Chase Investigations Boxset 1 Page 2

  ‘Typical. Where’s the romance gone?’

  ‘He could’ve given us more notice than a day,’ Dan grumbled. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the edge of the desk.

  ‘That’s what you get for taking on a contractor,’ she told him, ‘all care, no responsibility. I think we should take on a permanent employee this time.’

  ‘Then I’d have to pay them holidays and sick and whatever else they can think of.’ He shook his head in despair. ‘Just can’t get the staff.’

  ‘You’ve gotta try first. What about Buck?’

  ‘What, Buck himself? Na, he’s got it too cushy where he is, why would he give that up?’

  ‘Being the Ellerslie community cop can hardly be stimulating,’ Molly opined.

  ‘Not too taxing either, though. He hasn’t got himself in trouble since…well…’

  ‘Since he stopped working with you?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  His mobile bleeped on the desk with an incoming message. He smiled as he checked it.

  ‘Mike,’ he said, ‘wants to meet for a coffee urgently.’

  ‘Wonder who he’s in love with now?’ Molly speculated.

  ‘You’re such a cynic.’

  ‘You know it’s true. Ten to one it’s a drama about some woman.’ She gave him a challenging look. ‘Go on, bet against me.’

  Dan shook his head and got up.

  ‘That’s a sucker’s bet.’ He bent over her desk and kissed her softly on the cheek. ‘And I’m no sucker.’

  ‘No, you’re a hot shot private eye.’ Her eyes twinkled at him. ‘But you know what it’ll be.’

  ‘Maybe.’ He kissed her firmly on the mouth now. ‘I’ll shoot down and see Buck first, then go see him then head off and do the Parker and Philips case.’

  ‘Hey.’ Molly caught him by the sleeve. ‘Maybe Mike wants a job?’

  ‘You think?’ He considered it for a second then shook his head. ‘Na, can you really see him as a PI? Doubt it. We don’t do debt collection.’

  ‘You used to,’ she reminded him, and he shrugged.

  ‘Yeah, but now we’re chasing better money than that. Any port in a storm I guess, but I’d rather Mrs MacNamara brought her friends to see us. At least you know you won’t get your head stoved in investigating a cheating husband or corporate fraud.’

  He leaned down and kissed her again.

  ‘I’ll call you later.’

  He left the office, wondering what it was that Mike had got himself into now.

  Chapter Three

  Sidney Buckmaster preferred to be called Buck, for obvious reasons. The old fashioned name, carried by generations of Buckmaster men before him, had never sat well with his self-image as a modern man and a street-wise cop. He was black haired, blue eyed and average height, with the toned physique of the international rower that he had previously been.

  Not that he worked the street so much anymore, having bounced around various posts before ending up as the Community Constable for Ellerslie. It gave him an office in the main street, the flexibility of setting his own hours, and less stress than he’d had previously. The downside was that he had endless meetings of well-meaning-but-decidedly-boring groups and committees, head-pounding calls from old ladies complaining about the music next door, and the local councillor moaning about the hooligans speeding down his street but failing to mention his own son who had been on the needle for years.

  All in all it wasn’t a bad job, and it gave him time to continue with his studies-half way through a law degree and counting. Maybe when he finished he could work for the Crown. Or maybe not. Another mixed blessing of the job was that his old partner Dan Crowley had his office just up the road. The upside was that they got to hang out a bit and Molly would bring down baking for him. The downside was that Dan continually asked for favours, just as he was doing right now.

  ‘I don’t know of anyone,’ Buck told him, rocking back in his chair.

  The office was the size of a large broom cupboard, and the walls were covered with Wanted posters and community notices. Dan frowned across the crowded desk at him.

  ‘Come on Bucko, don’t gimme that. There must be someone wanting to get out of the job.’

  ‘Maybe there is,’ Buck replied, ‘but nobody that I know of. I got your message, I made some calls, and nobody bit.’ He hiked his shoulders helplessly. ‘It’s not my fault!’

  ‘What about old Grayson? He must be nearly retired now? Or what about Jamie Dodds, he was always talking about getting out and going private. Did you speak to him?’

  ‘Grayson retired already, he’s gone to work for WINZ. Fifty grand plus a car.’

  Dan pulled a face.

  ‘Doddsy’s going to the Solomons for six months, leaves next week.’

  ‘Huh.’ Dan pulled another face, thinking hard. ‘What about Sonya Stocks? She was keen a while back, what about her?’

  ‘Taken promotion. She’s a DS now in Avondale.’ Buck looked apologetic. ‘Sorry mate, but there’s nobody around that I know of. Besides, not every ex-cop wants to be a PI. It’s got that image.’

  Dan shot him a look.

  ‘What image?’ he demanded.

  ‘You know….kind of sleazy.’

  ‘Sleazy?’ Dan looked shocked. ‘You wash your mouth out, young man! I won’t have you slandering my profession like that!’

  A new voice broke in from behind them, one that they both knew only too well. It made Dan’s skin crawl.

  ‘Why not? It’s a sleazy industry, and you fit right in.’

  Dan turned in his chair and looked up at the newcomer. Detective Inspector Hugh Kennedy. He was a small man, wiry and no-chested, with a long sharp nose and beady green eyes. His rapidly receding dark hair was styled in a particularly bad comb-over and left a dusting of dry scalp on the shoulders of his suit jacket. Dan had met sex offenders he liked more than this high flier.

  ‘Well if it’s not the Monty Burns of the Police,’ he returned, his lip curling in disgust, ‘what an unexpected disappointment to see you.’

  ‘What’re you doing here Dan?’ Kennedy asked, entering the office and putting a pile of files on Buck’s desk. ‘Wasting Police time with some trivial complaint, or are you trying to get Constable Buckmaster to illegally pass on information to you?’

  ‘Neither of the above, Roll-on,’ Dan replied, deliberately referring to Kennedy’s body odour problem, ‘just passing the time of day with a fellow professional. Of course I won’t extend the same courtesy to you, for obvious reasons.’

  ‘What, me being professional and you not?’

  ‘No.’ Dan rolled his eyes. ‘More like you being a twat.’

  ‘Oh good one,’ Kennedy smirked, ‘that one cut me to the bone. Excellent effort.’

  He jerked a thumb at the door. ‘Now take a hike, we’ve got Police business to discuss.’

  Dan took his time getting to his feet. Kennedy waited patiently, a smug smirk on his weasel face.

  ‘Cheers Buck,’ Dan said, ‘catch ya later.’

  Kennedy blocked his way to the door and tilted his head to eye-ball him.

  ‘You know the most important thing about an ex-cop?’ he asked.

  Dan eye-balled him back.

  ‘The ex,’ Kennedy answered his own question with a self-satisfied smirk.

  Dan was sorely tempted to smash a fist into his smug face and even felt his arm twitch involuntarily. Kennedy sensed it too, and rocked back on his heels as if expecting a blow.

  ‘Spot ya later, Danno,’ Buck intervened, breaking the tension.

  Dan held the stare down, not looking at his old friend.

  ‘Yeah,’ he rasped through gritted teeth, ‘see ya round.’

  Kennedy moved half-aside and Dan brushed past him, ignoring the old guy at the front desk and letting himself out. He paused at the front entrance and said loudly to the volunteer,

  ‘I’d leave the door open for a bit if I was you mate; it’ll let the smell out.’

  The old
guy looked confused and Dan immediately felt bad about using him as a prop for a shot at Kennedy. He gave the guy a thumbs up and left him to it.

  Chapter Four

  Mike Manning was a tall, athletic looking man with a hatchet face and slightly receding shaggy blonde hair. He wore his usual uniform of jeans and a rugby jersey, and had a weathered complexion. He had blue eyes and high cheek bones and scarred knuckles.

  Fifteen years in the Army had given him an air of authority and barely-controlled energy. He worked out regularly and there was nobody in the small greasy spoon that could have taken him. He was aware of the young waitress staring more than she should have. She coolly pretended not to notice as he sized her up.

  His coffee mug was almost empty by the time Dan got there, and he waited while his friend ordered.

  ‘What’s up?’ Dan asked, sliding into the chair opposite him at the corner table.

  ‘I need some advice.’

  ‘What’s her name?’

  ‘What?’ Mike wondered sometimes whether his friend was making fun of him. ‘Who’s name?’

  ‘Nothing. Carry on.’ Dan tried his coffee. It was hot and bad.

  ‘I’ve been laid off, mate.’ Mike watched Dan’s eyes widen slightly. ‘Old Terry told me this morning. Just me.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Can’t afford to keep me he reckons. Only leaves him with eight drivers, and they’ve all been there longer than me.’ He scowled. ‘Don’t work as hard but he must think they’re more trustworthy.’

  ‘I thought they had heaps of work on?’

  ‘They do, or I thought so anyway. We were shifting stuff like it was going out of fashion.’ Mike finished his coffee. It was cold and bad. ‘He reckons he’s losing too much stock and so he’s had to lay me off, maybe more as well. Reckons it only started a few months ago, which surprise, surprise, is when I started.’

  He shook his head in anger and his fists bunched unconsciously. ‘I just about smacked him, mate.’

  ‘Probably a good thing you didn’t.’ Dan looked thoughtful. He slid his mug aside. ‘Did he directly accuse you?’

  ‘No, he hasn’t got the guts. He just said it started a few months ago. He said he could accept a certain level of loss or damage, but this was too much and his insurance wouldn’t cover it.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Dan stroked his moustache. ‘So you’re looking for work?’

  ‘Well yeah, but I wanna sort this out first. He’s basically accusing me of stealing from him. I shoulda just decked him.’

  ‘Let’s go see him.’ Dan pushed his chair out and stood. ‘Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone.’

  ‘What’re the two birds then?’ Mike followed him from the café. ‘Presumably getting my job back is one of them?’

  ‘First stone is proving your innocence. That’s without question, so obviously someone else is to blame.’ Dan used the bleeper to unlock the plain silver Holden Vectra at the curb. ‘We find that person, and we both clear your name and maybe even get paid for it.’

  ‘He’s broke,’ Mike cut in, getting into the passenger’s seat.

  ‘We can work something out.’ Dan started the engine and turned down the radio. It was tuned to a classic rock station. ‘Secondly, we could maybe get you some work, but it may take a while.’

  He caught the flash of excitement in his fiend’s eye and held up a hand of caution.

  ‘Maybe, it’s only a maybe. Don’t get too excited just yet.’

  ‘Doing what?’ Mike asked, already knowing the answer.

  ‘Apprentice investigator.’ Dan grinned reluctantly. ‘I always wanted an apprentice.’

  Terry Marcus was a small wiry man with deep set eyes and a permanent worried look. Like Mike he was ex-military and still had the bearing about him, shoulders back and purposeful movements, but he also seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on those shoulders. Dan and Mike stood across the office from him. His desk was a mess of paper. His office was upstairs in the warehouse, looking out over a sea of pallets and workers bustling between them.

  The morning dispatch had already gone and the floor staff were preparing for the afternoon shift. More than a few were sitting down or standing outside smoking, Dan noticed.

  ‘Look, I already told you Mike,’ Marcus was saying, ‘I have to lose someone or I’ll go under. I can’t afford your wages.’

  ‘But we’re busier than ever,’ Mike retorted hotly, ‘and I’m your best worker. Who does all the extra shifts for you? Me!’

  Dan shot him a look to cool it and he bit his tongue, feeling his anger bubbling away, threatening to boil over.

  ‘You know why,’ Marcus told him, shaking his head with despair and sitting down. ‘My stock loss and damage is going through the roof, and it’s only happened in the last few months.’

  He shrugged helplessly.

  ‘And that’s where I come in,’ Dan interrupted. ‘Mr Marcus, I understand Mike’s out of his probation period, correct?’

  ‘I don’t see what-’

  ‘That’s right, he is. So he’s a permanent employee now.’

  He had Marcus’ attention.

  ‘Has there been any consultation about this redundancy?’

  ‘I told him this morning.’

  ‘That’s right, so a first and final decision was given without any consultation and he was escorted off the premises immediately.’

  ‘Well-’

  ‘I understand there’s been no investigation into these allegations of theft and property damage, is that right?’

  Marcus didn’t answer.

  ‘No disciplinary action has been taken against anyone for it, but suddenly one employee out of what, fifteen, twenty? One employee is summarily let go, effectively fired, and no action is taken against anyone else. Is that it in a nutshell?’

  Marcus shook his head exasperatedly.

  ‘Look fella, I know what you’re trying to do, okay? I can’t pay you out, so you’ll have to take me to court.’

  ‘Don’t worry Mr Marcus, it doesn’t have to come to that.’ Dan paused, letting him nibble at that thought for a moment. ‘What we’ve got here is a classic case of constructive and unjustified dismissal. That could cost you thousands and potentially close your business.’

  ‘That may happen anyway!’

  ‘So let me help you. You have two big problems here.’ He ticked off his fingers. ‘One, a potentially fatal employment case. Two, a potentially fatal employee theft case. One can eliminate the other.’

  Marcus stared at him, waiting. Dan gazed back at him calmly. In control.

  ‘So?’ Marcus prodded him.

  ‘So, we can stop your losses and save you the embarrassment and cost of a court case.’

  Marcus wasn’t the quickest rabbit in the paddock.

  ‘So what’s in it for me?’

  Dan rolled his eyes at Mike, who now looked slightly amused. Dan planted his hands on Marcus’ desk and leaned down so there could be no mistaking what he said.

  ‘You hire me to investigate and stop your losses, and he-’ he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Mike ‘-won’t take you to the cleaners for sacking him. Get it?’

  He straightened up and waited patiently while Marcus mulled it over.

  ‘But I can’t afford to pay you.’

  ‘Not right now, no. But we stop your losses, your profit margin comes back up to where it should be, and you pay my invoice. Right?’

  ‘What’s it going to cost me?’

  ‘Less than a tribunal. I’ll get a contract emailed over to you right away, you sign it and we’re in business.’ He shrugged modestly. ‘And saving yours.’

  Marcus nodded slowly.

  ‘And if I don’t?’

  Dan just shook his head silently, and Marcus nodded again.

  ‘Right.’

  ‘I need a stock list of what’s gone missing and I need a staff list with all their contact details. I imagine you have an electronic copy?’

  Ten minutes later Dan and Mike wa
lked out of there with a signed contract, copies of the lists they wanted, and more than one pair of eyes watching them go. They crossed the yard and were almost to the car when Dan spotted a trio of workers standing by a shipping container against the fence, smoking and watching them.

  ‘Who’re they?’ he asked as they got in the car.

  Mike eyed them briefly.

  ‘Hooch, Gabe and Luther,’ he replied, ‘why?’

  ‘Hooch Hooper?’ Dan started the car.

  ‘I think so, why?’

  ‘There’s your problem right there.’ He swung a tight circle and headed for the gate. ‘He’s a gangster from way back. Surprised he’s even got a driver’s license.’

  ‘He hasn’t. He works on the floor.’

  ‘And those two are his little buddies? Gabe and Luther?’

  ‘Yep. Always hanging out together. All work in the warehouse. Luther does some driving.’

  Dan slowed at the end of the road for a Give Way. He looked at Mike.

  ‘Hooch Hooper’s a murderer and a dangerous piece of scum. If he’s not involved in this I’ll eat my hat.’

  Chapter Five

  After being dropped off by Dan, Mike picked up his own car-a forest green Subaru WRX that he’d bought with his allowances from his last couple of overseas deployments-and went home. Home was a single bedroom apartment in a purpose-built complex in Mount Wellington, not far from the depot. It was clean and tidy because he didn’t spend much time there. His life pretty much centred round work and the gym at the moment.

  The other apartments were occupied by a collection of young couples and singles, and the complex was generally pretty quiet during the day with everyone at work. He quickly showered and changed into clean drill pants and a black shirt. He grabbed his black leather jacket from the hall cupboard and was gone ten minutes after walking in the door.

  He slid into Chase Investigations’ designated car park at the back of the building, just a couple of metres and a wooden fence away from the Southern Motorway. The building was a two storey office block with a wide stair case climbing up the middle, splitting the building in two. The ground floor was home to a mini shopping centre including a busy café and a Post Office, an accountants’ practice and an office supply store. The next floor housed Chase’s, a family law firm, a mortgage broker, and an insurance firm. Upstairs were a beauty salon, a financial adviser, an architect and a dry cleaner.