over this way!” Tony was the first to see it and was half way there before alerting Adam. When he got close, Adam saw Tony lose his footing and fa
ll on his ass. Adam pulled up in time to avoid a Keystone Cops moment that would have been embarrassing for both of them. “Ah shit!”
“Get up, he’s still in the car and I was told he’s got a gun.” Adam opened the car down while Tony gingerly got to his feet with his gun now directly pointed at the occupant of the back seat. Adam felt around the man, fully alert that this could be a trap, but found the gun still in John Keyman’s pocket. After removing it and throwing the gun out of the car towards Tony for safety, Adam felt for a pulse which was there. He then gently slapped him on the face with no result. Even though he had his hands tied Adam noticed that he was wearing earphones and listening to an MP3 player. It was obviously put on by Shane Kirk. Adam couldn’t help but smile. He saw no reason to take it off. With a smile still laid across his face Adam turned to Tony. “Call it in mate. Tell them we may need an ambulance, he’s out cold.”
Chapter 13
When Adam arrived for work the next morning he was greeted with a round of applause. One staff member even mocked him with a standing ovation. He had spent the night building the case against John Keyman and was close to closing his first taskforce. He was proud of his accomplishment but had to do the right thing politically.
“I couldn’t have done it without this man,” Adam gestured to Tony with both his hands outstretched. “Thanks guys.”
Tony tried to fake a smile but failed miserably. He gave the non verbal I’ve got more important things on my mind expression.
After putting his bag and jacket down at his desk Adam made his way straight over to Tony to find out what was making him so anxious.
“What’s up mate? You should be celebrating.” “It looks like that bitch has done it to me again.” He tilted his head towards the interview rooms. “Don and Belinda have been locked in room 3 all morning with some other guy. I’m sure he’s Internal Affairs.”