by Tony Parsons
‘Let’s just say that my question is on a need-to-know basis,’ I said.
‘Have you been retained by the bank?’ he asked. This would be really rubbing salt into the wound.
I shook my head.
‘Mrs Kendall?’
‘Got it in two,’ I said.
‘There’s not much I can tell you, Lachie. We know that there were three men involved. One drove the getaway car and we got a reasonable description of him but it could fit a thousand men. The other two were wearing balaclavas. We think these same two men did two earlier, smaller heists. The whisper is that they could be from the bush.’
‘Is that so?’ I said, trying not to give anything away.
‘I haven’t been involved so I can’t tell you a lot,’ said Luke. There was a limit to what he would tell me now I wasn’t a cop because Luke was a very ethical fellow.
‘Do you reckon I could get hold of an up-to-date list of all holdup types, local and interstate?’ I asked.
‘It might be possible,’ Luke said, giving me a keen look. ‘I’ll ask the super. He might be prepared to do a deal.’
I wasn’t concerned about doing a deal because I realised I couldn’t handle this case on my own. If I located the crims who’d pulled the bank job, the police were welcome to them. Caroline Clemenger was my priority.
Sure enough I received a message stating that Superintendent Ballinger wished to see me and we made an appointment to meet at 2 p.m. the next day.
As a female police constable shepherded me through to Ballinger’s office I got a few curious looks but there was nobody there I recognised from the past. It had been a few years and most of the old hands were bound to have moved on or up. Ballinger stood up and walked towards me, a half smile on his face which boded well for the meeting. He was greyer now than when I’d last seen him but he was still the same Ballinger, the personification of everything that was best about the police force; incorruptible, committed to fighting crime and a man whose word was his bond.
‘You’re looking well, Lachie,’ he said as we shook hands.
‘I still exercise a lot and I’ve kept my eye in with firearms,’ I said.
He nodded. Luke probably kept him fairly well informed about my activities. And Ballinger had a brain that absorbed information like a sponge and he never forgot a thing.
‘You’ve done fairly well, I hear,’ he said.
‘I’m not complaining, Super,’ I said.
‘So now you’ve been retained by Mrs Kendall to try and find her daughter which we haven’t been able to do,’ he said dryly.
‘That’s right, Super. I hope you’ll look kindly on my efforts,’ I said. ‘I appreciate that the matter will require delicate handling given the missing woman may still be in the hands of the bank robbers.’
Ballinger nodded and gave me a précis of the situation as he knew it which included references to Mrs Kendall’s meetings with the Commissioner and himself. He admitted quite candidly that they hadn’t made much progress in the case beyond having some ideas about the identity of the driver of the getaway car. They had been concerned that if they went looking for him it might put Caroline Clemenger’s life at risk if she was still alive. They’d been hoping some word would come from her abductors.
‘I suppose Mrs Kendall told you that there was supposed to have been a sighting of Caroline Clemenger in a car in the main street of Coonabarabran,’ I said.
‘Yes, but I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in it, Lachie. Why would crims risk detection by parading Miss Clemenger in the main street of a smallish town? It doesn’t make sense,’ said Ballinger.
‘Maybe it doesn’t, except that according to what Mrs Kendall told me it was Sheila Cameron who claimed she saw Caroline Clemenger sitting in the car outside the doctor’s surgery. I know Sheila and she’s very trustworthy and she also went to the same school as Caroline Clemenger and had seen pictures of Caroline as an adult in magazines. Sheila was fairly positive it was Caroline Clemenger, though she didn’t know at the time that Caroline had been abducted,’ I said.
‘It places us in a difficult situation, Lachie. We have a good idea that the bloke who drove the getaway car is a bloke by the name of Ted Challis. He did a stint in gaol and after that he had a flat at Bondi for a while but he hasn’t been seen there for a couple of years. He hasn’t been seen in Coonabarabran either, which suggests he’s keeping a very low profile and that the other two are going out for supplies. It might also suggest that they’re planning another bank job but that’s pure speculation on my part. As you know, we’ve been careful about not asking a lot of questions, in case we scare them off. We haven’t anything concrete to go on. My personal feeling is that Caroline Clemenger is probably dead. She’d be a material witness to the bank heist. And if they abducted her with the idea of demanding money for her, why haven’t they contacted anyone?’ said Ballinger.
I bounced my loss of memory theory off him or that Caroline Clemenger might be faking loss of memory. I wanted to give him something before I left his office because I was going to be asking a lot from him.
‘That’s a fair enough theory, Lachie, but I still think she’s more likely to be dead. If we were sure about it, we could risk raiding a few places, but we aren’t and we can’t. They could be using her for sex. Three crims holed up with a lot of time on their hands. How many blokes would keep a young woman for two months unless they were getting something from her?’ he said.
Though everything he said made sense, and there was nobody who knew crims better than Ballinger, I had the feeling that Caroline Clemenger was alive and I intended to proceed on that assumption.
‘You could be right, Super, but I’m rather keen on my memory loss theory.’ And then I told him about all the expensive jewellery Caroline had been wearing the day of the bank robbery. It might have been worth as much as twenty thousand. ‘The crims couldn’t contact anyone in her family if she couldn’t remember who she is or is pretending she can’t,’ I said.
Ballinger looked at me for a few moments while he tossed my theory around in his head. ‘You’re still pretty sharp, Lachie,’ he said at last.
‘I hope I’m sharp enough to locate Caroline Clemenger so that you guys can nail this bunch,’ I said.
‘Well if anyone can do it, you can,’ he said. ‘And I hope you can, Lachie, because there’s a lot of pressure on us about this and I could be posted to Bullamakanka if we make a hash of it,’ he said grimly.
‘I wouldn’t have thought that God could shift you to Bullamakanka,’ I said.
‘Let’s get down to tin tacks, Lachie. I’ll give you the list you asked for but don’t trumpet that around,’ he said. ‘Now, how do you propose to work things?’
‘I’ll be posing as a wildlife photographer. I’ve got all the gear, or will have by the time I leave, even a hide. I’ll look the genuine article because I’ll be the genuine article. I’ve been studying photography and taking pictures ever since Fiona and I broke up,’ I said.
‘That could be just the dodge, Lachie. But be careful. There are three blokes all of whom are likely to be armed and you’re just one man alone in the bush, it’s risky,’ he said.
‘Taking someone else up there would be a dead giveaway, Super. Two men wouldn’t get within a bull’s roar of these blokes, always providing they’re up in that area,’ I said.
‘I agree but I still think that what you’re taking on is very risky. Granted that you know the area fairly well but that doesn’t detract from the fact that one man camped out in the bush is very vulnerable,’ Ballinger said gravely.
‘That’s where you might be able to help me, Super. If I can locate these creeps how would you feel about sending me up a smart policewoman who could pose as my girlfriend,’ I said.
Ballinger looked at me as if he thought I’d taken temporary leave of my senses. ‘I doubt very much that the Commissioner would agree to that,’ he said.
‘It wouldn’t be any different to her working undercover,’ I said.
‘It would because you’re not a police officer. If you were still a cop, it would be a different matter. But we couldn’t order a female policewoman to do the job, she’d have to volunteer,’ said Ballinger.
‘I could always ask Mrs Kendall to use her influence,’ I said.
‘Hold your horses, Lachie. This is not a proposal I can decide here and now,’ said Ballinger.
‘The situation may not arise at all but I need to know now what cooperation I can get if things heat up. If I locate these creeps you can have them and all the credit. I’m really only interested in Caroline Clemenger,’ I said.
‘Speaking of cooperation, you’ll have all the local resources. Do you want me to ring Coonabarabran and let them know you’re on the way?’ Ballinger asked.
‘No, I don’t want you to do that, Super. I want to bowl in there and see what sort of reception I get. It would give me a good idea of what I could expect from the local cops. Their chief would need to clear it with their sub-district who’d probably get in touch with you,’ I said.
‘That’s right,’ Ballinger agreed.
‘I’ll keep you informed. If you need to contact me, fax me at Coonabarabran police station [or email me at [email protected]]. I’m going to use Rivers as my surname.’
‘Watch your step, Lachie. The last time I told you that was just before you got shot,’ said Ballinger.
‘I will, Super. By the way, how is Alison these days?’ I asked.
‘She’s good. She’s still single and working at the Children’s Hospital,’ said Ballinger.‘When I retire I want to move up to Port Macquarie or Coffs Harbour and she’s said she’d probably set up there when I do.’
‘So when are you going to retire?’ I asked.
‘There are some cases I want to wrap up before I leave. It’s a matter of finishing the job on the right note,’ said Ballinger.
‘Nobody could accuse you of not finishing the job on the right note. The only way you could finish any better is as Commissioner,’ I said.
‘I don’t want to be Commissioner. I just want to be able to get away from Sydney and move up the coast so I can go out in my boat and fish. I’ve had a lifetime of dealing with crims and I’ve had enough,’ said Ballinger.
‘I should think you have. Can you give me a picture of Ted Challis?’ I asked.
‘I think we could manage that. I’ll have Luke deliver it to you with the list of names you’ve asked for,’ said Ballinger.
‘Thanks, Super. I’ll keep you posted,’ I said.
I left Police Headquarters fairly satisfied, all things considered. I’d been promised the list I’d requested and I’d got the promise, unofficially of course, of police back-up. I hadn’t received an unequivocal promise that they’d send me a policewoman if I requested one but I’d sown the seeds and I might yet get her.
Luke delivered the list I’d requested in person early the next morning. Half an hour later I sat Dasher down and handed him the list. ‘I want you to compile every known fact about the crims on this list. I especially want to know where they were born and where they grew up. I want to know who’s locked up and who isn’t. The first person I want to know about is this fellow, Ted Challis,’ I said and stabbed my finger against the last name on the list. This was the fellow suspected of having driven the getaway vehicle. The police hadn’t got him in for questioning because they couldn’t lay their hands on him and they didn’t want to endanger Caroline Clemenger in the process of trying to find him.
I didn’t know much about the Challis family beyond the fact that my father had never given any member of that family the time of day. I had had no contact with any of them.
Dasher worked well into the night and in ways known only to him, which I’m sure involved some police connivance, the information I’d requested was on my desk when I arrived early the next morning. Ted Challis, the fellow suspected of being the third man in the bank robbery, had definitely been born in Coonabarabran. He’d done some time for burglary and was believed to have been involved in a couple of hold-ups but minor stuff really. He’d also been involved with car racing though he’d never been a Jack Brabham.
It wasn’t a bad start, though the names of the other crims on the list who might provide clues about the identity of the other two men didn’t give me any help. Most of the listed men were serving time and the couple that weren’t didn’t come across as big-time bank robbers. The only conclusion I could draw was that the fellows who had done the bank job and abducted Caroline Clemenger were new men, which was the police view. Certainly, they hadn’t been able to lift any fingerprints of known criminals.
‘Nice going, Dasher,’ I said when he came into the office. ‘Will you put everything you’ve got on disc? It might come in very handy,’ I said.
He gave me a sour look. ‘As if I wouldn’t put it on a disc,’ he growled, his mood probably affected by a wife nagging at him for staying up so late while he worked on my list.
‘Sorry Dasher, there’s a lot riding on this case,’ I said.
‘So Christine told me,’ he said. Christine was his shining star. ‘Any of that stuff useful?’
‘Probably more than I can imagine at the moment. I’ll leave you to look after everything for now. I have to go and check out a vehicle,’ I told him.
Mrs Kendall had moved incredibly fast on leasing my vehicle and had rung and asked Christine where the four-wheel drive should be delivered. I’d told her to have it delivered to my house at Neutral Bay. Between them they’d arranged for the vehicle and everything else I’d asked for to be delivered between 11 a.m. and noon and it was. Mrs Kendall was clearly eager for me to leave as soon as possible.
Having a four-wheel drive would be crucial because there were many sandy tracks and sandy creek crossings in the Pilliga Scrub. When a lot of rain fell it could shift tonnes of sand and you could get bogged very easily. I’d been pulled out of such places so I knew the drill. I was planning to camp out as much as possible. There was also the fact that the more I camped out, the more opportunities I would have to take some great pictures.
One of the last things I did was to purchase the 400-mm lens I’d been promising myself for some time. The longest lens I had was a 300 mm which was a really superb lens but not up to the 400 mm for long distance wildlife photography, especially for birds. This lens cost a lot of money but with the promise of an assured income for some time, I felt confident buying it as well as another tripod.
I went back to the office, looked over the information Dasher had dug up for me and spent some time going over my current cases with him.
I had a farewell drink with Luke Stirling that evening and told him I’d be leaving Sydney early the next morning.
‘I might be away for a while,’ I told him. ‘On the other hand I might get lucky and it won’t take long.’
‘You be bloody careful, Lachie,’ he cautioned me. ‘This might not be a picnic. Being a one-man band isn’t the same as having a reliable partner or a back-up squad behind you. And I’m aware of how you operate.’
I told him I’d have the local police to call on should I need them.
‘It isn’t the same as having another cop beside you,’ he said.
‘Granted, but you can’t have everything in life,’ I said.
‘Mrs Kendall might be paying you a lot of money, but it’ll be no good to you if you’re dead,’ he said.
‘If anything should happen to me you know what to do,’ I said. After my father’s death I’d changed my will and named Luke as my executor. ‘You get the boat. In the meantime, good fishing.’
‘You too, Lachie. And if you need a hand I’ll ask the Super if he’ll allow me to join you,’ Luke said with a grin.
I knew he would too.
Soon after, we parted company. As I waved goodbye to Luke I thought how Judy was the kind of wife I would have liked to have. She was a bottler of a woman and I was very fond of her. Luke’s home life was everything I had ever wanted and hoped for, with two great
kids and a settled marriage.
Quite above and beyond the financial aspects of this case there were some unrelated plusses to be gained from this trip. I’d see Mum again and I’d also see Flora and Laurie and their two wonderful kids. It’d be great to see Sheila again too, quite apart from her being the person who’d seen Caroline Clemenger after her abduction. There had to be more to that story than I had heard so far.
I was ready to leave Sydney and head for the Pilliga Scrub, that vast and unique region that had seemed so magical and mysterious to me as a kid. I reckoned I was probably facing the biggest challenge of my life. Win or lose, the next few weeks, or months, were going to be very interesting. If I was successful, I would be much better off financially. If I wasn’t, well, I might not be coming home. First things first though. I had to try and get a sniff of the bank robbers. They might be in the Pilliga or they might not. The only lead I had suggested that they were more likely to be there than anywhere else. But the only way to make any progress was to be on the spot.
CHAPTER 8
I got up early, wanting to get clear of Sydney before the morning rush hour. It wasn’t long before I got to the freeway and then I drove north through Wyee, Calga and Cessnock before picking up the New England Highway at Branxton. After stopping for an early lunch at Merriwa’s classic small-town Greek café, I set off again. It felt good to be escaping Sydney – I was still a country boy at heart.
Driving past the iconic old Collaroy Station, one of Australia’s earliest merino studs, I remembered being told about some leg irons being unearthed there, relics of the days when convicts were allocated to owners of properties. Having crossed the Castlereagh River at Binnaway I re-crossed it some distance down the road towards Coonabarabran, and before long I was, to use an old bush saying, within a bull’s roar of the southern extremity of the Pilliga Scrub.
The proximity of the scrub was signalled by the appearance of scattered groups of cypress pines and the changing colour of the ground beside the road. It was a kind of reddish-yellow. There’d been a shower the previous day which accentuated the characteristic bush odour familiar to anyone who’d lived in the Pilliga region. A combination of wet earth and pine scent, it brought back lots of memories.