The Arena Casino Atrium Lounge windows on the 20th floor shone like the sun, a star at night. They illuminated Lincoln Point’s suburbia like a lighthouse. The glow was warming and cool, reassuring and came with the cost of enormous grief and hardship along the way.
Malcolm and Leo had eyes on the prize tonight, it wasn’t a friendly eye, but one of armed robbery and murder should it be required. Leo’s family and Michael’s crew were ready and all were loyal.
Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Peter Thomas sat reading some old case files while researching today’s murder in Lincoln Point’s seedier side at Gloryville. These disastrous events were 5 years ago. Peter scanned the list of participants and remembered the major players.
Malcolm – 34, was a man with no grace at all. He was gruff, impatient with enough OCD traits to ensure everything went smoothly. He would react in a heartbeat with a vicious outcome.
Leo – 32, was a man of asian background, that far back in his family tree he’d not bothered to trace too much at all. He did manage to take advantage of his looks when it suited him and deny his roots when that did.
Ruth – 28, was Leo’s long suffering girlfriend. A retired stripper from the Luna Lounge. She was the owner of the best breasts in Lincoln Point, awarded to them in numerous online competitions. She and they kept in shape. Shapes that Leo liked.
Robert – 30, was an idiot. A loyal violent idiot. A man that could win fights with 10 men at once, all while being an idiot. Michael was God according to Robert. Michael treated him well, after all he was an idiot.
Mark – 27, was a friend of Ruth’s from the stripper world, although Mark had a certain bulge the clients were surprised to find when the time came. They still came though. Mark was as tough as the lot of them combined, bar Ruth, Mark was the best looking in the bunch.
Gloryville
“DCI Thomas?” … asked a timid voice from the doorway. “Can I come in?”
“Sure thing Marianne, what’s happening?”
“Forensic have an outcome from the Gloryville Murder. They claim it’s Malcolm Smith’s DNA at the scene and they found skin traces under her fingernails with a semen sample in her underwear.
“Well that’s fucking great, I’m catching up with the 2017 robbery at the Arena Casino just now. Amazing coincidence. Get my car please Marianne.”
DCI Thomas was well aware that Malcolm had been declared dead at the scene of the robbery 5 years ago. His DNA at Gloryville could be explained in any number of ways. Dropped there, family ties close enough to confuse the tests, he’s alive or there has been a major fuck up in the lab. Peter would work though all considerations and hopefully sought out the murder and the DNA mystery. Maybe even catch those that got away in 2017.
Preparation
The plan for the Arena was 2 years in the making. Leo came to Malcolm and between them realised the detail, the numbers required and the possible outcomes. The job was to be called The New Tattoo. Describing detail was coded with a range of seemingly silly language that those listening could never understand. In fact the silly language process was changed every week and the chatter was kept to face to face as much as possible.
Vehicles were purchased, sold and bought back again to confuse any trail. The accoutrements required for The New Tattoo same. Weapons were imported via a drug route known only to Malcolm’s family. The crew was recruited through well worn and trusted referrals. Thankfully not many were needed outside of family and the pre-existing crew.
The Arena Casino was 2 years old in 2017 and had exceeded all expectations for turnover, acceptance by the local community and the unexpected relaxation of security measures. Whales were brought in by the plane load and the Arena was earning a reputation for gamblers of all sized pockets. Of course, the State Government appreciated the turnover and subsequent tax earnings. Many a hospital and school benefited from the loss of those brave enough to risk their house, family inheritance, kids’ futures and in some cases, their lives. The 12 Island Company Pty Ltd could be well pleased with their decision to build a casino in the seaside backwater that is Lincoln Point.
DCI Peter Thomas was about to turn 41. The biggest landmark in life’s years the big 40 was now behind him. It was an immensely drunken and somewhat illegal celebration. Three clubs, loads of alcohol, some public, some very adult with two behind very private doors. It finished with him and the various hangers on avoiding arrest due to his career choice and the fact the fun stoppers won’t have dared nick the boss. He swore off ever partying with Lynne again after that night. He’d interviewed her in relation to an organised crime group called Hugh St and found lust shortly after. She was insatiable, as was he. They came together whenever they could and when her parole officer was out of town. She was very much on the “do not associate with list”. She also partied with Leo and Ruth, but Peter was none the wiser.
He wasn’t married
He had no sensible girlfriend. He did manage to refrain from heavy drinking and illicit drug taking. He was taking a large number of prescribed medications. His daily intake would kill a horse. Cholesterol, Gout, High Blood Pressure, a headache nearly all day – every day and a couple of vitamins thrown in for good measure. He swallowed all that in a day and almost created a rattling sound as his portly belly wobbled along in front of his legs.
The abode for DCO Thomas was a surprising thing if and when anyone actual visited. Not many and normal only once. The home address for Peter was a brand new apartment in Gala Grove Lincoln Point, down by the beach at the fancy end. Not the shit-kicker, dead beat moron, drug addict, government housing end. No he was at Merlin Beach. The swanky, wanky I’m special area in Lincoln Point. The area that thinks their poo is golden and without smell. Their piss sure stank though. Peter liked it there. He didn’t socialise much locally, and unless he’d met you professionally you’d not know he was a seriously well credentialed fun stopper, a DCI, the boss.
He did go to Girls on Film a fair bit on his late starts, when not on a case. He enjoyed the coffee, toast and the delightful Cherry and her staff. Peter’s mate Alex, one of the Council EHO’s put him onto the joy of heterosexual observance on offer.
Well Worthy
Constable Marianne Worthy was well worthy and had been in Peter’s mind for a while. Indeed, so inappropriately that everyone in Lincoln Point would lose their jobs if he ever acted on his fantasy. Nothing really illegal, just completely against all QPS supervisory behaviour, as well as the citizen codes. The politician don’t give a fuck, they just do whatever they like. He’d arrested a few in his time. He’d also arrested that fat grub from the Church of the Sunshine Grass – Rupert K. Asquith. He laughed remembering the stories from Alex, he called him Special K.
Back on track Peter managed to refrain from pursuing any targeted movements and kept himself at arms length. He was too distracted just now with the Arena Casino, Malcolm Smith and the Gloryville murder investigation. To many strange things rolling around in that pile of facts. Malcolm’s body was burnt, identified then cremated. If course it was. The identification was DNA and dental records. Great work from the lab at the time. Maybe not so great now. He thought about his own teeth a far bit, as he’d started a self whitening procedure and was going for a shade of white he could be impressed with. 24 years of smoking professionally, drinking coffee and ignoring his teeth in so many way resulted in him only having 11 left. They were getting whiter.
A Birthday
The Arena Casino had recently celebrated it’s 6 year birthday and remarkably invited all the 6 year olds and their gambling parents to a special celebration. No alcohol for the kiddies of course but bucket loads for the mums, dads, aunt, uncles, those who cut their hair, their lawn, those who lived next door and/or any other bugger they could squeeze into their 20 per family invite. The day was an enormous success, turn over up 6 times a normal Monday and they still had week of 6 year nonsense to fleecing and flogging to go. Alex had mentioned to Peter that even though he shouldn’t tell, the Casino did a tremendous job in food safety, although like everywhere in Lincoln Point they needed a gentle kick up the arse once in a while. The complaints that came into Council made for a great night of laughs as they enjoyed the merriment of afters at Girls on Film. Only between them of course.
Eugene was circling the block he’d identified for his next target. He had the van, the plan, the tools and enough of the lack of consideration for others he needed to slaughter his next friend.