Chapter 20

Tears ran down Colin�s face. A look of despair was in his eyes, most of all, a look of betrayal. Slater couldn�t handle it any more. He looked over at Colin and took him by the hand." Come on."

Within a few minutes they were at the entrance of the police station. Slater swallowed hard and led Colin in. The front desk was scary and loomed up before their eyes. A fat sergeant rumbled something.

"Could we please see Detective Christine Wallace."

"Right boys, take a seat."

He picked up the phone and spoke into it. Within a couple of minutes Christine appeared. The desk sergeant pointed at the two boys and Christine motioned for them to come through. Slater led the way holding Colin�s hand for reassurance. Christine led them upstairs, and into a neat and tidy office. " Have a seat," she said. "Do you want a cold drink?" The boys looked at each other and nodded. "Stay here I�ll be back in a sec."

The boys looked around. On her desk they could see a computer, writing set and a jar with a few pens in it. A couple of photographs in frames showed Christine with what the boys assumed were her family. A picture hung on the wall with a verse that that read �Your

Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.� It sounded nice as Slater read it. He didn�t recognise it was out of the Bible, yet he commented to Colin that it sounded hopeful.

Christine returned with a couple of lime spiders. " Here you go."

Colin�s eyes lit up and a smile came to his face. Slater smiled and said " Thanks"

As the boys began drinking, Christine took a seat on the lounge opposite and waited a little while. " So what can I do for you guys?"

Slater announced. "I�m here to give information on the China Town murder and also to report a recent rape " Colin coughed on his drink and looked up, shocked. He wasn�t aware of the reason they�d come to the Police Station. Now he knew.

Christine was shocked too. Composing herself, she immediately responded. "Can I bring my partner into the room and can I record this statement?"

Slater nodded, to say it was okay. Christine picked up her phone, spoke briefly, and hung it up. In a couple of minutes her partner arrived with a video camera which he mounted and switched on. After testing the recording level, he took a seat next to Christine. Both boys watched, quietly sipping their drinks.

"Right, now go ahead." Christine motioned.

"Two days ago around nine o clock I arrived at Cyril�s place and he showed me a body of a young boy that he�d killed."

"Who is Cyril, Slater?"

"Cyril�s an old guy." He swallowed and stopped. "We steal for him. He offloads the stuff and gives us money." Slater�s face was red, he knew he was dobbing himself in.

"And where is Cyril�s place?"

Slater explained the place, it�s address, and the back entrance with the green flaky painted door. Christine stood up and walked over to a large map on the wall, and pointed to the street.

" Is this approximately where it is?" She asked. Slater nodded.

"Go on, "Christine encouraged.

"He showed me the body because he was angry with me. A few days before he had raped Tony, another street kid." He sniffed a couple of times. " He raped this guy because another couple of guys, Geoff and Rodney, set him up. Cyril likes young boys you see. I bashed Geoff up and Tony gave Rodney a hiding."

"Yeah, I know Tony. I also have the other two in custody for robbing a McDonald�s. So why would Cyril be angry? "

"He was angry because I bashed them up. They went to jail for being stupid. I was their boss and we all worked for Cyril. When he found out that they went to jail, he was angry with me. I shouted back at him, and he hit me. Then he dragged me into the loungeroom and showed me the dead guy. He asked me if I wanted to end up like that. When I said no, he asked me where he should get rid of the body. I suggested China Town because of all the fights going on down there."

Christine couldn�t believe her ears. " Why did you come and report this?"

"I�m sick of people being hurt. He�s raped me quite a few times. He�s raped Tony, and now he�s raped young Colin here. I can�t let it go on. He�s killed one boy, and this morning he raped Colin. I can�t handle it any more." Slater struggled to keep his voice under control. " I hate him."

Christine asked a couple more questions, this time directing them at Colin.

"Did you see the body? Colin."

"No." He replied with his head bowed.

"Did you see anything?"

"A lot of blood on the floor. A chair covered in blood. A rope that he tied me up with this morning had blood on it."

"You saw all of that this morning?"

"Yes."

"Would you testify to the fact that he raped you?"

Colin looked at Slater, unsure what to say. Slater nodded and Colin said, " Yes "

"Did you witness this rape Slater?"

Slater nodded. " Can you reply with your voice!" Christine asked, motioning toward the camera.

"Yes, I witnessed Cyril rape Colin this morning."

"Can you describe Cyril? "

"He�s fat, mostly unshaven with grey uncombed hair. He�s about this tall Slater motioned, standing up and putting his hand above his head.

"Are there any scars or tattoos on his body?"

"He has a couple of moles. He looked at himself and reached up to his shoulder. "He has a couple of moles on his left shoulder and a scar from a cut, in his side here." Christine noticed Slater point to the area around the appendix region of the body.

"Are you sure his name is Cyril?"

The door to the interview room opened. Slater froze. Colour drained from his face. Her Chief put his head into the room. Christine looked at Slater and then at her Chief. Her chief�s face stayed quite relaxed. Outside the door was a Judge of the Supreme Court, awaiting the chief�s attention. He didn�t look into the room. How long will you be Christine?"

"About twenty minutes."

"I�m just going to lunch with Michael, my friend from the Supreme Court.

"I�ll see you when we get back."

The door closed, Slater and Colin were white. Before Christine knew what had happened Slater had reached forward, grabbed her gun and put it in his mouth and fired.

At the sound of the gun shot the chief burst into the room, followed closely by Michael, whom Colin knew as Cyril. As they entered, they saw Slater�s body on the ground. Cyril looked across the room at the video camera, and Colin�s white face. His own cheeks drained of colour. The Chief excused himself from Michael by telling him to wait outside. He checked Slater�s body for a pulse and seeing there wasn�t one returned to his friend waiting outside. "Sorry Michael, I�ll have to take a rain check on lunch. I�ll have to clean this damn mess up. Imagine that. You let a blasted street kid into the station and he shoots himself. What�s more, he did it with my detective�s gun."

"I understand. I�ll give you a call." Michael hurried away.

"What�s happening here?" The Chief bellowed returning to the room and slamming the door.

"We just had a Statement, by Slater, on the killer who left the body in China Town. A fat guy did it, apparently. Slater was all right, a little nervous as you can imagine, yet not so nervous that he would have wanted to kill himself. I can�t understand it really. I noticed though that, when you came into the room, the colour drained from both the boys� faces.

Colin sat silently in the room. His face portrayed sheer terror. The chief looked over to him. " What�s your name son?"

"Colin," Came a short, mouse like, reply.

The Chief noticed he was sitting with his legs against his chest, in a foetal position His friend�s suicide had obviously shaken him up seriously. The Chief picked up the phone. and ordered the body be removed. He turned to Colin and asked, " Do you know why Slater suddenly killed himself?"

Colin remained motionless, yet let out a clear and audible answer. "It was him!"

"Who was him?" the Chief said softly. He�d seen many a case like this with a person traumatised. They often just lost control of their senses involuntarily; the slightest thing could push them over the edge. Some never recovered. He trod slowly and carefully, trying to pull Colin back from the edge that he was balancing on.

"That man!" Colin said again, his eyes blank, looking right through the Chief.

Christine interjected, seeing the fear in his eyes she pushed further." You mean the Chief�s friend?"

"Yes. "

"Did he scare Slater?"

"Yes. That man was Cyril!" As he said it, he let out a scream. Pure emotion came from the boys� mouth in a gurgle that sounded like death itself. He fell from the chair, hit the ground and went into a fit. It looked somewhat like an epileptic fit. The Chief hurriedly removed any obstacles that he could hit, such as the chair and the side of the table. He rang for an ambulance. Hanging up the phone he asked Christine�s partner to stay in the room and told Christine to join him in his office. Christine took the videotape from the camera and followed him into the Chief�s office.

He closed the door as Christine entered. He was worried. His coolness and speed in organising things showed her that his training had kicked in. His movements very controlled, like a robot, devoid of emotion, and it was noticeable in his tone. "Have a seat!"

"Now, what the hell is this kid saying? Why did his friend kill himself?

What has thrown him into a fit?"

"I�ll start from the beginning Chief, I�ll tell you one thing though, if Colin�s story is true, it going be very nasty."

"First things first. I want to dispatch some people onto the case straight away. Two detectives, who should I send?"

"Johns and Peterson, the Chief answered his head swimming. He wasn�t aware of the consequences this quick consent to Christine�s demands would have on his friend.

Christine was very nervous. She couldn�t afford one mistake. She had to act fast, whilst being sure everything was carried out textbook fashion. To do that, she needed time and so she chose her words carefully, but made them sound carefree. "I�ll grab you something to eat, down stairs. I�ll get the Detectives on the case. Meanwhile you can watch this tape. I�ll send for someone to get the video recorder from the training room, and to bring it up."

"Okay," the Chief replied, his hands running through his hair. Sweat had formed on his brow. He knew something was terribly wrong. He had a sick feeling in his stomach and he knew it wasn�t the two street kids. It was something not right. Whatever it was; it was on that tape. He sat silently in his office, swung his chair around and looked blankly out of the window.

Christine went downstairs. She got a constable to get the video recorder. She told him to have it in the Chief�s office in ten minutes exactly, no sooner, no later. She dispatched the two detectives to the crime scene and told them to hurry. She rang forensics and told them to get down there immediately. She knew that when the Chief found out the implications of the tape, time would be precious. She was happy with her progress so far, but there was one call that could clinch it.

"Hello ICAC. Yes, can I have special investigator Harrison, please?"

" I�m sorry he is out of the office. Can I take a message?"

"Christine�s pulse went up. She had to contact him. " Can you tell me where he is?"

"He�s on assignment with Homicide division. "

"Is he there now?"

"Could be!" The operator paused. Who is this?"

"This is detective Christine Wallace of Kings Cross Police station. I need to talk to him now. It�s urgent!"

"Here, I�ll give you the mobile number, wait a sec." Christine was really worried. She looked at her watch seven minutes had elapsed. The Chief would get the video in three minutes. It would be five minutes before he would panic. She had eight minutes up her sleeve.

She sucked in a deep breath, tapping the desk where she sat. She waited..." Here it is. It�s (015) 737 685."

She dialled the number. An engaged tone. She pressed redial. Engaged. She looked at her watch. Seven minutes. She dialled again it rang. It rang "Special Investigator Harrison."

"Hi Cliff, It�s Christine. Look, I need a favour. It�s urgent. Don�t talk, I�ve only got minutes. Just answer my questions."

"Okay."

"Where are you?" Exactly, your location?"

"I�m in the city having lunch at the moment."

"Can you get to an address, in the Cross in ten minutes. It�s very urgent Cliff I feel you are the only one I can trust. The scene is a murder scene, the one in the papers, from China Town. The suspect�s a Judge. I can�t say anymore."

"Enough said. I�m on my way."

"Here�s the address. I�ll give you a visit in the next hour, I�m sure. It�s important to have no loopholes. My Chief is a close friend with the suspect and will want to close the investigation. One of the witnesses has killed himself. Another has had an epileptic fit. The Chief may destroy the video where we interviewed them. It�s important you get down there, and take it out of our hands."

The Chief was watching the statement by Slater, the boy he recognised as dead in Christine�s office. He�d been through it once now. He�d resumed his composure, and now he was furious. This young kid called Colin in his traumatised state, understandably due to his friend killing himself, and being raped this morning by this guy they call Cyril, was having the audacity to say that Michael, a Supreme Court Judge, was the China Town murderer.

"What a hide, he thought to himself. Mere coincidence. Yet it was the accusation itself that stirred his anger. How dare a young thief, a good for nothing street kid, have the hide to accuse a Judge? He must have seen the gown on the Judge. He must have known whom he was accusing. By God, Michael he was a national celebrity. He�d sat on some major cases, well documented. What a slur. If the kid weren�t already in a fit he would have taught him a lesson.�

But something was nagging him. It took a while for him to think clearly through his anger. Why was Michael here this morning? He was here to have lunch. Why? That�s right he�d rang up yesterday to see how the China Town case was going.

That�s when it hit him. He froze...

That explained everything

The Chief bounded out of his chair. Twenty minutes had passed since Christine had left the office. He stormed out of his office and looked for Christine. He saw her on the phone to someone and ripped it out of her hands. " Come into my office girl." The rest of the officers in the station looked up as Christine was dragged into his office.

*******

Dave shook his head and clipped his phone on his belt. He looked concerned.

"What�s the matter Dave?"

"That was Christine. She told me to find Tony, the street kid and to get him out of the Cross. He�s a witness and his life is in danger. We have to get him out of the Cross.�

"Do you know where Tony lives? "Mike asked, putting down a piece of timber, forgetting the work to be done.

"Yeah," Dave said blankly, still thinking to himself and scratching his head.

"Have you got his phone number? " Mike pushed.

"Yes. It�s in my diary. Wait a sec." He went over and got his diary and looked it up. Mike grabbed Dave�s mobile phone.

"What is it?"

Dave read it out, and Mike dialled it. It rang for a few rings and then Sharon answered. "Hello Sharon, this is Dave how are you?"

"I�m fine David, How are you?" Sharon asked

" Fantastic. However we have a little problem at the moment. Is Tony there?"

"No he�s gone out with Tracy. Why? Do you want him?"

"Yes. He is a witness to a case. Christine believes he could be in danger. We have to find him."

"What�s he done. Is he in trouble?" Sharon asked, urgency in her tone.

"He�s not in trouble with the law, but he could be in serious trouble if the offender can get to him. Can you find him?"

"I�ll try," Sharon said. " I�ll ring you when I have news. Have you got your mobile with you?"

"Yes I have." Dave answered. "Okay then. Ring me as soon as you find out where he is."

*******

The Chief had Christine in his office..

He slammed the door. " Take a seat!" He ordered. "Just a sec while I collect my thoughts," the Chief asked, his head swimming at the enormity of the situation. He had a duty to protect his friend. It was part of the code at his level. They looked after each other. He�d tried to win Christine over to the philosophy of looking after your own and yet her Christian beliefs stopped her from agreeing. It had come to a couple of confrontations in the last couple of years, yet he�d kept her at a safe distance, taking her off potentially damaging cases. She wouldn�t bend the law, in any way, and up until now this hadn�t been a threat. She was his best detective, and she was very efficient. He liked how she administered the law. She was efficient and was very productive. She had her views on how the station should run. He hadn�t let her honesty get in the way before. But, that relationship was in jeopardy now.

He had a choice, the law, or his buddy network. In thirty years he had gained a lot of respect. He put his life on the line everyday. So did his friends. They were always there for him. He couldn�t let them down. He had to know how far the investigation had gone, and what had been set in motion. The only person he could ask was Christine. Yet to ask her and try and stop the case would expose him fully, so he had to appear interested, whilst not disclosing too much." What have you arranged Christine? "

"I�ve sent some detectives down to the scene also forensics." Christine hesitated in mentioning her friend. She wasn�t lying per say. She hoped in her heart that Cliff had managed to get down to the scene. Ever since Colin had muttered that Cyril was Michael, she had felt her stomach tighten. She knew of the Chief�s professional network of friends. She knew he would try to protect the judge.

"Anyone else?"

The Chief asked.

"I called a friend of mine. Thought we may need a little muscle to bring in a judge."

It was as though a bomb went off in the roam. Rage bellowed out of the Chief�s mouth. Such language intermingled with saliva looked like a volcano spilling out hell itself. Christine knew she had crossed the line. She had approached the line on many occasions and tempted fate yet never crossed it. The Chief had known she�d wanted to, but had moved her away. This time she had crossed it.

An ally, to a point, had turned and shown his true colours. As he continued to explode Christine knew, that although they were both officers of the law, they were now on different sides.

"What have you done? It�s our investigation!"

Finally, he said, "Come on. We�re going down there." They left the office and drove to the scene.

*******

Cyril was back in the Courthouse. He was on the line to a youth correctional centre. " Yes I know." He was saying into the phone. "Just do it all right!" He slammed the phone down.

A short while later a couple of youths broke their necks in an attempted escape. Their names were Geoff and Rodney, two witnesses conveniently out of the picture.

A surgeon, attending young Colin in hospital, wrote out a death certificate. Cause of death - �Allergic and fatal reaction to suppressant drug used.�

Just as Cyril hung up the phone, it shrilled to life. "Michael, they have the place crawling with cops. I can�t get near it." The caller said.

"Get it cleaned up, or I�ll have you cleaned up."

Shortly after a man who had been wondering around the crime scene hailed a cab. The cab pulled up and he got in. " Where to? " a wiry young Italian asked.

"To the airport and hurry."

A man was wandering down the streets of the Cross. Every kid he came to, he was asking if they had seen Tony. At one stage he talked for a while. " Tony is with his girlfriend Tracy, I think they went to Joey�s for a milkshake."

The man set off toward Joey�s.

*******

Sharon entered Joey�s. She saw Tony with Tracy and went over to him. Just as she put her arm around him a man grabbed her arm and ripped it away. He grabbed Tony by the hair and brought out a knife. He was just bringing it to Tony�s throat when he fell to the ground. Tony, Sharon and Tracy looked up at the man towering with rage above them. Joey had a baseball bat swung high again and was moving around the counter to hit the thug again.

"Youda better get him safe. I�ll look after this man."

Sharon ran to the phone to call Dave. She told him she would meet him at Joey�s. He agreed. Shortly afterwards David arrived. He took Tony back to the work site.