Out in Nowhere, page 17
Mia took the file Hallie offered and opened the front cover. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘That’s intense.’
‘I know, right? Mick and Tom said that he wants to come to the funeral, just out of the blue like that. They haven’t heard from him since he got out of gaol. Nothing more has been said to me about him coming, though.’
‘Well, I guess it can’t hurt for an old friend to pay their respects, can it?’ Mia said.
‘Guess not.’ Hallie cast her eyes down, as she realised the funeral was in four days’ time. ‘Just so long as there’s no trouble.’
‘Trouble?’ Mia looked up. ‘You think there’ll be trouble?’
Now Hallie looked sheepish. ‘I’m sure there won’t be. I’m probably overreacting. But these blokes haven’t seen each other in a while and knowing that Mick and Tom don’t like Charlie … A funeral is a pretty emotional place to suddenly all reconnect again, isn’t it? I’m not sure …’ Hallie took a breath. ‘I’m not sure Alex would be pleased that Charlie wants to be there.’
‘Hmm, I see your point.’
‘I know Mick is a great bloke, and such a people person, but he does have a bad temper. I can’t have anything go wrong during the funeral because it’s going to be hard enough.’
‘Of course. If it puts your mind at rest, Dave and I will be there. We’d always intended to go. But tell me about Mick … He’s got a bad temper? Anything usually set him off?’
‘I’ve heard him talking to reporters when they’ve caught him off guard.’
‘Hmm, reporters could set anyone off, I think,’ Mia said.
‘If Charlie makes a scene, Mick and Tom will be really pissed off.
‘And then it’s Danny’s funeral straight afterwards. His body is being brought back in a couple of days, and I know Maggie and his parents have been talking to the funeral director. They felt it was the right thing with so many people here for Alex’s who would want to go to Danny’s.’
‘Yes, I understand the thinking there. Look, I’m sure everything will go smoothly. I’m glad you told me about Charlie, though. With a history like he’s got, a heads-up is always a good thing.’ Mia took a sip of her tea. ‘Forewarned is forearmed and all that. No one likes a rapist in their town.’
CHAPTER 19
Mia couldn’t shake the feeling of impending disaster. Never in her life had she been one to have feelings. Her grandmother had occasionally, and she’d been correct mostly, but not Mia. But the thought of Charlie coming to town during a highly emotional time, as Hallie had pointed out, could have consequences.
Rod and Nicole’s behaviour wasn’t sitting well with Mia either. Everything she was hearing about out there on the station sounded controlling and unsettling.
‘I’m off for the rest of the day,’ Dave said, popping his head into the office. ‘You good?’
‘Yeah,’ she glanced up at the clock and saw it was nearly midday. ‘I won’t be long behind you.’ Today they had both started on an early shift, meaning the station would be unattended until 8 a.m. tomorrow, although their mobile numbers would be on the answering machine and taped to the door, while the station number would transfer to Mia in case they were needed.
‘Right, see you tomorrow.’
‘Dave?’ Mia tapped the information she was reading. ‘I think we need to talk to Rod and Nicole Donaldson.’
‘About what?’
Dave looked at his watch, then back at Mia.
‘About Alex. Sorry, I know you’re ready to head off. I should have spoken up earlier.’
‘You’ve got concerns? About what?’ Pulling out a chair, Dave sat down.
‘It was just a feeling I had yesterday when I was talking with Hallie. You’ve always told me to trust my gut.’ She quickly ran through the couple of sentences that Hallie had mentioned. ‘I know it’s not much but, in the overall scheme of things, do you think it’s worth asking them about it?’
‘You don’t know what they’re capable of and Alex didn’t know what was good for him,’ Dave repeated. ‘Looking at the words in context, it’s a bit of a long stretch, don’t you think?’
‘“You don’t know what they’re capable of” is what’s raised my antenna.’
Crossing his arms, Dave leaned back in the chair. ‘Are you telling me you think the Donaldsons did away with their own son?’
‘What? No! Well …’
‘That’s what it sounds like to me.’
‘Don’t you think those two statements sound at least threatening?’ Mia leaned forward and put her elbows on the table. ‘Rod and Nicole obviously saw Hallie as a threat to their business and their assets, which is why they asked her to sign that agreement. You must agree with that?’
‘My opinion is that any family business is difficult for in-laws, farming especially, when where people live and work are one and the same.’
‘How about this for an hypothesis? What if they realised that Alex wasn’t going to take this lying down—which obviously he wasn’t because he’d engaged a lawyer. Perhaps the lawyer had some type of advice that made the agreement obsolete.’
‘Engaged might be too strong a word. But yes, let’s run with your hypothesis for a moment,’ Dave said. ‘How could they be sure Hallie knew what that advice was? I imagine that taking Alex out of the picture wouldn’t stop Hallie from starting proceedings if she had the information required.’
Mia didn’t answer.
‘You think that Alex challenged Nicole and Rod over the agreement, however he did that, and then they decided to kill him because they might lose their land if Alex and Hallie ever divorced?’
Mia held his eyes.
‘You’re telling me that’s not a long bow to draw?’
She raised a shoulder. ‘Maybe, but shouldn’t we at least talk to Nicole and Rod?’
‘If you want to talk to Alex’s parents, you go for it, Mia, but before you do, go over the evidence you have and what the scene showed. Don’t forget the platform at the top of the windmill was rotten, not tampered with in any way.’ He paused. ‘And Mia, be very careful with how you phrase your questions.’
‘Nana told me once that land was the root of all evil.’
‘So is money.’
‘Hmm, money and land, can’t see anything that would go wrong there,’ Mia said with a wry smile.
‘So cynical for one so young.’
Mia laughed this time. ‘Okay, so I can give Rod and Nicole a call?’
‘How about you go out there? I think these types of questions might be better in person.’
‘Okay, I’ll tee up a time with them.’
‘You could ring on the pretence of finding out when Alex’s funeral is. I heard they’re changing it so Danny’s can be held on the same day.’
‘Two birds with one stone.’
‘Jesus, Mia, really? I know what you’re saying but let’s not say that aloud to anyone other than me, okay?’ Dave stood up, a deep frown crossing his face. ‘God, I wish you’d think before you open your mouth sometimes.’
‘Don’t see anyone else here other than you.’
Dave laughed. ‘Fuck me dead, sometimes you are unbelievable! Right, anything else before I go?’
‘Actually, there is.’ Mia brought up the report she’d run and swivelled the computer screen for Dave to read.
‘Charles Dynner? He’s the other friend of the men?’ he asked.
‘Yeah. Check out his rap sheet.’
‘Excellent,’ Dave said heavily, after a few moments of silence. ‘Excellent.’
‘I asked Hallie if there’d been any word from him, but there’s been nothing more than we heard about when we were out there the morning before Danny was killed.’
‘He was in contact with Mick, Tom and Danny, wasn’t he?’ Dave sat down in the chair again. ‘I remember them talking about it.’
‘Yeah, from what I can gather. Hallie mentioned there were a few messages on the group chat. Seemed that Tom was a bit nervous about him causing a scene, but Mick said he didn’t think there’d be any problems.’
Rubbing his eyes, Dave rested his head on his palm. ‘Mmm.’
‘Do you think we should make some enquiries through the motel and caravan park? See if they have a booking for this Charlie? We could pay him a visit. Have a quiet chat.’
‘I don’t know, Mia. There’s a bit to be said for a bloke having done his time and police harassment. We would be checking in with the best intentions, but how he’d take it could be a different matter. Not sure we need to stir up any problems when there mightn’t be any.’ Another sigh. ‘Still, we could do that. Those two poor families don’t need any extra trouble getting through the funerals.’
‘Can I throw something very random out there?’ Mia asked, sitting back in her chair and running her fingers through her hair.
‘Other than you already have? Sure. Shoot.’
‘Well, this goes along with what I was saying before. I’m concerned there is something about the way that Rod and Nicole have been treating Alex, but mostly Hallie, which is worrying. The “it’s my way or the highway” attitude is very controlling, don’t you think?’
Dave raised one shoulder.
‘So, I’d like to talk to the lawyers, too. I mean, let’s mix it up. I don’t just have to talk to Nicole and Rod.’
‘Jesus, Mia, you’re jumping from this Charlie Dynner to Rod and Nicole, to the lawyers. I’ve already told you, these two deaths are accidental. There was nothing else to say otherwise at either scene. And I’ve processed many, many homicide scenes. Neither of these were homicide, which therefore means, no Charlie, no Rod and Nicole. Nothing but accidents. What could possibly link Alex’s and Danny’s deaths?’
‘I’m not saying they are, but Alex was in conflict with his parents when he died. When you take Danny’s incident into account, well, I can see how both deaths could be seen as accidental. I’m just going to start by saying that. But two mates’ deaths, in such chance circumstances, about a week apart? Doesn’t that have alarm bells ringing in your ears?’ Dave didn’t say anything for a while, just tapped his fingers on the desk. Mia could see he was running through all the information he had, sifting through details, trying to find links.
‘So, which is it? Alex’s parents or some mysterious perp we know nothing of?’ Dave asked.
‘And what would Alex’s parents have against Danny?’ Mia forged on.
‘Links between the two deaths?’ Dave repeated.
‘None that I can I find.’
‘So why are we having this conversation?’
‘I don’t know.’ Her frustration was teetering towards annoyance.
Dave’s lips twitched. Mia knew he wouldn’t laugh at her, though.
‘Look, I understand why you are questioning this and I’m glad you are. You’re thinking like a police officer should,’ he said. ‘It’s the coincidence that’s causing you to think like this, but as we’ve just discussed, these are two accidental deaths without a link between them.’
Shaking her head, Mia got up and paced the room. ‘But there has to be …’ Stopping to look at Dave, she gave a small smile. ‘Ah, don’t worry about it. I’m obviously seeing things that aren’t there.’
‘No, let’s keep working through it. I agree this is a highly unusual week, and if I hadn’t examined the scenes with my own eyes, I’d be having similar thoughts. Alex: windmill, falling, sustained non-survivable injuries. Dan: ute, changing a tyre, ute falls from the jack and he sustained non-survivable injuries. Now when we processed the scene where Danny died, again there was nothing. The only person who was there that day was Danny.
‘Yes, he was under the vehicle, which could be classed as odd, but it can still be explained. The jack was wobbling and he needed to stabilise it, Maybe be thought there was something wrong with the steering arms and he wriggled under to check while the vehicle was jacked up enough to get easier access. Do you disagree with anything I’ve said there?’
Mia shook her head. She got the photos out from another file sitting on her desk and spread them across her desk.
‘Hamish was careful at the scene,’ she said. ‘He and I chatted afterwards, while you were talking to the two men in the caravans. Once he’d established there wasn’t any hope for Danny, he stayed in the ambulance until we got there, other than setting up the witch’s hats around the accident.’
‘Right, and the two fellas who called it in told me they walked up the bitumen, so we wouldn’t have seen their footprints.’
‘But that’s a problem right there,’ Mia said. ‘It’s a single-lane bitumen road, so if someone had been there, we may not have known. No prints can be seen on the bitumen.’
‘Hmm.’ Dave picked up a photo and looked at it carefully.
‘Both Alex and Danny have wives,’ Mia added. ‘Both involved in the family businesses, both close mates.’
Dave was quiet. Then he said, ‘Don’t suppose we’ve looked into those businesses? Any chance that Dan and Alex were partners in something that we haven’t heard about? Doesn’t have to be a farming business.’
‘I can check. If they were making money on the side to their normal work, would that upset Nicole and Rod?’
‘Nah,’ Dave said, shaking his head. ‘To both of those. Can’t work. Not unless there was a third business partner who had a grievance. And neither Hallie nor Maggie have mentioned a partnership. Still, maybe make a note to ask them.’ He looked at Mia. ‘If, and it’s only a very small if, you are right, and these two men were murdered—which is really what you’re getting at, isn’t it?—then somehow, they are linked. Friends, business partners, whatever. They’re in something together and that’s what we need to establish.’
‘The wives may not know anything, if it’s something illegal.’
‘More than likely they don’t.’
‘I’ll ask now,’ Mia said, picking up the phone.
‘Not yet,’ Dave cautioned. ‘Let’s do a bit more investigation. Business partners and what else?’
‘Hellooo? Dave? Mia?’ Joan’s voice called through the walls. ‘You’re here late. You should have knocked off an hour ago!’
Joan let herself through the locked front desk and out to where Dave and Mia were sitting.
‘God, look at that! We’ve been discussing this for an hour already,’ Dave said, looking at his watch. ‘How come you’ve come in?’
‘I didn’t finish that paperwork to release Danny Betts’s body, so I thought I’d better come in and do that.’ Joan gave a little grimace. ‘He’ll be back in the morgue tomorrow. Those young lads lying next to each other on a cold slab gives me the heebie-jeebies.’
‘We’re just talking about that,’ Dave told her. He pushed a chair out with his foot, sending it towards Joan. ‘Take a seat.’
Mia was tapping at the keyboard and swung the screen around to show Dave and Joan. ‘There’s nothing to show Alex and Danny were business partners on the ATO ABN search records. Not that it had to be a formal arrangement.’
‘Gosh, Mia,’ Joan said, her brow wrinkling with concern. ‘Are you thinking there’s something more to their deaths?’
‘I don’t know,’ Mia answered. ‘I can’t help but feel we’re missing something.’
Joan crossed her ankles and sat quietly waiting.
‘Look,’ Dave finally said, ‘I don’t believe there is any more to this than we have already noted. It’s been a worthwhile exercise to think it through and look at it from different angles, but unless you can come up with a concrete link between the two incidents, then I don’t think we’ve got anything to work with.’
‘What about Charlie? Do we need to check him out?’
‘Who’s Charlie?’ Joan asked.
‘Another bloke Alex and Danny went to ag college with. He’s done time for rape.’
‘Oh.’ Joan’s face was still impassive, but Mia could feel her shock. ‘Oh, while I think of it, Ruben Forrester came in again. He’s still bemoaning the fact that there’s someone living out at the cemetery. I’ve been past a few times and haven’t seen anyone. Have you been out there?’
‘No,’ Dave said. ‘Kim told me you had, though. Thanks for keeping an eye out. I don’t know what’s got into that bloke. Talk about a pain in the arse.’
The silence in the station stretched out until finally Joan stood. ‘I’ll go and finish the release paperwork and let you know when it’s done,’ she said.
‘Thanks, Joan.’
Mia looked at Dave. ‘You still going to head off?’
‘I think I will. What about you?’
Mia looked at her watch. ‘I might make a couple of phone calls. See if I can tee up a time to talk to Rod and Nicole, perhaps ring the caravan park and then go home. There was supposed to be tennis tonight, but they’ve called it off because of the heat.’
Dave stood. ‘I’ll be glad when summer’s finished.’
‘Will you? I thought you’d start bemoaning the fact that it’s cold.’
‘What else are you supposed to do during each season?’ he quipped. ‘Oh, and I had that meeting with bossman Steve. He’s managed to get someone to cover for me while I’m away for Bec’s wedding.’
‘Great!’ Mia’s face lit up. ‘That’s fantastic. Do you know who it is?’
‘He didn’t say. But look, Mia, Kim and I might try to take a few days over a weekend in the next month or so as well. I’m hoping we can go to WA and see Bec and Justin and Alice before the wedding. Get the meet and greets well and truly out the way beforehand, and then Bec might be happy for Kim to come on the day.’
‘That’s a great idea.’ Mia stood and put her notebook in her pocket. ‘Pity she didn’t offer you that first.’
‘Mia,’ Dave sighed, ‘this is a complicated situation.’
‘Not really,’ Mia told him in her usual forthright way. ‘But don’t worry, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.’
‘That would make me very happy,’ Dave said. He patted her on the shoulder and left the room.
Mia sank into her chair and put her head in her hands. God, she was tired. After babysitting and cooking today, all she’d wanted to do was go home and fall into bed, even though it was only early afternoon. Yet, Hallie’s information about Charlie had worried her so much on the drive home, she’d needed to check on his record.
