Get Charlie Noah

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

The following morning Ben was about to suit up for his second ocean dive when his mobile phone rang. He didn't recognise the number. He hadn't given his number to Charlie and he hadn't asked for hers even though he wanted it. He took the call anyway. 'Are you Ben Hood?'

'Who's asking?'

'Detective Inspector Ian Croft. I'm from Cairns police but up in Port Douglas in relation to a serious assault.'

'How can I help you?' asked Ben.

'Do you know Rick Turner?'

'Yes, quite well. I hired some diving equipment from him two days ago.'

'I know. That's how I got your mobile number,' said Ian Croft. 'Your name and contact number were amongst his recent dive hire records. I'm afraid someone tried to kill Rick Turner last night and he is in a critical condition at Cairns hospital.'

'What!'

'Are you able to meet me at the Port Douglas police station?'

'Yes, I'll come in straight away,' said Ben. 'How serious is his condition?'

'It will be touch and go if he makes it,' said Detective Croft. 'He's in an induced coma.'

'Shit. Okay I'll be at the police station in a few minutes.'

Ben shook hands with the Detective Inspector. He was in his late 30's and around 5 feet 11 inches tall with huge shoulders and muscular arms. He obviously worked out and put some effort into it. He had short brown hair and was clean shaven. Ben noted that his skin was quite fair to the point where it was obvious he had no liking for exposure to direct sunlight. Ben was invited to sit at a small table in an interview room. Ian Croft sat opposite him and a female detective joined them. Croft introduced her as Detective Senior Constable Meghan Gordon. Detective Gordon seemed to immediately exude a stand-off, perhaps even a superior attitude which grated on Ben's nerves but he smiled at her and shook her hand. She was a pretty girl in her late 20's with long blond hair tied up in a large bun at the back of her head and held in place with a huge bone coloured clip. She was about 5 feet 8 inches tall; busty...just the way Ben liked women to be, but surly. Perhaps she had fought with her boyfriend or husband or girlfriend the night before. Ben found it hard to tell the difference between the straights, gays and trans-gender types these days. His recent experience in Doctor Pugh's office had shaken him to the core. She wore a large Glock automatic in a pancake holster on the belt threaded around her blue jeans. She had large hips and Ben started to try and imagine her naked because she had one of those hour glass bodies that always looked great naked. For some reason in his mind, even imagining her naked, she was still wearing the Glock automatic. How odd.

'What are you staring at Mr. Hood,' she said.

'Nothing,' said Ben, looking away quickly. 'Not nothing! I didn't mean it that way. I was admiring your gun.'

'I know all about you,' she said as she dropped into a chair beside him. 'You weren't looking at my damn gun. You've seen them before.'

'Many times,' said Ben. 'Guns that is.'

Ben looked helplessly at Detective Croft. 'Yes well,' said Croft. 'We know you are an ex-detective of police and have quite a reputation as a VIP protection agent so that narrows down the questioning.'

'I'm not here working,' said Ben. 'I'm having a holiday and I just happen to know Rick reasonably well and hired some diving gear from him. What the hell happened?'

'He got stabbed in the chest,' said Meghan Gordon.'

'At his shop? Did some bastard try and rob him?' asked Ben.