Challis - 01 - Dragon Man Read Free Page B

daybreak yesterday. Our first task will be a door
knock.

    He paused. Its early days, so try
not to let one case colour the other, but we cant discount the possible links
between Kymbly Abbotts murder and Jane Gideons disappearance. Since Im
already working oh Abbott, Ive brought her files with me. Any questions so
far?

    What are the links, boss?

    The Old Peninsula Highway for a
start, Challis said. He turned to a wall map. It showed the city of Melbourne,
and the main arteries into the rural areas. Pointing to a network of streets
which marked the suburb of Frankston, on the south-eastern edge of the city, he
said, Kymbly Abbott had been at a party here, in Frankston. The highway starts
here, a few hundred metres away. Abbott was last seen walking toward it,
intending to hitch a ride home. He traced the highway down the hook of the
Peninsula. She lived with her parents here, in Dromana. They own a shoe shop.
I have her leaving the party at one oclock in the morning, possibly drunk,
possibly stoned, so her judgment would have been shot. No-one at the party gave
her a lift, though I will be talking to them all again. Her body was found
here, by the side of the highway, just seven kilometres south of Frankston. Were
appealing for witnesses, the usual thing, did anyone see her, give her a lift,
see someone else give her a lift.

    But that suggests our mans also
prowling in Frankston itself, not simply up and down the highway.

    I know. Or he lives in the
Frankston area and was just setting out somewhere, or lives down here and was
on his way home. Now, other similarities. Both incidents happened late at
night. Both victims are young women who were alone at the time.

    He passed out crime-scene
photographs. They showed Kymbly Abbott like a cast-aside rag doll in death, her
throat and her thighs swollen and cruelly bruised. Raped and strangled. If
that was the first time for our man, he might have been on a high for a few
days, eager to try again on Sunday night.

    Slim, boss, someone said.

    I know its slim, said Challis,
showing some heat for the first time, but until weve got more to go on what
can we do but use our imaginations and think our way into what might have
happened? He tapped his right temple. Try to get a feel for this guy.

    What about the VAA mechanic?

    He got there after the police did.
Hes in the clear.

    A detective said, I got called to a
Jane Gideons maybe six, seven months ago? Here in Waterloo. Shed had a
break-in. A flat near the jetty.

    Thats her, Challis said. I
checked her flat in the early hours of Monday morning to see if shed simply
been given a lift home.

    He put his hands on his hips. Theres
a lot riding on this. Waterloos not a big place. A lot of people would have
known her. Theyre going to be upset, edgy, wanting results in a hurry.

    He waited. When there were no more
questions, he turned to a Lands Department aerial survey map on the wall behind
him. I want two of you to take a few uniforms and conduct a door-to-door along
the highway. Much of its through farmland, so that helps. I drove along it on
my way here this morning and saw only a couple of utilities and a school bus.
One 24-hour service station here, where the Mornington road cuts it. Most of
the farmhouses are set back from the road, but theyll still need checking out.
And certain businesses. A place called The Stables, sells antiques. A couple of
wineries. A deer farm, ostrich farm, flying school, Christmas tree farm theyll
be doing increased trade at this time of the year. A pottery, a mobile
mechaniclook twice at him, okay? See if he had any late calls on Sunday night
and the night Kymbly Abbott was killed. Also, in addition to Foursquare Produce
there are two other fruit and vegetable places with roadside stalls.

    He turned to face them again. Thats
it for now. Well meet here again at five oclock. Scobie, I want you to draw
up a list of known sex offenders who live on the Peninsula. Ellen, come with
me.

    * * *