Go Out With A Bang! by Gary Weston

more.
    'Yes,'
said Andersen. 'Do you have any?'
    Toddy
slapped the fencing. 'Yep.'
    Andersen
rolled his eyes up to the heavens. 'And you think that's adequate,
Mr Toddy?'
    Toddy
shrugged. 'Not my problem. I couldn't give a shit about the
building. At the end of each day, we get all the gear in the truck,
lock up the fencing and go home. That's all I'm responsible
for.'
    Morris
said,'Mr Toddy. Didn't you see the news reports about the Petrolex
building?'
    'Yeah.
Hell of a mess.'
    Crowe
said,'We wouldn't want the same thing happening here now, would
we?'
    Toddy
shrugged. 'I couldn't care less if it was blown up. Look at it.
That's a cathedral? Gotta be the ugliest bloody building I ever had
to look at. God must have pissed himself laughing when some pot
head dreamed this crap up.'
    Morris
said, 'So, if not you, Mr Toddy, who would be a good one to talk
to?'
    Toddy
scratched his bald head and ground out his smoke with his boot.
'Try head office. Nothing to do with me. And if you can get
anywhere with that tight fisted lot, you're a better man then me.
Here's the number. Good luck with that. Are we done?'
    'Might
as well be, Mr Toddy,' said Andersen. 'Thanks for...not a lot,
really.'
    'That
was depressing,' said Morris.
    'Can't
blame Toddy,' said Crowe. 'He's just a construction
foreman.'
    'I'll
take that on board,' said Andersen.
    'Going
to call their head office?' Morris asked.
    'Nope.
Nothing like the personal touch.'
    * *
*
    Flexicorp Construction had a unique shabbiness and air of
neglect that was reflected by the indifferent attitudes of the
staff working inside.
    'Mr
Jenkins is tied up at the moment,' said a middle aged woman in a
front office. Piles of overflowing folders were stacked up on every
available surface. 'Care to make an appointment?'
    Morris
and Crowe could feel the tension building up in Andersen, like
crackling static electricity.
    'I do
not care to make an appointment. Call Mr Jenkins now and tell him
Detective Inspector Andersen wants to see him and I don't mean
tomorrow.'
    The
woman went over to a door, knocked on it and entered. She was out
again a few seconds later, not too happy.
    'Mr
Jenkins says he'll be available in about half an hour.'
    'Ooops,'
said Crowe, guessing what was coming next. He was right.
    Andersen
didn't bother knocking and he was followed by Morris and Crowe into
the room. Four men in suits were around a large table.
    'What's
the meaning of this?'
    'I'm
Detective Inspector Andersen. We'd like a word.'
    'I could
think of a few words myself.'
    'We
don't have time to waste. Are you all managers of this
company?'
    'Yes.
I'm C E O,' said Jenkins. 'I take it this is important?'
    Andersen
said, 'We have identified the new cathedral as a potential target
by the gang who destroyed the Petrolex building.'
    The four
men round the table stared at Jenkins, hoping for a display of
leadership.
    Jenkins
said, 'Why would anyone blow up the cathedral?'
    'Because
its aesthetically repulsive?' Crowe offered.
    'Extortion money from the owners,' said Andersen, shooting a
chilly look at Crowe. 'What's the place worth?'
    Jenkins
shrugged. 'Thirty five million, give or take a bit.'
    'And who
actually owns it at the moment?'
    'The
consortium,' said Jenkins. 'That is made up of five denominations.
With falling congregations, they decided on a combined
operation.'
    Andersen
said, 'Anybody in charge of the consortium?'
    'If
you'd ever had any dealings with them, you wouldn't think so. A
bigger bunch of procrastinating buck passers I never met
before.'
    Andersen
bristled. He didn't like Jenkins and it showed. 'You. Give me a
name and hurry up about it.'
    Jenkins
looked at Andersen's glowering expression and the huge Crowe by his
side. 'One moment, gentlemen,' he told his colleagues. He went out
of the boardroom to the overworked woman in the office. 'Margaret.
Have you the contact details for the cathedral consortium,
please?'
    'I have
it here, somewhere. Here we go. I'll get you a copy.'
    'Thanks,' said Andersen,