Charlotte Pass

by Lee Christine

  He sat on the typist chair, which had grown wobblier with overuse. He ran a hand over the bare surface of the desk. He couldn’t even busy himself looking through the file now everything was up in the investigation area. He pushed back the chair and went to stand at the window. With the exception of a family of four who were building a snowman beside the creek, the resort was eerily quiet. Other than the occasional raven’s call, the only sound was the intermittent squeak of an empty chair on the cable as it swung back and forth in the light breeze.

  ‘Hello, Mum.’

  Ryder stilled, his eyes on Long Bay where the hem of an orange curtain flapped through a partially open window.

  ‘I’m fine, Mum. Don’t freak out. Everything’s okay.’

  There was a pause, then, ‘Oh, there’s a hotline? No, I didn’t know that, but it makes sense. I’m not surprised you weren’t able to get through on it, though.’ Another pause. ‘One of the detectives gave me his satellite phone to call you. I’m lucky to be able to bypass the queue.’ There was a longer pause this time. Ryder slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. The only way he could block out what Vanessa was saying would be to stick his fingers in his ears. ‘Yes, I knew her, Mum.’ Vanessa’s voice began to quaver. Ryder held his breath wondering how the conversation would go. ‘Yes, it’s tragic. She was a really nice girl … What about you and Dad, are you okay?’ It was a good deflection. ‘Oh, that’s great. Yes, I can imagine it would be all over the news. Try not to worry too much, though, we’re in good hands. Mum, I’m going to have to go. I can’t tie up the phone too long.’

  Ryder slid his hands from his pockets and walked slowly to the doorway. She was moving restlessly, the phone to her ear, her eyes on the swirling carpet pattern. She stilled when she caught sight of him, her gaze tracking upwards to meet his. She held up her free hand and crossed her fingers. ‘I’m perfectly safe, Mum. They’ve moved some of the girls out of Long Bay and into the inn. There’s a huge police presence here. I couldn’t be safer.’ She grimaced, clearly hating having to lie to her mother.

  ‘You did the right thing,’ he said, when she’d hung up. ‘You are perfectly safe, if you stay here.’

  He sat on the sofa, opposite her, as he’d done with the others he’d interviewed. ‘The fellow Libby followed down here is in the clear. He has a solid alibi.’

  She sat tensely, eyeing him warily.

  Ryder rubbed his forehead, reminding himself she was an intelligent woman, and had probably anticipated what he was going to say next.

  ‘This may come as another shock, but I don’t think Libby was the intended victim. I think someone wanted to harm you, and they found Libby in your room instead.’

  ‘I already worked that out,’ she snapped, before burying her face in her hands. He waited while she dragged in some deep breaths, her shoulders rising and falling. After a while, she took her hands away and looked at him. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just so … so angry. I want to hit something.’

  ‘It’s not your fault,’ he said, uttering the same words people had said to him time and time again. In Vanessa’s case, though, it was true. She’d only been doing her friend a favour. But knowing it wasn’t your fault didn’t help ease the guilt. ‘Have you had a problem with anyone down here?’

  ‘Only Bruno.’

  Ryder sucked in a breath, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. ‘What happened with Bruno?’

  ‘Everything was fine until the other night.’

  ‘Which night?’

  ‘The night of the flare run. I went to the inn afterwards, but it was so crowded I decided to go home.’

  That’s the night he’d been in Newcastle, talking to Arnold and Eunice Delaney. ‘What happened?’

  ‘He was waiting in the dark, on the other side of the bridge. Scared the hell out of me. He asked what was happening up on Mount Stillwell. He would have known what was going on. It was all around the village.’

  ‘What did you tell him?’

  ‘Nothing. I said he’d have to ask you or Terry. He made a big deal about needing to get the snow out from behind the fences, said if he couldn’t do his job then nothing else could happen.’

  ‘I wished you’d told me.’

  ‘I told Terry, the day I saw you in the cafe. He’s given Bruno a warning.’

  ‘What did he do, exactly?’

  ‘When I tried to get past him, he grabbed hold of my wrist. I managed to get away, but he followed me inside. He was very intimidating, standing outside my door for a while, clicking his lighter on and off. He even called my name.’ Her voice began to shake at the memory. ‘There was hardly anyone else in the building at the time. Do you think it’s him—Bruno—who killed Libby?’

  Ryder moved to sit beside her. Hang protocol. Hang fucking everything. She was at risk, and she wasn’t moving from his suite until he’d apprehended the person who’d strangled her friend to death. ‘I don’t know. But he’s my main suspect in the Delaney case. He was the liftie on duty the night Celia disappeared, and he’s changed his story from back then. There hasn’t been another murder here in over fifty years, and now Libby’s been killed the same week the police are back investigating the old crime.’

  She stared at him with stricken eyes. ‘Oh, my God,’ she said quietly, ‘that’s terrifying.’

  He nodded. ‘It’s very worrying. And I don’t believe in coincidences.’ He mulled over the facts trying to find a link. ‘You and Terry have been involved with certain things up on the mountain. You were there when we found those wire ties but, apart from that, you know little of the specifics of the case.’

  ‘I got a dressing down about spending too much time with the police.’

  Ryder frowned. ‘From who?’

  ‘The Gordons. Well, Mr Gordon actually. He reminded me who paid my wages, and made a point of telling me that my job should be my first priority. I thought they were going to hand me my notice. Mrs Gordon was firing someone in her office while I was waiting in the hallway.’

  ‘Who did she fire?’

  Vanessa shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I couldn’t hear the other person’s voice, only her. It could have been one of the band, because she said something like “When the gig’s over get the hell out.” And then she asked them why they’d admitted to something they’d done when they were young.’

  Nigel Miller. ‘Oh, Vanessa. Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘Because it’s not my investigation, and I didn’t want to be a nuisance running to you with every little thing I overheard. Di was furious, though.’

  Ryder had a pretty good idea of why that was. ‘Okay. Don’t worry about it. I wish Terry had told me about Bruno. Did he back off after he was given a warning?’

  ‘I haven’t seen much of him. He made a beeline for me in Long Bay, but I avoided him. And then yesterday, he was up at the snow fences. I saw him for a few seconds when I was chasing some maniac through the trees.’

  ‘Someone was skiing near the burial site?’

  ‘Yes.’ The colour was back in her cheeks now, and her voice was growing stronger as though she were better for talking it out. ‘This guy was a menace.’

  ‘You’re certain it was a man?’

  ‘From his build, yes. I nearly caught him at one point.’

  ‘Did you call out?’

  ‘Several times. He completely defied my authority.’

  ‘You’re certain he heard you?’

  ‘Oh, he heard me. He looked around, but I had to let him go in the end. He skied across the tube run. He could have taken out any number of people and injured them. If I’d caught him, I would have been tempted to ban him from the resort.’

  ‘He was that desperate to get away from you?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Would you recognise him again?’

  ‘I’m not sure. He was wearing rental gear. That’s the olive-green jacket and black pants you see half the people here wearing.’ She looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. ‘A couple of things did
strike me as odd.’

  ‘Okay. Tell me.’

  ‘Well, good skiers usually have their own gear. The occasional skiers are more likely to rent clothing, and families with children. You can understand them not wanting to buy expensive suits the kids will grow out of in a year. A lot of first-timers rent, too, because they’re not sure if they’ll like it.’

  Ryder nodded. ‘Makes sense. What else was unusual?’

  ‘Well, it takes years to become an experienced skier. By then, people know that ski patrol are responsible for keeping the mountain safe, and that the signage is there for a reason. I’ve only ever been ignored by smart alec kids out for a lark, or a dare, or …’

  ‘Or?’

  ‘Or by learners and tentative skiers.’

  Tentative skiers. Like Celia Delaney.

  ‘They can be so busy concentrating on staying upright, that they miss a sign and they don’t even hear us call out. Sometimes, they get in a situation where they’re too frightened to make a tight turn, so they just keep skiing across the mountain. They can end up in the trees between the runs, or in a series of bumps off to one side. Very quickly they can find themselves someplace they’re not meant to be. But that’s all part and parcel of learning, and usually they’re embarrassed and very apologetic.’

  ‘So, it’s unusual for a competent skier to do that?’

  ‘It’s highly unusual.’

  ‘And you said Bruno was up there?’

  She nodded. ‘He saw me and pointed after the skier.’

  ‘To show you which way he’d gone?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I don’t like it.’ Ryder pulled out his phone and called Benson. ‘Send someone down to the rental shop. I want a list of all male skiers who have pants and parkas rented out, and details of where they’re staying.’

  He hung up and looked at Vanessa again. ‘How did you know this bloke was up on Mount Stillwell?’

  ‘One of the lifties told me. He saw him duck under the CLOSED sign.’

  ‘And he didn’t stop once, just skied straight from the top to the bottom?’

  ‘I think so. I mean, he stopped eventually, down the bottom. I got in traffic and had to pull up. I pointed at him, making it clear I wanted him to stay where he was. But he took off.’

  A sense of disquiet unfurled in Ryder’s stomach. Why had he been there? To look at the grave? To talk to Bruno? What if Vanessa had interrupted him?

  ‘You’re highly visible in your ski-patrol uniform. Even from this window I’m able to pick you out on the hill.’

  She flushed a little and glanced at him from beneath her lashes. ‘It’s not hard. Johan is twice my size.’

  ‘I know. I’ve seen him.’ Ryder linked his fingers together. ‘I’m not trying to alarm you, but this menace, he knows which patroller was chasing him.’

  A small frown creased her forehead. ‘You don’t think he’d come after me, just because I was going to confiscate his lift pass, do you? That doesn’t make any sense.’

  ‘Nothing ever makes sense. Not until we have all the facts and solve the case. I’m not discounting anyone in this village, especially a person who defies authority, and is brazen enough to ski very close to a police crime scene, especially one where the remains of a murdered woman have recently been dug up.’

  Vanessa eyes widened, and she twisted her hands in her lap. ‘Now I’m scared.’

  ‘It’s natural to be scared. So, no more asking if you can go back to Long Bay, okay?’

  ‘Where do you think I should go?’

  Ryder hesitated. ‘You have a couple of options. If you’d like to go home to the farm, that’s fine. We can access you from there. If you decide to stay on, you’ll have to remain in this suite. Lewicki’s the perfect one to watch you during the day, and I’ll be here at night.’ He held up his hands as she went to say something. ‘You can take the bedroom. I’ll sleep on the lounge, but it mightn’t come to that. We’re running the investigation from the kids’ club now, so we don’t need the makeshift office. If Di Gordon settles down and decides to cooperate, she might take out the desk and put the bed back in. Miracles have been known to happen.’

  She smiled a little.

  ‘As an aside to that: we tend to hit the ground running at the start of an investigation. I’ll be snatching a few hours’ sleep here and there.’

  She nodded, her eyes flicking around the room. ‘I could stay with Eva and Poppy. That’s my older sister and my niece. Eva has a lodge in Thredbo.’

  Ryder raised his eyebrows.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You have two skiing enthusiasts in the family?’

  She smiled a little more brightly. ‘Eva’s a fair-weather skier. She’s a highly trained chef, though. Making gastronomic meals for her guests is more her thing.’

  ‘Well, let me know what you decide,’ he said, realising with a jolt that he’d miss her if she decided to go. ‘We wouldn’t have a problem accessing you in Thredbo.’

  ‘Can I have some time to think about it? I’m not sure I could stay cooped up with nothing to do and only Lewicki for company. No offence to your friend.’

  ‘None taken.’ Ryder checked his watch. They were nearly out of time. ‘In the meantime, I want you to do everything Lew says. The police presence and being confined will make the perp more desperate. I don’t want you in their sights, especially if they think you know something, or could potentially identify them. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes.’

  A knock sounded at the door.

  ‘That’ll be Lew.’

  They both stood up.

  Ryder hesitated, wanting to stay, but at the same time desperate to get on the killer’s trail. ‘If you remain here, it’s on my terms, okay?’

  She nodded. ‘Okay. But don’t expect me to play the useless victim.’

  He hesitated again. What the hell was he doing, giving her a choice in all this? Vanessa being located elsewhere was in the best interests of the police, because they couldn’t be held accountable for her safety. He should be encouraging her to leave.

  Unable to stop himself, he pulled her to him in a gentle hug.

  Twenty-three

  ‘Write down your name, please,’ the young woman on the front door said in an officious tone, pointing to the column and handing Ryder a pen. ‘And the time you entered the building.’

  Ryder smiled to himself as he scribbled his name on the sheet. Terry had chosen the right person for the job. ‘Keep up the good work,’ he said, handing the pen to Flowers.

  Long Bay was a hive of activity. Benson was in the hallway, talking to two young blokes about search warrants and their rights, and explaining how it was in their best interest not to obstruct the police, especially if they had nothing to hide.

  In the kitchen, a detective Ryder didn’t recognise was deep in conversation with a young woman dressed in a university tracksuit and sheepskin boots. Another five girls were waiting in line.

  ‘What’s going on here?’ Ryder asked, after he’d introduced himself.

  ‘Detective Benson wanted to know if anyone woke during the night and heard anything unusual. These ladies came forward.’

  ‘Right. Let me know if you get anything.’

  They found Terry standing in the centre of the TV room, clipboard in hand. Close to a dozen staff members were also in the room. A few were curled sleepily in chairs, while others were stretched out on the floor, their attention riveted to a superhero movie playing on the TV. At a table in the corner, four blokes were engrossed in a serious game of poker.

  Terry swung around at Ryder’s soft knock. ‘I’m halfway through taking the roll-call,’ he said. ‘I’ll catch you up when I’m done.’

  A familiar scent of crime-scene chemicals greeted Ryder as he approached Vanessa’s room. An emergency-services man came backing out of the doorway and into the corridor holding the end of a stretcher. The man’s clothes were covered by plastic overalls, his shoes by plastic booties.

  ‘Sweet
Jesus,’ Flowers muttered as Libby’s covered body came into view. ‘She was too young to end up in a body bag like that.’

  ‘Why don’t you head back the way we came,’ said Ryder. ‘Close the door to the TV room and clear those girls out of the kitchen. They don’t need to see this.’

  ‘Right, Sarge.’

  ‘Oh, and Flowers, find out which room is Bruno’s. I want to question him the minute we’ve finished here.’

  Ryder watched as the two men manoeuvred the stretcher through the doorway. ‘How’s it going, fellas?’ he asked quietly.

  ‘We’re ready to take the body to Canberra,’ the older of the two men said. ‘The helicopter’s on standby.’

  Ryder glanced into Vanessa’s room. Harriet Ono and two members of her forensic team were working inside, their movements quiet, respectful and unhurried.

  Five minutes later, Libby’s body was taken from the building, and Harriet emerged from Vanessa’s room. She pulled down her face mask and raised her eyebrows at Ryder.

  ‘Shutting down the resort, hey? You’ll do anything to get your face on telly.’

  ‘Good to see you out of bed at the crack of dawn, Harriet.’

  ‘You thinking about me in bed? I’ve told you before I’m not interested.’

  Ryder smiled a little. It was a way of coping with the horror, of emotionally detaching from the constant exposure to violent death. ‘So, what’s your take on this one?’

  ‘Well,’ Harriet spoke on a sigh. ‘From the external examination, she died of asphyxiation.’

  ‘I’m curious about those unusual marks on her neck.’

  ‘Velcro.’

  ‘Velcro?’

  ‘Yep? I’ve seen the abrasions a few times, not around the neck, but on other body parts.’

  Ryder pulled out his phone. ‘Flowers, can you ask Terry to come down here, please?’

  ‘Any idea of the time of death?’ he asked Harriet.

  ‘Somewhere between four and four-thirty this morning, according to the medical examiner. He’s already left for another crime scene, by the way. It’s shaping up to be a busy one.’

  ‘Has the luminol shown up anything?’

  Harriet glanced over her shoulder. ‘A ton of marks have appeared already but, as you know, blood isn’t the only activator that glows in the dark. This carpet’s been down a long time. A lamp was smashed at some point. Let’s hope the perp cut himself.’