Murder with the Lot Read Free Page A

Piero’s mother and I don’t argue with Sophia. Never, not even now Piero’s dead. At ninety, Sophia still dresses with more flamboyance than anyone I’ve ever met. She describes herself as a geriatric starlet. A couple of art galleries have put on shows of her clothes.
    Today she was wearing an emerald green shirt, huge flared pants and a chunky gold necklace. Ronnie, her second husband, is in the room next to Ernie’s.
    â€˜Poor Ronnie,’ she sighed. ‘He move back ten more years, now he thinks we’re in 1973. He keep asking when we gonna go see Mr Whitlam. I tell him next week, all set for lunch in Canberra. How’s he, your Mr Jefferson?’
    â€˜I’ve got great news for Ernie.’ I told her about Clarence and the rent. ‘Writer bloke. Fella handed over five grand.’
    â€˜You joking. What is he like, this rich man?’
    â€˜Young fella. Dark hair, bit oily looking.’
    She looked thoughtful. ‘Not that young man the other man he’s lookin’ for?’
    I stood still. ‘What other man?’
    â€˜I don’t remember now who tell me. Perhaps Vern. He knows many things.’
    That shop of Vern’s is just an elaborate device for sucking news out of the veins of anyone passing by.
    â€˜A man, he was askin’ in the Sheep Dip roadhouse. Not very friendly, Vern say. He have a gun.’
    My skin chilled. ‘Gun?’
    â€˜Yes. Underneath his jacket, Vern say. And there was something about his eye, it was, you know, really off.’ She gestured vaguely at her own eyes, bright unexpected blue behind huge flying-saucer glasses.
    â€˜Looking for the young fella, why?’
    She leaned forward, lowered her voice. ‘Mildura Mafia, most probably.’
    â€˜The fella looking say that?’
    â€˜ Omertà , Cassie.’ She nodded significantly. ‘These men do not break their code of silence. Don’t you watch the movies, cara ?’
    Suddenly, Ernie’s five grand felt very heavy in my handbag.
    â€˜But I must not keep you,’ said Sophia. ‘Is new-stock morning in the Op Shop. I’m lookin’ for some nice thing to wear to Laura’s deb.’ She bustled off to her car.
    Clarence was a normal customer, just slightly injured and carrying a lot of cash. Course he was. What was it he’d said? Keep it to yourself…where I am.

No way I was giving Ernie Mafia money. I turned around and strode back to my car.
    â€˜Dean?’ I spoke into the mobile. ‘Got someone you better check on, pronto. Bloke by the name of Clarence Brown. Possible Mafia type. Says he’s a writer from Melbourne.’
    â€˜Really.’ Dean’s voice didn’t have quite the sense of urgency I was looking for.
    I explained about Clarence’s blood, his mysterious book, the mean bloke at Sheep Dip looking for him. ‘We don’t want a gangster battle breaking out in Rusty Bore.’
    â€˜Gangsters. Right. Mum, why are you so sure he’s a criminal?’
    â€˜I’m not sure, that’s the point. That’s why you need to check up on him.’
    He sighed. ‘This is the fourth time in the last two years you’ve asked me to check up on someone. And on each occasion they turned out to be completely normal law-abiding people. One of them was the mayor of Randall.’
    â€˜No one more devious than a politician, everybody knows that.’
    â€˜Look,’ his voice softened. ‘I’ll try my best to get over tonight for a cuppa. I know you’re lonely. But I can’t go looking into people’s personal details, not unless there’s an actual crime I’m investigating. Reasonable grounds for suspicion, at least.’
    â€˜I’ve just explained all that. I’ve definitely got reasonable grounds.’
    â€˜Mum. I’ve got to have the reasonable grounds, not you.’ He hung up.
    Great, thanks Dean. I spent a moment drumming my fingers