Chapter 22

"It matches! It�s the same blood. The blood on the floor is the victim�s blood. The head of forensics read from the lab report. The China Town victim was murdered in that house."

Cliff and Christine were in Christine�s office discussing strategy when Cliff�s mobile rang. He answered it and said, "I�ll be right there." He replaced the phone and a little ray of sunshine spread across his face.

"We have the evidence for a Warrant, Christine. We have: a testimony putting Michael at the scene of the crime; evidence of the victim�s blood found at the scene of the crime; and we have the fingerprints of the murderer on the murder weapon. I wonder if we can get the Judge�s fingerprints. To get a perfect match we�ll have to get a Warrant to enter his chambers, or go into his house."

"We might not!" Christine exclaimed. I noticed a couple of coffee cups in the Chief�s office. Micheal may have had a coffee with the Chief this morning. The prints in the house are those of the man identified as Cyril. We haven�t any prints of Michael, who Colin testified as to being Cyril."

Both of them rushed to the Chief�s office. The two cups were gone! "Blast" Christine exhaled.

"What�s the time? "

Cliff looked at his watch. " It�s four fifteen."

Christine ran off toward the stairs leading to the first floor. Half way across the office she could see the cleaner emptying rubbish bins. She ran up to her and asked her a question. The cleaner nodded and went into the staff kitchen and brought the two mugs out. Christine ran back holding then carefully. "Here they are. Now this one�s the Chief�s favourite so I�ll imagine that this other one may have been Michael�s."

"Why do you only say may? " Cliff asked, looking serious.

"I said it because I could be wrong. It could have been there due to some other reason. Christine rubbed her eyes. "In any case it�s worth a try."

"Well let�s go!" Cliff said

They left instructions with Jenkins, the constable in charge of the phone, to direct callers to Cliff�s mobile. When they left, Cliff�s arm lay around Christine�s shoulders, and the cups were in a plastic bag hanging from her arm. Cliff was saying, "Let�s go solve a murder."

They passed through the front office and stepped outside into the fresh air. " Oh, I almost forgot. I have to go down to the hospital where Colin is. Wait a sec, I�ll ring them. The hospital agreed to prepare the body and have an ambulance standing by for Cliff�s signature and identification. They got into Cliff�s car, a new Ford Falcon, and drove immediately to the hospital.

Christine was very excited as they arrived. Things were coming together. They discussed the case confidently as they made their way to the Chief Physicians office.

The secretary introduced them. "Terry, this is Cliff Harrison of the I.C.A.C, and Christine Wallace from Kings Cross Police." The handshakes were cold and very formal. The hospital air seemed to drop a couple of degrees as Cliff and Terry�s eyes met. Both men wielded considerable powers, both had reputations to maintain.

"Now what is this, you can�t tell me the cause of death over the phone. Didn�t you sign the death certificate?" Cliff hadn�t waited to be seated, no formalities, just straight into the questions. Christine found herself swept up in his presence. That was it, Cliff had a presence. His tone and manner made people pay attention.

"Hospital rules. " he replied.

"Okay, Can you tell me now?" Cliff asked holding his identification up to the physician�s face.

"In layman�s terms, he suffered an allergic reaction to a drug I administered, resulting in his death. The physician held his ground, confident he�d have the time to answer all the questions. He wasn�t prepared nearly as well - for the next question.

"Do you have any objections if we have our forensic team carry out an autopsy. Both Cliff and Christine looked for any signs of nervousness. They observed that the doctor�s face instantly flushed, as his hand reached to loosen his collar away from his neck. These were all the signs they wanted.

"I did an autopsy, I showed the cause of death quite adequately. I�m the leading..."

Cliff cut him off in mid sentence. " I�m aware of who you are, yet you haven�t answered the question. Now listen carefully. Do you have any objections to our forensic team doing an autopsy on the body?"

"Get out of here, you arrogant, investigator! Get out of my hospital! How dare you question my word! How dare you doubt my integrity and question my thirty years experience!" His voice rose in a shout. His secretary came in.

Cliff looked at the well-groomed secretary. "You may as well pack our doctors bags here. He�s coming with us down to my office. He�s obstructing the course of justice. Wilfully obstructing a federal investigation." The secretary�s eyes widened in shock.

Just then the doctor said. "Okay you can have the body, I�ll sign the release. Here you go." He went over to his desk, and signed a release.

Cliff picked up the release and turned to the Doctor. "I�m formally warning you, in front of these witnesses at ", he paused and looked at his opal faced watch, "five, ten p.m. not to leave this city or country.

The doctor�s jaw dropped. Cliff walked out of the room.

Christine was clearly surprised. The doctor turned to her with a worried pleading look. She answered his look with " You�ve just lost the life of a very important witness, the fourth witness who has died in this case. You can count yourself officially under investigation."

With that, Christine walked from the room. In the hallway she met with Cliff, who was waiting for her. They both hurried to the appropriate authority for the release of the body.

Roger, the head of Forensics called out to Cliff to come over when they arrived behind the ambulance with Colin He had all of the paperwork done. It was official. The location mentioned by Slater this morning, was indeed the location of the crime. Christine retrieved her plastic bag from the car and gave it to the forensics expert. An assistant went to work on dusting the fingerprints. Meanwhile Christine and Cliff watched Roger do a swab on Colin�s rectum. With a couple of swabs, a slide was prepared and sent over to the lab.

Over two coffees each, Cliff� and Christine�s hopes were made real. Traces of semen found in Colin�s swab connected Cyril to the rape. The fingerprints removed from the mug Michael had used matched those found on the murder weapon found in Cyril's house. Pubic hair found in Colin�s swab, matched pubic hair found in the house. Slater's testimony held water and Cliff and Christine left jubilant.

*******

The days work had finished on the building site. Christine hadn�t rung, so Dave suggested that Mike take Tony home. Mike agreed, so they left to go home together.

*******

At 7.00p.m. Supreme Court Judge, The honourable Michael Turner opened the front door of his home to see Investigators Cliff Harrison and Christine Wallace standing before him.

"Judge Michael Turner, I hereby arrest you for the murder of one Michael Johnson, of Cremorne, Sydney on the night of Sunday the 10th January 1993. You have a right to remain silent...You can speak if you wish, yet I warn you that anything you say will be noted down and could be given in evidence before the court."

"Yeah, yeah get on with it ". The Judge murmured.

Christine put him in cuffs and led him back to the car. She was nervous, her hands were shaking. The Judge noticed this. "This is the last arrest you�ll ever do." he whispered so only she could hear.

Christine pulled on his cuffs violently, rage welling up within her. She was sick of the Cross and all it�s victims. The Judge, in that one statement, had infuriated rather, than humiliate Christine. Seeing him, as an example of all the perpetrator�s responsible for the plight of the Fallen Ones, Christine felt the fury of the Victims within her. She shoved him onto the back seat of the car before he�d had sufficient time to duck his head. It was a hard thud, one that must have hurt; yet Michael turned and hissed at her. "That�s nothing compared to what�s waiting for you."

"I�d keep your ego under your breath if I were you Judge." Cliff said closing the door. Those few hours you�ve had since this morning, have already cost some of your buddies their precious careers."

The judge became silent after Cliff had spoken. He sat, casually looking at the scenery before him. Once in the car Cliff asked Christine to ring Roger." Yes, its Christine Wallace, Yes, have you the results, the cause of death? A lethal dose was it? Yes, she paused again. What, only a doctor would be so clever? So it could look like an accident? No? Are you sure? You can�t get it on prescription. Right, Okay."

She hung up the phone and said to Cliff in front of the Judge. "Looks as if we have another passenger to pick up. Hey judge. Could you sign a Warrant for the Chief Physician at the Royal Alexander Hospital? It seems he�s also committed murder in trying to save you. Oh, you don�t feel like it? I thought not."

Shortly after eight thirty they pulled into Kings Cross Police station and unloaded two passengers. One for the murder of Michael Johnson, the other for the murder of Colin the street kid. As they entered the station, the N.S.W Commissioner of police was awaiting them. Cliff saw him as they led the two suspects to their respective cells. Christine knew that the cells had tiny microphones built into the lights, something that had put many a criminal away, as busted crims complained to cell mates about their friends. As far as she knew, the Judge might not have tried any of those cases, so she had both of them placed in a cell together. Many local criminals and lawbreakers knew about the microphones and left sweet little messages on them for the police, yet maybe they might strike it lucky with a couple of big fish.

They returned to the front of the station, to face the music. The Superintendent stood impatient. He knew something major was going on, but Christine and Cliff hadn�t informed him about it. As they walked out, Cliff mentioned to Christine, "This will be interesting ".

They faced the Commissioner who looked tired. He wore a crumpled scene, his dark hair was oily and in disarray. The pressures of his position were evident in his eyes. Christine smiled inwardly to herself and thought. "He ain�t seen nothin' yet!�

"So what brings you here Commissioner? Do you mind if I record this conversation?" Cliff asked.

"No, Go ahead if you feel it�s necessary."

Cliff removed a voice-activated recorder from his suit pocket, showed it to the Commissioner and returned it. Smiling, he asked his question again, "What brings you here?"

"I heard you were involved in the China Town Investigation," the Commissioner replied curtly.

Cliff hadn�t offered him a seat, but Christine saw that it would be uncomfortable to stand up during this exchange, so she led them to her office. Cliff waited while everyone took a seat, and closed the door, before he continued.

"Can you excuse me for a second." He dialled a couple of numbers and when a voice answered he said. "Have Chief Dickens come over here with the detective. Sorry I�ve been too busy with more important things, than to worry about a crooked cop." As he said it, he looked at the Commissioner�s expression. It showed concern.

"Now who informed you that I was on the case, and why specifically are you here in person?"

"Firstly, let�s just say I�ve been informed. Secondly I�m here to find out the progress. The Commissioner was a little ruffled. In his position there were very few that he had to answer to.

Cliff responded sharply. "If you don�t tell me who informed you about this case, then you�ll have to leave. Let me also say, that I�m not at liberty to tell you anything, and if I may be so blunt, I think it�s best that you leave now for your own good." Christine watched Cliff under pressure. He seemed to be like Moses in the Bible when speaking to the Pharaoh of Egypt, speaking with such boldness and control to such a powerful man.

The Commissioner didn�t answer for a moment whilst he appeared to think. Then he stated simply. "I received a call from the Federal Minister for Corrective Services. He asked me for an opinion on some officers, to head up a special task force. I�m here in reference to that. I have a couple of suggestions, and some files in my briefcase. I wonder If you�d care to look at them before throwing me out."

"Right. Okay, I�m sorry we started on a bad footing. All I have come across today is obstruction. If I didn�t wield my position and authority, I wouldn�t have had two guilty men going to trial. At this stage, I don�t trust anyone until they can prove themselves. Now let�s have a look at these."

*******

In a room at the top of the station, at the control and dispatch centre, a tape was whirring, catching a conversation in a cell below. Each minute that went by, each sentence collected, removed any chance of the new inmates getting away with their injustices. Downstairs the two powerful figures of society had began to argue.

"You idiot. You put me in this position, and now you�re saying I�m stupid! I didn�t have time to make the death look picture perfect. No death is! Unless it�s from natural causes. It�s murder, and that�s near impossible to get away with. If I had a week, yeah, I may have hidden it better. No, that wasn�t good enough for you. You wanted him dead. You wanted it done right away."

"Who are you calling an idiot? You pretentious bigot!" Michael spat. "You and your charity balls, and all the high life. What about the little girlies, the little fifteen year olds and younger that you get to taste the flesh of? He smiled a devilish grin "What about the young girlfriend of that boy I raped. What�s her name? Tracy. I set her up for you, her first client, fresh on the street she was. You got me to thank for that."

The surgeon looked at Michael. He hit Michael with an elbow in the face. "You sick jerk. Look what I�ve got to thank you for."He said pointing to the iron bars in the cell. He grabbed the judge by the hair; "Look what you�ve landed me in!"

A guard, hearing the raised voice, ran to the cell to see the doctor pummelling the Judge. He looked on for a moment, amused at the scene before him, happy to allow the paedophile to be hurt. It would be better not to disturb them yet. He�d check with Christine first. They may be in the same cell for a reason. He ran upstairs to Christine.

A knock came to Christine�s door and she let the constable in.

"I think you�d better come down to the cell Christine. Those two prisoners are having a fight."

The four of them left the room. When they arrived at the cell, the Judge was unconscious on the floor. He looked to be seriously hurt. The doctor was sitting on his bed fuming.

Cliff assessed the scene and looking to the Commissioner he commented. "Fear certainly brings out the worst in people." They entered the cell. Cliff asked the doctor with a laugh, partly to unnerve the doctor further. "Can you help us clean him up?"

The Surgeon glared at him.

"I didn�t think you would Cliff laughed. You did a good job on him though. He likes to be the abuser. Good to see the tables reversed."

The doctor put his hand up to his face and sighed heavily. Cliff smiled at the irony.

" Constable have him put in another cell, please. When you�ve finished, have another doctor come and attend to the good Judge here

*******

Christine led the two others to the dispatch room. As they walked upstairs, she turned to Cliff and said, "I think I have a little surprise for you." They arrived in the dispatch room and Christine removed a tape from the recording device. She replaced it with another tape and took the one she�d recovered downstairs, to the office. The recording had enough on it to put both the Judge and the doctor away for life. Some of the names mentioned, as their tempers began to rise, became the impetus for an investigation that would go on for months. A further two arrests orders were issued immediately.

Around nine-o clock the Chief arrived in the Judge�s cell. The judge was barely conscious, yet recognised his friend as he looked up from his bed. " What happened to you?" the Chief asked.

"Your Dr Terry Watson bashed me up a little." Michael�s voice was weak. His authority and position as a pillar of society being of no benefit to him this evening.

"What! Is Terry here in jail too? " What�s he in here for? "

"I asked him to knock off the little guy in your detective�s office this morning."

"Oh Shit! Stop. The Chief remembered the recording device. You haven�t been talking here in the cell about everything have you? Suddenly the recording ended in a smashing sound.

*******

Around ten o clock, shortly after Cliff had issued the warrants and had picked out a couple of guys for the new task force, they were interrupted again. An Italian man had brought a thug into the station and had asked for Christine. His name was Joey, and he owned a little cafe in the Cross. He explained that he�d just knocked off work for the night, and this was the guy who tried to get Tony earlier in the day.

Christine took the thug and handcuffed him. As she put him in the cell she wiped her brow. It had been a long day. Four street kids had lost there lives, and would hardly be remembered a week later, just because they were kids of the Cross. But the perpetrators names would create headlines. The scandal would elevate them, whilst the many graves of their victims would remain unnamed and collect weeds without any notice for eternity.

Once a young child falls victim to society�s injustices, they often become slaves to that injustice. That injustice will lead them into being a stronger individual in rare cases but most often be a weight around their neck that left unchecked will bury them. The kids die in silence, some from drug overdose; others from neglect; whilst more find life so lacking in hope, they suicide to get some peace.

She came out of the cells and went back to her office. Cliff must have been off somewhere making a coffee. She sat down at her desk and looked up at the Bible verse on the wall. She pondered.

The light on the path God was leading her down was becoming brighter. Despondency had turned to urgency. Hopelessness had turned to a challenge. In the midst of her own darkness, her fallen brethren had seen light. God had chosen to use the broken and hopeless victims of Kings Cross, to approach her in faith that she could set things right. And even though they weren�t living now to witness the result of their belief in her, other kids would benefit and live healthier lives because of it.

She felt unworthy and humbled by the deaths. Her anguish fought to consume her, her sorrow filled her soul. She struggled to grasp the complexities and the inner workings of her God. The deaths of the innocents today profoundly altered her faith in Jesus. For he too, had laid his life down for others. He too had suffered the sting of rejection, abuse, and an agonising death, to save the lives and souls of many that would come after him.

Cliff came into the office. He saw Christine�s exhaustion and rang her husband. " Hi Nathaniel. Yes it�s Cliff, how are you? Good. I�m bringing your wife home tonight. She�s had a very traumatic day. Yes, we have a serious investigation in progress. Look after her mate, Thanks, I�ll see you soon."

Thirty minutes later Cliff�s Falcon pulled up into Christine�s drive. Nathaniel was there to assist her out of the car before she could even open the door. Tears welled in her eyes and she smiled as Nathaniel opened the door and embraced her. It had been a long day, her worst day yet. It was wonderful to be home.