CHAPTER 2: BIRD OF PREY
The plane touched down at Cairns International Airport and the hot air hit him with a blow as he stepped out. Still it was all in the name of science he thought. The bus to Port Douglas was comfortable and cool and the scenery was magnificent. Two hours later he found himself outside the Outrigger in the Village. These bird people certainly lived a good life, he told himself. He had a booking for two nights but whether he would need two nights was unknown. He liked to stay focussed and move on to each aspect of case as soon as he could. After a shower and some coffee, he asked for Mrs. Broane and was directed to the garden where he found people relaxing in the shade and taking in the view with a suitable drink. An attendant pointed her out and he introduced himself. She was not what he expected. Actually he was not sure what he expected but a vision of a spinster with white hair and surrounded by bird books did come to mind. She was actually younger, mid forties he guessed and well proportioned. Her casual outfit showed off her body to advantage without being ostentatious. No bird books either.
“What can I do for you, Inspector? Sit down and get yourself a drink.”
He did. He also decided a beer would be in the course of duty, at least in this climate.
“You’re on holidays I take it. The bird society told me you are the only species from that society left in this country so I flew up, pardon the pun, for some information. Sorry to be a bit over the top but I really should be on holiday too but work dictates.”
She smiled.
“A sense of humor is a good asset. If it’s information on birds, you could have tried the library.”
“Now we are equal. No, it’s about the conference last week and perhaps one of its participants.”
She raised her eyebrows but said nothing. “The conference. What was it on?”
“Well, it was to do with killing inspector. Birds of prey. Eagles, falcons, hawk sand so on. Maybe that is why you are interested. Killing?”
“Maybe. Anything unusual happen.?”
She signalled a waiter for another drink then looked at him.
“Not really. Boring to tell you the truth. Simmons dominated it as usual. Something over bearing in that man. Usual stuff. Gerald was the only ray of hope and then that all fell
through. Glad it ended. Much better looking at the suntanned men around the pool.”
“Tell me about Gerald Full bright.” She stiffened and looked hard at him. “You know Gerald?”
“We have met. Sadly I never got to speak to him. That is why I am here. Gerald died a few days ago.”
She stood up then sat down again, and looked shaken.
“What? How? I mean he was only here last week. He wasn’t ill or anything.”
She finished Her drink in one gulp. He was going to say something, but she started talking again, so being the good policeman he was, he just let it continue. He could learn something.
“You should know that Gerald and I were close friends. No, more than that. We were good for each other. We would watch for spotted something or other for hours then come back and have a good red and make love. We should have stayed together but this conference…”
She lapsed into a silence as her mind thought about other times.
“What happened this conference?”
She blew her nose for a long time but he knew it was to cover her shock.
“Second day here we had words. Simmons was the cause. He has been chasing me and came on to me in the hallway. Don’t you know it but Gerald appeared and got the wrong impression. Normally he would take what I said as the truth and that would have been that, but I handled it badly and he had something else on his mind when he arrived. Didn’t say what, but it was to do with Simmons. Not me, or it could have been. I felt it was more to do with those bloody show birds Simmons used to breed.”
She started crying and he offered his handkerchief.
“Sorry Inspector. We never did resolve it. We argued and ended the conference without even saying goodbye. I was hoping he would get over it. So you see my holiday got off to a bad start, but I was determined to have a goodtime and mend bridges later.”
She started crying again and stood up.
“Please excuse me. Meet me in the bistro at six. I should be a little more in control.”
Then she was gone. Peter Bradshaw had seen grieving ladies many times before, and of ten it was a front, but not this time. He felt she was shocked. Anyway, she was here and Gerald got topped thousands of kilometers away. And by a bird. She was waiting when he arrived. They took a table and selected the meal sand he got the drinks. At first she ate then halfway through the meal she asked him.
“How did he die?”
“To be honest, we are not sure. Best finish eating then we can talk.”
She shook her head.
“Tell me.”
He told her with no punches pulled. She was taken back but finished her meal and her drink.
“Why would a bird do that? If it was a bird. The fact that you are here probably means it was not a natural misadventure.”
He looked at her.
“We’re not sure but we have the feeling it was deliberate. How? That is the question. Since you know about birds and such, would it be possible for someone to control this? I mean organize birds with big claw sand beaks to attack a specific person?”
He could see her thinking about it. Then she nodded slowly.
“In the Middle Ages, Inspector, hawks were used to maim opponents and kill if possible. Wounds would kill a victim anyway as there was little medical help available then. Today it is unheard of. But there was something Gerald said to me recently. He felt someone was illegally keeping prey birds and training them. He didn’t say who or where but it concerned him. We bird lovers have a standing in the community and that sort of thing gets the wrong publicity.”
“Simmons?”
“I don’t know. Gerald had a thing about the beauty and loving nature of birds. That dark side was against his ideals.”
“Where does Simmons live? I have to start somewhere.”
She told him the information then shook her head.
“Even if you found a cage of savage eagles, inspector, how could you ever know it was them or even prove it in court? I want you to succeed. Anything to help Gerald I will do. There’s a fellow named Blake somewhere in Coffs Harbor who used to train peregrine falcons. Rumor has it he used them to wipe out racing pigeons for sport and some farmers complained they had taken a lamb or two.”
“Nice hobby. No one else? What about Simmons?”
“Simmons is a lorikeet man. Still any bird of the human species was of interest to him. Story was he was sunbaking nude one day and this seagull landed on his old fellow. He thought all his Christmases had come at once. Probably did.”
She laughed. It was the first time she had smiled since finding out about Gerald.
“I need a swim. The heat does get a little much, even at night.”
Peter thought she was strong, despite the pain. He stood up.
“Good idea. I think there is little more I can ask but if you ever think of anything, please call me.”
He passed a business card over to her and he watched it slip in to her hand bag. She didn’t glance at it. This could mean she was wanting to keep the realization of Gerald at arms length, for now, or she was one cool lady.
It was a warm evening and after taking in the view of the Coral Sea from the dining room balcony, he went up and changed into his swim togs and went looking for the pool. He may as well have at least one swim whilst he was in the tropics, and he was curious to see how she looked in bathing attire. She was there, swimming slowly up and down. He sat by the side.
“Don’t look at it, just slip in to the water and really enjoy it.”
Her words seem to echo a little on the building wall. He smiled and did just that. It was not cold,
just mildly warm and he realized the sun up here would do that. He swam for a bit then decided to do the lap, but had to give up near the end. He was just out of practice. When he glanced back, she was sitting on the deck chair in a robe. He swam slowly back and got out to retrieve his towel.
“Nice in,”
he said.
“It is. Inspector, I did think of something so this could save me ringing you.”
‘Pity’
he thought but kept the word to himself.
“Yes?”
“It was a function about six months back. Gerald was there and Simmons was quite his usual self. He made a pass at me and when I didn’t respond, he became more aggressive. Gerald was standing with me and just tipped his drink over the man’s shirt and pants. I was proud of him that night.”
“And what was Simmon’s reaction? As expected?”
“Not pleased Jan! He was angry and would have become physical but Gerald grabbed my arm and we walked away. Yelled something about we wouldn’t live past one day if we went to New Zealand.”
“Meaning?”
She shrugged her shoulders, which still glistened from the water. In this temperature one didn’t need to towel down to keep warm.
“I think he comes from there originally. I heard that he had a mother or aunt still there. Some property scandal was another rumor. One shouldn’t believe in rumors, should they? Only the facts.”
“Very true Mrs. Broane. Still a policeman should have an open mind. Most stories are based on some fact or other.”
She got up and extended her hand.
“Well goodnight Inspector and have good flight back. More importantly, succeed in your task.”
He took it and felt a finality in their meeting.
“Is there a first name? Mine is Peter.”
“There is. Kaye.”
Then she walked off and around a corner and was gone. Peter smiled to himself and decided that just meeting her had been worth it. Tomorrow he would make some phone calls and head for Coffs Harbor. Time to get active before the bird flew the coop.