Cherry Pie (36 page)

We caught a cab to St Kilda and by the time we pulled up at the taxi rank outside the Prince of Wales I’d gulped down two cans of Red Bull and was buzzing with caffeine, sugar and rage. Dillon was probably at the restaurant and it was gonna be all I could do to stop myself tearing him a new arsehole.

Finding Andi was the priority and I didn’t want to waste time getting into a confrontation, but if the bastard hadn’t done away with her in the first place, then Steve would still be alive and Alex would be fine and everything wouldn’t have turned to shit.

Chloe threw the driver some money and we slammed the doors and hurried down Fitzroy Street. A few people lingered in restaurants and bars but the cold footpath was deserted.

Chloe’s spike heels echoed off the concrete and the street lamps were haloed by a fine mist of sea spray. We’d just crossed at the lights and were passing the milk bar on the corner when Chloe yelped and grabbed my arm, pulling me to a halt.

‘It’s the car!’ She pointed to the four wheel drive pulling up a few doors down from Jouissance, gasping as though the vehicle itself was evil. Holly emerged from the driver’s side, opened the back door, pulled out a baby capsule and headed for the restaurant. Maybe we wouldn’t even need to go inside.

We ran toward her and she whirled around.

‘Simone? Oh my god. I tried to call you when I heard about … I’m so sorry … I knew my stepmother was a bitch but I didn’t think she’d ever...I just wish I could have warned you. If there’s anything I can do …’ Holly was rugged up in a cable knit jumper, beige stirrup pants and a shapeless navy jacket a couple of sizes too big. A long scarf wound around her neck and her dark bob was hidden by a beanie. The freezing night air made her freckles stand out on her round, pale face.

I remembered how Patsy the waiter had hinted that Dillon was just after her money and suddenly I hated him even more.

Chloe peered into the baby capsule, easily distracted.

‘How cute. The little beanie matches yours. What’s his name?’

‘Edwin. Eddie. After my father.’ Holly jerked the capsule back, glaring at her, and I was shocked by the vicious expression until I remembered that the first time they’d met, Chloe had just placed Dillon’s hands on her boobs. Luckily Chloe was too busy cooing at the sleeping child to notice the dirty look.

‘Actually, Holly, there is something you can do,’ I said. ‘Give me the address of the land you and Dillon own out at Kangaroo Ground.’

She started and almost dropped the baby. ‘What. Why?’

‘Because we’re going there to get Andi.’

Her mouth fell open and her hazel eyes went wide. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘I don’t understand everything either but it looks like your husband was on with her. I think they had an argument after the staff party and he attacked her and drove to your property to dispose of the body.’

Holly sucked in a breath. ‘No, you’re wrong. He was home all night.’

She would say that.

‘What’s the address?’

‘I don’t remember offhand.’

‘But you could get it, right? Must have the title deeds at home?’

‘I don’t know where exactly. It would take me a while …’

She would say that too. I shook my head. ‘Protect him all you like, babe, but I’ve told the Homicide Squad what I know. Your husband’s going down.’ I turned and marched off, Chloe following close behind.

Jouissance looked warm inside with its glowing orange lights, flickering candles and dark wood. We reached the door just as Yasmin turned the sign to ‘Closed’. She lifted her head, realised who we were and lunged for the lock. Too late. Chloe and I had already pressed our palms to the glass and we pushed with all our might. She tottered back, nearly fell out of her court shoes and righted herself as we barged in. She drew herself up, smoothed her immaculate chignon and pointed.

‘That’s it, I’m calling the police!’

Chloe rushed into her, head first. The back of Yasmin’s knees hit a plush armchair and she fell into the seat. ‘Siddown and shut up, you scrawny freak,’ Chloe yelled, standing over her. ‘I wasn’t joking about that fucking phone!’

I glanced around. Trip sat at the bar looking tired and washed out. I’d heard on the news he’d been arrested and charged over the money laundering, but had been released on bail. He raised two fingers in a halfhearted wave and didn’t seem surprised to see us or remotely bothered by the fact that Chloe was threatening to insert telecommunications equipment into his girlfriend’s nether regions. The other chefs, clustered on a banquette, sat and stared. Through the glass panel I saw a couple of diners in the restaurant, lingering over a decanted bottle of red. Patsy had his back to us, setting tables, and Bad Boy was mopping the kitchen. No sign of Dillon.

I rushed over to Trip, no time for pleasantries. ‘Where’s Dillon?’

‘Around here somewhere, why?’

‘I need the address of his property at Kangaroo Ground. You were right about him. He did something to Andi and we’ve got to go find her, there’s a chance she’s still alive.’

‘Shit.’ He sat up straight on his padded stool. At that moment Dillon sauntered out of the kitchen, carrying a tray of freshly washed martini glasses and whistling a tune. The jolly little melody enraged me and I couldn’t help myself.

I ran at the bastard.

Dillon pulled up short and backed away when he saw the expression on my face.

‘Simone. I heard about—’

‘Shut the fuck up,’ I growled. ‘I know all about your affair, and what you did to Andi. We’re going there now to find her, dead or alive, and you’d better hope to god the cops arrest you before I get back because I’m holding you personally responsible for ruining my life.’

‘You’re fucked in the head.’ He jerked his chin up, flipping straight brown hair out of his eyes. ‘Get out of my way.’

I shoved his chest and he staggered and dropped the tray, the delicate glasses shattering with an almighty crash. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the diners hand Patsy the black folder containing their payment and hightail it down the back corridor. Bad Boy slumped out of the kitchen and he and Patsy inserted themselves in the archway, eager to see what was going on.

Dillon looked at Trip, eyes begging, willing his boss to come to his aid. Trip just shook his head and the other chefs followed his lead and stared at the floor. Chloe had Yasmin pinned in the armchair by the front door. Dillon was on his own.

‘I didn’t do anything to Andi.’ He talked slowly and precisely, his eyes narrowed and his voice simmering with rage.

‘Bullshit. You texted her after the staff party, from a public phone, to make sure it couldn’t be traced, went round to her place, bashed her probably, bundled her into the Datsun and dumped her body at Kangaroo Ground. Of course you were too fucking dense or panicked to realise she was still alive and in possession of her mobile phone. Then I reckon you left the Datto at the station, caught the first train to the city, another to Ormond, cleaned out her place and drove your four wheel drive out of there so fast you nearly knocked over a cyclist. Home to wifey, back to bed, then the acting role of your life, pretending you were innocent and didn’t know what happened to her. Did you cut the head off the possum to freak me out and encourage me to investigate?’

‘Possum? I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Why would I kill Andi?’

‘I dunno. Maybe she was gonna tell your wife what was going on and there goes your little nest egg. You tell me.’

He scoffed. ‘I never touched her. We never had an affair!’

‘Come on, mate,’ Trip said. ‘I saw you two making goo-goo eyes. There was your secret rendezvous in the booth at Mink, the party pash.’

Dillon laughed. ‘Sure, I flirted with Andi but not ’cause I wanted to sleep with her.’

‘Why then?’ Trip seemed puzzled that anyone would be bothered to flirt if they weren’t after a root.

‘Because …’ Dillon flicked his hair again and a pink flush rose to his high cheekbones.‘ … I wanted her to invest in my film. I knew she had money saved and I thought if I buttered her up she’d give it to me and I could buy the editing equipment. It was a loan,’ he said quickly. ‘I was going to pay her back when the film started making money.’

A short film making money? He had to be even more stupid than he looked. But if he was that dumb, how had he got away with it for so long?

‘How much she lend you?’ I asked.

‘Five grand. I needed to finish the film. The in-laws wouldn’t give me any more money and Rochelle wouldn’t let us sell the stupid land. I know I probably shouldn’t have led Andi on, but I was desperate. That’s what we were doing at Mink. She was handing over the cash.’

It explained the withdrawal from Andi’s account but didn’t mean he didn’t try to knock her.

‘Tell me where she is and how to get there,’ I snarled. ‘I’m running out of time.’

‘Can’t you get it through your head? It wasn’t me and I don’t know! I’ve never even been to Kangaroo fucking Ground. Jesus, I hate the country, it’s full of bugs and rednecks.

Holly took care of that shit. She went out there when we got the land evaluated, she can vouch for me. She’ll tell you I didn’t leave the house after the staff party and I slept right through till one in the afternoon, the deepest sleep of my life, god, like I was drugged or something.’

Dillon was expressing a convincing mix of desperation and self righteous indignation and if I hadn’t known he was an actor I’d have been taken in. Until I remembered I’d seen him in his short film and he’d been bloody awful. I knew he was under pressure but how could a such crap performer suddenly pull an Academy Award performance out of his arse? Unless it wasn’t an act …

‘Honestly, Holly’ll be here soon to clear up this bullshit. Just ask her.’

I looked at Chloe. I’d thought Holly was right behind us.

‘Where’s Holly?’ I asked.

She ran to the door and looked down the street where the four wheel drive had been parked. ‘Car’s gone. She’s taken off.’

Everything hit me all at once. I’d thought Dillon was an idiot, but it was me who’d been the fool.

‘Holly’s really jealous, yeah?’ I asked him.

‘Not really …’

Patsy snorted, leaning against the arch. ‘Yeah, right. She’s the green eyed monster personified. Wouldn’t hire any female staff when she ran this place and I think she was even worried about me! You told me yourself that she attacked a girl when you guys lived in Sydney, a chick who came up and danced with you in a club.’

‘That was a long time ago,’ Dillon protested. ‘She got counselling. She’s really mellowed since she had Eddie. She wouldn’t. She was home with me all night.’

‘You said you slept like you were drugged …’ I was almost certain. Everyone else thought Dillon and Andi were having an affair. What if Holly thought so too? What if she’d seen them kiss at the party? I thought through my theory and slotted Holly in, in place of her husband. It all worked out.

There was just one more question to ask.

‘Did you guys spend all last week together?’

‘Except for Thursday and Friday. She had to go up to her old school unexpectedly, to coach some girls in a hockey camp. They couldn’t find anyone else and she didn’t want to let them down. I stayed home from work and looked after Eddie.’

‘Where’s her old school?’ I asked.

‘Just outside Sydney. She flew there on Thursday morning. Why?’

I looked at Chloe. ‘She’s got a twenty minute head start,’ I said. ‘We need to find the address and get there, fast.’

I heard a cough and turned around. Trip had slid off his stool and was dangling his keys.

Trip took Dillon home to Albert Park and called me as soon as he’d unearthed the address of the Kangaroo Ground property. He also told me that Holly wasn’t there, which was no great surprise. By the time he’d returned to Jouissance Chloe and I had printed a map and directions from a computer in Yasmin’s office and were arguing in the cobbled laneway out the back.

‘We can’t fit three on the bike,’ I told Chloe.

‘Then kick Trip off. I can handle this motherfucker.’

‘No way.’ He squared his shoulders.

‘It’s a bike, not your penis.’ She put her hands on her hips.

‘I’ve got no problem with either of you riding my dick, but the Ducati’s out of the question.’

Jesus.

‘Get a cab to your car then catch up to us,’ I suggested. We were seriously running out of time.

‘No. I’m your freaking sidekick and I’m coming with you!’

He shrugged. ‘We can all fit, just. I’ve had three on the bike before, with the Russian models. It’ll slow us down though.’

‘What about the police?’ I asked.

‘Fuck the police!’ he yelled and Chloe grinned and high fived him. Friends again.

‘Okay, fine,’ I said, ‘let’s just go.’

Trip handed us the two helmets and hopped on, Chloe behind him, me bringing up the rear half sitting on the carry rack. After crawling along the Esplanade he hit Fitzroy and finally we were struggling up Punt Road and onto Hoddle.

When we turned onto the Eastern Freeway he tried to gun it but the engine protested against the extra weight.

Then I heard the sirens. I turned my head to see a police car pull parallel, the uniformed officer in the passenger seat waving us down. Trip hit the throttle and the engine groaned.

Damn. We couldn’t outrun them and the damn cowboys in the cop car were veering over, forcing us onto the verge. Trip stopped the bike before we crashed into the ditch at the side of the road.

He swore. ‘It’s okay, I’ll talk to them.’

He kicked the stand out, left the keys in and slid off the bike. Cars zoomed by, beeping at us, and Chloe and I pushed our visors up and watched as he sauntered over to the cops.

I couldn’t hear the exact words but within seconds they were arguing and Trip was waving his arms around. One of the officers reached for Trip and he batted him away then both tried to grab him and he whirled and started running down the side of the road. Christ, could it get any worse? Chloe started scooting forward on the seat.

‘Kick the stand,’ she yelled over her shoulder.