PiandO- Serialized story P1

P i a n d O

Part 37

The meeting at the Won Chan’s home was not really a joyful occasion. The farmhouse was now safe, the bomb Squad had effectively disposed of the suitcase that had been packed with gelignite.

“I could smell it,” David O’Hara said. “I’d say it’s been stored somewhere and is well past the use-by date.”

“The explosives people were not at all happy with you moving it,” Shaun added, remembering the comments the leader of the group made when he saw the suitcase on an iron sheet almost half a kilometre from the homestead.

“I have a feeling that if we’d left it where Ben found it, they’d have done nothing different.” David answered Shaun. His comment made both Ben and Theresa look up in shock.

“It’s been an experience and we have learnt something more,” Shaun said. “They may be stupid, what they did at the bottle shop is a good indication of that. The only good luck today is that the police were on the spot. I’d be inclined to say that’s the only reason why the case never went off.”

“But wouldn’t they have had to set a fuse or have a detonator?” Theresa asked.

“My best bet is that they had an electrical device. It might not have had much range and remember Ben took a shot at one of them, the boys at Mile End used the getaway car for target practice then the police took off after them. They’d have been too busy to set it off then and next thing they were out of range.”

“It would seem that’s what happened,” Gareth nodded. “Shaun, did you say you telephoned my father before the bomb squad arrived?”

“Yes Gareth,” Shaun spoke to them all. “Gareth’s Dad is a board member. He told me about the solicitor we think is in this up to his ears. It’s Bob Brookman. He’s been putting pressure on various shareholders to sell their interest in the Stud. As Gareth well knows, Brookman and some others were desperately trying to involve him. What was going on at the stud was meant to discourage our investors so they’d unload their stock cheaply.”

“I think they’d have been quite happy to hold a gun at my head if they couldn’t buy me.” Gareth told everyone. “Brookman wanted me in Hong Kong with him; first class travel, one of the world’s best pubs to stay and visits to Happy Valley and Sha Tin. It must have cost him a packet.”

“What it all achieved might be more interesting Gareth,” Shaun suggested.

“It nearly cost me my position with the Stud. Brookman wanted me to sound out trainers and build up a network for him in Asia. His idea was to get some dirt on them so he could resort to bribery. I decided I wanted out so I made a visit to the committee rooms.”

“What you did really threw the cat among the pigeons. Go on Gareth, tell us all what you did.” Shaun prompted.

Shooting a menacing glance at Shaun, Gareth went on. “I’d been talking to some trainers about legitimate business, mainly that Mile End was a place to look at for investing in racehorses; breeding and training. It was all promising but I had to get Brookman and his mate out of my hair. I decided tell Brookman’s mate that I’d found some co-operative trainers. This bloke’s a nasty bit of work, a government senator; Paul Crompton.”

A rapid intake of her breath caused everyone to look at Jackie. She composed herself quickly.

“Crompton represents Nivian district and he’s got a long history experimenting with alternate life styles,” Shaun explained to the group.

(Continued on page 6:)

John Gavin