Read Online The Simple Death by Michael Duffy - Free Book Online

Troy had the impression the intellectual puzzle posed by the discovery of the pethidine was at least as important to her as its emotional implications. Maybe that was a way of keeping on top of the emotion.
    When the search was finished, he got a lift back to the station with Peters. The car smelled of an aftershave Troy recognised, more expensive than he would have expected.
    â€˜What do you think about the wife?’ said the inspector. Troy told him. You had to be sceptical in the job, but you had to make accurate judgements of people too. He was sure Emily knew nothing.
    â€˜Bloody judges,’ was all the inspector said. Then he called Parramatta to see how the search for Austin was going. Almost nothing had been done yet: a fight among a large group of homeless people in a local park had diverted the local resources.
    â€˜Not good,’ he murmured when he hung up.
    â€˜Austin wasn’t in the fight?’
    â€˜No. That’s one thing they do know.’
    A few minutes later Police Media called to say one of the networks had video footage of Austin getting into the speedboat and fleeing Manly Wharf. It had been shot by a tourist who’d just got off the ferry.
    Peters said to Troy, ‘They want a comment.’
    â€˜Bloody hell.’
    â€˜Apparently it’s a nice clean image of his face. They’re preparing some words.’
    â€˜Are there any police visible in the film?’
    â€˜You mean like you?’
    â€˜For example.’
    Peters kept his eyes on the road. ‘No, there aren’t. How’s Susan Conti settling in?’
    â€˜Okay.’
    â€˜She’s a looker.’
    â€˜Did you know Bill Conti?’
    Peters glanced at him. ‘Everyone knew Bill. He was a very likeable man, got about. She’s not like him, tries too hard.’ Pause. ‘That bloke Johnson she was with, he’s serious too. They should have tied the knot. Made for each other.’
    â€˜Don’t opposites attract?’
    â€˜Poison, in my experience.’ He was silent for half a minute. ‘What’s wrong with Mac?’ Troy said he didn’t know. ‘Not firing on all cylinders. Should be happy, got himself a nice young woman.’
    â€˜Maybe they’re opposites.’
    Peters looked like he was about to smile, but decided it wasn’t worth the effort.
    Back at the station the detectives met briefly. Manly uniforms had recanvassed shops on the wharf and learned nothing. Conti and Rostov were back from St Thomas’ Hospital. Pearson’s office had been searched, yielded zilch. Ditto for interviews with his staff. His boss was the acting CEO, David Saunders, who was in Melbourne, due back tomorrow. Rostov gave McIver Saunders’ mobile number.
    â€˜We’ll assume for the moment Pearson did come off the Narrabeen ,’ McIver said, glancing at Peters, who was checking his phone. ‘So is it accident, suicide or murder? We have no reason to think he topped himself.’
    Rostov liked the idea of an accident. ‘He could have fallen off under the influence of pethidine. That wall around the top decks is pretty low.’
    â€˜I rang a doctor mate,’ McIver said, ‘reckons that’s possible but not likely. The effects are like heroin, so you’d think someone could lose control and topple off. But like he says, the world is full of smack users, and when did you hear one of them falling off the Manly Ferry?’ He scratched his jaw. ‘Austin’s a worry.’ Stating the obvious, but if you didn’t do that from time to time, you could lose sight of it.
    â€˜A fucking druggie,’ said Rostov.
    Peters had taken one of the pens from his shirt pocket and was biting the end. He looked at Rostov, then Troy. ‘What do you reckon?’
    â€˜I think Austin was telling the truth.’
    Peters frowned. ‘Maybe he killed Pearson himself, thought this would throw us off the scent. He sees the newspaper