The Mysterious Coat

by Nicholas Walsh

  ‘Yes, Inspector.’

  So the four members of the forensic team and Carson walk to the dark corner as Mack walks to Dr Airhardt. ‘What is going on here?’

  ‘There’s a mongrel who is threatening me because of my clothes,’ says Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Which one?’ asks Mack.

  ‘The one who threatened Tyler last night!’

  Mack says to Constable Troy Williamson, ‘Troy, get the mongrel!’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ says Troy and he walks to a bar. He taps the shoulder of the twenty-something bloke with the white T-shirt and says to him, ‘Excuse me, mate, I think you’re the guy we’re looking for. Were you threatening two men?’

  The bloke turns around and says to Troy, ‘Yes. Who are you?’

  ‘Constable Troy Williamson, St Kilda Police. What’s your name?’

  ‘I’m Alan. What do you want from me?’

  ‘I’m afraid you’re under arrest for threatening behaviour. Would you like to come to the station please?’

  Alan frowns. ‘Ah bugger off!’

  Troy takes Alan’s hands and puts them into very tight hand-cuffs. He takes Alan by the shoulders and walks him to the door. When the two gentlemen reach the door, Alan loudly shouts to Dr Airhardt, ‘You go to hell! You go to hell and die!’

  ‘Too bad, mate,’ says Dr Airhardt. ‘You’ll never give up, will you?’

  ‘Alright, that’s enough’ says Troy as he opens the door and takes Alan to the divvy van.

  ‘I feel terrible so I’m going to go home. I’ll talk to you at the station tomorrow’ says Dr Airhardt and he walks to Leo and Roy. ‘Come on, boys, you two have been drinking all night. You’ve had enough. Let’s go.’

  Leo and Roy stand up, stagger across the room and try to find the door but they trip over, land on the floor.

  Dr Airhardt shouts at them, ‘Come on, guys! Get up!’

  Leo and Roy try to stand up but keep falling until Dr Airhardt helps them out and puts them in a taxi to take them home.

  In the early hours of the morning Tyler and Angelique are relaxing in the spa and sipping champagne with big bubbles covering their bodies.

  Tyler asks Angelique, ‘Are you happy?’

  ‘Yes,’ replies Angelique.

  ‘Don’t you think this is awesome?’

  ‘Definitely!’

  Next thing, Tyler and Angelique are locked in a passionate embrace and having a big passionate kiss.

  CHAPTER 9

  T

  he next morning at Tyler’s apartment block, Tyler and Angelique are having a sleep-in. They are under the satin sheets until they hear the door. Angelique opens her eyes, nudges Tyler and says, ‘Tyler, wake up!’

  Tyler opens his eyes. ‘What is it?’

  ‘It’s someone knocking on your door. Can you get it?’

  ‘Sure,’ says Tyler as he gets out of bed.

  He grabs a dressing gown, and walks to the door. It is Peter standing there with a newspaper in his hand.

  Tyler is shocked. ‘Stone the crows. What do you want from me?’

  ‘Oh, I’m just delivering your paper,’ says Peter.

  ‘Um, can we have a talk outside? I don’t want Angelique to hear our conversation, so let’s go to the pool,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Okay,’ says Peter as he and Tyler leave for the pool.

  Tyler shouts to Angelique, ‘Angelique, I’m going to the pool with Peter, I’ll be back shortly.’

  ‘No worries, darling.’

  At the pool, Tyler reads the newspaper and sees an article on the front page in big letters: POLICE INVESTIGATE THE COAT.

  ‘Oh my God!’

  ‘What?’ asks Peter.

  ‘There was something wrong at the Duke of York Hotel last night,’ says Tyler.

  ‘What was it all about?’

  Tyler reads the newspaper article and gives Peter a summary. ‘It says police arrived at the Duke of York Hotel last night. Inspector Mack Young, four forensic scientists, Constable Troy Williamson and Carson, a fashion cop, went to the dark corner of the bar to investigate the coat. Also in the Duke of York Hotel, a man named Alan was arrested by Constable Troy Williamson and charged for threatening behaviour. This is so ridiculous. What am I going to do now?’

  ‘Tell Angelique to get up and after breakfast, why don’t you and Angelique go to the police station?’ says Peter.

  ‘All right. What’s the time? asks Tyler.

  ‘It’s eleven o’ clock in the morning.’

  ‘Oh crap!’ says Tyler when he hears the time. He starts running to his apartment. ‘I’ve got to wake Angelique up and tell her the news!’

  At Tyler’s apartment block, Tyler runs to Angelique, shakes her and says to her, ‘Angelique, wake up!’

  Angelique opens her eyes. ‘What do you want and what’s going on, Tyler?’

  ‘There was something wrong at the Duke of York Hotel last night.’

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘The police investigated the hotel.’

  ‘Why? What’s goin’ on?’

  ‘The cops checked the coat.’

  ‘Which coat is that?’

  ‘The mysterious coat … you know, the one that has been haunting me while I am swimming, working, going out; it’s stalking me!’

  ‘What are you going to do now?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘I have an idea, Angelique. Maybe you and me can also look for the coat.’

  ‘All right, Tyler, I’ll help you find the coat.’

  ‘Okay,’ says Tyler. ‘Let’s go!’

  In St Kilda, Tyler and Angelique are walking along Fritzeg Street. They are planning to visit the Duke of York Hotel to find out about last night but they see the hotel’s manager Mr Pluck. Mr Pluck is a middle-aged man who always wears a suit, and has been the manager of the Duke of York Hotel for six years.

  Tyler walks towards Mr Pluck. ‘I’m so very late, Mr Pluck. What happened with the coppers last night?’

  ‘It was terrible, Mr Brown, bloody terrible.’

  ‘How did it happen, Mr Pluck?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘Well, there was a police inspector named Mack Young, four forensic scientists, a policeman named Constable Troy Williamson and even a fashion cop named Carson. They visited the hotel searching for the coat,’ replies Mr Pluck.

  ‘Was it a raid or just a visit?’

  ‘A visit only.’

  ‘Okay, what about the coat? Have you seen it, Mr Pluck?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘Yes, it was there in the dark corner, I think. I’ve seen it many times.’

  ‘And what about the mysterious person who wears this coat?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘I don’t know!’ replies Mr Pluck.

  ‘You don’t know? Damn it! Oh my God, how am I going to find this mysterious person?’

  ‘Well, go to other places like the Hotel Espire, Luna Park, the Palais Theatre and other places in St Kilda, and if it’s not there, talk to the police,’ replies Mr Pluck.

  ‘Thank you Mr Pluck, I hope it’s okay for me and Angelique to be absent from work for a bit longer.’

  ‘That’s alright. You should start up a business on your own, you’d be an excellent investigator and Angelique could be an assistant.’

  ‘Thanks,’ says Tyler as he and Angelique walk away.

  At the police station, Dr Airhardt, Leo, Inspector Mack Young and Professor Jerry Bowie are working on the DNA test for the coat using a bit of hair and some help from the forensic scientists. Professor Bowie says to Dr Airhardt, Leo and Mack, ‘We are very lucky to find this bit of hair on the coat!’

  ‘What colour is it?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Um, I think it is light brown, but I don’t know if the suspect is a man or a woman.’

  ‘Professor, let me tell you a little about Angelique, who is Tyler’s girlfriend and has long blonde hair,’ says Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Does she work at the Duke of York Hotel?’ asks Professor Bowie.

  ‘No, she’s having a break from work,’ says Dr Airhardt.

&nbs
p; ‘Oh, that’s a pity,’ says Professor Bowie.

  ‘Any more clues from the DNA test of the coat?’ Mack asks Professor Bowie.

  ‘This small stain could be saliva,’ replies Professor Bowie.

  ‘Ho ho ho, my God, that will give us good evidence!’ exclaims Mack.

  ‘Okay, you, Airhardt and Leo are going to do other work while I help my scientists solve the DNA test,’ says Professor Bowie.

  ‘When will the result of the DNA test be available?’ Leo asks Professor Bowie.

  ‘Maybe two weeks,’ says Professor Bowie.

  ‘Good. Then I will write a letter to Tyler about the results.’

  ‘Oh no you don’t, Leo,’ says Dr Airhardt. ‘I’ll write a letter to Tyler about the results, don’t you worry about that.’

  ‘Oh crap!’ says Leo.

  ‘Hey, calm down, Leo!’ says Mack. ‘Dr Airhardt will write the letter to Tyler about the results of the DNA test of the coat as we’re waiting for more clues to come up.’

  Dr Airhardt, Leo and Inspector Mack Young leave the forensic room as they have a deadline to interview Alan.

  CHAPTER 10

  A

  t Tyler’s apartment block, he and Angelique are checking the Yellow and White Pages for places in St Kilda and Melbourne CBD where they might continue their investigation.

  Tyler says to Angelique, ‘There are many places in St Kilda and the CBD of Melbourne to find the mysterious person. Do you know what types of places we should be looking for?’

  ‘Anywhere. Restaurants, bars, clubs and other nightspots,’ says Angelique.

  ‘What about Luna Park?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘I don’t know, Tyler, I’m not sure if the mysterious person would be in Luna Park. Are there any secret hideouts there?’

  ‘I remember Luna Park very well because I grew up in this area. My friends and I used to check out the rides and would spend all day exploring the park. One day, me and my childhood friend, Tim, were exploring near the carousel and we found a hidden door that we couldn’t open. Over the years, we talked to the locals about the same hidden door and they’re told me that this hidden door must be a secret hideout.’

  ‘Oh my God, sounds like a good place to hide out, so let’s check it out,’ says Angelique. She kisses Tyler on his cheek and walks off to the kitchen. Tyler touches his cheek and he discovers red lipstick from Angelique and he says to himself, Strewth, she loves me and she’s a hot sheila.

  The phone rings. Tyler picks it up.

  ‘Hello.’ Tyler pauses and says, ‘Mmm, mmm, I see, I see, Mack, I’m pretty sure that the mysterious person is in Luna Park because there’s the place near the carousel that is perfect for hiding. Angelique and I are going to go down there now and check it out. Can we get some back up?’

  He hangs up the phone and is thinking as Angelique says to him, ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘I got a phone call from a police inspector by the name of Mack Young. He wants me to solve this case about the mysterious coat,’ says Tyler.

  ‘What are you going to do now?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘I have an idea.’ He walks to Angelique and looks into her face, ‘Why don’t you help me to find the owner of this coat?’

  ‘Alright, what’s our plan?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘We’ll see. Come on.’

  Tyler and Angelique leave the apartment to start their search. Angelique is glad she chose to wear a veil when she did her table top dancing as now people would not recognise her on the street.

  CHAPTER 11

  O

  utside Luna Park, there are three police cars in the car park. Patrol men are standing near the big head at the entry of Luna Park and they are holding batons in their hands.

  Tyler and Angelique arrive and when Tyler sees the patrolmen he is shocked.

  ‘Cripes!’

  ‘What?’ asks Angelique.

  ‘Coppers!’

  ‘Coppers? What’s coppers? Just forget it, we don’t care about them.’

  Tyler turns around to face Angelique

  ‘Look, Angelique, there are coppers here at Luna Park and they’re searching for the mysterious person who wears the mysterious coat at the carousel because I asked them to!’

  ‘Well, what should I do now? I don’t want to be seen by the police.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because of my job, I’m embarrassed by it, they might recognise me.’

  ‘Okay, why don’t you go back to my apartment block and stay there? That will avoid the police.’ Tyler takes his key out of his pocket. ‘Here, take my key.’

  Angelique looks at his key, takes it from his hand and says to Tyler, ‘All right, I will.’

  ‘Good, I’ll see you when I get back to my apartment block for dinner and if something goes wrong, I’ll be in big trouble and we’ll be screwed.’

  Angelique walks away from Tyler to his apartment block just as the sun goes down. Tyler walks closer to Luna Park. At the entrance, one of the patrolmen interrupts Tyler by saying to him, ‘Halt, hold it! What do you think you’re doing?’

  ‘I need to search Luna Park because I’m looking for someone,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Your name please?’ asks one of the patrolmen.

  ‘Tyler Brown.’

  ‘Oh, you’re the guy who’s been asking Inspector Mack Young about the coat.’

  ‘Yes, that’s right’ says Tyler.

  ‘All right, just go in.’ He lets Tyler go in.

  As Tyler walks around, he watches rides such as the Rotor, the Big Dipper and the Scenic Railway but when he sees the carousel he sees there are five men: Dr Airhardt, Leo, Roy, Inspector Mack Young and a maintenance person. Tyler walks to the carousel when Dr Airhardt turns around and sees him.

  ‘Oh, hello there, Tyler. How are you?’

  ‘Not great,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Why not?’ asks Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Because I’m nervous about the mysterious person with the mysterious coat,’ says Tyler.

  ‘Mr Brown, Inspector Mack Young wants you to find the mysterious person with that mysterious coat in the secret hideout at the carousel. Your job is to unmask that same mysterious person,’ says Dr Airhardt.

  ‘What about the DNA test of the coat?’ asks Tyler.

  ‘No results yet,’ says Dr Airhardt.

  ‘All right, fine. If you give me that job you need to give me a torch and binoculars,’ says Tyler.

  Dr Airhardt turns around and shouts to Leo, ‘Leo, bring Mr Brown a torch and binoculars!’

  ‘Okay.’

  Dr Airhardt turns back and says to Tyler. ‘Mr Brown, I’m very sorry about trying to help you at your apartment block last night. Are you going to say sorry to me for verbally abusing me?’

  ‘That’s all right and for me, yes, I feel like a nutter, I’m sorry. What about the guy who threatened me?’

  ‘Well, the guy’s name is Alan and he was arrested and charged for threatening behaviour by the police at the Duke of York Hotel last night. He will be interviewed by Mack soon.’

  Leo arrives and gives a torch and binoculars to Tyler.

  ‘Here you go, mate.’

  ‘So, are you ready?’ asks Dr Airhardt.

  ‘Yes,’ says Tyler as he leaves Dr Airhardt for his first adventure.

  Tyler arrives at the carousel and sees Inspector Mack Young.

  ‘Oh hello, Mr Brown, are you ready to find this mysterious person with the mysterious coat?’

  ‘Yes I’m ready, Inspector, I’m worried about getting killed or injured because I’m not sure if the mysterious person has got weapons – guns, knives, ropes and who knows what else they might have? I’m going to be dead meat.’

  ‘Well, if you’re going to be trapped and if it’s dangerous you need to survive,’ says Mack as he takes a walkie-talkie out of his pocket and gives it to Tyler. ‘Here, Mr Brown, take this walkie-talkie if you need to contact me or if you get lost.’

  ‘Am I going to be alright, Inspector?’

  ‘Yes,
just go.’

  Tyler walks to the carousel as Mack calls out, ‘Be careful!’

  Tyler enters the carousel, walks to the rear of the premises, and sees a dark room.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ says Tyler as he takes the torch out of his pocket.

  A few minutes later when Tyler leaves from the rear of a carousel, he sees a secret hideout so he runs to the secret hideout and checks to see if the door opens, but it’s locked. Tyler is upset. Ah, this is not good! He kicks the door. When he looks inside the secret hideout he sees it is fully equipped with an arsenal of weapons! He takes the walkie-talkie from his jacket.

  ‘Inspector, guess what!’

  ‘What?’ replies Mack.

  ‘There’s a fully equipped arsenal of weapons here in the secret hideout that the mysterious person has but I still don’t know who it is!’ says Tyler.

  ‘Do you wanna show me?’ asks Mack.

  ‘Yes, quick!’ shouts Tyler. He puts the walkie-talkie back in his jacket, runs and enters the secret hideout. He stops running when he see guns, knives, swords, hand grenades, cocktails, dynamite and many other things.

  ‘I can’t believe the mysterious person has got all this stuff!’

  Just then, Tyler hears footsteps.

  ‘Oh bugger, gotta hide!’ He ducks to the floor, and crawls to the table and curls up in a little ball.

  The mysterious person enters the secret hideout and quickly looks around to see if someone else is in the room. He continues walking around thinking to himself. He walks to the door, shuts the door, takes a key out of his pocket and locks the door.

  Uh oh, bugger! I’m trapped! What am I going to do now? Tyler thinks. He decides to use the walkie talkie to get in contact with Mack .

  ‘Mack, help me, I’m trapped in the hide out that’s fully equipped with an arsenal of weapons and the mysterious person is here!’

  ‘Oh no! What about the coat. Does he wear it?’

  ‘Just hurry up, get someone who can pick the lock of the door to get me out of here!’