CRYSTALLINE - 32. Forgotten, but not Forgiven

Detective Giles looked across the room to catch the eye of her superior and indicated with a head movement, for him to come over to her desk.

“What have you got?” asked Fraser

“Pathologist’s report is in and you were right, as usual. The head injury didn’t kill him but in all likelihood rendered him unconscious and set him up for drowning. The water in his lungs killed him”

“Right, nothing unexpected there” said Fraser. Then looking at his evidence board, said “We’re assuming the kick from Dante Ricardi was the one that caused the deceased to hit his head. But what if there was another encounter after that?”

“Or he simply slipped on a wet surface?”

“The pool attendant come lifeguard, I don’t think so”

“But we have no CCTV evidence or witnesses that saw anything after the two brothers’ encounter”

“Precisely, so we can’t rule it out” concluded Fraser

Giles then answered her phone, took a message and said to Fraser “They’ve finished processing Tanaka, he’s in interview room 2”

“Time to have some fun, are you ready?” asked Fraser

“Raring to go”

***

Fraser said as he checked his watch “Interview commencing at 11.33 am. Present, Detective Inspector Fraser, Detective Sergeant Giles, interviewee Yashuki Tanaka and....” then he looked at the solicitor.

“Solicitor Warren Jones”

“Thank you Mr Jones” Giles added.

Fraser left a long pause, to unsettle Yashuki and make him more vulnerable to their questioning.

“Mr Tanaka, would you please explain your relationship with the deceased, Patrick Ricardi and his brother, one Dante Ricardi?”

“I had no real relationship with Patrick, other than being a fellow worker at the resort”

“Do you usually have fights with colleagues?”

“Of course not”

“Then I ask you again, what was your relationship?” asked Fraser

Giles then stepped in and said “Perhaps we should ask Mr Tanaka about his relationship with the brother first and that might give some context to his relationship with the deceased”

“Ok Tanaka, start talking” said Fraser.

“Dante and I met before I worked for the resort and had casual sex in a carpark”

“Thank you for being so candid. And did this lead to you getting a job at the resort?”

“No, I got the job through an agency. I didn’t even know Dante worked there until we met when I was waiting at the opening party”

“So did you two continue to have sexual relations?”

“Occasionally”

“And Patrick did not approve of this?”

“He made his thoughts clear”

“So why was he so concerned about who his brother had sex with?”

“I guess he saw it as his brother cheating on his partner”

“Thomas Steadman?”

“Yes Sir”

“Why do you think the deceased was so protective of Mr Steadman?”

“I did hear Thomas gave Patrick the job and arranged for his training, maybe he thought he owed him for that”

“Do you know if the brothers discussed these infidelities instead of talking to you about it”

“I don’t know, but Patrick did threaten me if Dante and I didn’t stop”

“Threatened?” asked Giles

“What did he threaten to do?”

“Nothing in particular, just said there would be consequences”

“How seriously did you take this threat?”

“I didn’t take it seriously at all, I knew it was just that, a threat”

“Mmm, interesting” concluded Giles.

Fraser then terminated the interview and said to Warren Jones “Your client is free to go”

“Do I get a ride home?” asked Yashuki

“We’re a police force here, not a taxi service”

“But you drove me in here”

Jones then put his hand on Yashuki’s arm and said “It’s ok, I’ll drive you back”

As they left the interview room, Fraser raised his eyebrows and said to Giles “Finally, a use for solicitors”

***

Back at their evidence board, Giles said “Nothing new there, that we can use”

“I’m still not convinced the Jap isn’t more involved. He’s hiding something”

“Do I detect a measure of racism, boss?”

“Me? Perish the thought”

***

Giles noticed Fraser in deep thought and new better than to interrupt him. She had learned the hard way not to interfere with this process. She went about her work until he finally said “Giles what was the first advice I gave you as a young detective?”

“Without hesitation she answered “Follow the money and follow the connections”

“Have we been doing that in this investigation?”

“Mmm...maybe not, but I can’t see any money in this”

“What about the connections part?”

“The last interview gave us the connections between the three sex partners. Is that what you mean. I’m just filing that away for the moment. I’m looking for other connections”

“Between the residents and staff?”

Fraser didn’t answer Giles’ question but posed another of his own. “Do you remember that young constable, who was with us for a few months last year? What was his name, something Irish? I know, O’Connor, was it?”

“Yes, Connor O’Connor”

“Really? What an appalling lack of imagination on the part of his parents. Anyway, that’s not the point. I gave him the same advice on his first day here, and do you know what he replied? No of course you don’t. He said thoughtfully ‘Follow the connections... I can use that Sir’. I wasn’t sure what he meant at the time but now I think I do. He was a wiz with that twitterface stuff”

“That’s good” Giles replied offhandedly.

“Whatever happened to him?”

“The Deputy Commissioner promoted him upstairs to Public Relations to look after the force’s social media pages”

“What a waste, that Deputy always was a fool, don’t know how he got to that position”

“Maybe he had the ‘right connections’.”

“Ah, using my words against me?”

“I meant it was probably a political appointment”

“Yes, well anyway, I think he could help us here on this case”

“The Deputy Commissioner, you said he was a fool” stated Giles

“Not him, that Connor kid.” Then as he stood up, Fraser said “I’ll be out for about thirty minutes”

“Do you want to tell me where you’re going, in case I need you?”

“I’m going to see the Chief Commissioner”

“Do you want me to make an appointment for you?”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary”. Giles looked doubtfully at her boss, then he continued “The Chief and I trained together at the Goulburn Police Academy. Back in the day we were know as the dynamic duo”

“Professionally or otherwise, Sir?”

“Both actually”

“Hey, doesn’t she bat for the other side” asked Giles

“She might now, but back then we were both young and naive and wanted to test....never mind, it’s none of your business”

“Of course Sir, but how did we get from the young constable to you visiting the Chief?”

“Oh, do keep up Giles. I want this Connor guy to help us with this social media thing. I just don’t feel comfortable with the stories we’re getting from that lot out at the gay resort. They’re not telling us all they know”

“One of your gut feelings?”

“Yes, and while I’m gone, run the names of all the staff and the guests who were there that night through the police records database. Let’s see what drops out when we shake that tree”

“Right on to it...and give my regards to the Chief... maybe even a hug”

“That will do Sergeant”

<>

Fraser returned exactly thirty minutes later. Without even turning around, Giles knew the Inspector’s footsteps and said “How did it go?”

“Good”

“I’m pleased” than as she turned, said “Oh,...hello Connor, good to see you again”

“Thank you Miss...”

“Giles, Grace Giles”

“Yes, I should have remembered”

“It’s ok Constable, I’m easy to forget. Some say it’s an advantage for a detective”

“What?....oh I see what you mean Sergeant, very good”

“Thank you and welcome back to Murder”

“Pleased to be back”

“Ok you two” interjected Fraser “Enough of the back slapping” then as he pointed to a desk opposite he said “Connor, get your arse over to that computer, put your boot into it or whatever it is you do, you’ve got work to do”

“Boot it up Sir” Connor suggested.

“Yes, whatever” he then turned back to Giles and asked “So?”

“I’m working, I’m working”

“I want to know what came up from the database search”

“Oh that, yes I’ve got one match. A guest came up with a conviction and a prison record. Five years, released two years ago”

“Interesting, now tell me what for?”

***

Yashuki was dropped back at Crystalline by Jones and then he went straight to Thomas’ office.

“Good to see you back” said Thomas as he rose from his desk and went to give Yashuki a hug.

“Thanks, I was only gone for half a day”

“Yeah but, half a day being grilled by the police, tell me what happened”

“Not much really, I don’t know why they made so much fuss about going to the precinct, I could have told them the same things here. Is that how the Australian police work?”

“Who knows what goes through their criminal minds”

“Criminal?”

“I’ve heard you have to think like a criminal to catch a criminal”

“I see, interesting theory”

“So what happened?”

“They seemed very interested in the relationships between Dante, Patrick and me”

“And what did you tell them?”

“Are you sure you want to hear it from me?”

“Well Patrick can’t speak for himself any longer and I can’t talk to Dante while he’s being detained, so that leaves you”

“Thomas, you have been very good to me since I started working here and while I have no guilt about what I did, I do feel embarrassed about talking to you about it”

“If you mean having sex with Dante, we’ve already discussed that. I know I wasn’t angry with you at the time, probably because I was in some sort of state of shock from all that’s happened. But I’ve thought about it since then and did get angry with you and Dante”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to work through it in my own mind first and not just let off steam and take it out on just you. It takes two to tango, as they say, and I just can’t be angry with Dante at present, it wouldn’t be fair to him and of no real use to me”

“But...”

Thomas put his hand up and said “Wait...I want to say more. I once cheated on Jared and was found out. That resulted in me loosing the love of my life at the time. It took many months, almost a year to win him back. I still remember that feeling of being completely in love and loved one minute, then completely alone in an instant. I lost all that for one drunken night of fun. I wouldn’t want to inflict that pain upon anyone else, least of all Dante. So if I can’t blame Dante, I can’t blame you. Whatever happened between you two happened, and doesn’t seem to have lessened Dante’s love for me, or mine for him. I can’t say I forgive you, but I don’t harbour any ill feelings”

Thomas paused to think, then “Shit! I can’t believe what I’m hearing out of my own mouth”

“Can I hug you?” asked Yashuki

“I think I’d like that”

When they released each other, Yashuki asked “Your misadventure, was it a stranger you picked up in a bar?”

“No it was a couple I knew. In fact I met them in this very office. They came here to arrange a party in the house. They were just caterers then but now have their own restaurant, a catering franchise and are soon to run the restaurant here, on completion of the building”

“You had a threesome?”

“Yes, my first and only”

“I’ve never tried a threesome, well not in that way”

“What other way is there?”

“Sometimes when bikers meet there can be multiple suck-off partners, but that’s it”

“Not sure I’d like that. I prefer more intimacy” he replied as he unconsciously patted Yashuki’s hand. When he realised, he quickly withdrew his hand and said “There’s one thing I don’t understand. What has all this got to do with arguments between Dante and Patrick, involving you and ending in Patrick’s death?”

“I’m not real clear on that either, but the police seemed very interested in that”

“They have to find motive to prove who’s guilty. So tell me what you think” asked Thomas

“Patrick didn’t like me because he found out about Dante and I. I’m not sure how he found out...Fuck, I must have told him inadvertently”

Yashuki sat down and thought for a few moments, then looked at Thomas and said “I met Patrick before I worked here and forgot about it, but before that I met Dante and when I met Patrick, I thought he was Dante, although I didn’t know Dante’s name and thought it was Patrick when I met the second twin, that I didn’t know were twins and he, Patrick couldn’t remember that we’d met before, because he wasn’t the one I met the first time and I should have worked it out when he said he wasn’t into men, because someone doesn’t change that quickly and when Patrick recognised me at the opening party he made it quite clear then and more times after, that I wasn’t wanted around here, so I tried to keep out of his way, but he seemed to have some sort of protective feelings for you and didn’t want you to be hurt if you found out about Dante and me, that must be what it’s all about”

When Yashuki finally stopped for breath, Thomas said “Wow, you don’t mess around getting it all out, do you?”

“So, are we all good?” asked Yashuki tentatively.

“I think we can rule a line under the past so we can concentrate on important matters at present and look forward to the future”

“A nice philosophy” concluded Yashuki.

“I’ll drink to that” replied Thomas, then added “At least I would if I had a drink”

As he opened the bottom drawer of his desk, he said “I’m sure there’s still a bottle of scotch and a couple of glasses here from the days when Andy used to pop in for a heart to heart”

“Have I met Andy, I don’t remember”

“Probably not, he’s only been here once since you started and that was just for a project meeting in Jonathan’s office. You know he really is my oldest and closest friend, but recently we’ve become involved in our own relationships and work commitments. Somehow we have drifted apart, unintentionally of course, but that’s not good. Friends shouldn’t allow that to happen”

Thomas wiped his eyes, sniffed and asked “Water, ice or...?”

“Just a little ice, thanks, I like to hear the tinkle”

*****