of you. If you can get me an egg and salad
roll, I'd be extremely happy, if that's not possible, you choose.
And two cans of cold Guinness. Much appreciated." He went back to
his chair, waited for the sandwich and Guinness. The constable
brought two paper bags, one with the Guinness and handing him the
other, she uttered, "Sorry, no egg and salad roll. I got you a
rissole role instead. With a lot of tomato sauce. If you're hungry,
it may do."
Kroupa gave her fifteen dollars and said, "Keep the change." Then,
with a grimace he opened the sandwich bag. He was glad that at
least the Guinness was cold. When the food disappeared in his
stomach and the first can was empty, he turned his attention to his
iPhone and began playing chess. It kept him busy until the DPP
arrived. "Thank God for useful apps." Kroupa greeted the DPP with a
loud exclamation. "If it isn’t Les Lee! What you have been doing
all this time?"
"Kroupa?! Wh at a surprise. At least I can rest assured we’re dealing
with facts. What can I do for you?"
"I don't know yet, to be frank . I just shot a man dead, saved a
young woman's life, and before he died, the deceased told me
something rather unexpected. I want to pursue it further. I need to
have access to all information about Edward 'Ted' Baldwin and his
family. I mean everything. Family documents, the whole history of
everybody, including the children, their school reports. As I said,
everything. The coroner's report on Mrs Baldwin's death, birth
certificates of his children… the usual. And I need a warrant to
search Baldwin's house."
"What about the dead man? Didn't you go a little
overboard?"
"What are you saying? There are dozens of witnesses ready to
testify that Baldwin was going to kill this young lady and I aimed
at his legs. It was his fault that he fell to the ground so fast.
If he would have stayed upright, he’d still be alive." Kroupa
retorted sounding profoundly hurt. "There is one small thing
though. I don't know if it’s in the scope of your authority. I
would like to see Miss Angelina Baldwin in
protective custody."
"Did you say
Baldwin? I thought that the deceased was Baldwin."
" As
always, you are remarkably observant. Yes, they both carried the
same surname. Quite a coincidence, wouldn’t you say? But it’s a
common surname. Can you arrange protective custody for
her?"
"I ’ll see what I can do. That really is a matter for the
local constabulary. I promise nothing." Lee pensively answered.
"I'll talk to the people in Sydney. After all, the Baldwins resided
in Sydney."
"Am I free to
travel? Within Australia?"
"You'll have
to talk to the local police. With your credentials and witnesses on
hand, you shouldn't have too many problems."
Agains t all regulations, Kroupa was set free. Angelina was taken into protective custody, as Kroupa wished. He
summoned Sara and Hendrych. He talked to both of them, looking at
each other in equal intervals. "We must go to Sydney. And we’ll
need a car. No more charter planes and taxis! And Sara is not
welcome in them, anyway. The best shot will be," here he was
looking at Hendrych, "if you take the train to Sydney alone, pick
up your Spider and come back here to pick us up. Then we can all go
to Sydney. Sara likes travelling in style."
That settled and inspite of the heat, Hendrych put on his
cashmere turtle-neck pullover and his leather jacket, pocketed his
phone, his valet, checked that his driver's license was in it and
called for a taxi to the railway station. Kroupa sat in the
armchair in his hotel-room and with Sara at his feet he turned on
his iPad. He knew that he had a good five hours until Hendych
returned. He wanted to use this time to think. He opened MindMaple,
his favourite brainstorming application. Lots of thing were
bothering him. He felt that there was some connection between
Gertrude's and Baldwin's deaths, the fact that Angelina was Baldwin's target and his last words - who was 'she'?
The attacks on Hendrych and himself -
roll, I'd be extremely happy, if that's not possible, you choose.
And two cans of cold Guinness. Much appreciated." He went back to
his chair, waited for the sandwich and Guinness. The constable
brought two paper bags, one with the Guinness and handing him the
other, she uttered, "Sorry, no egg and salad roll. I got you a
rissole role instead. With a lot of tomato sauce. If you're hungry,
it may do."
Kroupa gave her fifteen dollars and said, "Keep the change." Then,
with a grimace he opened the sandwich bag. He was glad that at
least the Guinness was cold. When the food disappeared in his
stomach and the first can was empty, he turned his attention to his
iPhone and began playing chess. It kept him busy until the DPP
arrived. "Thank God for useful apps." Kroupa greeted the DPP with a
loud exclamation. "If it isn’t Les Lee! What you have been doing
all this time?"
"Kroupa?! Wh at a surprise. At least I can rest assured we’re dealing
with facts. What can I do for you?"
"I don't know yet, to be frank . I just shot a man dead, saved a
young woman's life, and before he died, the deceased told me
something rather unexpected. I want to pursue it further. I need to
have access to all information about Edward 'Ted' Baldwin and his
family. I mean everything. Family documents, the whole history of
everybody, including the children, their school reports. As I said,
everything. The coroner's report on Mrs Baldwin's death, birth
certificates of his children… the usual. And I need a warrant to
search Baldwin's house."
"What about the dead man? Didn't you go a little
overboard?"
"What are you saying? There are dozens of witnesses ready to
testify that Baldwin was going to kill this young lady and I aimed
at his legs. It was his fault that he fell to the ground so fast.
If he would have stayed upright, he’d still be alive." Kroupa
retorted sounding profoundly hurt. "There is one small thing
though. I don't know if it’s in the scope of your authority. I
would like to see Miss Angelina Baldwin in
protective custody."
"Did you say
Baldwin? I thought that the deceased was Baldwin."
" As
always, you are remarkably observant. Yes, they both carried the
same surname. Quite a coincidence, wouldn’t you say? But it’s a
common surname. Can you arrange protective custody for
her?"
"I ’ll see what I can do. That really is a matter for the
local constabulary. I promise nothing." Lee pensively answered.
"I'll talk to the people in Sydney. After all, the Baldwins resided
in Sydney."
"Am I free to
travel? Within Australia?"
"You'll have
to talk to the local police. With your credentials and witnesses on
hand, you shouldn't have too many problems."
Agains t all regulations, Kroupa was set free. Angelina was taken into protective custody, as Kroupa wished. He
summoned Sara and Hendrych. He talked to both of them, looking at
each other in equal intervals. "We must go to Sydney. And we’ll
need a car. No more charter planes and taxis! And Sara is not
welcome in them, anyway. The best shot will be," here he was
looking at Hendrych, "if you take the train to Sydney alone, pick
up your Spider and come back here to pick us up. Then we can all go
to Sydney. Sara likes travelling in style."
That settled and inspite of the heat, Hendrych put on his
cashmere turtle-neck pullover and his leather jacket, pocketed his
phone, his valet, checked that his driver's license was in it and
called for a taxi to the railway station. Kroupa sat in the
armchair in his hotel-room and with Sara at his feet he turned on
his iPad. He knew that he had a good five hours until Hendych
returned. He wanted to use this time to think. He opened MindMaple,
his favourite brainstorming application. Lots of thing were
bothering him. He felt that there was some connection between
Gertrude's and Baldwin's deaths, the fact that Angelina was Baldwin's target and his last words - who was 'she'?
The attacks on Hendrych and himself -
Similar Books
