Working Holiday Pt. 02

"You might want to talk to that guy, he was the shrink Paul went to see afterwards."

"Uh huh," Kay copied down the details, "so how long was he going there for?"

"About three weeks, once a week but then he suddenly said he was cured and just wanted to put it all behind him. I wanted him to keep going but he was determined to tough it out, and I really thought," she looked away.

"I really thought that he was right but then he got into a fight out at the pub and got chucked out. I begged him again but he got moody and told me I didn't understand, then he just went into himself and used to stay in his bedroom watching telly and I know he was checking out porn because I found magazines under his bed after his body was found washed up on the beach. He was never really into porn but he must have driven into Geelong to get it in case someone said something to mum or dad."

"I think that's about it," Kay flipped through her notes, "we'll take a run out to Aireys Inlet and talk to this psychologist."

"So you think something might come out of this?"

"Possibly," Kay glanced at her, "but a psychologist would be a big help."

"He was, and it despite what Mick did, it was good of his old man to pay for it."

"His old man paid for it?"

"Yeah," Sally made to stand up, "anything to keep his son out of the papers."

"She's been through a lot," Nickie remarked as they walked back to the car.

"Yeah," Kay folded her arms and looked across at her, "you fancy a run up to Aireys Inlet?"

"Why not? I don't have to start until half past four, we should be back by then, unless you'd rather do it on your own?"

"Come on," Kay slipped an arm around her shoulders, "you can be my deputy."

Nickie snuggled into her and Kay felt a slight warmth in her belly. If not for the situation she could be forgiven for thinking something else.

What do I do with you?

It was a question she dared not ask and yet it had been lingering all day, sometimes she almost thought Nickie was flirting, albeit in a playful, teasing manner. She'd had straight girlfriends treat her the same way but none of them had come out and said they'd sleep with her, but was that part of her defences? She could be abrasive and harsh as was evidenced when she'd openly faced Mick and his boys down but when you got her alone she was different, almost pliant.

On the way to Aireys Inlet she seemed to withdraw into herself once she'd selected a tape from the briefcase Kay had turned into a portable tape library. The Angels, No Exit kept them company all the way into the sleepy little hamlet to the east of Lorne. Kay had powered on through it yesterday without giving it a second thought. It was one of those towns you'd miss if you blinked but Nickie knew the place well and took over the navigation, guiding her to a suburban street at the far end of town.

"I don't know him," she turned the music down, "but that's probably a good thing," she laughed at her own joke and Kay shrugged.

"It's not a crime to admit help, it's why you have shrinks," she slowed down, "is that the joint? It looks like an ordinary house."

"There's a sign by the front door," Nickie pointed it out.

"I'll make a copper out of you yet."

"I reckon I'd make a good copper," she replied, "but the uniform sucks."

"The uniform is part of the job," Kay shot back, "um, I need to spend some time alone with this Damien," she pursed her lips as she tried to think of a diplomatic way of saying it.

"Because I can't be seen in there with you," Nickie broke in.

"That's it, exactly," Kay looked at her.

"Told you I'd make a good copper," she took out her cigarettes, "just leave the keys in case I decide to come back and sit in the car."

"Keys are in the ignition," Kay reached for her handbag.

Damien Smithfield was a forty-something man with a hairline that was rapidly receding and a quiet, unruffled face that probably wouldn't crack if he was sitting in front of a serial killer. He wore a tan polar necked jumper and matching trousers, and when Kay showed her police ID and asked if she could ask him a few questions he merely shrugged.

"Of course, anything to help the police."

He didn't sound particularly enthusiastic but she followed him into a living room that looked tidy and well maintained. She ran her eyes over some framed portraits, failing to find a woman amongst them but she did find a rather handsome youth standing beside an upright surfboard with his arm around Damien.

"My friend," Damien saw her looking at the picture, "he stays here from time to time."

"I've got a few of those friends too," Kay countered.

Damien's eyes shifted as their eyes met and then he managed a slight smile.

"So, when did you find out?"

"When I first had sex with a guy."

"Quite right," Damien gestured at an empty seat by the coffee table, "please, would you like coffee, tea or something else?"

"Um, I'm fine," she sat down, "I'm actually on holiday but I've stumbled across something that caught my eye and your name came up as someone who could help me."

"Go on," Damien arranged himself on the couch.

Kay outlined the basics of her investigation, which took the better part of five minutes and Damien sat without moving but when she finally finished he leaned forward and extracted a mint from a bowl on the coffee table.

"I have no problems about helping the police, as I mentioned earlier but client confidentiality is paramount, even if my ex client is deceased, there are family members who might object to my disclosing anything about Paul."

"I'm not after his intimate details," Kay replied, "I'm interested in the rape, evidence has come to light that suggest we could bring a solid case against the perpetrators."

"Evidence," Damien popped the mint into his mouth, "what kind of evidence?"

"Physical evidence," Kay crossed her legs, "and one second hand account that claims he was held at gunpoint while he was raped. The physical evidence though would never hold up in court but if we had expert testimony from his psychologist as to what happened that day, we might be able to use this physical evidence to help solidify the case."

There was a noticeable crunch as he crushed the mint between his teeth and then Kay heard the car door slamming. Damien glanced at the window and for a moment she thought she'd lost him but then the atmosphere seemed to change as he looked at the picture of his lover.

"Technically speaking, I wouldn't be breaking confidence if I'm merely reporting what was told to me, but his sexual leanings, private thoughts are out of bounds."

"Of course, I completely agree."

"Let's hope so," he turned to stare at her, "I can give you a copy of the case notes."

"Thank you," she breathed, "that would be a great start."

"Off the record though, Paul wasn't that way inclined although I'd suggest he was curious. When he found out I was gay it seemed to cure him, although I never made a move towards him," he leaned forward and studied her.

"Rules are rules, he was a good looking young man but I have a strict ethical code, understand?"

"Understood," Kay nodded.

"So, tell me about Sandy, Bob and Charlie," Kay asked Nickie some time later as they headed back down the Great Ocean road to Lorne.

"Sandy was at the servo yesterday, the little guy with the blonde hair."

"Him?" Kay glanced over as she changed down for a sweeping bend in the road, "he looks like he's still in high school."

"He's the same age as me," she took another swig of Coke, "but don't let the innocent face fool you, he's been dealing dope for years, Mick took him under his wing because the cops would search everyone else except for Sandy. His real name is Darren, he tried to put the hard word on me down the back of the school oval in my last year of school but I kicked him in the balls."

"Good for you," Kay grinned, "and the other guy, Bob?"

"Bob was locked up last year for dealing dope, I heard he got sent to Pentridge because he was an adult when he was busted but his lawyer wanted him tried as a juvenile."

"Must have been something more than dope dealing to get him locked up," Kay mused.

"Well it was a lot of dope," Nickie replied, "his old man had a block outside of Winchelsea, Bob had filled it with dope plants, they had to bring in trucks to get it all away. He had guns too but no licence, his old man had to sell the block and leave town."

"And Charlie?"

"Charlie is a little maggot with beady eyes. He's from Torquay but he was hanging out with Mick at the time, he's doing time as well for possession but he's out at Ararat because he done the dog on Mick."

"All in all not the types of guys to take home."

"No sir," Nickie clicked the seat back a couple of notches, "not unless you're into gang bangs, poor Paul never had a chance against those cunts."

It all made sense Kay mused as they drew closer to Lorne and she could already pick out the weak links, two guys sitting in jail who might indeed turn dog if given the opportunity to reduce their sentence.

"Bob might be the one to talk to," Kay eventually spoke up.

"He'd never turn dog," Nickie smoothed out her jeans, "Charlie might though."

"He's done it before, true, but Bob will be in the big house. I've seen tough young guys go in there thinking they'll do okay but while they might be tough guys outside, in Bluestone College they're just another bare bum in the shower."

"I hope he's copping it up the fucking khyber."

There was a golden-coloured Holden ute sitting outside Nickie's house when they pulled up and the younger woman winced as she sank down further.

"Fuck, he's here. I thought he was still up in Deni."

"Who's he?"

"Kevin, he's my Clayton's boyfriend."

"So what? I don't have a dick, last time I checked."

"I'll tell him I've got my rags," she opened the door, "wait here, I'll go grab my uniform and change at your joint."

She exited the car a few moments later and headed inside, Kay heard her voice not long after but couldn't make out any words and then she was striding outside with a white shirt and black skirt over her arm. A tall guy was trailing after her and then Nickie's grandfather stepped out onto the porch and acknowledged her with an upraised pot of beer. Nickie flung the clothes into the back seat and turned suddenly to kiss Kevin on the lips before ducking down and dropping onto the passenger seat.

"Take it easy."

"Hoo roo."

"So, what's the go with Kevin?" Kay asked as she drove away.

"He's okay, but right now I don't need him hanging around like a bad smell."

"Did you tell him you had your rags?"

"Fuck yeah," she snorted, "works every time."

Kay shot her a casual glance, she almost seemed pleased at pulling the wool over her boyfriend's eyes and that alone gave her a slight thrill. The chemistry between them seemed natural and yet neither of them had made a move towards the other, that is until after Nickie had showered and changed into her uniform.

"Your uniform does look better than mine."

"Yeah?" Nickie looked down at her breasts as she ran her hands over them and then suddenly leaned over and kissed her on the lips, "thanks, babe."

The kiss took Kay by surprise and taking advantage of that fact, Nickie kissed her again, this one lasted a few seconds later and was definitely not a casual peck, her lips pressed harder and then Nickie was taking a step back and looking down with a slight smile on her lips.

"Different," she turned to go, "see you up there?"

"Yeah," Kay exhaled.

"No worries," Nickie squeezed her own cheek and picked up her handbag, "see ya."

Kay stared at the open door as she touched her lips. In a heartbeat the situation had changed and in another time and place she would have been only too willing to take it further, but the situation she was now dealing with meant she needed to tread carefully. It wouldn't be the first time a case had been trashed because some cop couldn't keep their pants on.

So, what do I do now?

To be continued...