There Is More Light Than Dark

Chapter Twenty

Thursday July 14

It was the next afternoon that Dean McCoy sat across from his boss and sipped at a coffee that was better than the first four he'd had that morning but not as good as the beer he'd have in a few hours.

'Yeah, I know Sarge. All the path results fit, there was nothing else in her system, the kid was where he said he was. It all does seem to be OK. But I've just got a feeling, you know? Like there's something just not right about this whole shebang.'

Senior Sergeant Frank Young didn't know much about feelings. He didn't have many and he didn't trust any. He just wanted the fucking work to be done.

'McCoy, we've talked about this bullshit before. Lots of fucking times before. Remember the feeling you had about that woman who claimed her hot shot stock broker husband was hurting their children? Well I fucking remember filling in and signing all of the public fucking apologies after the papers got a hold of it before it was even going to go anywhere.

Do you remember the feeling you had when that kid said he had been followed by a creep in a car and you went and looked at your fancy CCTV bull - SHIT and thought you had the guy? Remember when you hauled him in here and shoved him around and it turned out he was the kid's teacher who was looking out for him because he'd heard the kid talking about how his brother would beat the shit out of him on the way home sometimes?'

McCoy seethed and crushed his cup whilst Young turned away as if to wind up again. He knew there had been a pattern to his mistakes. Too keen, especially when it involved kids or had a waft of abusive parents. But of course Young hadn't mentioned the dozens of kids who had had issues averted because there was a cop in town who gave a shit. Who listened.

Who would take on any of those that thought they were above the law behind their big fucking doors and urban 4 x 4's.?

'Look McCoy you know I like you and you know that I know that you think you're doing the right thing. Yeah?' Young was standing and he sighed and put his hands on the back of the chair in front of him.

'But if you want to be a fucking PI or some hot shot lawyer who prosecutes every bad guy in Melbourne then go back to law school and finish what you started and get the hell out of my team!

'I don't need you to think or have feelings. I need you to finish the God damn report and get on to the 45 car burgs and the bloody bikes and surfboards and God knows what has been nicked from these toffs around us. Do you hear me?'

He took a breath and looked at the ground, lowering his voice back to a calmer level.

'I need you to be clear on this McCoy so I will say it as I see it. You need to get on with this case and wrap it up – I want it done by tomorrow. End of discussion.'

McCoy rose from his seat. He knew when Young was in one of these moods there was no point arguing. It normally meant that he'd had a regional meeting of station chiefs and the big wigs up the command chain didn't like the numbers they were seeing. That also usually meant someone with money and connections hadn't had a team of detectives on their doorstep the day their beloved pet spotted Eastern quoll had gone missing. He left the half full cup on his boss' desk.

'Yes sir, I understand.'

Neither of them had said another word as the door closed behind McCoy and he made straight for his own office.

If he only had a few hours to go he may as well use it for his own purpose.

The report would be easy enough.