Blood River - Part Nine

Newcastle Herald

Friday January 2, 2009

Barry Maitland

KATE found Andrew in the bar. He had changed into dry clothes and was consoling himself with a brandy, but otherwise didn't seem any the worse for his dive into the river. He looked up at Kate in surprise. "You've got a nerve," he began, then saw the anger in her eyes.

"You want Larry?" she said.

He blinked. "Yes."

"I don't want you to kill him. But apart from that you can do what you like with him."

"Kill him?" Andrew looked startled. "Kate, what on earth do you think I am?"

She seemed puzzled by his reaction. "You're a gangster, aren't you?"

"A gangster?" Andrew laughed. "Good heavens no. I'm a private investigator, working for the insurance company that paid out on Larry's life policy. He is alive, isn't he?"

Kate hesitated, then nodded.

"We thought so. You planned this together from the beginning, didn't you?"

"No! I had nothing to do with it."

"Why don't you sit down and tell me the whole story."

So she did. When she finished he sat back, thinking. "Well, I don't know anything about a Sydney crime family, but it's possible, I suppose."

"I don't know what to believe any more, Andrew, except that Larry is a total bastard. You can have the insurance money back. I just want him to face the music. His stupid games cost my brother his life. Do you want me to take you to where he and his girlfriend are hiding?"

"Mm, well, I'm sure the insurance company will be grateful to you for your co-operation, Kate, but I can't just march in and arrest him. I'll need at least 24 hours to get a warrant from the Australian police and make arrangements with the German authorities. Once he's under arrest, we can argue about an extradition order. So what I'd like you to do with him is act as if everything's fine. Go ahead with transferring the money, then phone him and arrange to meet tomorrow, tell him you love him."

"That's not going to be easy."

"I know." He reached across and squeezed her hand. "But it's what you have to do if we're to catch him. If he suspects something's up and slips away now we'll never find him. Would you like a brandy? You look as if you need it."

Later that day Debra returned to the ship with the group that had been touring the city. Kate took her back to her cabin and told her what had happened. Debra was horrified.

"And you actually saw him with this other woman? What was she like?"

"I couldn't get a good look. But now Andrew knows everything, he'll sort it out."

"Yes God, Kate, poor you. Tell me again, all the details."

That evening they had dinner with the Toowoomba builders, who were in fine form, but Kate found it hard to join in. She felt a hard lump in her chest, thinking about the drama that would unfold the following day. When they got up from the table Andrew drew her aside to tell her about the arrangements he had made. There would be several different tours available when they reached Nuremberg, some to the medieval city, and others to the World War 2 sites, such as the war crimes trials courtroom and the Nazi monuments and museum. Kate was to go with a group to the Zeppelinfeld, the 1930s Nazi rally ground, where Andrew had arranged for a unit of German police to make the arrest. Following his instructions, she phoned Larry to tell him to meet her there. It was the most difficult phone call she'd ever made. Trying to sound loving and enthusiastic as she lured her husband into the trap made her feel physically sick.

When she'd finished Andrew asked anxiously, "How did he seem?"

"Fine," she said. "Just fine." Then she ran to her cabin and threw up in the bathroom.

Debra came to her and bathed her face with a wet cloth, comforting her with her sensible, even voice. "You're doing the right thing, Kate."

"Am I?"

"Of course you are. But I'm worried about you. You won't be in any danger, will you?"

"No, Andrew's got it all worked out." And she told her friend exactly what had been arranged.

Continued on Monday

Hunter-based author Barry Maitland studied and practised architecture in Britain before moving to Australia, where he became a professor at the University of Newcastle. He retired from academic life to become a full-time crime novelist and is best known for his characters Brock and Kolla, two London-based detectives. Blood River was written especially for Summer Herald and will appear in 14 instalments.

Join Barry Maitland and get your name in print. Send your original, fictional short story (500 to

700 words) to Summer Herald. Well select five to publish during January. Email your submission

to features@theherald.com.au with your name, address and a daytime phone contact.

© 2009 Newcastle Herald

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