5. Fair Dinkum.

Sergeant Bill Hobart sat in the back room of the Station, his left hand in a bucket of ice. His face was stoically grim as Dr. Blake cleaned and carefully sutured the cut on his temple. A purple mouse was starting to blossom under his right eye. He winced just slightly as Blake swabbed stinging antiseptic over the completed stitches.

Blake stood back and looked at his handy work. 'There. Shouldn't scar too badly. You're lucky you didn't get a concussion. But you're also going to have a bit of an eye there soon, Bill. You should put some of that ice on it.'

Bill just grunted.

'Here, let me look at that hand,' Blake watched as Bill removed the damaged extremity from the bucket of ice. He carefully manipulated the fingers and felt for broken bones.

'Nothing broken, but it is going to be a bit swollen for a day or two. Keep it iced. Now, undo your shirt, let's look at those ribs.'

Bill said nothing, just pulled his shirt up with his right hand and stared past Blake's shoulder. Blake carefully poked and prodded. 'Hmm, maybe a cracked rib, but not broken I think. Going to purple up nicely. Hold still, I'll strap it up for you, that should help.' Blake proceeded to minister wrap and plaster to Bill's chest.

'Lawson's going to want to hear your report.' Bill refocused his gaze to Blakes' face and nodded.

'Anything you want to tell me first?' Bill still did not speak. 'You know Parkinson has come back without a scratch. He's making his report to Lawson now.'

Bill looked sadly at Blake and shook his head slightly. 'The lad's a menace, you know that don't you Doc?'

'He's young Bill. The young make mistakes.' continued Blake.

Bill just shook his head again. 'He keeps making these sorts of mistakes he'll get himself killed. He nearly got me killed tonight. For all I know he's killed Jim Baker.'

Blake responded seriously, 'Jim's still unconscious. With luck he'll come out of it soon.'

'For all our sakes I bloody well hope he does.' muttered Bill.

...

Lawson looked at his battered gladiator with concern. Usually, after a fight, Bill was animated. He could be almost jovial. But unlike a usual fight, he was positively grim after this one. Parkinson had been cagey in his report. Lawson needed to get to the bottom of this. Blake sat in and listened with an interested ear.

'This is a bit of mess, Bill. What the bloody hell did you think you were doing?'

Bill looked up at Lawson in surprise. 'Me? I was defending myself!'

'Really?' said Lawson skeptically. 'That's not what Constable Parkinson has been saying.'

'Oh, Christ on a stick. What has that little piece of shite been telling you?'

Lawson frowned. 'According to Parky, you were both called to a disturbance at the Royal Crown. He says you broke down the front doors and went in swinging. You went in without back up and when he caught up with you, you were down on the ground getting smacked around by Jim Baker. He knocked Baker out with his nightstick, chased off the other two offenders, then called in for help.'

'Bloody hell. You believe that porky?' Bill was incredulous. 'Boss, that kid needs a good slap if that's what he says happened.'

'Well, why don't you tell me your version of events.'

Bill shook his head. 'He's right about being called to the Royal Crown. Bit of after-hours drinking going on there. You know we sort of turn a blind eye to that as long as they keep it civilized. The publican, Jim Baker, reported a fight in progress and asked me to come down and sort it out for him. Jim's a good bloke and usually keeps a lid on any misbehavior. Charlie was out on another call, so I had to take Parky with me. Not that I wanted to.'

'Yes,' agreed Lawson, 'He's had a bit of a problem fitting in here, but I thought you had that sorted.'

With a sigh Bill continued, 'Sorted? Well, kid rubs me up the wrong way... still, he was the only one available so I told him to come along.' Bill grunted. 'He nattered the whole way down about how he was going to smash in a few heads until I told him to pack it in. We got to the Crown and I banged on the doors. Jim came and let us in right off. There were two blokes in the Public creating havoc. Jim lead me in and I told Parky to follow behind. As soon as I stepped into the bar and called 'Police' these two blokes turned and rushed me. Like they forgot what they were arguing about in that instant and ganged up for a bit of cop bashing.'

'You know these two?' Blake put in.

'Seen 'em about town, but don't have their names. New in town. Anyway, they made for me. One of them was a big bugger and clocked me in the face right off. I got a couple of punches in,' Bill shook his hand painfully, 'but t'other grabbed me from behind, held my arms behind my back and the big 'un started to lay into me.'

'Where was Parkinson?' Lawson asked.

'Dunno Boss. I thought he was right there, but he wasn't. I yelled out for him to help, but he didn't show. That's when Jim stepped in and clobbered the one who was holding me with a bottle. The one punching me got a good head butt in and I guess I passed out for a bit. Next I knew I was on the ground and Jim was slapping my face trying to get me to wake up.'

'What happened to the two blokes?'

'They had scarpered. Must've decided to leg it after they saw me go down. So, there I was on the ground, Jim was slapping me, and Parky comes up behind him and gives Jim one helluva wallop with his night stick! Jim falls to the ground and Parky just looks down at me laughing. Fair dinkum boss, that kid is right evil.'

Blake shook his head in disbelief. 'What a mess.' Lawson looked concerned.

Bill was crestfallen. 'Boss, that is exactly what happened.'

'I believe you Bill, I do. But your reputation precedes you. Until Jim Baker wakes up and confirms your story, both you and Parkinson are suspended from duty.'

...

Blake took pity on Bill's wounded condition and offered him a lift home. As the two men were walking out of the Station they passed Parkinson who was also about to leave. Parky was surrounded by two or three of the junior officers who were listening to avidly to him. They could hear him gloating '...and I tell you what, if I hadn't of been there he'd be a dead 'un. The guy's getting too old for...'

Bill surged forward but was held back by Blake's iron grip on his arm. 'Leave it Bill. The truth will out.'

With a growl Bill subsided and contented himself with shooting Parky a death glare as they passed. Parky just smirked.

'Once I drop you home I'll head up to the hospital and see about Jim.' consoled Blake.

'Thanks Doc,' Bill responded bleakly.

...

Jim Baker was unconscious for nearly two days. Blake was seriously worried about him and the hospital was monitoring Jim closely. Lawson was annoyed about being down two men and was making everyone's life at the Station a misery. Bill sat at home in his one room flat and stared at the walls. His life and reputation were on the line and he could do nothing about it. He wanted go see Ann but he didn't trust himself to leave the flat. He'd rung her and told her to stay away. Charlie had come around and told him that Parky had been heard spreading tales about Bill around town. Bill knew if there was even the slightest chance of meeting Parky in the street he would not be able to hold himself back, he would smack the young officer silly. It was best he just stayed low and out of sight until called back in.

Finally, on the afternoon of the second day Jim Baker regained consciousness. As soon as the doctors gave the all clear and Jim's rattled brains had calmed down enough, Lawson and Blake came in to talk to him. His recollection was somewhat hazy, but clear enough for Lawson to form a picture of what had actually happened.

...

Young Constable Parkinson stood to attention in front of Chief Superintendent Matthew Lawson. Lawson's face was grim. He looked Parky up and down and spoke, 'I'd like to know exactly what the bloody hell you were thinking?'

Parky pretended not to comprehend, 'Sir? I don't know what you mean Sir.'

'Don't take me for and idiot! You neglected your duty to assist a fellow officer in distress. You lied in your report of the incident. You have been spreading malicious stories about Sergeant Bill Hobart.'

'Sir! You are mistaken Sir! I know what I saw, I helped an officer who was down. Hobart is past it, and people should know!' Parky had a theory that if he threw enough mud on Bill's reputation some of it would stick.

Lawson was anger was icily calm. He produced Jim Bakers' statement. 'According to our witness, you did NOT assist Sergeant Hobart when he was attacked, you were, and I quote Baker, 'frozen like a rabbit in the headlights.'

Parky's' gaze was shifty, he could not look Lawson in the eye. 'Sir! Hobart just jumped in...'

'NO!' Parky jumped at Lawsons' bark. Lawson continued to refer to the witness report, 'SERGEANT Hobart attended the scene, correctly identifying himself upon arrival when the two suspects then turned and attacked him. One suspect held him immobile while the other proceeded to punch him about the ribs and face. YOU did nothing. Jim Baker says he had to step in and give assistance, whereupon one of the men rendered Sergeant Hobart unconscious, then both men fled the scene. Baker was trying to revive Hobart when you chose to weigh in with your nightstick and hit him. You gave him a serious injury and are damn lucky you didn't kill him.'

Parkinson wasn't going to give in. 'Sir! He's lying! Everyone knows Jim Baker is bent. He and the Sergeant were both part of it, it was a set up! Sergeant Hobart's had it in for me from the start!'

Lawson shook his head in disbelief. 'Constable, I don't know what sort of fantasy land you are living in. Sergeant Hobart is as honest as they come. You are suspended without pay until further notice pending a full investigation and disciplinary tribunal. I suggest you think long and hard about your conduct and your future as a police officer. Whatever the outcome, you are not the sort of officer that I want in my Station House.'

Parky's mouth dropped open in astonishment. He had wanted to be a cop all his life. He had hero worshiped Bill Hobart since he was a lad at Ballarat Primary. He had had wonderful visions of going on patrol with Bill and ridding Ballarat of every crim in sight. As a lad he was a terror and bully on the school ground. He would bail up the smaller lads and 'arrest' them with his fists. But real-life policing was a very different thing. Cops didn't go around beating people up just for the fun of it. There was also a lot of boring paperwork and reporting to deal with. Junior officers did most of the scut work in the Station. The Senior officers only tolerated or ignored him, dismissing him as a green recruit. Each time he had been partnered with Bill had been a disappointment. His conduct had been shameful and Bill let him know it. Parky believed that Bill viewed him with contempt and scorn. Any admiration or hero worship he had felt had rapidly turned to derision and hatred.

Then the unthinkable had happened. When the two men in the Crown turned on Bill, the chance had come to redeem himself in Bill's eyes. But he had been rooted to the floor with fear, fear of the danger, fear of getting hurt. Those blokes were BIG and knew how to hit! He realized in that instant he would never measure up and that he was craven. Surprisingly, his fear had turned into childish glee and he had thought to himself, 'Not so tough now, are you old Bulldog!' Only after Jim Baker had leapt into action, then both men fleeing and seeing Bill out cold on the floor did Parky realize the spot he was in. He knew he should have chased after the men, maybe even caught them. If he had only done at least that he could have salvaged his pride and reclaimed himself. But all he could think was that Jim had witnessed his cowardice. Without out conscious effort he found he could move again. So, he moved with all speed and malice to silence Jim. He actually hoped he had killed him. He certainly had intended to.

Lawson looked at him coldly, 'Get your gear. You'll be notified in due course of the time and place of your hearing.'

Even at that moment he could have turned his life around. He could have accepted his mistake, apologize and taken his punishment like a man of honor. Instead, he sneered at Lawson and spat, 'Tell the Bulldog it was a right pleasure watching his face get smashed in.'

...

Bill was back at his desk the next day. Over the next few weeks there was some gossip to contend with, but Bill had weathered worse before. Bill, Dr. Blake and Jim Baker had to appear as witnesses before the Police Tribunal. Bill wore his honesty as his shield and it protected him from the worst of the discomfort. Two weeks later Lawson handed him the report of their findings:

Upon evidence submitted by witnesses, The Police Disciplinary Tribunal is satisfied that on the balance of probabilities the designated officer Stewart Patrick Parkinson committed a serious breach of discipline and misconduct. This Tribunal will be recommending to the Commissioner of Police that the said officers' employment with the Victorian Police is terminated forthwith ...

Bill handed the report back to Lawson. 'You know, my Dad always said to me 'Be honest, be fair-dinkum. It might not get you a lot of mates, but it will always get you the right ones.' I don't think Parky ever learned that. You and the Doc... well... Thanks Boss.'

...