Chapters (61)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Acknowledgements
- About the author
‘Have a good life, Detective Cardilini,’ Williamson said in parting. When almost at the door he turned, ‘I hope your boy does well at the academy.’ He walked into the house with Cardilini watching him until the door closed.
Without Williamson as his prime suspect, who? And what threads needed to be in place for Williamson to read the report of the shooting? Cardilini shook his head as he returned to his car.
Thirty-Two
THIRTY-TWO
Day 12
Kilkenny Road
8.15 a.m. Thursday, 5th November 1965
Cardilini and Paul cleaned up after breakfast.
‘So what’s your plan today, Paul?’ Cardilini asked.
‘Going to the library again. I might finish my leaving certificate through a technical college.’
‘Don’t jeopardise the academy,’ Cardilini said absently.
‘You’re telling me not to jeopardise the academy?’
‘No just . . .’ he caught a glimpse of Paul’s eyes ‘. . . I have a few calls to make then I’m heading out.’
‘I’d be going in the evenings.’
‘That’s good. That’s very good son.’
‘Yeah, very good. You’re not doing anything to muck it up are you?’
‘No. No.’ Cardilini said, all but tiptoeing from the kitchen. He stood with his hand poised over the phone, I’m doing the right thing, he told himself, I’m doing what’s needed for Paul and me.
His first call to Great Southern Rail confirmed the dates of Williamson’s train arrival in Perth. From the Sydney train the passengers changed to the Perth train in Adelaide. The clerk thought a train manifest might be available at Sydney or Adelaide but not in Perth. He couldn’t say if the passengers were checked at Adelaide.
The Adelaide Trans Australian Airways office provided a list of flights accessible to the Sydney train’s arrival into Adelaide. Williamson could disembark the train in Adelaide, take a taxi to the airport, catch a flight and be in Perth two days before the train’s arrival. A copy of their flight manifests would be sent to the East Perth station.
*
Cardilini dumped the bulk of his chest on the counter of the typists’ pool. On seeing him, Mrs Andreoli, an attractive blonde woman in her fifties, continued her typing.
‘Hi, darling, I’m expecting a radio facsimile,’ Cardilini said.
‘I’m expecting a new car, darling, but I don’t think I’ll get it.’
‘Very funny. Can you check?’
‘Don’t need to. I can hear the bloody thing when something comes through. I’ll put it in your pigeonhole.’
‘It’s important.’
‘You should see the bucket of bolts I’m driving.’
‘Don’t forget.’
‘I’ve already forgotten.’ And she waved him away.
Cardilini stood staring at Mrs Andreoli. They had once been very friendly. He walked away wondering how much of a pain in the arse he must have been the past year.
*
Cardilini rang Constable Saunders in Williams. ‘Hi Saunders, it’s Cardilini.’