When Opportunity Strikes 10

Matthew and Charlie were home late for dinner that night. Jean and Lucien were just about to have some desert when the two men strolled in.

'Sorry we're late,' apologised Charlie as he and Matthew sat down at the table

'Not a problem,' Jean reassured them both, 'the casserole stayed nicely warm in the oven, waiting for you!' and she proceeded to dish out generous helpings to both men.

Jean and Lucien were both bursting with curiosity but let them eat their dinner in peace. They talked about ordinary things, the cricket, the opening of a new restaurant in town, mundane subjects. Jean was a firm believer in letting people enjoy their food without being pestered by questions, but even she found it difficult tonight to refrain! Finally, both men had scraped their plates clean. Charlie took their dishes to the sink and gave them a rinse. Matthew leaned back in his chair and gave a contented sigh.

'Ahem.' Lucien cleared his throat. Matthew looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

'Well?' pleaded Jean. 'I've got apple pie and ice cream, but you don't get any until you put us out of our misery! What happened with Baker? And the shoplifters?'

Matthew smiled at her, 'Jean, for a piece of your pie, I'd reveal State secrets!'

Jean snorted, got up and took the pie out of the oven where it had been keeping warm. She cut them all generous slices while Lucien went to the 'fridge and got out the ice cream. She handed them all a serve of pie a 'la mode, and while they dug in Matthew began to talk.

'We interviewed Baker but had to let him go.' He said through a mouthful of pie.

'What? Good Lord, why?' Protested Lucien.

'No evidence. Nothing we can pin on him.' Matthew said, shaking his head.

'He is certainly suspicious and has no alibi for the time Ben was murdered. But it was all too flimsy to hold him, nothing to connect him with Ben's murder,' said Charlie grimly. Even Jean's pie wasn't cheering him up.

'But, did you find medals in his shop? You did, didn't you?' asked Lucien.

'Yes, and he has receipts of purchase for each.' Charlie scoffed. 'All neatly written out and correct in form… for a Mr. J. Smith of Ballarat, no street address, and a Mrs. J. Dough of Castlemaine, no street address… and so on. Bogus names and no full addresses, all cash sales.'

'Surely that is suspicious!' said Jean indignantly.

'Suspicious, yes.' replied Matthew, 'but not illegal. He's abided by the letter of the law, took a name and location. That is all he is required to do for tax purposes. Receipts are only for return of goods, not to trace the seller. We cannot prove one or the other if they are legit sales or faked.'

'Well that's just plain ridiculous!' Jean was incensed.

Matthew threw his hands up in defeat. 'That's the law as it stands now. Trust me, it is something the police and lawyers have been trying to change for years.'

'We've kept the medals, though,' put in Charlie. 'We are going to contact the RSL to see if we can identify them. If it turns out he got them through legitimate sales, we'll return them. If not, well, at the very least we can do him for misrepresentation and possibly receiving stolen goods. Just have to track down the original recipients though.'

'Try Canberra, the War Memorial there,' advised Lucien. 'If you look at the back of the Medals there should be a serial number stamped there. The office in Canberra will be able to give you the name of the solider each medal was awarded to.'

'Thanks Doc!' said Charlie gratefully. 'That'll be a big help.'

'But what about Trash?' exclaimed Jean.

'Who?' asked Matthew confusedly.

Jean blushed a bit. 'Mavis always called those two women 'Trash and Treasure'. Lucien said you had charged Treasure, or rather Carol Jones, but that Trash had got away from Bill.'

'Oh, you mean Louise Baker… haven't found her yet and Bill is ropable.' Responded Charlie with a grin.

Jean just shook her head. 'Louise Baker? Is she related to Baker the second-hand dealer?'

'Sister.' Said Charlie shortly.

'Well surely THAT is suspicious as well!' huffed Jean.

'Can't arrest someone for who their relatives are.' Said Charlie.

'Although it would be a big help sometimes…' muttered Matthew under his breath.

'So, we got nowhere today?' said Lucien in a quiet voice.

'No, not really. Maybe something will come out once we find Louise Baker. Or when we find out more about the medals. But I just don't know. I still think Baker is our best shot, but we're back to square one.' Matthew looked defeated.

They discussed the case together as Charlie and Lucien washed and dried the dishes but could not come to any conclusions. They tossed it around and around and upside down until eventually Matthew pushed himself away from the table. 'Thanks Jean, that was lovely, but if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and going to have an early night.' Staring at each other across the table, Lucien, Jean and Charlie listened to Matthews' cane thump up the hallway. Charlie shook his head, gave in and said, 'I think I'll turn in too, I've got a book that wants finishing…'

….

Much later that evening, as Jean rested naked in Lucien's embrace, she murmured, 'Lucien?'

'Hmmmm?' responded a Lucien sleepy after loving his wife.

'That woman in the shop today…'

'What woman was that dearest?' Lucien was half-asleep.

'She came in wanting her donated goods back. Which is very unusual.'

'Mmmmm? So?' he mumbled.

'I think we should try and find out why.' Determined Jean.

Lucien's eyes opened wider. 'How? And Why?'

'I have the addresses I gave Bill of the recent donations. I am sure she was one of those people, it makes sense. You wouldn't try and get back something you donated weeks ago. Maybe the bag she left had the medals in it and she didn't realise? Shouldn't we try to find out?' pressed Jean.

Lucien clasped his arms around Jean tighter. 'Jeanie, we think someone died over those medals. I don't want you poking around in something dangerous.'

'So, you'll come with me then?' Jean was insistent.

Lucien sighed. 'Maybe we should leave to the police?'

Jean turned in his arms, so she could see his face in the moonlight. 'Lucien, the woman ran away when she heard Bill arrest Trash and Treasure. I don't think the police will be helpful at all in this. I think we'd have a much better chance if we just visited her ourselves. Friendly, but concerned.'

'Maybe,' he mused.

'So, you'll come with me in the morning, before I go to the shop?' Jean pressed. 'We can do the Chapman's first, follow up on Charlies' inquiry.'

Lucien looked at his wife, realising that she was going to pursue this no matter what he said. So, he'd best ride along with her and make sure she stayed safe. 'If you're sure, Jean. Yes, I'll come with you.'

Jean gave him a loving kiss and murmured a 'Thank you' into his lips.

Lucien grinned under her smile. 'Just how grateful are you, my love?' Running his hands along her naked back and resting them on her shapely bottom.

'Lucien!' said Jean in surprise…. 'But…?'

'My powers of recuperation are greatly improving with practice,' he declared and kissed her.

…

Early the next day found Jean and Lucien standing on the front porch of the worn weather board house in west Ballarat. Jean reached forward and rapped on the door. Lucien stood behind her with his hands in his pockets rocking on the balls of feet. Glancing left he noticed the curtains twitch in the window.

'Someone's watching,' he noted quietly to Jean.

'Well, she's not answering the door!' replied Jean. She knocked on the door again and called out, 'Mrs. Chapman? It's only Jean. Jean Blake from the Op shop!' The curtains twitched again.

Jean and Lucien waited a while longer. Jean sighed. 'I don't think she is going to answer…' and at that moment the front door cracked open slightly. A pale grey watery eye peered out at them.

'Mrs. Chapman?' asked Jean. 'I'm Jean Blake, this is my husband Doctor Blake. You wanted to talk to me yesterday in the shop, but I didn't get the chance, I'm so sorry.'

Mrs. Chapman opened the door wider to reveal a tired looking middle-aged woman. If you could say one thing about Ellie Chapman, it was this: grey. Her completion was grey, her faded blond hair looked greyish, her clothing was a washed out grey, she had grey bruises fading on her arms and she just slumped in a 'grey' fashion at the doorway.

'It's alright. I don't want it back. I made a mistake.' She said in a grey, monotone voice.

'But it must have been important, for you to come all the way back in to ask?' asked Jean kindly.

The woman sighed. 'No, no. Nothing important. It was a mistake.'

'But you seemed so concerned in the shop! What was in the donation? Can I go look for it for you? If I find it, I can return it to you.' Jean coaxed.

A look of panic flashed across Mrs. Chapman's face. 'No! No, there was nothing. Nothing.' And she started to close the door.

'Wait, please Mrs. Chapman!' interjected Lucien. 'Could you at least tell us what was in the bag?'

'Just rubbish. Rubbish from my father-in-law. My husband was angry when he found out I had given it all away.' She rubbed at the bruises on her arms.

Lucien looked concerned. 'Did he hurt you Mrs. Chapman? Are you alright?'

Ellie Chapman thrust her jaw out at Lucien. 'I'm fine. Everything's fine. He thought I had given something away something of his Dad's that he wanted to keep, but I didn't. I don't want anything back. All it was, was junk his father had saved after visiting old mates in New Zealand. He was angry I went to see you Mrs. Blake.' She looked at Jean pleadingly.

'Your husband, is he home? Can we talk to him?' Lucien asked.

Now Mrs. Chapman looked really frightened. 'No! he's not here! Don't tell him I spoke to you! Go away!' Again, she started to close the door, but Lucien stuck his foot in the way.

'Tell me' he pleaded.

'Dogs! He's gone to the Dog's!' she cried.

'I can help you Mrs. Chapman, if he's that far gone…' Lucien thought perhaps Chapman was drinking or in trouble, but he felt Jean tugging on his sleeve.

'She means the Greyhound races, Lucien.' Said Jean quietly.

'Oh,' and blushing slightly he removed his foot from the doorway. Ellie Chapman shut it firmly with a sharp click, leaving Jean and Lucien standing there.

They walked away, not noticing the curtains twitch behind them.

…

Lucien drove Jean to the Op Shop and dropped her off. It was Friday, and Lucien decided he was glad Mavis would be returning to work in Monday. He wasn't sure if he liked having a full-time 'working wife'.

Lucien thought he would stop in and check on Dr Harvey briefly before stopping into the station to let Matthew know about their conversation with Mrs. Chapman. As unproductive as it had been, Lucien felt there was something odd about the entire thing.

Alice looked up as Lucien walked into the morgue and pursed her lips. 'Good morning Lucien, to what do I owe the honour?' she said somewhat acerbically.

Lucien smiled, abashed, at Alice. 'Just thought I was neglecting you here Alice. My apologies. And my thanks for doing Ben Parker's autopsy.'

Alice was mollified. 'You read the report – do you want to review? Nothing out of the ordinary, blunt force trauma to the head.'

'You still have the body?' asked Lucien. 'I don't need to review your work, but I'd like to see the man.'

'Yes, the RSL will be claiming the body on Monday for the funeral, but he's still here in the Drawer number 4.' Replied Alice.

'Do you mind if I have a quick look, Alice?' asked Lucien hesitantly. He didn't want Alice to think he was checking up on her.

'Of course,' and she turned on her heel and strode to the refrigerated room containing the body cabinets. Lucien followed her and watched as she pulled open Drawer 4 and slid the body out for him to view.

Lucien stood and looked down sadly at the old man lying dead on the cold metal. He contemplated the fragility of life and the finality of death for a few moments, then looked up at Alice and said, 'Thank you, Alice.'

Alice began to slide Ben back into the wall when she hesitated. Turning to Lucien she said, 'There was one thing, it wasn't anything major; I did mention it in my report as an addendum.' She reached over, lifted Ben's right hand and showed Lucien. 'There is a scratch, like something sharp was dragged across his hand. A pin or a nail or something. It has nothing to do with the cause of death, but it is curious.'

Lucien looked carefully at the dead man's hand. 'Like he was holding something, and it was torn from his hand?'

'Perhaps.' Mused Alice. 'But as I said, nothing to do with the cause of death.'

'Quite.' Lucien nodded, thinking hard. 'Thank you, Alice. We'll see you this Sunday for lunch?' he asked.

Alice smiled. 'Looking forward to it Doctor.'

….

Arriving at the Police Station, Lucien waved to the Duty Officer and strode into Matthew's office. He found the men all at their desks, Bill was doing paperwork, Charlie was on the phone and Matthew was reading reports.

'Morning all,' he called. Matthew looked up as Lucien seated himself in front of his desk. He just grunted at Lucien's greeting. Matthew listened as Lucien detailed his and Jean's visit to the Chapman house earlier.

'So, nothing there either.' He noted sourly.

'Doesn't seem so, but it didn't feel right. She is certainly being abused, but I don't know if it has any bearing on this case.' Replied Lucien.

'This case is just full of dead ends.' Mathew was glumly considering the report he was working on in front of him, the paper holding Ben Parker's name.

The Duty Officer came in and handed an envelope to Charlie, who took it while still talking on the phone. Writing down what was being said to him over the landline a big smile began to spread across his face. Putting the phone down, he then opened the envelope, took out what was inside and read it. His smile turned into a giant grin.

Charlie went over to Matthew's desk, beaming. 'Boss, I got the names of who won those medals you found in Baker's shop.' He handed over the list he had been writing down. 'And City has just delivered the results of the fingerprints from the Tiki. They got a match!'

Matthew took the proffered list and report and read them carefully. He handed them to Lucien. Then looking up at Charlie he simply said, 'Bring him in.'

...