Part 11: Day Two
Jo and Jacks Room.
5:30am
"... so I get to watch from inside the door, and check that authorised people are the only ones who get in." Jo finished, "Fun huh!"
"I'm envious- tell me you want to be out there again." Jack replied.
"True... look come one- we've got to get up and going." She jumped up from the small table, picking up her cup and finishing the last of her coffee. "I'm going to have a shower." She slipped over behind Jack, and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek.
" 'Kay."
Jack walked over to the clotheshorse, where Jo has insisted he hang his uniform. He quickly removed his old trackie pants, and t-shirt, and replaced it with his shirt and pants. He ran a hand through his hair, and decided he was ready. He knew Jo would be a little while in the shower, so he sat down on the couch and watched some early morning television.
Tess's Room
6:00am
Tess slowly wandered around the room, getting herself ready for the day. She wasn't particularly looking forward to the day. After the mishaps the day before, she too had been moved to a 'lower-risk' area like Jo. She was escorting delegates from the underground car park to the facility. She couldn't think of anything more boring.
She was almost ready, when she heard a knock at the door. She went over and opened it. There stood Jo and Jack merrily chatting.
"G'day Sarg!" said Jo happily.
Tess looked at the two puzzled. Yesterday they had hardly said a word to each other... what was going on?
"You coming?" asked Jack.
"Hmmm," shaking her head in confusion, Tess grabbed her bag and hat, and closed the door behind her.
As they walked to the car, Jack walked over to the drivers seat. "My turn to drive, right?"
Jo tossed him the keys, "Just don't add any dings."
Tess and Jo stood on the other side of the car. "You okay?" asked Jo quietly, the concern evident in her tone.
"Yeah, fine. " said Tess confidently, quickly putting an end to that line of conversation. Tess wasn't one to share her problems. She felt embarrassed at telling Jo about what had happened.
Jo searched Tess's eyes for the real story, but was surprised to see a closed up face.
As they drove towards the city, Tess started to question the two officers on their evening after she had left.
"So did you too get up to anything interesting after I left?"
"Nah, I had a bit of a headache, so I went to bed early." Jo threw her response back at Tess quickly without hesitation.
"Yeah, I was watching some terrible American law show, and fell asleep on the couch." Jack lied to Tess with confidence.
"Oh." replied Tess. So maybe the straightforward option wasn't working. Time for Plan B.
Mt. Thomas
8:00am
"Have you found our petty thief yet?" asked Tom as he wandered into the station that morning.
"Nope." replied Ben.
"It's hardly an urgent case- the great pet bowl caper!" exclaimed PJ.
"Pet- oh no!" Ben jumped up, and grabbed the keys to the patrol car.
"Stewart! Where do you think you're going?"
"Ah- lead boss." came Ben's voice as he bolted out the door.
"Follow him Hasham," said the Boss, waving his hand in the air.
Patrol Car
8:10am
"You want to explain where it is we're going?" asked PJ exasperated at his colleague.
"Well, Tess asked me to look after her cat. And I kinda forgot to feed it last night, and this morning."
"What's the massive rush, it'll still be inside the house when you get there."
"But I let it out yesterday morning."
"You're an idiot Stewart. Gone and lost the Sarg's cat. Good effort."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence!"
When they arrived outside Tess's house, Ben jumped out of the car quickly. PJ took his time, slowly following behind. He looked around the front of the house, and the neighbouring houses. He noticed a blonde teenager run into a house just down the street, her back to PJ. There was a little old man mowing his lawn. It appeared to be a nice quite little area.
Ben ran out breathlessly. "You've got to help me look for her- she's gone!"
"Who?"
"The cat!"
PJ shook his head. And started to search for the cat.
"What's its name?" asked PJ as he pulled his head out from a huge bush.
"Mitsi. She's a little tabby kitten."
"Is there a food bowl or anything outside, we could see if she's been there anytime recently."
"Ah... don't think so. But there is one massive scratching post out the back, at the door. I guess a water bowl maybe there, if anywhere."
Ben led PJ through Tess's house and out the back door.
"There!" he pointed.
"Where... there's nothing here Stewart, try again." snapped PJ impatiently.
"What the hell?"
Ben ran over to side of the veranda deck, and saw there was nothing there.
"Oh- you're kidding! Lost the cat and the scratching post. Jesus!"
Ben kicked the nearby chair.
"Hey! Over here!" called PJ who had been curiously checking out Tess's backyard.
Ben joined PJ staring at some marks on the wet grass.
"Someone dragged the post out, and has completely ripped the grass away in the process." said Ben, thinking out aloud.
"It's our guy. Lets do a door knock."
Exhibition Building Doorway.
10:00am
"Just the one Constable, " said Tess to Jo, showing her Freddy and the ID card of the delegate next to her. Jo opened the door, and stood back.
"Just through her thankyou sir. " said Tess politely, "Constable Wilson will take you from here."
Tess watched as the man with young Constable Wilson disappeared down the hall.
"He's not bad," stated Tess to Jo, who was leaning against a table.
"Who... the delegate- he looks about as old as the Boss!" replied Jo, confused.
"I was actually talking about Scott Wilson!"
"Oh, yeah I spose." replied Jo non-commitedly.
Tess looked at her strangely; the young constable from Bendigo was absolutely gorgeous- how had she not noticed?
"Not bad! He makes Brad Pitt look like an ugly duckling."
"Yeah, I guess blonde hair, blue eyes isn't my thing."
"Oh- look I gotta keep going, see you for lunch?"
"Okay." replied Jo.
Tess disappeared down to the car park. Not blond hair blue eyes huh, perhaps it was more along the lines of tall and brown haired...
Three houses down from Tess's House
10:30am
PJ stood waiting someone to answer the door. Ben was standing a little back from PJ, looking in the garden. They could hear the barking of dogs, and twerping of birds. Even a duck could be heard. But no one answered the door.
Suddenly something jumped out of a tree. Ben looked around, surprised to see the young tabby kitten that had caused all these problems, land at his feet.
"Mitsi!" he called, picking her up. The kitten meowed quietly, nestled into Ben's jacket. "Where have you been?"