CHAPTER 5: BIRD OF PREY
As evening fell, Bradshaw and two detectives, plus two Federal Police, were waiting when Immigration indicated that Simmons had just passed through. He saw them at the same time they saw him and he faltered before continuing to walk on. They stepped in front and produced ID.
“John Tobias Simmons?”
“No. I mean yes.”
Peter smiled at him.
“Or is it Raymond Robinson? We have a warrant for your arrest for accessory to the murder of Gerald Full bright.”
The newly arrived passenger looked alarmed and dropped his shoulder bag a she fished out his passport from his coat pocket.
“My name is Simmons. See here. My passport and this is definitely me in the photo. I don’t know a Robinson or a, who was it, Full brighten That’s not my name on the warrant.”
He was becoming quite pale.
“I am sure the passport and the photo are quite genuine,” countered the inspector.
“Just that it is not yours.”
“The photo. That’s me”
The passport was pushed in front of them.
“Striking resemblance I admit, but not you. We have proof of your identity. We both know that Mr. Simmons gave you his passport willingly. When New South Wales has finished with you, if ever, then I’m sure the Federal Police will be waiting to discuss that issue. I will join you soon at Central CID. Sergeant.”
As Robinson was led away, Peter Bradshaw and one of his off siders were already heading for their own car and a hotel in the city. Simmons was just leaving the elevator to get his taxi when the two of the marrived and stopped in front of him.
“John Simmons?”
“Yes. I mean no. My name is Robinson. I’m from New Zealand.”
“No sir. You may have Mr. Robinson’s passport with a photograph that looks like you, but you are not he. In fact the owner of that passport is down at CID headquarters right now. Funny, he tried to tell us he was you, but we both know that is not correct. Don’t we?”
“Why are you harassing me? I have a plane to catch.”
Peter Bradshaw smiled. He had a good set of teeth for his age and smiling showed them off to advantage. Not that he even knew that.
“Not today. I have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Gerald Full bright. Sergeant, caution him. Then we shall join Mr. Robinson and I can think about my holiday.”
At Central CID, Inspector Bradshaw was relaxing with a black coffee. There were still a couple of guesses but he felt he had the story more or less as it happened and suspects sometimes helped you out without knowing it.
“Who is first?” It was the duty sergeant.
“I think Robinson. His solicitor has arrived and they have been chatting. Simmons is still waiting for his but with his connections I imagine it will be someone we have crossed swords with before. Ah. I see William Pringle has just glided past the outer office. Smart but is he smart enough. OK. Let’s wind up Mr. Robinson.”
Robinson was obviously nervous but said nothing. His solicitor started to object to the charge saying his client was touring in the United States and did not know the deceased. The passport problem was obviously a mix up and he didn’t know he had the wrong one until he was there. He felt he should just use it until he arrived back to avoid immigration problems.
“Let’s be adults here Mr. Smythe,” countered the inspector.
“Your client was using Simmons’s passport to establish an alibi for that person, well in the knowledge that some serious crime was to be committed.”
“That is rubbish and speculation.”
“Save the protestations for the court room. And the court room it will be.”
Robinson sat still and said nothing. Smythe’s voice had raised a slight octave.
“My client is John Simmons, he has a valid Australian passport and he has just returned from overseas. As to what crime someone else may or may not have committed is of no bearing to him.”
The inspector knew that several people were listening to the interview from the next room as it had stirred up some interest due to its unusual nature. He wasn’t worried.
“Firstly let me dispel the myth of who your client is. Whilst your client was in the United States, he became intoxicated and was involved in an altercation in a bar. This escalated and he decked a police man who came to sort it out. He was arrested, charged and in the course of that, was finger printed.” Robinson was now looking down at the table.
“As he was an alien, as the Americans term it, his details went to US Immigration to decide on whether his visa should still stand and then a courtesy call to the Australian police. Because we had instigated an investigation into both Robinson and Simmons…”
“Why?” The solicitor had interjected, but Bradshaw continued on.
“It came to a State level and we requested his fingerprints be sent to us. What we received matched those held by the New Zealand police, as I suspected they would. You
see, your client had been in trouble over a fraud case a while back. Finger prints we will take today will further confirm that information”
“Where does New Zealand come into it. Why would you go there?”
“In the investigation into the serious crime, our investigation led us to a property owned by Bellows Investments. A property used to house wildlife. Even had a Fauna license from the State. A business search told us that the principal shareholder and current director is one Raymond Robinson who is a citizen and resident of New Zealand. Now we know who this gentleman is and that he is connected to our other more serious matter”
“I’m gone.” It was the first words Robinson had spoken.
“Quite,” cautioned the solicitor. They have nothing.”
“If I go down, it won’t be for murder.” Now the solicitor faltered before advising him to say nothing more. Obviously he saw this as going further than he had been briefed. Bradshaw continued.
“There are three shareholders actually. One is John Simmons who is the subject of another but related inquiry. You had his passport, Raymond. The third is Elspice Robinson, who we know to be your mother and she is in a nursing home in Otago, by the way. You also know, Ray, but not Mr. Smythe here, that Elspice is also the mother of John Simmons. You had different fathers but the same mother. That makes him your half brother I guess. Remarkable facial likeness we were informed. Very easy to see why the passport photograph could be accepted either way. I have all the paper work by the way if you need to peruse it.” Smythe just shook his head. Robinson looked at him with a kind of innocent face.
“Has John been charged? I told him he was an idiot. Over some woman. I didn’t know he would kill someone. Just frighten them or something.” The inspector’s eyes lit up.
“Why did you say kill? I don’t believe it or the related charge has been mentioned yet.”
“Mr. Robinson. Please do not say any more. You are done for passport fraud but nothing else. Can I ask, Inspector, the nature of the other offence?” Smythe was looking a bit more concerned now. The reference to the killing had rattled him.
“You can. We have Mr. Robinson’s half brother in custody and sufficient evidence to charge him with murder. Your client obviously had known that that would be the proposed end, so he is facing serious charges. We intend to prove that Raymond did know a very serious crime was to be committed and he abetted this crime by taking Simmons’s passport and going to the USA for the criminal purpose of providing a false alibi. It’s nice to know that when you do get out of goal years in the future, the Federal police will be waiting for you. Raymond Robinson, you are being charged…..” The words were spoken and a quiet Raymond Robinson was led away, despite the feeble pleas of his attorney. Already Peter Bradshaw was already thinking about the main culprit. William Pringle may have appeared calm and too quiet, but Peter Bradshaw knew better. He had locked horns before. And Peter had won. But there was no guarantee that he would win again. This was a very unusual case and some of the evidence was controversial to say the least. As the charges were laid out, Simmons protested and laughed. He maintained he was in the United States but the gleam in the inspector’s eye warned him that was not going to last long. Pringle just sat there until a break in the formal part came then he started.
“You know Inspector, this is all a load of cods wallop. This alleged crime has nothing what so ever to do with my client. We have two minutes which is all about the time you would need to lay out any so called evidence.”
“Why are you here, Mr. Pringle? A highly respected lawyer, if there is no case to answer, would hardly waste his time. Of course the retainer would be worth your two minutes.” Pringle just stared at him.
“Can we get on with it, or is it all fairy tales?” After one hour and a bit more, they still were sitting at the table. Simmons was now a little worried but Pringle just sat with a non descript look on his face.
“We will strongly deny the charges of course. I look forward to our battle, and victory, in court.” Bradshaw could see he had him thinking. Gone was that force fullness of a previous encounter or even an hour ago.
“I also look forward to the battle, Mr. Pringle, but there will be no victory, I assure you.”
Simmons started to protest but only received a warning to say no more. Then he was taken away, and it was now over until the remand hearing.