Deadly Obsession

by Karen M. Davis

  Vicky’s hand flew to her open mouth. ‘Oh!’ she exclaimed once more.

  ‘Do you want me to stop? I can read it quietly,’ Sasha asked.

  It seemed Melissa had led an entire secret life Vicky knew nothing about. Although she felt bad about discovering it in this way, her curiosity got the better of her. Besides, what Sasha said was right, she reasoned. There could be important information in the diary. Vicky shook her head. ‘No, keep going.’

  ‘Met a guy at the pub; Brendan. He’s a builder so had a great bod, nice tan. Shagged the shit out of him on Coogee Beach. Got sand everywhere and an old couple walked past and sprung us in the act . . . was really funny. Rating: 7/10.’

  The next two weeks contained only the occasional note reminding Melissa of a birthday or doctor’s appointment. Sometimes there was a ‘to do list’ that had been ticked off, or details of how hung-over she felt, but mainly it appeared her entries were about the men she had met.

  Sasha continued.

  ‘Met a cop, forget his name. I think it was Mick or Rick? We did it in the laneway behind the pub. Really small dick but I’ll give the experience a 9/10 rating for the excitement value.’

  Sasha and Vicky exchanged a glance.

  A few days later they read:

  ‘Jack’s American. I love Americans and I showed him just how much . . . Rating: 8/10.’

  The entries went on and on. Incredibly, Melissa had been keeping a tally of all the men she had slept with. Sasha kept turning the pages and reading aloud. Vicky couldn’t refrain from listening.

  ‘Doctor Rod Bream is to die for. He is my next target . . .’

  Sasha stopped and stared at Vicky. Doctor Bream worked at the hospital and yes, he was to die for, but he was way out of Melissa’s league. Sasha started skimming though the entries until she found another reference to the doctor.

  ‘Finally got my hooks into that dreamy Doctor Bream . . .’

  Sasha stopped reading.

  ‘I can’t believe this!’

  Vicky was shocked at everything she had learnt.

  Sasha took a deep breath.

  ‘I can’t believe Doctor Rod Bream would lower himself by sleeping with Melissa,’ she said softly, as if to herself.

  ‘That’s not a very nice thing to say about Melissa, Sasha. We were her friends.’

  Sasha shook her head.

  ‘I knew she was promiscuous but this is ridiculous.’

  She read the entry out slowly.

  ‘The good doctor was out tonight with a friend. He was very drunk so I took advantage of him. Went to his place. The sex could have been better. Rating: 5/10. Might have to give him a second chance. Forgot to wear protection. Hope I don’t get pregnant again!’

  ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God,’ Vicky exclaimed, before she could stop herself.

  They were both silent for a minute. Melissa had been with Doctor Bream? Pregnant again? Vicky took a few minutes to swallow her shock. It seemed Sasha was doing the same because it was a few heartbeats later before she started to read again.

  The next entry was five days later.

  ‘Went back to Mark’s place. His friend David joined in. My first threesome . . .’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think I can read the rest of this one aloud, Vicky.’

  ‘That’s probably a good idea.’

  Vicky felt light-headed. It was too much. It seemed every few pages there was a new account of the man of the moment, a performance rating, approximate size of his appendage, details of where the event had taken place. Some encounters Melissa had described in erotic, almost pornographic detail; with others the specifics were scarce.

  The more Vicky heard, the more she realised that she hadn’t really known Melissa at all. Probably no one had. It was sad and she couldn’t help but wonder who the real Melissa was. Where was the sweet girl who had been sharing her flat for the past six months? It seemed she didn’t exist. She was just a façade.

  Sasha had told Vicky that Melissa was promiscuous but she hadn’t believed her. Now she was left wondering how she could have been so ignorant of her flatmate’s behaviour. Had Melissa kept her sexual trysts secret because she knew Vicky didn’t approve of casual sex? Was Melissa worried she would kick her out? Had Melissa brought men back to the flat when she had been at work? Vicky had so many questions that would never be answered.

  ‘I don’t want to read any more,’ Sasha said, handing the book to Vicky and getting back to sorting Melissa’s clothes.

  Vicky couldn’t help herself. Silently she turned the pages, skimming over some of the more explicit entries and found Melissa’s last entry. The 20th of June, the last day of her life.

  I’m going for a drink tonight. Am going to find out what’s going on. I don’t take lightly to threats. Really pissed off!

  Vicky’s back stiffened and she read the words again to make sure she had not misunderstood. Someone had threatened Melissa? She read this out to Sasha.

  ‘It’s probably nothing.’

  Vicky flicked the page back to the day before. The page was blank. A few days before that was another conquest.

  Shagged Matt in his office at the pub standing against the wall . . .

  Vicky went back further, to a week before Melissa died. Reading the writing scribbled across the page sent goosebumps running along the back of her neck.

  Stupid fucking idiot to lose it with me!!! I’m not going to be treated like shit by anyone. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt this time but if it happens again . . . I’ll take it into my own hands. Fuck, people can surprise you sometimes. Need a drink.

  Scanning previous pages of Melissa’s diary, going over what she had already read in case she had missed another angry outburst, Vicky found nothing that divulged the nature of the threat or anything else to indicate Melissa might have been in some sort of danger.

  ‘I think we should give the diary to the police,’ said Sasha. There are possibly a handful of suspects in there they would want to know about.’

  Vicky agreed. There was no way she could give this diary to Melissa’s parents, so Sasha was right. The police needed to see it.

  ‘I’ll drop it in to the detectives on my way home. No need for you to have to do it. You’re upset enough.’

  Sasha took the diary from Vicky’s hands and placed it in her handbag. She gave Vicky a hug.

  ‘It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Just when you think you know someone, they completely surprise you . . .’

  *

  Brad had made an executive decision. He wanted to be in on the interview with Zack Rogers. Grumpy and Cakes had been given the task of re-interviewing him but Brad wasn’t happy with that. He wanted, needed, to be the one to speak to him. He didn’t trust or like Zack and Brad hoped that his aversion to the paramedic had more to do with the murder investigation than his protective instincts towards Lexie.

  No, there was definitely something off about him. The photographs proved it.

  As it turned out, Grumpy was happy to sit out the interview. No surprises there. He was almost always on a go-slow. So it was Cakes and him. Deep down, Brad hoped for Lexie’s sake that his suspicions were not confirmed, but then again . . . they did have a murder to solve and if Zack Rogers was responsible, well, that was how it was.

  Brad sat in one of the three plastic chairs around the small table that dominated the interview room. He said nothing as Cakes showed Zack in.

  ‘Where is Detective Rogers?’

  This was Zack’s first question.

  Cakes replied, ‘Detective Rogers is tied up completing other tasks in relation to this investigation. Detective Sergeant Sommers and I will be speaking with you today.’

  Brad could see Zack Rogers’s vexation.

  ‘She told me she would be speaking with me today. I have been lured here under false pretences.’

  You wanker . . . Brad bit his lip, letting Cakes handle it for now.

  ‘You were asked to come into the station to assist us with our inquiries. It shou
ldn’t matter who you speak to,’ Cakes told him, matter-of-factly. ‘Now please take a seat.’

  Seemingly lost for words, Zack sat down and glanced around the tiny interview room.

  With a croaky voice that had seen too many cigarettes, Brad explained that they were about to begin an electronically recorded interview regarding the death of Melissa McDermott. He then asked the standard questions.

  ‘Zack, I know I have spoken to you prior to this interview. However, this is a more formal interview regarding the investigation into the death of Melissa McDermott. Can you tell me how long you’ve been a paramedic?’

  ‘Twelve months.’

  ‘Have you ever had a drug problem?’

  Zack looked affronted.

  ‘No.’

  ‘You have access to drugs, though?’ Brad pointed out.

  Zack frowned, clearly irritated by the question.

  ‘Yes, of course I do. I give them to patients who need them. I don’t take them myself. And there is a log book to account for every drug that is used. What is your point?’

  ‘I’ll ask the questions, thanks,’ Brad retorted gruffly. ‘Could you please tell me about your association with Melissa McDermott?’

  ‘Like I told you yesterday, I knew her casually through the hospital. And yes, we had sex once, after a big night out.’

  Cakes scribbled this down while Brad checked his notes.

  ‘Were you friends?’ Brad asked.

  ‘No. I’d say we were more like acquaintances.’

  ‘An acquaintance you slept with?’ Cakes piped in.

  Brad watched Zack turn towards her. It was clear from the expression on his face he didn’t appreciate the comment.

  ‘That’s how it is.’

  ‘What do you mean by that?’ Brad asked.

  Zack groaned.

  ‘Nothing. It meant nothing. We were friendly but we weren’t friends, if you know what I mean. We bumped into each other at work, at the hospital, and sometimes at the local pub.’

  The subject had been opened up, so Brad dived into the next question.

  ‘Did you know Melissa McDermott was rather promiscuous?’

  Zack shrugged.

  ‘Everyone knew that.’

  ‘Did you know she had herpes?’ Brad pushed.

  ‘I did, actually. She told me and I wore a condom the night we were together. I’m not in a relationship, so I have a lot of casual sex. I always wear a condom,’ Zack said, almost bragging.

  Brad was relieved Lexie wasn’t present to hear her ex boast about his sexual exploits. He was clearly her ex for a reason.

  ‘Do you know anyone who would want to hurt the victim?’

  Zack shook his head.

  ‘Do you know anyone else who slept with the deceased? Anyone who could have been annoyed she didn’t tell them she had herpes? I know how hospitals work. They are a bit like police stations. Gossip is rife. If someone had contracted herpes, they would not be very happy about it.’

  Zack appeared to think about this for a minute.

  ‘I knew she got around but I can’t tell you every guy she slept with. Though I do know one bloke she forgot to mention the herpes issue to. He was really pissed when he found out. I think he was all clear in the end, though. Not that he would have hurt her. Who does that?’

  ‘Well, someone has and our job is to find out who is responsible. Who was this person you’re talking about?’

  Zack hesitated, probably considering the repercussions of his words.

  ‘I really don’t like to dob anyone in but as this is a murder investigation . . . And this guy can be an arrogant prick.’

  Good to see loyalty is not one of Zack Rogers’s strong points.

  ‘He’s not a friend or anything. He’s a doctor at the hospital. His name is Rod Bream.’

  Cakes noted it down. Brad thought the name sounded familiar but couldn’t place where he’d heard it before. He began fishing for more information.

  ‘Can you tell me anything further? How do you know this doctor was not happy with Melissa neglecting to tell him about having herpes?’

  ‘I just heard it. It might have just been a rumour.’

  Zack shrugged his shoulders. He clearly didn’t want to give away too much.

  Brad regarded him for a moment before moving on.

  ‘When was the last time you saw Melissa McDermott?’

  ‘Like I told you yesterday, I saw her in passing on Wednesday night at the Royal Hotel.’

  Brad pulled out a Medicare card.

  ‘This is your card, is it not?’

  Zack examined the name on it and nodded his head.

  ‘Yes, this is mine. My wallet was stolen about a week ago. I had it in the glove box of the ambulance when I was working.’

  ‘So someone stole it from the ambulance?’ Brad clarified. ‘Did you report it?’

  ‘No, I didn’t see the point. I wasn’t expecting to get it back. I just cancelled everything, all my cards, and I was going to get a new driver’s licence tomorrow. It only had twenty bucks in it, so . . .’

  Zack shrugged.

  ‘Your Medicare card was found near the crime scene,’ Brad announced.

  Zack didn’t flinch. He folded his arms across his chest and pushed back in the chair.

  ‘Like I said; my wallet was stolen. I was not anywhere near Clovelly Beach, where Melissa was found.’

  Had they told him where the body had been found? Brad couldn’t remember.

  ‘Detective Rogers told me where Melissa was found, in case you were wondering,’ Zack said, smugly.

  Brad was beginning to dislike this cocky bastard more and more. He wondered if the air of condescension floating around him was an overabundance of confidence in his innocence or due to something else entirely. Some crooks thought themselves too smart to possibly be caught out. Did Lexie’s ex-husband consider himself beyond the law? Brad knew there was no such thing. Criminals were human. They made mistakes. It was just a matter of detecting them.

  ‘Can you tell me your movements on the night of June 20?’ Brad continued.

  ‘Like I said yesterday, I worked during the day, got off at 7.00 pm, went straight to the Royal Hotel, had dinner and a few drinks there, then went home around 10.00 pm. I was in bed by 10.30 pm. I started work the next morning at 7.00 am. My car was parked outside all night and if there are any surveillance cameras anywhere near my unit block, you’ll see I didn’t leave the building until 6.15 am.’

  ‘You’ve thought all that through, haven’t you?’ Brad paused for a moment before adding, ‘You seem a bit cocky.’

  Zack shook his head.

  ‘I’m not trying to be cocky. I just know I didn’t do anything wrong. You are looking at the wrong guy.’

  Brad and Cakes exchanged a glance.

  Cakes asked, ‘Did anyone see you leave? Did you say goodbye to whoever you were with at the pub?’

  ‘Yes, I did. I was the first to leave in my group because I was working the next morning. I’ll give you their names.’

  Just because Zack Rogers might be able to verify his movements in regard to leaving the pub didn’t mean he didn’t go back there later on, Brad thought to himself.

  ‘We’ve received calls that a man, fitting your description, was seen in the early hours of the morning near where Melissa McDermott was found.’

  ‘It wasn’t me.’

  Zack face was serious.

  ‘I was in bed asleep. Look, I knew Melissa. I had one drunken night with her but I had no reason to hurt her.’

  ‘Okay. I’m going to show you something.’

  Brad pulled out some photographs from a yellow envelope and, watching Zack carefully, passed them across the table to him. Zack was unable to hide his shock. Brad felt a wave of adrenaline flip his gut.

  ‘Who the hell took these?’ Zack demanded. ‘Are you watching me? Am I a suspect?’

  ‘So you admit that is you in the pictures?’

  Brad watched Zack shuffle through a number
of blown-up photographs taken of him at the Coogee Bay Hotel. His face became stormy, petulant.

  ‘That is not what it looks like,’ Zack insisted.

  ‘So it’s not a drug deal?’ Brad queried. ‘Because that’s what it looks like.’

  ‘What has this got to do with Melissa’s death?’ Zack asked, arrogantly.

  Brad avoided answering his question directly.

  ‘You’d be amazed. Where there is smoke there is fire.’

  Zack remained silent and continued staring at the pictures. Brad had a bad feeling this was going to be the end of the interview.

  ‘If it’s all innocent then, why don’t you tell us what you were doing?’ Brad prompted. ‘Who is the girl in the pictures with you?’

  ‘I’m not saying anything else until I have a lawyer present,’ Zack stated.

  ‘So you don’t want to explain these pictures? If they are as innocent as you say, why don’t you tell us what they are about?’

  Zack shook his head and stared at Brad.

  It seemed this was the end of the line – for now. Zack was not going to say another word. But Brad was far from finished with him. Something was off about this cocky bastard and Brad was determined to find out what it was.

  CHAPTER 18

  Lexie greeted Sasha in the foyer of Bondi Junction police station and took the diary from her outstretched hand.

  ‘Thanks,’ Lexie said, formally. ‘I’ll make sure I get it back to you so it can be handed on to Melissa’s parents.’

  ‘No!’ Sasha almost yelled at Lexie. ‘I mean no, her parents can’t see that diary.’

  Lexie held on to her temper. Who the hell did Sasha think she was to talk to her like that?

  Remain professional. Don’t let her get a rise out of you.

  ‘I think Melissa’s parents have the right to see the diary, don’t you?’

  Lexie somehow kept her expression neutral and her voice calm.

  Sasha narrowed her eyes and drilled a stare into her. With no witnesses around, it seemed Sasha felt no need to feign geniality.